My response is always the same. That’s an impossible question to answer. It’s akin to when people ask me what my favorite country is. For me, I love every country I have been to for totally different reasons, so it’s impossible to name just one. And for someone looking to jump into the amazing world of mirrorless camera systems, there is many factors that will have to be considered before making your purchase. What kind of photographer are you? Are you a landscape fanatic or just looking to capture those every day moments? What is most important to you in a camera and lens system? Megapixels? Speed? Compact size and light weight? And the most important question of them all, how much are you willing to invest in your photography passion?

Well I am here to help you make the right decision that is best for you. I have broken down the list into the ‘type’ of photographer that the kit is meant for, as well as the budget that photographer is willing to invest.

This guide is meant to be a jumping off point for your decision, and doesn’t answer in depth questions. If you have any questions about what might be right for you and your style, please feel free to send me a DM on my Instagram or send me an email. I would love to help you get the right system to fuel your creativity!  

General Gary – Travel And Documentary Photographer

I am starting with this genre, as I think it is the most descriptive fit for me and my style, and I also think this is what many of my readers would describe themselves as. We love to travel, and we want to have the best all around kit to best document what we see across the world.

Under $3,000

Sony a7 III Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera Optical with 3-Inch LCD, Black – $1,799 ($200 Off!)

I have said it before and I will say it again. In my opinion, the Sony A7III is by far the best all around camera on the market, especially for the ridiculously fair sub $2,000 price point. And right now, it’s on sale for $200 off! I am not going to get technical in this post, as there are plenty of other resources online to analyze specs. But what I can tell you is that I use a variety of Sony cameras in many different locations and projects around the world, and the Sony A7III delivers an absurd amount of features, killer full frame image quality, and fantastic low-light performance. The A7II was a great camera, don’t get me wrong. But the third generation of Sony cameras added the two most sought after features that hard core photo enthusiasts wanted. A better battery and dual SD card slots. While the dual card slots are a great addition for wedding photographers and photojournalists, I mainly just take advantage of the fact that I don’t have to switch SD cards nearly as often. But the one thing that always drove me crazy about the earlier versions of the Sony mirrorless cameras was the horrid battery performance. It wasn’t rare for me to blow through 5-8 batteries a day when on assignment. Luckily Sony listened to our concerns and redeveloped a bigger battery system that lasts forever! If you aren’t a hardcore landscape photographer who wants the freedom to crop 61 Megapixels, than most likely, the A7III is a camera that will fit your needs. This is also the one camera I continuously recommend for casual photographers who are looking into upgrading to the full frame universe.

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T FE OSS Interchangeable Full Frame Zoom Lens ($798)

When people ask me about which ‘everyday’ lens they should get, the 24-70mm is always my answer. This is by far the most useful walk around lens that will be able to let you capture wide angle shots at 24mm while also getting in closer to the action and creating background blur (bokah) for portrait photos at 70mm. Now, Sony makes two variations of the 24-70mm lens, this f/4 and the f/2.8. While the f/2.8 is an amazing lens, it’s also three times the price of the f/4. So unless budget is not a problem and you really need the faster performance and better low light capabilities of the f/2.8, this f/4 should fit the needs of most casual photographers.

Under $6,000

Allright, so you really want to up your photography game? Well, believe it or not, you can get a killer Sony kit of one full frame camera and 4 lenses for under $6,000, covering the entire focal range spectrum from super wide angle 12mm to super telephoto 200mm. 

Sony a7 III Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera Optical with 3-Inch LCD, Black – $1,799 ($200 Off!)

See Description Above

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T FE OSS Interchangeable Full Frame Zoom Lens – $798 ($100 Off!)

See Description Above

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS Interchangeable Lens for Sony Alpha Cameras ($1,398)

For someone just starting their photography journey, a 70-200mm lens is a lens you didn’t know you needed to have. But that all changes once you have one. The telephoto focal range allows for great bokeh, even though the minimum aperture is f/4 as opposed to f/2.8. The rule is, the more telephoto the photo is taken at, the more natural background blur is generated. In addition to being a nice portrait lens, the 70-200 doubles as a great landscape lens. While most think of landscapes only being photographed with a wide angle lens, once you start zooming in on dramatic snow capped mountains with storm clouds swirling, you will quickly realize some of your favorite landscape photos are being captured with this lens.

Sony – FE 12-24mm F4 G Wide-angle Zoom Lens – $1,673 ($100 Off!)

This. Lens. Is. Fun! Before using the Sony 12-24mm lens, I was always limited to 16mm being my widest focal range. Now, 16mm is wide, but not nearly as wide as those extra 4mm get you! 12mm is SUPER wide. And the best thing about this lens? At 12mm, there is not much fish-eye effect, which is common in most lenses this wide. While this is a great lens, there is a better wide angle alternative for landscape shooters that we will cover below. But if you want to round out your casual travel kit, the 12-24 is a great lens.

Under $10,000

Break out the rewards credit card! If you are serious about your photography and have the financial means, the Sony A7III all around bad ass camera can be paired with Sony’s absurdly beautiful G-Master lenses. Yes, they are expensive. But treat them well and this kit could last you decades. 

Sony a7 III Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera Optical with 3-Inch LCD, Black – $1,799 ($200 Off!)

See Description Above

Sony FE 24-70 mm F2.8 G Master – $2,198

As discussed above, the 24-70mm range is the ultimate ‘one lens’ solution. It will cover most situations you find yourself in, and with the G Master f/2.8 lens, Sony took their most popular lens and made it faster and sharper, leaving us pros drooling over the resulting images.

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens – $2,598

As with the above 24-70 G Master, Sony took a lens that wasn’t broken (the 70-200 f/4) and just made it 100 times better. This lens is as close to telephoto perfection!

Sony – FE 16-35mm F2.8 G Master Wide-angle Zoom Lens – $2,198

We haven’t talked about the landscape photographer’s focal range yet, but I intentionally saved it for this lens. While the Sony 16-35 f/4 wide angle is a decent lens, I have noticed a huge difference in my landscape images when taken with the 16-35mm G-Master f/2.8. If you are serious about landscape photography, this should be the first lens in your bag.

Casual Carl

Casual Carl is just getting into photography. Casual Carl wants to hone his new found passion with an entry level mirrorless camera that is light, easy to use and won’t break the bank. Well don’t you worry Casual Carl, Sony has you covered.

Under $500

Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera 24.3MP SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) w/16-50mm Power Zoom Lens – $448

Normally I wouldn’t put a pre-made kit in this buyer’s guide, but since the kit with the 16-50mm zoom lens is only $50 more than the camera itself, it’s a no-brainer. The Sony a6000 is one of the best-selling APS-C cameras in Sony’s lineup, and for good reason. It’s the perfect camera for Casual Carl. Now, there is a big difference between APS-C sensors (cropped) and 35mm sensors (full frame), so if you aren’t sure of the difference, a quick Google search will give you all the information you need.

Under $800

Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera 24.3MP SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) w/16-50mm Power Zoom Lens – $448

See Description Above

Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 Lens – $348

Well, you got your 16-50mm focal range with that insane Black Friday sale on the a6000 kit, so why not complete your go anywhere/see anything focal range with the versatile 55-210mm?

Under $1,600

Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera 24.3MP SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) w/16-50mm Power Zoom Lens – $448

See Description Above

Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 Lens – $348

See Description Above

Sony – E 10-18mm F4 OSS Wide-angle Zoom Lens – $798 ($52 Off!)

While the kit 16mm lens is wide, it’s not wide enough for some of the landscape photos you may want to take. That’s where the beautiful 10-18mm comes in. If you didn’t read the crop vs full frame articles yet, the most important thing to know is that the focal length of lenses is not equal. Because the a6000 is a crop sensor, all of the lens focal lengths should be multiplied by about 1.5 to give you the 35mm (full frame) equivalent. So essentially, this 10-18mm crop sensor lens is about about 16-30mm full frame lens. Bottom line? This is the best (and only) ultra wide angle for the Sony APS-C system.

Under $3,700

Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera 24.3MP SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) w/16-50mm Power Zoom Lens – $448

See Description Above

Sony – E 10-18mm F4 OSS Wide-angle Zoom Lens – $798 ($52 Off!)

See Description Above

Sony Alpha 16-55mm F2.8 G Standard Zoom APS-C Lens – $1,398

Now, I know what you are saying. “But Michael, you just told me to buy the kit with almost the exact same focal range kit lens” Yes, yes I did. But that is because it’s a great price. You are essentially getting a $200 lens for $50. But, just because the focal length is similar doesn’t meant the lenses are equal. Just like any product, there is high quality builds and lower cost builds. The kit lens is lower cost, while this lens is KILLER. The difference in quality is going to be night and day. So if you want the quality and have the financial means, get this lens and sell the kit lens, give it to a friend, or keep it as a backup.

Sony Alpha 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS Super-Telephoto APS-C Lens – $998

This long range focal lens can get you insanely close to the action, whatever it is. On Safari? Zoom right in on Simba’s eye with this 105mm-525mm full frame equivalent. Any time you have a focal range that large, photo quality can suffer a bit. But hey, Casual Carl just wants to photograph an elephant without getting trampled.

Casual Carl – Alternate APS-C Camera Bodies

The reason why I made all of these bundles with the A6000 camera is because it’s an incredible deal for Black Friday Weekend. But, if Casual Carl wants a newer, more advanced, and more expensive, APS-C Body, check out these two alternatives. 

Sony Alpha A6600 Mirrorless Camera – $1,398

Real time tracking and eye auto focus, for both people and animals, is incredible for a crop sensor camera of this size. With 5-axis in-body optical image stabilization, the Sony a6600 is about as close to a full frame camera as you can get while staying in the APS-C world.

Sony Alpha A6100 Mirrorless Camera – $648 ($100 Off!)

There really isn’t much difference between the A6600 and the A6100, and for more than half the price, the a6100 is a GREAT camera to pick up at $100 off it’s retail price.

Casual Carl Goes Full Frame For Under $1,000!

Just because you are casual and don’t want to sell your car to join the full-frame community doesn’t mean that you can’t with this incredible kit! 

Sony Alpha a7II Mirrorless Digital Camera with 28-70mm Lens – $998 ($732 Off!)

Remember when I complained above about the second generation battery life? Well that still applies, but does it really matter when you can get a brand spanking new full frame Sony Mirrorless camera AND a kit lens for over $700 off? For just $998, this is a STEAL. You could also get just the A7II body for just $100 less and pair it with any of the other full frame lenses mentioned above or below.

Landscape Larry

We all know Landscape Larry. He will be at the overlook for sunrise 2.5 hours early just to claim his spot. And rightfully so, as he has some awesome photos to take with his Sony Landscape Kit! 

Under $4,000

Sony a7R III: 42.4MP Full Frame Mirrorless Camera – $2,498 ($300 Off!)

The R Series of the Sony Alpha A7 cameras were made for landscape photographers. Higher Megapixels and more dynamic range give landscape shooters all the tools they need to capture those stunning sunrises and sunsets. While you can get a pretty incredible deal on the A7II at the moment, I am going to only recommend the A7rIII and A7RIV strictly due to the battery. As I mentioned, the old batteries don’t last long at all under normal conditions, so imagine how quick they go when shooting frigid landscapes. There is nothing worse than having to take off your gloves to change a battery every 15 minutes in negative temperatures, trust me. Save yourself the pain and get the newer models.

Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount Lens $1,248 ($100 Off!)

Well you are Landscape Larry, aren’t you? You need a landscape lens! While not as sharp as the 16-35 f/2.8 G Master, at almost $1,000 less expensive, you won’t really care about the minor differences in pixels for those epic landscapes, will you?

Samyang 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens for Sony E-Mount – $249

Why am I including a manual focus and manual aperture lens in Landscape Larry’s kit? Because this is the go to Astro Photography lens for many photographers. Sure, there are comparable lenses that take great nightscapes. But they have bells and whistles and cost thousands more. I have been using this for my astro photos for almost a decade now, and it simply gets the job done. And at a constant $249, it is easy on the wallet.

Under $8,600

Sony α7R IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera – $3,498

The King! My dream camera. The A7rIV takes an already unbelievable A7rIII and makes it even better. The biggest perk is also its biggest problem? The 61 megapixels will have you pixel peeping the fangs of a sprinting jaguar, but will also be very bad for your external hard drive budget.

Sony – FE 16-35mm F2.8 G Master Wide-angle Zoom Lens – $2,198

The ultimate landscape lens! See description above.

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens – $2,598

Get in tight on those majestic mountains!

Samyang 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens for Sony E-Mount – $249

I mean, you spent $3,500 on the camera. Save a couple bucks on this perfectly capable astro lens.

Prime Pam

The older I get, the more I become Prime Pam. I love prime lenses. The look you get from prime lenses just can’t be recreated with zoom lenses.Go ahead and argue with me. I will just sit here enjoying my dreamy prime photos.  Not to mention, prime lenses are much faster aperture, making for easier and cleaner low light photography. 

Under $8,600

Sony a7 III Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera Optical with 3-Inch LCD, Black – $1,799 ($200 Off!)

I am making the A7III big in this final kit, because I cannot stress enough how amazing this camera is for the price. And right now, at $200, you should NOT miss it.

Sony E-mount FE 24mm F1.4 GM Full Frame Wide-angle Prime Lens – $1,398

This may be my all time favorite lens. I shot almost exclusively on it while adventuring in Morocco and Jordan for five weeks, and my images were killer. In my opinion, a 24mm prime is the best photojournalism lens, and this incredible glass from Sony is one of the best 24mm ever made.

Sony Distagon T FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA Standard-Prime Lens – $1,498 ($100 Off)

This lens, like the 24mm, is glorious. A standard focal length, the 35mm will get you sharp images while not being in your subject’s face. Because of the de-click aperture ring in both this lens as well as the 24mm, these also make great video lenses.

Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM Lens – $1,798

The ultimate portrait lens. There is something about the look of people through an 85mm prime that can never be copied. If photographing people is your thing, this is the lens for you.

FE 135mm F1.8 G Master Telephoto Prime Lens – $2,098

I wish I had this lens. Sadly, I do not. But I did get to use Sony Artisan Colby Brown’s while we were in Mongolia, and this may be my new favorite portrait lens over the 85mm.

The Bill Gates Billionaire Bonus!

Let’s be real. None of us can afford these unicorn lenses. But, if, by some off chance you can, please purchase through my affiliate links and I will be your best friend forever. And I will buy the beer. 

Sony 400mm F/2.8-2.8 Fixed Prime Camera Lens – $11,998

*Heart Eye Emoji*

Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens

*Heart Eye Emoji AF*

The post The Ultimate Sony Camera and Lens Buyer’s Guide For Every Budget appeared first on Resource Travel.

Oh, and on top of all these awesome products, 10% of each sale goes to a variety of charities. Since day one, the 5 Day Deal flash sales have generated over 1.6 MILLION dollars for charities around the world. So while you are becoming a better photographer this winter, you will also be helping to make the world a little better place.

Aurora HDR 2019 ​

So, I have a confession to make. When I first started in photography over a decade ago, I was always baked. HDR baked! For some reason, I thought those horrible, oversaturated, bad acid-trip HDRs looked cool. And when I uploaded them to my Instagram, my non-photographer friends kept commenting about how cool they looked too, so down the HDR rabbit hole I went. Only as my style progressed did I realize two things. One, my editing was horrible. And two, HDR is simply combining shadow and highlight information from multiple exposures, and when done properly, can increase the dynamic range of a photo in a natural look. From all I have heard about Aurora HDR, it’s a great program to help you blend the exposures together with a finished product that looks natural. Of course, I am sure there are some presets and sliders that will help you obtain the bad acid trip look, but for most of us, working with a TIFF file loaded with light information will be enough.

Joel Grimes: ‘The Artist’ ​

Joel Grimes is a master at his craft. His work is jaw dropping, beautiful and clean. While it is not the type of photography I do (studio lighting, composites), there is no doubt the man knows his stuff when it comes to finding inspiration, making a vision become reality, and running a successful photography business. So when he touches on all of this and more in a 12 lesson course, you sit down and take extensive notes.

Secrets to Amazing Photos from the Masters

As I mentioned, I have been a full time photographer for a decade. I feel like I know my stuff. But, there is ALWAYS something new to learn. And the best place to learn is from other photographers. Marc Silber has condensed years of knowledge he has gained from some of the world’s best known photographers into a complete course. While I feel I may know most of what is outlined, as I said, seeing how other’s in your field approach their art is always a valuable learning experience.

Get Camera Confident

I have known and respected Lauren Bath for years. She knows travel, and she knows social media. So much so, she was able to leave her stable income as a chef to jump into the travel photography business and quickly made her Instagram one of the better curated and most followed on the mobile platform. So like above, I may know a good amount of what Lauren teaches in this course, but to learn her angle is a valuable lesson I will absorb for a long time.

Start to Finish 1&2

Ryan Dyar is a landscape photography god, and this course is exactly what I need. I take a lot of landscape images, and 0.01% of them ever see Photoshop. Why? Because, quite frankly, I don’t know how to use Photoshop! Not like the master landscape photographers, anyway. Focal length blend, focus stacking and luminosity masking are three things that have been on my ‘Need to Master’ list for years now. I can say without a doubt, this will probably be the most valuable product for me in this year’s bundle.

Photoshop For Lightroom Users

As mentioned above, almost all of my editing is done in Lightroom. While it works great, there is many ways to make my photos even more dynamic by bringing them into Photoshop for some additional tweaks. Combined with Ryan Dyar’s above class, I look forward to finally being confident and efficient in my Photoshop editing.

Charity Bonus Additions

The below three products are only offered in the Charity Bonus Bundle, which is another amazing deal, bringing together over $1,200 worth of products for just $24.

Master Collection: 200 Creative Overlays

If you haven’t met the team behind Pro EDU, well, I feel sorry for you. They are maybe the most fun group in the business. But not only are they fun, they maybe the hardest working guys in the photo educator business. So while I have never used overlays in my work before, watching their trailer about how it can add drama to your images has me frothing at the mouth and thinking about all of the possibilities with some of my older photos sitting stagnant in my Lightroom catalog.

Astrophotography: Post Processing the Milky Way

Oh man, I love love love shooting the Milky Way! Who doesn’t? Surprisingly, photographing the Milky Way is actually much easier than most people think. But, EDITING Milky Way photos? Now that’s a major pain in the you know what. Luckily the awesome photographer Nick Page gives us a step by step guide on how to make those Milky Way images pop off the screen, brining your viewers on a stargazing adventure like no other.

Understanding Exposure & Your DSLR

I have been leading photography workshops for over 7 years now, and the first thing I recommend to my team members and the last thing I leave them with is these words. “Read Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson!” In my opinion, it is the bible of mastering photography. I learned my way around a camera and making an ‘exposure’ with this book, and still read it every year to refresh myself on the core fundamentals of photography, which also helps me clearly convey these lessons as a photo educator. I cannot stress it enough. Read this book, and read it often.

So there you have it! This year’s 5 Day Deal is jam packed with some insane goodies, at an even more insane price. So go on, get yourself a Pumpkin Spiced Latte, but a log on the fire, and improve your photography today!

The post 9 Photography Tools I Am Excited About That Won’t Break the Bank appeared first on Resource Travel.

“I was beginning to get frustrated with my inability to explain how different it was, how open and accepting the people were, and how generous they were. Going into this third trip, I knew I wanted to try and find some way to capture the beauty of the country and of the people, so I decided to bring a 16mm camera along.”

After asking his partners at Nations Media about starting a personal side project, Powers began to capture a more intimate and positive portrait of Iraq and people he came across over his time there. The subjects of these video portraits, as Janssen told us, “were just people we met along the way.” Powers explained that he had his camera with him at all times, so whether at lunch or walking down the street, he would always be looking for “someone who looked interesting or had a different look or looked very normal, looked like someone I would see in the US,” and with the help of an interpreter, Powers would ask these people to take their portrait.

When we sat down with the filmmaker for an exclusive interview, we asked Powers to explain his experience as a traveling videographer needing to work with an interpreter and he noted that while the language barrier with his subjects was always somewhat of a challenge, the presence of an interpreter was almost always positive.

“I think as filmmakers, especially documentary filmmakers, our job is to do our best to relate to the people on the other side of the camera. The camera is the tool by which we are able to share what we see with our eyes with the world. To make strong films, it is important to connect on a personal level with the people you are interacting with. Working with an interpreter does sometimes make it difficult because there is a barrier between when someone says something to me or I say something to them and that message having to be translated through another human. It definitely has its disadvantages. That said, there are so many advantages to working with an interpreter. There are many times when the interpreter we were working with, who is originally from Iraq, had such a strong knowledge of cultural things I didn’t understand or ways in which to communicate to people what I was trying to do. Even if I was able to speak Kurdish or Arabic, I don’t have the years of experience or understanding of the culture that he has, so I think its super important to work with an interpreter that you feel like understands the project and understands your heart and your intention behind the project.”

Powers brought only 30 minutes of film with him for this project, so in order to take advantaged of the limited time he had to shoot with, Powers described how important it is to “really slow down and take a breath and be in the moment.” Powers questioned how past projects would have unfolded had he took a breath to be in the moment, so for this project he would often set up the camera and pretend to begin filming and really try “to let the people in front of the camera become a little bit uncomfortable or become more comfortable.” After the subject in front of the lens became more comfortable and he started to feel some emotion coming out of the moment, “whether it was the person who was looking around or was the person who really started to look into the camera and wonder what I was doing,” he would begin to roll. “And I would just let it roll until I felt like the moment was gone. 

“Outside of the aesthetic benefits of how real and organic film looks,” Powers relayed, shooting on film ensured that he would take that moment to slow down.

While all the portraits in the film were beautifully intimate and powerful, we wanted to hear from Powers which one moment best displayed his love for the series and the country. He responded that while every portrait tells him something specific about the country, the one moment of an elderly woman at the 1:35 mark truly captured his heart. The woman who is Yazidi, an ingenious group that has been the target of genocide by ISIS, had for years been living in the refugee camp where Powers had first met her in October 2016. Her initial expression in front of the camera was, as Powers described, “very stern and stoic,” but when a family member behind her made a comment, “she looked back at them and then back at the camera and just had this massive smile on her face, just ear to ear smiling… it was amazing and it was breathtaking.”

And how had moments such as these changed and affected Powers’ approach to his work, to his life?

“As a filmmaker, especially as a documentary filmmaker, I think it’s my job to do my best to connect with people who I am telling the story of, with the people that are on the other side of the camera. In a lot of ways, I think that in order to be a good filmmaker you have to let the things that you experience and the people that you met change you a little bit. All of these moments, all of these trips, and the people that I’ve meet that maybe had differing opinions than I have had or showed me a side of the world or a side of faith or a side of humanity that I wouldn’t have experienced had I had stayed in New York. All of those moments have had a profound impact on the way that I see the world, the way that I see faith, the way that I see life. An important part of being a filmmaker is learning to let those things shape and change you.”

Powers commented that the response for the film has been incredible. This project, that was initially supposed to be “something that I was going to share with friends on Instagram or my wife and family,” has reached so many and while he currently doesn’t have current plans to return to Iraq, he does hope to one day go back and explore more regions of the country with his 16mm camcorder. As of now, Powers is using his new 16 mm to explore “a handful of these passion projects on film this year.” At the beginning of April, Powers was in Alaska creating a feature on a woman named Lena Charley. The film, which he plans to release this summer, focuses on her life as a 90-year-old Athabaskan in a dogsledding community in southern Alaska.

If we are as amazed and inspired by Lena Charley as we were with his subjects in Iraq, then we are sure that we are in for another beautiful film from Janssen Powers.

Follow Janssen Powers’ filmmaking adventures on his website, Vimeo, and Instagram.

Powers at work shooting 16mm film in Iraq

The post ‘A Portrait of Iraq’: See The Everyday People Not Shown in the Headlines appeared first on Resource Travel.

To celebrate Icelandair’s new Boeing 737 MAX 8, Jökull recently shared seven tips on how to get the perfect picture from cruising altitude. And though flying over the lovely landscapes of Iceland might help your cause (and some of these tips are specific to the country), the information presented is still going to be beneficial no matter where you find yourself traveling too. Just be sure to get a window seat.

Play with colors, lights, and shadows to add depth to your photo.

Clouds can make an interesting pattern on the ground. In Iceland, the contrasts of a snow-covered landscape against rivers or lakes can make for a great photo. The black sand beaches or a rocky coastline against the surf and the waves of the blue Atlantic also show off the amazing landscapes of Iceland. As the ground is slowly changing color from the brown and yellow autumn and winter tones you might find green colors popping out, like moss-covered lava fields.

Use the rule of thirds

Carefully balance the space between the sky and the ground: 1/3 sky versus 2/3 ground works well. When you are in the air and can only see the sky and/or clouds, you can use the wing and engine as a prominent part of the photo.

Including part of the aircraft wing in the shot can make the landscape really stand out.

The window of the aircraft also nicely frames the landscape. When you are photographing the landscape below, the wing will automatically point diagonally upwards in the photo, creating a connection between the plane and the ground.

Use aperture priority or manual mode to get the best results of sunrise or sunset photos.

If it’s getting dark then adjust your ISO setting to 800-1200. The golden hour before and after sunset or sunrise can be rather long in Iceland, especially in the winter because of the low angle of the sun. The sunset light can linger, providing up to two hours of beautiful golden, pink, red and purple colors until the dark blue color of the night takes over.

Reduce window glare

To reduce glare on your picture from the window of the plane, hold the camera lens close to the window or even covering it with your other hand so the reflection does not reach into the lens.

Take full advantage of the new Boeing 737 MAX LED light settings to help shooting at dark by waiting until the cabin lights are set to night mode.

Use a tripod

Photographing northern lights from a window of a plane requires the use of a tripod, as you would use on the ground. A small Joby Gorilla Pod is always a great tool to have around. Set the camera to ISO 2500-4000 and use f/2.8 or lower with 5-10 second shutter speed you should be able to capture some northern lights. Try to set the camera lens up to the window to minimalize glare reflecting the light of the window.

Left is best!

In general, it is better to sit on the left side of the plane if you plan to photograph through the window. It is easier for your posture and for framing the shot so you don‘t have to twist your body to get the shot.

Editor’s Note from Michael Bonocore: But sometimes, on long-haul flights, the view is best on the right and may be worth the uncomfortable photography posture. Use a site like Flight Aware to research the flight path on previous days. Use Google Earth to then find out what you ‘think’ may be the best side to sit in order to get the best view. Also, take into account the sunrise and sunset. Shooting into the sun, especially from an airplane, can be harsh. If I am flying during a sunrise or sunset, usually I will opt to sit on the opposite side of the sun.

So there you have it! 7 tips that should help you make those long flights a little more entertaining. Your Instagram followers will thank you.

The post How to Get the Perfect Picture from 32,000 Feet Above appeared first on Resource Travel.

Arefin began drawing and sketching at a young age and initially had hopes of becoming a painter. But while pursuing a fine art degree, the battle with perfectionism caused him to lose interest in the craft. Eventually, using a camera that he bought to take photographs of his artwork, he registered for a 365 photo project and learned photography through taking photos and engaging with the online community. And most importantly, because he had to post photos every day, Arefin stopped worrying about perfection and instead begin to focus on the process of creating. Eventually, this choice led to his unique style–which, knowing he has a background as a painter, makes sense. 

We sat down with Arefin to ask him about those interesting elements of photography, what he looks for in the city streets, and what he hopes to achieve as a photographer.

It seems most of your pictures are taken at the beginning of the day or the end. I’d imagine this is partly because of the good lighting at that time of the day, but do you feel it goes beyond that?

It’s true that the main purpose of shooting either in early morning or late afternoon is the amazing quality of light. But at the same time another important reason is the mood and the ambiance. The light I work with is perfect for the soft, serene, and whimsical kind of look I want in my images. Also, personally, I feel that that particular light makes the images look a bit wistful and adds a certain kind of emotional aspect. It’s also great to capture the details and richness of colors.

The shadows and lighting and colors in your photographs are amazing. You kind of touched on this in the previous answer, but can you tell me a little bit more about why these elements are important to you?

Well thank you and yes, certainly these elements are the most important parts of my images. I’m especially obsessed with light, it’s probably the most important thing I pay attention to when I photograph something. After all, photography is painting with light, right? A dramatic use of light can turn something mundane and simple into something extraordinary and telling. Personally, I love shooting with backlight. For me, that dramatic contrast between light and shadows adds much depth and mystery. For color, I think if the light is the soul of a photo then color is the heart. Color can trigger human emotions and that’s how I try to use it. I use the tones and colors according to the mood and emotion I want to express through my image.

Your website describes your photography as “often whimsical, with a dreamy feel, yet the elements are utterly taken from real life.” When you set out to take pictures, are you mainly focusing on the real-life element and then later, in the edit, try to find the whimsical? Or do you have an idea about the whimsical and go looking for it in real life?

It’s actually a bit of both. Most of the time I try to take an ordinary everyday object or element, shoot and edit it in a way that makes it look whimsical. My idea has always been to make people believe that, if you open your eyes, you can both find beauty everywhere as well as see your surroundings with a fresh, different perspective. But yes, sometimes it happens that I get a certain concept in my mind and for that I need some unusual objects and props. For example, in the past, I created some fairy tale type images inspired by Harry Potter or Beauty and the Beast and for those images I had to collect props related to witchcraft and fairytales. So yeah, sometimes it’s taking something very ordinary and trying to represent it in a whimsical way and sometimes its about coming up with a concept and trying to find fitting elements to make that idea happen.

Did your street photography always have the whimsical dreamy feel as well? Or did you take the fantasy elements from your still life photography and try to apply it to people and city life?

The miniature or still life photography is something I started with and has always been the main focus. I love to work with still life objects. In all objects, there is a sense of human presence, emotions, and stories. You can tell a whole story through your images without even using people. As far as the other account, I actually started shooting street in 2016 when I took a solo trip to Kathmandu, Nepal. So by the time I was shooting the streets I already had developed a personal style and tried to apply that there. I wanted to see how my street shots would look if I shot them in the same manner of my still life photos. For both styles, I try to find something simple and and try to make it look beautiful and moody.

With a few exceptions, your photography, though never claustrophobic, does have an element of containment. For example, narrow alleys or the walls of a city seem to confine the subjects in your photographs. Living in New York City, I sometimes feel a little trapped, or restricted by everything around me. Is this something you are trying to capture or convey in your imagery? Or is it just a natural result of taking photos in a city?

I have never thought to confine the subjects. Personally, I just love narrow lanes and streets. This love grew when I was traveling in Varanasi, India. The whole city is full of really narrow streets, lanes and alleys. It was incredible to see how happening and lively the space can be. I enjoy shooting these places for few reasons, one is the way sunlight leaks through the narrow walls and you can actually create beautiful dramatic lighting effects. Secondly, I love vertical compositions and narrow lanes are perfect for that. And lastly, usually the kind of stories and events I look for, happen in those places. You will often find people doing everyday chores, chatting with other people, or just taking a break and having tea, or maybe someone is just sitting on his/her doorstep at the end of the day. For me these places are full of emotions, stories, and the unique essence of local lifestyle which I don’t find in the main city streets. So yes for me, it’s more about seeing life happening rather than getting restrained.

There is a contentment and serenity in the people going about these everyday task, which is partly what makes them special. I see it as these little moments that might seem like nothing but are important because they are part of life. Or maybe that even the little moments in life can be beautiful.  Am I way off?

You are absolutely right. I truly believe that it’s the little things and little moments that make living beautiful. And to find happiness you don’t really need to do much if you know the importance of simple small moments. As I mentioned my photographs are a reflection of my own personal realization: I realized that being happy and creating something perfect, didn’t mean I had to do something big. It’s just enjoying what you have, and looking at your surroundings with a positive mind.

Okay, loaded questions. What does photography mean to you?  And what do you wish to do with it?

Well I started photography as another medium to express myself and to create my art. I know that one way or another I’d still create no matter what, let it be photography or through drawing or painting. But yes one thing photography did for me is give me creative freedom and open up both my heart and eyes to find the beauty around me. I also overcame many of my fears, traveled to unknown places, and met so many wonderful artists and people who I really admire and am proud to call my friends. So yeah, photography is a world which, right now, I just can’t live without. In my artwork, I always wanted to create something that’s meaningful to other people and that’s what I want to continue with photography. To create images that will make me, and at the same time, other people happy. Through my work, I hope I can add a little beauty to their lives. This world has so many problems and bad things are happening everyday, if my work can make people feel happy and appreciate the beauty of life even for a moment, I’ll be happy.

 

Ashraful has definitely given us a chance to appreciate the beauty of life and find a moment of happiness with his imagery. And whether it is still life or street photography, we’re excited to follow his journey as a photographer. Now, if only we could convey his message about appreciating the little moments to almost anyone who rides the subway in New York City.

Follow Ashraful Arefin on his Website, Facebook, & Both Instagram Accounts: Street Photography & Still Life Photography

The post Discovering The Quiet Side of City Life in India appeared first on Resource Travel.

Listen, I know it could be worse, I know. But I’m just speaking for New York’s consciousness right now so don’t kill the messenger.

The point is that it’s moments like this where scouring the internet for travel stories becomes a necessity. It’s not even that I sit here pretending to be somewhere with warm weather, because I know I’m just as happy to look at a perfect wave in Tahiti as I am studying the Northern lights painting an Artic sky. It’s just the sense of escapism and wonder that these images will convey that will counteract the reality of being hunkered down in my apartments as the world turns white outside.

This film from Timefocus Films is helping fuel my wanderlust, however.

The film showcases the landscapes of New Zealand in 8K, which is way above the resolution most of us can view. But even watching this splendid film in 4k, you will be blown away by the sharp, vibrant visuals.  Using timelapse cinematography, as well as steller lighting and composition, the video showcases New Zealand’s gorgeous and stunning scenery. The cinematic music overlays the imagery enhances the experience, making everything feel even more incredible than the stunning visuals already do. And yes, the video description pays tribute to Lord Of The Rings, so they already know you’ve made the connection.

TimeFocus Fims, based in Czech Republic, specializes in time-lapse videos. And if you enjoyed this, they have videos of Iceland and Jeseniky (Czech Republic) as well, both of which are definitely worth watching.

But wait, I know you don’t want to go back to reality quite yet. Here are some awesome still shots from TimeFocus for your viewing pleasure.

See more on the Timefocus Film’s YouTube-page, Facebook page, Instagram and timefocusfilms.com

The post Time-lapse Film Shows the Stunning and Diverse Landscapes of New Zealand appeared first on Resource Travel.

For those of you who don’t know what Treefort is, it’s a five day festival known for showcasing local legend musicians as well musicians from around the world. As Treefort grows in size and popularity, so does the number of ‘forts’ that overtake the city. In addition to the main forts such as Alefort and Foodfort, new forts have blossomed up that bring interests to many different people who might not just be into the music, food and beer. Yogafort, Filmfort, Hackfort, Storyfort and Kidfort are just some of the ways that the Treefort organizers have branched out to make sure the festival has something for everyone.

While not personally being a yogi, a hacker or having children (although all three are on my lengthy To-Do List), here is what I am stoked to check out this year at Treefort. Forgive my mediocre photography. I may have had a couple of tasty craft beers prior, during, and after all photos were taken.

The Music

Two years ago, while experiencing my first Treefort after moving to Idaho, the late, great Screaming Eagle of Soul, Charles Bradley brought me to tears with his passion and love that bounced off of the concrete walls that surrounded the main stage. Last year, Lizzo had me shaking my hips (it wasn’t pretty, trust me on that) as her lively, fun filled performance left the town in a buzz.

This year, 460 bands have descended upon Idaho’s capital city to play in numerous venues scattered throughout downtown Boise. On the three day weekend, the music starts early in the afternoon and rocks all night till the bars close at 2am. From small coffee houses to the main stage, Treefort prides itself on showcasing Boise’s local talent, and this year, local legends like Built to Spill, Magic Sword, Great Bait, Tree People and Jeff Crosby return to play to their longtime neighbors and newcomers. Headliners this year from outside of Boise include George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Andrew W.K, Princess Nokia, and the Russian feminist protest punk rock group Pussyriot, who have made worldwide headlines for being jailed in Moscow due to their guerrilla protest performances in public places.

Make no mistake about it. While Treefort has something for everyone, the soul of the festival is its lively and diverse music performances. And each year, they just keep getting better and better.

The Beer

What’s better than enjoying incredible live music? Enjoying incredible live music with tasty and bold craft beer! Throughout Treefort, the ‘Alefort’ tent is always filled with beer lovers who gladly hop from one brewery to the next, tasting exclusive and rare brews that are often made in small batches, specifically for Treefort.

My favorite part of Alefort is the ‘nail pull’ event, where brewers will unleash barrel aged beer by pulling a nail out of the barrel as the happy drinker holds their tasting glass underneath. The beer is not cold, as it has been barrel aged out of a refrigerator, but, warm or cold, the Barbarian Brewery nail pull events have produced some of the finest beers I have ever tasted.

Boise, and Idaho in general, has a pretty impressive collection of breweries. Local beer makers like Barbarian Brewery, Payette Brewing, Edge Brewing, 10 Barrel and Sockeye all make impressive beers that are a hit with the fans at Alefort. Alefort is one of those places where you enter with the intention of staying 15 minutes and leave two hours later with a smile on your face and a belly full of unique and delicious beer.

The Food

With all that beer being consumed, you better make sure to have something hearty in your belly if you plan on seeing that band you love at midnight. Luckily, Foodfort has you covered. The best of the best of Boise’s exploding food scene are positioned next to Alefort and local food trucks are parked just outside the main stage, giving hungry party goers plenty of options. Over the multi day festival, you can have anything from BBQ Brisket to street tacos to bacon and sage popcorn, and everything in between.

Between the beer and the food, you would think you would gain 10 pounds over a the five day festival. But luckily, the walking between venues and constant booty shaking to the music will give you your daily fix of calorie burning.

The Location

Ah, Boise. I really do love this town. While Boise is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, it still possesses a small town vibe. It is a perfect city for outdoor enthusiasts and weekend warriors, where a casual stroll downtown will have you looking out to the Boise mountains, which are popular with mountain bikers and hikers in the summer, and skiers and snowboarders in the winter.

And Treefort capitalizes on the local’s love for their town. Would it be easier to hold Treefort in some big fairground, centralizing everything, a la Coachella? Sure, but then it wouldn’t be Treefort. What makes Treefort so unique in the music festival world is that it is a true ‘downtown’ music festival, that literally takes over the entire downtown for those five days. And no one here minds. Quite the opposite. We welcome the madness because Treefort is safe, fun, and great for the local economy. While there is never a bad time to visit Boise, I am hard pressed to find a better time to visit than Treefort.

The Community

While I have made Treefort out to sound like this mega festival that is so big, it needs an entire downtown and almost 20 venues to hold everyone, nothing is further from the truth. While Treefort has grown considerably since its inception, I am still amazed how SMALL it often feels when in the thick of it. The organizers have done everything right. Having so many venues and so many options prevents any one place from becoming too overcrowded at any time. I only had to wait in line a couple of times last year, and that was mainly to my poor planning by not getting to a popular band’s show BEFORE they went on stage.

But no matter how big the festival gets, there is always a sense of community everywhere you go. Local companies set up their stands and find ways to help the local community while showing off their latest products. Take the local clothing store Wear Boise for example. Stop by their stand, step into a photo booth with a bunch of adorable dogs, and proceeds will go to the much loved Idaho Humane Society (we LOVE our four legged fur friends here.)

This is far from the only example. Boise is a close knit community made up of a diverse group of people. And as you walk through the festival, you will see old friends hugging each other, new friends laughing together, and everyone smiling as one.

This is Boise. This is Treefort. And we aren’t going anywhere.

The post 5 Reasons Why I Am Stoked For Treefort Music Festival in Boise, Idaho appeared first on Resource Travel.

He first picked up a DSLR camera in 2007 and over the years through trial and error, and two years as a nightlife photographer in Copenhagen, he has honed the craft. A brief stint away from the camera in 2013 was followed by a two month volunteer project in Botswana, Africa focusing on wildlife and environmental conservation. This experience gave Beiter ample opportunity to focus on what would become his favorite photography genres: travel, landscapes, and wildlife.

“Shapes of Lofoten” — Shortlisted Photo For The Sony World Photography Awards

Though he has traveled to Namibia, the Caribbean, Tanzania,  and New Zealand over the years, it wasn’t until 2016 when a trip to Lofoten, Norway sparked his obsession with photography. In the harsh Arctic climate, he found himself experimenting with filters, tripods, and long exposures, pushing himself out of his photography comfort zone, which made him eager to keep shooting and learning. So perhaps it is only fitting that his second trip to Lofoten would result in the beautiful photograph that has been recognized by The Sony World Photography Awards. Like learning, this honor has pushed Beiter’s inspiration in making his passion a career.

We asked Mikkel about the photo, his trip, and what attracts him to photography.

“Good Morning Sakrisøy”

Being shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards is a wonderful achievement. Did you have a good feeling about the photo before you submitted it to the contest?

It’s a huge milestone. I’ve always had a great feeling about this photo, I knew I caught a special moment when I took the photo but I had no idea it would reach so far in this competition.

“Lead The Way”

What is the story behind the photo? It just seems everything came together perfectly for the capture.

I took this photo during a morning walk around Sakrisøy in Lofoten, Norway. Here, there are a lot of classic spots when it comes to photography and my photo with the yellow cabin and the triangle shaped mountain is one of the classic locations. But I caught something special I think, as we had some fresh snow during the night and it covered the mountain perfectly. You can actually see how crisp the snow is when looking at the photo. Combining this fresh snow with a white to grey cloud covered sky made everything pop in the photo. The mountain stands out, the yellow cabin does as well, perfect contrasts! What makes it even more special is of course the triangle shape of the roof and the the mountain behind it, coming together in perfect alignment. Also, I took this photo handheld.

“Front Row”

What was it that drew you back to Arctic Norway?

This was my second visit to Lofoten in Northern Norway. This time I went with an old school buddy and our goal was actually to see the Northern Lights. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t cooperating with us during the trip and we only managed to see some faint aurora lasting just 20 minutes. Beside that it was a fantastic trip. I got to show my friend around the archipelago and he realized quite quickly why I really love Lofoten, its fjords, mountains and the small communities scattered around with small red cabins.

“Blue Hour”

What is your favorite aspect of travel photography?

It’s peaceful to be out in the field with your camera and this is one of the things I enjoy most about photography. I’ve always been an outdoor person and combining that love for nature with photography is just the perfect match! One thing that really attracts me about photography is that you are actually collecting memories, stories, or situations, either for yourself or others. I really enjoy to travel and sharing the beauty of the world with people from my perspective.

“After Glow”

You have a pretty impressive portfolio of images. Have you traveled to many countries?

My passion for photography and travel didn’t really exist before in 2016 and having a full-time job on the side limits you a bit when it comes to travel, so I have not visited as many countries as I would like. But I am sure that will change in the coming years! So far I’ve been to the following countries with photography being the main objective: Iceland, Norway, Faroe Islands, Germany, Italy, and Austria.

“Abstract Storm”

As far as travel and photography go, what is your next move?

That’s a hard question. I’m not really sure what my next move is. I don’t earn anything on my photography so I would probably continue as it is now, where I have a full-time job and then go and travel with my camera during my holidays. I hope I can make photography a full-time career one day, picking up assignments around the world.

It’s easy to see that Beiter has the eye and the skill set to be a successful travel photographer. We look forward to following his journey and seeing the beauty of nature through his lens.

Follow Mikkel Beiter on his Website, Instagram, & Facebook.

The post Finding Serenity in Lofoten, Norway With Photographer Mikkel Beiter appeared first on Resource Travel.

Google Lens can tell you what this is.

Google Technology (For those with a Google smart phone)

Google Lens:

This badboy lets you point your camera at an object and instantly receive information on that said object.  Imagine you are traveling in Paris and there is that big tower in the middle of the city and you have no idea what it is.  Pull out your Google Lens an BAM, it’s the Eiffel tower and here is a brief history of it.  It also works for movies—watch the trailer, read reviews, check the synopsis.  A similar function, of course with variation, for books and artwork in a museums as well.   It can also scan barcodes and follow URLs but hey, this is about travel! 

Google Pixel Buds

Time to throw away that Rosetta Stone CD that’s been on your shelf for ten years.  Google Pixel Buds is a game changer for nights out on the town in a foreign city. These are headphones that will translate, in real-time, over 40 different languages. So while someone is talking, the headphones translate what is being said, right into your ears. Remember all those girls at the bar that wouldn’t talk to you when you were traveling abroad because they didn’t speak English?  Well they were lying, they knew English.  You were just hammered and that’s not attractive to anyone in any country.  But now, if they tell you they don’t speak English, you can just use your Google Pixel Buds instead. 

In all seriousness, this is a real freaking translator.  Again, you are going to need the Pixel phone as well as the translator app for this.  How it works is you speak into the microphone attached to the earbuds, then your phone will speak out loud to the person you are trying to converse with,  and then the person will speak into your phone and you’ll hear it through the earbud.  The whole conversation is transcribed on the phone screen.  Sounds potentially awkward but hey, it’s better than pulling out that little book and looking for a way to ask for a bathroom.

Thanks to Google, I knew there were 4 newborns on this flight

Google Flight  (Accessible To All):

Recap of All the New Features on Google Flights:

Google Flights has changed the way we find and book airfare. While their search engine wasn’t the first on the block, they have quietly made so many improvements that are ground breaking for people who are booking a lot of flights. Some of their newest features:

• Using historical data and machine learning algorithms, Flights will tell you if your flight will be delayed on their own accord, not the airlines.  Don’t worry, it has to be 80 percent sure it is correct before you are notified.  
• It’ll now tell you the restrictions on that budget airline that you are forced to take—for example, whether you can choose your seat, or if there is a carry on fee.  You know, all those things they add on to make your cheap flight not so cheap.
• It will tell you the best time to book a flight, again using machine learning technology that will analyze historic data.  After you choose a destination, you can receive tips about whether a price will drop in the future or if it is lower than normal or if it is cheaper to fly in and out on a different day.  This feature will also work with hotel bookings.
• You can edit your itineraries with Google Trips app, which also lets you check out things to do and places to eat around your destination, find transportation options as well as inform you of local currency and free wi-fi options.

So there you have it. While Google is obviously not known as a travel company, they have some great products that make a travelers life much easier. And, being that it is Google, we are willing to bet this is only the beginning.

Eiffel Tower Photo by: Paul Gaudriault

Airplane In The Yellow Sky Photo by: Dominik Scythe

The post 3 Ways Google Is Making Travel Easier appeared first on Resource Travel.

Luckily for us who think this would be an amazing way to enjoy a night out in the wilderness, Bubble Tent Australia has set-up a glamping experience in New South Wales where bubble tents overlook the Capertee Valley.   

The company was founded with the idea of recreating an otherworldly stargazing experience on Lake Tekapo in New Zealand.

To be able to replicate… well dare we say it, IMPROVE on our Lake Takepo experience, is what we’re here for. We are introducing a concept which allows you and your special plus one to experience something you’ve never experienced before, sleeping under the stars in a clear and inflatable bubble tent in superior comfort and convienence in the remoteness of the country.

Inside each tent you’ll find a bed, chairs, and even a telescope to look at the night sky.  Outside, there is a campfire pit, a daybed, and a hammock and even a bathtub.  As of now, food isn’t provided.  So far, there are only three tents total on the thousand acre property, which all but guarantees a remote and private experience. 

The idea is pretty original, and the photos have us anxious to visit the Capertee Valley and set up shop in this paradise for a few days. The only negative? We may never want to sleep under a roof again. 

For more information and availability, visit the Bubble Tent Australia website. 

The post In Australia, You Can Sleep In a Bubble Tent…And It Looks Awesome appeared first on Resource Travel.

Photo by Marshall Birnbaum

The world’s first snow artist, Beck first began his work 2004.  At the time he was a freelance orienteer map maker and wanted a form of exercise that didn’t hurt his troubled feet.  Living in the French Alps, the snow presented a natural canvas, though Beck, prior to that moment, didn’t consider himself much of an artist.  “I only do snow drawings.  I wouldn’t take paint brushes and paint a picture if I didn’t have good snow. Lots of people are much better at a painting than I am.”

Photo by Marshall Birnbaum

Perhaps this is why he even surprised himself with the results the first time.  Five years later, he decided he wanted to take his work more seriously.  He put more effort into building a portfolio of his art and creating an online presence.  Fourteen years and over 250 snow pieces later, he nows makes a living from it.  He has done two Ted talks, created a clothing line, printed a book, and has traveled the world creating his designs.

Most recently, Beck created a piece in Target Field in Minnesota, home of the Minnesota Twins, for The Great Northern, an annual 10-day winter celebration in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.  He shared with Resource Travel his thoughts about working in a baseball field compared to a mountain slope.

“It was a very different feeling.  All the background noise from the city surrounding it,” Simon said.  “I didn’t really know how deep the snow was either.  At one edge the snow was really quite shallow and I wasn’t sure how much it would be usable.”

Beck, usually relying on direct sunlight to see his lines in the indistinctive snow’s surface, found it hard to see his work: “The most annoying thing about making that piece in Target Field was that the stands surround the field and they caused these really deep shadows and you’re going in and out of shadows all the time.”

Despite the difficulties, Beck, humble in his work, said he still found it to be “a respectfully good result.”

The results are better than that.  Stunning, really.  And though the artwork itself may be similar to other pieces he’s made in the mountains, the juxtapositions of his work, framed by the stadium’s metal and concrete core, creates an illusion of natural creation. It’s beautiful.

Beck’s reasons for creating his designs has varied of the years—from being commissioned, to enjoyment, to working in a fantastic location, to exercise.  But trying to push forth a message about the environment, as he hopes to do with his work, is no doubt one of his most important motivations.

“I think people need to look after the planet we got better than we are doing so.  Control ourselves somehow,” Beck said.  A portion of the sales from his clothing line, which feature images of his designs, is donated to the nonprofit Protect Our Winters: “We need to face the problems we are causing rather than trying solve them by escaping somewhere else.  We are here, we have a nice planet that looks after us and we gotta look after it a bit more.  It’s a team effort, we gotta help it and it’s gotta help us.”

Whether that be in the geometric design, the process of the work itself, or the message he tries to push forth, his artwork, so extraordinary and beautiful, warrants further investigation.  And at the very least, he hopes, his designs, composed purely of the environment, should make one consider the implications of human negligence in this world.

No matter how you look at it, Simon Beck is doing something both amazing and unique.

Follow Simon Beck’s art on his Instagram & Facebook and grab a copy of his is book here.

Photo 1 & 2 by Marshall Birnbaum

All other photos from Simon Beck’s Facebook

The post The Story Behind Simon Beck’s Stunning Snow Art appeared first on Resource Travel.

You know, that photo that was the best of the twenty others you took, the one you spent way too much time setting up, then spent way too much time deciding which one was best, then spent way too much time deciding how some editing will make it better, and then spent way too much time checking to see how many likes you got.  You know, that one.

Vietnam? Or that pho place down the street?

Traveling is supposed to grant you a sense of wonder, an openness to experiences and differing lifestyles–but maybe it loses some of its vitality when you are just following the masses and seeing it all through the filter of a phone screen.  And that’s what the film comes down to: in trying to get that photo for your followers to double tap and give you those much needed likes for vindication, you might be missing the point of traveling in general.

The video creator, Oliver, made this with that in mind.  He wrote:

“During my trip, I felt that many people didn’t really enjoy the moment and were hooked to their smartphones. As if the ultimate goal of travel was to brag about it online and run after the likes and followers.”

Having been guilty of taking similar photos, this video is funny, enlightening, and sad all at the same time.  But that’s okay, because Oliver felt similar:

“So I’m basically making fun of something I’m part of. The irony is strong.”

Whether you are guilty of it or not, you can still laugh at it.  And maybe it’ll make you think about enjoying the moment rather than worry what your followers are going to think…Okay, you spent a lot of time and money to get there, so yeah, take the photo, but you know, do it for yourself and not for them.

 
Feature photo by Ross Parmly via Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/rf6ywHVkrlY

The post This Video Proves That We All Take The Same Damn Travel Photos appeared first on Resource Travel.

Canada aerial photography, mountains at sunrise Banff National Park.

I talked with with Shainblum about this project and his love for aerial photography. See the rest of the photo story on his blog.

You have done a lot of cool stuff in your career. Where does flying above the Canadian Rockies rank in that long list?

Flying over the Rockies was really high up there. I love seeing these beautiful mountains from below, but flying above and around really gives them a new perspective. I love doing aerial photography and this was my first flight over mountain scenes, making it a really special moment that I will never forget.

Canada aerial photography, mountains at sunrise Banff National Park.

The early morning fog definitely adds drama to the photos. Is this a common occurrence in the Canadian Rockies? Or were you just lucky?

The pilot said it is not rare to get a bit of morning fog or morning mist. But he said the full cloud inversion that we had was extremely rare. We felt so lucky to have witnessed such beautiful conditions for the ride. The week leading up to the flight was mostly rain and stormy weather. So it was a really nice surprise to see.

Canada aerial photography, mountains at sunrise Banff National Park.

You obviously seem to gravitate to the mountains, as they are the subjects of some of your most well known photos. For you, what is difference in experience from shooting the mountains from the ground as well as from above? Do you prefer one or the other?

I think the experience of being in a helicopter above mountains is amazing enough to where even if I was not a photographer, I would still try and have that experience. That being said, I probably still enjoy shooting mountains from below more. I like the challenge of fine tuning compositions and scouting around an area to find the perfect foreground shapes to showcase the mountains. On the ground even moving an inch with the tripod can completely change the look of a composition. It is both a blessing and a curse that everything looks so amazing from a helicopter.It is a different type of shooting for sure and I love both for different reasons. No matter from above or below, I really can’t get enough mountain scenes in my life.

See more from Shainblum on his website, Facebook, 500px, and Instagram.

Canada aerial photography, mountains at sunrise Banff National Park.

Canada aerial photography, mountains at sunrise Banff National Park.

Canada aerial photography, mountains at sunrise Banff National Park.

Canada aerial photography, mountains at sunrise Banff National Park.

The post Michael Shainblum’s Stunning Photos From a Morning Flight Above the Canadian Rockies 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

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President Trump ordered Zinke to review the 25 National Monuments looking for evidence of “an egregious abuse of power” and a “massive federal land grab.” Based on the controversy surrounding Bears Ears, Zinke immediately made this his first Monument review. His initial recommendation came down today, and it’s not good.

If you don’t want to read the whole post, essentially, Secretary Zinke has determined that, while the land is beautiful, 1.3 million acres of protection is overkill. He recommends that Congress “revise the existing boundaries” of Bears Ears and asked Congress to lay out how the remaining parts of the monument will be managed.

In the report, he asks that Congress grant tribal officials co-management of “designated cultural resources”.  Not believing the entire monument should be conservation land, he also asks that Congress “make more appropriate conservation designations.”

The announcement has sent an immediate backlash to the Secretary’s Facebook page as well as the Department of Interior Facebook page, which is being managed by social media employees who miss the days when their job was to share photos of America’s beautiful protected lands, not be caught in the middle of this deeply unpopular recommendation.

Strangely, after the recommendation has already been handed down, the Department of Interior has extended the public comment period, leading people to wonder what good commenting their opinions will do with a administration that has clearly already made up their mind about the future of Bears Ears.

Lawsuits were promised by both environmental and Native American groups, setting up the stage for a lengthy battle, which is already beginning despite the fact that Secretary Zinke asked for the decision to be put on hold until the formal review of all of the Monuments is completed.

What do you think of Zinke’s recommendation? Do you think the lawsuits have a chance of halting the downsizing of Bears Ears National Monument? Let us know in the comments.

All photos by Bob Wick, used under Creative Commons from the Bureau of Land Management Flickr page.

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