1. Chena Indian Village In Alaska

A local native Athabascan guide wears traditional winter dress in a re-created village in Fairbanks, Alaska. You can visit it as part of the Riverboat Discovery 3-hour cruise.

2. Ribereños Girl From The Peruvian Amazon

Dressed in traditional village attire, a young woman and her river village meets a group of guests from the Zafiro luxury cruise with Jungle Experiences.

3. The Yagua Of The Amazon

The Yagua are an indigenous culture with about 30 communities along the Amazon and its tributaries. Traditional garments are unique and worn on special occasions. The men wear distinctive long skirts made from Mauritia palm fiber, along with matching headdresses.

4. The Bora Of The Amazon

The Bora is an indigenous tribe living in the Amazon. Experience their culture and traditional dancing through tours that educate about their knowledge of the rainforest and plant life. They also sell handicrafts to travelers, which provides an income to support their families.

5. Longneck Woman Of Thailand

A Padaung woman wears brass neck rings much like her ancestors did. Starting at the age of 5, one is added every two years. The weight lowers the collarbones and gives the neck a longer appearance. As refugees from Myanmar, they are not allowed to work in Thailand; tourism income is one of the few ways they can sustainably support their families.

6. Burmese Hill Tribe

A woman from the Burmese Hill Tribes descends the mountainous terrain to sell wares at local markets. They are easily identified by their colorful turbans.

7. Bushmen From The Kalahari

The San people of the Kalahari, also known as Bushmen, are some of the earliest inhabitants of southern Africa. They are expert survivalists in the harsh desert climate, knowing how to find water in a dry environment.

8. A Village Girl From Africa

You can have authentic Zambian experiences that benefit both the traveler and the community when staying at the award-winning Royal Chundu in Zambia.

9. Aboriginal Woman From Tiwi Island

In Australia’s tropical north lies the remote Tiwi Islands. Here, about 90 percent of the residents are of Aboriginal descent. Experience their unique culture through cultural day tours led by local guides.

10. Chiapas Girl From Mexico

A young girl wears the traditional colors of her village. Though each village has a distinctive palette, flowers are typical in most designs.

11. A Guna Child From Panama

A young Guna girl cradles her pet pig. As the largest indigenous group in Panama, they are known for their elaborate embroideries, called molas, the sale of which provides sustainable income for their people.

12. The Emberá Tribe Of Panama

Living near the Panama-Colombia border, the Emberá are an indigenous people whose way of life is defined by the rivers that run through their land. From the many fish they eat to the dugout canoes they use for transportation, their lives center around water.

13. Mazatlán Dancer From Mexico

Dances I witnessed in Mexico reflect spiritual beliefs and connection with the land and animals. This young man painted in blue is part of a traditional folklore ballet that maintains the traditions and dances of Mexican culture.

Stargazing reinforces the wonder of how small we are in the Universe. Combining science and meditation, viewing the night sky is mesmerizing. Drawn to Dark Sky Parks and Communities in my travels, capturing gorgeous pictures of the night sky is always an activity that I like to include.

To achieve some measure of success with star photography, you must plan and practice. The following are some tools and recipes for cell phone and DSLR/Mirrorless camera photos to accomplish your goals. Many are low-cost and easy to implement.

1. Find A Truly Dark Sky

The best advice for taking gorgeous pictures of stars is to visit a Dark Sky location where light pollution is reduced. There are 195 certified Dark Sky Places in the world.

2. Invest In This Non-Negotiable Piece Of Equipment

A tripod is essential to stabilize your camera, whether a DLSR/Mirrorless or cell phone. It is impossible to handhold either device for the long exposures required for star photography. It would be best to reduce camera shake when pointing your camera lens to the sky.

3. Manage Your HDR And Flash

Turn off flash and HDR (high dynamic range) on your smartphone. Flash is ineffective because the subject isn’t close enough. HDR tends to slow down your camera’s speed. Turning it off will improve performance.

4. Use Optical Zoom Rather Than Digital

Use only the optical zoom range on your cell phone because it makes a lens adjustment like an actual zoom lens and will deliver better quality images. Avoid digital zoom because it relies on in-camera image processing, enlarging the pixels, and reducing image quality and resolution. 

5. Pack Extra Battery Power

Fully charge your cell phone before starting star photography. An external backup battery will ensure that you have enough power to complete the entire series of photographs. Attach it at the beginning of the photo session.

A new battery, fully charged, will allow you to capture enough images for a spectacular set of star trails from your DSLR/Mirrorless. You won’t change the battery during the capture process.

6. Find The Right Tools

Several apps offered in Google Play (Android) and the App Store (iPhone) will undoubtedly help your star photography.

You must use an app to control shutter speed on smartphones. You’ll capture multiple photos in a short time to create a long-exposure effect. Popular apps for IOS include Slow Shutter Cam and Average Camera Pro. Options for Android are Camera FV-5 and Night Camera. 

Program an intervalometer (cable release) connected to a DSLR/Mirrorless camera to obtain the right combination of exposures.

NightCap Camera

NightCap Camera is a low-light and night photography app for iPhone. It uses Artificial Intelligence to make photographing stars, star trails, ISS (International Space Station), and meteors more accessible.

The thing to remember is that the darker it gets, the slower it gets. And no camera can perform without light. Light Boost is available but may still not deliver the results you are seeking.

PhotoPills

PhotoPills is a robust personal assistant in all photographic disciplines. It provides in-depth information for most of your questions when planning and shooting the sun, moon, Milky Way, and more. Augmented Reality helps you find the North Star, Celestial Equator, depth of field, and field of view. 

Add essential information like sunrise, sunset, twilights, golden Hour, blue hour, moonrise, moonset, supermoon dates, and the moon calendar, which are often-used details.

Use it as a location scouting tool to plan your photoshoots. You will know when to arrive and get help with composition before the session.

Calculations for time-lapse, long exposure, star trails, spotting stars, and hyperfocal distances are all part of the package.

Pro Tip: Go to the PhotoPills website and download the user guide so you can get the most out of this program.

SkyView

SkyView (for iOS and Android) is an easy-to-use augmented reality app. It’s intuitive and is a great tool for identifying planets, constellations, and stars in the daytime or night sky. 

Per CNET, “If you’ve ever wanted to know what you’re looking at in the night sky, this app is the perfect stargazer’s companion.”

Point your device to the sky to identify constellations, galaxies, stars, planets, and satellites at your location.

Great features allow you to schedule alerts for upcoming celestial events, and there’s a Night Mode that preserves your night vision with red or green night mode filters. Wi-Fi isn’t required and it doesn’t require GPS or a data signal to work, which is critical for Dark Sky Places with little or no internet connection.

Tools For Post-Processing

You must process star trail and Milky Way images after capture. In my experience, the best tools to post-process are Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Photoshop Lightroom on your computer.

7. Follow These ‘Recipes’

If you want to try your hand at photographing the stars, here are some recipes to get you started. All exposure settings are approximate for DSLR/Mirrorless cameras. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Pro Tips: Use a red headlamp or flashlight when moving about after dark. It takes our eyes 20-30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Also, if you are parking close to your photo location, be sure to turn off all interior vehicle lights so they don’t come on when you open the doors, thereby ruining your precious night vision for several minutes.

Milky Way Recipe: No Moon

• f/2.8
• 8-30 second exposure
• 3200-6400 ISO
• 3200K White Balance

Full Moon

• f/5.6
• 1-2 second exposure
• 400 ISO

Rule Of 500

• Lens wide open (e.g., f/2.8)
• 500 divided by the focal length = the longest acceptable exposure of stars without streaking due to Earth’s rotation

Star Trails Recipe

Star trail photography may be an all-night event. Scout your location during daylight hours. Find an interesting foreground to include in your composition. Set everything up except your camera. Count the number of steps from your camp/parking place to your setup. It will be easier to keep your bearings while walking after dark.

Pro Tip: Use an activated glow ring attached to your tripod so that you and any other people in the area can see your setup.

Star Trails Camera Settings

• BULB shutter speed
• f/4.0
• 400 ISO
• 4000K White Balance

Star Trails Intervalometer (Electronic Cable Release) Settings

• Delay 00 00 00 (Delay before shutter is released = no delay)
• Long 00 04 00 (Exposure length = 4 minutes)
• Interval 00 00 01 (Interval between exposures = 1 second)
• N 0-399 (Number of shots, 0 = no finite amount)
• On/Off button to start, NOT the large remote shutter button

Allow one second between exposures (so the sensor doesn’t overheat and pixelate your images). Longer than that will show gaps between each shot.

Your DSLR/Mirrorless camera will capture between 18 and 45 exposures. The minimum length of total exposure time desired is 1.5 hours, or when your battery runs out. I get several hours out of a new battery.

Pro Tips: Purchase a new battery and charge fully for this DSLR/Mirrorless adventure. You’ll only get to use one each night during this process. Locate the North Star and use it to anchor your star trails. The North Star doesn’t move because it’s very close to the Earth’s north celestial pole.

White Balance 

• Full moon – 5200 K (daylight)
• Partial moon – 4500K
• No moon – 4000K (Tungsten/Incandescent)

Pro Tips: Be sure to remove the lens cap before starting the series of exposures. Test once or twice before launch. Head for bed and visit your setup in the morning.

Want more on stargazing and the night sky? Consider

• 5 Reasons Flagstaff, Arizona Is Perfect For Stargazing
• 7 Best Constellations To View In The Winter Sky
• The Best Places To See The Northern Lights In Or Around Anchorage
• 11 Incredible Places To View The Southern Lights In Australia And New Zealand
• This State Is Home To The Most Dark Sky Parks On The U.S. East Coast

The sun is just starting to rise, the sky is turning from grey to pale pink with streaks of yellow and orange, and I am standing shivering on a muddy causeway, surrounded by mist, in the middle of the Bangweulu Swamps in Zambia. I am also surrounded by thousands of the endangered, endemic black lechwe that are found only in Zambia, predominantly in these swamps. 

Why am I up at the crack of dawn? The answer to that is that I am on safari with long-time friend and professional wildlife photographer, Patrick Bentley. Patrick is on assignment to photograph the swamps and their inhabitants for Remote African Safaris and the wildlife conservation NGO African Parks, and my husband and I have come along. I have never been on safari with a professional photographer before and, over the next few days, as I watched Patrick at work, I learned a lot about patience, lighting, angle, subject matter, and more.

So whether you’re shooting on an iPhone or with an enormous zoom lens, let me pass on to you a couple of things I learned from spending some days in the bush with someone who really knows what he is doing with a camera.  

With the privilege of seeing and photographing wildlife in their unspoiled natural environment comes the responsibility of doing so ethically. So let’s start with some general tips that I have picked up over many, many years of going on safari.  

General Wildlife Photography Tips

1. Do Your Research

If you have a particular subject in mind, do your research on that animal. Learn, for example, about its behavior, habitat, and diet. Once you find the animal out in the bush, assess its behavior and take note if your presence is causing it discomfort. If you notice that an animal has stopped feeding, hunting, mating, or has abandoned a den or nest, then it’s time to back off!

2. Respect Their Environment

I understand it’s frustrating when things get in the way of your subject, but you should never alter the natural surroundings in any way. If a branch is in the way, move around it. If an animal is too far away, don’t go off-road to get closer — that is what zoom lenses are for! If out at night, take care with the spotlight. Use infrared filters when shining a light on wildlife, and avoid shining directly in an animal’s eyes, as this can cause temporary blindness. (While a red spotlight may not be ideal for night-time photography, it causes no harm to the animals, and camera settings can be adjusted to compensate for the red light).

3. Don’t Overcrowd Sightings

Animals can feel threatened by too many vehicles. While everyone wants a chance to see some particularly exciting sight, you should never compromise an animal’s comfort to get a photo. If you see too many cars around a sighting, sometimes the best thing to do is move on.

4. Let Sleeping Lions Lie

Sightings in the middle of the day can be tricky to photograph, as animals tend to rest in the shade during the midday heat. While I understand that a photo of a sleeping animal is not all that interesting, animals at rest must be left to do so. Do not throw or do anything to provoke a response or get a more “interesting” shot! Please don’t do what I have seen too many amateur photographers on safari do — whistle or clap or bang the side of their vehicle. By the same token, it’s also unethical to play pre-recorded wildlife sounds to animals or birds. Remember you’re in their home and not a zoo.

5. Respect Fellow Visitors In The Park

Notice other photographers and viewers at a sighting, and show respect by not driving in front of them or pressuring them to move. At the same time, be aware that other people may want to join a sighting, so don’t spend too much time hogging the prime spot.

6. Don’t Feed The Animals

Feeding animals change their behavior and attitude towards humans. While it may be tempting to throw a snack in the direction of a baboon, monkey, or bird to get a good shot, this can lead to problems down the line, and it’s the animals that will end up suffering.

7. Go Slow

Take your time with your subject. Some animals need to adjust to the presence of a safari vehicle, and may only relax after a while. The longer you spend waiting, the better chance you have of getting your shot.

8. Protect Them

After you get home from your safari and are sharing your wildlife photos, it’s important to do so responsibly. Take care when photographing endangered species or those susceptible to poaching. Remove any geo-location tags that poachers could use to locate animals, and remove EXIF (exchangeable image file format) data from photos to ensure that GPS coordinates will not be attached to them.

Beyond The Basics

For the average traveler, professional wildlife photography is not a natural gift, and without care, wildlife shots can end up with all thumbs, shadows, and the sort of photo that needs a magnifying glass to see the subject matter. So, now we’ve covered the basics, let’s get on to some tips to help you capture the amazing scenes you will be seeing on your safari.  

9. Get Out Early And Stay Out Late

Tip one is exactly why I was out at sunrise in the swamps. Wildlife photography is all about the light, particularly the early morning and late afternoon light — this is what photographers call the “golden hour.” To get the perfect shot, you might need to set your alarm early!

10. The Lower The Better

When taking wildlife photos it’s a good idea to be as close to the ground as possible. An “eye to eye” angle gives the image a much more dramatic impact, and helps the right perspective, and shows the dimensions of the animal. Another advantage of shooting at a lower angle is the background of the picture will be what is behind the animal and not what’s below, making whatever you are taking a picture of stand out better.

11. “Look For The Eye”

Portrait photos can be one of your top shots on safari, so a tip here is when the opportunity arises, “look for the eye.” The eye of an animal can depict the animal’s mood, focus, and intent. So when taking a wildlife portrait, see if you can get the eye of your subject sharply in focus; to do this you will need to take control of your camera’s autofocus, making sure you focus on the eye and not the nose, ear, or cheek! Another tip is to look for the “glint” in its eye, this will make for a much better shot than a dark or dull eye.

12. Choose The Correct Shutter Speed

Choosing the correct shutter speed when trying to capture wildlife in action is key! If the shutter speed isn’t high enough, the image will come out blurry. Shutter speed also affects the clarity and sharpness of your photo. Before you go on safari, try playing around with your camera at home, using your pet or passing cars to help you figure out the right shutter speed for moving subjects.

13. Be Prepared For The Perfect Moment

A professional wildlife photographer will often sit waiting for that “perfect moment,” long after other safari vehicles have gotten bored and moved on. Make use of the wait time to take practice shots of the scene and see how they look on your camera screen. You can always delete these afterward, but this gives you the opportunity to adjust your settings so the shot is exactly how you want when the action finally happens.

14. Look For Frames Within The Frame

Consider using environmental elements to frame your subject. This can add an interesting aspect to an image. Something like an overhanging branch or framing vegetation can serve to place the subject in the context of the environment in a creative way.

15. Capturing Moving Subjects

If your subject is moving, it is critical to change your autofocus setting, so read your camera’s manual before you travel. When the time comes, keep your moving subject in the viewfinder and pan with it, trying to keep the focus selector on its head. Keep your finger depressing the shutter button halfway, so your camera’s focus will track your subject’s movement. Every few seconds, remove your finger completely from the shutter button to refocus on your subject.

16. Work With The Environment                               

A lot of people are trying to find that “clean picture,” where there are no branches in the way, no leaves, no shadows. Of course, that crystal clear photograph where the subject is bathed in perfect light is what you are looking for, but conditions are not often perfect. Often, it’s the imperfections that make an image beautiful. Shadows, dust, rain, branches, twigs, and leaves all create atmosphere and emotion in an image.

Hopefully, armed with these tips, you will come home with a “trophy shot” or two from your next safari.

The Best Seasons For Wildlife Photography

When is the best season for wildlife photography? Well, it’s always a good time to be on safari, but certain times are better than others…  

Southern Africa: The best season for wildlife photography in Southern Africa (Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa) is the dry season, July through October. Game viewing is best from August onward when animals congregate in large herds and grass is shorter allowing for best viewing.

November through December is a great “predator season,” though there’s always a chance of thunderstorms. Being shoulder season, you won’t be paying peak season accommodation rates.

December through March is the wettest season. Many camps are closed, but others stay open. This is the time to see the most birds.

April to May are beautifully clear months with wonderful temperatures. There’s plenty of animals, but the grass can be high, making them difficult to see. This is also a good time for “shoulder season” rates.

East Africa: The game viewing in East Africa is great all year round, particularly in the Maasai Mara and Serengeti regions, where plains are open and wildlife easy to see. If you want the migration, then come February–July in Tanzania and July–September in Kenya. Out of those seasons, you will see fewer people and get better rates. Many camps are closed during the long rains, April through May.

More than a billion photographs are taken every day. But how many of those images leave a lasting impression? How many make you want to go to the place where it was taken? If they do, then they almost certainly use the principles of good composition. Powerful photos are rarely snapshots.

A snapshot is a moment captured without thought or planning. But making a photograph — not taking a snapshot — involves thinking about the arrangement of elements in the image frame, where to put the subject, and what to include or exclude. That’s composition. 

There’s no shortage of books about photography composition, and nearly every one will tell you the same things: Rule of Thirds, use diagonals, etc. There are no secrets to good composition, just tried-and-true tips about what appeals to the human eye. Once you know a few composition tricks, you’ll soon spot those techniques being used everywhere, from magazines to postcards.

Consider this your cheat sheet, so you don’t have to read all those books. Don’t be afraid to use more than one principle in a shot. Try a few. Experiment. Using these tips will help your photographs pack a visual punch.

1. Simplify The Subject

When it comes to powerful photos, clutter kills. Your eye wants to land on something in the frame, then roam the rest of the image. Instead of trying to capture all the action in a busy market or the chaos of people, cars, and buildings in the street, pick something specific to be the subject. You should be able to say, “This is a picture of ________.” If you’re not sure where to look first, the image is too cluttered. 

2. Put The Subject Off-Center

Unless you’re aiming for symmetry — which can be amazing in suitable situations — you’ll have better composition if you divide the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. The Rule of Thirds states that the best place for your subject is where the horizontal and vertical lines cross. Cameras often have a setting that superimposes these lines in your viewfinder or on your phone’s screen. 

3. Raise Or Lower The Horizon — And Get It Straight

The Rule of Thirds lines on your viewfinder or phone screen are perfect guides for the horizon. Put the horizon on either the top or bottom horizontal line, and use it to get your horizon straight. If the sky is putting on a show, place the horizon in the bottom third of the frame. If the sky is boring, place the horizon so only a third of the photo is sky. 

Pro Tip: If the sky is cloudy white or dull, try to frame the shot to eliminate the sky. 

4. Show The Subject In Its Environment

This technique tells a story by placing a subject in its environment without losing the subject in the whole scene. Start by focusing on the subject, placing it off to the side and in the foreground. Use a somewhat shallow depth of field so that the background is identifiable but slightly blurred so that it doesn’t compete with the subject for attention.

5. Use Negative Space For Impact

Negative space is an area with a lack of subject matter: wide blue skies, open water, the broad side of a building, etc. Because the negative space is empty of visual interest, the subject gains importance in the frame. Depending on how it is used, this technique can also convey a sense of drama or vastness. This technique works well in cityscapes, landscapes, and silhouettes. 

6. Fill The Frame

This technique has two approaches. The first eliminates negative space and lets the subject fill the frame from edge to edge. This technique can also be used to show details or textures otherwise missed. You’ll probably need a zoom lens or cropping to do this. 

The second approach also focuses on a clear subject, but with a broader field of view. Everything in the frame, however, is included deliberately. Anything that distracts from the image’s message or subject is placed outside the frame either while shooting or by cropping later. Negative space is usually eliminated. With either approach, there is no room for distractions. 

Pro Tip: If you’re not happy with the photos you’re getting, zoom in or move closer. 

7. Incorporate Leading Lines

The human eye is drawn to diagonal lines, curves, and S curves, and including these in your images instantly makes the photo more interesting. Use these lines to lead the viewer’s eye into and through the image. This often requires repositioning yourself, so you’re looking at a diagonal rather than a horizontal fence, path, river, building, shelf, etc. 

8. Use Framing To Emphasize The Subject

The frame on artwork hanging on the wall separates the art from the distractions around it. A natural frame, such as foliage, an open window, or another aspect of the environment does the same thing. Once you start looking for them, you’ll find them everywhere. 

9. Let Color Be The Subject

Color as a subject can help capture the mood or feel of a place — or just be a fun detail shot among your travel photos. Look for strong contrasting colors, such as warm colors (red, yellow, orange) against cool colors (blue, green). Contrasting color can also give your eye a place to focus in the photograph. 

10. Capture Patterns — And Break Them

Patterns are visually fascinating. The only way to make patterns more interesting is to break them. If you can find a pattern, and something that breaks it, definitely take the shot!

11. Include A Foreground

Most photos include a middle ground and background automatically, giving your images a two-dimensional feel. For a greater sense of depth, try to add a foreground element. This could be anything: rocks along the shoreline, flowers in a landscape, or whatever else is available and adds to the scene. Just make sure the foreground doesn’t become a distraction.

12. Aim For The Eyes

If your subject has eyes — people, pets, wildlife, etc. — they must be in focus for the photo to connect with the viewer. If you can shoot so there is a catchlight or reflection in the eyes, then that’s even better. A catchlight makes the subject look alive. Take the photo when your subject raises its head; there’s rarely a catchlight when an animal or person looks downward. You may have to move your position to see a catchlight. 

13. Know When To Go Vertical

Generally, use vertical framing for tall things and horizontal framing for wide things. Better yet, shoot it both ways and decide later. Try to avoid cutting off the tops of objects. 

14. Get On Eye Level With Your Subjects

It’s all about the eyes. Photographing your subject at its eye level, not yours, presents a more intimate and unusual perspective that helps the viewer connect with your subject. Of course, shooting across at your subject also works with subjects that don’t have eyes, such as flowers, food, and objects. 

Pro Tip: Don’t shoot down on short subjects. Choose a level or more unusual perspective. 

15. Give Moving Subjects Room To Move

To the viewer, the edge of the photo is like a hard wall, and it feels uncomfortable to have a moving animal or object about to crash into it. Shoot so that your subject is off-center and moving into the frame, with some space in front of it. The shutter speed you’ll need to freeze motion varies with how fast the subject is moving. Set your camera for 1/500 to 1/800 of a second for moving people and 1/1000 or faster for cars, flowing water, and running wildlife. 

Pro-Tip: Use your camera’s tracking ability for the best chance at a sharp shot.

For more on photography and the best destinations to practice your craft, visit: 

• A Photographer’s Paradise: 14 Best Places To Capture In Morocco

• 8 Iconic Spots For Photos In Grand Teton National Park And Jackson Hole

• 9 Travel Photography Tips For Amazing Photos On Your Next Trip

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, has some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen. Compared to Yellowstone National Park, its famous neighbor to the north, it has fewer visitors and fewer traffic jams of both the car and bison variety. You’ll find ample turnouts and overlooks in the park, all situated to take advantage of amazing views. 

The park is named for the towering, rugged Teton mountain range that occupies the western third of the park. The Teton Mountains, which are part of the Rocky Mountains, provide a spectacular backdrop to the pristine lakes, rivers, and valleys you’ll see. 

Jackson Hole is the valley formed by the Teton Mountains to the west and the Gros Ventre Mountains to the east. The town of Jackson, at the south end of the valley, is a bustling, trendy Western town. It serves as a great home base for a visit to Grand Teton National Park. The area’s only commercial airport is in Jackson Hole, 7 miles north of Jackson.

Just a note about cameras — the best camera is the one you have with you. I have a micro 4/3 camera (Olympus) which is small, lightweight, and has interchangeable lenses. Since it’s lightweight, I don’t mind hauling it with me on hikes. I bring a long lens since I’m likely to spot wildlife.

That said, I took most of these photos with my Samsung phone. I enabled the HDR (high dynamic range) setting, which makes the colors more vibrant. I switched on the scene optimizer. I cropped several photos but otherwise, they are unedited. I’m sharing this so you know you can get these same results without a professional camera and without post-processing in Lightroom, Luminar, Topaz, or any other photo-editing software.

Without further ado, here are eight iconic spots for photos in Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole.

1. Schwabacher Landing

I went to Schwabacher Landing several times during my visit to Grand Teton National Park, both at dusk and at dawn. Thanks to an industrious family of beavers, a branch of the Snake River has been dammed, creating a series of ponds that provide an opportunity to photograph the Tetons and their reflection when the water is calm. 

As you turn off U.S. Highway 89/191, the main north/south highway through the park, it’s a steep descent down to the valley. Midway, the road becomes gravel but is passable in a car, even if the vehicle has fairly low clearance. 

Once you reach the parking lot, a short walk takes you to a spot overlooking a branch of the Snake River with the Tetons in the background. Continue on the trail that follows the stream for another 0.1 miles until you reach the beaver dam. The elongated pond provides a number of prime photography spots. 

In addition to beautiful scenery, you may have the opportunity to photograph waterfowl and moose here.

Pro Tips: The Tetons are lit at sunrise, but I had better luck spotting wildlife at dusk. Any time of the day, the scenery is amazing. There is a vault toilet in the parking lot.

2. Mormon Row Historic District

Mormon Row Historic District is perhaps the most photographed of all spots in Grand Teton National Park. Barns and houses left by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints homesteaders, who settled here in the 1890s, are photographed most often at dawn with the sunlit Teton Mountains in the background.

To reach Mormon Row, turn east on Antelope Flats Road from U.S. Highway 89/191. The 15-mile drive from Jackson takes about 25 minutes. The road is closed from November to May. 

The two Moulton barns are frequent subjects in Grand Teton photos. On the northern side of Antelope Flats Road, you’ll see the two-story John Moulton barn with its gambrel roof (two-sloped roof). On the south side of Antelope Flats Road, the T. A. Moulton barn and shed has a small stream in the foreground in early summer that provides a nice leading line to the structure.

Pronghorns and bison can be seen in the area. If you’re lucky, you can capture a bison grazing in front of one of the barns. 

Pro Tip: Take care when walking around the barns as there are prairie dog and badger holes that are a tripping hazard.

3. Oxbow Bend Overlook

The Oxbow Bend Overlook on U.S. Highway 89/191 allows you to photograph a sweeping bend in the Snake River. Both sunrise and sunset offer the best chance of photographing the reflection of the mountains and sky when there is little wind over the slow moving part of the river. 

In addition to getting a great photograph of the river, marsh, and mountains from the high vantage point, you may also see moose, elk, and bear. Of those, moose are most commonly seen. Keep an eye out for osprey and bald eagles.

Spring and early summer bring abundant wildflowers. 

Pro Tip: The overlook has ample parking with room along the road for parking, if needed. Hiking down the embankment offers another perspective, but the path is steep and rocky.

4. Blacktail Ponds Overlook

This is another one of my favorite spots because the wide, marshy valley is a brilliant green in the early summer and the abundant willows turn warm golden brown in the fall. The majestic Teton Mountains jut out behind the valley. 

The overlook is not marked on the National Park Service map but is accessed by turning west on Blacktail Butte Road off U.S. Highway 89/191, 400 feet north of Antelope Flats road. 

This is a good place to spot wildlife with binoculars or photograph with a long lens. Elk, moose, and bears are spotted here, particularly at dawn and dusk. A trail descends into the valley, but because of the height of the willows, you may have trouble spotting wildlife from the valley floor. 

If you’re interested in photographing the landscape, there’s no need to hit the trail — the view from the overlook is fantastic.

Pro Tip: If you hike into the valley, take bear spray, make some noise (talk or clap your hands periodically), and don’t take food with you. Bears would rather avoid than come in contact with you, but the dense foliage limits their ability to spot you on this trail. Likewise, a windy day may prevent a bear from smelling you and getting out of your way.

5. Spread Creek Lupines

One of the best places to see wildflowers is Lupine Meadows. The view of the Tetons and the alpine lakes is worth the effort but the hike is long and strenuous. An easier place to capture lupines in early summer is near Spread Creek. 

The lavender and purple wildflowers grow along U.S. Highway 89/191. Several pull-outs allow you to park safely.

6. Snake River Overlook

The National Park Service commissioned Ansel Adams to take park photos in 1941. His Grand Teton National Park photo showed the Snake River meandering through a pine forest with the Tetons in the background. The full bend of the lake was visible.

Eighty years later, you can’t capture the same scene. Pine trees obscure most of the river’s bend, although the dramatic mountains and foothills still make for a lovely photo.

Pro Tip: I spent time photographing a chipmunk feeding on sage brush here. Be on the lookout for these busy creatures. They aren’t very wary of humans.

7. The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar

Established in 1937, the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar has been the go-to place for drinks, dancing, and live entertainment in Jackson. 

Its iconic vintage sign with a rotating cowboy on a bucking bronco features prominently in many of Jackson’s historic photos and postcards. Stepping inside, get a shot of your friends in the saddle — the bar’s version of a barstool. 

Pro Tip: If you’re traveling with grandchildren, they aren’t allowed in if they’re under 21. IDs are checked at the door. 

8. Elk Antler Arch

Elk antler arches mark the four corners of historic George Washington Memorial Park, better known as Town Square. The first arch was erected on the park’s southwest corner in 1953. It was instantly popular, so the Rotary Club set about having the other three built.
Pro Tip: The southwestern corner arch is the most frequently photographed. Head to the arch on the northeastern corner (at the intersection of E. Deloney and Center streets) for a shorter wait to get your iconic arch photo without other visitors in the frame.

Have you ever wanted to learn a new skill but didn’t know where to start? Perhaps you want to learn how to start a business, make wreaths, or paint with watercolors. Or maybe you are like me and want to learn how to take better photos when traveling with just your iPhone.

Since I often (almost always) have my phone handy when traveling, walking, hiking, riding bicycles, or even sitting on the beach, I wanted to take better photos without lugging a bulky camera with me.

Several sites offer photography training, but I learned about a platform that I thought might be perfect. Skillshare is an online learning platform with a community for people who desire to learn a new skill or learn about a specific topic. Best of all, Skillshare offers a 14-day free trial, so I signed up for a photo course.

As a travel writer, the one thing I needed to take better photos on my next trip was an iPhone photography course. I knew there were little secrets and tips I was missing. I was not disappointed.

Note that Skillshare provided a voucher for the course of my choice, but the opinions are my own.

How Skillshare Works

The online learning platform provides courses available through subscription and focuses on learning by doing rather than straight lecture. They encourage the completion of a project either during the course or at the end.

Instead of paying a specific fee for an individual course, the monthly subscription covers as many courses as you desire to take during the month.

There are thousands of classes, more than 26,000 to be exact, and they cover a massive variety of topics.

All the courses are in video and are high quality. They are self-paced, and you can leave and come back, and the system remembers where you were in the lessons. If you are taking multiple courses simultaneously, your progress is saved for each one, so you can always pick up where you stopped.

You can also download the app to your phone or tablet. You can even switch devices in the middle of a class and continue with the course.

What Type Of Courses Are Available On Skillshare?

Skillshare divides its courses into three categories: Create, Build, and Thrive.

Create focuses on artsy things like crafts, painting with watercolors, creative writing, film and video, music, and more.

Build covers business, analytics, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, marketing, and freelancing.

Thrive includes life-enhancing topics under the sub-categories of Lifestyle and Productivity. Lifestyle features cooking, budgeting, interior design, and meditation, while Productivity focuses on time management, organization, beating procrastination, and more.

How Long Are The Classes?

Classes range in length from about an hour to 27 hours. It depends on the course. One of the things I liked was as you peruse the various classes in the corner of the photo, it provides the amount of time required to complete the class. Without clicking and looking at the class details, you know how much time you will need to invest.

I wanted to learn how to take better pictures quickly since I was leaving on a quick adventure the following day, so I selected one that was 56 minutes in length, and it was the perfect option for me.

When you are looking at the class, you can see how many other people have taken the course so far and whether it is a staff pick.

How To Choose The Right Course

You can choose courses by the name, length of time they require, the number of students who already have enrolled in the class, or by reading the reviews left by previous students.

You can also choose by the instructor if you have a favorite. A few notable skillshare instructors you might be interested in are Guy Kawasaki, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Seth Godin.

The Course I Selected

I selected the course “iPhone Photography: How to Take Pro Photos On Your iPhone” taught by Dale McManus. I picked it because it was a topic I wanted to learn about and I knew I would be able to use the information the following day. Plus, it was a Staff Pick, it was less than an hour in length, and 97,577 students had already taken the course, so I knew it was popular.

Some of the topics Dale covers in the course include

• How To Turn Off Live Photo
• Why and How to Turn on HDR
• Why You Should Use The Grid and How To Turn It On
• Exposure Control
• Shot Composition
• How to Create Depth
• How to Use Light
• Filling The Frame
• And more

Some of the tips and tricks he talked about I was already aware of, but a few I had forgotten about, and some were totally new to me. In a short amount of time, I gained significant knowledge.

There are over 1,332 courses about photography within Skillshare. So whatever you need to learn to take better pictures on your next trip is most likely available. The next class I plan to take is “How To Create A Cohesive Instagram Feed.”

Things I Liked About Skillshare

I liked several things. Most importantly, the courses focus on the topic you want to learn about. The classes I took were meaty and on target. There was not a lot of fluff about other things.

The amount you can learn in a short time is impressive, and I liked knowing the amount of time each course would take before selecting it.

Watching the lessons when it suited me was ideal. I enjoyed being able to access it on both my desktop and phone. When I was traveling, I could refer back to a lesson on my phone and rewatch.

Taking as many classes as you desire makes life simple and allows you to get as much for your money as you desire.

I loved the variety of topics covered and also the variety of instructors. Some of the courses provide interaction with other students. I did not experience this, but I can see where it would help if taking a longer course or working on projects.

Skillshare also offers groups associated with topics of interest. This would provide beneficial online networking and allow for idea sharing and collaboration on projects.

Were There Any Issues?

The only problem I had was desiring to take additional courses when I had writing to do. The variety had my “shiny object syndrome” acting up big time.

But like all online platforms, there are a few things you have to take into consideration: There is no one checking on your progress. If you are not motivated to learn, you will be wasting your money. Some teachers are more enthusiastic and engaging than others, but that happens in the live classroom, too.

Another thing to note, when you complete the course, Skillshare doesn’t provide any type of official documentation or certificate of completion. But you could always take a screenshot of the online completion screen.

How Much Does Skillshare Cost?

Skillshare offers a free trial membership for 14 days, exclusively for TravelAwaits’ readers. So you have a chance to take a course for free and see if you like the platform.

The monthly subscription fee covers the cost of all classes and workshops you desire to take during the month. They have a monthly and an annual fee option. Monthly is $19.99 a month, and if you pay annually, the cost is $99 a year. However, Skillshare is currently offering TravelAwaits‘ readers 40% off the annual subscription. So it pays to subscribe annually if you will use it throughout the year.

You can start with a monthly subscription, and if you only desire one or two courses, you can take them and then cancel. If, after you take them, you realize there are so many other courses you want to take, you can then switch over to an annual subscription to save money.

Skillshare adds new courses all the time, so there are always new things to learn, and with over 26,000 courses, you will have lots of titles to choose from.

Is Skillshare Worth The Cost?

If you use the program once you pay for it, I think it is a bargain. I plan to continue my membership after my free trial ends. I find it to be an excellent investment if you have the time to dedicate to learning online. In just a month, you could take multiple courses and learn valuable new skills.

An example would be taking a course on branding and web design so you can begin offering to build web pages as a freelancer. Another example is learning how to take better videos plus adding a course on video editing.

Or use the courses to improve your life. We can all learn to manage our time and organize our lives a bit better.

Another thing to remember is that since you have unlimited classes, you are not out of any funds if you join a course and don’t care for it. You can just move on to another course or teacher and learn the same or a different topic. You will only be wasting money if you fail to enroll in the courses and learn.

Who knows, taking a Skillshare course might be the one thing you need to take better photos on your next trip, too.

Try Skillshare now with these exclusive TravelAwaits offers:

• Try 14 Days Free
• Save 40% On Annual Membership

Want more tips? Consider

• 8 Opportunities To Make Extra Income In Retirement
• 13 Tips For Staying Healthy While Traveling
• 9 Tips For Organizing A Successful Group Trip

Capturing special images that transport you back to the moment long after your return home is possible, whether it involves snapping photographs with your phone, a point-and-shoot, or a sophisticated professional camera.

Morocco has to be one of the best places in the world to capture such memories. Rich in photographic subjects that are beautiful, interesting, and unique, Morocco tells a story about an ancient land and her people.

We were fortunate to spend a leisurely nine weeks touring Morocco by RV. Traveling in this manner meant we often stumbled across the best places for mind-blowing photos. A year later and we look back on those photographic albums marveling, scarcely believing that we were actually there.

Sharing the best places to take photos in Morocco, and treasured tips about how to capture that once-in-a-lifetime memory, is a joy. This photographic journey takes you down through ancient cities and up into the grandeur of the Atlas mountains, then, deep into the interior of Morocco, as we soak up the tranquility of the Sahara’s dunes. From there, we traverse deep gorges, ancient townships, and stunning mountain scenery before arriving at the Atlantic coast and turning north to see more scenery and unexpected, extensive Roman ruins.

1. Chefchaouen

No photographic pilgrimage to Morocco is complete without a visit to the famous Blue City, renowned for the gorgeous blue-painted buildings of the medina (the name given to an African walled city). Visit in the offseason — November to March — or get up early if you want to avoid having throngs of tourists in your photos. Explore the outer reaches of the medina for shots with no one in sight.

2. Fes

The tangled maze of Fes, a World Heritage site, includes its medina, a magnet for tourists and photographers alike. I highly recommend hiring a guide to navigate you to the most intriguing sights. Be prepared to photograph the general hustle and bustle of people, donkeys, stores, mosques, and other buildings, and know that your SIM card will fill up quickly. Your guide will take you to a carpet shop, a cloth weaving factory, a local pharmacist, and at least one artifact store, to name but a few, all in the hope that he will earn some commission from your purchases. Embrace the experience, enjoy and photograph the demonstrations, then show your appreciation by buying something to remember the tour by. You won’t want to miss photographing the historic leather tannery, but be prepared for the less-than-inviting smell.

3. Atlas Mountains

There are actually three main Atlas mountain ranges: the Middle Atlas in the north, the High Atlas in central Morocco, and the Anti-Atlas further to the south. All of the mountain ranges offer a host of locations that you will want to stop and capture. From the permanent snow of the High Atlas to the argan tree and prickly pear-studded slopes of the Anti Atlas, there are constantly changing scenic vistas.

4. Azrou

The ancient Cedre Gouraud Forest in the Middle Atlas Mountains near Azrou provides the opportunity to photograph the local Barbary macaque monkeys up close and personal. Buy peanuts from the local sellers to enjoy interactions with these cheeky monkeys.

5. The Sahara Desert

There are two prime locations in Morocco for experiencing the imposing dunes of the Sahara and capturing memorable images: Zagora and Erg Chebbi. Both areas offer safe access to a small finger of the Sahara that intrudes into southeastern Morocco. Reserve a camel tour to enjoy an overnight experience in a desert tent and discover stunning photographic opportunities. Trek into the dunes early to catch the sunrise, and photograph camel riders or walkers on distant dune peaks. This gives you perspective and a sense of the landscape’s massive scale. Want more inspiration? Read up on nine hidden secrets we discovered in Morocco’s Sahara Desert.

6. Todra And Dades Gorges

These gorges are relatively close together and both offer unique photo opportunities that include interesting villages, buildings, and rock formations.

The imposing red cliffs of Todra tower above the road, and driving further up the gorge reveals great scenes of palm trees and the craggy dry river bed. If you have a big zoom lens, you may be able to see the cave dwellers high on the canyon walls. Be prepared for a myriad of vendors selling scarves, fossils, and other wares.

Dades Gorge is best known for the awe-inspiring images of the switchback road zigzagging up the sheer rock wall. From the auberge (hotel) at the top, lean over the edge and snap the meandering engineering marvel.

7. Ait Benhaddou

The UNESCO-listed ancient fortified town of Ait Benhaddou lies on the original trans-Saharan trade route and has been part of numerous movie sets. Traditionally, Moroccan buildings outside the cities were made from rammed mud, earth, and straw and begin to degrade within a few decades. However, Ait Benhaddou has been repaired and restored using authentic materials and architectural features, providing many photo opportunities. Capture the town from across the stream, then scale the upper walls for a memorable panoramic.

8. Guelmim

Guelmim is well-known for its weekly camel souk and the gorgeous brightly colored clothing worn by the women of southern Morocco. Other interesting subjects include the pop-up petrol stations selling cheap gas brought over from the nearby Western Sahara region.

9. Mirleft

Although not as well known as Sidi Ifni, 20 miles to the south, Mirleft is a wonderful traditional Moroccan seaside town with a vibrant weekly souk. Of special feature is the ruined French fort overlooking the town. From the fort, you’ll have panoramic views, and, if you are lucky, for a small donation, a local will show you around the ruins. Walk around quietly to see desert squirrels sunning themselves on the rocks.

Just 14 miles south of Mirleft lies Legzira Beach, well known for its imposing rock archways.

The many paragliders landing on the beach make great subjects or can add interest to your photos.

10. Tafraoute

During the drive to Tafraoute, the surrounding hills won’t let you put your camera away for even a second. Early morning is a special time when the sun rises over the surrounding mountains, bathing the barren landscape with wonderful red and pink hues. The nearby Painted Rocks and Napoleon’s Hat are other popular photo locations. Not far from Tafraoute, we came across a shepherd encouraging his goats to climb the argan trees to graze on the nuts and foliage: living proof of the incredible story of tree-climbing goats in Morocco.

11. R203 Road

Not for faint-hearted drivers (or passengers), the R203 road over the Anti-Atlas mountains between Taroudant and Marrakesh traverses some of the most stunning scenery — but is barely wide enough for a car in places, let alone our seven-foot-wide RV. If you dare to go, stay at the auberge at the top of the Tizi-n-Test pass to capture stunning evening and early morning photos.

12. Marrakech

Magical Marrakech is very touristy, and certainly photogenic. The UNESCO-listed main market square Jemaa el-Fna is a nonstop riot of snake charmers, fortune tellers, street hawkers, and locals throughout the day, transforming to a maze of street food stalls every evening. Be prepared to pay to take your photos here, or sit back at a distance with a zoom lens and search out interesting subjects from one of the overlooking cafes.

Marrakech is rich in historical buildings, gardens, and palaces such as Bahia Palace, which has architectural features and intricate wooden marquetry that leave you grasping for superlatives.

From Marrakech, it is less than a three-hour drive to the popular seaside town of Essaouira, where you can pay to get a guaranteed photo of tree-climbing goats. Explore the quieter historic UNESCO-listed fortified Portuguese town of El Jadida with its very photo-worthy forts and cistern.

13. Meknes

If you want to avoid most of the tourists while still photographing authentic markets, historic buildings, and palaces, then Meknes is the place for you. Once an imperial city, Meknes has many splendid structures of interest as well as a large and interesting walled medina. For photos of the medina with fewer people, visit late on a Friday; we were there around 8 p.m. and many parts of the city were virtually deserted.

14. Volubilis

Last on our list: the extensive UNESCO-listed ruins of Volubilis. Founded by the Berbers around the 3rd century B.C., Volubilis later became an important Roman city at the very edge of the Roman Empire. Unlike many ruins in Europe, you are free to wander the site here in search of photographic subjects such as the beautifully reconstructed Triumphal Arch or the many stunning floor mosaics depicting life and legends from Roman times. The lush surrounding countryside and the nearby town of Moulay Idriss provide interesting backgrounds for stunning photographs.

This is a popular tourist spot, so arrive early to avoid the crowds and catch the morning light before the harsh sun brings too much contrast into your photos.

Pro Tips

You will want to leave Morocco with memories of the landscapes, the people, and the architecture. Plan your travels through regions including the mountains, Sahara sand dunes, bustling medinas, and souks. We found the best scenery was in the central and southern regions and away from the usual tourist hotspots.

Be careful about taking photographs of people without their permission. They may refuse or ask for a small amount of money, or they may happily pose for you. Under no circumstances should you photograph the police or the military, and don’t take a drone into Morocco as these are strictly illegal.

The magnificent sweeping views in Morocco can be hard to capture with just one photograph, so learn how to take several overlapping photos and stitch them together using panoramic stitching software — I used the free Image Composite Editor. If your camera and baggage allowance permits, take along a wide-angle lens for the landscape shots and a good zoom lens for capturing everyday life. A tripod is highly recommended. You can also check out these nine travel photography tips for amazing photos on your next trip.

We found many of our favorite photography locations by researching other travelers’ blogs, and photography sites such as Flickr or Instagram. Often we just stumbled on them as we drove across the countryside or strolled through the medinas and weekly souks. As always, being up early for sunrise or staying out for sunset gave the best lighting, plus opportunities to experience the locations without the crowds. Having our own transport let us stop whenever we found a great photo opportunity.

When planning your visit to Morocco, avoid the scorching hot months of late May through mid-September. We were there in January, February, and March, and although it was sometimes chilly at night, the daytime temperatures were comfortable and the crowds small.

Nothing beats living in the moment during your big, bucket-list journeys, but these trips-of-a-lifetime come and go in an instant. That’s why travel photographs are essential. Travel photographs can take you back in time to the destination and the emotions you felt there. And, let’s be honest, they’re always fun to share on social media.

But travel photographs are not created equally. If you’re interested in travel photography, you’ve likely seen images in magazines like Travel and Leisure that left you thinking, “That’s way out of my league!” Take a breath, grab a pen, and have a seat — I’m a professional travel photographer, filmmaker, and journalist, and I’m highlighting nine travel photography tips to help you take gorgeous photos on your next big trip. Bonus? These tips are for smartphone, DSLR, and mirrorless camera photographers.

Taking amazing travel photographs is easier than you think.

1. Photograph During Golden Hour

One of the quickest ways to improve your travel photography is to set that alarm an hour early or hang around your destination’s most photogenic spot until the evening because sunrise and sunset lighting can do wonders for your images. It’s best to have the sun setting or rising at your back for a warm, orange glow cast upon your subjects.

That said, get creative! I like to shoot straight at the sun while it’s setting for a dramatic scene. To capture your time in a botanical garden or on a unique walk or hike, you can get tree branches and flowers in the foreground with the sun shining in the background; this way, little flares that look like sunrays actually pop up in the photos.

2. Try Different Vantage Points

It’s easy to whip out your phone or camera and photograph from eye level — that’s why the majority of images from, say, the Eiffel Tower, look the same. That’s a fine approach if you’re not looking to level up your travel photographs. If you are, it’s time to get creative.

Instead of photographing an attraction head on, crouch down and get some flowers in the foreground or shoot from an angle with an awning that perfectly frames your subject. This doesn’t require a fancy camera, although you can add a soft blur to the framing if you are shooting with a DSLR or mirrorless camera (just make the f-stop lower and focus on your subject). Even without a fancy camera, a little interest on the sides or in the foreground of your shot can do wonders for your image.

3. Add Dimension To Your Images

Having a subject (let’s say a flower) in the foreground with a mountain in the middle-ground and the sky as your far-off background brings multiple layers of dimension — and therefore interest — to your images. As you pull out your camera or phone for your next travel landscape shot, trying thinking about what you can use as your foreground subject that easily pops given the middle-ground and background elements.

For example, in this photograph taken on desolate Beechey Island in the Arctic, I used the flower as my foreground to pop against the otherwise drab, sandy hills in the middle ground, with that blue sky in the background. This helped me tell the story that even in barren parts of the Arctic, life can survive. And, even if there wasn’t a story involved, it still made my shot much more interesting than an eye-level, one-dimensional photo of my surroundings.

4. Photograph Intentionally

Unless I’m photographing wildlife in action, I always take a beat before shooting to think about the actual image. What story am I trying to tell? How can I make this image unique? How can I capture the emotion I’m feeling — or that my subject is feeling — in one small frame? This tends to leave me with fewer (but better) photos, instead of a backlog of images I’m not very excited about.

The difference between an ordinary photographer and a powerful, captivating photographer is their ability to tell stories — to have their photos mean something. If you go into your travel photography (especially for those big, bucket-list destination shots) with this in mind, you’ll come home with photos you’re proud to display.

5. Engage All Five Senses

The most common travel shots are typically landscape or top-attraction images, but some of my favorite travel photographs have nothing to do with sights at all. Photographing food, for example, can help me remember how tasty that sharp block of cheddar was. Photographing a person I’ve had a conversation with can help me remember the things we said, the cultural barriers we crossed, and, if I’m lucky, the new person I can call a friend. Think beyond simply the destination and capture the culture, the traditions, and the small, unique memories only you can share.

6. Use Natural Light

If you’re dabbling in food or portrait photography, natural light is your absolute, must-have best friend. Tungsten and fluorescent lights will cheapen your image. If you have the flexibility while dining in, say, a tour guide’s home, ask them to turn off the lights and move your cheese dish or the tour guide (depending on what you’re photographing) closer to the window to capitalize on that beautiful natural light. If you can’t find great light inside, try heading outside.

If you’re dining at a restaurant, things can get a little trickier. You probably can’t just ask the hostess to turn off all the lights. Instead, head to your camera’s white balance setting and adjust based on the lighting. If the room has yellow light, set your camera’s white balance to tungsten. If it’s fluorescent, set it to fluorescent. You can also customize your settings it if you’re comfortable experimenting (this is my go-to).

If you’re shooting on an iPhone, there’s always room to edit white balance after you’ve taken your picture.

7. Use Apps To Your Advantage

As I’ve mentioned, you don’t need a fancy camera to create high-quality images. Apps including Adobe’s Lightroom — the free mobile version of the popular desktop editing platform — give you an unprecedented opportunity to capture high-quality images with your phone, and Lightroom is available for Apple and Android. If you photograph within the app, it saves a high-res version of the photograph (similar to “raw” photos in DSLR and mirrorless cameras). This gives you impressive flexibility when editing within the app. You can brighten without losing quality, adjust shadows without the photo turning grainy, and you have all of the best features of the actual desktop platform.

My favorite aspect of the app is the ability to adjust specific colors (for example, upping the saturation or color vibrancy of red without over-saturating the entire image). Here’s an example of an image I photographed and edited in the Lightroom app:

8. Always Edit Your Images

Speaking of editing, you absolutely must edit your images if you want to improve as a travel photographer! Few photographers release their raw, untouched images as the final product. They spend a good chunk of time editing down to the smallest details.

But, fear not, if you’re photographing for fun, you don’t need to dedicate hours to editing your images. Just a few simple tweaks, such as increasing contrast, adjusting shadows and highlights, and adding or removing saturation can work wonders on your images. Some of my favorite free editing apps are, of course, Lightroom, as well as Snapseed for Apple and Android and PicMonkey for desktop.

9. Have Fun And Break Some Rules

The best thing about photography is the freedom to let your creativity run wild. Have fun with reflections. Look for unique angles. Try some moody hues or experiment with super-vibrant colors.

The more you photograph, the more creatively you’ll look at the world. I look up to appreciate the sun rays flaring through palm trees at the beach and hit the pavement after a big rainstorm in search of puddles with perfect reflections. Whether you’re at home or exploring a bucket-list destination, it’s fun to view the world as a photographer!

Disclaimer: The only rule you can’t break as a travel photographer is to ask permission before photographing. It’s best practice to learn a person’s name and ask permission before taking their picture. While you may be practicing your photography and enjoying your vacation, these bucket-list destinations are still a person’s home.

This world is full of photogenic destinations, but if you’re looking for inspiration, Iceland is definitely my favorite. Here’s how to visit the country’s stunning Blue Lagoon. Happy snapping!