Bali On Film

Kodak ColorPlus shot on the Olympus Stylus Epic

Ubud always feels like a home away from home. Nestled in the foothills of central Bali, the town has a lush tropical vibe to it.

It’s common to arrive in Bali at night, so it’s well past bedtime when you arrive at your hotel after an 80 minute journey from the airport. Waking up in Ubud the next morning, a sense of joy and a calmness descends.

Lying in bed, the first thing you hear is the sound of the birds twittering about the trees. Next up is the local rooster cockle doodle do-ing, letting you know that it’s time to get up.

The sound of running water is never far away. This could be from a fountain, a pond filled with brightly coloured fish, or the sound of the river in the nearby valley.

The smells are also distinctive: the strong yet pleasant scent of teak furniture, a heady mix when combined with incense and smoke floating in the morning air.

Signs of Balinese Hinduism are everywhere. Our room had no less than 3 statues of Buddha outside it.

This was my third visit to Ubud in 8 years. If I had to pick a town or city to spend a year in, Ubud would be on my shortlist for sure.

The only downsides are the volume of traffic through the narrow streets, and the horrendous uneven footpaths. I spent so much time looking where I was stepping that I ended up missing shops I wanted to pop into.

I was really impressed with some of the depth of field using the Stylus Epic. It has a fast f/2.8 lens, but of course the camera chooses the aperture, not the photographer.

See more on YouTube

In my latest video I describe 35 photos shot on 2 rolls of the Olympus Stylus Epic / Kodak ColorPlus combo in Bali and Flores.