Recent Travel Articles

Photographing the World's Most Dangerous Church

Philip Lee Harvey recently went to Ethiopia for Lonely Planet to photograph the world's most inaccessible church... 2,500 feet up and carved into the side of a mountain. The view from the top? Nothing short of spectacular. Amazingly, the Abuna Yemata Guh Church in Tigray, Ethiopia was carved by hand, and the art inside becomes even more incredible when one takes into account that the artist (and anyone who visits) had to make the climb to do it. Talk about devotion.

'Drift' Is The Most Beautiful Short Film You'll See Today

Its not uncommon to gaze and completely lose yourself during those long flights to and from your destination. The latest film from Tim Sessler is just that; a film composed of shots taken out of an airplane window during a long flight from San Francisco to Philadelphia. The end result is mesmerizing, calming and quite simply, beautiful.

The Sony 20-70mm f/4 Review: The Most Useful Midrange Zoom?

For both artistic and commercial work, a mid-range zoom is virtually an essential piece of kit. Sony’s 20-70mm f/4 puts a new spin on the traditional mid-range formula, but is it really that good? In this review, I look back on the last year of using this lens and consider whether it truly has a place in the E-mount ecosystem.

This Is Why I Love Living in Japan

If ever one day perfectly encapsulated the reasons I’ve lived in Japan for 15 years, this was it. From kindness, to kimonos, kids, and ancient culture, these images tell the story of why I love living in Japan.

Ditch the Office and Embrace the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

The term “digital nomad” or "location independent" is becoming more attractive to many, led in part by millennials as the world shrinks due to the connectivity the internet brings. Artists, engineers, and developers alike are ditching the normal routines and instead embracing the constant adventure of the nomadic lifestyle.

Jonas Peterson Discusses his Astonishing Wedding Photos From Kenya

Australian wedding photographer Jonas Peterson is one of the best around, shooting extravagant weddings in exotic locations on a regular basis. A recent wedding he shot in Kenya may be the most incredible though, described by Peterson as “easily one of the most amazing experiences of my life.” I recently contacted Jonas to ask for more information about his breathtaking images from the Masai Mara, and he was kind enough to share with me his experiences on the beautiful reserve in Kenya.

“I’ve traveled the world and shot weddings pretty much...

Five Tips for Traveling With Photo and Video Gear

I've got a big European photo expedition planned this summer, but I'm not worried about being in the elements 4,000 miles from home with my gear. It's the process of getting there with my equipment intact that always worries me. This great video offers some tips to ensure you not only get where you're going with everything in tow, but you also get the shots you want.

How to Plan Photography Travels

Over the past 13 months, I've been traveling the world, visiting and photographing many beautiful landscapes and cityscapes. But how did I find all those photogenic places? A few months ago, I wrote an article about how to level up your photography through scouting and exploring new locations. But to achieve a good balance while traveling, you should also have a base of known photo spots available. In this article, I show how I find and organize those.

What Do You Get When Neurotic Gear Nerds and Outdoor Addicts Join Forces? The Innovative Peak Design Outdoor Line

Known as “radical gear for the detail-obsessed,” Peak Design has a reputation for having a specific purpose for every cinch, strap, pocket, loop, and cord. In this line, Peak Design’s outdoor hikers, climbers, and adventurers paired up with the most detail-oriented gear nerds to bring us their revolutionary "Outdoor Bags" line. I had the opportunity to give the gear a test run for about a month. From traveling with the backpacks on photo assignments to grabbing the slings on my way out the door in my city-slicker life, I’m here to report my feedback on Peak Design’s newest line.

'Sleep in Transit' Interview With Portrait Photographer Willis Bretz

People create photo series for a number of different reasons. Sometimes you come up with an idea and pursue it while others just fall into your lap unexpectedly. For portrait photographer Willis Bretz the Washington D.C. metrorail system is where his series was brought to life or rather awakened from other commuters' slumber. We sit down and talk about his series entitled, 'Sleep in Transit'.

Swimsuit Modeling Photography Tips, Joey Wright BTS Episode 3

Swimwear Photography with Joey Wright Behind The Scenes continues today with Episode 3. In last week's episode we started filmed the first lesson of the entire tutorial but in this episode we cover 3 full days of filming.

"Life In Focus" Web Series Tells The Story Of Outdoor Photographers

Tim Kemple has "always been an adventurer, an explorer, a climber", but how did he make the transition into being a photographer? A new web mini-series from F-Stop Gear is setting out to tell the story of outdoor and adventure photographers. In this premier episode, Tim Kemple shares his background while running around the mountains in France, and he explains what it takes to capture images in those environments.

Right Place, Right Time: Capturing A Gorgeous Murmuration In The South Of France

About a year ago I posted a short and sweet little film about the phenomenon known as a murmuration, which is when an enormous flock of starlings gather together in one location and create a breathtaking visual feast. Filmmaker Neels Castillon was out preparing to shoot recently in Marseille, France, when a murmuration took place right above his head and he was able to capture the entire thing in beautiful high definition.

How to Be the Type of Tourist That Everybody Hates

That's right, you all know the type, the tourist that really gets under your skin and makes you wonder how it would feel to just accidentally push them off the cliff. You can't escape them, no matter which part of the world you happen to be in, so why not just join their ranks?

An Interview With Celin Serbo On Shooting A 10 Day Climbing Expedition For The North Face

Where we’re going, we don’t have roads. The North Face sent photographer Celin Serbo on assignment to an area near Canyonlands National Park to capture stills of Alex Honnold, Daniel Woods, and Matt Segal establishing new climbs in a place called Labyrinth Canyon. In this post, Celin reveals the challenges of shooting a 10 day expedition, and shares his amazing images.

Experience Photographing the Tokyo Fish Market Before History Disappears

Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market has been my favorite spot for many years. The subtle differences between fish mongers is what adds vibrancy to the colorful characters that make up this market. Most of them have been working here for generations. Located just a two minute walk from Tsukiji train station, it’s a great place to spend the morning taking photos, followed by a very fresh sushi lunch. This has been my routine for the last eight years. The variety of closed and open spaces — from the auction houses to the narrow lane-ways — depict an ambience unlike any other fish market in the world. The bad smell of fish is not really apparent, which confirms the freshness of the product.

Barcelona's Top Five Photography Locations

In the lead image above can anyone mention who was inspired by Gaudi's rooftop sculptures in Hollywood? For first time travelers to Barcelona these are my five favorites photo spots. I am expecting many readers to add their best spots that are not on this list. Please make sure to Google pin your exact locations in your comments. Much like my recent post on Tokyo I would love to see lots of sharing especially less popular locations.

Do we Need to Travel to Take Better Photographs?

Imagine a spectacular, rugged landscape. Pine forests that stretch for hundreds of miles, vivid lakes and countless waterfalls. This is central Norway; bear country. While I am packing my camera bag for a two week photography trip honeymoon to Iceland, I relive a memory that answered the question if we really need to travel for better photographs.

How Elia Locardi Uses Neutral Density and Polarizer Filters Together

It's time to release the fourth episode of our 8-part video tutorial series about long exposure photography, and how different filters can produce dramatic results. Remember, each time we release a new video, we also give away some awesome prizes. Read through this post to find out how to enter this week's contest.

How I Shot the Holi Festival in India

Shooting events with a ton of people can always be a bit overwhelming at times. There are thing constantly happening all around you, pulling your attention in every direction. Add to this being in another country and at an event such as the Holi festival, and you have a recipe for mass mental chaos. In order to combat this, I went to India with a pretty deliberate plan on how I wanted to shoot.

Why Taking On PA Jobs Can Be Good For Your Mental Health And Get You Future Work

A month ago I flew to North Carolina and was the Director of a 5 person crew for a week-long video shoot at a multi-million dollar corporate facility. Then just last week, I spent 4 days in Albuquerque as a Production Assistant, shooting behind the scenes images and getting lunch for the crew. My ego almost stopped me from taking that gig, but I’m glad it didn't. Here’s why.

Adventure Camera Bag Solution: Two Red Tabs

I work in some pretty inhospitable environments; in places that take multiple planes, trains, and automobiles to get to. I'm typically trying to manipulate my bags and gear at -31F (-35C), or 100F (40C), trying to get my gear out for a shot in a blizzard, or while bouncing along in a soaking wet zodiac. I've been searching for the perfect bag for a long time.

‘Treasures of Zakynthos’ BTS Videos Showcase the Joys and Challenges of Time-Lapse Production

Polish cinematographer Maciej Tomków’s “Treasures of Zakynthos” is a beautiful, award-winning time-lapse that highlights the titled Greek island. Going far beyond only filming for the final project, Tomków also took the time and care to create incredibly well-done behind-the-scenes videos that give a true sense of what production is like shooting epic time-lapses. If you’re passionate about photography or videography, you’re going to love these "Behind the Time-lapse" creations.

Kayaker Slapped in Face by an Octopus-Wielding Seal

This one is for real. An octopus-wielding seal singled out a particular kayaker from the group and made it very clear his presence wasn't welcome in another moment of pure, spontaneous, GoPro gold.

Hungarian Law Requires You to Ask Permission Prior to Photographing

Street photography and photojournalism has always lent itself to some level of legal obscurity. Photographers must toe the line between creation of art, documentation of the world around them without invading the privacy or infringing on the rights of the people they photograph. New legislation out of Hungary has the possibility of setting the tone for photography law in the EU; and it's a doozy.