A world of rich colours and smells, bustling cities and a diverse landscape: travel photographer Cynthia Bil travelled through Morocco to test the new LUMIX G95. ‘I’m amazed by the LUMIX G95, its the ultimate camera for travel photographers. The same is true for the country: Morocco has a lot more to offer than I initially thought!’
Cynthia is a full-time travel photographer, who travels the world with her boyfriend and videographer Niko. ‘I like lush green mountains. I imagined Morocco as a mostly barren and arid country and I was concerned that the people would be very conservative. I couldn't have been more wrong!’
‘Morocco is a land with diverse landscapes: colourful, bustling cities with narrow streets and a mix of cultures, lush green forests, amazing waterfalls and of course, the Sahara desert. The people are very friendly and open.’
With so much diversity it’s the perfect place to put the new LUMIX G95 to the test. ‘Cities in Morocco are incredibly vibrant. The narrow streets are lined with ancient, multi-coloured doors that have a lot of character. Paint is peeling off; you can see the cracks. There are lots of little shops selling all kinds of items. Inside, people are creating traditional handicrafts, like ceramics. Herb shops sell the typical herbs and spices like saffron, all neatly piled up in pyramids.’
How did the camera perform with all these vivid colours? ‘I was really impressed with the way the colours came out. Everything was life-like, the colours were exactly the way I saw them.’
Her photos show daily life in vibrant cities like Marrakesh: the ancient doors, the small shops and the city’s residents. ‘The LUMIX G95 is an all-round camera. With the right lens, you can shoot great portraits. Because of its low weight and the Leica 12-60 mm lens I used, it’s really easy to keep the camera at the ready while you’re walking around. Because of its small size – it’s much smaller than the DSLR I used before – it’s less intrusive.
That makes for a lot more spontaneous photographs, and people feel less threatened by the camera.’ Spending time in the desert was very special. ‘There’s nothing but sand and dunes stretching for as far as the eye can see. The silence is overwhelming, and at night, you can see all the stars. It’s breathtaking. I wasn't worried about using the camera in the desert, not even when I was surprised by a little sandstorm. The camera could handle it all; it's definitely weather-sealed and dustproof!
For Cynthia the LUMIX G95 is the perfect camera for travel photographers. ‘I’m sold!’
Cynthia
Cynthia Bil is the co-founder, writer and photographer of the outdoor and adventure travel blog Journal of Nomads. She was born in the summer of 1984 in Knokke, a small coastal town in Belgium. She has a Bachelor’s in psychology and teaching. She left her home and her job as a special needs teacher in 2011 to travel the world full-time. She has been living a nomadic lifestyle ever since.
Photography was merely a hobby when Cynthia was still living in Belgium but during her travels, she developed her passion and skills to such a level that she became a professional travel writer and photographer. She loves to travel to unusual and unconventional destinations, seeking out situations that are way beyond her comfort zone and immersing herself in cultures that are vastly different from her own. ‘With my photography and stories, I want to give people a window to a world they don't know much about. There's still so much beauty, wisdom, knowledge and opportunity all around us, often in unexpected places and situations.’