Author: Alik Griffin

Kecak Dancers of Bali

The Kecak Dance, or Ramayana Monkey Chant, is a dramatic Balinese performance where over 50 male dancers chant “chak” and wave their hands to symbolize fire, reenacting a battle from the Ramayana. Capturing this event with my Canon 5D Mark II and 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens was challenging due to low light, but I…
Kintai-Kyo Bridge of Iwakuni Japan

The Kintai-Kyo bridge is a magnificent sight that I captured in this photo. It is situated in the city of Iwakuni, in the Yamaguchi Prefecture of Japan. The bridge is a wooden masterpiece that crosses the Nishiki River. It dates back to 1673, when the third lord of Iwakuni, Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, built it after reading…
Double Rainbow All The Way

This photo of the double rainbow was taken in Miyajima, Japan. It was one of those amazing lucky shots where the Photography Gods were with me. This shrine was built around 400 years ago in the water because the people believed the Island itself was a God. After seeing this double rainbow connect the island…
My Post-Processing Photo Editing Techniques

People looking for more advanced photography tips often ask me what sort of post-processing techniques I use. It’s a tough question to answer because I use many different programs and techniques and am always learning new ones. One of the main pieces of software I now use on almost all my landscapes is Color Efex…
Into The Rain in Shanghai

One day, I was in Shanghai, and it was pouring rain. I was standing in this spot next to Sephora for some shelter when I looked up and saw the light shining onto the rain that was coming down the building. I thought it looked pretty cool, so I tried to see if I could…
Yosemite North Dome

I processed this when I first started using Color Efex Pro 4. It’s a photo-processing software that I started using a few months back. I really like it, and it has really been a game-changer in my photography. You can check out a general review I wrote about on my site here: Color Efex Pro Review. It’s…
Color Efex Pro Review

Color Efex Pro 4 is one of my favorite photo editing programs in the Nik Collection. A software collection that gives you quick and easy control of photo manipulation without any advanced photo editing knowledge.
The Hong Kong International Airport

On my last adventure, I stopped by Hong Kong International Airport. I heard it was cool and was excited to see it. However, I wasn’t too comfortable pulling out my tripod and shooting the interiors of an airport. It might have gotten me some unwanted attention. So, using my stealth photography abilities, I was able…
Kintai-kyo of Japan

The Kintai Bridge of Iwakuni Japan is a stunning example of ancient Japanese architecture. It was built in 1673 without using any nails, only interlocking wood pieces. I was lucky enough to photograph it some 300 years later, after paying the toll and testing its strength with my foot.
Shanghai Lights

Shanghai, China, is a pretty awesome place. I wasn’t expecting it to be as cool as it was. The whole time I was there, I couldn’t stop thinking about how it reminded me of Blade Runner. It was pouring rain the whole time, causing the wet streets to reflect all the neon Congee signs, which…