Photography Gift Guide

Looking for the perfect holiday present for that photographer in your life? It’s not always easy! These are best photography gift ideas for camera lovers, no matter what your budget.

Skip the gift card this year, and buy a birthday or holiday photography gift that your favorite amateur or professional photographer will actually appreciate.

These popular gifts for photographers can help make taking photos more convenient.

Photographers can be a picky bunch! If you’re not a photographer yourself, it can be difficult to know what they want.

As a long-time travel photographer, I choose to pack photo gadgets that have multiple uses, don’t take up to much space, and will improve my photography experience of capturing beautiful images.

So here are some of my best gift ideas for photographers that are guaranteed to put a smile on the recipient’s face!

Why listen to me? Experience! I’ve been traveling around the world for ten years as a professional travel photographer, licensing images to brands like National Geographic.

Matthew KarstenThe Expert Vagabond

My Photographer Gift Guide For 2022

Best Photography Gifts Under $100

1: Camera Sensor Cleaning Wand

A must-have for photographers to keep their camera sensors clean. The Eyelead Cleaning Kit is used to pull away stubborn sensor dust that can’t be removed with a standard air blower.

Dust on a digital camera’s sensor can ruin photos & video with spots, this camera cleaning kit allows you to safely remove the dust without damaging the sensitive sensor.

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2: Peak Design Camera Clip

One of my favorite pieces of photography gear, the Peak Design Capture Clip allows you to wear your camera on your belt, or on your backpack straps, keeping your hands free for other tasks. The camera adapter fits into most tripod heads too!

Clipping in and out of the device is very quick and easy. You can even run with your camera strapped to your belt wearing this thing. Never miss another shot due to messing around with a camera bag. It’s a fantastic accessory for those who hike or walk a lot with their camera.

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3: SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD

Photographers can never have enough storage space for their photos! The SanDisk Portable SSD is a pocket hard drive you can bring with you anywhere. Because it’s SSD, the drive is super reliable and can take a bit of abuse on the road.

I bring one of these drives with me to backup up any photos I take during a trip, so I have at least two copies of the images somewhere, just in case my computer gets busted or stolen. The 500 GB version costs less than $100, but you can also get storage up to 4TB (it just costs more).

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4: Wireless Bluetooth Remote

Does that photographer you’re shopping for never get photos of herself/himself? Why not give the gift of great selfies and group shots without needing to hand the camera over to someone else? Check out this Sony Wireless Bluetooth Remote!

Once paired to a Sony camera, you can use the remote to focus and shoot photos or video from up to 60 feet away. The perfect accessory for an Instagram addict!

IMPORTANT NOTE: this particular remote only works with Sony Cameras. Check out this remote for Canon Cameras, and this one for Nikon Cameras.

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5: Peak Design Sling Bag

A Peak Design Sling Bag is wonderful gift for a photographer who needs something small and lightweight to carry their equipment around. The bag is weather-resistant, stylish, and will help protect camera gear. It also has has a lifetime guarantee!

There are 3 different sizes, and both the 3L & 6L bags are under $100. They are the perfect size to carry a camera and spare lens around a city for a day. Available in multiple colors too. It’s also a wonderful gift for travelers.

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6: Camera Rain Cover

A Peak Design Camera Shell is always in my camera bag, as it allows me to protect my camera in bad weather like rain or snow. It also doubles as some basic protection in general, like if I’m just going to throw my camera in a beach bag for the day.

Combined with a Peak Design Capture Clip mentioned earlier, photographers get the best of both worlds — quick access to their camera on the go, but with protection from the elements too. A very unique gift idea for photographers!

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7: Quick Release Camera Strap

The Peak Design Leash is a minimalist camera strap that packs down small, but is easy and convenient to use. The quick connectors can hold up to 200 lbs, so it works for both small and larger camera setups.

If the camera strap is getting in the way or blowing in the wind, for example when your using a tripod, you can easily remove it. It comes in multiple colors, and they have wider versions too if you prefer more comfort.

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Gifts For Photographers Under $25

8: Filtered Air Blaster

An air blaster is used to clean a digital camera’s sensor, lens, and other sensitive components from dust buildup. I personally love this particular air blaster because it pre-filters the air coming in, so you’re not just blowing dusty air back on your camera.

It’s also super small and easy to pack in a camera bag. Most photographers carry multiple lenses with them, that need to be changed from time to time. Dust can get into the camera during these lens changes, and it can ruin photos unless it’s blown away.

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9: Micro-Fiber Cleaning Cloths

Another photographer must-have gift is a healthy stash of micro-fiber cleaning cloths. These are used to clean fingerprints, smudges, and water droplets off a camera lens to get the clearest images possible.

I always pack a few of these in my camera bag, and I’m always running low on them too.

These K&F Concept Micro-Fiber Cloths are my favorites so far, each comes individually vacuum-sealed to ensure they are free of dust. They are small, and don’t take up much space.

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10: Think Tank Camera Accessory Pouch

I own a few of these Think Tank Camera Accessory Pouches (in different sizes) to keep all my cables, battery chargers, SD cards, and other camera accessories organized. The clear sides allow me to quickly figure out what’s inside.

An awesome gift for photographers who want to stay more organized!

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11: Camera Lens Coffee Mugs

This is just a fun photography gift. Know someone who’s both into photography, and loves coffee? These camera lens coffee mugs are a wonderful gift idea!

The mugs look exactly like camera lenses, and they come in both white and black colors. The top of these stainless steel insulated coffee mugs even looks like lenses! This could also be a good idea for photography enthusiasts who work from home.

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Unique High-End Photographer Gift Ideas

12: Portable Travel Camera Tripod

Every photographer needs a solid tripod to help capture the magic of the northern lights, epic sunrises and sunsets, and other kids of low-light or night photography. The Peak Design Travel Tripod is small enough to take anywhere and strong enough to hold large cameras.

The innovative design allows it to be packed down very small for travel, yet extends to a full size tripod. It also includes a handy attachment for your smartphone! You can read my full review of this tripod here.

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13: Fujifilm Instax Smartphone Printer

This thing is magic! The Fujifilm Instax Printer is an ultra small portable photo printer that allows you to quickly print photos directly from your smartphone for friends and family. It’s super fun to bring to parties, family reunions, or while traveling.

Send your photos to the printer via Bluetooth from your phone, and print them out to give to friends or hang them up around the house. Images print fast, with surprising quality, in a 2X3 format.

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14: Aura Mason Digital Photo Frame

While it may look like a normal picture frame, this Digital Photo Frame from Aura can store all your favorite photos and display them in high resolution on a rotating basis. The frame is 9 inches.

You can control what’s displayed on the frame using their smartphone app, or set it up with some pre-loaded images before you give it as a gift (great for family or friends who might not be very tech savvy). The brightness of the photos automatically adjusts to the ambient lighting of the room too.

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15: An Online Photography Course

I know most photographers think their photos are amazing already, but there’s always room to improve! The best way to level-up your photography skills is to learn from other professional working photographers.

Gifting a professional online photography course is a wonderful present for that photographer in your life. Plenty of amature photographers could use some help with turning their hobby into a well-paying career.

Luckily I’ve put together a review about my favorite online photography classes that cover everything from post-processing techniques — to making money with your photography.

Browse Top photo courses here →

Happy Holidays This Season!

Well, that’s it for the best gifts for photographers in 2022. I hope you found some unique gift ideas for the photographer in your life who loves shooting images.

Whether you’re photography shopping for a birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwansa, or even Festivus — you can’t go wrong with these fun photography gifts!

I actually own and use most of these products regularly as a working photographer.

Happy shopping this holiday season, and remember to get out there with your own camera too! ★

My Amazon Shop

Check out my full Amazon Shop to see all my favorite travel, photography, and outdoor gear.

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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Travel Photography Gear

I’ve been working as a travel photographer & blogger for 10-years, so I get a lot of questions about what kind of photography gear I use. Take a peek inside my camera bag!

Now, when you’re reading this list, please understand that I’m a working professional freelance photographer. I own a lot of gear. Much more than I first started with.

Most travelers don’t need backup cameras, drones, and multiple lenses.

If you’re simply interested in a good portable camera for traveling, make sure to check out my complete guide to the best travel cameras for every budget.

I also share some photography gear recommendations for beginners at the end of this post, and you can check out my personal Amazon Shop to see all my photography & travel gear.

Keep in mind that I don’t pack absolutely everything on this list in my camera bag all the time, instead I pack according to each trip and shooting scenario.

My Travel Photography Gear In 2022

Sony A7R III – Main Camera Body

I was a Canon fanboy for years and started my backpacking adventures back in 2010 with the Canon 7D. However, when Sony came out with their smaller (and superior) mirrorless A7 line, I made the switch.

Since then I’ve been using Sony cameras & lenses for the past 6-years.

Sony’s camera & sensor technology is often far ahead of competitors these days — in fact, even Nikon uses Sony sensors in their cameras!

The Sony A7R III is built for high-end landscape photography with a massive 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor. This sensor is HUGE! But the camera body isn’t, which is pretty incredible.

Frankly, this is far too much camera for most travelers though.

If you are trying to save some money, another great option is picking up a used Sony A7 III or Sony A6600. Both are amazing cameras for travel photos.

Camera Lenses

Sony 16-35mm F2.8 – Wide Angle Lens

The 16-35mm F2.8 is the lens that’s on my camera 75% of the time. As a landscape photographer, I love shooting wide to capture as much of a big landscape as possible.

But you can also get decent portraits out of it zoomed in to 35mm and stopped down to F2.8. This lens works well for night and star photography too.

There is a less expensive version of this, the Sony 16-35mm F4 which is another decent option too.

Sony 24-70mm F2.8 – Medium Zoom Lens

Occasionally I need a little more reach. Or, I only have space for one lens (like on bigger hiking trips), and want the best of both worlds.

The 24-70mm F2.8 isn’t quite as wide, but often wide enough for most landscapes. With the added ability to zoom in to small subjects far away, or to compress the background making mountains “look” bigger.

This is also my go-to portrait lens for taking photos of people!

Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM – Telephoto Zoom

The 100-400mm F4.5 is my wildlife photography lens, outdoor portraits, or to compress big mountain ranges. I don’t use it that often, and don’t bring it along on every trip. If weight is an issue, it’s usually the first to be left behind.

But if I have a particular shot in mind that requires a telephoto, I’ll bring it.

By adding a Sony 1.4X teleconverter, I can increase the range to 560mm (which is nice for safari photography).

Additional Photography Equipment

Sony RX100 VII – Backup Camera

For a long time, I only traveled with one camera. But as I began getting hired for professional photography gigs, I realized that a backup camera was a wise investment.

The Sony RX100 is a tiny point & shoot pocket camera with professional features. It offers full manual control, and the ability to shoot in RAW format.

I also use it for shooting time-lapses, vlogging, and for certain situations where I don’t want to bring my large camera with me. Like sketchy parts of town, into bars/nightclubs, etc.

For most travelers, this would be a perfectly fine primary travel camera too! It’s super small, but super powerful. It even has a 200mm zoom for wildlife!

GoPro Hero 9 – Action Camera

I’ve been using a GoPro since I started traveling ten years ago. I’ve owned almost all the models! Currently, I travel with the GoPro Hero 9.

GoPro cameras are great at capturing hands-free action or “b-roll” and you can attach them to almost anything. Plus, they are waterproof and shockproof!

I use my GoPro for surfing, mountain biking, hiking, snowboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, cliff jumping, interior and exterior moving-vehicle footage, and more.

Just owning a GoPro is not enough to get great images and video. The magic of these cameras is in the multitude of accessories that are available for them!

DJI Mavic Air 2 – Flying Drone

The perfect tool for capturing aerial photography and video, while costing much less than renting a helicopter! Drones have really come a long way.

I couldn’t be happier with the DJI Mavic Air 2.

It flies super fast, is extremely reliable, and shoots high-quality RAW photos and 4K video. Not to mention it folds up crazy small!

The 360-degree sensors help stop you from running into things while flying, so you can concentrate on the shot. Active track and intelligent flight modes can do a lot of the work for you.

Top Online Photography Courses

Want to improve your photography? Fancy gear is nice, but learning from other photographers is a better investment.

Click Here For Free Guide

Camera Bags For Travel Photography

Peak Design Travel Backpack – Camera Daypack

It took me a while to find a great camera backpack that I really loved, and I went through many different ones.

I finally found a winner in the Peak Design Travel Backpack. It holds everything I need it to, sits comfortably on my back, and has the perfect amount of weatherproofing and gear protection.

You can strap on a tripod, hiking poles, and other day-hiking gear. There’s a dedicated laptop pocket, room for a jacket and snacks, plus it opens from the back for easy access on the ground. It’s perfect to carry-on airplanes or walk around a city with my photo gear.

Now, it’s not really set up for long-distance trekking or overnight camping though. For that, I use a different setup.

Peak Design Range Pouch – Camera Lens Bag

This is a special lens pouch, and the large size is big enough to keep a 100-400mm zoom lens safe & secure.

Or you can fit two smaller lenses in it (with a divider) or even a drone.

I use this specifically for long-distance trekking adventures, when I want to bring along an extra lens or my drone, but I also need to carry a regular hiking backpack filled with food, clothing, and camping gear.

It’s also handy for safely packing a camera lens in my suitcase, if my camera bag is going to be too heavy for some smaller airplane flights (specifically tropical islands!).

My Lightweight Camera Tripod

Peak Design Travel Tripod – Lightweight Tripod

As a landscape photographer, a solid yet lightweight travel tripod is a key piece of my photography equipment.

I use my Peak Design Travel Tripod (full review here) to stabilize the camera in low light situations and with high f-stop settings (for maximum focus range). It allows me to get shots I just can’t achieve hand-held.

Sunsets, sunrises, the northern lights, star photography, and motion blurred waterfalls are just some of the situations where having a tripod is important.

I also use it to film myself for vlogs, as well as to shoot travel selfies when I’m hiking on my own. There are cheaper tripod options available, which I share in my guide to the best travel tripods.

Favorite Camera Accessories

Peak Design Capture Clip

I love this thing so much! Basically, the Peak Design Capture Clip allows you to “clip” your camera onto your belt, or on the shoulder straps of a backpack, for easy access (and to keep your hands free).

I use it constantly for day hikes, long-distance trekking, walking around cities, and basically, anywhere I know I’ll want quick access to my camera. While I still use a camera strap sometimes, this is the primary way I carry my camera. You can even run with it!

It’s also a great photography gift idea, if you’re unsure what a photographer would want.

HINT: If you have a larger camera, the Peak Design Pro Pad makes carrying it on your belt MUCH more comfortable.

Peak Design Camera Strap

When I’m not using my Peak Design camera clip mentioned above, I snap on this Peak Design Leash Camera Strap and sling it around my shoulders it like you’d wear a rifle.

The Peak Design quick release system allows me to easily remove the strap if it’s getting in the way, or snap it right back on. Adjusting the strap length is also super fast. It’s pretty minimal and doesn’t take up much room in a camera bag. 

Camera Rain & Snow Protection

So, if I’m carrying my camera on my backpack straps, what happens if it starts raining? While my Sony A7R III has decent weather sealing, in bad weather I throw on my Peak Design Shell Rain Cover. This helps protect my camera from the elements, while also keeping it ready to access.

Now if the rain or snow is REALLY coming down, or I’m shooting near the ocean (like in Antarctica), or maybe under a waterfall, I also pack a simple plastic rain sleeve like this.

External Microphones

For video, the internal microphones on cameras just aren’t very good. In fact, they’re pretty terrible. Because audio is SO important for creating a good video, I pack two different external microphones.

One is the Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun, which goes on the top of my camera. Great quality, and very small.

The other is the Tascam DR-TL Lavalier. This goes on my body, so I can get great audio even if the camera is far away, the room has a lot of echoes, or if it’s super windy out. You can than easily sync the audio to the video later while editing.

LED Video Light

This tiny but powerful Aputure ALM9 LED Light mounts to the camera’s hot-shoe and allows me to shoot video at night. It takes up almost no space and can be recharged via USB cable.

Camera Lens Filters

Lens filters help you achieve certain photography effects that just aren’t possible with software yet. Think of them as sunglasses for your camera.

I carry a Hoya Fusion One Polarizing Filter to help reduce glare & reflections on water, glass (like through helicopter windows), and to darken up the blues and clouds in a sky.

I also carry a Tiffen Variable ND Filter (neutral density) which cuts down the amount of light going into the camera to different degrees, depending on how much you spin it. Why? To create special effects like motion blur in a waterfall, even when it’s sunny outside.

Wireless Remote

One of my favorite pieces of gear is the Sony Bluetooth Remote. This allows me to shoot photos or video remotely, when I’m away from my camera.

I used to own a wireless radio intervalometer remote, but newer Sony cameras have the time-lapse function built into their camera software (FINALLY!), so it is no longer needed.

However I do still like to shoot photos of myself, or group photos, with the ability to auto-focus, and this Bluetooth remote does that perfectly without any special camera attachments!

Memory Cards

Because I shoot in RAW, with very large camera files, I use very fast memory cards. I own a mixture of Sony High-Performance 64GB and SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB class 10 cards which read/write at around 300 mb/s. 

Spare Batteries

There is nothing worse than running out of battery power during an epic photography moment! That’s why I always carry spare batteries for my cameras.

I own 4 batteries for my Sony A7R III, 2 batteries for my Sony RX100, 3 batteries for my drone, and 3 batteries for my GoPro.

Portable Hard Drives

I travel with an Apple Macbook Air 13″ with a 2TB SDD, which is usually plenty of room for the images & video I shoot on any given trip.

To back that up, I also pack a super small 2TB Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD. Once I get back “home”, I move everything over to a larger desktop RAID system.

Cold Weather Protection

I bought a cold-weather jacket for my camera a while back, for a few winter projects I was working on. Like camping on a frozen lake in Manitoba, and snowmobiling through the Russian wilderness.

It keeps your camera, batteries, lens, and your hands nice and toasty while shooting outdoors in below-zero temperatures. It’s a bit of a specialty product, and only makes it into my bag when I know I’ll be shooting in very extreme weather conditions.

Clear Accessory Pouches

I own a few Think Tank Camera Accessory Pouches to keep all my cables, battery chargers, and GoPro Accessories organized. The clear sides allow me to quickly figure out what’s inside.

Camera Cleaning & Maintenance

Microfiber Lens Cloths

There’s nothing worse than a foggy or smudged camera lens! I pack no less than 3 of these K&F Concept Microfiber Lens Cloths on every trip. Two go in my camera bag, one goes in my pocket for easy access. 

I always end up losing them too, so it never hurts to have more than you need laying around.

Air Blower

The problem with changing your lenses on mirrorless cameras is that the mirror is exposed to the elements, and they’re a magnet for dust. Dust on your sensor leaves you with “dust spots” on your photos (or worse, video).

A few quick bursts of air with this Camera Air Blower on your sensor can help clear that dust away.

Sticky Sensor Stick

When the air blower doesn’t work, and the dust on my sensor is too stubborn to blow away, I break out the big guns, my Eyelead Sensor Stick. It’s kind of like a gummy bear on a stick that pulls the dust away.

Budget-Friendly Camera Kit Examples

Yes, I own a lot of camera gear now. But that wasn’t always the case.

When I first started traveling, all I used was a Canon 7D, a wide angle zoom lens, a tripod, and a GoPro.

If you are still new to travel and adventure photography, don’t get discouraged by this giant list of gear-porn that I’ve accumulated over the years!

I do this professionally, so I can afford to go a little crazy.

For those of you traveling on a tighter budget, I’ve put together my ideal “starter travel photography kits” below — which won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

The Minimalist Backpacker Kit

• Sony RX100 VII – Compact Point & Shoot
• Joby Gorillapod 3K – Compact Tripod

Travel Photography Enthusiast Kit

• Sony A6600 – Compact Mirrorless
• Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 – Travel Zoom Lens
• MeFoto Backpacker S – Travel Tripod
• Peak Design Everyday Sling – Mirrorless Camera Bag

Improving Your Travel Photography

Ok! That was a big post. But people kept asking about my gear, so there you go.

However please remember that gear isn’t everything.

The best way to improve your travel photography is to practice as much as possible and learn new skills.

Even after ten years doing this, I’m still learning new techniques to get better.

Joining some online photography classes can really help you improve your images, as well as learn about the business side of photography.

Finally, check out my top travel photography tips for beginners too! ★

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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR

As a professional travel photographer, I get a lot of questions about what’s the best camera backpack for hauling your photo gear around. These are my favorites, and why.

Let’s be honest. Most tourists these days take photos with their smartphones, or maybe a compact travel camera. They don’t need a dedicated camera bag.

But what if you travel internationally with a ton of photography equipment like me? Or take your gear hiking?

Multiple cameras, lenses, a drone, etc. Maybe photography is your passion, or you run a YouTube channel, or work as a professional photographer?

You probably want a specialty photography backpack to pack that expensive gear safely and securely. I prefer traveling with a dedicated carry-on friendly camera backpack, and have spent the last few years trying out all kinds of different camera bags.

But what’s the best camera backpack for storing and traveling with your photo gear?

There’s no easy answer to this question. Different people will have different requirements and budgets for choosing a good camera backpack.

My goal with this camera backpack buyers guide is to help you narrow down the overwhelming choices — and pick the perfect camera backpack so you’re prepared for your next trip.

Why listen to me? Experience! I’ve been traveling around the world for ten years as a professional travel photographer, licensing images to brands like National Geographic.

Matthew KarstenThe Expert Vagabond

Here’s everything we’re going to cover (feel free to click to a specific section if you want to skip around).

Ultimate Camera Backpack Buyer’s Guide

Quick Answer: Best Camera Backpacks Of 2022

Backpack

Description

Price

Best Camera Backpack For Travel

Peak Design Travel Backpack

• FEATURES: Rear & Side loading, comfortable, durable, lockable zippers.
• WEIGHT: 4.5 LBS (2 KG)
• CAPACITY: 30-45L

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Best Urban Camera Backpack

Peak Design Everyday Backpack

• FEATURES: Top & side loading, comfortable, minimalist.
• WEIGHT: 4.65 LBS (2.1 KG)
• CAPACITY: 30L

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Stylish Camera Backpack

Nomatic McKinnon Camera Pack

• FEATURES: Rear loading, comfortable, waterproof.
• WEIGHT: 5.75 LBS (2.6 KG)
• CAPACITY: 35-42L

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Adventure Camera Backpack

Lowe Pro Whistler 350

• FEATURES: Rear loading, waterproof, durable, room for outdoor gear.
• WEIGHT: 5.6 LBS (2.5 KG)
• CAPACITY: 30L

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Trekking Photography Backpack

F-Stop Anja Camera Backpack

• FEATURES: Rear loading, waterproof, durable, room for outdoor gear.
• WEIGHT: 3.75 LBS (1.7 KG)
• CAPACITY: 40L

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Important Camera Backpack Features

WEIGHT – Obviously you want the lightest camera backpack you can find that’s also comfortable, because this will save your body from fatigue. The materials a backpack is made of can also affect its weight, and super light-weight fabrics can increase the price.

SIZE & CAPACITY – Backpack sizes are usually quoted in liters of volume they can hold. Generally, camera backpacks are going to run between 20-40 liters. However some adventure camera backpacks are designed to carry hiking & camping gear too, and can run 45-60 liters.

GEAR PROTECTION – The whole purpose of a specialized camera backpack over a regular bag is to help protect your expensive gear, while making it easily accessible too. Some bags go over the top with too much padding which adds to the overall weight.

SIDE/REAR LOADING – Camera backpacks are usually rear-loading, meaning you need unzip a panel on the back of the bag to access your photo gear. Some camera bags also offer side entry, so you can pull your camera out without taking off your backpack.

STRAP TYPES – A padded waist strap distributes the weight of your backpack on your core, instead of just your shoulders. This helps avoid sore shoulders and back pain, especially when wearing it for long periods of time. Especially handy for camera backpacks.

GEAR POCKETS – This is subjective, and everyone is different, but I prefer a minimal amount of pockets on my camera backpack. Some important ones include a quick-access pocket for things like keys, passport, sunglasses, etc. I also love when there’s a laptop pocket, and one for my filtered water bottle.

ZIPPERS – I prefer large, easy to use zippers on a backpack. Bonus points if they’re lockable zippers, specifically designed to be secured with a small luggage lock.

PROPER FIT – You could have the best travel backpack available, but if it doesn’t fit right, you’ll be miserable. Your torso length is more important than your height. Here’s a great backpack fitting guide.

LOOKS – Some camera backpacks are built to look like normal backpacks, others scream “there’s an expensive camera in here!”. I prefer a more subtle & minimalist look, but it’s ultimately up to you how important looks are.

WEATHER RESISTANCE – The material a backpack is made of can determine how weather-resistant it is. Some backpacks need a special rain-cover, others have rain-resistance built right in. You don’t want your gear getting wet!

CARRY-ON FRIENDLY – Airlines are getting stricter about the size and weight of your carry-on bag. As a general rule, I wouldn’t try to bring anything larger than a 40L camera backpack for carry-on luggage to be safe.

What Kind Of Photographer Are You?

When choosing a camera backpack, it’s important to have a general idea about how you plan to use it. Generally, I split photographers up into some different categories.

If you don’t lug a ton of photo equipment around, a small discreet camera backpack that you can carry-on an airplane and walk around a city with will do just fine. However, if you’re a professional photographer with lot of camera gear, or go on overnight treks with a lot of hiking & camping gear — you might want a larger adventure-style camera backpack.

Travel Photographers

Most typical travel photographers are going to want to keep their camera equipment on the plane with them in a camera backpack that’s not too big, and will look good when walking around the streets of Paris or Rome. They might embark on the occasional day hike too, but won’t need to fit camping gear inside their bag.

Adventure Photographers

Adventure photographers spend a lot of time shooting in the mountains, deserts, and jungles. Maybe they prefer visiting more remote destinations, and need space in their bag for a sleeping bag and tent. They pack their own multi-day backpacking and camping equipment to survive outside in the backcountry.

The camera backpack you choose from the guide below will depend on what kind of photographer you are (or think you’re going to be).

Online Photography Courses

Want to improve your photography? Fancy gear is nice, but learning from other photographers is a better investment.

Click Here For Free Guide

Top 6 Camera Backpacks For Photographers

1. Peak Design Travel Backpack – Matt’s Top Pick

Weight: 4.5 LBS (2 KG)
Capacity: 30-45 Liters
Load Range: 20-40 LBS
Colors: Black, Sage
Best For: Travel & Day Hiking
Price: Click Here For Latest Price

The best designed camera backpack I’ve tested so far, the Peak Design Travel Backpack has loads of space, makes it easy to access your gear, and the quality is fantastic. It was designed as a carry-on travel bag, but works amazing as a camera backpack too when paired with camera-specific packing cubes (which come in different sizes).

You can adjust the size of the bag from 30L to 45L depending on your travel needs. Backpack straps can all be hidden super fast, which is awesome. Accessing your photo gear is super easy and fast, it’s comfortable to carry, and it protects your equipment while traveling or hiking. There’s a dedicated laptop pocket too.

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:

2. Peak Design Everyday V2 – Urban Camera Backpack

Weight: 4.65 LBS (2.1 KG)
Capacity: 22-30 Liters
Load Range: 20-40 LBS
Colors: Black, Grey, Blue
Best For: Travel & Day Hiking
Price: Click Here For Latest Price

The Peak Design Everyday Backpack is a popular walk-around camera bag that’s great for lugging your camera equipment around cities, for day hikes, or as a carry-on camera backpack. The material looks great but is pretty weather resistant too.

It has three points of entry into the bag. From the top, as well as two side flaps for easy access to your camera gear without needing to remove the backpack completely. The MagLatch system leaves part of the bag open on the sides, because there’s no drawstring closure.

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:

3. McKinnon Camera Pack – Stylish Camera Backpack

Weight: 5.75 LBS (2.6 KG)
Capacity: 35-42 Liters
Load Range: 20-40 LBS
Colors: Black
Best For: Travel & Day Hiking
Price: Click Here For Latest Price

The Peter McKinnon Camera Pack from Nomatic is the perfect bag for every adventure. It allows you to pack camera gear and clothing in the same bag. With removable folding dividers, expansion, and external carry straps it allows you to pack it any way you want.

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:

4. LowePro Whistler 350 – Adventure Camera Backpack

Weight: 5.6 LBS (2.5 KG)
Capacity: 30 Liters
Load Range: 30-40 LBS
Colors: Grey
Best For: Outdoor Adventure Photography
Price: Click Here For Latest Price

The LowePro Whistler 350 has been my favorite travel camera backpack for years now! The special TPU coating can take a lot of abuse from the elements, and a large easy-to-use zipper allows you to open the camera compartment quickly, even with gloves on. The newer versions have a laptop pocket too.

It holds a deceptively large amount of gear, and I regularly carry it on airplanes loaded down with 30-40 lbs (don’t tell the airlines!). There’s a large front pocket to pack your lunch, a jacket, or even avalanche equipment. External gear straps can hold snowshoes, a snowboard, skis, your tripod, or anything you need.

LowePro also makes a larger 450 model, but it’s too big for airline carry-on.

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:

5. Strohl Mountain Light – Adventure Photography Backpack

Weight: 2.2 LBS (1 KG)
Capacity: 45 Liters
Load Range: 30-50 LBS
Colors: Black, Blue
Best For: Outdoor Adventure Photography
Price: Click Here For Latest Price

From day hikes to overnights, the Strohl Mountain Light Backpack was designed by professional photographer Alex Strohl to be lightweight and nimble. Constructed using rugged custom materials, taped seams, and thoughtful external storage.

The backpack is weatherproof and adaptable to any type of mission you can think of. Quick Back panel access and a compact camera unit allow easy camera carry and fast access. It’s also the lightest camera backpack in this guide!

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:

6. F-Stop Anja – Mountain Series Camera Backpack

Weight: 3.75 LBS (1.7 KG)
Capacity: 40 Liters
Load Range: 30-50 LBS
Colors: Black, Green, Orange
Best For: Outdoor Adventure Photography
Price: Click Here For Latest Price

The rugged and weather proof F-Stop Anja Backpack was created for adventure photographers who need to pack hiking & camping gear along with their photo gear. At 40-liters it’s still airline carry-on approved for most airlines too.

It has an internal aluminum frame for support, waist belt, and comfortable shoulder straps. It comes with a Slope Medium ICU for holding a professional DSLR with an attached lens & other gear. However there are other ICU sizes available depending on the amount of gear you need to carry.

Its outer shell is fully water resistant, features plenty of small pockets for extra storage and it is hydration system compatible. There’s also a 13″ laptop compartment, quick-access top pocket, and plenty of attachment points for adventure gear like skis or ice axes.

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:

What’s In My Camera Bag?

Take a peek inside my camera bag to learn what I pack with me on my travel photography adventures around the world.

Click Here For Free Guide

FAQ: Top Camera Backpack Questions

Well, I hope you learned a little bit more about the different kind of travel cameras available, and are able to choose one that fits your budget and needs. Or maybe if you’re researching nice gifts to give a photographer in your life.

Happy travels, and let me know which camera model you decide to pick for your next vacation! ★

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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Badakhshan, Afghanistan

I spent 2-weeks exploring the remote mountains of Afghanistan on a backpacking trip. Not your typical vacation destination, but one of my favorite travel experiences to date. Here’s a glimpse of the beauty of Afghanistan.

What comes to mind when you think about Afghanistan? War? Terrorism? Osama Bin Laden? The Taliban? Poppy fields? The Burqa?

While much of Afghanistan is still dangerous — there’s also incredible beauty, hospitality and kindness that doesn’t get reported on there.

It’s far too easy to vilify or write-off an entire nation when you don’t have to look those people in the eyes. People with the same hopes and dreams as you — to simply survive, find happiness and provide for their families.

I was able to experience the positive side of Afghanistan and its wonderful people, up close and personal, during my trip in the summer of 2016 as an American tourist. It’s since become my most memorable travel adventure to date.

Here are some of my favorite photos of people & landscapes from my 100-mile backpacking trip into Afghanistan’s remote and mountainous Wakhan Corridor in Badakhshan Province.

Witness the “other” side of Afghanistan that you don’t see in the news.

Improve Your Photography

Want to get better at photography? Learning from other photographers is key. Here are my favorite online photography classes!

Click Here For Free Guide

Afghanistan Photo Essay

Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor

The Wakhan is a rugged and wild region of Northeast Afghanistan, part of Badakhshan Province. It’s a narrow piece of land, about 400 km long, surrounded on three sides by Tajikistan, China, and Pakistan.

Two large mountain ranges dominate the area, the Pamir in the North, and the Hindu Kush in the South. The Wakhan Corridor was created by politicians in the 1800’s during the “Great Game” in an attempt to leave a buffer zone between British India and the Russian empire.

Remote Mountain Trekking

During my hiking adventure in Afghanistan we traveled primarily on foot, but I also managed to hitch a ride on a yak for a portion of the route after running into a group of Wakhi men leading their yaks through the mountains.

While they stopped for tea, they let us borrow their yaks, which we led further into the valley — until their owners caught up with us later.

Yaks are the ultimate Eco-friendly 4×4 in Afghanistan, able to climb steep rocky terrain and power through icy cold rivers. There are no trees above 10,000 feet, so locals are forced to trek for 3-days to lower elevations with their animals in order to gather firewood for cooking and warmth.

Afghanistan’s Ancient Silk Road

The Wakhan region in Afghanistan was once part of the ancient silk road, an important trading route connecting China to Europe. Along with silk, horses, and other goods, it was a highway for armies and explorers too. Explorers like Marco Polo who is believed to have passed through here during the 13th century.

Crossing steep mountain passes and high desolate plateaus, passing caravans of yaks and donkeys loaded with goods, spending the night in stone shelters with traveling merchants — I felt like I was getting a glimpse of what the silk road must have been like all those years ago.

READ MORE: 17 Useful Travel Photography Tips

The Many Faces Of Islam

Just like the many different branches of Christianity, there are many different branches of Islam, all with their own beliefs and values. Many people living in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor are Ismaili Muslims, who practice a moderate form of Islam. They number 25 million worldwide, and despise the Taliban.

Their spiritual leader is the Aga Khan, a successful British businessman and Imam who runs the Aga Khan Development Network, a super important charity organization that improves living conditions and opportunities for the poor in Africa and Central Asia.

Untamed Blue Rivers

The Wakhan River runs through the Wakhan Corridor, fed by the high altitude mountains of the Hindu Kush on the border with Pakistan. It snakes its way through the mountains and is a major lifeline for the people living in this harsh and unforgiving landscape.

The bright blue color of this water is due to reddish hues of the rock formations around it, as well as the crystal clear source (a glacier). Water molecules absorb other colors, like red, more efficiently than blue.

READ MORE: How To Pick A Travel Backpack

Epic Afghanistan Landscapes

When the weather was clear, I was rewarded with incredible views of the mountains like this! The trail was well worn, as it’s used daily by small groups of locals who travel in caravans of yaks or donkeys from settlement to settlement.

The 10 day trek ranged in altitude from 10,000 to 16,000 feet, and we averaged about 10 miles per day of hiking. I began to feel the effects of altitude on my body around 12,000 feet with shortness of breath. At 16,000 feet hiking became even more tiring and difficult.

The Roof Of The World

The Kyrgyz people of Afghanistan are semi-nomadic, moving from valley to valley herding their animals to different grazing pastures depending on the season. They live in cozy yurts made of sheep felt, which can be broken down and transported long distances.

Each settlement consists of 2-3 families living and working together. Originally from the area around Kyrgyzstan, their ancestors were kind of trapped in the Wakhan after the Soviets took over Central Asia, forcibly settled nomadic tribes, and sealed off the silk road route.

READ MORE: How To Visit The Afghan Wakhan

Salty Yak Milk Tea

Both the Wakhi and Kyrgyz people drink large amounts of salty milk tea, called Sheer Chai. It’s served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Basically, it’s a mix of yak and goat milk, boiled down for hours and dried into a portable block. It’s prepared by adding boiling water, loose-leaf tea, and rock salt.

The salt is great for rehydration at high & dry altitudes — I called it my Afghan Gatorade. It took a while to get used to (salty hot milk anyone?), but by the end of the adventure my body was craving sheer chai for every meal. You can also dissolve raw butter into the tea at breakfast for extra calories.

Ancient Afghan Petroglyphs

Near the end of my 2nd day on the trail, we hiked past a set of ancient petroglyphs scrawled into a dark colored boulder overlooking the valley. My local guide, Yar, couldn’t tell me much about them, other than they think these markings are a few thousand years old.

They depict hunting scenes, men armed with what appear to be bows, as well as large game like ibex and the rare Marco Polo sheep. This was just one of many petroglyphs that dot the landscape in these mountains. They are thought to mark ancient hunting grounds claimed by different tribes.

Schools In Afghanistan

This simple 3 room school in the remote Afghan village of Bozai Gumbaz was built by Greg Mortenson and his Central Asia Institute. You may have heard of Greg before, he’s the author of the best selling novel Three Cups Of Tea, about building schools for girls in Pakistan.

The school at Bozai Gumbaz, where I spent the night playing cards with Afghan army soldiers, was prominent in his 2nd book, Stones To Schools. The next morning a group of boys showed up on donkeys for class. I saw many CAI schools along the road from Eshkashim to Sarhad-e Broghil.

Backcountry Camping In Afghanistan

As a big fan of the outdoors, one of the highlights on this trip was the opportunity to wild camp in the mountains of Afghanistan. Most nights we were able to stay at small Wakhi or Kyrgyz settlements in basic guest huts, but we also camped out in tents a few nights too.

Normally I’m a camping hammock kind of guy, but because I knew there weren’t going to be any trees for most of this trek, I packed my super lightweight Nemo Hornet 2P Tent. It snowed a few times during the journey — in August!

READ MORE: My Complete Travel Gear Guide

As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum

I was constantly greeted with As-salāmu ʿalaykum which means “peace be upon you”. A shorter version of this is just salām. Shaking hands is common, and so is placing your hand on your heart, which simply means your greeting comes from the heart.

Another important term I used during my journey is taschakor, meaning thank you. I always recommend trying to learn 10 of the most used words in a local language before traveling there. In the Afghan Wakhan, most people speak some Dari (Farsi) along with local dialects.

Women In Afghanistan

Many people were asking if I saw women in Afghanistan. Yes I saw women during my trip, but most were extremely shy, especially if I had my camera out. Plus in their culture, talking with strange men is taboo. But shooting portraits of men or kids was not a problem.

Near the border town of Sultan Eshkashim, with a large Sunni population, many women wear a full-length blue burqa that covers their face. In more rural areas of the Wakhan, it’s less strict. Women wear long colorful dresses with a simple headscarf. I was able to say hello and see their faces.

Afghan Shrines & Tombs

I encountered a few ancient burial tombs during my time exploring the Wakhan Corridor. Near the Afghan military outpost of Bozai Gumbaz, there’s a collection of strangely shaped Kyrgyz beehive tombs, along with evidence of Soviet bombing (craters, bomb fragments) from the 1980’s occupation.

At the settlement of Langar, we found a pile of ibex horns marking the burial place of a powerful big man. In Afghanistan, wealthy & powerful men are often called “big men”. It’s a bit like calling someone “boss.” The more animals, land, and wives you have, the “bigger” & more influential you are.

Some Very Rough Roads…

Before I began the 10 day, 100 mile trek through the mountains, I had to hire a 4×4 van to drive me to the last village at the end of the road. We passed a few military checkpoints along the way, stopping for tea & candy with officials before continuing on.

The drive took 2 days, and the roads were some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Dust seeped into the vehicle, covering us in dirt. We forded rivers, drove along the edge of sheer cliffs, and were frequently stopped by huge herds of goats blocking the road. The van suffered 6 flat tires during the journey.

Staying At Wakhi Settlements

While I entered Afghanistan alone, I decided to hire a local translator/guide and horseman to accompany me on the trek into the mountains. It would have been extremely difficult to communicate with others without their help. We spent a few nights at Wakhi settlements during the hike.

Wakhi homes are basically stone huts with dirt floors, constructed using manure for cement. The roof is made of logs, grass, and more manure to keep it waterproof. Some shelters had stoves inside, others just had a fire pit. Either way it was pretty smokey inside with a fire…

Children Of The Wakhan

Life in the Wakhan is rough, especially for kids. About 60% of children here die before the age of five, the highest infant mortality rate in the world. If they do survive, they are put to work helping out with the family business — animal herding.

There are a few schools out here, thanks to the Central Asia Institute, but it’s up to the parents if they go. In some communities, only the boys are sent to school. The morning commute can take a few hours by donkey due to the lack of roads and distance between settlements.

Wildlife In Afghanistan

I was really hoping to see a snow leopard or Marco Polo sheep while I was traveling through the mountains of Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. You know, Walter Mitty style! Unfortunately both of these endangered animals are extremely difficult to spot — but I did find camels!

Luckily the Wildlife Conservation Society has staff in the area, often spending weeks in the field gathering data to protect wildlife in the Wakhan. They estimate there are about 100-200 snow leopards living in these mountains. Wolves and bears also call this wilderness home.

A Glimpse Of The Other Afghanistan

So there you go. A peek at the other side of Afghanistan that we never see on the nightly news. After traveling the world extensively for the past 6 years, I’ve noticed this is a common theme.

Don’t let our media, which is primarily focused on negative & sensational topics, be your only window into the dynamics of a foreign country you’ve never been to.

I’m not going to tell you that Afghanistan is safe. It’s not. Our troops who’ve served there can tell you. Afghans themselves are well aware of the dangers that plague their country too.

But I think there’s another side to Afghanistan that deserves some attention. The rugged, scenic mountain landscapes. The friendly, hospitable local people.

I’m hopeful for the day when Afghanistan’s problems fade away, and more travelers can safely enjoy the beauty this incredible country has to offer. ★

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READ MORE TRAVEL TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my Afghanistan photos! Hopefully you also found this post useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• How To Visit The Wakhan Corridor
• Top Travel Quotes For Wanderlust
• Great Compact Cameras For Traveling
• 40 Travel Jobs For Digital Nomads
• How To Become A Digital Nomad

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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Photography tips

Turning freelance photography into a paid profession is a dream for many people. While difficult, it’s definitely possible. Here’s how to make money as a successful photographer.

I’ve been working as a professional freelance photographer for the past 10-years or so. Getting paid to travel the world shooting photos of exotic destinations and licensing my images to different organizations is a pretty awesome job.

I’ve even sold some images to National Geographic!

Freelance photography is a profession that’s constantly changing, and to make it work you need to stay on top of all the latest trends — like post-processing techniques, social media skills, networking, and successful business models.

In this guide I’m going to share helpful tips for how to become a freelance photographer and actually make money from your photography.

These are suggestions based on what I’ve learned over the years, along with a few wisdom nuggets from some of my favorite travel & adventure photographers.

Why listen to me? Experience! I’ve been traveling around the world for ten years as a professional travel photographer, licensing images to brands like NatGeo.

Matthew KarstenThe Expert Vagabond

Here’s everything we’re going to cover (if you want to skip around).

What Is Freelance Photography?

Freelance photography is providing photos to clients and licensing them for a fee, or working as a self-employed freelance photographer. You can get hired in advance for specific projects, or shoot the photos first — selling them later.

There are many different types of professional photography jobs out there, like travel photography, landscape photography, commercial photography, portraits, wedding photography, or fine-art photography.

In this guide I’m going to focus on a mix of travel, adventure, commercial, and editorial photography. The quintessential dream photography jobs. However the advice can be relevant for other kinds of photography too.

The Reality Of Photography As A Profession

The life of a professional freelance photographer can be hard. Especially in the beginning of your career. Personally, it took me a few years to earn any money at all. And that’s pretty common.

You’ll often work alone, for long hours, with very little stability (or income). It is a long-term commitment, with no guarantee of success, and many people eventually give up.

Pursuing a freelance photography career is definitely not for everyone…

That said, if you DO find a way to make it work, it’s one of the coolest jobs out there. And the longer you do it, the more you learn, and the more money you can make.

Even after many years working my butt off, for little pay, and occasionally questioning my life choices along the way, I wouldn’t trade working as a freelance travel photographer for anything else!

9 Steps To Professional Photography Success

1: Improve Your Photography Skills

“People start their photography career asking how to make money — not asking how to make a good picture. First you need to make a good picture, then you can think about money.”

Daniel KordanProfessional Photographer

Never stop learning! I get many emails from people asking for tips on how to make money from photography, and after viewing their work, usually my top piece of advice is — to get better at photography.

Which may sound kind of harsh, but often true.

Hey, I’ll be the first to tell you I’m not the best photographer out there. I’m constantly learning new things from others, investing both time & money into training to make that happen.

Owning a nice camera does not make you a great photographer. Practice, experience, and skill do. There is ALWAYS room to get better at composition, lighting, post-processing techniques, creativity, location scouting, and more.

For example, shooting photos is easy, but meticulously planning to be at the right place, at the right time, is far more difficult and requires more patience.

Maybe you know your camera like the back of your hand, but how are your Lightroom & Photoshop skills? Do you understand how to focus stack or create luminosity masks?

So before you start pitching brands for projects, ensure your photography will truly stand out from all the other freelance photographers doing the same. You don’t have to be the best, but you do need to hold your own among other pros.

Online Photography Courses

Want to improve your photography? Fancy gear is nice, but learning from other photographers is a better investment.

Click Here For Free Guide

2. Develop A Focus & Style

“Become a specialist. Hone your skills. Don’t get good at something you don’t want to do.”

Chris BurkardProfessional Photographer

If you’re shooting the same kinds of photos as everyone else, your work won’t stand out and you’ll get lost in the sea of people just trying to copy the most popular photos on Instagram.

While it won’t happen overnight, you need to develop a personal style of photography. Something people will remember you for. Focus on a specialty, like ariel drone photography, or outdoor sports photography, or even fantasy portraits.

While you can certainly practice other kinds of photography, you should try to keep your portfolio narrow and focused, to make it easy to “define” your style. So when someone is looking for an underwater photographer, they can see right away that’s your specialty.

Editing and processing your photos in a certain style can help with this too.

Some clients are looking for realistic images, others want a more dreamy and ephemeral vibe. Just because you CAN do it all, doesn’t mean you should.

The photographers who get regular work often do so because they become known for a particular style.

3. Create A Website

“About 75% of my professional photography clients discover my work through my blog. It’s an important marketing tool for my business.”

Matthew KarstenProfessional Photographer

I’m sure you already have accounts with Instagram, Facebook, maybe 500px too — but do you have an actual photography website & blog yet?

A professional website is what many potential clients will want to see.

Put together a strong portfolio of your best shots (more on that later) and make sure it’s easy to navigate. Buy an actual domain name — using your name or company name if possible.

Include a blog section on the website, where you can post updates about your latest photography projects, photo tips, philosophy on life, whatever. The blog will help people get to know you, and can even attract new clients.

If you want to start a blog, I’d recommend a self-hosted WordPress site. If you want to create a beautiful online photography portfolio of your work, and sell your own prints, I’d also get an account with SmugMug.

This is my personal setup, and it’s worked very well for many years! In fact, I’ve sold many images to companies who’ve discovered my work either on my blog, or on my SmugMug account after a simple Google search for a specific type of image.

Get your work out there online, learn about keywords and SEO, make sure it’s easy for others to find your images — and they eventually will.

4. Build A Portfolio & Media Kit

“Building a strong portfolio is super important because it helps you showcase your best work. While a media kit is a snapshot of who you are and what you can offer as a creative.”

Tiffany NguyenProfessional Photographer

Freelance Photographer Portfolio

One of the most important things you can do as a photographer is invest in personal projects to help build a portfolio of work that will get you noticed by clients. A portfolio is simply a collection of your best photos.

Want to become a travel photographer? Well you’ll probably need to spend your own money on travel to get some amazing shots for your portfolio, which you can then use to pitch travel destinations or travel brands.

Want to work with backpack, tent, and other outdoor gear brands? You’ll need to get out into the mountains and shoot some product photography examples for your portfolio which will match what these kinds of brands are looking for.

There are no shortcuts here. You need to spend money & time building a strong portfolio of work that will “sell” your services to potential clients later.

Your portfolio can be based online, but I highly recommend you also create a PDF version which is easily emailed or printed out and passed around an office.

Creating A Media Kit

You can think of a media kit as the story of you and your work, in PDF form. It contains elements of a portfolio, but with more information that will help clients decide whether to hire you or not.

It’s kind of like a pitch deck (which I’ll describe a bit later), but rather than pitching a specific project, you’re simply pitching yourself.

Generally a media kit starts with an introduction about you, sharing your personal mission statement, a healthy selection of images from your portfolio, and maybe some examples of past clients if applicable — plus contact details of course.

If you have a strong social media presence, many media kits will mention things like follower numbers across different social media platforms too.

Want an example? You can download my media kit here.

5. Promote Your Photos On Social Media

“The 3 key elements to social media growth are great quality content, being social on both your page & others‘, and bringing value. Hold live editing shows, produce destination guides, or show what goes on behind-the-scenes.”

Jord HammondProfessional Photographer

Share your work regularly on social media. Daily if possible. Create & share. Create & share. Rinse & repeat.

Share your work consistently, both for the encouragement & praise you receive from others, as well as to flood the market with your art.

You never know what photo or video will resonate with people, or what will viral on social media. Or when some brand will happen to be searching for a new freelance photographer to hire.

To maximize your chances of discovery, you need to constantly create — and share. Over and over again. They don’t call us “creators” for nothing!

Social Media Growth Tips & Tricks

• Do Interesting Things – The people growing fastest on social media are always creating interesting, unique, and fun content. They aren’t sitting at home worrying about followers, they’re actively creating. Does that mean selling all your stuff and living in a van? Maybe. But it doesn’t have to. Just get out there and do cool stuff on a regular basis!
• Engage With Others – Actually respond to the comments left on your photos. Leave meaningful comments on other people’s content too. Maybe send a direct message asking a follow-up question. This can be time-consuming, but valuable. Set aside an hour or two each day specifically to engage with others.
• Get Featured – The days of easy Instagram & Facebook follower growth have slowed down, but you can still attract new followers when big accounts feature your work. See what hashtags are trending. Reach out to accounts that share other people’s work via direct message to show them you have something that fits their current theme. Do it on a regular basis.
• Provide Tons Of Value – Help other people with their own photography — and your social media accounts will grow much faster. You have to give people a reason to follow your account, more than just pretty pictures. If they get some free lessons from time to time, they are far more likely to stick around.

6. Pitching & Networking To Find Jobs

“If you’re not leveraging LinkedIn to build your professional network, start now. While Instagram is great for attention, LinkedIn gets you professionally connected to editors.”

Lola AkinmadeProfessional Photographer

The truth about becoming a freelance photographer is that you need to put yourself out there to find jobs. Shooting photos is often the easy part!

Networking is the very important business skill that will determine if you make money from your photography or not. Make a list of the people, brands, and agencies that you’d like to work with, and reach out.

Try starting with smaller brands first.

Study the brand and its values. Interact with their online content for a while in a meaningful way. Then, cold call them on the phone, send an email, or reach out with a direct message on social media (Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn).

Tell them you like what they do. Don’t be creepy, annoying, or pushy. Then find out if there’s a way you can work together on a future project. Attach that media kit & portfolio you just put together!

Other than individual brands, you may want to try to reach out to “agencies” too. An agency is in charge of managing the marketing for many different brands, often in a particular category. There is potential for much more work if you can build a relationship with an agency.

You may hear a lot of “we’re not looking for anyone right now” at first. Never take it personally, and just remember this is a numbers game.

Some of the most successful freelance photographers are the ones who work the hardest at pitching & networking — day in, and day out.

Preparing A Pitch Deck

A pitch deck is different from your media kit or portfolio mentioned earlier. The purpose of a pitch deck is to “pitch” a specific project idea to a brand.

Some companies will come to you with projects, while others might want you to pitch them a new idea. Learning how to prepare a professional and convincing pitch deck for either of these situations is an art-form in itself.

A convincing pitch deck PDF usually contains the following:

• A project overview that states project objectives, and how you plan to meet those objectives.
• Reference images to support your idea — preferably from your own past work or portfolio. Again, this is why building a strong portfolio is important.
• A bid on the project (how much you’ll charge), which you might send with the pitch deck as a separate document.
• A timeline listing prep days and shooting days, plus any key dates for the agency/client to approve things to stay on schedule.

7. Making Money As A Freelance Photographer

One thing I’ve learned after working for the last 10-years as a freelance travel photographer is that to earn decent money in this business, you really need to diversify your photography income sources.

This will both increase your earning potential, as well as hedge against changes in the market (worldwide pandemics, anyone?). So if one source of income suddenly disappears, you aren’t completely screwed!

Here are the most popular ways to make money from photography.

Editorial Photography

Editorial photography basically means your images are being used in newspapers and magazines to accompany articles about a certain subject. For example, a photo of a camel in the desert published in a travel magazine feature about Morocco.

To sell editorial photos, you generally need to work with a magazine editor who can tell you what kinds of images they are looking for in an upcoming issue of the magazine. This requires networking and sending your portfolio to many different magazines on a regular basis.

Commercial Photography

Commercial photography is when your images are being used by brands for marketing and advertising purposes. It pays much more than editorial photography, but usually requires that you have already built up a name for yourself as a photographer, often through editorial work.

Some examples might include shooting photos for a clothing brand, a car company, or even the tourism board for a country.

Rates for commercial photography are negotiable, and can be based on how many images they license from you, for what use, and for how long. Alternatively, many commercial photography projects might pay a day-rate for your time that also gives them a blanket license to any images you create during the project.

Stock Photography

Licensing images you’ve already shot through stock photography sites or rights management companies is one way freelance photographers can earn money.

Many smaller brands don’t have huge budgets to hire photographers for dedicated projects, so they buy temporary photo licenses for work that’s already been created.

Photographers upload their photos to these sites, tag and organize them, then random companies search for images to license.

If you’re able to build up a large portfolio of the kinds of images that are sought after, you can make “passive” income month after month selling your old images.

There are two main types of stock photography companies out there. Rights Managed Stock Agencies and Microstock Sites.

Rights Managed Stock Agencies pay photographers better, because the quality of the work is generally higher, the clients are pickier, and licenses are stricter/more exclusive.

Microstock Websites might only pay you $0.50 for a Royalty Free photo, but hundreds of different websites could be buying and using that same image.

Rights Managed Stock Examples

• Tandem Stock
• AP Images
• Masterfile
• Offset
• Arcangel

Microstock Website Examples

• Stocksy
• Getty Images
• Adobe Stock
• iStockPhoto
• Shutterstock

Post Licensing & Rights Management Lawyers

A relatively new phenomenon is the launch of post licensing companies that proactively search for your images already being used illegally online, and contacting the copyright infringers on your behalf to demand a licensing fee.

For many photographers, chasing after people who are stealing their images online just isn’t worth the effort. However these new companies, armed with teams of actual lawyers and image tracking software, are MUCH more effective.

They take a large cut of course, but they also do most of the work for you. Here are some examples:

• Ryde One (I use these guys)
• Copytrack
• Binded

Photography Prints & Coffee Table Books

Selling photo prints, coffee table books, calendars, and other “merch” that feature your photography can be a solid way to earn income for many freelance photographers.

Prints can be especially lucrative if you have a strong online following, and it’s also a great way to help raise money for charities and local organizations that you like.

For example, with the ability to set my own prices on SmugMug, I can ensure I have enough profit to also give 10% of any print sales to the National Parks Foundation. Or launch regular free print giveaways to my social media followers, just for fun.

Selling Lightroom Presets

Lightroom Presets are post-processing settings that many photographers use to obtain a certain “look” with their photos. For people who are new to editing photos using software, using presets can help them easily improve their photos with cool colors, tones, and other adjustments. Many photographers develop and sell their own presets to their followers, which can be a decent source of income.

Creating Online Tutorials

There is far more to good photography and editing than most people think, that’s why getting into the education space and teaching other would-be photographers how to improve their images can be a good way to earn extra income.

Online photography classes allow a photographer to share their knowledge with many more people than trying to do it in person.

Some people charge fees for their tutorials, others provide the training for free on platforms like YouTube and then earn money through the advertising.

Leading Photography Workshops

Leading in-person photography workshops can be an excellent source of income if you have a decent following online. Getting paid to hang out with other people while teaching them your photography techniques in exotic locations around the world can be a lot of fun too!

To launch a successful photography workshop, it helps to have already built up a following of people who love your work, and who are ready to spend money learning from you in person.

Affiliate Marketing

What’s the most common question that every photographer gets? What kind of camera do you use!

Why not recommend your favorite gear to others, and get paid for it?

I make a decent portion of my income from affiliate marketing. Photography gear guides, tripod comparisons, camera bag reviews, even photography tutorials. I’m not promoting stuff I don’t use or believe in, only products that I actually love.

You can share these affiliate links on YouTube, Instagram, or your own photography blog which will generate a small commission off each sale.

The more useful your content is, the more it gets shared, and the more people will click on your links. When more people click your links, the more you earn. Everyone wins!

Lots of companies offer affiliate marketing partnerships. Some good photography related ones include:

• Amazon
• Adorama
• Peak Design
• GoPro
• DJI

8. Figuring Out How Much To Charge

“Companies will benefit from our work, and we have to be compensated accordingly. Before you bid a job, take a moment to reflect on what size problem you’re solving for them. Imagine you are in the client’s shoes.”

Alex StrohlProfessional Photographer

How much should you charge for your photography? Well, there are many factors at play here. Editorial photography? Commercial photography? Print sales? Image use? Licensing time-period? What is your time worth to you? What size problem are you solving for the client?

In general, there is a basic path that many photographers end up following:

• Working for “exposure” (or in exchange for gear/accommodation/activities)
• Editorial photography (standard rates set by the industry)
• Commercial photography (pays much more, with room to negotiate)
• Selling prints (to individuals or companies)

I hesitate mentioning working for exposure, because many professional photographers might disagree, but the reality is many of us started by giving images away for little or no money to build up a portfolio of work to show off.

I’ll give you an example. I once let GoPro use an image I shot of a shark underwater on their social media channels during Shark Week in exchange for just a photo credit/link. The buzz around that photo ended up sending me a few thousand new followers on social media, at a time when I didn’t have many.

These days, my strong social media presence helps me attract new photography clients for paying gigs, so I really don’t regret giving some companies free photos all those years ago, when I was hungry to build a name for myself. This is a personal choice and not every photographer will agree with this route.

The Art Of Negotiation

Don’t be afraid to say no. Sick of giving images away for “exposure”? Just say no and move on. There will be other companies who are willing to pay for your images. Along those same lines, if you send over a quote for a job, and they client says yes right away, you probably should have asked for more!

If you do send a quote, and the client comes back with a lower amount they won’t budge on, the other tool you have at your disposal is to lower the deliverables they’ll receive. If they’re taking money away, you get to take something away too.

EXAMPLES:

• “Sure, I’ll license this photo to you for $500 instead of $1000, but the license will only be good for 1 year instead of 2 years.”
• “Yes — I’ll work on this project for $1500 per day instead of $3000 per day, but you won’t get an exclusive license to the images created — I can re-sell the images elsewhere to supplement my income.”

Note that those examples only really work for commercial photography, as editorial photography often has set rates, and there isn’t a ton of negotiation that goes on.

The art of negotiation in freelance photography is a huge topic, one I can’t cover completely here, but if you’d like to learn more I recommend reading the book: Getting To Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In

9: Defining Photography Success

“Success never comes. There’s always something to strive for. Plus the more people look at you, the more they attack you. Negative words sometimes make you sad. We are not all strong one hundred percent of the time.”

Kristina MakeevaProfessional Photographer

Many people love the idea of making a living with their photography. But eventually you realize just how many other freelance photographers are out there with those same dreams of success.

It’s a crowded field!

Just know that there are many levels of success in freelance photography. For some, getting their first paid gig is a huge success. For others, only the cover of a famous magazine will do.

You have to ask yourself — is photography just going to be a hobby? Or are you ready to treat it like a professional career (with all the work that entails)?

When was the last time you contemplated the ROI (return on investment) of a new gear purchase? Do you have a marketing/PR budget set aside for your photography business?

It’s easy to compare yourself to other “successful” photographers, while not truly understanding the blood, sweat, and tears they’ve put into this industry to get to where they are today.

Years of experience. Hundreds of hours of networking. Thousands (or tens-of-thousands) of dollars spent building a portfolio. The logistics & work involved setting up a functioning business.

It’s not impossible to make a living as a freelance photographer these days, but you also need to manage your expectations for what success looks like… and how long it might take to achieve.

Helpful Tools & Resources For Freelance Photographers

• Wonderful Machine – A professional art production agency that also offers consulting services & representation for up-and-coming photographers who are serious about becoming pros.
• Great Online Photography Courses – A rundown of my personal favorite online tutorials and courses for photographers who want to get better.
• FotoQuote – Industry standard photography pricing guide and quote software for freelance photographers, helping you determine a fair price.
• Getty Images Price Calculator – Free online tool for pricing your photography licenses in different mediums & situations.

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Venice, Italy

Venice Carnival has been canceled due to the worldwide pandemic, but you can experience it vicariously through my favorite photos from this colorful Italian celebration.

Typically, people wear masks during Venice Carnival to celebrate an annual tradition of lavish parties and parades in the ancient Italian city of Venice.

This year, everyone is still wearing masks, but for a different reason.

Italy’s Carnevale di Venezia would have started this week, if it weren’t for the devastating worldwide pandemic. Last year, Carnival was canceled after only 3-days, as the severity of COVID-19 began to emerge.

During the last full Carnival celebration back in 2019 (which feels so long ago!), while living in Italy, my wife Anna & I hopped on a train from Verona to check out this famous Venice festival for a few days in February.

Below you’ll find a collection of my best pictures from Venice Carnival, if you’d like to get a glimpse of what the festival is like!

Hopefully it will give you a little travel inspiration for when it’s safe to jump on a plane to Italy again in the future.

1. History Of Venice Carnival

Modeled after ancient Greek and Roman festivals, the Carnival of Venice is a holiday that allowed regular citizens to dress up in anonymous costumes, making fun of the aristocracy without fear.

The history of Carnival dates back to 1094, when Doge Vitale Falier first mentioned the word “carnevale” in a document as a way of describing public amusements.

2. Shrove Tuesday Holiday

In 1162 the Republic of Venice defeated Ulrico, Patriarch of Aquileia, in a battle that year and slaughtered a bull and twelve pigs in Piazza San Marco to commemorate the victory. This celebration was around Shrove Tuesday (the day before Lent).

However Carnevale di Venezia wasn’t officially recorded until 1268. And the following year, the Senate declared the day before Lent a public holiday.

3. Carnival Was Canceled In The Past…

The anonymity of Carnival eventually backfired, allowing criminals to get away with all kinds of crimes behind the masks, and it was banned for almost two centuries in 1798 when the city was under Austrian rule.

Venice Carnival was also outlawed under the fascist Italian government during the 1930s. It eventually came back though, in 1979.

While Rome usually gets all the attention of tourists, the Italian government wanted to better promote the history and culture of Venice. Now the festival gets about 3 million visitors each year!

4. Venice Carnival On A Budget

Traveling to Venice during Carnival can be expensive, as the city’s hotels are booked up months in advance, renting cool costumes starts at around €200 per day, and the fancy costume dinner parties and evening balls can run €500 a ticket.

However you can visit Carnivale on a budget, like we did, if you go mid-week, buy a simple mask, and just enjoy all the free activities. There are some free concerts, plays, and public events — plus of course just walking around and admiring all the crazy costumes!

5. Traditional Venetian Masks

While people wear all sorts of masks to Carnival these days, there are a handful of traditional style masks that have been worn for centuries. These include the Bauta, Moretta, Gnaga, Medico della Pesta, Pantalone, Arlechino, and Colombina.

Medico della Pesta, aka “The Plague Doctor”, started off as an actual piece of medical equipment (old-school PPE!) used in Venice during the Plague. The Black Death hit the city hard, and from 1629-1631 it killed 46,000 people (out of 140,000 people, so about 33% of the population.)

Venice is no stranger to pandemics, that’s for sure. And the dark history of this period lives on in the masks that are worn during Carnival.

6. When Is Venice Carnival?

The Venice Carnival celebration is held each year in the winter, usually in early February, sometimes late January. The celebration lasts about 2-weeks, with many of the highlights happening on weekends.

We visited Carnival during the middle of the week, and while we missed out on some of the big parades, we also avoided most of the huge crowds this city is known for. I was expecting it to be much more busy than it was!

7. The Gnaga Mask

The Gnaga Mask resembles a female cat, traditionally worn by men disguised as women. Often worn with women’s clothing and a basket under the arm, which usually (during the 18th century) contained a REAL kitten.

The wearer would behave like a plebeian courtesan, uttering acute sounds and mocking “meows”. The creativity and detail of some of these costumes was amazing! This Gnaga mask was covered in fur, and I suspect the wearer made this costume her-(him?)self. See the stuffed cat in the basket?

8. Venice Carnival Activities & Events

There are many cool events, parades, and other activities to do during Venice Carnival, here’s a list of some of the most popular ones:

• Flight Of The Angel
• Daily Costume Parades
• Best Mask Contest
• Free Vivaldi Concert
• Doge’s Courtesan Ball

9. Getting Around Venice

Most people enter Venice through the Piazzale Roma bus/train terminal after taking a bus from the airport, or Stazione di Venezia train station if they arrived by train. From there, you can hop on a public Vaporetto water taxi to get to your hotel.

Venice also has private water taxis (motoscafi) that cost a bit more, but make you look super cool cruising in a wooden speedboat down the canals.

Finally, there is the Traghetto, a sort of public gondola (pictured above) that takes people from one side of a canal to the other. There are a handful of traghetto piers if you keep your eye out for them, and rides cost €4 EURO.

10. Colombina Style Masks

One of the first actresses in the Commedia dell’arte, an early form of professional theater from Italy, though her face was too beautiful to cover completely, so she wore a half-mask. The mask type quickly became popular and now you’ll find them decorated feathers, crystals, plus gold & silver leaf.

11. Gondola Docks At Sunrise

The gondola docks at St. Mark’s Square are one of the top photography spots in Venice, and getting up at sunrise during Carnival I was pleasantly surprised to find all kinds of costumed people posing for photographers as the sun came up behind them with a backdrop of cotton-candy skies.

12. St. Mark’s Square

Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark’s Square, is the heart of Venice during Carnival. It is Venice’s main public square, and the location of many public events and local landmarks. During Carnival, they put on free shows for the public that include jugglers, acrobats and musicians.

13. Getting Lost In Venice Neighborhoods

14. Some Matching Costumes

The tradition of wearing masks during Carnival was to hide your social status. That way the ultra rich and poor could mingle & party together.

Similar to Halloween in the United States, you are free to dress up and act out a fantasy while hiding behind the mask — and pretend to be someone else without judgment.

15. Super Expensive Costumes

Many people rent costumes in Venice for the Carnival, which typically start around €200 for men’s costumes and around €350 for women’s costumes (per day). That price doesn’t include a wig, mask or other accessories either, so it gets expensive!

Others spend all year (or years) putting together their own costumes, some of which can cost thousands of dollars. Some of the costumes we saw there were absolutely wild.

16. Where To Buy Authentic Venetian Masks

If you want to buy a REAL Venetian-made mask, don’t buy the cheap ones at little street vendor shops, go to one of the professional mask makers’ shops in Venice. You’ll pay more, but they’re so much better. Here are some recommendations:

• Benor Maschere Venezia in the Santa Croce neighborhood
• Ca’ Macana in the Dorsoduro neighborhood
• Mondonovo Maschere in the Dorsoduro neighborhood

17: Modern Carnivale Monster

You don’t need to be dressed in a classic, traditional costume for Carnival in Venice. There are plenty of people wearing more modern costumes, like this guy.

18: The Golden Jester

This white covered bridge that spans the canal is one of Venice’s most famous landmarks — The Bridge of Sighs. “Ponte dei Sospiri” was built in 1641 as an entry point to the world’s first Prison.

The name refers to the “sighs” of prisoners looking out the small windows at their last view of freedom before getting locked away.

19. Costumes & Ancient City Streets

20. Tips For Photographing Venice Carnival

While it’s difficult to take a bad photo in Venice, during Carnival, there are certain popular locations where you’ll find all the best costumes.

• The Waterfront Promenade (in front of Palazzo Ducale) is especially cool at sunrise and sunset, as everyone wants their photo taken by the water’s edge.
• San Marcos (Saint Mark’s) Square, especially under the pillars of Palazzo Ducale (Doge Palace).
• The Bridge Of Sighs is a unique enclosed bridge of white limestone spanning the Rio di Palazzo canal.

To get images of people in costumes without huge crowds around, get out and explore at sunrise. Even though its early, you’ll still find many of the most beautiful costumed people out and about, because it’s the best time for photos (and they know it).

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Photography Tips

Want to become a better photographer? Stuck at home in lock-down? Try joining these great online photography classes & courses created by pros to improve your photos.

So, you’ve bought a nice camera. You’ve watched a few YouTube videos.

But why doesn’t your Instagram feed look as good as the professional photographers you follow?

Well, aside from the many years of experience and practice they have under their belts, another likely reason is the hundreds of hours they’ve spent working under mentors, attending workshops, taking college courses, or joining online photography classes.

The key to getting better at something — is to never stop learning.

Even after 10-years working as a freelance travel photographer, I’m still actively learning new techniques to improve my images. Photography classes, courses, and tutorials are a big part of this.

So I wanted to share some of my favorite online photography courses.

These photo tutorials go into extreme detail on topics like planning, composition, advanced techniques (focus stacking, time-lapses, long exposure, etc.) post-processing skills, social media tips, and even making money with your photography.

There are also classes here that are perfect for photography beginners.

There’s no need to spend thousands of dollars on a college photography degree when you can study from home using these great online photography courses produced by working professionals.

Hi, I’m Matthew Karsten

I’ve been traveling the world for 10+ years as a professional travel photographer & writer. This is my travel blog. Enjoy!

About The Author

Top Online Photography Classes 2023

1. iPhone Photography School

By Emil Pakarklis

The best camera is the one you have with you. For many people, that means the smartphone in their pocket! Smartphone photography has come a long way over the years, and it’s certainly possible to take great photos with an iPhone — if you know how.

Photographer Emil Pakarklis has put together a wonderful course for people who want to take better photos right now with the phones in their pocket — called iPhone Photography School. It’s perfect for beginner photographers who don’t have a bunch of fancy gear yet.

buy emil pakarklis’ course here →

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2. Adventure Photography Masterclass

By Jimmy Chin

Jimmy Chin has had a long and successful photography career, shooting for National Geographic and other major publications around the world. He even won an Emmy Award for his cinematography work on the documentary “Free Solo”.

Learn about Jimmy’s different creative approaches for commercial shoots, editorial spreads, and passion projects. He also shares tips on gear and perspective in his Adventure Photography Masterclass.

3. Adventure Photography Pro

By Alex Strohl

Alex Strohl is one of my favorite outdoor adventure photographers, so when I learned he created his own online photography class called Adventure Photography Pro, I signed up ASAP! Alex shoots professionally for some HUGE brands, so it was super interesting to learn about this part of his business (along with actual examples on location with clients).

He spends a lot of time going over the storytelling process, the importance of planning & scouting before shooting, reaching out to potential clients, building an audience, his editing techniques, and much more.

DISCOUNT CODE: Use my code VAGABOND20 to get 20% off the listed price!

4. The Business Of Photography

By Chris Burkard

Chris Burkard, if you’ve been living under a rock, is one of the most accomplished travel & adventure photographers out there right now. Not only is his photography incredible, his business chops have made him a household name.

From prints, to books, to movies, to huge commercial projects with brands like Apple, Toyota, Sony, The North Face, Patagonia, CitiBank, Microsoft, Volkswagen — Chris seems to do it all!

Well, now you can too, with his Business Of Photography Course that explains when and how to grow your business, diversifying revenue, working with agents, modern marketing techniques, and more.

DISCOUNT CODE: Use my code VAGABOND20 to get 20% off the listed price!

5. Wildlife Photography Workshop

By Charly Savely

Professional wildlife photographer Charly Savely captures some of the most incredible photos of animals I’ve ever seen. And, she’s recently decided to share her secrets with the world through her online Wildlife Photography Workshop recorded in Alaska’s Katmai National Park.

Learn how she chooses her lenses, framing for impact, camera settings for handheld or tripod use, using art to influence your style, where to find wildlife, how to photograph animals safely, shooting in the cold, and how she edits her images for an emotional reaction.

DISCOUNT CODE: Use my code VAGABOND20 to get 20% off the listed price!

6. Mastering Lightroom & Photoshop

By Andrew Kerns

Every professional photographer uses post-processing techniques to make their images stand out. In fact, editing & post-processing your images is a major part of the photography workflow. You can’t ignore mastering the skills of photography software if you want to make a living with photography!

Luckily Andrew Kerns put together an amazing online class to help you learn the latest Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop techniques that professionals like him use: manipulating luminance, contrast, color, curves, split-toning, re-touching tips and much more.

DISCOUNT CODE: Use my code VAGABOND20 to get 20% off the listed price!

7. A To Z Of Selling Your Photos

By Lola Akinmade

Lola Akinmade is an award-winning travel photographer who’s work is regularly published by brands like: National Geographic Traveller, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times, Vogue, Outside, Smithsonian Journeys, the BBC, and The Telegraph to name just a few.

She’s also put together an excellent online photography class that goes into detail about HOW to sell your photos to these types of organizations. From approaching brands, how to deal with copyrights, working with editors, obtaining model releases, seeking out grants and much more.

8. Photographing The World

By Elia Locardi

Elia Locardi is a very successful landscape photographer who’s been traveling the world for years. His course Photographing The World is packed full of tips & post-processing techniques he uses to create his landscape and travel photography.

With 15 lessons and more than 12 hours of video content, his photography tutorial takes you from the on-location capture (in places like Iceland & New Zealand) all the way through his post-processing techniques in the studio.

9. The Travel Photography Course

By Laurence Norah

Want to learn how to compose a better image while telling a story with your camera? Or the technical side of photography like understanding what aperture, shutter speed and ISO really do? These are just some of the topics travel photographer Laurence Norah goes over in his Travel Photography Course.

The course is structured well for complete beginners to photography, but with helpful tips for the business and professional side of things too. With 10 weeks of content and over 60 individual lessons, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy!

Free YouTube Photography Tutorials?

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for new Adventure Travel Videos!
(Click to watch Northern Lights Photography Tips on YouTube)

Yes, there are thousands of free photography tutorials on YouTube (in fact, here’s one of mine!) While you can certainly learn from them, I find that investing in a paid course provides the highest quality experience.

Maybe I’ll share some of my favorite free photography tutorials in a future article. Because there’s a lot of crap on YouTube too…

The BEST online photography courses demand a TON of time and knowledge to put together, and when done well, they’re just as useful as working under a mentor or taking classes in person.

Developing Your Photography Style

One of the most important aspects of becoming a professional photographer is developing your own personal style of photography. Whether that’s subject matter, editing style, or both.

By learning from other photographers through online classes, you can pick and choose parts of their workflow and style that you like, then adjust for your own use. We all get inspiration from others — it’s just the nature of art.

Learn as much as you can about the craft, then use that knowledge to develop your own signature look and make your work stand out! ★

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READ MORE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best online photography classes! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more photography articles that I recommend you read next:

• How To Photograph The Northern Lights
• Is Instagram Ruining Travel?
• What’s In My Camera Bag Right Now
• Tips For Improving Your Travel Photos
• How To Become A Freelance Photographer
• 15 Unique Gift Ideas For Photographers

Have any questions about these online photo courses? Any good ones I missed? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Photography Gear Review

After 4-years of development, the Peak Design Travel Tripod is finally out! Here’s why I think it’s the best lightweight tripod for travel & backpacking adventures.

If you’re a frequent traveler like me, or enjoy hiking out into the backcountry with your camera, finding a great lightweight travel tripod can be a difficult task.

You want it to be sturdy of course — but small, lightweight, and easy to pack too.

I’ve owned many travel tripods over the years, but Peak Design’s new Travel Tripod is the closest I’ve found to perfection — lightweight, compact, and an innovative design makes it the best lightweight tripod on the market right now.

If you’re looking for a high-quality tripod for travel & backpacking, it’s a great choice!

Below I’ll give you a rundown of its features, the how to use it, and some of the reasons it’s become one of my favorite pieces of photography gear.

Peak Design Travel Tripod Review

The Travel Tripod is available in two versions and price points — aluminum ($350) and carbon fiber ($600). I own and have been using the carbon fiber version since July, and it became a mainstay in my travel photography kit.

I’d say I pack it on 75% of my photography trips these days, due to its compact nature. It’s really easy to travel with compared to other tripods!

Tripod Specs & Features

Weight (Carbon Fiber Version): 2.81 lbs (1.27 kg)
Weight (Aluminum Version): 3.44 lbs (1.56 kg)
Maximum Height: 60″ (152 cm)
Minimum Height: 5.5″ (10 cm)
Folded Length: 15.2″ (39 cm)
Load Capacity: 20 lbs (9.1 kg)
Tripod Leg Sections: 5

The Ultimate Travel Tripod

My favorite feature of the Peak Design Travel Tripod is just how small & sleek the tripod is when fully collapsed — there is no wasted empty space!

I don’t know how they did it, but the tripod’s folded diameter is very small, so it can fit into a water bottle pocket on the side of a backpack (or even INSIDE a camera backpack).

The tripod’s legs have five sections with a lever lock for each. Its maximum height is 60” inches (152.4 cm) with the center column raised. This is actually very tall!

Because I’m six feet tall, with most travel tripods I have to bend over quite a bit to look into my camera, but not this one. Which is pretty amazing with how small it packs down!

Its minimum height with the collapsed legs extended wide (“low mode”) is 5.5” (14 cm). In “table top mode” the maximum height is 22.5” (57.2 cm) with the center column raised and 13.125″ (35.9 cm) with the center column down. 

Lightweight Yet Stable

As for weight capacity, it easily carries most cameras and lenses. Including a 70-200mm telephoto lens. It’s incredibly sturdy even with the tripod leg sections fully extended.

In fact, this is what’s most surprising about the tripod. Many lightweight travel tripods with several leg sections can be wobbly and unstable in the wind — this one is not!

Peak Design’s special omni-directional ball head is another great feature. It is ARCA SWISS compatible and has a standard camera plate, an adjustment ring, locking ring, quick release, and a tiny bubble level built right in.

It also features two removable pins that make it L-bracket compatible. The ball head is detachable from the center column as well (I’ll talk more about this below).

The Travel Tripod In Action

Setting up the Peak Design travel tripod is simple. The cam levers are easy to open and lock very securely so there’s little chance of them opening accidentally.

The tripod won’t slip on most surfaces thanks to its rubberized feet (if you shoot in icy or snowy conditions and want more grip, Peak Design sells a spiked-feet set for $25).

A small adjustment knob controls the raising and lowering of the center column. The adjustment ring is smooth and easy to operate. A locking ring prevents the quick release from being used accidentally.

There is a detachable hook on the bottom end of the center column that you can hang your bag on for even more stability.

Removable Center Column

The ball head is detachable from the center column. This allows the tripod to go into “low mode” (5.5” or 14 cm from the ground), which is perfect for wide angle, macro, or creative shots.

It also gives you the option of using Peak Design’s universal head adapter, which you use to attach a third-party tripod head, like one with video pan & tilt controls.

You can also make the tripod weigh even less! The company sells ultralight conversion kit, which consists of three special feet that transforms it into a table-top tripod. Perfect if you are trying to save weight on a long-distance backpacking trip!

Other Cool Peak Design Features

Hex Wrench Tool

The tripod has a hex wrench tool mounted to a removable leg clip holder, plus a bushing removal tool (used for maintenance and stored in a hidden pocket in the tripod case).

The hex wrench is for attaching the plate to the camera, to remove the two pins on the ball head plate, and remove the ball head from the center column. Not something I personally do on a regular basis.

Secret Mobile Phone Mount

The travel tripod comes with a a very cool mobile phone mount, stored in the bottom of the center column above the detachable hook (a magnet keeps it from falling out when you remove the hook!).

It snaps easily onto the ball head and grips phones securely.

I find its great for shooting Instagram Stories of yourself on the go, and for Instagram or Facebook Live posts. No need to lug around a separate iPhone tripod mount!

A Lifetime Guarantee!

Yup, that’s right. If your travel tripod ever breaks, Peak Design will send you a new one! This alone is worth the slightly higher price tag on these incredible tripods.

If any part of your Peak Design travel tripod becomes non-functioning or defective, they will repair or replace it with a fully-functioning one in the same or better condition.

Unfortunately it doesn’t include cosmetic wear & tear — I’m rough on my equipment!

A Few Downsides…

Despite all of the great features of the Peak Design travel tripod, it does have a few minor disadvantages. One is that the legs only have two leg angles — tall or very low, there’s no middle angle. Many tripods usually have 3-angles.

Not a huge deal, as you can create a 3rd angle by adjusting two of the legs to low angle, and the third to high angle.

Another potential issue is the lack of a panning knob. For video work, or some kinds of landscape photography work, you might want to replace the included ball head with one that allows panning (which you can totally do!)

The hex wrench tool is pretty easy to lose. I’ve already lost mine once, so now I just keep it in my camera bag rather than attached to the tripod.

Finally, the awesomeness of this travel tripod comes at a price. The aluminum model is $350 while the carbon fiber model costs $600. Not the most expensive tripods out there, but not exactly cheap either.

The Peak Design Travel Tripod is a great piece of photography gear. Its compact size and low weight make it ideal for traveling, backpacking, and every-day photography.

It’s stable, well designed, and securely supports the vast majority of cameras, even your smartphone. And if you have a favorite ball head, simply swap it in using the ball head adapter.

While not cheap, it’s an outstanding lightweight tripod overall. It will keep your camera secure and your back happy while traveling and hiking! ★

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Antarctica Photo Essay

Visiting Antarctica has been a dream of mine ever since I started traveling, and it finally became a reality. Here are some of my favorite Antarctica pictures from our trip!

I recently returned from a 20-day Antarctic cruise to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula with Quark Expeditions.

From beautiful white-sand beaches on the Falkland Islands, to the incredible wildlife colonies of South Georgia, and of course the icebergs and mountains of Antarctica itself — I shot well over 6000 photos during the entire journey.

Below you’ll find a collection of my best pictures of Antarctica mixed in with images from the other spectacular & remote islands we visited along the way.

While photography can never truly capture the unreal experience of seeing Antarctica in person, I hope these photos will inspire you to visit the world’s 7th continent someday!

Map Of Our Antarctic Voyage

1. Proud King Penguins

Did you know there are 17 different species of penguins around the world? You can find 8 types of penguins in Antarctica and the surrounding islands. These are King penguins, known for the vivid orange color on their heads and chests. They are very large penguins, about 3 feet tall.

We found this group of kings strolling across a section of sand dunes on Saunder’s Island in the Falklands, the first stop on our voyage. I have hundreds of penguin photos, but this one is my favorite. They look like they’re dressed in suits commuting to work. On the beach! In formation with a purpose.

2. Melting Antarctic Glaciers

One of the most striking parts of visiting Antarctica for me was the number of glaciers. Imposing walls of ice & snow hanging precariously off the edge of the continent. Occasionally we’d hear the CRACK! from a large piece splitting off and calving into the sea.

One of my Antarctica photography goals was to capture a calving glacier on film, and after spending wayyyyy too much time trying, I luckily managed to do it (which I’ll be sharing soon)! Unfortunately Antarctica’s glaciers are melting at an unprecedented pace due to climate change.

3. Nesting Gentoo Penguins

This is Useful Island, a small island just off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. It’s home to a colony of Gentoo penguins. The penguins feed on a combination of krill, fish, and squid — all of which are plentiful in these waters.

Gentoo penguins prefer to make their circular nests on bare rocks around the Antarctic, using small pebbles and stones. Sometimes one penguin steals stones from his neighbor’s nest when they aren’t looking, and it’s pretty funny to watch!

4. Antarctica’s Iceberg Islands

I have a fascination with icebergs. These large chunks of ice that have fallen off glaciers can float across the ocean for 10 years or more, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. The iceberg picture opportunities in Antarctica are awesome!

I’m sure you know that about 90% of an iceberg is actually hidden beneath the water’s surface. We were not allowed to get too close to them, because they often flip or break apart violently and without warning, making them dangerous.

5. Dirty Chinstrap Penguins

Chinstrap Penguins are named after the black neckband that makes it look like they’re always grinning. These little penguins can be found most often near the Antarctic coastline, but will also hitch a ride out on icebergs floating into the middle of the sea.

You can always tell which penguins are taking care of the nest, and which have just returned from hunting in the ocean by how dirty they are. This group has obviously been on nest duty for a while!

6. Stunning Antarctic Sunsets

The Antarctic tourist season lasts from November to March, which is summertime in the Southern Hemisphere. Because you are so far South, the sun sets much later than normal. Around 11pm in November when we were visiting.

While you might be super tired from all the fun daytime activities during a trip to Antarctica, I highly recommend heading out on the ship’s deck to catch the amazingly colorful (and long) sunsets for some great photos!

7. Funny Rockhopper Penguins

More penguins! This is the Southern Rockhopper, named after its signature “hopping” style to get around, rather than the typical penguin waddle. With blood red eyes, an orange beak, pink feet and those crazy yellow tufts of feathers around the eyes, this penguin stands out!

They breed amongst tall tussock grasses on rocky coastlines of islands in the Southern Hemisphere and around Antarctica. We came upon this colony in the Falkland Islands. Rockhoppers return to the same breeding ground, and even nest, every year. They try to locate the same mate too!

8. Humpback Whales Feeding

What kind of camera gear did I bring to shoot photos in Antarctica? Along with my Sony A7R III, I decided to rent a 2nd camera body (Sony A7 III) from LensRentals.com. I also rented a 100-400mm telephoto lens to capture close-up wildlife shots like this humpback whale tail.

This way, I could have a wide 24mm-70mm lens on one camera, and the telephoto lens on the other. Always ready for action. When a humpback is about to deep-dive & show off its tail, it will arch its back more than normal. Giving you a few extra seconds to prepare for the “money shot” in advance.

9. Rare Macaroni Penguins

Very similar looking to Rockhoppers, witnessing Macaroni penguins during our Antarctica trip was a special treat, because they can often be difficult to find. Macaronis prefer to nest on very remote and exposed rock outcroppings that are challenging for humans to reach.

Luckily our ship’s wildlife expert happened to discover a colony, and we used our zodiac boats to maneuver in close. They were named “Macaroni” after the 18th-century English fashion of wearing outlandish clothing & wigs!

10. Falkland’s Albatross Colony

The Falkland Islands are a birder’s paradise. While I’m not a bird fanatic myself, many guests on our expedition were. However even I couldn’t deny how cool the Black-browed Albatross is. It’s a very loud, and very large sea bird! Their wing span can reach up to 8 feet (2.5 m).

Watching them preen and look after their single egg on nests made of mud and grass along the edge of the ocean was a special treat. There were thousands of them, sharing the breeding ground with a colony of Rockhopper penguins who were also nesting there.

11. Sea Kayaking In Antarctica

Yes, you can go kayaking in Antarctica! Our ship offered 2 options, traditional sea kayaking in a hard-shell kayak, or an inflatable sit-on-top kayak. Both options require you to wear what’s called a “dry-suit” that’s basically a waterproof suit covering warm layers underneath.

Kayaking in Antarctica allows you to get away from the ship and the zodiac boats, so you can really experience the profound silence in this remote part of the world. Gliding quietly over the surface of the ocean past icebergs, watching seals and penguins swim beside you.

12. Playful Orcas (Killer Whales)

Orcas (Killer Whales) are truly the top of the food chain. Did you know they attack and kill Great White sharks just to eat their livers?! We got crazy lucky and were able to watch a large pod feed swimming around us, then started to chase a group of penguins too!

This image is a single frame from a GoPro video I shot underwater at the end of a long pole, as one of the Orcas swam by our boat to take a closer look at us. It was one of the most amazing wildlife moments I’ve ever experienced during my travels so far. Make sure to watch the full video at the end of this article!

13. Blood Thirsty Ducks?

Meet the South Georgia Pintail, a small & curious duck that calls the sub antarctic region home. Yes a duck! And not just any duck, this thing has an appetite for raw meat. Along with algae, it eats shrimp, clams, snails, and likes to pick through the dead carcasses of seals.

South Georgia Pintails were once threatened by the introduction of rats to the island which often ate their eggs, as well as whale hunters who would eat the birds themselves. They’ve made a comeback though, now that whaling is illegal on and around South Georgia.

14. Fighting Elephant Seals

Elephant seals are BIG animals! Males can reach 20 feet long and weigh up to 8000 pounds (4 tons!) I caught these two young males fighting each other pretty aggressively, and drawing blood, as a sea of penguins watched.

Dominant male elephant seals collect a harem of 40-50 females, fighting off other males who attempt to infiltrate the group. At one time these animals were on the brink of extinction due to over-hunting for their blubber, but with legal protections their numbers have returned to normal.

15. Rugged Mountain Ranges

Antarctica isn’t just a massive sheet of ice. It also boasts large (and beautiful) mountain ranges, like the Antarctandes pictured here at our stop in Paradise Harbour. There are three notable ranges that spread across the continent: the Transantarctic Mountains, the Antarctandes and the Sentinel Range.

The highest mountain in Antarctica is Mount Vinson at 16,405 feet (4892m). It’s part of the famous “7 Summits” challenge that some hardcore climbers (with a lot of money) attempt to complete for bragging rights.

16. Small Adélie Penguins

This was the only time we were able to see this type of penguin on our trip. Adelie penguins are very small, only about 2 feet tall. They spend their time on the Antarctic continent and the surrounding islands, but in the winter they stay offshore around the pack ice.

Adelie’s may travel up to 185 miles just for a single meal, and they’re excellent swimmers. They generally lay 2 eggs, taking turns keeping them warm. This species is one that’s actually thriving, and their numbers have more than doubled in recent years.

17. Epic South Georgia Landscapes

I know I said this was a showcase of pictures from Antarctica, but I’m sure you’ve noticed quite a few images without much snow in them. While visiting Antarctica was amazing, our time at the remote island of South Georgia was equally special.

Located about 2500 miles (4,150 km) away from Antarctica, and South Georgia is teeming with wildlife. Along with a very impressive collection of mountains, glaciers, and icebergs of its own. Adding South Georgia to an Antarctica trip makes the voyage much longer and more expensive, but I think it was worth it.

18. Earnest Shackleton’s Grave

If you haven’t read the book Endurance about Earnest Shackleton’s failed Antarctic expedition of 1914, put it at the top of your travel book reading list! Shackleton led an expedition to cross Antarctica that was scrapped when their ship was destroyed by crushing sea ice.

He then led his team over the frozen ocean to safety, rowed 1300km to South Georgia (where he’s now buried), and crossed treacherous mountains to launch a rescue mission. Everyone survived despite impossible odds, and unimaginable difficulty. One of the best adventure stories of all time.

19. Antarctica Research Station

This is Brown Station, an Argentine scientific research station on Coughtrey Peninsula in Antarctica. Established in 1951, it was burned down in the 80’s by the station’s doctor to protest an order to spend the winter there. One of a handful of crimes committed in Antarctica.

These days the rebuilt station is only open during the summer, and is also used as a popular landing spot for Antarctic cruises like ours. It’s home to a colony of Gentoo penguins, and has scenic lookouts you can hike up to with great views of Antarctica’s stunning Paradise Harbour.

20. Abandoned Whaling Boat

Whaling was a very profitable operation in the waters around Antarctica during the early 20th century. Whales were numerous down here, and “easy” to catch. The resulting whale oil was sold for use in lighting, lubrication, and leather tanning. It could also be hardened and turned into margarine and soap.

This old rusting “whale catcher” at Grytviken Station in South Georgia is a relic of that industry — look closely and you’ll see the harpoon at the bow and the crows nest on the mast, where sailors sat to spot whales. Thankfully whaling is now illegal here, and populations have been slowly making a comeback.

21. Half A Million Penguins!

St Andrews Bay in South Georgia is home to a massive colony of King Penguins, over 250,000 breeding pairs. Penguin colonies are measured in “breeding pairs” because at any one time, half the penguins might be at sea fishing, and many baby penguins might not make it through the winter.

So in reality there are over 500,000 penguins living here. One of the first things that struck me after landing at St. Andrews was the sheer volume of sound from all these birds chatting away together! I’ve never experienced anything like it.

22. Fluffy Baby Penguin Chicks

This is a baby King Penguin. It looks completely different than its parents, brown and fluffy with soft down feathers to keep it warm in the wind. King Penguins have one of the longest breeding cycles of any bird at 16 months.

During the harsh winter, penguin chicks will have to stand around in the cold for weeks waiting for their parents to return from the ocean with a meal. Many don’t make it, and only the strongest survive.

23. Aggressive Fur Seals

No, there are no polar bears in Antarctica. But there IS an animal you have to be careful of — fur seals! You’ll find these guys all over the place, and navigating through them can be a challenge. While they may look cute, they have no problem charging you (or taking a bite) if you get too close.

Fur seals have very sharp teeth, and are extremely territorial. One of our guides actually got bitten in the leg during our Antarctica trip. Luckily he had many layers on, and no skin was broken. But a fur seal bite can quickly get infected, so it’s important to keep your distance from these guys.

24. Antarctica Expedition Ship

We traveled to Antarctica on the Ocean Endeavour, a 30-year old ship built in Poland and leased to Quark Expeditions. There were 199 passengers and 115 crew members. While you could certainly feel the motion of the ocean under your feet, overall it was a pretty mellow journey. Even the notorious Drake Passage was calm!

The ship had great food, plenty of deck space, a spa, gym, sauna, and even a heated pool! The cabins were cozy but comfortable. There was free WhatsApp messaging, or you could purchase a full WiFi package for $100 that worked pretty well for uploading photos (not video though).

25. The Polar Plunge!

You can’t visit Antarctica without attempting the infamous polar plunge! Because what sane person wouldn’t want to strip down and dive into the icy ocean surrounding Antarctica? While it sounds crazy, diving into 33F degree water with icebergs floating by wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Yes, it shocks your body, but not so badly that you can’t think clearly. And with the amount of endorphins and adrenaline pumping through your veins, you barely feel the cold once you get out! In fact, I felt AMAZING afterwards.

Ready To Visit Antarctica?

I hope my photos of Antarctica have helped inspire you to visit one day in the future! How does one visit Antarctica you ask? Well, it’s not cheap.

Trips to Antarctica cost between $5000 – $12,000 (or more) depending on the length of the trip, number of stops, the operator, and other details. We saved up for a while & paid for it ourselves.

There are ways to save money on a trip to Antarctica though, for example by booking your trip very early. We booked our voyage with Quark Expeditions a full year in advance!

The Environmental Impact

Cruise ships are not environmentally friendly — at all. So traveling to Antarctica was a tough decision for me.

While Quark has a track record of offsetting their carbon emissions, and I offset my own portion (air and ship travel) with a donation to the Antarctic & Southern Ocean Coalition, we are still leaving an impact by visiting.

There are very strict regulations regarding tourism in Antarctica and the surrounding islands governed by an organization called IAATO.

We had to clean our own boots, pants, and backpacks before and after every landing to avoid contaminating the area with foreign plants, insects, or bacteria. Only 100 people are allowed to land at one time too.

While no tourism is perfectly environmentally friendly, I felt better about my trip after witnessing how seriously they take the “leave no trace” attitude. ★

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Photography Tips

Have you ever dreamed about seeing the colorful aurora borealis dancing in the night sky? Here’s how to find & photograph the amazing Northern Lights in Iceland!

Witnessing the magic of the northern lights at least once is a bucket-list experience for most people. I’ve been lucky enough to see and photograph the “Aurora Borealis” multiple times in a few different countries — including Iceland.

The northern lights can transfix you for hours, watching their mysterious green glow dance in the sky over the mountains or the sea.

Tracking down and shooting amazing photos of the northern lights in Iceland is always a top priority when I visit!

However many people don’t realize that this incredible natural phenomenon can often be elusive and unpredictable.

So to help you improve your chances, I’ve put together this guide on how to see and photograph the Northern Lights in Iceland. I’m going to share a few tips on how to find them, where to see them, as well as the camera settings and editing techniques I use.

Northern Lights Photography Guide

How To Find The Northern Lights In Iceland

So why are the northern lights so difficult to see, even in Iceland? Well, it’s because there are many different factors involved.

For the optimal northern lights experience, you need a combination of dark skies, clear weather, and strong aurora activity. Ensuring that all these requirements come together takes some planning.

Seek Out Dark Skies

For the same reason star-gazing is better when it’s dark out, viewing the northern lights is best in the dark too. Light pollution from cities & towns hinders the experience.

Yes, you might be able to see the lights from Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik occasionally. However you’ll have more luck in the countryside away from man-made light sources.

Avoid The Full Moon

If you can, try to avoid seeking out the northern lights during a full moon. The brightness of the moon can make it more difficult to see the aurora in the sky.

Also, remember that the moon rises and sets like the sun. So you can try and time your northern lights hunting when the moon is hidden away below the horizon for maximum darkness.

My favorite smartphone app for checking the moon rise and moon set schedule around the world is called The Photographer’s Ephemeris.

That said, sometimes a little bit of moonlight from a 1/4 moon can light up the background landscape just enough to create some spectacular images too!

Wait For Clear Weather

If the weather is overly cloudy, you won’t be able to find the northern lights. So pay attention to the weather forecast, especially cloud cover (infrared satellite maps help a lot).

While you might still see some aurora lights if it’s only partly cloudy, you’ll have the best chance when there are no clouds at all.

My favorite smartphone app for checking cloud cover conditions around the world is called MeteoEarth.

Check The Aurora Forecast

Because aurora activity comes down from the sun in space, scientists are able to predict how strong it will be by looking at our sun’s solar wind, and the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field. This “KP-Index” ranges from 0-9.

In my experience, you might have some luck seeing the northern lights in Iceland when the KP Index is 3 or 4. If you are lucky enough to be there when a solar storm hits (KP 5+), then you’ll have quite a show!

My favorite smartphone app for predicting the aurora is called My Aurora Forecast Pro.

It gives push notifications when there’s a chance to see the lights near you!

For worldwide aurora predictions, Space Weather Ovation is also good.

Self-Drive vs. Group Tour

You should be able to go hunting for the northern lights on your own by renting a car in Iceland. Another option is renting a camper van, which allows you to get far away from towns and their street-light pollution.

Experience driving in snow is helpful if you’re visiting Iceland in the winter, as conditions can sometimes be very harsh. Big snowstorms are common.

I prefer exploring on my own, as it gives me the freedom to stay out all night or move locations on a whim.

However, if you don’t feel comfortable driving in Iceland at night, there are plenty of organized northern lights tours available too.

Best Time To See Northern Lights

Iceland’s best season to see the northern lights is the fall/winter months from September to April. The absolute darkest months are between November & February, but these months can also have the worst weather.

Remember that you need a combination of darkness away from towns, clear skies, and strong aurora activity to see the northern lights.

Witnessing Iceland’s northern lights during summer months is pretty rare, due to almost 20-hours of sunlight per day near the arctic circle.

The more time you spend in Iceland, the better your chances are of spotting the lights. If you’re only visiting on a 2-day stopover, you’ll need a LOT of luck to see them. I recommend spending at least 7 days in Iceland if you want to find the northern lights.

Even then it can be difficult. Some people can visit Iceland multiple times and never see them!

You probably won’t see the northern lights if you’re bar hopping in Reykjavik.

A primary reason why I was able to capture such great photos of the aurora borealis is that I stayed outside all night, for multiple nights, driving around searching for them. It takes some dedication.

For example, when I visited Iceland’s famous plane wreck in the middle of the night.

Where To Look For The Aurora

The best places to see the northern lights are in the northern latitudes. Think near the Arctic Circle.

The best viewing latitudes are between 68 degrees north to 74 degrees north. This includes Iceland. But some other good locations are the northern regions of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

Greenland, Russia, Alaska, and Canada are also prime northern lights travel destinations.

Remember To Look North!

While it may seem obvious, remember to look North! The lights dance along the magnetic bands near the arctic circle, so you need to keep your eyes North to see them.

Often the lights start off weak at first, slowly increasing in intensity.

Weak aurora activity will look grey to the naked eye. Much like wispy clouds or fog moving in the wind. They can be easy to miss if you don’t realize it.

Aim your camera at the grey stuff and shoot a long-exposure photo (20 seconds or so). If those “clouds” come out green in your image, they aren’t clouds! You’re witnessing a weaker version of the northern lights.

The stronger the aurora activity, the brighter the colors will be.

The most common northern lights color you’ll see is green. However, if you’re lucky, they can also be blue, red, and orange depending on which atmospheric gasses happen to be prevalent.

Northern Lights Photography Tips

Once you find the Aurora, capturing decent images of it is a whole new challenge. Here are some tips to help you photograph the northern lights in Iceland.

Best Photography Gear

In most photography situations, the quality of your gear doesn’t matter too much. However for northern lights & star photography, it does.

Here’s a list of my recommended photography gear you’ll want to produce some great low-light shots. You can also see all my photography gear here.

• Digital Camera with Manual Mode & High ISO Capability
• Wide Angle Lens (24mm or wider) with Fast Aperture (2.8 – 4.0 minimum)
• Sturdy Tripod
• 2-3 Extra Batteries
• Cold Weather Clothing
• Hand-warmer Heat Packs

You’ll want a quality camera (brand doesn’t really matter) with a large sensor for minimal noise at high ISO settings.

A wide angle lens aids in photographing large landscapes with the night sky.

A fast lens aperture allows the maximum amount of ambient light to enter your lens.

Sturdy travel tripods allow you shoot long exposures without producing camera shake.

Extra batteries give you the flexibility to stay out all night waiting for peak activity — plus cold weather drains them faster.

How To Focus Your Camera At Night

Even with the best camera gear and knowledge of the optimal settings, without proper focus, your northern lights photos won’t come out crisp/clear.

There are a few different methods for focusing your camera at night, but my favorite is to focus on a distant landmark (like mountains) on the horizon.

This is easier to do right before the sun sets, so it isn’t too dark.

Most cameras have an infinity focus setting (∞), but it’s not always accurate. Zoom in as much as possible and adjust the focus manually if needed.

Once you have it locked in, remember to switch “autofocus” off and don’t touch the lens focus ring. Sometimes it helps to “tape” down your focus ring so you don’t move it by accident later.

Northern Lights Camera Settings

Make sure to watch the video above for examples of my camera settings.

Because the intensity of the light and amount of movement is constantly changing, you’ll have to experiment with your settings throughout the night.

Your camera should be set in Manual Mode, giving you the power to change each particular setting on its own.

IMAGE FORMAT
Most professional photographers shoot in RAW format rather than JPG, as it provides the maximum amount of information allowing for greater flexibility with post processing later.

It’s not necessary, but it does give you more wiggle room when editing the images.

APERTURE (F-STOP)
You want to capture as much light as possible, so use the widest (fastest) aperture your lens has. I recommend an aperture between F4.0 and F2.8.

To learn more about aperture, click here.

SHUTTER SPEED
Depending on how fast the lights are moving, or how bright they are, you’ll want to adjust your shutter speed (exposure) accordingly. Anything from 2 seconds to 13 seconds is a good place to start.

The faster the lights are moving, the shorter the shutter speed should be. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a massive blob of the overexposed green sky…

ISO
The last setting you should adjust for northern lights photos is ISO. Increasing ISO allows your sensor to capture more light. The downside is that the higher your ISO is, the more sensor noise you’ll get, resulting in a grainy image.

Generally, I shoot my northern lights photos using an ISO of 1000 – 4000 which seems to work best.

Post-Processing Your Aurora Images

Once you have a decent image, you can enhance your Iceland northern lights photos with post-processing software. I personally use a combination of Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop, but there are others.

They all basically do the same things. How much processing you do to your photos is a matter of preference. Remember, art is subjective! You and I may not like the same things.

Post-processing is a huge topic though, so I’ll just give you a super quick overview of what I did to enhance my northern lights images to really make them pop.

• Adjust White Balance
• Increase Exposure
• Brighten Shadows
• Brighten Whites
• Darken Highlights
• Increase Clarity, Vibrance, and Saturation
• Adjust Curves
• Noise Reduction
• Sharpening

Happy Northern Lights Hunting!

The Iceland northern lights photography featured here was captured in the fall, over multiple trips while driving around Iceland’s famous Ring Road.

The lights would usually start off weak, increasing in intensity over the course of a few hours. The best shots were captured at peak aurora activity, which usually only lasted for about 10-15 minutes.

Patience & dedication is soooo important for northern lights photography… you need to stick around long enough for the good stuff to show itself.

With a little planning, a lot of waiting, and a dash of luck, you too can witness this amazing natural phenomenon in Iceland called the northern lights.

There’s nothing like seeing the northern lights in person! It’s magic. ★

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READ MORE PHOTOGRAPHY & ICELAND TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guide to photographing the northern lights in Iceland! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Check out my ultimate Iceland Ring Road itinerary to learn about all the top highlights along the way.
• Planning a trip to Iceland, but not sure when to go? Here’s the best time to visit Iceland organized by seasons.
• If you only have a few days, a better option is to drive Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip instead.
• Did you know that many citizens of Iceland believe in elves? Here are some other strange facts about Iceland.
• Bookmark my favorite Iceland photography locations to get that perfect shot for Instagram!
• Save some money and learn about the best places to stay in Reykjavikwhen you visit the city.
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tipsand guide to picking a travel camera.

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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.