When I returned, I was so blown away by what Sony had pulled off, I wrote about my favorite moments of the 3-day weekend. While I thought my photos from the experience were decent, there were so many from the Sony Alpha Collective members as well as the Sony Artisans’, I used those photos to help me tell my story.

Since then, I have been craving for news of a follow up trip, and in late January, Sony delivered the news I was expecting. The first Kando trip was such a success, they were doing another. But this time, everyone is invited.

The Sony Kando Trip 2.0 is taking place May 9th through the 12th, 2018 in scenic Monterey, California. In addition to the Sony Artisan and Collective members whose have blown us away over the years, Sony is opening the event to any creative who would like to attend. More information can be found on their website.

So, with the excitement of last year’s trip still fresh in my mind, I am here to tell you why I think you should attend the Sony Kando Trip 2.0.

Crepuscular rays through mist and second-growth redwoods, Old Coast Road, Big Sur Coast, California, USA.

Inspiration

Not knowing about the details of the trip before I had left, the last thing I expected to find on that California Coast was inspiration. But Sony Kando 1.0 delivered just that. A hearty dose of inspiration. Obviously, I am a travel junkie, so I immediately wanted to know about the places visited and the stories behind the travels of the Artisans and Alpha Collective Members. I have found that there aren’t many things that get people talking non-stop when you meet them for the first time, but there are two sure-fire homeruns to get them talking. Ask someone about either their kids or their travels and get prepared to listen. Once I asked these talented visual artists about their travels, the flood gates opened. They told me story after story, their must see and must avoid locations, and their bucket list destinations. They showed me their favorite photos on their phones. I found myself being reminded that even though I had been to so many places in my life, there was still so much out there that I hadn’t seen. And I was filled with inspiration and ideas that I continue to plan to this day.

Photo By Michael Bonocore

Community

You will be amazed how easy it is to forge friendships when you are in a remote canyon with 200 other people for three straight days. The trip started as a large gathering on the central Californian coast and ended as the “Kando Community.” For weeks and months afterwards, I chatted non stop with the people who I spent time with during that weekend. We had all felt like we were a part of something unique. Something special. That we were part of the lucky few to live that experience. To this day, when I see people who were a part of Kando 1.0, it is the first thing that we reminisce about.

Friendships were made, inside jokes were born, and a sense of collective collaboration washed over the canyon.

Photo by Dan Watson from Learning Cameras

Photo by Sally Watson from Learning Cameras

The Food And Drink

Ok, really there isn’t much more to say. The food, from the onsite food trucks slanging tacos, pizza, and BBQ, to the lavish meals provided by a large catering company, was exceptional. And all of that delicious goodness was washed down with craft beers by local breweries, fine wines by local wineries, and a full bar. So if you are an aspiring food photographer, the Kando trip should provide some eye candy (and real candy) to satisfy your appetite.

Photo By Michael Bonocore

The Unexpected

As I said, I went to Kando 1.0 not knowing what to expect. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect a vintage movie set full of models, trailers, classic cars, wolves, snakes and zebras. Did I expect a halfpipe on top of a mountain being thrashed by professional BMX athletes? Did I expect a concert by Southern-born, Brooklyn-based indie-folk trio the Lone Bellow? The answers are no, no, and a big no.

Sony pulled out all the stops for Kando 1.0. They didn’t cut corners. They didn’t want Kando to be an event, they wanted it to be an experience. And it was. And I am sure Kando 2.0 will be as well.

Michael Bonocore

The Learning

This year, Sony is adding a educational element to their Kando experience. Everyone who attends will have access to all of the workshops offered by Sony Artisans and other leaders in the creative industry. Landscapes, video, street, astro, time-lapse, portrait, drone, business and social classes are just some of the offerings.

Photo by Sally Watson from Learning Cameras

The Networking

I am a born and bred networker. I just love meeting people while sharing a beer, getting to know them and their hopes and dreams, and how they plan to go about achieving them. I have worked with countless people over the years through my love of networking. I was even hired at SmugMug with the unofficial job title of ‘Social Butterfly.‘ I was made a job offer by Resource Magazine’s CEO, Alexandra Niki, at a bar in Las Vegas at 2am. My entire career up until this point has been based on networking, and even I was blown away by the possibilities at Kando 1.0.

I was able to chat with industry legends like National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita. I rekindled relationships with Sony Artisans who I hadn’t seen in years. I was able to meet countless up and coming Alpha Collective photographers. And I was able to trade journalism stories with my fellow members of the media. All of those conversations continue to bear fruit almost 9 months later.

The Networking aspect of Kando even led to some amazing and unique content from the beautiful African country of Namibia. My friend and Sony Artisan Colby Brown found himself in a conversation with the talented Alpha Collective member Erin Sullivan. They talked about their shared love of travel and nature, and just months later, Brown had invited Sullivan to accompany him on a weeks long project in Namibia. Check out Sullivan’s story and photos of the adventure.

Obviously, networking comes easier for some people than others. But I found that the remoteness of the Kando location along with the sense of community made for a no-pressure networking atmosphere. So whether you want to pitch your stories to media companies like Resource Travel or have a casual conversation with other creatives who you may be able to collaborate with, the Sony Kando Trip 2.0 should be one of your best opportunities this year.

Photo By Michael Bonocore

So there you have it. I will be at the Sony Kando Trip 2.0.  And I am beyond excited about it. So, who is coming with me?

Big thanks to Sally and Dan Watson from Learning Cameras for additional photos of the Sony Kando 1.0 trip!

Photo by Dan Watson from Learning Cameras

Photo by Dan Watson from Learning Cameras

Photo by Dan Watson from Learning Cameras

The post 6 Reasons Why You Should Go To Sony’s Kando Trip 2.0 appeared first on Resource Travel.

Do you want to be featured on the Resource Travel Instagram? Make sure to use the hashtag #ResourceTravel when posting your adventures! And of course, always share your love for nature and adventure using the hashtag #Outside_Project to be featured on their well-curated  Instagram account.

And starting this month, we are also partnering with our friends at Atlas Packs to give away a one of their amazing adventure backpacks to one of our lucky readers. You can check out my experience with an Atlas Pack here, and scroll down to the bottom of this article to enter for your chance to win a $400 backpack.

Check out the February Photos of the Month from The Outside Project explorers! And if you need more visual inspiration, check out the previous Outside Project Explorer’s Photos here.

Location: Squamish, British Columbia
Photographer: Brendin Kelly: @brendinkelly from Vancouver, Canada

This is one of my favorite photos that I have taken because it’s a spot that’s not very well known in British Columbia and I just met the guy pictured in the water that morning. That is what I love about Instagram. You can so easily meet people with similar interests and they wind up becoming real life friends.

We hiked up to the lake in 2 hours, when it usually takes people 2.5-3 hours. We got to the top and he looked at me and said “should I jump in?” I smiled and said “only if you want”.  This is a day I won’t forget.

If I had 1 piece of advise for an upcoming photographer, I would say.. just have fun. I think a lot of people worry about the number of likes they get or the number of followers they have on social media. I just love taking photos and I never lose sight of that. That’s what got me into photography, just the pure joy of capturing a great moment.

Location: Seceda, Italy
Photographer: Chris Poplawski: @chrispoops from Orange County, California

This morning spent on top of the Seceda in Italy is easily one of my most favorite photography adventures to date. At 8,264 feet of elevation, we had the mountain top to ourselves and slept through the freezing cold without the proper gear. We unzipped our tent while the biting freeze rattled our bones and realized we were officially above the clouds as the sun was rising. It was mesmerizing to say the least. My advice to aspiring photographers would be to not be afraid of trying new things. Conquer the comfort zone and get yourself outside of it. Start with local adventures, learn your cameras and keep challenging yourself to go further, pushing the limits of your comfort zone. Leave the rest up to nature and you might get as lucky as we did this morning.

Location: Lava Bed National Monument
Photographer: Ryan Thompson:@rynotime
from Redding, California

The first time I saw this cave I was surfing the internet and I knew I had to find it. Over the next eight months I found myself exploring Lava Bed National Monument dragging around my climbing gear, on seemingly never-ending hunt. I quickly became discouraged and began to throw in the towel. I couldn’t find any information and had no lead whatsoever until I met a new friend who claimed to know its location. I immediately called my father telling him I think I found it, I knew he wanted to see it equally as bad. After hiking 6.5 miles (one way) I found myself lowering into what I spent just over a year and a half looking for. I was so amazed at how their is only one way in and out. I watched as my dad entered the cave shortly after myself. We where in awe, we had finally found it. I snapped this image as he began to ascend out of the cave. This is a day I know we will look back on, a experience we will never forget!

Location: Larch Valley, Canada
Photographer: Colin Gillespie: @calin.charles
from Alberta, Canada

It had been a long night. I had planned to drive out to Lake Moraine for sunrise, before the cold chose to set in. It was late fall, and I knew that beautiful days like this would be numbered; I had to get one last experience it before winter came. I left Edmonton at around 12:30AM and began my drive southwest. It was not a short trip, and I had to fight to keep my eyes open throughout. When I finally reached the mountains, the northern lights danced above me, as if welcoming me from my long, tiring journey. Arriving at Moraine, the darkness still covered everything, hiding the lake’s beauty from my eyes. I had not been here before, and my body almost vibrated in anticipation of the light. As the sun rose over the mountaintops, the vibrant blue waters lit up the mountain lake. I had never seen something as beautiful as this.

After snapping a few photos, and breathing in the beauty before me, I started hiking up towards Larch Valley, A local and international favorite in the fall. The larch trees stood golden in the morning sun. As I found my way through the valley, I came to a small lake so still you could see your reflection. The golden larches and overarching mountains became doubled in it’s chilly fall waters, creating an image of perfection. There is no greater country than this.

Location: Sweden
Photographer: Gabriella Morton: @gabriellamorton from New Zealand

It became quite the reality check when I found out these woodlands were inhabited by Bears, Wolves, Lynx and Snakes… I’m used to cute little bird chirps not howling echoes. By this leg of the trip my phone (which I’d planned the entire itinerary on and doubling as our navigation device) had been completely destroyed after rugged terrain punctured the screen right through. We had no option but to take each day spontaneously as it came. From vast open coastline, to dense forest, our tent was our portable home and safe haven for 40 days straight. Quite incredible really!

Win An Atlas Pack

The post February’s Top 5 Travel Photos From The Outside Project appeared first on Resource Travel.

Advanture Company released a video last week featuring the 31-year-old California native in his element: on the road, traversing his next destination with his van in search of the perfect photo. But it’s not just the photo that makes Burkard’s job worth while, it’s the experience and the build-up before the photo. The video’s stunning imagery is topped with Burkard’s words that are a unique mix of youthful simplicity and incredible wisdom, making for an authentic dose of inspiration to all creators alike.

The video portrays just how much the adventure behind his photos means to Burkard, starting with his first taste of inspiration, handed to him by Ansel Adams. In the decade Burkard has spent traveling all sides of the globe—he’s shot in 6 out of 7 continents—he still hasn’t lost that sense of genuine awe and fascination with the world, something that drives him to great lengths in capturing earth’s rawest beauty.

Burkard immerses himself in his practice, so much so that he sometimes lives out of a van while he travels, making photography a lifestyle rather than a mere profession or hobby. What started as a regular van he’d tracked down in the midwest has become the “ultimate travel photography vehicle.” Burkard turned the vehicle into a home and work space, complete with an abundance of storage units, a portal shower, a foldable bed, and a light bar atop the hood of the van. He says, “I had this sort of home on wheels…a figurative passport to take me to the places that I loved without having to leave a single thing behind.”

The most difficult thing for the photographer has been the separation from his wife and kids that often comes as a result of his near constant, rigorous travel. Burkard stresses how essential the sharing of his epic adventures with friends and family is in curating a truly fulfilling experience, and his van allows him to bring what he loves most along for the ride. A large part of inspiration behind this notion is Burkard’s childhood road trips he’d take in the summers with his grandfather—”Without even really knowing it,” Burkard says, “he had instilled in me these values about appreciating the natural world.” This admiration and respect for nature and exploring is something Burkard hopes to, in turn, instill in his children, and anyone else who will listen. If one thing is clear, it’s that though the photographer may profit off of his profession, its really his passion for artistic expression and determination in sharing the world’s inherent beauty that makes his lifestyle worth living.

Burkard leaves us with a final thought that encapsulates the wonderment of inspiration, something that only takes a spark to fuel a deep passion for creative exploration in any medium.

“It’s a huge world out there, worth exploring. I remember when I was a kid, it’s not always something you’re going to appreciate right away. But that’s ok, an idea has to start somewhere, right?”

The post Chris Burkard and His ‘Road to Inspiration’ appeared first on Resource Travel.

These people were genuinely just hanging out on the stoop like this, but I waited for the man to walk by to get the best composition.

1) Equipment

Let’s start here and I’m going to be real with you. If all you have is a smartphone and you really want to take excellent photos: it’s not impossible, but consider getting a nice camera. Not to say that the latest iPhones don’t have good cameras, but they will not allow you to get the quality and depth you will want from a DSLR camera with a quality lens. A decent camera could run you anywhere from several hundred dollars to thousands if you want to get fancy, so if money is tight, consider renting one for your trip—the better your camera and lens setup are, the better the quality your photos will be, and the more serious your subjects will take you. These photographs were all shot on a Sony A7 II with a Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 lens and I was extremely happy with the outcome. The A7 II is a pro camera with a phenomenal color profile and the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is a standard range for portraits and scenes with beautiful depth of field and excellent sharpness… but it ain’t cheap (and I promise I wasn’t paid to give it a thumbs up).

I saw this boy exit this doorway and couldn’t believe the color synchronicity so I asked him to pose for me.

When in Cuba, take photos of people with cigars hanging out of their mouths.

2) Travel light and fit in

I like to be inconspicuous—it’s not usually the best idea to lug around a big camera bag filled with lenses and accessories: it can be heavy and also catch unwanted attention. All you really need is one or two lenses max with a nice range and an extra memory card and/or battery. It’s also good to not bring too much attention to whatever you’re wearing, including jewelry or other expensive looking items. This may sound obvious, but the more you dress down or look like the locals, the better they will respond to you and the less of a target you will be. If you’re a lady cakes, it may be smart to stay conservative with your attire.

I walked past this salon and decided to just walk in and ask if I could take some photos. The guy on the right jumped in the chair so he would be a part of it.

I’m pretty sure I caught these guys in the middle of flirting with each other… they weren’t mad at me capturing it.

Sometimes, perspective is everything. I like to look through cracks and doorways, you never know what lies on the other side.

t’s also good to pay attention to what’s going on in the background and to include (or exclude for that matter) subjects that may add depth to the photograph.

Ché Guevara is a central Cuban figure, so I wanted to capture an image that shed light on him. No pun intended.

Still life shots can be nice to add to the mix, just to give a sense of place.

As much of a tourist picture trap street performers can be, it’s also possible to take uncommon photos of them if you really spend a little extra time with them.

When your AirBnB host goes to this amount of trouble…

Classic cars are constantly breaking down in Cuba, this kind of scene just goes with the day-to-day lifestyle.

4) Go deeper

If you’re in a touristy city or neighborhood, consider leaving the main sites and finding areas where the locals hang out, live and work. Go to other towns nearby. Wander into places or alleyways (that don’t seem threatening) off the beaten path and try asking locals to give you recommendations or to take you into obscure neighborhoods so you can capture typical scenes and more authentic moments. If it feels right, go into shops or homes; ask the owners if you can hang out and take some pictures. Maybe get your nails done or hair cut at a local salon if you want to photograph the shop. On my trip to Havana, I wandered through several gated doorways looking for interesting subjects and, with some luck, I stumbled upon a colorful outdoor gym where some guys were working out, an impoverished brothel, and a boxing ring where a group of kids were practicing. Getting images like that would be impossible if you didn’t put yourself out there to explore deeper. Just be careful and know where your limits should be drawn.

Exploring neighborhoods outside of the main tourist areas—even if they seem desolate and scary at first—can get you shots that most tourists don’t have. Just be careful

I stopped to watch the kids play, and at first they were wondering why, but eventually they stopped paying attention to me and that’s when I was able to capture the moment more genuinely.

I wandered into a gated area into this colorful gym and followed this man around for several minutes, capturing him working out. He probably thought I was crazy, but I just smiled and he let me.

The teacher of this group of kids let us take photos of their boxing class for a little extra cash.

I wandered into what seemed like a brothel building and was ushered by two women to the home of this older woman who told me about her financial problems and illnesses.

I asked our driver who took us to Viñales to take us to a tobacco plantation that was not touristy, as some of them can be. It’s always a good idea to let the people who are guiding you know that you are interested in local things so they don’t automatically bring you to the most touristy locations.

5) Be confident and fearless

Being confident goes especially if you’re a woman traveling in a place that may feel male-dominated and where you really have to hold your own. The key is to remain cool, collected and to not care what people think. Handicaps lie in fear and in worrying about people’s judgments or of getting rejected. You will probably get stared down or shooed away at some point on your trip, and that just goes with the territory, but with owning it lies great power. If you are confident and brave, while still remaining kind and caring, your subject will feel comfortable with you and give you the power to direct them, should you want to. When you have conviction, it’s easier to move people to more aesthetic backgrounds as well as encourage them how to pose, without being obnoxious or invasive. With that said, it’s important to feel out your limits and not overstay your welcome.

took several photos of this girl and she was NOT having it. I just smiled and played dumb, and got my shot.

You notice the strangest things when you’re actively looking… This was literally just a room off a main street with 3 red sofas in it and a guy hanging out.

These guys were not even posing, they just looked like that! So, I poked my head in through the window, smiled and started taking photos, hoping they wouldn’t beat me up.

This man was really not happy with me taking his photo. At first he was reading the paper, and then as I continued to take photos, waiting for him to look at me, he eventually dropped his paper down and gave me the stare of death. That’s when I left…

6) Connect with your subjects

Talking to my students over the years, it seems that one of the challenges that often comes up is shyness and fear of asking people to pose. It’s normal that going up to strangers may seem uncomfortable, but if you turn the fear into excitement and just realize that people don’t bite, it will be easier, especially if you manage to truly connect with your subjects. Smile, laugh, flirt if you have to, be silly or act stupid if you think it’ll ease up the interaction. Be genuine and genuinely interested in what they might be doing. Ask questions if you’re able to communicate adequately. People are immediately attracted to or put off by others’ energy, so you’ll want to have the kind of vibe that makes people comfortable around you. If you are entering into impoverished areas, be compassionate and empathetic towards people’s needs. Try to always ask your subjects if you can photograph them, unless you are going for a candid moment and if you have gifts, food or small change, consider giving your subjects something in exchange for taking their photo. In some countries, this is expected. Also, you should show them the photo(s) you just took and tell them how wonderful they look. Overall, genuinely connecting with your subjects is most important if you want to get deeper images.

I walked up to this man and started asking him about the watches he was repairing. We quickly made friends and then he let me take all sorts of photos of him from all different angles. I liked his facial expression here best.

This man stole my heart. If I had been able to speak Spanish better, I would have loved to listen to his story. I especially wanted to know why he was wearing two watches

My friend and I hung out with this guy taking photos of him for at least 5 minutes as he made a sale to a little old lady. He was very excited that we were showing so much interest in his pig.

7) Get creative and be prolific

Shoot, shoot shoot and don’t stop at one photograph and at one perspective. If you have the time and available memory, why not take several photos of the same subject? I like to play with composition, angles and pose, so that I walk away with options. The same scene can be shot in infinite ways, and you can only do better if you try different perspectives. Get creative: look for reflections, shoot through things, shoot from above, from below, turn your subject into the light or away from the light, shoot wide, shoot close. Working your creativity will serve your images and will teach you to become an overall better photographer.

I like to shoot the same photo from several different angles and with different focal points. You never know what’s going to end up looking best.

I’m always paying attention to reflections, mirrors and such as they can really embellish a composition or perspective.

This woman let me take several photos of her and her son, and as I got closer I noticed the man in the background, which made the scene all that more interesting.

shot this from the backseat of a taxi, as I noticed all the reflections going on in the window, and took several, patiently waiting for the most interesting juxtaposition to happen.

Sometimes, if you find objects in the foreground that you can shoot through, you end up with much a more compelling composition.

By hanging out and taking several photos of same scene, you can capture completely different energies and images.

8) Be aware, patient and passionate

I could not stress this one more: the best photographers are those who remain aware and patient. Keep your eyes wide open at all times, your camera ready, and be a committed observer of your environment. Go the extra mile for your photography. Watch what people are doing closely and their interactions, look up, look down—you never know what is right under your eye that you don’t quite see, and also, wait for things to happen. The famous National Geographic photographer, Steve McCurry, gave me this insight a long time ago: if you find a beautiful mural or an attractive landscape, but nothing interesting is going on right then, then wait for it to. Stand there for as long as you can take it until something worthwhile takes scene, and if you’re not happy with that, then wait some more.

I noticed this little scene and stood there waiting for some sort of interesting vehicle to pass by so I could get more of an action shot. At times I don’t even put my camera to my face until I see the moment about to happen, so that it doesn’t change people’s attitudes.

I stood there patiently waiting for the most beautiful classic car I could find to pass by.

I stood here waiting for people to walk by for a decent amount of time, hoping I’d get the best composition.

This boy was just hanging out against the wall and I knew if nothing else was going on that it wouldn’t be as exciting of a shot, so I waited for a bit until something happened in the foreground. It’s also important to be quick to shoot, because moments can be quite fleeting.

9) Follow the light

Light can make or break a photograph. Broad sunlight is typically going to be harsh and offer dense shadows, which could be exactly what you’re going for or could ruin everything. There are no solid rules in my opinion about when to shoot or not shoot, but there are definitely ways to interpret and follow light appropriately so that you can capture what speaks to you most. Of course, sunrise, sunset and diffused light can be softer and more attractive, but don’t get discouraged if you can’t shoot during those times, there’s always a way to produce excellent imagery with the given conditions: it’s just a matter of trial and error and paying attention to what works best for you.

Don’t be mad at harsh light and shadows, sometimes they make everything about a photo.

I’m always looking for interesting displays of light, especially when it highlights subjects in uncommon ways.

Light is very important when trying to get great photos of monuments and landscapes. Remember, these places have been photographed over and over and over, so if you want to capture something different and better, it‘s a good idea to visit them at an attractive time of day.

10) Editing and retouching

A good photographer knows that sometimes it takes another set of eyes to edit photos. Consider showing your first batch of selects to one or several people and get their opinions. Sometimes, we tend to fall in love with a photograph because of the memory we had while taking it, but it may not necessarily be the best shot. If there’s something I’ve learned from top photo editors, it’s ‘less is more’ when making edits, and only show your best work: your photos are just as good as the least compelling image.

Secondly, if you have a photo editing software such as Photoshop, Lightroom or any others, they can be your best friend. A photograph straight out of the camera can definitely be wonderful, but a little bit of doctoring can go a long way. Perhaps in a photo you took, the light was just too harsh and there weren’t many great colors around anyway, so consider popping the image into black and white and see what you get! Or, saturate the colors a little to make a photo pop. Crop in if you didn’t take the best composition, and maybe try several different crops to see which looks best. Nowadays, you can download plenty of filter presets for Photoshop or Lightroom which can also allow you to stylize photographs in one click and give your images a different feel. With that said, be careful to not overdo it, sometimes over-Photoshopping or intense presets can downgrade the professional quality of an image.

I edited this image a little differently than I normally do by moving around some of the saturation and giving it a slightly more vintage feel.

I boosted the saturation on this shot to make the meat pop more.

Because of the harsh shadows and uninteresting color that was going on in this image, I switched it over to black and white, which gives it a more timeless vibe and forgives the lighting better.

11) Have fun!

Overall and most of all, have fun! Photography is not meant to be stressful or scary and traveling is supposed to be liberating and enjoyable, so please make the most of your trip and don’t worry too much about getting the world’s greatest travel photo—Steve McCurry is busy doing that for us all! The people you connect with and the wonderful moments you share are what are most important, in my opinion, and the photographs are merely physical means to remember them.

I’d love to see what you capture… if you feel inspired, shoot me an email at info@ericasimone.com!

To see more of my work, check out my website www.EricaSimone.com 

This article originally appeared in Huffington Post’s Contributor Platform.

Me doing my thing by ©Daniel McKnight

The post Street Photography Tips for Your Cuba Adventure—Or Any Trip, Really appeared first on Resource Travel.

Sony Alpha created a unique outdoor retreat meant to bring creatives from all genres together in the remote central California coast to share ideas, learn, and immerse themselves in an inspiring setting meant to ignite their passion for the visual arts and get to know their fellow creative community. Not only were the Sony Artisans invited, but so were members of the newly formed Alpha Collective.

The trip exceeded my already lofty expectations, and I think it is safe to say that most of us were going through Kando withdrawals in the days following. But not able to get the trip out of my head, I decided to talk about my favorite parts of the trip while using photos from both Sony Artisans, Collective Members, and press who uploaded to Instagram using the hashtag #SonyKandoTrip. Check em out. They are pretty cool.

The Location

El Capitan Canyon is a privately owned getaway that sits on 300 acres in a picturesque canyon just 20 miles north of Santa Barbara. Each attendee was placed in a cool wooden cabin set along a creek, surrounded by oak and sycamore trees. The setting was ‘glamping’ at it’s finest. This was my home for the three nights, and it made for some great photos.

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It was hard to believe that just a 5-minute bicycle ride took you from the secluded pocket of shade to the sunny shores of the Pacific Ocean. The bikes were available to use for free, or you could walk to the entrance of El Capitan State Beach in about 15 minutes. The beach scene, at least where I went, was mostly fisherman as there is little sand and mainly rocks, which made it pretty hard to sunbathe. But for a group of 100 plus photographers, we weren’t complaining about the foreground elements.

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The Wolves

Yes, you read that right. There was indeed wolves on site for the entire three day period. Project Wildsong focuses on protecting the value of both wilderness and wildlife as an active partner in assisting with the rescue of native wildlife. And two of those animals happen to be wolves. And boy, were they pretty cool. And didn’t mind being photographed. And photograph them is what the Artisans, Collective and anyone else who happened to walk by did. One of them was very friendly, and you could easily pet him, but the second was a little more protective of his handlers.

The team from Project Wildsong also led a mellow, hour and a half program called ‘Sound Bath with Wolves’, which is a meditation experience while the wolves walk around you, or sleep in front of you as most often was the case. I did not partake in this as I arrived a couple minutes late, but everyone who did said it was incredible. Needless to say, the Wolves were a big hit during the week.

A post shared by Dylan Schwartz (@dylan.schwartz) on May 16, 2017 at 5:21pm PDT

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A post shared by Project Wildsong (@projectwildsong) on May 16, 2017 at 8:04am PDT

The Half Pipe

Yes, a half pipe. Since Sony was anxious to have its most valued creators test out the insanely fast 20 fps burst mode of the Sony A9, they needed something that included speed and action. So, the logical solution was to build a half pipe and bring in professional BMX riders and skateboarders, right? Coupled with the newly announced wide angle lenses, the half pipe was a super fun way to play with the gear while overlooking the ocean from atop a hill above the camp. As much as I wanted to show up the BMX guys with my insane skills, I decided to sit on the sidelines and let them do all the hard work.

A post shared by Michael Bonocore (@michaelbonocore) on May 18, 2017 at 7:29pm PDT

A post shared by Eric Ward (@littlecoal) on May 16, 2017 at 12:12pm PDT

This is how do it, it’s Friday night, and I feel alright! #sonykandotrip

A post shared by Lone Bison (@lonebisonfilms) on May 19, 2017 at 3:54pm PDT

A post shared by Dan Marker-Moore (@danorst) on May 17, 2017 at 5:38pm PDT

A post shared by Erick Hercules (@erickhercules) on May 17, 2017 at 8:43am PDT

The Surf(ers)

Well, like any good retreat by the ocean should have, Sony got a bunch of cool looking surfer dudes with cool looking surfboards and cool looking surfer trucks so we could test out the A9 with some awesome cool looking surf. Hell, even B&H brought underwater housing! There was only one problem. The swell was non-existent, leading to no one being able to really capture those cool looking surfer dudes in the cool looking surf. But as a bunch of really talented photographers will do, they took tons of awesome shots anyway. Because the act of finding surf is just as interesting as the actual act of surfing.

A post shared by Brian Smith (@briansmithphoto) on May 16, 2017 at 10:13am PDT

A post shared by Stan Moniz (@stanmoniz) on May 16, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

A post shared by Quay Hu | Orlando, Florida (@aroundq) on May 17, 2017 at 8:18am PDT

A post shared by Philip Edsel (@edsel) on May 19, 2017 at 7:19pm PDT

A post shared by Stan Moniz (@stanmoniz) on May 19, 2017 at 2:25pm PDT

A post shared by Andy Hardy (@andrewhardy) on May 21, 2017 at 3:36am PDT

A post shared by Eric Ward (@littlecoal) on May 16, 2017 at 9:14am PDT

A post shared by Chad Wadsworth (@chadwadsworth_atx) on May 24, 2017 at 7:10pm PDT

The Models…And Their Awesome Vintage Set

As if there weren’t enough attractive people in attendance (come on, have you seen us?!), Sony had the brilliant idea to bring in professional models so the lifestyle photographers could have something more up their alley. Well, in addition to the easy on the eyes models, Sony brought in a pretty rad set complete with an old trailer filled with vintage TVs, couches, phones…the works. Outside the trailer were some old cool cars and some James Dean looking dudes. Oh, and as expected, the wolves found their way into the trailer. This was indeed a pretty cool idea and well executed (albeit, always crowded). Oh, and I don’t know where the zebra came from…but like most things that happened on the Sony Kando Trip, you don’t ask where it came from…you just enjoy it.

A post shared by Alexis Fernandez (@alexisfermac) on May 16, 2017 at 6:15pm PDT

A post shared by Scott Robert Lim (@scottrobertlim) on May 22, 2017 at 4:48pm PDT

A post shared by Shαunα- MoodyGrαms (@so.shauna) on May 25, 2017 at 8:10am PDT

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A post shared by Kingy Kings | @AGameofTones (@kingy_kings) on May 22, 2017 at 9:44am PDT

A post shared by Anastasia Petukhova (@asildaphotography) on May 18, 2017 at 6:58pm PDT

A post shared by Scott Robert Lim (@scottrobertlim) on May 19, 2017 at 1:02pm PDT

A post shared by Michael Marcheco (@spacebypixel) on May 20, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

A post shared by Kevin Raber (@kevinraber) on May 20, 2017 at 1:06pm PDT

A post shared by Nino Rakichevich (@nino_rakichevich) on May 16, 2017 at 11:24am PDT

A post shared by Nick Didlick Photography (@nickdidlick) on May 17, 2017 at 3:02pm PDT

The Night Sky

I love astrophotography, and I was blown away by the incredible amount of stars that I was able to see in El Capitan Canyon on night one after the sun went down. Having little surrounding light pollution and a moon that didn’t rise till early morning gave us perfect conditions for awesome astrophotography, as long as the clouds stayed away. And stay away they did. I don’t remember seeing one cloud the whole trip, which is strange for me, as I spent 21 years on the Northern California coast, which is almost always cloudy or foggy. Being that we were in the canyon, the most popular night photography location was on top of the mountain by the half pipe. There we were able to see the Milky Way, use the half pipe as a foreground, and chat with each other about the day, tips for shooting stars, or just get to know each other in complete darkness (keep those headlamps off please!)

A post shared by Andrew Eggers (@andreweggers) on May 17, 2017 at 11:43am PDT

A post shared by Stan Moniz (@stanmoniz) on May 20, 2017 at 5:48pm PDT

A post shared by Drew Geraci (@drewgiggity) on May 18, 2017 at 9:32am PDT

A post shared by Dan Joyce (@danjoyce) on May 16, 2017 at 6:49am PDT

A post shared by Quay Hu | Orlando, Florida (@aroundq) on May 16, 2017 at 12:59pm PDT

A post shared by Tobishinobi (@tobishinobi) on May 17, 2017 at 6:14am PDT

Old Friends, New Friends…And Inspiration

To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from the Kando trip. How can you possibly put so many creatives into one place for three days and not get a bunch of repetitive photos? Wouldn’t having a bunch of photographers jockeying for placement for a photo have the opposite effect of the original mission, to build community? Well, I was shocked at how opposite it was. Sony hit a home run with their efforts to help build a community with the help of Artisans and Collective members. I can’t count how many times I would overhear two creatives introduce themselves, only to look over and see them still engaged in a conversation an hour later. I myself not only got to rekindle old friendships, but I also met people who I had only talked to online before, and most importantly, I got to meet and engage with creatives whom I have never heard of before. And those conversations inspired me. I would check out their Instagram and be blown away by the quality of work that they were producing. I had not only made new friends, but I had found inspiration in their fresh-eyed take on the world. Sure, the location was amazing. The food delicious. The drinks cold. The shiny new camera and lenses were impressive. But what made this trip so special was the amazing and inspirational group of people who stranded themselves in a canyon along the California coastline with an open mind and excitement for the future of their creative dreams.

A post shared by Stan Moniz (@stanmoniz) on May 17, 2017 at 8:48pm PDT

A post shared by Chris Orwig (@chrisorwig) on May 16, 2017 at 6:07pm PDT

A post shared by Project Wildsong (@projectwildsong) on May 23, 2017 at 9:40am PDT

A post shared by Trailermade (@trailermade.co) on May 19, 2017 at 9:53am PDT

A post shared by Chris Orwig (@chrisorwig) on May 19, 2017 at 8:56am PDT

A post shared by Andy Hardy (@andrewhardy) on May 18, 2017 at 11:42pm PDT

The post 7 Incredible Memories From Sony’s Kando Adventure appeared first on Resource Travel.

With Akoubian’s storied 25-year career anniversary happening in 2017, we were anxious to sit down and talk with the photographer about his work, his love for teaching photography, and how his childhood passion of painting helped him become an accomplished photographer.

Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO at f/22, ISO 100, 1/2 second

Being that the Canon F-1 came out just a year before you started your photography journey in 1972, was this the camera that accompanied you on those early days?

My father was a big Pentax guy until the digital age, so my first camera was an Asahi Pentax Spotmatic. Great simple camera, perfect for learning photography! I replaced it with the Pentax MX a couple years later. I bought my first Tamron lens, an Adaptall model 90mm Macro lens for the Pentax MX, around 1979 or 1980. I loved that lens, so I kept it and used it when I started shooting Nikons about 10 years later.

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 at f/8, ISO 200, 1/80 second

It took you 20 years to convert your hobby into a full-time career. What was your day job in those 20 years? At what point in those 20 years did you determine you wanted to work towards making this a full-time career?

I worked in retail for many years and had always promised to serve the Country, so in 1987 I joined the Marines. When I was discharged in 1992, I simply declared myself a photographer. My big break though came in 1993 when I decided to attend a photography workshop in the Great Smoky Mountains with John Shaw. I knew from that weekend what I wanted to focus on doing with my photography.

Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD at 15-30mm, f/2.8, ISO 3200, 30 seconds

You do a lot of teaching of young students, camera clubs, etc. What is it that attracts you to the educational aspect of nature photography?

I have found that teaching others often gives you as much of an education as it does for them. I find verbalizing what I am doing helps me to develop better habits. I have also found it is very rewarding hanging out with others that share similar passions like photography and a love of nature.

Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD at f/8, ISO 100, 1/80 second

Before you got your first camera, you were a painter. Did you enjoy painting landscapes and nature scenes? How do you think your visual style transferred over from your painting?

I loved painting landscapes, but did a lot of murals which took a long time to finish. I found I needed more of the satisfaction of seeing my work more quickly, which is what I was able to achieve with photography. I owe most of my composition education to my days painting. I teach today that if someone wants to learn great photography composition, study the painters of 400 years ago. They arranged elements in a landscape with their brush that I try to emulate with my camera today. Studying painters makes you “work” a scene to get things where you visualize them in your mind.

Tamron 10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD
at f/8, ISO 200, 1/1250 second

You talk about your love for nature photography being born when your father took you to the Grand Tetons in 1976. Obviously, it seems that the Grand Tetons is your first true love, as you return quite often. Can you tell us about your connection to the Grand Tetons and how those mountains help you to clear your mind?

The Tetons have always been special to me because I have felt it was where I truly developed the love of the grand landscape. I spent days riding horses and hiking and all the time discovering such a different world from the area I had grown up, outside of Atlanta. I was and am still in awe each and every time I look at the Tetons. I know I can always find peace in my soul when I am sitting in such a great place. I joke that each time I physically have to leave there, my soul remains waiting for my return.

Tamron SP 35mm F/1.8 Di VC USD at f/11, ISO 100, 1/4 second

Who inspires you as a nature photographer, either past or present. Who are some of the photographers that you respect and admire?

Social media has given me the opportunity to see so many inspirational photographers. So many new techniques and viewpoints. I still am inspired daily by my mentors John Shaw, Art Wolfe and Bryan Peterson through their posting and websites. I teach with a fellow photographer Cecil Holmes and I find it very inspirational to see how he shoots a scene having never shot film before or really studied art. It is very natural for him and his process is where I find inspiration.

After speaking at length with Akoubian, it’s no wonder why he has maintained a successful career over two and a half decades. His work alone is exceptional, but his passion for sharing the beauty of nature resonates with almost everyone.

All photos captions contain the Tamron Lens used as well as the EXIF data. 

Follow David Akoubian on his website ‘Bear Woods Photography‘,  Facebook Page, and his Instagram.

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 at f8, ISO 1600, 1/1600 second

Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD at f/22, ISO 200, 1/13 second

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 at f/6.3, ISO 800, 1/160 second

Tamron SP 35mm F/1.8 Di VC USD at f/16, ISO 100, 1/50 second

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 at f/8, ISO 1600, 1/200 second

Tamron 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III VC at f/16, ISO 100, 1/5 second

Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD at f/16, ISO 200, 1/250 second

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 at f/8, ISO 1600, 1/400 second

Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD at f/22, ISO 100, 1/13 second

Tamron 10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD at f/22, ISO 100, .8 seconds

Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD at f/2.8, ISO 3200, 30 seconds

Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD at f/22, ISO 200, 2.5 seconds

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 at f/8, ISO 3200, 1/6400 second

Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD at f/11, ISO 100, 15 seconds

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 at f/11, ISO 400, 1/200 second

Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD at f/2.8, ISO 3200, 30 seconds

Created in partnership with Tamron 

The post From Painting to Photography: The Career of Nature Photographer David Akoubian appeared first on Resource Travel.

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El Malecon

This is the coolest spot in Havana, its full of life and its the place everyone comes to watch the sunset and chat with the young locals come to drink rum and dance throughout the night. The best time to shoot is late afternoon into sunset.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near El Malecon. 

The Streets of Old Havana

This is the best neighborhood for street photography. Everyone is super nice and photogenic, it’s hard to take a bad photo. The best time to shoot is mid-day.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near Old Havana. 

The Port

The street along the water is always lively and lots of locals go sit and wait for the cruise ships to come in. There are also classic cars everywhere. The best time to shoot is mid-day.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near The Port. 

El Gran Teatro de Havana

At over a century old, this theater simply amazing. Bring a wide angle lens. You will have to pay a fee to go in and see it, but it’s well worth it. Since it’s indoors, you can photograph the building anytime.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near El Gran Teatro.

Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro

This place has the best views of Havana from afar. Sunset and sunrise are the best times to go. I always make sure I make it up here a few times during my trip.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro.

Rafael Tejo Boxing Gym

Some of Cuba’s best boxing Olympians have come out of the Gimnasio de Boxeo Rafael Tejo. Training times and age ranges vary, so stop by and talk to the trainers to see when you should come by for an hour or two.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near Rafael Tejo Boxing Gym.

Parque Central

The center of it all in Havana. It’s full of locals and tourists alike and is the meeting hub for people. Of course, you will see beautiful classic cars everywhere and there is always bustling activity. The best time to shoot is anytime, even night time.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near Parque Central.

El Floridita

This is the famous Daiquiri bar where Ernest Hemingway used to hang out at. It is always full of people and music. Best time to photograph the exterior is at night. But after you finish, go inside too and enjoy a cold drink and some amazing live music.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near El Floridita.

El Malecon Divers

This is a great place to photograph the kids playing in the water. This location is also popular with fishermen. Both the kids and the fishermen are usually here mid-day to sunset.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near El Malecon. 

El Capitolio

Built with assistance from the USA, the capital building has a lot of history. It was the home of the Cuban congress until the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro overthrew the government. Currently, the building is the home of the Cuban Academy of Sciences and is undergoing major restoration to become the home of the Cuban National Assembly.  A must when in Havana. Best time to shoot anytime. You can get a cool photo of the Capitolio from the Gran Teatro or from the rooftop of the Hotel Saratoga.

Find Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions near El Capitolio

A version of this blog originally appeared on Edin Chavez’s website.

Follow Edin Chavez on his Facebook and Instagram. 

The post The 10 Best Photography Spots in Havana, Cuba appeared first on Resource Travel.

Norway, in particular, Northern Norway, has become one of the most popular locations to visit for aurora hunters. With its rugged mountains, picturesque fjords and overall stunning nature it’s not hard to understand why so many choose to plan their aurora holiday to Norway. However, many aren’t aware that the Aurora Borealis isn’t easily visible in all of Norway and they expect to see it wherever they travel within the country. The truth is that it’s quite rare to see in the southern and eastern parts of Norway.

I have traveled the world and helped photographers find the best places to capture the best photos, like when I shared with my favorite photography locations in Northern Spain. But, I was born and raised in a small town about an hour south of Oslo. For years I’ve been working as a photographer, but it wasn’t until two winters ago I saw the northern lights in my home time for the first time. I can blame this on my ignorance and lack of knowledge but that simply shows that even the locals aren’t aware that you can see the phenomenon in this region. Since that time I’ve had the pleasure to witness the northern lights several times, both in my hometown and region, on the Lofoten Islands and on Iceland.

It’s not quite the same

I’ll be honest with you. Watching the northern lights in the southern parts of Norway will most likely not be as impressive as seeing it in Northern Norway. The lights appear much weaker this far south and it’s extremely rare to get a powerful display of red, green and blue straight above your head.

The northern lights you will see in this part of Norway is much more subtle and, unless you’re lucky to witness a rare outburst, you might not even notice it straight away.

This doesn’t mean that the phenomenon is any less beautiful, though. Just a tiny glimpse of it will leave you craving more!

How to see the Northern Lights in Southern Norway

Before we get into the details of how you can find the Northern Lights in Southern Norway, we need to clarify some facts.

The Aurora Borealis is a natural phenomenon that occurs when electrically charged particles from the sun enter earth’s atmosphere. While this happens throughout the day, it’s only visible when it’s dark. Since the days are long during the summer (Northern Norway has 24 hours of sunlight during that period), the Northern Lights aren’t visible all year around.

You’ll have the best chance to see the Northern Lights between late September and early April. Since the days are darker during this period (Northern Norway has up to 24 hours of darkness), the likelihood of seeing some activity on the sky is much higher.

Pay Attention to the Aurora Forecast

The main difference between chasing the northern lights in Northern Norway and Southern Norway is that to see it in the south, you need a much higher KP Index (the measurement of its activity).

There are many smartphone applications with detailed graphs and stats monitoring the sun’s activity as well as the Aurora activity. However, the easiest way to know if there’s any activity is by paying close attention to Aurora Service.

If the KP Index is lower than 5, there’s a very low chance for seeing the Northern Lights in the South of Norway. It is possible to get a glimpse of it at KP4 and sometimes an unexpected burst can appear but this is very rare.

Personally, I don’t go out looking unless it’s KP5 or higher.

Pat Attention to the Weather Forecast

As you might have guessed, there are many factors involved when chasing the northern lights. Not only does it have to be during a specific period of the year, the solar activity needs to be high and the clouds need to be clear.

Without a clear sky, you won’t be able to see the Northern Lights. Keep in mind that the weather can change quickly in Norway and it might not be long until the clouds disappear.  

Get Away From City Lights

Light pollution is your worst enemy when chasing the ‘Lady in Green’. Inside the city center you will have an extremely low chance of seeing the Northern Lights, even on days with high activity.

To increase your chances, leave the city behind and head somewhere far away and dark. Make sure that there’s not much artificial light in the area you’re going to. The less artificial light, the higher the possibility is that you’ll see something.

Look North

My last tips for seeing the Northern Lights in Southern Norway is to find a field or an open area where you have a clear sight towards the north. In this part of Norway, it’s not often you’ll see the lights dance above your head. Instead, the lights lay in the northern horizon. Sometimes it lies there calmly but other times you can clearly see it dance. If the KP Index is 6 or up, you might even be lucky to see it above you.

The southern parts of Norway is not known for the Northern Lights but when it first arrives, it’s well worth the wait. I’ll end by saying that if your main reason to visit Norway is to see the Northern Lights, you’ll have better luck in the northern region. But there is plenty of incredible landscapes, seascapes and cities in the southern region that shouldn’t be missed. Also, seeing them in the south will be a unique experience that you will never forget.

Christian Hoiberg is a Norwegian landscape photographer and the creator of Capture Landscapes, a website devoted to helping artists improve your landscape photography. His images can be found on his website or Instagram. 

The post How to Find the Northern Lights in Southern Norway appeared first on Resource Travel.

Usually, most people, including myself, would have a problem keeping focused through a five-minute video of nothing but travel clips, but Kolder’s incredible cinematic style mixed with Hyperlapse and some crazy good After Effects transitions is captivating. Add to that the sheer number of beautiful and dramatic looking locations and Kolder creates one of the best travel ‘reels’ we have seen in quite a while.

Hard to believe the skill level that Kolder possesses now. We are beyond intrigued to see where he is 10 years from now.

Follow Sam Kolder’s 2017 adventures on his YouTube, Instagram  and Facebook.

The post Sam Kolder’s Year in Travel Was More Epic Than Yours appeared first on Resource Travel.

Each week, the team at Resource Travel and Art of Visuals will select our favorite travel photo of the week and the winner will receive the complete Resource Travel Lightroom preset bundle ($100 value) as well as a one-year subscription to Resource Magazine ($30 value, available to US residents only). Even better? The photo will be shared on both the Art of Visuals and Resource Travel Instagram and Facebook accounts, allowing your awesomeness to be seen by almost one million people (Value: Priceless)

To have your photo considered, Download the AOV app and submit your favorite travel photos, and make sure to include the photo location to be considered! Simple as that.  For those of you with an Android phone, upload the photo to Instagram with the hashtag #ResourceTravelAOV.

So what are you waiting for? Download the AOV app and get entered today!

This week’s winner is…@manueldietrichphotography! Congratulations Manuel, we will be in touch soon!

Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy by @manueldietrichphotography

Boston, Massachusetts by @Kankankavee

Pacific City, Oregon by @jhamil_bader

Spiringen, Uri, Switerland by @kevlevitate

Montebello, Québec, Canada by @sauvage_vp

Pigeon Point Lighthouse – Pescadero, California by @jonnybgreat

Venice, Italy by @e.querol

Oregon Coast by @shortstache

Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada by @3to2

Ještěd, by @martinrakphoto

Matterhorn, Switzerland by @dino.reichmuth

New York by @_billymurray

Honolulu, Hawaii by @frank.shoots

Norway by @janni.la

Santa Monica, California by @dramaticvisuals

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia by @_zerogravity__

Pompano Beach Pier – Pompano Beach, Florida by @piercegainey

Venice, Italy by @e.querol

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France by @Collectinginstants

Seville, Spain by @mo.7eb

Zion National Park, Utah by @ryan_youngblood

Saignelégier, Jura, Switzerland by @kimonmaritz

Mauna Kea, Hawaii by @jasonjko

Lofoten, Norway by @eventyr

Finland by @annisellis

Hong Kong by @alexbaudry

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington DC by @endave

Seattle, Washington by @the_joshua_image

Mt. Rigi, Swiss Alps by @ovunno

Iceland by @raj_against_the_machine

The post The Art of Visuals Travel Photos of the Week appeared first on Resource Travel.

Determined to make up for my lost time in Utah, my girlfriend and fellow photographer Sarah Korin and I hopped on a flight to Salt Lake City from our home in Seattle, Washington. After meeting up with our good friends Adam & Stacha in Salt Lake City, we headed south to St. George. This was the official start of our 1,129 mile loop of Utah’s best sights. We even crossed the border into Arizona briefly. I compiled a list of my favorite locations visited during the road trip, and my favorite photos to accompany them. The photos are mostly digital, but you’ll find some film images hiding in there as well.

Zion National Park, Utah

Zion Canyon

The Zion Canyon is still an incredible site, no matter how many times I look back through my photos from the overlook, which is the best bang for your buck view in Zion. Just past the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel lies a small parking lot that leads to a 1-mile roundtrip, short, mostly flat hike to the viewpoint that offers spectacular views for minimal effort.

Angel’s Landing

One of the tougher hikes we did on the trip was also the most breathtaking. Once you navigate the chain assisted climb around a busy trail you are greeted with is a view that I couldn’t even dream up. A different look down Zion Canyon from a great height and sheer drop off on three sides of you is a humbling experience.

Horseshoe Bend, Arizona

Arguably, one of the most photographed locations in the United States, and for good reason. A very easy walk from the parking area leads you to a massive view of the iconic Colorado River scene. Visitor after visitor approached behind us, nearly everyone gasping at the grand sight that just smashed their retinas. Most images you’ve seen are huge panorama’s that are beautiful but seriously fail in depicting the scale of this view. Go there!

Monument Valley, Arizona

From the iconic road shot to the fantasy-esq buttes erupting from the valley floor, Monument Valley is one of the most spellbinding places I have ever seen. The land is part of the Navajo Nation and the people have great respect for Monument Valley, and hold it sacred. You do really feel at one with the earth when you explore, especially when you can camp with the Mitten and Merricks buttes right in your face. That was easily one of my favorite nights of the trip.

Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Very easily overlooked, as this amazing canyon is nestled up right next to its much busier brothers in southern Utah, the town of Moab and Arches National Park. I enjoyed watching the sunset here with my friends as well as shooting a couple of rolls of film while the light was fantastic.

Mesa Arch

What a shit show! Seriously one of the craziest locations we visited. We woke up at 3:30 to ensure we got a good spot to view the sunrise illuminating the arch but we were far from the first people set up. Once sunrise approached a tour bus of tourists offloaded and our nicely spaced set up became a cramped, awkward mess. Many of them trying to set up tripods in front of ours and complaining that people were in their way. Still, despite the craziness, I’m elated with the photo I have from here.

Arches National Park

Well, just like Zion, you could easily spend a week here and not get enough. We spent the day exploring some of the lesser popular locations and enjoying the non-rushed day as the rest of the trip had been very tightly scheduled.

We started by soaking in some sun at the Petrified Dunes and Parade of Elephants. 

We found our way into the narrow canyon of Surprise Arch due to the low traffic of the area while we waited for the evening light for Delicate Arch. Surprise Arch is a narrow hike through sandstone walls and deep sand. Once you come around a corner, true to its name, an arch cut from the canyon walls. We shot some portraits on the Leica M3 with Portra 400 because the lighting and color of the rock were too perfect.

Delicate Arch Hike

I may or may not have fibbed and misremembered how long this hike was. The first time I was here I was on a fire assignment nearby and had just enough time to sprint up the trail to catch the sunset. I knew it was long but I didn’t remember how steep the beginning of the hike was; the girls were not happy with me. It was also so damn windy, which led to some visitors losing some water bottles down the bowl and jackets flying around. But, it’s one of, if not the best location in Arches National Park, so no matter the conditions, it was worth it. 

Even after this adventure, I know I have only scratched the surface of the beauty and adventure throughout Utah and Arizona. This corner of the American South West is one of the most beautiful places in the entire country and deserves as much time as possible to enjoy. Until next time….

Kyle Ford is a Seattle, Washington-based lifestyle and travel photographer. See his work on his website, Instagram and Facebook.

The post My Favorite Photos From a 1,129 Mile Road Trip Through Utah and Arizona appeared first on Resource Travel.

I chase light: icy cold blue light, warm golden light, fading soft pink light, mind melting red light, green snaking light that explodes into the night sky. I travel the world and capture photographs of its awe-inspiring beauty because it fills my heart with light and forces me out of the darkness of my past, plagued with injury and heartbreak.

Like many young Canadians growing up on the prairies, I learned how to skate on an outdoor rink. I was a feisty 3-year-old with a zest for dramatic expression and an insatiable hunger to compete. Figure skating became my passion and purpose until I was 21. One slight miscalculation lead to a horrible fall which broke my back and plunged my life into a spiral of pain and hopelessness.

I spent the next 8 years in darkness. Immobilized in my bed, I would stare up at the ceiling and feel so powerless. I cut out photographs of beautiful places from travel magazines and stuck them on my walls. At the time, I felt like I would never get to see those places in real life. I could hardly walk and couldn’t sit for longer than 5 minutes. Traveling to the next room was trouble enough, let alone traveling the world.

One day, I got my first dSLR, a Canon Rebel Xti and a 50mm lens. I remember the excitement I felt unboxing my new camera and then the disappointment when I picked it up and through the viewfinder at my dark room. There was nothing to take a picture of: dirty laundry, old tea cups, piles of Buffy DVDs. Not exactly the Eiffel Tower.

I forced myself to get out of bed and pushed the curtains aside. A huge beam of light streamed in from the window. I placed my hand directly in the beam of light and snapped a photo. It was, of course, blurry and over-exposed, but it was a symbol of my hunger to move forward. I was literally reaching my hand into the light, attempting to grab it.

My life changed that day. I started a blog. I started taking pictures and sharing them online. Photography became a therapy for my body and soul. I forced myself to start walking again. Every day I went one minute further, exploring my neighbourhood and my city of Vancouver with my camera. The day I reached the beach, about 20 minutes away, 20 days for me, was my first major victory. I spent a few hours photographing the sea gulls soaring in the sky and the waves dancing on the shore. It wasn’t mind-blowing work, but that moment meant something to me and I finally understood what it meant to capture an inspiring moment.

What if I could do that for other people? Capture moments that meant something to them? Inspire them as I had been inspired?

People started liking my work and I got hired for my first photography jobs. My first work was mainly portraits. I loved photographing faces and challenging myself to learn off-camera strobes. I couldn’t believe I could actually do this as a job. Every step forward in my photography career felt like a victory against my injury. I started to heal. I got stronger. I started to dream again.

A year later, I got on a plane to San Francisco to meet with the founders of tap tap tap, who I eventually created Camera+ with. Another game changer for me. The success of Camera+ gave me something that I had yearned for all those years staring up at my ceiling, the opportunity to travel.

My first big adventure was a 50 day trip to 15 countries around the world shooting only with my iPhone 4. It was an eye-opening trip, to see so much of the world in brief, back-to-back glimpses. The intoxication of exploring new place, people and cultures was truly addictive. I fell in love with some places and wanted to take more than just pretty or technically good pictures, but ones that told stories.

It’s been a long process over the past 9 years and some days I feel like my journey with photography has only just started. I still struggle with my back and neck, and every few months, I have to stay in bed for a day or two. Even though I’m as stubborn as mule, I can’t always climb up to the highest mountain peak, or rappel down the rockiest cliff, and sometimes I need assistance carrying my gear. I make the most out of every moment and I’ve learned that the best shot is the one that inspires you. When you live in a state of creative inspiration, your photography shines.

The more I see, the more time I spend chasing the light; the more I grow as a person and photographer.

Lisa Bettany is a photographer based in Kings, Nova Scotia, Canada. After founding the popular iPhone app Camera+, Lisa returned to Canada to pursue her travel photography career. While learning to fly at a local flight club, Lisa met her husband, an RCAF pilot. Follow Lisa’s adventures on her photo portfolio website, her blog, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

The post How Travel Photography Inspires Lisa Bettany to Battle Injury and Heartbreak appeared first on Resource Travel.

Snow geese taking off at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, into sunrise, with a setting moon over the Chupadera Mountains in the background. Snow geese and sand hill cranes yet to leave remain on the ice covered pond in crimson dawn light. © Jack Dykinga

Ahead of the book’s January 2017 release from Rocky Nook, the still-active photographer and workshop instructor spoke with me from his home in Tucson, AZ as he prepared for a month teaching in Death Valley with Visionary Wild.

Tell me a bit about why you’ve assembled this book and what it means to you to create a career retrospective.

The reason I did it is that I have a had a unique run at this business.  I’ve made a journey from straight photojournalism to landscape, and not many people have done that.  So that makes the book sort of unique.  In any kind of career you get typecast as a certain type of photographer or a certain type of artist and that’s it.  It’s really founded on my near death experience and the subsequent sense of gratitude I felt for the healthcare professionals which I extended to my whole life.  There’s been a number of people that made me who I am.  So in a lot of ways, the whole book is sort of a big thank you to a lot of people.

A collection of Jack Dykinga’s Press Passes from his years in Photojournalism.

You say in the book that your photography is the product of many people’s influences.  Are you referencing mentors and teachers or peers?

Both.  Not only that but the environment and the situation.  The photojournalism was influenced in large part by the turbulent times of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  Covering the news I that did was anything from marching with Martin Luther King to being shot at at a Cabrini-Green housing project.  It’s all part of the life lesson that was imparted to me.  A series of peers and editors really shaped my skillset.

Jack Dykinga became the first Sun-Times photographer to win the Pulitzer Prize, honored for a series of photographs taken in April and July 1970 at the state schools for the mentally retarded in downstate Dixon and Lincoln.After the photographs were published, state officials curtailed plans to reduce funding to the Department of Mental Health. © Chicago Sun Times

© Chicago Sun-Times

Do other photographers continue to change the way you think in this stage of your career or are you pretty set in your ways at this point?

Well actually, just the opposite.  I’m probably more loose in my ways than I’ve ever been.  That’s largely because of the onset of digital.  Here I am, a guy who’s gonna be 74 in a couple days and I’m teaching workshops on how to do Lightroom and Photoshop.  I think the wonderful thing about photography as a genre is that you can push the limits.  I’ve been very fortunate, as I mention in the book, I do a lot of workshops with John Shaw, and he’s written several books on Lightroom and Photoshop.  Together we sort of hack out issues and find new ways to use some of the new tools that are available.  It’s a constant learning thing.  One of the things I talk about in the book is that a large part of what makes a good photographer is curiosity and never resting…  

 

I was at Photography at the Summit in Jackson Hole with a bunch of [National] Geographic Photographers.  I was sitting at a table with Rich Clarkson and Robert Pledge, the head of Contact in Paris, and some young photographer came over and said “Well, how’s it feel finally to have arrived?”  All of us looked at eachother — it was the craziest thing we’d ever heard because you’re always learning.  You’re always pushing.  You never “arrive” — you’re just always on the journey.

What influences do you hope to have on the work of future photographers?

I don’t think that way.  In photography and any art form, you can teach a skill set, and I guess the lesson in the book really is more about being grateful, and being open for change, and being aware when these different muses dance into your life.  There are many times in any life where you can seize an opportunity and go with it, or you can stay with the conservative approach and play it safe.  I’ve never been able to do that.  I’ve always grabbed for the brass ring.  If there is a lesson, that would be it.

What has travel meant to your development as a photographer?

It tires me out.  Some people wear travel as a badge as this thing to aspire to.  The older you get, the more you want to limit that.  Life becomes more involved with qualitative instead of quantitative.  While I’ve travelled all over the planet, I think increasingly the travel I do is in areas where I can go back and get a greater knowledge of the place.  Places like Chile (Torres del Paine) and I’ve been to Namibia a couple times.  It’s great to have that frame of reference to know a place over time.  It’s almost impudent and adolescent to think you can go somewhere and walk away with the soul of the place from a quick trip.  To me it’s more important to establish a rapport and a relationship — that usually requires doing things over time.  It requires multiple trips to places for them to become your favorites.

Yosemite National Park, CAL/Bridalveil Falls pours into Yosemite Valley’s coniferous forest under shroud of fog. California 1987 © Jack Dykinga

When you revisit favorite landscapes, do you always know what you’re looking for or does the landscape still surprise you?

I go in with the attitude of a hit list.  I know the narrative and I know where the gaping holes are in the story and I try to go fill it.  That is definitely your game plan and you go into an assignment that way.  But, it frequently and almost never works out the way you want it to.  That’s the joy of it!  It’s like Christmas every day.  Everything’s a surprise.  So the serendipity and how you respond to it is what really determines your success.

If you were to visit a place and know that you would never set foot there again do you approach it differently?  Does your photojournalism background take over?  What are you looking for?  What are you thinking while you make your shot?

For me, it’s muscle memory at this point in my life.  I’m a tried and true pro and I know exactly what buttons to push and what I need to do to capture the story, but it still boils down to your impression, your curiosity, what it is that piques your interest.  That varies from photographer to photographer.  From that, you apply your set of skills and your style artistically — so you’re doing both journalism and art at the same time.  That’s the most successful type of photography.

 

Over time you’ll see that the land has a personality and a change going on, however subtle, whether attached to climate change or some environmental calamity that I’m trying to record, so that’s still photojournalism.  It may not have any people in it, and maybe there shouldn’t be any people in it.  There are some stories that do need people in it — I’ve done both.  The point is, coming from Chicago as I did, the tendency is to be anthropocentric — that it has to be human centered to have any relevance.  When I was a photographer in Chicago we used to use a derisive term for Landscape Photography as “Placemat” photography — the ultimate put down, and that’s because there’s no people in the shot.  Finally, as you become more and more of a naturalist, you understand that there’s a lot of stuff going on in spite of the fact that there’s no people.  You’re telling a different kind of story that’s not human centered.

Do you have a favorite type of landscape or climate to photograph?

I live in Tucson.  I live in the Sonoran Desert.  The desert with its stark empty spaces and things spaced out because of water availability has sort of a monumental look to it.  It’s what drives photographers to come here, or Santa Fe — places where there’s a big sky and plant life that’s scattered with appropriate distances.  In terms of graphics and design, it’s very clean and very, in a way, elegant.  I’m drawn to that.  There are no favorite places for me.  It’s just usually where I’m at.  Next month I’ll be in death valley for two weeks, then I’ll be going off to some of these new national monuments that Obama just made.  That’s part of the game, as journalists you learn to make self-assignments.  You learn to read the newspaper and apply that to your vision.

 

I am one of the founders of the International League of Conservation Photographers, which is a group of celebrated photographers who threw their talents into environmental causes to affect change.  One of the things you realize is that images have power and you can affect change.  Of course you learn that when you win a Pulitzer Prize because that’s what it’s about — the images affected change.  When you see that as a young photographer, you realize the power you’ve got, then you turn around and apply that to any cause you want.  There is a certain amount of arrogance because you know that you’ve got a certain skill set that could pull it off.

Arizona State Trust land near Redrock, AZ with summer monsoon storm, flashed of lightning and a partial rainbow ober the saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert Arizona.
© Jack Dykinga

You’ve said in a previous interview that impatience is photography’s biggest weakness in the digital era.  How would you advise young photographers to combat the impulse to rush?

It’s a complicated issue.  Breathe, I guess.  I talked about getting a relationship with a place.  You could liken it to a man and a woman.  You can go through a relationship very quickly and make it a one night stand or you can have a long delightful interlude where you really know each other.  The ability of a digital camera is a computer that can go very very fast.  It goes fast as you want to go.  But frequently, it’s the going slow and realizing what’s there.  Turn over every rock and really study things — during different lighting conditions, during different weather conditions.  You can’t always do that if you’re a travel photographer.  Sometimes you’ve got to maximize a ton of it, but you really get focused with good planning.  Doing the [National] Geographic job on Native American Landscapes, I picked a time when I knew there would be summer pre-tornado clouds over the great plains.  I planned my trip to get that image.  I planned another trip to get fall color up in Minnesota.  That’s travel photography, but it’s the planning that really made the difference.  Then it becomes two weeks of waiting for the weather to change.  Sometimes you don’t always have that, but with  [National] Geographic you do.

With such a deluge of photographic instruction, webinars, manuals, etc out there it can be hard to navigate through the noise to find good artistic leadership and inspiration.  Where would you recommend a young or aspiring photographer begin now that assistantships are harder to come by?

I sympathize because I don’t think it’s ever been harder.  I see it a lot with photographers who are 30 something and really talented.  It used to be that you could make a decent living as a stock photographer and you could have a group of friends that you traveled with.  Now, frankly, I don’t see anybody on the road like we used to.  The stock business has been eroded by dentists and lawyers and doctors with cameras that are selling one picture a year, but collectively, they’re destroying the stock business.  They’re giving it away.  That’s what young photographers are up against.  That doesn’t mean you can’t succeed.  I always think that somebody who has a great vision is going to make it no matter what.  Sometimes, if you get somebody who’s really talented, they become an assistant on a future workshop and they can go from there. But there’s a really finite, limited number of people that make it nowadays.

 

For me, the miracle of working for a newspaper and in print media is that you’re producing a book every single day.  You’re taking images, you’re putting them on paper, and you’re taking that whole process and doing it on a deadline — I call it ‘dancing on demand’ because that’s what you’re doing.  You have to meet deadlines.  Talk about the ultimate travel photographer — well that’s what you are.  You’re breezing into a situation, you’re assessing the situation, you’re telling a story with your photographs, and you’re leaving.  And you’re doing this with maybe three or four assignments a day.  Some of it can be really superficial and some of it can be really profound — the discipline you learn by doing that and working with a group of peers, which in Chicago in the 70’s and 80’s was as fine a group of photographers as there was.  They’ve gone on to be Directors of Photography at various magazines, publications… The model that I used to make a living is no longer applicable.  As get into [digital media] more and more, I’m trying to do more Fine Art.  Maybe some of it’s not so fine, but it’s like you’re shooting really good photographs every single day as a professional and maybe one a month rises to the next level and you consider making a fine art print from it.  As your reputation goes up, you can charge more for a print and it becomes a viable financial model.

The whole idea is to get a group of peers that you can learn from and pull yourself up by your bootstraps.

Is there anything else that you would like to impart on our readers or the future generations of photography?

The thing that I see a lot is that there’s a lot of arrogance of what you think you know.  I’m guilty of this myself.  That’s the beauty of being old — you’ve done it all.  With digital, as things get more and more technical, two things can happen.  You can get some really bad habits and you can try to save everything in post processing.  There’s a real loss in the basic fundamentals of getting it right in the capture as you’re out on assignment.  Digital becomes a crutch.  You think ‘I can do this thing — I can zip up the color and do all kinds of edits later on.’  You create a Frankenstein.  On one hand, you’re doing that and have an over dependence on digital.  The other thing is a lot of people have the incorrect way of processing digital.  That’s something where a workshop or internship is really important.  To get that fundamental knowledge of what it takes to maintain a photo library — especially as a freelancer.

Cypress dome swamp with water surface covered with water-spangles and duckweed, with swirling patterns formed during long exposure in foreground. Morning light. Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. © Jack Dykinga

What comes next?  What will the 2nd edition of this book include five or ten years from now?

Ten years from now I’ll be fertilizer, kid.  I don’t think that far in advance.  I’ve got stuff planned into 2018 that’s gonna keep me busy.  Having Trump as President is going to bring about all kinds of interesting things, but I’m at the twilight of my career.  That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do the book.  To talk about the journey.  I think when you’re young, you just want everything right away — even when you’re old you want some things right away — but sometimes it’s amazing how things kinda come to you.  Almost the harder you push the less you get.  Patience is a thing to learn.

“A Photographer’s Life – A Journey from Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photojournalist to Celebrated Nature Photographer” (ISBN: 9781681980720) is available in Hardcover and EBook format from Rocky Nook.  All images and page excerpts published here are provided by Jack Dykinga and printed with his and Rocky Nook’s permission.  

The post Reflecting on “A Photographer’s Life”: A Conversation with Jack Dykinga appeared first on Resource Travel.

So recently, when the opportunity came up to explore South Africa once again, there was no hesitation. I knew the weirdness factor would still be present with my bestie Melissa Findley on the crew, and I could already feel the goosebumps of that Table Mountain view. And as long as I didn’t lose or break anything it’d be an improvement on the last trip. (Spoiler alert: I did. Sorry Jewelszee.)

Editor’s Note: A version of this article and accompanying photos originally appeared on Jarrad Seng’s travel blog, Life in Transit, and was republished with permission from the content creator. 

Cape Town is just one of those cities you can never get enough of. For me, it’s up there with some of the prettiest places in the world. Cape Town is the kind of place you don’t mind waking up at 3am to hike up a mountain for sunrise. Okay, I kind of minded. Only for you Table Mountain, only for you.

Penguins on the beach. ‘Nuff said.

Then there was the night missions with Hloni and Luke. You know you’re going to get along when Instagram strangers are up for a midnight hike up Table Mountain.  Either that or get murdered, I guess.  Happy to report these gents are all class.

We headed up north near the border of Botswana for the final part of the trip – three days in the Madikwe game reserve.  I’ll never get over the magic of witnessing African wildlife in the… wild.  There’s something very special about seeing zebras, lions, giraffes and rhinos in the flesh – animals you never imagined you would ever see outside of movies and picture books when you were little.

These are my favorite kind of trips – traveling with a bunch of like-minded creatives who share the same kind of passion, wanderlust and just that little hint of craziness (an essential in this industry). A huge thank you to Lauren Bath and South Africa ANZ for getting me on board and a week I won’t forget anytime soon. And thank you to the rest of the travel party – an incredibly talented bunch who took the trip to the next level. I’ll always treasure the sneaky rooftops, the great scorpion invasion of 2016 and Meli’s cute-but-actually-kinda-scary meltdowns at every elephant, penguin or generally any sighting of another living thing. You can find all their work here: Lauren Bath,  Jewels Lynch, Melissa Findley, Luke Tscharke ,  Matt Donovan, Miles Gray.

Editor’s Note: A version of this article and accompanying photos originally appeared on Jarrad Seng’s travel blog, Life in Transit, and was republished with permission from the content creator. 

The post An Adventure Through South Africa with Jarrad Seng appeared first on Resource Travel.

© Tiina Törmänen

© Tiina Törmänen

© Tiina Törmänen

How did living in Helsinki for 12 years influence your work?

Without that experience, I would see the world differently, and I would not be able to shoot the photographs I shoot today. At the time, I wasn’t even thinking about nature photography. I was more inspired by street photography. I got involved in many underground cultures, I shot life around me, I documented people. It was one hell of a ride.

Törmänen therefore advises anyone who is from a small village, to go and live in a big city, even if it is just for a little while. To her, that’s the only way to learn anything about life, people and cultures.

© Tiina Törmänen

© Tiina Törmänen

Eventually, Törmänen moved back to Lapland. To explain what is so special about Finland’s northernmost region, other than its “great infrastructure, easy access and amazing nature,” she referred to the Wikipedia page about the country’s”freedom to roam.”

The freedom to roam and related rights are called “jokamiehenoikeus” in Finnish and “allemansrätten” in Swedish (lit. “the everyman’s right”), similar to other Nordic countries. Everyone may walk, ski or cycle freely in the countryside where this does not harm the natural environment or the landowner. […] One may stay or set up camp temporarily in the countryside, pick mineral samples, wild berries, mushrooms and flowers, fish with a rod and line, row, sail or use a motorboat on waterways, and swim or bathe in both inland waters and the sea, walk, ski and ice fish on frozen lakes, rivers and the sea. […] The right is a positive right in the respect that only the government is allowed to restrict it as in the case of strict nature reserves.

© Tiina Törmänen

© Tiina Törmänen

© Tiina Törmänen

Törmänen does admit that someone who actually lives in Lapland, eventually “gets used” to the beauty the region has to offer. She still loves its winter, but usually spends summers traveling south and meeting friends. So what’s a summer in Lapland like? “Swimming and misty forests at midnight,” she says.

Tell us about your most exceptional shooting experience.

Last winter, I wanted to go to this specific hill, and I had to drive for 65 kilometers with a snow mobile to get there. It took longer than I thought, because the route was in such a bad shape, and I couldn’t ride recklessly in the middle of nowhere. After about 4-5 hours, I arrived at the foot of the hill, and I still had to walk up in deep snow. That also took longer than I expected, and I ended up missing the sunset I initially went out there for. But then some auroras appeared. I only had a brief time to take pictures, because I still had a long way back, but it was worth it.

© Tiina Törmänen

© Tiina Törmänen

Nowadays, Törmänen fills her winter days with teaching photography workshops. She loves to take people out with her to some of Lapland’s most amazing places, and loves to share her shooting skills with them. If you’re interested in tagging along: visit her website! If you just feel like keeping track of her photography, you can find her on Facebook and Instagram.

© Tiina Törmänen

© Tiina Törmänen

© Tiina Törmänen

The post 13 Photos That Will Inspire You to Visit Lapland, Finland This Winter appeared first on Resource Travel.