Yes, you too can take a picture like this

Get north and get isolated

This step is simple, get up north. Yes, yes, I hear the people in places like Tennessee saying, “It’s rare, but you can get them here!” Sure, you can, maybe once in a lifetime, but you’ll have to be somewhere with so little light pollution and clear skies to be able to see them that you likely never will, even if they technically could be seen.

You also should get away from cities. The more north you are and the farther away from light pollution, the more likely you are to see that magnificent arura borealis. There are companies places that specialize in this sort of experience, and a good travel agent can help you find the best one for you.

Smartphone Photography:

The vast majority of people trying to photograph the northern lights will use their smart phones. And guess what, that’s probably going to get you a pretty good picture. They’ll be better than you think and you’ll impress your friends.

Our phones have gotten pretty good at taking nice looking pictures, especially compared to the first phones with cameras. That improvement isn’t because they have amazing lenses in them, I mean the lenses aren’t bad, but they aren’t anywhere near the quality of what a professional photographer shoots with. The real improvement is the software.

The camera software in our phones is really, REALLY good. It takes shockingly unclear, grainy images and does a great job of smoothing them out and guessing what they should look like. The result is what we see in our phone’s gallery. And this sort of wizardry is what will get you a good northern lights picture. Here’s what to do:

• Use your phone’s built in camera app, don’t use any third-party apps. Your phone’s native software will do a better job than a third-party’s will.
• Your phone should automatically adjust to the lighting conditions, so don’t try “Pro mode” for this.
• Once you hit the button to take the picture, you’ll get an instruction to hold the camera still. Be as still as possible, use a tripod if you’ve got one or at least lean yourself against a solid object like a table or wall to stabilize.

That’s it. Take as many pictures as you can or want like this and choose your favorites.

This is from a mid-tier phone. It was not a flagship model by any means.

Will the pictures be as good as using a dedicated camera, well no. But that’s alright because you’ll still get something to remember what you saw. You can also get a better result than this if you get a small tripod for your phone and let it be stationary for the photo. Something like this little handy guy that I use all the time is great for travel photography!

Full Body Camera Northern Lights Photography:

Whether you’re shooting on a brand new mirrorless camera or a 15 year old DSLR, this advice remains the same. Here’s the starting point for your camera settings to photograph the northern lights:

• Put your aperture at f/2.8 to start with. If your lens doesn’t have an f-stop that low, don’t worry, just get it as low as you can.
• Set your ISO to between 1900-8000. This can change based on moonlight or artificial light sources. You will need to adjust this based on the intensity of those sources.
• Shutter speed between 1-12 seconds. The more active the lights, meaning movement, the quicker your shutter should be. What shutter speed you choose will likely impact your ISO setting.
• White balance around 3500.

Remember, those are starting points, you’ll need to adjust based on conditions. You might want to use a higher ISO setting if your camera can do so, for example. Your shutter speed is the biggest thing to pay attention to because it’s all about how active the lights are and it can vary widely between one night and the next.

Beyond settings here’s some things to remember, especially if you’re travelling.

• Bring a tripod. If you’re doing night photography, you need to have your camera stationary.
• If you have a remote to snap with, use it. Even jostling the camera with your finger press is bad for this. Remember, a lot of modern cameras have an app for your phone that can do this, so you might not need to buy a remote.

Cruising for the lights

This is a travel blog, principally, so I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Hurtigruten cruises. Hurtigruten is a cruise company offering cruising in Norway, Iceland, Antarctica, and more. Obviously, the destinations are exactly the kind of places you want to go to see the northern lights as well as the southern lights. Taking a cruise also offers a chance to see and do a lot of other things along the way as well.

Sounds like a dream scenario! Just one little photographic hitch… you’re on a boat.

The number one thing to do if you want to photograph the northern lights is to be still. Since you’ll be on the water, you’ll experience some movement, even when they bring the boat to a stop, which they do when it’s safe to do that. You can’t really overcome this fact with a tripod, since the thing that’s moving is what you’ll be setting the tripod on. That means that images will have movement in them if you use typical shutter speeds mentioned above. How can you overcome that?

This northern lights photo was taken with an ISO of 12800. There was a lot of movement from the ship, but with noise processing later on, it came out wonderful.

Well one approach is just using your smart phone. Without getting technical, the way that smart phones take images and process them is going to give an internally stabilized result, one that’s a lot better than what the internal software on even the best mirrorless cameras gives you.

Another approach is really maxing out your ISO, meaning 12800 or more and increasing your shutter speed. The faster your shutter, the less movement your image will have. The downside of using such a high ISO is that your image will have a lot of noise in it. Be prepared to use image processing software and noise reduction AI, like what the most popular creative software has, to reduce the noise. If you have access to that though, you can still make amazing images while on a moving vessel.

More About Travel Photography

Beginners Travel Photography

Practical Travel Photography

The post How to Photograph the Northern Lights – Look Like A Pro appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

When I started out, there were lots of things that I didn’t fully appreciate or understand. Now I want to help pass on my knowledge to other folks.

This is one of my all time favorite pictures I’ve taken. It’s from a Greek independence festival.

Think About What You’ll Be Doing

You’re reading this because you’re traveling somewhere and want to take pictures. Think through where you’re going and what, EXACTLY, you’ll be doing. When you examine it, you’ll find that you want some things and not others.

I see this behavior all the time. You’re someplace that you’ve dreamed of being. Maybe it’s Iceland, maybe it’s Disney Land, maybe it’s Athens. No matter where it is, I’ve watched people lug around camera equipment looking miserable because they didn’t think ahead. I’ve written about this before.

Travel photography can take you to some pretty challenging places with your cameras. I’m comfortable here, but think about if you would be before you throw your gear on your back.

When you’re traveling, you’re often out doing things all day long. That’s kind of what tourists do. Now imagine yourself walking miles of city streets or doing that slow meandering pace through museums. How about climbing up a steep hill, maybe even hiking up a mountain? Now add a camera to all of that. It’ll be dangling around your neck or, if you’re really prepared, you’re carrying a backpack with it. You’ve got to find a space for it when you sit down to eat, and protect it from bumping around. You could be carrying that weight all the way up a volcano and back!

I’m not saying that it’s not worth doing. I’ve done all that and more (see above picture) and I didn’t regret it for a second! The point is for you to contemplate what you’ll be doing and if you can handle carrying the camera around while doing it. Here’s what I do.

When I’m planning out the trip, I look online to see the places I’m going and note where I want to take photos. I factor in how I’ll be getting there, typical weather conditions for that season, and the time of day that I’ll be there. Going through those steps tells me what I will likely need – what lenses, reflectors, filters, etc. You might not have all those things now, but if you stick with it you probably will and you’ll thank yourself that you’re in this habit already.

Don’t Get Arrogant – Use Your Phone

Let’s take a moment talk about our all-consuming info-bricks.

I’ve encountered a bit of an attitude about cell phone cameras from a certain strand of photography enthusiasts. Professional photographers don’t think less of a picture because it was taken with phone. Our phones are just another tool in the utility belt. Don’t get caught up in that sort of attitude or let someone else ruin your good time. There’s lots of times when I recommend people use their phone when traveling and here’s why.

Travel photography can present you with challenges so make things easier on yourself and your cell phone can help. When you’re outside, even the most crowded areas, you’ll typically have space to back up and snap photos and set up for group shots. Inside is a different story.

If you’re in a restaraunt, it’s doubtful that there’s a lot of space for you to move around without running into other diners, since that would be antithetical to how a restaurant makes money – that makes using a full body camera a bit harder. It’s better to hand your phone to your server or host and let them take the group picture for you. Further, by using your phone, it’s more likely that the person taking the picture will understand how to use it because it’s a nearly universal device.

Another typical destination are museums and they’re another place to just let your big camera rest. First off, all museums ban flash photography and some ban photography altogether. Full body cameras will often put staff on edge at these places, so just leave it packed away.

Going from inside to outside quickly can make for a real challenge in travel photography.

One last consideration about using your phone vs. using your dedicated camera are the settings. Going in and out of places means that you’re shifting lighting levels, spaces, and depth of field. To get a good shot on, you’d likely want to change up exposure and apeture, which, yes, can be done quickly with saved user settings, but the you’re also likely going to want to change lenses and that’s a bit more of a hassle. My advice is set your camera up for the outdoors and let your cell phone handle inside.

Cell phones will do that adjusting much faster and you don’t have to think about it. They fit in your pocket and can take a nice picture much closer to your subject than a full body camera usually can. Again, I’m not saying leave your camera at home, but if you want to take some quick, unexpected pics, use your cell phone and leave your larger camera set up correctly for where you intended to use it.

Take Lots of Pictures. Then Curate!

When I was first starting out, I was teaching myself and learning from some blog posts, but one of the things that just never came up was just how many pictures photographers took. I knew that not every picture came out looking perfect, but you’re going to want a lot more than you’re used to and I didn’t have any idea what that meant.

After a trip, I usually have between 3-5 thousand photos and from that I’ll get 100-200 photos I love. That doesn’t mean that all the others were crap, it just means that out of all of them, there were 100 or so that I feel were really worth showing to others. On one trip to Norway, I had over three thousand pictures of just the Northern Lights, but there were around 25 that really blew me away with their beauty.

This is all normal and part of the process, not just in travel photography, but in all photography. Some photographers will take fewer photos than I do, others will take even more. What I want you to understand is that taking an absurd number of photos is just how it’s done.

To help with this I recommend that you get yourself a large external storage device, I use this one right now, and get a backup service that works for you. That way you never have to worry about your pictures.

Travel Photography

Beginners Travel Photography

Photographing the Northern Lights

Want More Great Travel Tips?

We share our favorite travel tips and information every week. You can see them all here.

The post Practical Travel Photography – How To Make It Happen appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

You’re setting out on a trip you’ve wanted to take for years, and you want to make sure that you capture every moment! An admirable goal, but one that can be hard to accomplish. I’ve been working on my skill behind the camera for more than a decade now and here are my best beginner travel photography tips.

The most important thing in photography is just keep looking for that perfect moment. Doesn’t Nichole look perfect here!

Choose The Right Camera

If you’re a typical person who just wants to take some nice pictures to remember your trip or share with friends, my honest advice is just use your cell phone. To be clear, the lenses in your phone aren’t better than those of a dedicated camera. However, the digital processing software in your phone IS amazing and it’s getting better with every generation.

Two of the author’s cameras. One she’s using now and the one she started with.

But, since you’re reading this, you’re probably interested in travel photography as a hobby or thinking about picking it up as one and you want to know what camera to get. Well, don’t break the bank with your purchase, but get a decent camera to start with.

Get a camera with a swapable lens system, nothing with a permanent lens, and don’t spend too much, then you’re on the right track. Your price range should be around $500-$800.

Get Out Of The Way

The most insensitive and annoying thing you can do as a travel photographer is be in the way of everyone else’s experiences. I don’t mean, be in the way of everyone else’s picture, I mean experience.

If you’ve ever been to a tourist attraction, like the Grand Canyon, then you’ve likely experienced the “influencers” or the pushy photo tourists. These people barge their way through everyone and take up the entire space, taking way too many pictures for way too long. Blocking the views and beautiful panoramas, ruinging it for everyone. Don’t be these people.

Be polite and courteous, get your picture quickly (no more than a minute or two if it’s a busy area), and move on. It’s that simple. If you’ve got a group photo you want to take, do it off to the side, away from the crowd.

Only Take Needed Gear

Beginner photography often presents you with tons of optional gear. You might buy an $800 camera set up, but a salesperson can easily convince you to tack on another $300 in extra gear if you’re not careful. Before you get taken in by a bunch of shiny new things, keep these things in mind.

The key for any traveler is to not overpack. Cameras and their gear are heavy. At a scheduled photo shoot, professional photographers may bring hundreds of lbs. of gear with them. You are not going to a photo shoot, you are walking down streets, meandering through a port, or hiking a trail somewhere.

With travel photography, consider how much you’re walking or hiking and the type of places you’ll be visiting. You don’t want to pack too much, then be carrying around a backpack full of unneeded gear all day. Here’s a couple items that you can often leave at your hotel or in your cruise cabin.

• The tripod. It takes time to properly set up a tripod. You have to make sure that it’s secure and stable, and get the timer or remote trigger set up, and they’re awkwardand bulky to carry around. Unless you have something specific planned for it, it’s just not worth lugging the tripod around.
• Extra Lights. These can be static lights or flashes and most of the time you just don’t need them. A lot of places, like museums or other historic sites, won’t let you use them and staff freak out if they even see one. Save yourself the hassle and leave them at home. And remember to turn your flash off if there’s one built into your camera.

Beware Thieves

Before you step out with your nice camera, remember, some people will want to steal it. We’ve all heard about thieves picking your pocket for your iPhone, well camera theft can be even more brazen and costly. As a beginner photographer, pay extra attention to this bit of advice.

Afterall, you just spent several hundred dollars on a decent camera, maybe you even sprung for a second lens. So…

Do. Not. Let. It. Out. Of. Your. Sight.

It’s ok to hand someone your camera and have them take a picture but make sure that they are part of your group, maybe a fellow cruise passenger that you’ve become friendly with. The same is true of your tour guide or someone who is very clearly an employee of the place you’re at (they must have the uniform, name tag, and be behind the counter).

Our tour guide took this photo. It’s not perfect, but it’s a nice shot for a family photo.

Keep your gear close to yourself. Carry your camera in a backpack with locking zippers or one that has the storage pocket on the inside, against your back, and always keep the pack with you. This is exactly what I use: Manfroto Camera Backpack

We hope you enjoyed these travel photography tips.

By the way, the last photo is from Meteora in Greece and if you want to know more check this out.

Want More Great Travel Tips?

We share our favorite travel tips and information every week. You can see them all here.

The post Beginner Travel Photography – How To Fall In Love With The Hobby appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

The U.S. will have another total solar eclipse April 8, 2024. The total solar eclipse is one of the three remaining worldwide this decade, and the last one visible from North America until 2044, so now is the time to plan a solar eclipse trip. 

Recently the New York Times listed a trip to see the eclipse as the #1 travel destination this year.

If you are staying in the U.S. for a solar eclipse trip, here are some tips. 

Plan your solar eclipse trip now,!

Tip 1: Decide Early Where You Will Go For Your Solar Eclipse Trip

States in the path-of-totality are Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.  Mexico has great viewing sites too. Path-of-totality means that the moon will completely block the sun. The shoulder areas outside of it will have a partial eclipse. 

Tip 2: Rent a Hotel Room NOW

Book for the night before and the night after.  We booked a hotel room in March for the 2017 eclipse at a normal room rate. But by the time the eclipse was nearing, the rates were running four times higher! The hotel even called us to see if they could resell our room. 

Also, plan to stay the night after the eclipse. In 2017, the traffic was brutal as millions of people tried to leave prime viewing areas immediately after it ended. Traffic will be worse leaving than coming in because people will arrive over several days, but they all want to leave when it’s over.

Tip 3: Stay Safe

As it gets closer, there will be lots of cheap “protective” glasses for sale. Do your homework and get good ones now. To stay safe, follow the advice on NASA’s website.

Tip 5: Clouds During Your Solar Eclipse Trip 

There is no guarantee that clouds will not ruin it.  If you can’t arrange to be on a ship or in the desert, plan to be mobile. Otherwise, when choosing a viewing location, check the historical weather patterns there. 

We had originally planned to experience the last eclipse in Carbondale but changed our minds to Kentucky. We were lucky, since Carbondale got clouded over and Hopkinsville didn’t. For 2024 we thought about Toledo but there is an 80% chance of clouds. 

For your solar eclipse trip, consider Mexico, with a 10% chance of clouds. 

Tip 6: Consider a Special Cruise 

There are people who follow eclipses all around the world who take charter cruises and trips. Most of these are already fully booked.

So, for our next eclipse adventure, we are taking a cruise! And we get two fantastic experiences in one as it includes a full transit of the Panama Canal.

Our family is taking a 2024 solar eclipse cruise on the Emerald Princess. The captain will watch the weather patterns to try to make sure we have the best chance of experiencing the eclipse.   

The voyage departs Los Angeles on April 5, 2024, sailing to Ft. Lauderdale. It includes the Mexican Riviera, goes through the Panama Canal, and ends in Florida.

Guests will gather on the top decks and be given special glasses they can wear to safely view the eclipse as astronomy and space exploration enthusiast Fred Cink helps guide their viewing experience. Guests will also enjoy specially themed drinks and bites during the coveted event. 

Ready for More Great Travel Tips?

Every week we share our favorite travel secrets and tips. You can view them all here.

The post Plan Now for Solar Eclipse April 2024 appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Our Best Travel Gift: Travel Journals

For the traveler who loves to explore, a great gift is a travel journal. It’s a great way to document your experiences and capture all the special moments from your trip. Travel journals are the perfect “Bon Voyage” gift for your traveler friend. Of course, you can always buy one for yourself. We think travel journals are the best travel gifts.

Peter Pauper Press creates beautiful small books, including gorgeous journals like these. This company is a small U.S. business which has been family owned and operated since 1928. We think they are very inexpensive for the quality. While we have featured some examples below, there are many choices you can consider here.

Passport Holder — A Great Travel Gift

Passport holders are essential for any globe-trotting traveler, and we make sure ours do more than just keep your passport safe. The ones we prefer are designed with convenience and security in mind, offering plenty of space for cash, credit cards, and boarding passes, while also providing a secure latch or zip closure. And, to ensure your security and peace of mind, get a passport holder that features RFID blocking technology. Give your traveler friend the protection and convenience they need with one of the best travel gifts.

For Your Frequent Flier

It’s not pretty but it is incredibly practical. I won’t get on a plane without mine. This handy pouch fits in most airline seat pockets. It holds most e-book readers or tablets. One side is clear so you can see what is in it. It has two additional zipper pouches. You can keep tissues, wipes, whatever you want. It makes you much less likely to leave something on the plane as you just grab it and go.

Pashmina Wrap

Airplanes can get chilly, so it’s always a good idea to have a warm wrap with you. A large pashmina is a great choice – it’s lightweight, soft and easy to pack. And you don’t have to break the bank to get a great one – you can find affordable options, or if you really want to treat your friend, cashmere is a luxurious way to go. You won’t regret it!

Gifts For Readers

I was a bit hesitant to try out an e-reader at first—after all, nothing beats the feel of a real book! But when I had to pack an entire suitcase of books for a month-long cruise, I quickly realized that an e-reader was the way to go.

Now, I love having all my favorite books in one lightweight, easy-to-carry device! So if you’re looking to pack light for your next cruise, consider taking an e-reader—it’ll make your trip that much easier and more enjoyable. We consider an e-reader to be one of the best gifts for travelers.

Another great thing about ebooks is that you if have a public library card, you can get free e-book, audio-book, and magazine loans, even for new releases. There are also many free books available at sites such as Project Gutenberg and Manybooks. Amazon often has free Kindle format books, especially if you are an Amazon Prime member.

One thing to consider before you buy–do you want to connect via a cell-phone service or are you OK to use wi-fi only for downloads. We typically use the less expensive wi-fi only style and load up on books before the trip.

For all these reasons, we feel a good e-reader is one of the very best travel gifts.

Other Choices

Because Kindle uses a proprietary file format, some people prefer e-readers that accept other formats such as e-pub. There are many choices of good e-readers. In fact, you can usually download the app for e-reading onto your tablet. Just be sure you understand the formats your device can handle.

Best Gifts for Travelers’ Photography

Portable Tripod

Perhaps the best gift for travelers interested in photography, is a small, lightweight portable tripod. Not only will it help them get better images, it can also double as a selfie-stick. Look for one that weighs less than a pound and comes with a remote and a gimbal so they can film smoothly while they’re on the go. There are many to choose from. With this handy device, they’ll be able to capture stunning shots and wow their friends with their travel photos!

Gimbal Camera

Does your friend want to take their video blogging to the next level? There are incredibly small video cameras also called pocket cameras. We use this DJI 2 and it takes beautiful videos. It is incredibly lightweight and fits easily into your pocket. You can also take still photographs with it.

Want to help your friend take video blogging to the next level? We use this amazing pocket camera, the DJI 2, which takes stunning videos with its lightweight design that fits easily in your pocket. And you can also take still photographs with it! It’s the perfect choice to take your video blogging to the next level. If the DJI 2 doesn’t suit you, there are many other choices.

Looking for Travel Bags?

We lovel travel luggage and bags so much, we needed a separate post.

Ready for More Great Travel Tips?

Every week we share our favorite travel secrets and tips. You can view them all here.

The post Best Travel Gifts for 2024 appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

The U.S. will have another total solar eclipse April 8, 2024. The total solar eclipse is one of the three remaining worldwide this decade, and the last one visible from North America until 2044, so now is the time to plan a solar eclipse trip. 

If you are staying in the U.S. for a solar eclipse trip, here are some tips. 

Plan your solar eclipse trip now, while prices are low!

Tip 1: Pick a Spot Early for Your Solar Eclipse Trip

States in the path-of-totality are Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.  Mexico has great viewing sites too. Path-of-totality means that the moon will completely block the sun. The shoulder areas outside of it will have a partial eclipse. 

Tip 2: Rent a Hotel Room Soon

Book for the night before and the night after.  We rented in March for the August eclipse at a normal rate. But by the time the eclipse was nearing, the rates were running four times higher! The hotel even called us to see if they could resell our room. 

Also, plan to stay the night after the eclipse. In 2017 the traffic was brutal as millions of people tried to leave prime viewing areas immediately after it ended.

Tip 3: Stay Safe

As it gets closer, there will be lots of cheap “protective” glasses for sale. Do your homework and get good ones now. To stay safe, follow the advice on NASA’s website.

Tip 5: Clouds During Your Solar Eclipse Trip 

There is no guarantee that clouds will not ruin it.  If you can’t arrange to be on a ship or in the desert, plan to be mobile. Otherwise, when choosing a viewing location, check the historical weather patterns there. 

We had originally planned to experience the last eclipse in Carbondale but changed our minds to Kentucky. We were lucky, since Carbondale got clouded over and Hopkinsville didn’t. For 2024 we thought about Toledo but there is an 80% chance of clouds. 

For your solar eclipse trip, consider Mexico, with a 10% chance of clouds. 

Tip 6: Consider a Special Cruise 

There are people who follow eclipses all around the world who take charter cruises and trips. Most of these are already fully booked.

So, for our next eclipse adventure, we are taking a cruise! And we get two fantastic experiences in one as it includes a full transit of the Panama Canal.

Our family is taking a 2024 solar eclipse cruise on the Emerald Princess. The captain will watch the weather patterns to try to make sure we have the best chance of experiencing the eclipse.   

The voyage departs Los Angeles on April 5, 2024, sailing to Ft. Lauderdale. It includes the Mexican Riviera, through the Panama Canal and across the western Caribbean. The ship will catch the total solar eclipse on April 8 between Cabo San Lucas and Huatulco, Mexico. The itinerary also includes stops in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Cartagena, Grand Cayman and Ft. Lauderdale.  

Guests will gather on the top decks and be given special glasses they can wear to safely view the eclipse as astronomy and space exploration enthusiast Fred Cink helps guide their viewing experience. Guests will also enjoy specially themed drinks and bites during the coveted event. 

“This rare occurrence in the cosmos is sure to wow millions but only the smallest fraction will ever experience this phenomenon via the ocean aboard an amazing cruise ship,” said John Padgett, president of Princess. “Princess thrives on ensuring our guests have authentic experiences that become once-in-a-lifetime moments.”  

This cruise is sure to sell out so if you want to go, we encourage you to put a refundable deposit down soon.  

Ready for More Great Travel Tips?

Every week we share our favorite travel secrets and tips. You can view them all here.

The post Solar Eclipse 2024 Trip Tips appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.