Senior Travel Expert Photo Editor, John Esser, shows some photographs from a recent holiday in Mallorca with advice on how to get those extra special shots.
View over Palma from Castell de Bellver
My wife and I recently enjoyed a seven day winter break in Mallorca. It was our second visit to the island. On the first occasion the grandchildren were very young and we didn’t venture far from the resort hotel. This time, though, it was just the two of us and we had our own transport, so the island was our oyster so to speak.
Our holiday accommodation was located in the attractive resort of Camp de Mar, close to the dramatic scenery of the Serra de Tramuntana. The drive along the coastal road from Port d’Andratx to Valldemossa provides many opportunities for the keen photographer. Photogenic stop-off points are Sant Elm, Andratx, Estellencs and Valldemossa. Other very pretty villages well worth visiting are Deia and Fornalutx.
View over Camp de Mar
A word of caution, driving along the narrow, winding roads of the Serra isn’t for the faint hearted – a small car is advisable. We found the satnav very useful but remember to take a USB charging cable as some local car hire operators disconnect the ‘cigarette lighter’ charger points to discourage ‘in car’ smoking which is illegal in Mallorca.
Deia
Mallorca’s capital Palma is also home to many photographic gems, not least the majestic Cathedral. It is a good idea to take the open top sightseeing bus to Castell de Bellver for panoramic views over the city. Being the low season, we found parking in the city easy, the main underground carpark is located just in front of the cathedral. I have heard, however, that parking in Palma (and elsewhere) in the high season can be a nightmare, so it might be a better bet to use the inexpensive and efficient bus service to get into town.
Fornalutx
Another ‘must see’ are the Cuevas Drach – the limestone caverns, complete with stalagmites, stalactites and underground lake provide a magical visual experience. Photographers should be aware that (quite understandably) tripods and flash are forbidden. I found the low light, anti-blur setting on my camera performed quite adequately, though some post-capture photo-editing was necessary to correct colour balance.
During the final two days of our holiday we visited the atmospheric Santuari de Lluc (be sure to visit the excellent museum), Cap de Formentor and Cap de Cala Figuera, all locations of photographic note.
Street furniture, Valldemossa
In summary, Mallorca is a compact, scenically diverse island that offers the enthusiastic photographer a wealth of photo-opportunities. In seven days we only just scratched the surface, and are both looking forward to returning for a longer visit to further exploring this beautiful island’s scenery and culture at a more leisurely pace.
Photograpic Equipment
I used a Sony Alpha 6000 compact system camera, with 16-70 and 70-300 zoom lenses, carried in a light, compact Billingham Hadley camera bag, and was of course assisted by my patient and understanding (most of the time) spouse.
Sunset Port de Soller
Travel
We travelled by Ryanair from Stansted to Palma. Car hire was booked through Economy Car Hire/Zest Car Rental with excess insurance through carhirexcess.com – necessary to avoid high excess charges if something goes amiss and much cheaper than taking out excess insurance locally.
Accommodation in Mallorca
We stayed at the Holiday Property Bond accommodation in La Reserva de Biniorella, Camp de Mar. Our apartment was appointed to the usual high standard we’ve come to expect of HPB and conveniently located close to Camp de Mar. On site facilities included indoor and outdoor swimming pools, bar, restaurant, shop, golf driving nets and tennis courts, all situated in attractive, well-maintained gardens.
POSTED 2nd APRIL 2016 by JOHN ESSER. Check here for his previous photographic articles.
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Mallorca – A Picture Perfect Holiday Destination
Senior Travel Expert Photo Editor, John Esser, shows some photographs from a recent holiday in Mallorca with advice on how to get those extra special shots.
My wife and I recently enjoyed a seven day winter break in Mallorca. It was our second visit to the island. On the first occasion the grandchildren were very young and we didn’t venture far from the resort hotel. This time, though, it was just the two of us and we had our own transport, so the island was our oyster so to speak.
Our holiday accommodation was located in the attractive resort of Camp de Mar, close to the dramatic scenery of the Serra de Tramuntana. The drive along the coastal road from Port d’Andratx to Valldemossa provides many opportunities for the keen photographer. Photogenic stop-off points are Sant Elm, Andratx, Estellencs and Valldemossa. Other very pretty villages well worth visiting are Deia and Fornalutx.
A word of caution, driving along the narrow, winding roads of the Serra isn’t for the faint hearted – a small car is advisable. We found the satnav very useful but remember to take a USB charging cable as some local car hire operators disconnect the ‘cigarette lighter’ charger points to discourage ‘in car’ smoking which is illegal in Mallorca.
Mallorca’s capital Palma is also home to many photographic gems, not least the majestic Cathedral. It is a good idea to take the open top sightseeing bus to Castell de Bellver for panoramic views over the city. Being the low season, we found parking in the city easy, the main underground carpark is located just in front of the cathedral. I have heard, however, that parking in Palma (and elsewhere) in the high season can be a nightmare, so it might be a better bet to use the inexpensive and efficient bus service to get into town.
Another ‘must see’ are the Cuevas Drach – the limestone caverns, complete with stalagmites, stalactites and underground lake provide a magical visual experience. Photographers should be aware that (quite understandably) tripods and flash are forbidden. I found the low light, anti-blur setting on my camera performed quite adequately, though some post-capture photo-editing was necessary to correct colour balance.
During the final two days of our holiday we visited the atmospheric Santuari de Lluc (be sure to visit the excellent museum), Cap de Formentor and Cap de Cala Figuera, all locations of photographic note.
In summary, Mallorca is a compact, scenically diverse island that offers the enthusiastic photographer a wealth of photo-opportunities. In seven days we only just scratched the surface, and are both looking forward to returning for a longer visit to further exploring this beautiful island’s scenery and culture at a more leisurely pace.
Photograpic Equipment
I used a Sony Alpha 6000 compact system camera, with 16-70 and 70-300 zoom lenses, carried in a light, compact Billingham Hadley camera bag, and was of course assisted by my patient and understanding (most of the time) spouse.
Travel
We travelled by Ryanair from Stansted to Palma. Car hire was booked through Economy Car Hire/Zest Car Rental with excess insurance through carhirexcess.com – necessary to avoid high excess charges if something goes amiss and much cheaper than taking out excess insurance locally.
Accommodation in Mallorca
We stayed at the Holiday Property Bond accommodation in La Reserva de Biniorella, Camp de Mar. Our apartment was appointed to the usual high standard we’ve come to expect of HPB and conveniently located close to Camp de Mar. On site facilities included indoor and outdoor swimming pools, bar, restaurant, shop, golf driving nets and tennis courts, all situated in attractive, well-maintained gardens.
POSTED 2nd APRIL 2016 by JOHN ESSER. Check here for his previous photographic articles.