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These are the hard truths about photographing people while traveling

When you’re traveling, everything is new to you and there’s so much to photograph: nature, landscapes, cities, and of course: the people. It seems like a dream come true, but it can be a real challenge to photograph people in a country new to you and in a different culture. There are so many nuances to keep in mind and many potential misunderstandings.

In this video, Mitchell Kanashkevich discusses all the hard truths about photographing people while you’re traveling. But he also offers solutions to overcome challenges and end up with splendid photos, memorable experiences, and perhaps even some new friendships.

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Sweet Escape connects travelers and local photographers worldwide for memorable holiday photos

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If you don’t post photos from your vacation to Instagram and Facebook, it’s like you didn’t even travel, right? And if selfies from amazing locations just don’t do the trick anymore, Sweet Escape may be the solution. This startup connects travelers with professional photographers at locations all over the globe, and it bets that people are ready to pay to raise their travel photos to a higher level.

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Travel photography: how to avoid the pitfalls and maximize your adventure

Well executed travel photography can definitely be exhilarating, but it is not as leisurely as most people imagine. Here are some suggestions that should help maximize results.

First and foremost is research; do plenty of it beforehand. Trying to find that little-known road or hike while already on location will cut into valuable shooting time. Lack of research will also increase the chances of one just driving by a turnoff that could have yielded amazing vistas.

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The photographic story of Bulunkul: one of the coldest and the most remote places in the world

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Our world is a magical place filled with beauty. Following the Great Silk Road, photographer Alex Pflaum ended up in Bulunkul, the coldest town of Central Asia and one of the most remote places in the world. He had a Leica Sofort camera with him and used it in two best possible ways: to tell the story of this wonderful place and its villagers, but also to break the language barrier with them.

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3 tips to fit photography into a family vacation

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As a landscape photographer, I travel a fair amount. As a human being, I travel quite a bit. Travel is a passion in my family. Whenever we get the opportunity, we love to visit new places or revisit old ones. Family vacations aren’t photo trips though. Sure, photos are taken – lots of them. However, these photos are mainly to capture the memories of our travels. And rightfully so. Family trips are first and foremost to spend time together, relax, and experience new places together.

I have to keep my inner photographer in check. Many times we are visiting beautiful places with iconic shots.

Over many trips and travels, I’ve found a pretty good balance that allows me to capture photos without annoying the heck out of the non-photographers in my family (which is pretty much everyone else!).

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Why I chose an 18-55 mm kit lens when I had to choose only one lens

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I’m a great fan of prime lenses. They are faster and sharper than zooms (at least the zooms that I can afford). Plus, they force me into being more creative and they bring out my problem-solving side, because they limit me with their fixed focal length. When I travel, I always bring them and pack a kit lens just in case. I almost never use it.

But recently, I was forced to travel light. And I mean, super-light: I was only able to bring one lens attached to my camera body. I love primes and almost always use them – but this time I screwed a kit lens onto my Nikon D7000. The lens is a Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G and it’s rather crappy when compared to my primes. But in this article, I’ll explain why I chose it and why, sometimes, your kit lens may actually be the best choice.

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How to avoid checking in when flying with camera gear

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Imagine coming to the gate at the airport and the staff forces you to check in your camera bag. There is thousands of dollars’ worth of gear, and checking it in means it can get lost or damaged. We recently covered the story Michelle Frankfurter shared, claiming that American Airlines lost her $13K worth of gear. Inspired by Frankfurter’s story, Matt Granger shares two ways you can avoid checking in your camera bag at the airport.

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Photographer traveled 17,000 miles across rural Australia, trading her photos for food and accommodation

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Traveling for thousands of miles without money, paying for food and accommodation with nothing but your photography. It sounds like a great adventure, but also like a scary task full of challenges. Australian photographer Edwina Robertson did it. She recently finished her 3-month trip around the most rural and regional areas of Australia. She dove for 27,000 kilometers (17,000 miles), trading her photography for food and accommodation. Her dog Jordie was her only companion, and she shared with us some photos and details of this amazing journey.

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Secrets of A Full Time Travel Photographer: Q&A With Sara Melotti

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Next in our ongoing Photographer Spotlight series is Sara Melotti.

Sara is an Italian photographer, content creator, storyteller and world traveler, currently based in New York City. Sara’s work has been featured by many international brands and publications including the New York Times, Vanity Fair and Glamour.

In 2015 Sara created Quest for Beauty and began traveling the world to photograph women immersed in their everyday life “to show that real beauty can be found in every woman no matter the age, size, bone structure, skin tone or background”.

(We have also featured Sara before with her sensational article: Instagram Created a Monster – A No Nonsense Guide To What’s Really Going On.)

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