Tag:sunset

nueswantstein castle, Bavaria

A Guide to the Magic of Travel Photography

Travel photography is all about capturing the essence of people. The landscapes, cultures, and experiences that one encounters while exploring different parts of the world. It is a visual diary, a record of one’s travels. It aims to transport viewers to unfamiliar destinations, evoking a sense of place. It’s also like a time capsule, preserving memories from a trip that can be cherished and enjoyed for years to come.

travel photography three sisters, blue mountains
Three sisters, Blue Mountains, NSW
What is Travel Photography?

While travel photography is its own genre, it also encompasses food, landscape, portrait and street photography. In addition, every travel destination has its distinct characteristics, such as its culture, history, people, landscapes, and stories.

This entails capturing the beauty of the natural environment, exquisite architecture, local customs, and lively street scenes. It also includes people’s interactions within their cultural settings. Moreover, the photographer endeavours to capture the destination’s essence and create images that inspire viewers to explore and experience the world. Thus revealing its unique features through visual storytelling.

Cape de coudec lighthouse, Kangaroo Island, SA travel photography
Cape Du Couedic  Lighthouse, Kangaroo Island SA
One Example

Picture yourself taking a road trip on the renowned Great Ocean Road in Australia. While driving along the rugged Victoria coastline, you come across the breathtaking Twelve Apostles. A striking formation of limestone stacks towering above the Southern Ocean. You position your camera on a cliff’s edge and capture the dreamy golden sunlight enveloping the apostles in a warm glow during the golden hour.

The Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Victoria travel photography
The Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Victoria

By carefully composing the scene, one can emphasize the striking contrast between the vivid blue ocean, the rugged rocks, and the dramatic sky overhead. You also effectively capture the crashing waves against the apostles, creating a dynamic and powerful image. One depicting nature’s raw beauty and immense power.

Your photograph captures a defining landmark of Australia’s coastline, showcasing the natural wonders of the Great Ocean Road. It invites viewers to immerse themselves in the breathtaking scenery, inspiring them to explore the country’s diverse landscapes. In addition, the image serves as a reminder of the vastness and awe-inspiring sights that Australia has to offer.

Gog and Magog in the morning mist, Great Ocean Road travel photography
Gog and Magog in the morning mist, Great Ocean Road
What Gear?

When taking photos while travelling, it’s crucial to balance having the right equipment while ensuring that your gear is lightweight and easy to carry. Here are some essential equipment suggestions for travel photography.

  1. Camera: When selecting a camera, it’s important to consider your specific needs and preferences. You have several options to choose from, including compact point-and-shoot cameras, mirrorless cameras, and DSLRs. Consider factors like image quality, size, weight, and versatility to make the best decision.
  2. Lenses: When packing for your trip, aim to bring a variety of lenses that can cover different focal lengths. A wide-angle lens, typically around 16-35mm, is ideal for capturing landscapes and architecture. On the other hand, a zoom lens like the 24-70mm or 70-200mm offers versatility for various types of shots.
  3. Tripod: For steady shots, long exposures, and self-portraits, a lightweight and sturdy tripod is essential. It’s important to find one that is compact and easily fits into your travel bag for convenience. (Carbon fibre tripods are the lightest).
Street scene, Paris
Equipment is not just the camera.
  1. Extra Batteries and Memory Cards: Ensure you have spare batteries and sufficient memory cards. Nothing is worse than running out of power or storage space while on the go. It’s always better to have more than you think you’ll need.
  2. Camera Bag: Investing in a durable and comfortable camera bag is essential for protecting and organizing your gear. It’s important to choose one with padded compartments and convenient accessibility.
  3. Filters: When taking photos, it’s worth bringing along some useful filters like neutral density (ND) filters to manage the light and polarising filters to minimize glare and intensify colours.
  4. Cleaning Kit: It’s a good idea to have a compact cleaning kit. Look for one with a lens cloth, blower, and cleaning solution. This will keep your equipment in good condition and achieve dust-free pictures.
  5. Remote Shutter Release: When taking long exposures or self-portraits, a remote shutter release or cable release can come in handy to minimize camera shake.
  6. Portable External Hard Drive: It is important to regularly back up your images to avoid losing valuable data and to free up space on your memory card. You can use a portable external hard drive or cloud storage.
  7. Travel Adapter and Charger: When planning to travel abroad, it is advisable to bring a travel adapter and charger compatible with the destination country’s electrical outlets. This will ensure you can charge your devices and stay connected while travelling.
The northern lights Tromso, Norway travel photography
The northern lights, Tromso, Norway
Tips to get you started
  1. Plan and Research: Before you travel, research your destination to understand its culture, landmarks, and points of interest. This will help you identify unique and photogenic locations.
  2. Pack Light and Smart: Travel photography often involves a lot of walking, so it’s essential to pack light. Carry only the necessary camera gear and accessories. Consider a versatile lens that covers a wide range of focal lengths.
  3.  Capture the Local Culture: Focus on capturing the essence of the destination by photographing local people, their daily lives, traditions, and customs. Be respectful and seek permission when photographing individuals.
  4. Seek Unique Perspectives: Look for different angles and perspectives and experiment with low angles, high angles, and different compositions to add interest to your shots.
  5. Golden Hour and Blue Hour: Take advantage of the beautiful lighting during the golden hour (shortly after sunrise or before sunset) and the blue hour (before sunrise or after sunset). The soft, warm, and diffused light during these times can enhance your photos.
  6. Tell a Story: Look for scenes that tell a story or evoke emotions. Include elements that provide context and create a sense of place.
  7. Pay Attention to Details: Details can often make for compelling photographs. Capture close-up shots of interesting textures, patterns, architecture, or local cuisine to add depth and variety to your travel album.
  8. Be Mindful of Composition: Use the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing techniques to create visually pleasing compositions. Consider the foreground, middle ground, and background to add depth and balance to your images.
  9. Experiment with Long Exposures: If you have a tripod, try long exposure photography to capture motion blur of waterfalls, flowing rivers, or bustling city streets.
  10.  Practice Patience and Observation: Take the time to observe your surroundings, anticipate moments, and wait for the perfect shot. Patience can often lead to capturing unique and memorable images.
travel photography Stonehenge, Salisbury UK
Stonehenge, Salisbury UK
Locations not gear

Explore the world! Visiting breathtaking destinations will yield better photographic opportunities than investing in pricey equipment. Don’t underestimate the capabilities of your phone camera either – it can capture stunning shots.

The Wanaka Tree, NZ during blue hour
The Wanaka Tree, NZ, during blue hour

Travel photography can transport viewers to different corners of the globe, fueling a desire to see these awe-inspiring landscapes in person. This is the essence of travel photography: to inspire adventure, ignite wanderlust and encourage appreciation for the beauty of the world’s natural and cultural wonders.

Travel Photography – Time to Plan for 2021

Travelling (within Australia) hasn’t been possible for months and may not be for some time yet. Due to border closures, overseas travel is off the agenda for the next couple of years. It’s enough to make you sell your camera. Except no one would buy it because it’s lockdown, and they can’t take photos either. It’s impossible to do travel photography when restrictions to movement are implemented to halt the spread of Covid-19, which means I can’t go further than 5km from my front door.

The Great Pandemic

I love history and find it fascinating. I like to read about it and watch documentaries. However, I do not enjoy being part of it. We are living through the ‘Great Pandemic of 2020/21’ and, in the future, will probably feature in a school curriculum.

Travel Photography - Time to Plan for 2021
O’Hallorons Lookout FNQ
A small silver lining

On Facebook and Instagram, along with many others, I have been sharing previous travel photography as “armchair travels”. One silver lining of armchair travel is, inspired by the locations others are sharing; I am now compiling a list of places to see – for when we can all start moving again.

Photography and travel planning are all we can do now, and I happily spent hours researching destinations and planning itineraries. Costing is something that can’t be done yet as we have no idea what hotels and airlines etc., will charge once they re-open for business. But whilst we can’t travel, we can plan, research, learn, and be ready for when restrictions are lifted, and we can finally head off on a trip.

Broken Hill NSW
Living Desert, Broken Hill, NSW
Location vs Gear

Many people who are into photography subscribe to the theory that they need a better camera or lens to get a great shot. And it’s partly true. But travelling to new destinations or locations is more important than gear. There is no point in having a whizz-bang $5000 camera if you then can’t afford to stray far from home once you have bought it. You may live in a fabulous spot – but you can only photograph the Wanaka Tree so many times.

Planning is everything

Plan your trips. Learn about where you are going and when is the best time to go. Even if it’s a “family” holiday, you can still do travel photography on your trip without spoiling it for them. It’s your holiday too.

  1. Research areas, read books, and google the locations. Get as much info as you can before you pick a location. The family will have fun on just about any beach, but if it’s just a stretch of boring white sand, will you?
  2. Seasons matter! If somewhere is awesome in autumn for the trees or fantastic in spring for the waterfalls, you are shortchanging yourself being there in summer. Match your destination to the season you are travelling.
  3. Plan your road trip stopovers around scenic locations. Ok, you have to sleep somewhere on a road trip, but if one hour further down the road or one hour closer has a fabulous sunrise or sunset spot, that’s the place to lay your head.
  4. Take the road less travelled. A secondary highway going through small towns is much more interesting and scenic than mile after mile of main highways. A case in point is the painted silos and water tanks popping up all across Australia. You’ll find them in the towns, not the highway.
  5. Slow down and look around as you go through the small towns. Small towns often have quirky old buildings.
  6. Pick your accommodation handy to scenic spots. If doing a sunrise or sunset, you are far better off being close to your location rather than looking at a one-hour drive in the dark or getting up at extra stupid o’clock to be there for sunrise
  7. Try for a balcony or patio when booking your accommodation. I have gotten some of my best bird shots in the early morning, just sitting on my veranda in my ‘jammies’. It helps to travel with a bag of wild bird seed 😉
  8. Talk to the locals and ask for location suggestions But be mindful that they aren’t necessarily photographers. What is a pretty spot to them for a sunrise doesn’t mean it’s ‘worth a shot’. Scout out the location before you want to shoot it. While we found a great spot in Nagambie thanks to a local’s suggestion, we totally failed with a “great sunrise spot”, as suggested by the manager at Mungo Lodge. It was a great spot to see the sunrise, but a terrible location, with no foreground interest, regarding photographing it.
  9. Return to locations at least once. You may have got a nice pic – but next time, you may get an even better one, going back in a different season, or if the conditions are just right
  10. The early bird gets the worm. The light is soft at sunrise and sunset, but there are fewer people around at sunrise, and you stand a better chance of having the place to yourself. At iconic locations – where even at sunrise there will be a row of tripods and keen photographers, make a thermos of coffee and get there a good hour before sunrise. Find your perfect spot, set up your tripod and camera, and enjoy your coffee while everyone else arrives late and rushes to set up. (again, this is where scouting out the day before helps)
Travel Photography - Time to Plan for 2021
Morning visitor, O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat Qld.
Safety Matters

Early morning starts, and travelling to places for ‘that shot’ is part and parcel of the landscape or travel photographer’s life. But you need to consider your safety and avoid risk where possible. For example, you can’t take that great photo from a coffin or hospital bed.

  1. Your car needs to be reliable. Don’t do 4WD roads in a 2WD car. And if you are doing 4wd roads, travel in a convoy. Nothing is worse than breaking down in the middle of nowhere, especially if you are alone. Which leads to #2
  2. Don’t go to unsafe or risky areas alone. Early morning shots of the city with empty streets are fabulous. Not if you come across an aggressive or drug-impaired person. No judgment on them, but from experience, it’s scary. Luckily we were in a group. Find a fellow photographer to go out with or join a group.
  3. Stay on designated paths and behind the fence. I know there is a great shot to be had by climbing the barrier. But it’s there for a reason. Too many times have I seen on the news where photographers climbed the barrier for a shot, and it ended up a rescue or body retrieval
  4. Dress for where you are going. Flip Flops are not recommended footwear for scrub or bush. Snakes, insects, and rocks all love exposed feet. Long sleeves, sunglasses, sunscreen and a sunhat for summer. Warm clothes, and even better yet, tactical gear that’s windproof, splash-proof, and a down coat with a minimum 650 loft for winter. Like they say in Norway, “there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”
  5. Buy a rain jacket. Keep a rain jacket in your camera bag. They roll up small and are handy for the unexpected shower, sitting on when the ground is wet, or putting your bag on.
  6. Always carry water.
  7. Invest in two-way radios If you and your travel buddy are likely to be going off the beaten path with no phone reception. It helps to keep in touch if you are out of sight of each other. If travelling in a convoy, keep one in each car.
  8. Put your phone in a ziplock bag. If you are walking with it in your pocket, it could make all the difference if it falls out on a muddy trail
  9. Keep spare shoes in the car. It’s no fun driving for hours in wet shoes and socks. Or bare freezing feet. I stopped for some shots once, and my shoes were sodden by the time I got back to the car. Luckily, I had a spare pair in my luggage because we were off for the weekend. Lesson learned.
quarantine bay nsw
Sunrise at Quarantine Bay, Eden NSW
Camera Bag essentials

I always have a small ’emergency’ kit in my camera bag, which comes in handy on more than one occasion. They take up very little room – but make all the difference if you need them and are an hour’s walk from the car. You’ll thank yourself for packing them in your camera bag.

  • Small tubes of sunscreen and insect repellant
  • Painkillers
  • Torch and/or headlamp (check that it’s working and carry spare batteries)
  • Mosquito/fly net for your hat
  • A few bandaids and a small container of antiseptic
  • A small bag of salt is also handy to have if you are going into a damp or rainforest area known for leeches and you don’t have a smoker in your group. Your insect repellant will also work if it’s DEET.
  • Allen key for your tripod if it takes one
  • Chocolate or protein bar. Breakfast biscuits are good, too, to fill you up if hunger strikes.
Travel Photography - Time to Plan for 2021
Flying out of Tromso, Norway
This, too, shall pass

Stay positive. Lockdown won’t last forever. And hopefully, before too much longer, we will be back on the road. Meanwhile, take a landscape course, watch YouTube tutorials, start planning where you will go, and work out what you want to shoot while there.

In the meantime.. stay safe.

Phillip Island & San Remo

Our plan was Phillip Island & San Remo and for the weekend. Phillip Island is only around 2 hours from home, and while we had been there before, it had been a few years. So we decided to head back this easter break.  We started our photography plans with a drive along The Blvd.  You can walk it, but we decided to drive it. This was because there is only one place you can stop along the way with a small lookout. Parking is not allowed on the verges. It’s supposed to be one way as it’s too narrow for cars to pass each other on many parts of the road. Not that it stopped some young idiots in a convertible coming from the opposite direction.  You access it by driving to the Nobbies visitor centre. From there, you take the road off to the left as you approach the carpark.

coastline

There are some fabulous views along the way. We spotted a hovering Kestral that I tried to get a shot off. However, he was too far offshore and dived before I could get a picture every time.  The only time he came close was so close that I couldn’t get a shot, either. Because the long lens wouldn’t focus – he was TOO close!

Phillip island coastline

We booked a lovely house in San Remo for our stay as our main photographic goal was to shoot Cadillac Canyon – and the house was only 5 mins drive from there.  Cadillac Canyon is accessed from Potters Hill Road.. from the carpark at the end, it’s a short walk to the start of the stairs down to the beach, 138 steps in total but nice wide, solid wooden steps with lots of landings along the way — they need a seat at the halfway point! 😉

panhandle flats
Panhandle Flats

Once you are on the beach, Panhandle Flats is off to the left. To the right, at the other end of the beach, is Cadillac Canyon.  We first went down there looking for a sunset, and while the light was excellent, the sunset wasn’t happening.  The tide also made getting out onto Panhandle a no-go. So we decided to come back again in the morning.

early start

The weekend daylight saving had finished in Victoria, so sunrise moved from 7.09 am to 6.09 am. We were up at 5 am – coffee and out the door arriving at the beach in the dark.  Even though it was still dark, a car was already in the carpark before us. It turned out to be a surf fisherman.  It had been a full moon the night before. So torches weren’t needed with the moonlighting our way down the steps and across the beach to Panhandle Flats.  Tide was also with us. At 6.22 am, we could get out on the flats and set up with the low tide.

Phillip Island & San Remo
panhandle flats

The colours in the sky didn’t look that promising. But just before sunrise, the sky popped a glorious red for a few minutes. We got our shots quickly because it was very short-lived.

Phillip Island & San Remo
panhandle flats

Once the sun was up, we moved across to Cadillac Canyon. Apart from two surf fishermen, we had the beach totally to ourselves. 

Phillip Island & San Remo
Cadillac Canyon
Pelicans

By now, it was just after 8 am, and we were starving. So we headed back to the house for breakfast and a rest before heading into San Remo to watch the pelican feeding at the pier.  The feeding is free, though they have a collection tin for donations. Feeding takes place every day at midday outside the fishing co-op.

Phillip Island & San Remo
coming in for lunch

The birds are not worried about the humans. We were roped off from the feeding area (not sure for whose protection, lol). One late pelican arrival just barged into the throng of people, pushing his way through the spectators to get to the feeding area.

Phillip Island & San Remo
Pelican
Pyramid Rock

Later that afternoon, we headed to Pyramid Rock on Phillip Island. It would be a good sunset spot – and is on our list for next time.  The walk to Pyramid from the carpark is an easy 800m return. It has only a slight elevation; even with tired legs from the morning’s stairs, we cruised it in.

Phillip Island & San Remo
Pyramid Rock
Phillip Island & San Remo
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

We had a fabulous weekend at Phillip Island & San Remo and hope to go back again in the summer months.

Queensland’s Gold Coast

Back to the big smoke…

It was back to civilisation (in the form of Queensland’s Gold Coast). After four days and nights up in the Hinterlands of Mt Tamborine, we finally arrived back in the hustle and bustle of the city.  We had booked an apartment on Queensland’s Gold Coast at Surfers Paradise between the sea and the Nerang River.  We quickly found that traffic in surfers is terrible!.  So many cars and people, and lights that take ages to change.  Drivers tooting each other at lights to move if you don’t take off quickly, lest they are stuck there for another ten years waiting for the lights to change. 

Secret Lives
Carnival Rides

We checked into our apartment then headed over to Coles for supplies. It was only a 5 mins walk from the shops and restaurants, so the location was great.  We made our dinner and then sat on our balcony watching the world go by. Watching the rides (and screams) from the slingshot ride on the block opposite and the antics of the people in the apartment opposite 😉

yep, I’d scream too

That light trail up the centre is the little pod the people are in. it flings them up like a giant rubber band and back down and back up and back down no thanks 😀  The other ride with the long arm has a cabin of sorts at each end, and it spins in a circle while the cabin rotates and swivels around double. No thanks

Surfers at Night

After driving down from the mountain and wandering around Springbrook on what turned out to be a hot day, we both packed it in and were in bed by about 9.30 pm. Tuning out the noise and light of Queensland’s Gold Coast, we headed off to bed as we planned a day at SeaWorld and Whale Watching tomorrow

Silverton & Daydream Mine

Day 3 of our outback adventure

Our plans for today were Silverton and the Daydream Mine. While I slept through the sunrise, some of the group went out hunting down a good sunrise spot. Elsewhere, two of the group went out tracking down the Indian Pacific as it stopped in town. The morning skies were sunny, blue with a light breeze, but the afternoon forecast the cloud. So it was a free morning for all. Some went to Bells Milkbar, and some checked out the Palace Hotel. Others roamed the galleries. We met up for lunch with part of the crew, and then everyone met at Bells Milkbar to head out to Silverton.

Road to DayDream Mine
Daydream Mine

The historic Daydream Mine lay between us and our destination,  just out from Silverton and 20kms from Broken Hill. Established in the 1880s the mine, and the town surrounding it were once home to around 500 workers, wives, and children. It closed a few years later when the ore ran out—the NSW government heritage listed the site in 1999.   Today, above ground, only the foundations of the old town and part of the smelter remain. The road in was around 10km of uphill and down dale, winding dirt roads and through two gates.

Daydream Mine Road – part of our convoy
The Old Smelter
Below Ground

After the above-ground tour, we had to gear up with hard hats and lights for the underground section.  Three levels underground, down narrow steps (and I do use the term loosely) cut into the rock underground. The entrance tunnel was just a tad bigger than our bodies. If I hadn’t been in the lead behind the guide, I would have turned back with everyone else behind me. But I couldn’t get past them!

Gearing Up
Will I Ever Get Out Of Here?

It did get taller in parts (small parts) where we could stand upright. But most of the time, the tunnels were about 4ft high. It was built for short people!

3 levels below ground
Silverton

Back up top, we got our heart rate down and air intake back to normal. Then we headed 6kms down the road to the Silverton Pub. we plopped ourselves in the beer garden, downed a couple of quick drinks, and declined to move. Until tomorrow.

Silverton Pub
Mundi Mundi Plains

While the others who could all walk (because they hadn’t done the mine either through farsightedness or cowardice) headed off for the Mundi Mundi Plains lookout and the sunset. We stayed put. We were drinking and groaning. Until Bill announced, the sunset was starting to look good. Photographic OCD got us up moving. Just as far as next door where we had a clear view. an off some shots and limped, hobbled back to the pub

Sunset at Silverton
Lightpainting

After dinner at the pub the entire group relocated to across the road for some more light painting…no steel wool as Bill was reluctant to start a fire and burn the town down…. but we had fun with LEDs

Light Painting with Dee and Bill Holmer

At the end of the night we took a careful drive back into BH, dodging a few roo’s, rabbits and goats making it safely to our motel. The next morning was to be an early start as we had to be on the road by 7.30am and heading to Mungo……

Coming Up Next Day:  Mungo NP and Great Walls of China

Mildura to Broken Hill

Tuesday morning, as pre-arranged the night before, everyone was up in the dark, out the door by 6 am and heading down to the Mildura Wharf for sunrise. 

Sunrise On The River

The river was still and quiet, save for the morning bird calls and the odd early morning jogger going past.  We were set up on a lovely wooden walkway that gave a good view down (up?) the river to the bridge over the Murray. But, even at that hour, there was a constant stream of traffic across the bridge.

Blue hour on the river

By 6.45 am, the sun was coming up, more joggers and walkers were going past, and traffic was picking up… the river and the houseboats all remained quiet, though.

Golden hour on the river
Back On The Road

Once the sun was up, we headed back to the motel for breakfast and showers, then booked out and headed to Broken Hill, 296kms up the Silver City Highway.  The road is well-maintained bitumen but long, with the occasional bend to keep you on your toes.  Between Mildura and Broken Hill, reception drops off quickly once out of Mildura, and you don’t get it back till about 20kms out of BH.  There is only one little general store between Mildura and BH and three unattended rest stops.  Apart from that, it’s just you and the goats..lots and lots of wild goats beside the road and the emus.

Rest stop at the halfway mark
Mildura to Broken Hill
Wild goats abound!
A mirage on Silver City Highway
Mildura to Broken Hill
Old Man Emu
….And his mob
Mildura to Broken Hill
Who wanted to cross the road
Broken Hill

We made it to BH by around 1 pm – where the group met up again at the  Demo Club.  The club began life as the  Barrier Democratic Social Club, a working man’s club similar to the RSLs,  but it has evolved into a curious cross between a pub and an RSL.  There are no half-full wine glasses here.. every glass was a millimetre from the top and half the price of the victorian pubs.  We booked into our rooms at the motel from the demo club, unpacked, and took a brief rest before heading off again.  This time we were off to the Line Of The Load, a miner’s memorial overlooking BH.  It has the name and cause of death of every miner who has worked the mine in BH… and there was a lot.  No such thing as OH & S a hundred years ago.

Mildura to Broken Hill
View over Broken Hill
Sculptures In the Desert

From the memorial, we headed just outside Broken Hill to Sculptures in the Desert – 12 sandstone sculptures on a hilltop.  With Bill and Deanne Holmer from Melbourne Light Painting, we would shoot the sunset and then do a little bit of light painting before the ranger kicked us out at 7 pm to lock the gates.

Waiting For Sundown
Mildura to Broken Hill
Fire In The Hole!!
Mildura to Broken Hill
Orbs!
Mildura to Broken Hill
Lighting up the Sculptures

Right on clockwork, the Ranger turned up at 7 pm and dispersed the party…then it was back to BH for dinner at Mario’s Palace Hotel…made famous from the movie Priscilla Queen Of The Desert.

© Bevlea Ross