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Duc Ngo (1994), a landscape photographer in Hanoi with over 10 years of experience, is passionate about exploring the beauty of nature through his lens. During his trip to Indonesia, he captured vivid images of the pristine and majestic beauty of this volcanic land. His photo series was taken in the Bromo volcanic area of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (East Java, Indonesia), as well as other locations in Bali such as Lake Tamblingan, Banyumala Waterfall, and the ancient Djawatan forest.
Mount Bromo is located in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (East Java, Indonesia).
"When mentioning Mount Bromo, it's a familiar destination for travel enthusiasts – a place that everyone who sets foot in the 'land of a thousand islands' hopes to experience at least once," shared photographer Duc Ngo.
At an altitude of 2,329 meters above sea level, Bromo is breathtaking for anyone visiting for the first time. Not far away is the Semeru volcano – the highest peak on the island of Java, which regularly erupts with smoke about every 10 minutes. "It was a sight I had never witnessed in Vietnam," said Duc Ngo.
"When mentioning Mount Bromo, it's a familiar destination for travel enthusiasts – a place that everyone who sets foot in the 'land of a thousand islands' hopes to experience at least once," shared photographer Duc Ngo.
Despite being in a tropical monsoon climate, Bromo is located at a high altitude, resulting in very cold weather in the early morning and at night. In this biting cold, the clear sky provides ideal conditions for the male photographer to capture natural light and easily process the images in post-production.
In that biting cold, the clear sky provided the ideal conditions for the male photographer to capture natural light and easily process the image in post-production.
When interacting with the locals, they were very friendly, perhaps partly because this is a tourist area. The people were always welcoming and ready to help whenever asked. Photographer Duc Ngo also sensed a special affection they had for Vietnamese people, which was evident in their simple yet warm conversations.
Amidst the characteristic slanted light of dawn and dusk – the golden hour for landscape photography – the "Southern horsemen" appear, riding their horses across the swirling sand dunes, creating vivid, spectacular images like something out of a movie. "We affectionately call these local horse riders by that name because the scenery is so romantic and wild," says Duc Ngo. Besides horseback riding, jeeps are also available as transportation options for tourists in Bromo.
Amidst the characteristic slanted light of dawn and dusk—the golden hours for landscape photography—the "Southern Knights" appear, riding their horses across the swirling sea of sand.
Leaving Bromo, photographer Duc Ngo's journey continued to Bali, where he stopped by the misty Lake Tamblingan, the cascading Banyumala Waterfall, and the Djawatan forest with its mysterious ancient trees. “For me, photography is not just about capturing a moment, but about living fully in that moment. In Bromo, every click of the camera carried with it the dust, the wind, and the rhythmic hoofbeats of horses – that’s what impressed me most on this trip.”
