All photos by author.

September 2003. We cross the border into Poland from Slovakia. Our party bus is pulled aside and a control officer hops on. He glides down the aisle, sucking air and grabbing passports. He must love his job.

He reaches me and pauses, peering down and pinning me to the leather seat with a glassy blue stare. I slip that worn out forest green passport into his long, lean hand. He flips through green tinted pages and studies the unfamiliar document.

“It’s a passport!” my inner voice yells back. It had already screamed twice that day.

Grabbing the foreign item from me, he slides it beneath the stack of blue and red already in hand. For easier access, I tell my seatmate. He grabs her blue passport and places it atop the pile.

He hops off the bus and summons his colleague. Draws his attention to that forest green book. Ten noses press against glass windows like school kids, observing their interaction below.

“Ooh ooh! Lola is in trouble again!” they chant. I smile. They pull me back into the fold but the officers win the tug of war. He signals up to me to get off. This means arriving into Krakow later than anticipated. I need to explain that green book in person.

Krakow is quite sexy beneath the veil of night. I wasn’t expecting her to be. She senses my dejection and steers us underground to Fusion with its labyrinth of lounges carved from rock, its magenta, cyan, and yellow strobe lights.

Hip hop night. I check out the dancing Poles. I feel out their vibe. I proceed to a corner to dance…and dance and dance until he approaches me, covered in black.

Tall. Head shaven. Eyes similar to those that had pinned me to my seat earlier that evening, demanding I explain what I wanted in his country…from his country.

We dance silently for fifteen minutes.

“Mikael,” he finally introduces. I nod weakly. I want nothing to do with him. We dance some more. He studies my face. I turn away.

“Where are you from?” he asks. I tell him about my green passport.

Blue eyes now dyed red from the strobes light up in recognition. He grabs my hand and pulls me forcefully. He drags me through underground caves. We sail through masses of sweaty people.

He plants me squarely in front of a group leaning against a wall.

I study their faces. My countrymen. “These are my friends!” he introduces. I turn to Mikael. The words never come but he hears them anyway.

He grabs my hand and gives it a kiss.

All photos by Lola Akinmade

If you’re a photographer building your online presence and are now regularly networking with other photographers to get crucial feedback and constructive criticism on various techniques, it’s probably time to begin thinking about contests.

Contests give you an assessment of how your photographs stack up against the competition as well as the visibility that comes with winning one.

A major downside is most competitions come with entry fees. Even well known contests from Photo District News (PDN) for professional photographers come with fees as high as $35 per photograph.

These costs usually go towards prize payouts, communication, marketing, and other administrative tasks.

For the hobbyist, this can be downright expensive and usually deters participation.

Other cons include rules that require photographers transfer all rights to the sponsor so always read the fine print as a few competitions may require this.

So we’ve rounded up a few popular contests that don’t require entry fees.

Free

National Geographic’s Your Shot – Readers are invited to upload photos and every day, Photo Editor Susan Welchman picks her daily dozen. Each month, one of the submitted photos is selected for publication in the magazine – a much coveted opportunity.

Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest – Powerhouse Smithsonian runs a high visibility contest that awards winners of each category $500 with the grand prize being an all expenses paid trip.

Energizer Photo Contest – Administered by National Geographic, this is one of their free contests with the grand winner landing spots on NG Expeditions to places like Tanzania and publication in the magazine.

Nikon Photo Contest International – Nikon has been running this free contest since 1969, providing opportunities for amateur photographers to spotlight their work.

Sony Photo Awards – With a prize of $5000 and all expenses trip to Cannes going to the overall winner, this is another contest worth exploring.

Nothing like camera giants Nikon and Sony promoting your photography through live exhibitions and online.

Fresh M.I.L.K – A grand prize of $50,000 and no entry fees makes M.I.L.K one of the best free contests out there. 150 winners are also selected with prizes of $500 each, and all winning entries are published in one of their books with royalties doled out. This contest was launched in November 2008.

Pricey But May Be Worth It

International Photography Awards (IPA) – With a cash prize of $10,000 for the International Photographer of the Year award and $5,000 for the Discovery of the Year, this renown contest provides lots of categories and opportunities to win, but at $25 per photograph, is one of the priciest.

National Geographic Traveler’s World In Focus Contest – With entry fees upwards of $22 per photo after the promotional deadline of $12 per photograph, winners of this contest win exciting all expenses paid trips and some nice professional grade cameras.

Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) – Usually touted as the Oscars or Emmys of Travel Photography, this may be worth considering. Keep in mind that the competition is fierce with established professional photographers usually sweeping all categories.

Winning one of these contests can definitely boost your portfolio and speed track your budding career as a travel photographer.

Community Connection

Know of other free contests worth entering? Please share them below

All Photos by Lola Akinmade

People already standing in cabin before plane leaves runway: 3

Times asked for money before leaving baggage claim: 1

Bus Conductor

Average electrical blackouts per day: 2

Number of days of longest electrical blackout: 2

Generators replaced: 3

People hanging off the back (not side) of moving buses: 6

Highest number of riders on a single motorbike: 5

Average number of people packed into a 12-seater bus: 30

Number of police checkpoints between Lagos and Ondo: 33

Average distance in miles between each police checkpoint: 2

Times pulled over by police: 5

Times asked for money by policemen: 3

Giant African snails consumed: 16

Giant African Snails

Snails consumed in one sitting: 10

Chinese restaurants visited: 1

Fast food joints visited: 5

Hours wasted in traffic per day: 4

Number of times passenger side mirror hit by Okadas (motorcycle taxis): 3

Number of times passenger side mirror hit by policeman’s baton: 2

Times intentionally sideswiped by tanker-trailer: 1

Near fatal accident misses over 14 days: 28

Arguments gotten into with policemen ready to seize camcorder: 1

Plates of rice and chicken consumed over 14 days: 15

Average number of mosquito bites: 20

Goats are a delicacy

Interview conducted by fake newspaper journalist: 1

Money in Naira lost to fake newspaper journalist: 500

Goats killed for various celebrations: 5

Number of times “Oyinbo!” (White man) was yelled at fiancé: 4

Low hanging ceiling fan accident: 1

Low hanging ceiling fan accident by tall Swede: 1

Cold water baths taken: 18

Sunset along the lagoon

Mice spotted: 4

Mice killed: 1

Number of snacks bought while sitting in traffic: 4

Number of puppies spotted being sold in traffic: 2

Power outage at airport: 1

Number of beautiful sunsets witnessed: 4

High school mates reunited with: 10

Weeks spent: 2

Months till next trip back: 12

Community Connection

Have a By the Numbers you want us to read? Send to david [at] matadornetwork [dot] com

Ready to submit your trip “by the numbers”? Send to david@matadornetwork.com.

Ever glanced in exasperation at travel photographs wondering why yours taken of the same landscapes or subjects never turn out as stunning?

Great travel photographs share a few similarities even though their subjects may be as different as a sweeping landscape or a brooding portrait.

“A” for Action

Travel photographs that always work portray some sort of action. It could be a soft glance over a steaming coffee mug or an aggressive rugby match on a muddy pitch. Capturing action in your photographs adds atmosphere that an otherwise straight-on shot cannot.

The same concept can be applied to landscapes. A photograph depicting a lush green meadow can easily transform from boring to interesting if you captured a couple grazing white sheep as well. Including other elements in action into your landscape shots will also add a sense of scale in comparison to their backgrounds.

I could have easily taken a snapshot of the girl walking away, but sooner or later, I knew she’d turn back. Call it the sixth sense, but people subconsciously know when they’re being watched. That’s how some of the more memorable travel portraits are taken.

“B” for Balance

Not “white Balance” which refers to the amounts of red, green and blue (RGB) colors in a photograph, but rather, the process of creating a balanced photo. You’ve probably heard the terms “framing” or “rule of thirds” thrown about in terms of photography.

In a nutshell, it means your travel photograph needs to be symmetrical and aesthetically attractive in the framing of its subjects. Balance can be achieved without putting subjects right in the center of the frame. Using natural frames like arches, doorways or windows can also balance your photographs.

The photo below of two locals taking a break in St. Georges, Bermuda shows how I’ve applied the rule of thirds by shifting them off center to the right side of the photograph.

“C” for Composition

Although “C” alphabetically comes after “B”, composition always comes before balance in travel photography. How you paint a blank canvas or compose a musical piece can be likened to how you compose a photograph. You mentally map out what story you want your photo to tell.

Composition means looking for patterns, textures, angles, vivid colors, placing of your subjects, close-ups, framing, and other visual cues to help tell your story.

I’m using the composition rule of “subject placement” in the photograph below.

At first glance, you will notice the light bulb aligned above his head. As you notice more details, you will see he’s wearing a backpack and is looking towards a plaque on the wall. The story I’m conveying is that he is a traveler in a museum who has been enlightened by what he is reading.

You’ve heard the old cliché, “the devil is in the details.” With travel photography, the strength of the photograph lies in subtle details. Looking for little details that others might otherwise overlook usually completes the story you’re trying to convey with your photograph.

Another composition technique I applied below was looking for “vivid colors” to tell a story. I waited patiently for the Quechua woman below to reach the terracotta-colored wall because I knew her bright blue shirt would pop against the wall once she reached it.

Going back to high school days of art class, we were taught that blue and orange are complementary colors which work well together.

Focus on Photography by Fodor’s explores composition in great detail.

“D” for Depth of Field

In layman’s terms, depth of field means depicting distance between subjects of focus and their backgrounds in your photos. The subject in the foreground is usually sharp and in focus, gradually fading out. According to Cambridge in Color, “Depth of field is the range of distance within the subject that is acceptably sharp.”

The photograph taken in Riga, Latvia illustrates this concept. Fodor’s provides an excellent explanation on controlling depth of field.

“E” for Evocation

The one common trait memorable travel photographs share is that they evoke a sense of time and place without being cliché. Snapping a photo of a monk in front of a wall is exactly what it is – a photo of a monk in front of a wall, but photographing a monk around cultural icons, incorporating shadows, and other angles not only gives you a better photo overall, but can also help viewers get the full story.

At first glance, the picture above depicts a nun walking. But as you look at more details within the picture, you get a full sense of where she is.

She isn’t carrying a bag or other personal effects which suggests she is someplace familiar. The direction and length of her shadow suggests mid to late afternoon, and the Slavic-type text on the walls suggests somewhere in Central or Eastern Europe. So the picture transports you to a monastery or nunnery in Eastern Europe around late afternoon.

—

Always remember that a good travel photograph isn’t one that is technically perfect, but one that instantly transports you there.

Photo by photog-raph

Unless you’re a professional travel photographer on an expedition-style assignment, chances are you’re not dragging boxes of equipment around on your travels. Throwing filters, tripods, remote flash, and other equipment into the mix can be quite daunting for the novice photographer traveling with limited space.

But for those interested in doing more with their travel photographs besides sharing great memories with family, here are a few essential tips to get you started on that road.

Go digital

I remember glaring at the Aurora Borealis on a frigid winter night in Iceland and marveling at the continental divide the next day, knowing I’d captured it all on film. I also remember my look of bewilderment and helplessness when the clerk handed seven blank rolls of film back to me – which most likely had been damaged by the airport’s x-ray machine. I’ve been a digital photography convert ever since.

Besides fast shutter technology, instant gratification, and enough space limited only by memory card size, the advantages of Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) photography are numerous.

With a flick of a dial or press of a button to change settings, you can shoot rapid action shots or serene landscapes within seconds. In the past, this involved switching out film with the right type of speed to get the best shots or using multiple purpose film which rarely produced the desired effects.

Photographer Ryan Libre explores why buying a DSLR may be worth it for your travel photography.

Once you’ve decided to switch technologies and purchase a digital SLR, be sure to invest equal time in learning the controls and settings of your camera.

Photo by law_keven

Pick your lens wisely

Lenses are the single most expensive and important gear you should invest in outside the body of your camera.

Memorizing and fully understand technical terminology such as focal length, aberration, barrel distortion, angle of view, and rectilinear are enough to deter novices from moving to the next level of photography.

However, understanding lenses need not be complicated. There are a myriad of lenses out there but the three common ones are: Wide-Angle (great for landscapes), Telephoto (great for portraits), and Zoom (great for snapping lions from a safe distance).

While most digital SLR cameras come with classic telephoto lenses which are great for depth of field photographs and portraits, most professional photographers use wide-angle lenses. These types of lens pull you right into the middle of the action, and cover a lot more field of view.

Macro lenses get you right up close to that caterpillar chewing a leaf, while Fisheye lenses give you the illusion of staring through the peephole of a door.

According to All Things Photography which provides a solid introduction to camera lenses, “…a quality lens will last….cameras come and go!”

Photo by ^riza^

Stock up on memory

Fast shutter speeds mean you can easily amass hundreds of photographs in a single day. Having extra memory cards provide you with more flexibility without having to delete older pictures to make room for newer ones in the field.

The most popular cards are SanDisk 2GB SD memory cards which can be bought for as low as $6.81, a 92% drop from its original price of $89.99.

If you envision snapping a couple thousand photographs during your travels, I would suggest buying 1G to 2G cards so you can space out your photographs in the event that you lose your camera or a card. This allows you to accrue the least amount of image loss.

Make sure you store your photography safely once your travels are over.

Learn a few basic editing tips

While using certain polarizing and UV filters can help adjust composition in the field, remember you’re still contemplating whether or not to take travel photography more seriously as a hobby. Also, investing in the latest photo processing software may be overkill at this stage.

Instead, consider Free Photo Editing Software to enhance your travel photography.

By learning a few editing tips such as adjusting contrast, lighting, and saturation, you can improve the visual impact of your photographs.

The example below illustrates before (left) and after (right) results of increasing contrast in a simple landscape photograph.

As you become more comfortable with working your base equipment and minor editing, you can begin including add-on gear such as filters as well as shooting images in a RAW image format so you can fully post-process them later.

Get a sturdy bag

Digital SLR cameras are much heavier than your classic point-and-shot cameras, and as such, are more difficult to carry around and conceal.

Photo by babasteve

While most cameras come with the heavy duty black cases that let everyone know you’re carrying a camera, you could consider investing in a bag that not only protects your equipment from the elements, but also protects it from potential theft and allows you to move more freely.

Bags such as the Vituri Fashion SLR Camera Bag (also available in rugged brown for guys at Wal-Mart for almost 50% off) look great, are sturdy, and camouflage you as a traveler.

Check out more Cool, Funky & Unique Camera Bags.

For more on getting started, Google provides a great list of Digital Photography 101 resources.

It’s widely known that photographing natives is the most challenging part of travel photography. And while getting an adult to relax can be daunting, trying to capture their child in a memorable travel photograph can be the most difficult of all.

Here are a few pointers to help make it easier:

Befriend their guardians.

Babies are the most challenging to photograph especially when safely in the arms of a parent or guardian. Situations like this demand you seek permission from their guardian either verbally or through body language.

While hunting for handmade jewelry in Catalina, I was instantly reeled into a stall by deep, dark, and mesmerizing eyes of this Nicaraguan baby with her mother.

Approaching with a huge, nonthreatening grin, I started out with a few quick shots of her mother, and then finally asked for the baby shot I wanted with my camera raised in question.

If no common language is spoken between you and the guardian, body language and gestures go a long way in communicating that you don’t intend to harm them or violate their privacy. Once permission has been granted, you can get up close and personal for some great travel shots.

Shift focus from one to many.

Even the most rambunctious and spirited kids get intimidated when cornered by an adult.

On a recent trip back home to Nigeria, I was ecstatic to reunite with one of my favorite neighborhood kids, Ali.

Although he knew me well, my constant attention made him uncomfortable. By including his friends in the shot, while still focusing on him, I was able to get a more relaxed Ali in subsequent pictures.

Shifting focus away from one child to many while “focusing” on your main subject can improve the atmosphere of your travel portrait.

Keep your distance

Observing kids in their own world usually gives you the most candid, natural shots. By giving them adequate space, you will seem less threatening.

While strolling through narrow side streets in St. Georges, Bermuda, a young girl with flaming red hair carrying a red haired doll appeared around the corner. She was a fiery contrast to the mellow pastels of our surroundings.

Intrigued, I wish I could have stopped her for a picture, but I knew better. You should always keep distance when taking photographs of children who are alone. Do not linger around the child more than a minute. Children are usually taught not to talk to strangers so respect and enforce that lesson by refraining from small talk with isolated children.

Shoot at eye level.

Eye contact with a child takes you one step closer to connecting with them regardless of culture.

While working with kids in the remote village of Krang Yaw, Cambodia, I must have taken over 500 pictures. Weeding through, the most engaging shots I found were ones when I was eye level with the child.

Kids are naturally intimidated by large, overbearing shadows. Kneeling, sitting, or playing closer to their line of vision instantly relaxes them.

Entertain them.

Kids are kids the world over and love to be entertained. From goofy displays to showing them their snapshots in your viewfinder, connecting with children results in some of the most memorable travel photographs.

With a confident disposition and wisdom in her eyes well beyond her mere seven years, Amina was a child I met in the village of Awoyaya on the Lekki Peninsula in Lagos, Nigeria.

She wasn’t easily impressed.

But by spending time playing and laughing down at her level instead of towering over her, she gradually morphed back into a child and rewarded me with the most beautiful, scrunched-up-nose smile.

Be sensitive to cultural norms.

Sometimes you just can’t photograph children. In regions where sex trafficking and child abuse are being fought on a national level, natives are particular sensitive to strangers hanging around their children.

In 2000, a Japanese tourist was killed by a mob in a Guatemalan market for photographing children.

While such cases are extremely rare, it requires you to learn about the local culture and its attitudes towards children and their interaction with strangers.

Additional resources

While these tips cover more organic, travel photography experiences, Kodak provides a great resource on Photographing Children.

Community Connection

In addition to Lola Akinmade, other Matador photographers with a special gift for taking pictures of people include Ryan Libre, (whose podcast: Studies in Travel Photography you can check out here on the notebook), Beija-flor and AsianInsights.

Enjoy their pictures, and if you’re interested in sharing your work in a supportive, creative community, please join them.

Taking unique photos of landmarks can be very challenging because postcard icons such as the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Canyon have been shot thousands of times and are instantly recognizable.

Here are a few tips to help you get interesting shots of the same old sights:

Switch your vantage point.

Change your perspective on the subject. Chances are the more common angles you will come across are the full-on shots with people smiling (and sometimes waving) towards the camera.

Try a more unconventional approach by photographing the building or landmark at an angle or a different perspective than you normally would.

Take this example of Gaudi’s famous Casa Batlló. By shooting tightly from the bottom up, it created a more interesting picture. Direct shots of buildings and statues hardly ever make great travel photographs unless you get up really close to your subject.

Shoot in low light.

I remember walking around side streets trying to find the best shot of the Seattle Space Needle. After several fruitless attempts, I decided to ride the elevators up to the top. By the time I was done for the day and leaving around dusk, I looked up at the tower and shot this picture:

Shooting in low natural light such as dawn or dusk adds a certain ambience and otherworldly feel to your popular landmark shots. Another advantage of shooting pictures earlier or later is that the crowds of travelers would have thinned out by then, and you can get a clearer, less busy picture.

Put the landmark in background.

Although popular sights may seem striking, remember that locals live with these monuments as part of their everyday backdrop.

This shot puts the popular National Theatre in Lagos, Nigeria in the background, with the equally important yellow commuter buses in the foreground. This way the image can tell multiple stories.

Incorporate the human element.

Thinking beyond the typical “I was here” shot we’ve all taken during our travels, bring other people into your picture. Examples: a child playing in a fountain, rather than posing with a wide grin. Or someone jogging past a statue instead of posing next to it. You can really change the dynamic of your picture by incorporating a story into it. The child could be taking a dip on a sunny day and the jogger could be using the statue as a mile marker. Not only does adding people creatively into pictures tell stories, it also provides a realistic sense of the scale of the monument in respect to the size of the people in your photograph.

Try a fish-eye lens

You don’t have to shell out hundreds of dollars for an expensive fish-eye lens. Amateur travel photographers can get a small attachable fish eye lens for less than $50. A fish-eye lens can take a simple picture of the popular Carousel at Mermaid Quay in Cardiff, Wales and turn it into in a dynamic and more intriguing shot.

So next time you hit the road, traveling to some place familiar, try one of these tips and you just might be pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

Practical Information

By air, you’ll probably arrive into one of DC’s two major airports – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). From DCA for just $1.65 one way, the city center is a short 15 minute subway ride directly from the airport. From IAD, a $9.00 bus pass on the Washington Flyer coach bus drops you off at the Metro West Falls Church subway station in about 30 minutes or the cheaper Metrobus takes you directly to L’Enfant Plaza station for just $3.00

If entering the district by train, all Amtrak, MARC and VRE commuter trains arrive into Washington, D.C.’s Union Station. From there, you can connect with its metro rail system and ride around the city. By bus, the Greyhound Bus Terminal sits directly behind Union Station on the Metrorail’s Red Line. Washington, D.C. boasts one of the cleanest and most accessible subway systems in the country and also covers significant areas within its neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia.

Landmarks

Washington, D.C. is renown world-wide for its wealth of museums per square area from the instantly recognizable Washington Monument to the Smithsonian Institute with its slew of free museums. The landscape is dotted with history-laden memorials such as the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, National World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, most within walking distance from each other if you’re up for the task or at the very least metro accessible.

Arts and Culture

There is no shortage of things to do in Washington, D.C. and the Washington Post maintains an extensive Arts and Culture guide to the city.

Markets

From the freshest fruits and vegetables to other home-made organic products, you’re sure to find what you need in one of Washington, D.C.’s numerous farmers’ markets. The famous Eastern Market, located on 7th St. between C St. and North Carolina Ave is the only 19^th century market in the region still operating today. In addition to a farmers’ market which is open on Saturdays and Sundays, it hosts a flea market and an arts and crafts market. Other area markets include FreshFarm markets which organizes markets in neighborhoods such as Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and Penn Quarter with over 30 farmers providing fresh bread, poultry, prosciutto, cheeses, and pies in addition to produce. Be sure to check out About.com’s comprehensive listing of Washington D.C area markets.

Green Space

Known as American’s Front Yard, and an instantly recognizable sight in movies such as Forrest Gump, the National Mall is a large city center park which links various monuments and connects key government buildings. On any day, rain or shine, you can find residents jogging or simply enjoying an outdoor lunch in the park. There are many other green spaces and trails around the District. The enormous Rock Creek Park, twice the size of New York’s Central Park, Potomac Park, as well as Anacostia Park which boasts recreational opportunities such as boating provide solace from the urban jungle. Also located in DC, is the United States National Arboretum, a major center for botanical research with a wide assortment of flora and trees.

Eats

It’s no secret that the nation’s capital is a cultural melting pot of influences from all over the world. From neighborhoods such as Chinatown to Dupont Circle, a bad meal in D.C. is pretty hard to come by. However, there are a couple eats going the extra mile. Cashion’s Eat Place located in the famous Adams Morgan district provides a slew of scrumptious, organic dishes. Restaurant Nora is an upscale restaurant and was the first to be certified organic in the country. Hook located in Georgetown provides seafood and other local organic produce. The wildly popular and eco-friendly hotspot, Java Green, is setting a great example by using wind power to offset its carbon footprint, using biodegradable products, and supporting small farmers by participating in fair trade. VegDC, touted as the vegetation guide to Washington, D.C. provides a listing of restaurants and organizations.

Sleep

Green TravelHub provides a list of “green” hotels in the D.C area from the low end Days Inn to the pricier Fairmont Hotel, all doing their part to conserve energy and water using efficient lighting, low flow showers and toilets, and actively recycling. For the budget conscious traveler, the American Guest House Bed and Breakfast located in Dupont Circle provides quaint rooms and complimentary hot breakfast serve daily. The Kalorama Guest House is a bed and breakfast with two locations: a Victorian townhouse in Adams Morgan, and a location in Woodley Park On the high end, Hotel Palomar located in Dupont Circle is an eco-friendly boutique hotel that recycles, provides organic beverages, using soy-based ink, uses energy efficient bulbs, and uses low flow systems in an effort to conserve water and reduce its environmental impact.

Other Information

Green Festival held every year in the District and other cities around the country is a way for environmentally conscious organizations and individuals to trade ideas, network, and build the promote lifestyle. Other great resources include National Geographic’s Green Guide and GridSkipper’s Your Eco-Friendly Guide to the District.

Photo by Patrick Smillie

For the longest time I thought my dad had the coolest job on earth – visiting oil rigs in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, taking helicopter trips around active volcanoes, collecting weird rocks, and traveling all over the world. I would later find out that as a petroleum geologist, he went exploring for oil in the deepest of oceans. Thus began my fascination with the geosciences.

Study

Geologists usually start out with a strong background in physics, chemistry, and mathematics. In actuality, an advanced degree is often required to be taken seriously in the world of geology. A Masters degree will be sufficient to start at an entry-level position but preference is usually given to PhD holders.

“It has all changed since I was a junior geologist, when a BA [Bachelor of Arts degree] was enough, and there were no helicopters or computers”, notes Stuart McColl, a consultant and a petroleum geologist for many decades. “…The field work was done with horses and the paperwork by hand. But there is still nothing that can replace hands-on experience with the rocks and techniques in the field”.

Like with many career paths, there are various areas of specialization.

If you’re interested in the origins of rocks or the physical structure of the earth, then specializing in petrology, geochemistry, or structural geology may be the route for you. If you still can’t shake off your fascination with dinosaurs, you could specialize in paleontology. Other common specialties include glaciology – study of glaciers, marine geology – study of the ocean floor and continental shelves, as well as the more popular petroleum geology, which explores the earth for oil and gas.

Specializing in one of the many aspects of geology will aid your future job search and help you secure a possible long term position in a particular industry.

Work and Travel

In addition to discipline and self reliance, a zeal for travel is one of the many traits of a geologist. Your studies will definitely take you out on field trips – from places of geological interest in your backyard to more exotic and remote locations all over the world. Since geology is an applied science, practical field experience is required at some point in your career. Most geologists spend time out in the field early on in their careers.

The biggest employers of geologists are the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. Most of these jobs are usually on a contract basis which requires that you renew your contract every couple years or so. Other industries that hire geologists include the mining, quarrying, and engineering industries. Even though some employers provide specific training to their geologists to better suit their line of business, having some technical skills to augment your expertise will definitely make you more attractive in the workplace.

Stuart recommends getting with major integrated oil companies such as British Petroleum (BP) or Exxon for overall exposure and training. “They are the best way to see how the business really works”, he adds.

Many geologists do end up becoming professors and continuing their research in an academic environment.

Network

Attending tradeshows and conferences are just a few ways of building your professional network. Like with many niche careers just as geology, building a solid network of references and contacts will only boost and promote your visibility in the industry.

Joining professional organizations such as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Geological Society of America is also a great way of actively participating in the geology community. In some cases, geologists [like engineers] may need to obtain specific licenses to operate in certain states and areas.

Pay

Entry level jobs usually start at around $32,000 annually. According to the U.S. Occupational Handbook, geologists can earn from $37,700 to $130,750 per year, but this usually requires that you specialize. With advanced degrees, practical experience, and in certain industries such as oil and gas, geologists can climb into the six figure earning range.

If you want to get rich quickly, geology may not lead you there, but wealth is not totally beyond reach. Participating in startup energy and explorations companies as well as taking advantage of stock opportunities can provide the quickest route.

“Look at Lawrie Payne’s company (Ithaca Energy),” notes Stuart McColl. “He has made millions within five years by pooling his experience and drive, attracting investment money, and retaining a large share position.”

“Hard work, solid training and experience…..no substitute for it!”

Photo by Lola Akinmade

As with many crafts such as writing and fine art, the world of photography is fiercely competitive. It can take years to stand out from the mass of talented individuals out there.

Developing an Online Presence

Whether you’re creating a personal website or blog, or using a photo-sharing site such as Flickr, developing an online presence is crucial to your success as a travel photographer. You should readily be able to share links to and showcase your work without resorting to hard copy prints. Preeti Burkholder’s article on selling your travel photography provides a detailed guide on how to present your portfolio online.

Photography Contests

Contests are a great way to gauge where you stand in the talent pool. Most photo contests charge an entry fee starting at around $25 per entry. Spending time entering contests may not seem like a worthwhile investment, however, the exposure gained by winning one of the following contests would be invaluable:

* International Photography Awards (IPA)

* PDN: World In Focus

* Travel Photographer Of The Year (TPOTY)

* PopPhoto Contests

Photography can be an expensive hobby to maintain, so unless you’re financially able to afford the entry fees, here are a few free photography contests you can participate in:

* National Geographic: Your Shot

* Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

* BetterPhoto.com

* Nikon Photo Contest International

On a recent scouring mission of photo contests online, I came across the name, Larry Louie. He’d participated in many contests and his breathtaking travel photographs were either nominated or had won a category or two. He was recently awarded IPA’s 2007 . When I clicked over to his personal site, I found out that he also ran his own eyecare center in Edmonton, Canada. Larry is a great example of a hobby photographer, building an impressive online resume to spotlight his travel photography.

Woophy is an excellent (free) resource for the budding travel photographer. With over 24,000 registered users, you will be treated to amazing photography from every corner of the globe. Woophy also runs photography contests for its members.

JPG Magazine is a great publication that boasts a wide range of users who regularly contribute to select themes such as “Split-second” or “Surroundings”. Top photographs from these themes, in addition to submitted photo essays, become published in its print magazine.

Intelligent Travel (a National Geographic publication) is a photography blog that maintains a Flickr photo pool where budding photographers can submit their travel photographs.

Photo by Lola Akinmade

Ever perused the pages of National Geographic and wondered how those amazing personal moments were captured? From tribal chiefs in Papua New Guinea to the cutest Mongolian children: in most cases no common language is spoken between the photographer and their subjects, yet you can see and feel the connection through the portrait. Taking pictures of amazing scenery lets you share the feeling of being somewhere exotic with friends and family. But bringing back pictures of natives gives a brief insight into life in other cultures and how local people actually live their daily lives.

One of the daunting tasks travel photographers always face is how to approach someone, make them trust your momentarily, and capture a once in a lifetime shot. As I’ve gradually improved as a travel photographer, these are some of the things that have helped me along the way.

Smile

Nothing disarms someone’s protective front faster than eye contact and a warm smile that genuinely reaches the eyes. A smile and gentle nod always goes a long way and lets your subject know that you are very approachable. With the instant gratification that comes with a viewfinder on all digital cameras, you can immediately show your subject their portrait on the camera. You can delete pictures if they show you any sign of disapproval. Since you probably never carry a consent or photo release form for them to sign, you can always let them know through your disposition that you will not use their pictures unethically in any way. Remember to always seal the deal with a “thank you” in your subject’s native language.

Photo by Lola Akinmade

Focus on one person

If you happen upon a group of people who you want to photograph, you know you’re instantly going to get a busy shot. By focusing and connecting with one person in the group, their intense portrait invites you to come join the party. One of my favorite group shots was taken in a village called Krang Yaw, deep within a Cambodian province. Within the frenzy of excitement, one of the kids looked straight at me and her face said it all.

Follow your instincts

Call it the sixth sense, but people always know when they are being watched or observed, and sooner or later, they will subconsciously turn towards the source of discomfort. It is in those few seconds of realization that some of the best travel shots are taken. One of the recent winners of National Geographic Traveler Magazine’s Photo Contest, Katarzyna Sobocinska, explains in her winning shot taken of a little girl in the village of Itekun, Nigeria, “…I was waiting for the moment when she’d look at me without yet knowing what I was trying to do. I released the camera button exactly when she noticed me.”

Give people distance

In many situations, you may not be able to get up close and personal with your subjects. For example, monks in Asia, or guards patrolling presidential palaces or castles in Europe, just to name a few. In these cases you may want to invest in a longer lens that allows you to give them space, yet capture a great moment. Unless you’re a sports photographer or professional photographer on assignment in the wild, a 55-200mm lens is more than adequate.

Try color

We’ve all heard that a black and white portrait always captures the raw emotion of its subject and adds depth to their profile. While this is a known, practiced fact, you should try capturing the amazing colors and vibrancy of a native in his or her portrait as well. You can always capture the image in color and post-process into a black and white version later. Color adds a certain dimension to portraits by transporting them from caricatures back to living beings. If you can capture strong emotions in color, imagine just how intense that same portrait would be when you post-process it into a black and white image!

Know when to quit

While you may want to smile at everyone you want to capture, sensitivity to cultural norms should always take precedence. Be considerate around religious figures and activities. Avoid snapping children when their parents visibly disapprove. Always be respectful of personal boundaries.

Persistently smiling at someone who is obviously having a bad day might agitate and alienate them further.

Photo by Michael Renner

The journey towards our ultimate destinations can be very tedious especially when it spans multiple continents. Traversing the world means having to travel much longer distances to get to those off-beaten paths and less touristy locations. As much as I love to travel, I am dreading my upcoming 17 hour flight from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to Bangkok, Thailand, so here are ten tips I will be using to survive my long haul flight.

Catch up on movies

Long flights are a perfect opportunity to catch up on the movies on your “must-see” list. Chances are your must-see list is at least six months old, and the probability of the airline playing the movies on your list is pretty high. Whether it’s watching the movie 300 for the 300th time or finally watching that foreign movie you had always wanted to see, you can easily pass four to five hours perusing movies on board. Headsets are always handed out on long haul flights, but do bring a backup set if you’d prefer.

Learn a couple phrases in a foreign language

The fact that you’re flying hours over two or three continents to your destination probably means that a different language will be spoken on arrival. Your long flight is an opportunity to read your phrasebook, learn a few words in the local language, or brush up on your language skills if you’re more than a beginner. If you bring along your own audio device like an iPod, MP3, or CD player, you can bring along an audio phrasebook as well. Before my flight, I invested in a $50 MP3 player on to which I transferred Swedish and German audio lessons so I could catch up on my studies. Ideally, audio lessons in the language spoken at your destination may be more beneficial.

Sleep like a baby

A 17 hour flight is a great opportunity to catch up on much needed sleep. If you cannot force yourself to sleep, taking a sleep aid or pill can help relax your body, make you drowsy, and get you into pure sleep mode. You can always ask for a pillow, sleeping mask, and earplugs if you need them.

Stretch your legs

Every two hours or so, do get up and move around the cabin. Make multiple laps down the length of your cabin to get the blood flowing again. This will help avoid blood clots that come with immobility. The back of the plane provides an ideal spot for stretching as well. Strolling around the cabin is also a great way to people watch, and observe the various ways others are surviving a long flight.

Strike up conversation

Of course, this depends on who you find yourself sitting next to. I recently shared a row with an Olympic sailor who represents the Netherlands. Many lasting friendships are forged through random conversations started on airplanes. You could start by commiserating on why you’re both on a 17 hour flight, what you both plan to do once you arrive at your destination, how long you’ll both be staying, and much more. You just might meet your next travel buddy or next career opportunity. On a trip back from Pamplona two years ago, I ended up sitting next to and sharing bull running footage with a Belgian businessman who ran his own consulting firm. By the end of the flight, I had received a job offer to be an international IT consultant.

Read a book

Grab a book at one of the airport stores before you board if you didn’t pack any. There are tons of excellent books and travel stories from writers such as Pico Iyer, Ted Conover, and Bill Bryson just to name a few you can read to wile away time. Travel stories are a great way to keep your excitement up and help your escape once the restriction of the airplane starts to bear down on you. For the trip, I purchased the award winning “Sand in my bra” collection of travel stories, edited by Jennifer L. Leo.

Write in your journal

Long flights back provide the perfect opportunity to reflect on your travels and jot down your feelings, observations, and experiences. You can catch up on missed journal entries, finish your sketches, jot down ideas, or begin the draft of an article. I usually carry a few pastels and sketch out ideas that become paintings later on.

Listen to music

Airlines play a decent eclectic collection of music on many channels and you’re bound to find one you like. To be safe, you can bring along your own audio device and groove to your own beats.

Play games

Crossword puzzles and Sudoku are great distraction from a long tedious flight. A deck of cards might come in handy if your seatmate is a great sport and knows a few card games. Based on your personal packing restrictions, you could bring along handheld electronic gaming devices such as portable Sony Playstations or Nintendo.

Track your flight progress

Once the “Are we there yet?” feeling hits, switch over to the GPS tracking system on your seatback monitor to track your plane’s progress and see if you need to start using your long haul flight tips all over again.