IN THE VILLAGE ABOVE THE CLOUDS· BALI, INDONESIA
Desa Eko
5-day shoot capturing the warmth and soul of a Balinese escape.
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Day Shoot
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Photos
Soon
Video
North Bali
Location
The Story Behind Desa Eko
Our answer to an increasingly stressful and disconnected world.
Desa Eko is a high-altitude slow-travel base and mountain retreat in the hills of Munduk, North Bali. It's the kind of place that doesn't announce itself — you find it, and then you wonder how you ever travelled without it.
Designed for those escaping the coast's heat, crowds, and noise, it offers slow glamping and a connection to real village life—with absolutely no beach-club energy. The rooms are designed to breathe, and every corner feels considered and warm.
More than just a retreat, Desa Eko is a living space shaped by the people who built it and the guests who return to it. The owners built it with a simple belief: that hospitality is felt, not performed.
The Collaboration
Five days. One mountain retreat. The feeling of arriving somewhere that feels like home.
I arrived at Desa Eko with no shot list and no agenda beyond one thing: capture the feeling of being there. The high-altitude air. The stillness of the retreat at golden hour. The connection to real village life before the day had properly begun.
Over five days, I moved through the space at its own pace. I didn't stage moments — I waited for them. And Desa Eko, being the kind of place it is, gave me plenty to work with.
The Challenge
Translating the quiet stillness of a mountain retreat into visual stories.
Desa Eko isn't about fast-paced luxury; it's about disconnection and slow living in North Bali. The challenge was to communicate this profound quietness without making it feel empty. It required a low-footprint, intimate approach to blend seamlessly into the environment—capturing the authentic texture of village life and the crisp high-altitude air without disrupting the peace of the retreat.
The Solution
A solo expedition to capture the mountain's true rhythm
Shooting solo allowed me to move at the pace of the retreat. Early mornings with the mist and the light. Afternoons in the tents when the mountain air made everything slow. Evenings where the forest turned golden. No rushing, no forcing. Just presence, patience, and a camera — resulting in 29+ photographs that feel exactly like being there.
The Work
Behind The Scenes
Video Showcase
Client Feedback
Client feedback coming soon.
Credits
