Photography Adventures


From 2008 to 2018 we ran boutique photography tours to amazing destinations like Japan, Spain, Cambodia and China.
These adventures delivered rich and unique experiences of incredible cultures as well as highly immersive and inspirational photography education and they have left me with some of the most treasured memories of my life. 

What began as one trip a year soon grew to as many as four or five and took a lot of time and effort to organise and involved a lot of time away from home. So consequently we are giving them a rest for a while and focussing on photography and training projects a little closer to home in Melbourne.

But you can still enjoy all the photos from our past adventures and feedback from our past participants via the links below and if you feel this is something you would love to experience feel free to get in touch and you never know what I could be persuaded to do again…


I often get asked which was my favourite destination and honestly I cannot say. I love all the countries we visit in equal amounts for their rich and colourful culture, warm and hospitable people and amazing and diverse photographic opportunities!

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness"  Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, 1869.


FEEDBACK FROM PREVIOUS ADVENTURES... 


"Thank you David for the great cherry blossom adventure to Japan. We managed to get some wonderful photos of the magnificent trees and the locals celebrating the Sakura. We appreciated your local knowledge and experience in getting us to all the top locations well before the crowds gathered, a great advantage for our photography. The Geisha’s, Bamboo Forest and Tori Gates were just a few of the many highlights. We each look forward to the many hours of editing our images in the coming weeks. Thankfully, your Lightroom sessions have made the task a lot easier as we adopt your workflow with greater confidence. Your mindfulness of the welfare of the group as we travelled was greatly appreciated."
Greg & Val Earl

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Japan opened up an entire new travelling experience for me.  We were travelling within large cities using public transport which was very crowded but very efficient in moving large numbers of people and gave me a chance to see some of the authentic Japanese way of life.  The cherry blossom that we saw was amazing and it was easy to envisage what a breath-taking site the Philosophers Path would have been had it still been in full bloom.  The various shrines and temples that we visited were stunning but the Golden Temple was a standout for me, despite the weather. Eating Japanese food was a new experience for me but very enjoyable, particularly the meal in the Tokyo lane with the bacon and tomato skewers and the Ramen in Osaka!

Jane Greagg

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The opportunity to travel to interesting places with like minded people is the best way to enjoy your hobby. The sharing of ideas and tips is a goldmine. I appreciated the time and expertise of David, who clearly understands the technicalities of digital photography and its' capabilities. David is very personable and clearly enjoys teaching and sharing ideas.

Michael McNamara

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At the beginning of our Japan Adventure I was unsure as to whether my photographic skills were sufficiently developed to get the most from it. I needn’t have worried. From the word go David was there mentoring, supporting and encouraging us in our photographic journey. Not only did my photography go ahead in leaps and bounds but my Lightroom skills increased dramatically also. Everything to do with the tour was excellent, locations, accommodation, food but most of all David himself who gave so generously of his time and knowledge to help us get the most out of our trip. I would heartily recommend this trip, or any other trip that David organises, to anyone who wants to increase their photographic and post processing skills. Regardless of your level, I am convinced that you will come away deeply rewarded.

Michael Carberry
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I attended David’s March 2017 photography trip to Japan as a non-photographer accompanying my husband and thoroughly enjoyed it. David was very organised and had chosen places of interest which really appealed to me. While he provided instruction, I wandered around the gardens, temples and other sights with the group and at times on my own. I learnt a lot about photography from listening to David’s instructions to the group. Hotels were centrally located and meals were enjoyable as David showed us a range of food and locations we would not otherwise have tried. I would recommend this type of trip to anyone, whether photographer or non-photographer.

Barbara Carberry
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“I have just returned from a wonderful photographic journey to Japan with David. I was impressed from the very beginning by David’s willingness to share his knowledge of Japan and especially his skills and experience as a photographer, a great teacher. The itinerary was well planned, a feast for the eyes as well as a gastronomic delight. We travelled on the complex rail system which David negotiated amazing well. The itinerary was modified and rescheduled when we experienced some inclement weather but we never missed a beat. I am still a novice but have gained a much greater understanding of my camera, light and composition. The proof is in my photos, how remarkable the comparison between the early and last days of my journey.
I will return for another photographic adventure with David in the future knowing I will be skilfully guided in developing my photography. Thank you David for your generosity.

Gaye Beal
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David is an excellent tour guide and his knowledge of the Cambodian culture is outstanding. He took us to places well off the beaten track where we could maximise on all kinds photographic opportunities. His technical knowledge is commendable and no questions is ever too much for him. This was not just a photographic tour - it was an adventure and an amazing experience ! Thank you David.

Barbara Muhlethaler
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I have just completed a second trip to Cambodia with David - this trip was at a different time of year and although the itinerary was the same, it was refreshing to view the countryside after the wet season. Due to the way the itinerary is structured we were able to take advantage of what was happening locally and to be as busy and on the go as we wished. There is always the opportunity to take some time out whilst your fellow photographers are busy. The hotels we stayed in were top class and there was never a shortage of a good meal and a drink to relax and refresh us. Cambodia is a wonderful country to visit and to photograph, the opportunities for a good photograph are endless. Our group had lots of training as part of the trip - both before and after a photo shoot and I am positive that we have all come back home as better photographers.

Thanks again David - I had a great time.

Sandra Boseley
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I would highly recommend a tour with David to anyone who was considering a Photographic Adventure. David's organisational and teaching skills along with his photography knowledge made for a great holiday as well as a great learning experience. Being able to constantly practice what David was teaching me, (especially metering and re focusing) I gained a greater understanding of my camera and the art of taking a photo. I love David's passion for photography and his willingness to share his knowledge.

David also has a commitment to 'ethical tourism' and extended my cultural and social awareness of Cambodia and its people. Thank you David for a wonderful experience.

Gayle Main
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I thoroughly recommend this outstanding Spanish photo-tour to any keen photographer. If you have a curious mind about the country, cuisine, culture or architecture of Spain, David Harradine will tickle it further, as you record your images and are shown how to maximise the impact of your images. He is a wizard at using and teaching the finer details of Photoshop and Lightroom, and extremely generous in the way he shares his encyclopaedic knowledge, without hubris.

We saw the classic sites in Barcelona,Granada and Seville. David’s experience had us occupying the best seats to see exhilarating flamenco dancing on several occasions, and also got us into select and world-famous tapas bars for exquisite food, often at remarkably reasonable cost,

We have vivid and treasured memories of Spain forever, thanks to the excellent organisational skills and technical prowess of David harradine.

Thank you most sincerely, David. 

Peter & Gayle Randel
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I found this tour to be well organised and well led. David showed himself to be affable and of course a highly competent Photographer and importantly photographic teacher. Wizard in the technical aspects and the use of “Lightroom” to digitally enhance the initial images.

The choice of venues within Spain were great.
Barcelona with its version of Modern Architecture(Gaudi and others).
Granada,the last Moorish City to fall to the Christians in 1492.Segovia described it as, "a place of dreams”.
Seville with its rich history of Flamenco and Colonial Spain.

The accommodation venues were well chosen and located centrally within the cities. They were apartment style reflecting the culture of the location. The group size was 7 plus David that enabled within group sharing of ideas as well as occasional workshops and personalised tuition.

In summary, I highly recommend this adventure. It remains important to do some personal planning and to bring the appropriate camera and digital support and be familiar with these.

Colin Styles
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The Spanish Workshop with David Harradine is a must do experience. The planning was perfect, just the right amount of time in each town and train travel was very comfortable and interesting. Accommodation was very comfortable always positioned in the heart of the interesting parts of town. Of course the Flamenco was the icing on the cake for me personally and David always made sure everybody was in a good position to get their shots.

A big thanks once again David,

Mary-Lou Emmert
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My Japan trip is the second “adventure” that I have had with David and I hope that it won’t be my last. Adventure is a good description of what this photographic trip is all about. David is able to change the days’ activities to suit the climate, the needs of the group or if a better opportunity presents itself. He is such a good teacher, he puts in so much effort to ensure that each individual gets what they need from him and the results show in the improvement of our photographs. 

I learnt much more than photography whilst on this Japanese adventure – we visited local food markets, local restaurants, tourist sites, used public transport, learnt a few Japanese words and took part in an Ikebana class. The hotels we stayed in were each located in a convenient area and were of a high standard. Thanks again David, Japan was a wonderful experience.

Sandra Boseley
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Being immersed in chaos of Phnom Penh from day one made it impossible not to try new things and experience Cambodian life. Our group had differing levels of experience with DSLR cameras, not to mention different cameras brands with strangely different quirky issues. David’s patience and expertise in providing a unique experience for all the members of the tour was exemplary.

We experienced lots of hard work, fun and continuous shooting as well as lots of reminders of exposure, appropriate lighting and composition. I now have the ability to understand the basics of my fancy camera. I no longer leave it on auto because using aperture mode, changing the ISO and spot metering which were all foreign to me now make a whole lot of sense … the proof is in “MY” photos!

David also exposed us to Adobe Lightroom and the importance of cataloguing, editing and rating our photos. On returning home to the 2500 odd photos I can see the absolute benefit in adopting this practice. Thank you David for your tireless approach and constant reminders to help improve this novice.

Lisa Robbins 
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Travelling Cambodia with David has been a wonderful experience.  Not only does David have extensive photography and Lightroom knowledge, he has a lot of experience travelling in Cambodia which gives his participants a lot of confidence.  David made himself available to share his knowledge all of the time, we had the opportunity to spend one on one time with him, along with group time.  He knew where and when to take us to areas of photographic opportunities and made sure that we all got the important shots. 

The itinerary is a mix of organised activities and if and when an opportunity presents, we were able to change the itinerary and take advantage of what was happening.  David pushed us all past our comfort zones when using our cameras and I can confidently say that it shows in my photographic results.  I can highly recommend a photographic tour with David – it’s a great learning experience and an opportunity to travel independently yet be part of a group with the same interests and who don’t mind waiting whilst you get one last shot!!.   Thank you David, it has been a wonderful learning and holiday experience.

Sandra Boseley
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With trepidation I decided to join David's Cambodia 2015 Tour. As a DSLR newbie, who was only comfortable in taking photos in Auto Mode, I was unsure if I would be able to learn to take much better photos, by embracing all the options that my camera offered me.

David was extremely generous with his time, always available for advice and help when I needed it. The journey into the demystifying of Lightroom is one that I will always be so grateful for. To come home from Cambodia with almost 2,000 photos sorted and rated into a short list of my edited best photos, was such a blessing, having photos ready to show to family & friends.

The photo opportunities were endless in the markets, numerous temples, street scenes plus the very colourful monks blessing businesses, hitching rides on motorbikes and in their pagodas. I will always be grateful for the itinerary that David put together, the photographic opportunities, the excellent accommodations, the organising of exceptional tuk tuk drivers and our enjoyment of lots of wonderful local cuisine.

Noelen McRae
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The trip to Spain was a fantastic experience David, such a luxury to travel with so much time designated purely to improving my photography and Lightroom skills. Thank you for your exceptional guidance, I admire your patience and tolerance. I enjoyed the fact we all shared a great interest in photography, the local food and the Spanish culture. I am now also in love with flamenco and tapas, your passion was infectious!

I am really pleased with the number of good images I have managed to take, and I am most grateful for your constructive comments about my photography. I appreciated your positive teaching style, particularly your considered and logical ways of explaining technical concepts, your eye for carefully planned composition, as well as your ability to capitalise on an unexpected opportunity. I am applying many things I learnt as I continue my travels across Europe and Central America

Christine Nyhof
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David’s tour through Spain was perfect for me and more than delivered on all of the photography, Lightroom and Photoshop training you can absorbe while acting as the perfect tour guide. We all thoroughly enjoyed the journey taking in perfectly researched interesting photographic locations to develop and practise our skills with so much more. David is superbly organised with all his travel, accommodation and venue planning and what’s more he loves to share his passion for good food!

It would be an understatement just to recommend David Harradine – Where ever you are in the world and you wish to lift your photographic skills then invest in spending some time with David and like me you will see the difference! You will also really enjoy the experience.

Mike Rudd
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I went of this photographic tour because I wanted to have the time to capture the photographs I had dreamed of taking. I wanted to be able to share my love of photography with like-minded people and to learn from David. With this Cambodian tour I got all of this. David was always around when we were out and about taking photos …so was readily available if I needed to ask something. 

I think that Cambodia lends itself well to a beautiful balance between fascinating holiday location and great photographic location. I found David personable and a wonderfully patient teacher who was extremely generous with his time to help us all achieve our goals. 

Anne Shellard
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I would tell anyone considering taking this trip to go for it but be prepared to open your mind to the very different ways of living. I cannot pick one highlight as there was something new every day. I enjoyed the whole trip and would not change anything.The markets and food stalls are nothing like home, but they are an Aladdin’s cave and the Cambodia people are very friendly and easy going. 

Cheers David I had a fantastic time and next time I will expand my mind to the food stalls a little more. Looking forward to the next trip! 

Colin Booth
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To comment on highlights of our trip is very difficult as so much was done and seen, the first three days in Vietnam, which was my first visit there was a completely new experience, the boat trip from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh on the Mekong will be one of the good memories as will be our several visit to Angkor Wat and the bartering with the local traders, visits to several markets with so many photo opportunities will also remain with me for a long time.

To anyone contemplating a photographic trip I would have no hesitation in recommending David, I have and will consider future trips with him myself. Thank you David for all your effort, for looking after us, and for making sure that we were in the right places to get some really great images

Noel Ritchie
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David did an amazing job arranging & executing the trip. Everything went to plan & I was continually surprised & excited about what we were doing each day. David has a vast technical knowledge of photography & is only too willing to help with any areas you may be having difficulty with.

The sights on the trip and the people we saw were amazing, from traveling on rivers, to going in caves, climbing the great wall, watching amazing shows and talking politics with the local guides. The accommodation was of a high standard and the food got better as the trip went on. I don’t think anyone got sick and that is something I had anticipated, having traveled extensively in Asia and the Middle East.

Mike Timmer
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A perfectly organised trip meant I could focus on all the wonderful photography and food experiences. It certainly helped me refine my travel photography skills and get some fantastic photos. All in all a truly memorable trip, with a meticulous organiser in David. Great food, country and people. Everywhere we went was a unique experience and the Chinese people made you very welcome wherever you went.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this wonderful experience. Looking forward to revisiting China at some stage. 

Robert Tunnock 
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Fantastic coverage of highlights in Beijing, Guilin, Yangshuo and Hong Kong allowing for great photo opportunities under differing light conditions. The accommodation was excellent and the Chinese guides were well informed and ever helpful.

I can thoroughly recommend this trip; it was well organised and thoroughly enjoyable.

Margaret Patterson
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China was a sensational trip. There was plenty of variety from modern cities to ancient little villages, amazing monuments, jaw-dropping scenery and great authentic local food. As a "non-participating" partner there were no boring bits, just stunningly beautiful and interesting destinations and fun people to travel with.

The Chinese guides were great & David was a marvelous, funny & very accommodating leader. Would love to participate in another of his trips.   

Cherry Tunnock
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The trip was excellent. The new China is relaxed, energetic, in no way scary, and has much to offer the visitor, including great sights to see and excellent food. The tour program unfolded with complete precision without us feeling rushed about. 

David and the regional guides provided competent friendly leadership, sharing plenty of information and laughs along the way. And we got individualised one-to-one tuition on Lightroom, Photoshop and our cameras whenever David saw we needed it. Definitely a value-for-money tour.

Graham Anderson
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The 2 weeks with David in China took us on a brilliantly organised journey  where we saw sights and went to areas that I don’t believe would have been accessible to solo or less connected travelers. We learnt many nuances of technical photography as well as getting smart and individual guidance on the art of seeing and of capturing memorable images.

I’m an experienced traveler and I can say without reservation that this journey was the most exciting and productive I have undertaken. We had great food, excellent company in a group with a common purpose  who were made to feel welcome and valued and we gained access to David’s vast photographic knowledge and experience.

Dr. Michael Molloy
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The 2008 China trip was very successful - well organized, extremely interesting and we had continual photographic opportunities (plus continual training as required). My congratulations to David and his team for putting together such a great trip. I would thoroughly recommend any photography enthusiast, at any level, who is contemplating doing a Harradine trip, to go; it will be a great experience you will hold forever.

David has a unique talent and professional skill for training in photography and related software. His courses are always high energy, enlightening and motivating. 

Johanna Goudsblom
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David's 2008 China photographic tour was nothing short of superb, I have been raving to anyone who will listen ever since returning. David provides a great mix of on the go tuition and information combined with a superb photographic itinerary. Dave's personality engenders a great sense of group camaraderie and this made our photos better due to the sharing of information and experiences with others with the same passion.

It was not only the quality & quantity of photographic subjects that were superb, the food, activities, accommodation & transportation was also excellent & made for a trip that will live in my memory as one of the best experiences of my life.

Elliot Ramsay
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As a former travel agent I am aware of the organisation that goes into trips such as these from behind the scenes and David did a fantastic job leading the tour and adapting to issues and circumstances that arose while on tour. He guided the group from one fantastic photo opportunity to another and I enjoyed the group interactions, as well as the free time. 

While the pace was fast, I am really happy with the amount of things we saw, the range of places we visited and the photos I took and I’m looking forward to the next trip.

Jennifer Smyth
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