{"id":27659,"date":"2016-12-01T16:06:58","date_gmt":"2016-12-01T21:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=27659"},"modified":"2016-12-15T11:25:48","modified_gmt":"2016-12-15T16:25:48","slug":"how-i-became-a-travel-photographer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/how-i-became-a-travel-photographer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become a Travel Photographer"},"content":{"rendered":"
Chris McLennan is a professional travel photographer working around the world on assignments that have seen him shoot in over 50 different countries. Here he shares some simple lessons in Travel Photography 101.<\/em><\/h5>\n
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
A glimpse of the mighty Victoria Falls cascading into the River Zambezi, taken from the Zimbabwe side of the border (the river divides Zimbabwe and Zambia). There are a number of natural icons around the world that are recognisable to all, no matter where you are from or how much you have \u2013 or have not \u2013 travelled. Mt Everest in Nepal, Ayers Rock in Australia, Great Britain\u2019s White Cliffs of Dover, Table Mountain in South Africa and the Grand Canyon in the US to name only a few. Victoria Falls are the largest waterfall in the world (based on combined width and height) and was certainly a \u201cmust\u201d for me to photograph when I had a few days off prior to guiding a Photo Tour group through nearby Botswana.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Mount Otemanu, Bora Bora. It\u2019s hard to pick a single image that defines the Pacific Islands. There are so many distinctive sights to witness and capture on a trip to any of these popular holiday destinations. And because I work in the area so regularly I need to pay attention and make sure I don\u2019t take the islands for granted! This image was captured on my first ever visit to French Polynesia and shows the popular \u201cover water\u201d bungalows prolific throughout this region, with Mt Otemanu disappearing into the clouds in the background. <\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Sopoaga waterfall in Samoa, one of the island\u2019s iconic sights I made sure to include it in my itinerary. Its always quite humbling that spots like this still exist, and are still relatively untouched\u2026<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
A proud Huli wigman photographed in Papua New Guinea. Home to 7 million people who claim around 800 official languages between them, PNG is a cultural wonder with numerous tribes still living out their lives with little or no influence from modern western society. Traveling amongst the various remote villages is a welcoming and joyful experience, with the natives extremely loyal to their traditional ways yet always keen to share their knowledge and customs with me.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
The recognisable peak of \u201cMitre Peak\u201d in New Zealand\u2019s Milford Sound, colloquially called \u201cThe world\u2019s eighth wonder\u201d this fjord with steep towering sides, cascading waterfalls and reflective waters is a photographer\u2019s paradise, come rain or shine. In any weather the scenery here is simply stunning. <\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Burano, an island in the Venetian Lagoon of Northern Italy 7 kilometres from Venice. Originally famed for its exquisite lace, Burano is now more well-known for its colourful houses and tiny waterways. The colours of the houses follow a specific system managed by the government \u2013 in fact before painting your house you will be advised what colour you are permitted to use! Again I was making use of a couple of days off following an extended shoot in Europe. With no understanding of the Italian language I wandered the vibrant streets before being be-friended by a local couple who happily helped me find some cosy accommodation \u2013 and a cold beer \u2013 with which to finish my day.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
The Great Wall of China. I was fortunate to have a spare day following a commercial shoot I had just completed in Beijing, so I organised to visit a remote area of the Great Wall called \u201cWang Jing Lou\u201d. To access this section we drove around 3 hours from Beijing to a local village somewhere between Simitai and Jinshanling, from where we were escorted to the wall (another two or three hours walking and then steep climbing and rock scrambling) by a friendly local with no English. The experience of getting there was almost as amazing as being there! As luck would have it the skies were clear - the usual dense \u201csmog\u201d that hides China\u2019s natural beauty was nowhere to be seen - and we purportedly had the clearest sunset they\u2019d seen since the Beijing Olympics (when the sky was artificially \u201cseeded\u201d to force rain which would clear the atmosphere). A perfect example of why being a travel photographer always works better when you put in the effort to be there, I find that \u201cluck\u201d often goes my way\u2026 when I make sure to go looking for it that is!!<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Eiffel Tower, Paris. No trip to France is complete without a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, rising 324 metres over the surrounding city and 125 years old it is one of the world\u2019s most recognisable man-made structures. For this image I was actually taking an evening walk before commencing my commercial shoot the following day. I had photographed the tower before but was looking for a more unique angle with some nice foreground elements. Et Voila! By climbing down a few rickety old steps to the water\u2019s edge I was able to show the old boats sitting moored along the river Seine, with the tower rising brilliantly in the background.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Chinese junks scattered across Lake Taihu in the Zhejiang Province. I was in Huzhou for a commercial shoot, but made sure I had an extra day in the schedule to explore the region afterwards. I was up early wanting to catch the sunrise out over the lake, and was thrilled to see this flotilla of junks sitting serenely and providing the ideal photo opportunity. The low lying atmospheric fog\/smog helped disburse the sun\u2019s light and added a golden glow to my image.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Iditarod Dog Sled race, Alaska. Competitors travel over 1500 km from Anchorage to Nome by dog team, across the Bering Sea and through some of the world\u2019s most remote and inhospitable landscape. One year, a guide and I took snow mobiles and followed the race from Galena to Nome, at -40C to -60C and camped out on the frozen tundra. This was an incredible experience I will never forget.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Deadvlei, Namibia. It is hard for New Zealander\u2019s to get a true feel for Africa, a continent over 100 times larger than our own and responsible for 15% of the world\u2019s population \u2013 half of which are under the age of 20 and many living in the grip of poverty. But in many ways it also still retains all the magic of Disney\u2019s \u201cLion King\u201d with vast open savannahs, a myriad of wildlife and proud native peoples. It is believed to be the oldest inhabited territory on earth with remains dating back 7 million years. Which makes the 900 year old tree \u201cskeletons\u201d in this photo \u2013 formed when the river flooded to create this clay pan in which the trees grew only to die following severe drought \u2013 simply infantile in comparison.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Last year my wife joined me in the US following a commercial shoot I had in Avon, Colorado. We hired a vehicle and hit the road, driving through Colorado and into Utah and visiting many of the National Parks along the way. With a snow storm pending we decided we needed to get to Bryce Canyon, an incredible landscape featuring red cliff walls and standing rock spires or \u201choodoos\u201d that look stunning when covered in snow. We chose not to take the main route and instead journeyed the scenic highway from Moab, via Hanksville, the Boulder Pass and Escalante. We drove through the snow, knowing the results would be worth it when we arrived. And sure enough, we reached Bryce Canyon amid heavily falling snow and woke up the next morning to a surreal, snow covered landscape with stormy skies that cleared to a bluebird day - fantastic conditions for a travel photographer. And of course it was all gone by the following morning.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
A glimpse of the mighty Victoria Falls cascading into the River Zambezi, taken from the Zimbabwe side of the border (the river divides Zimbabwe and Zambia). There are a number of natural icons around the world that are recognisable to all, no matter where you are from or how much you have \u2013 or have not \u2013 travelled. Mt Everest in Nepal, Ayers Rock in Australia, Great Britain\u2019s White Cliffs of Dover, Table Mountain in South Africa and the Grand Canyon in the US to name only a few. Victoria Falls are the largest waterfall in the world (based on combined width and height) and was certainly a \u201cmust\u201d for me to photograph when I had a few days off prior to guiding a Photo Tour group through nearby Botswana.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Mount Otemanu, Bora Bora. It\u2019s hard to pick a single image that defines the Pacific Islands. There are so many distinctive sights to witness and capture on a trip to any of these popular holiday destinations. And because I work in the area so regularly I need to pay attention and make sure I don\u2019t take the islands for granted! This image was captured on my first ever visit to French Polynesia and shows the popular \u201cover water\u201d bungalows prolific throughout this region, with Mt Otemanu disappearing into the clouds in the background. <\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Sopoaga waterfall in Samoa, one of the island\u2019s iconic sights I made sure to include it in my itinerary. Its always quite humbling that spots like this still exist, and are still relatively untouched\u2026<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
A proud Huli wigman photographed in Papua New Guinea. Home to 7 million people who claim around 800 official languages between them, PNG is a cultural wonder with numerous tribes still living out their lives with little or no influence from modern western society. Traveling amongst the various remote villages is a welcoming and joyful experience, with the natives extremely loyal to their traditional ways yet always keen to share their knowledge and customs with me.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
The recognisable peak of \u201cMitre Peak\u201d in New Zealand\u2019s Milford Sound, colloquially called \u201cThe world\u2019s eighth wonder\u201d this fjord with steep towering sides, cascading waterfalls and reflective waters is a photographer\u2019s paradise, come rain or shine. In any weather the scenery here is simply stunning. <\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Burano, an island in the Venetian Lagoon of Northern Italy 7 kilometres from Venice. Originally famed for its exquisite lace, Burano is now more well-known for its colourful houses and tiny waterways. The colours of the houses follow a specific system managed by the government \u2013 in fact before painting your house you will be advised what colour you are permitted to use! Again I was making use of a couple of days off following an extended shoot in Europe. With no understanding of the Italian language I wandered the vibrant streets before being be-friended by a local couple who happily helped me find some cosy accommodation \u2013 and a cold beer \u2013 with which to finish my day.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
The Great Wall of China. I was fortunate to have a spare day following a commercial shoot I had just completed in Beijing, so I organised to visit a remote area of the Great Wall called \u201cWang Jing Lou\u201d. To access this section we drove around 3 hours from Beijing to a local village somewhere between Simitai and Jinshanling, from where we were escorted to the wall (another two or three hours walking and then steep climbing and rock scrambling) by a friendly local with no English. The experience of getting there was almost as amazing as being there! As luck would have it the skies were clear - the usual dense \u201csmog\u201d that hides China\u2019s natural beauty was nowhere to be seen - and we purportedly had the clearest sunset they\u2019d seen since the Beijing Olympics (when the sky was artificially \u201cseeded\u201d to force rain which would clear the atmosphere). A perfect example of why being a travel photographer always works better when you put in the effort to be there, I find that \u201cluck\u201d often goes my way\u2026 when I make sure to go looking for it that is!!<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Eiffel Tower, Paris. No trip to France is complete without a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, rising 324 metres over the surrounding city and 125 years old it is one of the world\u2019s most recognisable man-made structures. For this image I was actually taking an evening walk before commencing my commercial shoot the following day. I had photographed the tower before but was looking for a more unique angle with some nice foreground elements. Et Voila! By climbing down a few rickety old steps to the water\u2019s edge I was able to show the old boats sitting moored along the river Seine, with the tower rising brilliantly in the background.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Chinese junks scattered across Lake Taihu in the Zhejiang Province. I was in Huzhou for a commercial shoot, but made sure I had an extra day in the schedule to explore the region afterwards. I was up early wanting to catch the sunrise out over the lake, and was thrilled to see this flotilla of junks sitting serenely and providing the ideal photo opportunity. The low lying atmospheric fog\/smog helped disburse the sun\u2019s light and added a golden glow to my image.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Iditarod Dog Sled race, Alaska. Competitors travel over 1500 km from Anchorage to Nome by dog team, across the Bering Sea and through some of the world\u2019s most remote and inhospitable landscape. One year, a guide and I took snow mobiles and followed the race from Galena to Nome, at -40C to -60C and camped out on the frozen tundra. This was an incredible experience I will never forget.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Deadvlei, Namibia. It is hard for New Zealander\u2019s to get a true feel for Africa, a continent over 100 times larger than our own and responsible for 15% of the world\u2019s population \u2013 half of which are under the age of 20 and many living in the grip of poverty. But in many ways it also still retains all the magic of Disney\u2019s \u201cLion King\u201d with vast open savannahs, a myriad of wildlife and proud native peoples. It is believed to be the oldest inhabited territory on earth with remains dating back 7 million years. Which makes the 900 year old tree \u201cskeletons\u201d in this photo \u2013 formed when the river flooded to create this clay pan in which the trees grew only to die following severe drought \u2013 simply infantile in comparison.<\/div><\/div>
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Last year my wife joined me in the US following a commercial shoot I had in Avon, Colorado. We hired a vehicle and hit the road, driving through Colorado and into Utah and visiting many of the National Parks along the way. With a snow storm pending we decided we needed to get to Bryce Canyon, an incredible landscape featuring red cliff walls and standing rock spires or \u201choodoos\u201d that look stunning when covered in snow. We chose not to take the main route and instead journeyed the scenic highway from Moab, via Hanksville, the Boulder Pass and Escalante. We drove through the snow, knowing the results would be worth it when we arrived. And sure enough, we reached Bryce Canyon amid heavily falling snow and woke up the next morning to a surreal, snow covered landscape with stormy skies that cleared to a bluebird day - fantastic conditions for a travel photographer. And of course it was all gone by the following morning.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>