Anna Zhu, winner of our 2009 Travel Photography Scholarship, shares what she’s learned in her career so far.

You’ve got a big trip ahead and you’ve just bought yourself a new camera – congratulations! Here are a few things I’ve learned about travel photography that’ll hopefully help you take your best travel photos yet.

1 Read the manual

New cameras are exciting, but there’s nothing more frustrating than being unable to access the features you invested in. You don’t need to know what every button does (I probably only use about 50 percent of my camera’s features), but knowing how to switch your camera into manual flash, understanding the dials for aperture and the shutter priorities, as well as the exposure compensation is a must. Spend a couple of weekends before your trip making friends with your new camera – you’ll be rewarded.

If you are a beginner and have the time and inclination, a short course in the basic technical aspects of photography would be wise. Camera bodies may have changed over the years, but the mechanics of photography have not.

2 Research

You’ve probably picked your travel destination of because of its picturesque landscapes, cultural richness or abundance in flora and fauna. Jump onto Google, Flickr and Instagram (and your local library – for those of us who prefer analog research), and see what other photographers have captured. You can decide whether to emulate them (a great way to learn) or carve your own path.

When I was researching a trip to Antarctica, I found lots of images of ice and wildlife, but very not many modern-day portraits of people who venture into this landscape. My strength is in portraiture, so I decided to investigate this path.

3 Set yourself a simple brief

This one may not be for everyone, but I find that setting myself a simple brief helps me get into the photographic ‘zone’ of looking for shots, and usually means that I end up with images that are a little less random. They don’t need to be complicated: “photograph where you are at sunset every day”, “photograph the third person you see every morning”, or even “photograph your dinner every day” (but food bloggers do this already).

When I couch-surfed in Buenos Aires for three weeks, my brief was simply to take a photograph of every person I met – this included my hosts, the baker, streetside florists, people I asked for directions, bus drivers, everyone! I ended up with about 100 portraits which I then edited down into a series.

You can practice this technique before you leave, and see if it works for you. Take your camera out for a weekend and set yourself some parameters, e.g. “photograph everything yellow” or “photograph from knee height only”. You’ll be surprised how setting limits actually encourages you to photograph more (you know what you’re looking for), and of course, you’ll end up with a set of thematically coherent images.

4 Pack smart and light

I’m small and have fallen into the trap of bringing more than I need (or can carry) many, many times. From personal experience, the worst thing is to be traveling with more camera gear than you need. You’ll end up with equipment that’s too heavy to lug around, but you also feel guilty for not using everything as you flew them halfway across the world for this exact purpose. You end up a mule to your gear, getting tired after half a day on your feet and not enjoying the trip at all.

The trick to packing light is to know what you want to photograph (this is where tips 2 and 3 come into play), so you can then decide which lenses to leave and which to pack. One general-purpose lens (the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 is great) may be enough for most, but I swear by my fixed 35mm f/1.4. I would recommend not bringing more than two lenses; you’ll spend more time screwing them on and off than taking photos.

5 Take your camera everywhere

How many times have you seen a completely amazing composition and kicked yourself because you decided to leave your big camera back in the hotel and make do with your iPhone? Tip 5 derives directly from tip 4, pack only whatever camera gear you can comfortably carry, that way you won’t feel it’s such a chore to haul it out every day.

Disclaimer, take your camera everywhere, but probably not when you’re diving or drinking.

6 Bend your knees

This tip could alternatively be named ‘look for unconventional perspectives’.

Our first instinct is to raise the camera to eye level and shoot, this probably works fine most of the time, but you’ll be amazed at what a difference some knee-bending does. Suddenly, you’re looking at the work from the perspective of a child, or a small animal. But why stop there? Place the camera on the ground, or climb onto a table for a higher perspective. Who says a photo can’t be upside down? Or be a photo of a reflection of a painting of another photo? The possibilities are endless, sometimes confusing, but indefinitely satisfying when you can capture something that will give people pause before they figure out what they’re looking at.

7 Keep a backup

Just because that camera is new, doesn’t mean it won’t break. I recommend traveling with a backup camera of some sort, especially if it’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Your backup doesn’t have to be fancy, it can be a lightweight little point-and-shoot or even your mobile phone.

Also, don’t discount film. For those who have a lens system that is compatible with the older film bodies within the same brand, I’d recommend tracking down a film body (these are usually inexpensive on eBay). They are a great backup to have as the older bodies usually operate via windup or disposable batteries (no charger cords!) and 35mm film is still relatively easy to buy. You’ll have the option of posting the developed rolls (don’t risk posting undeveloped negatives as some security scanners can be detrimental) back home, knowing your photos are safe waiting for your return.

8 Number your memory cards

If you have multiple memory cards like me, make your life easier and number them. I recently lost about 5G of HD video on a recent trip to China because I confused my cards and wrote over one I’d already used. Good thing I shoot like a nut and have 30 other gigs to remember the trip by.

If you have the time, back them up! If you’re traveling in remote areas, the safest bet is to carry a laptop and an external hard drive. When in a city, an equally good lo-fi option is to take the cards to a camera shop and have them back everything up on two copies on DVD. Post one set back home and keep the other set with you.

9 Have fun!

I believe travel photography should always be more about ‘travel’ than ‘photography’. I think it’s a little too much pressure to set out on a trip with the mission of taking good photos rather than having great experiences. Photos capture what’s in front of the camera, but also reflect whoever is behind the camera.

Do your homework before you leave, and let loose when you’re there. When you are confident with your equipment, it means less time eyeing the menu screen and more time eyeing your surroundings.

10 Edit, edit, edit

Ever had a friend show you their three-hour-long travel slideshow which invariably has 20 shots of the same mountain top? Please, don’t put someone else through that.

Taking the photo is only half the process; being selective with what you show at the end is difficult, but is essential to improving your photography. Like any form of learning, review and critique is key. Plus, once you isolate the good shots (for me, usually about 10-20 % of a shoot) and imagine the rest never happened, you’ll feel like a king.

Tip 3 (shooting with a brief in mind) applies to editing as well. If you consider what you’re editing for, your selection will be better and a natural narrative will emerge. Editing a series to show your mum will be different to editing a series for a potential photo buyer.

The right software can go a long way to making a tiring process easier – I highly recommend Lightroom. It’s easy to use and its cataloging system is incomparable when it comes to working with a large number of files.

With peak travel season about to start, scammers are preparing to target unwary travellers. For this reason, it’s important travellers take care of their personal information when making bookings and travelling.

Specialist investigator Mike Bolhuis from Specialised Security Services (SSS) warns that with the coming school holidays and peak travel season, it is critical people be even more vigilant.

SSS not only investigates violent crimes, serious economic crimes and cyber crimes but also focuses on crime prevention by educating the public on proactive, personal safety measures.

“When planning to travel, you must prioritise cyber security to protect your personal information and mitigate potential risks,” he says.

To help protect you when making travel plans or travelling, Bolhuis shares the following tips.

Use strong, unique passwords

The security expert advises travellers to create strong, unique passwords for each online account, and to refrain from using the same password across multiple sites.

“Consider employing a reliable password manager to store and manage your passwords securely.”

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

Bolhuis also recommends you activate 2FA on all your accounts whenever possible as this additional layer of security requires a second form of verification beyond your password.

Update software and apps

When it comes to your apps, he says it is imperative to ensure all your devices, including smartphones and laptops, have the latest updates and security patches installed to help keep them secure.

Use secure connections

“Avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt your internet connection and safeguard your data.”

Monitor your financial accounts

Bolhuis also notes it is important to monitor your financial accounts.

“Regularly scrutinise your bank and credit card statements for unauthorised transactions, and immediately report any suspicious activity.”

Secure your devices

When it comes to devices, the security expert highlights that you should use passwords or biometric locks such as fingerprints or face recognition to secure your devices.

“If your device has remote wipe capabilities, ensure they can remotely erase data if lost or stolen.”

Be cautious with sharing personal information

He also advises you to be cautious with personal information.

“Avoid sharing personal information, such as travel plans or location details, on social media or public forums, to avoid becoming a target for scammers.”

Backup important data

Another important thing to consider is backing up your data to ensure data recovery in case of device loss or theft. Regularly back up important documents and information to a secure location, such as an encrypted cloud service or an external hard drive.

Verify travel and accommodation bookings

Bolhuis also cautions travellers to use reputable travel agencies and booking platforms and to double-check email confirmations and ensure the URLs of booking sites are correct and secure.

Be wary of phishing scams

“Exercise extreme caution with emails or messages requesting personal or financial information, especially if they appear from travel companies or financial institutions. Verify the legitimacy of the sender before providing any information.”

Secure your home network

The security expert also said that before travelling, secure your home Wi-Fi network with a strong password and encryption to prevent unauthorised access while you’re away.

Consider travel insurance

And lastly, he says it is advisable to purchase travel insurance that covers cyber threats and theft, to provide additional protection in the event of data breaches or loss of personal information.

As travel firms gear up for the busiest holiday booking weekend since the pandemic, the travel experts at Bounce have put together their top tips to help you save money this Sunshine Saturday.

Cody Candee, CEO, and Founder of Bounce comments:

1. Be flexible – This goes for both your destination and time of travel. If you have a region in mind, don’t just look at flights to/from the main airport, look at others nearby. You can then weigh up the cost of flying directly to the main airport or traveling to your destination from a nearby airport. You could also consider staying outside of popular tourist destinations and traveling in. If you can be flexible with your dates too, this will also help keep costs down, such as traveling during off-season periods.

2. Be a savvy booker – It may be well known that flight prices can fluctuate throughout the week, but few people know to book in the afternoon. Prices can drop cheaper during later hours of the day after business travelers book most of their flights. To make sure you are getting the cheapest prices on flights, don’t just look on the major comparison websites, as often the smaller sites can have bigger discounts. Staying loyal to a hotel chain is another great way to save when booking your trip. This way you can open up a credit card with the hotel to collect points which can be used the next time you travel.

3. Set up price alerts for flights – This sounds simple, yet so many travelers forget this key step in grabbing the best flight deals. Setting up price alerts will allow you to be notified any time a flight you’re interested in drops in price, meaning you can be the first to get the deal. Apps such as Skyscanner offer this service as well as the website Kayak.

4. Save on insurance – Travel insurance is often left until the last minute, but this can drive costs higher. Set aside ample time before traveling to find the best insurance deals. Consider if you will be traveling more than once this year, in which case, annual cover may be cheaper. Finally, don’t buy insurance from the travel operator straight away – shop around. This type of cover from the travel operator is unlikely to be tailored to you, and may be more expensive than you can find elsewhere.

5. Try a wonky weekend – It is commonly known that traveling mid-week will offer you cheaper tickets when it comes to flights, trains, and buses, but what if you can’t take that much holiday from work? Traveling from Saturday to Monday rather than Friday to Sunday will mean not only bagging cheaper deals but avoiding those chaotic ‘rush hours’.

6. Take tips from the locals – When visiting tourist hotspots such as New York or Paris, the most popular activities will often be the most expensive. However, local residents may offer you some insight into how to experience hotspots without breaking the bank. This could include off-grid activities such as hiking to an amazing viewpoint rather than taking a busy train or taking your own boat out rather than joining a day cruise. This type of activity will allow you to build your own itinerary and explore how you wish.

7. Stay in a home away from home – Whilst the luxury of a 5-star hotel is appealing, house sitting can be a much cheaper alternative and may offer the home comforts you didn’t realize you’d miss at a hotel. Sites such as Trusted Housesitters and Mind my House allow you to choose from a range of locations across the world in which you will stay in a home for free in return for looking after a pet or watering the plants. Whilst many of these sites require a subscription fee, it can still be much cheaper than alternative accommodation if you are looking to travel frequently.

8. Utilize luggage storage – Accommodation check-in times typically fall after 3 pm. If you arrive at your destination earlier than your designated check-in time, in the hope of dropping your luggage, it is likely that you will have to pay a hefty early check-in fee. Instead, why not consider locating your nearest Bounce luggage storage partner? With more than 8,000 bookable locations, you can store your luggage at your convenience, for a small fraction of the early check-in prices. Similarly, with nothing weighing you down, you’re free to skip the pricey taxi fares and explore your destination on foot for the day!

How to relax on vacation? It’s easier said than done. As much as we love a holiday, the combination of planning, booking, traveling, and being in an unfamiliar place can be exceedingly stressful. Truly, there’s nothing worse than returning from a trip feeling more uptight than before you left. Ever need a vacation from your vacation? Not fun.

So, below, we round up the best ways to make sure you actually relax on vacation—from the ultimate packing tips to advice from experts on the best ways to truly unwind.

Pack properly

When it comes to organizing your holiday, spontaneity can be really fun. Booking flights, activities, and restaurants all can be improved with a sprinkling of carpe diem. For packing, however, organization is key. Whatever you do, don’t leave packing until the day of travel. There will undoubtedly be a few items that spring to mind just before you head out the door, so make sure you aren’t already frazzled and sick of packing when that happens.

Making a list is always helpful in ensuring you don’t forget anything important, but if you’re not a list kind of person, then just make sure you give yourself enough time to remember anything important. Start with the essentials: passport, phone, charger, keys, wallet, visas or travel documents, prescription medication.

Throwing a bunch of mismatched clothing items is never the best policy, so think of what the weather will be like at your destination, dress codes at any fancy restaurants or events you might be attending, cozy outfits for evenings in, and suitable footwear for a variety of activities (there’s nothing worse than discovering the only shoes you’ve brought give you blisters on day one). For toiletries, packing your liquids in a transparent plastic bag will save you time during security, so you aren’t frantically scrambling through your bags while in line.

Structure and schedules can help

Organized fun may not always be the best kind of fun, but when it comes to being able to enjoy your holiday to the fullest, sometimes a little structure is the best way to achieve that. Think about what you want to get out of your vacation: Is there a particular restaurant you want to try? A museum you’ve been desperate to visit? A beach you can picture yourself snoozing on? Doing your research will help guarantee you can slot in everything you want to experience during your trip.

Booking restaurants or bars in advance will save you valuable time; buying tickets for galleries or museums means that you won’t be forced to wait in line for hours on end; and a quick Google search of a beach will tell you how long you need to leave for transport there and back, plus anything else of note (when does it get crowded, are there sun beds, are there places for food nearby, etc.).

Of course, leave yourself some time for last-minute decisions and spontaneity. The unexpected is often the most fun, but only if you’re in the best mindset to embrace it when it appears.

Spend some time outside

For most of us, the majority of our working days are spent indoors. Vacations are a great time to get some much-needed fresh air and vitamin D, plus there can be some serious health benefits to getting outdoors on your holidays. “Spending time in nature helps travelers relax by reducing their mental fatigue, boosting happiness, and restoring their concentration,” Dr. Mahrukh Khwaja, a Positive Psychologist (MAPP), founder of Mind Ninja, and author of Navigating A Squiggly Life, tells Traveler. “An unthreatening natural environment allows the mind to wander freely and relaxes the brain’s strong focus on specific tasks.”

That’s not to say you need to prioritize exercise on your holidays, but raising your heart rate slightly during a trip, be it from walking, swimming, hiking, or dancing, can do wonders for your ability to relax for the rest of your time away. “Studies show that travelers spending time in nature and taking part in hikes, walks, or cycling exhibit a reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension,” Dr. Khwaja explains. “Research also shows that tourists staying in green environments produce lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.” All that to say, simply spending more time outdoors can help you relax on your travels and therefore more fully enjoy your time away.

Soak up the local culture

Immersing yourself in a new place’s culture and history can help you unwind. It can be hard to switch off from the stresses of home, whether that is stressing about your workload when you return, resisting the urge to check your emails, or worrying about family members waiting for you at home. Meeting new people, learning new things, and educating yourself about the place you are visiting can help you get out of your head and momentarily forget those stressors waiting for you.

“Taking holidays can enhance our quality of life and happiness through the experience of new, novel moments, increasing our sense of meaning, and an increase in positive emotions, such as awe, gratitude, and curiosity when we immerse ourselves in different cultures,” Dr. Khwaja says. “Studies also report that traveling and taking a break from work reduces work stress, exhaustion, and absenteeism through the practice of switching off, slowing down, and prioritizing experiences that nourish travelers.”

Cognisomatic hypnotherapist Jessica Boston explains why broadening your horizons might help your mental health long after your holiday ends. “Being in a different environment to our usual one challenges the algorithms of our perceptual reality. Our subconscious mind makes sense of the world through our standardized algorithms of safety and possibility,” she explains. “When we are on holiday, our subconscious mind takes information in and decides if something is the same, similar, or different to something it already knows, and then takes action on how to respond appropriately—for example, recognizing any potential threats or danger).”

Traveling gives us a perfect time to exercise these mental skills. Boston goes on to say, “It’s easy through times of stress for these processes of coming to terms with our perceptual reality to get more narrow. We become lazy and more ‘blanket’ in how we perceive new experiences, which can damage our mental health. Travel challenges our perceptual reality and sets off a chain reaction where we can make sense of the wider world more easily. This can help us become more hopeful of what we can achieve beyond our basic understanding and, therefore, help us to feel better. We begin to think: ‘If this is possible, what else is possible?’”

Take your time

We rush around every day, running to catch trains and hurrying through our commutes, finishing off tasks as quickly as possible and willing the clock to move faster so we can finish work and rush back home. It can be tempting to treat holidays the same way—rushing to make sure you can squeeze in everything you want to do in a short period of time. But holidays are a time to pause and slow things down. It’s not often that we return to a destination more than once, so it’s important to appreciate the little things as much as possible. Pacing yourself through activities and things you’d like to do means you give yourself the time to actually enjoy each individual moment. Give yourself longer time periods that you think you might need to explore, so that if you end up really enjoying something in particular, you don’t need to rush onto the next thing.

Practice mindfulness

Before you skip this section, hear me out. I don’t mean you need to meditate on your next holiday (although if you’d like to do so, go ahead). Being mindful allows you to appreciate things you may otherwise have overlooked. Take your time to think about all the different sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of your new surroundings. Looking up, for example, is a travel tip I’ve often received; as weird as it sounds, by glancing upwards now and then you might catch sight of intriguing architecture, tiled buildings, murals on walls, or—if you’re lucky—a buzzing rooftop bar you won’t have noticed otherwise.

“In our hectic daily lives, the urgent pace driven by our anxieties and a demanding culture often keeps us from being in the present moment,” Boston explains. “There is a bid for attention from so many outlets, and anything related to survival keeps us constantly watching for imminent danger. This habitual state makes it challenging to be truly present as our minds continuously w1orks overtime.”

“Stepping away from the familiar environment that reinforces these patterns offers a natural break from survival cycles,” she expands. “Slowing down to pay attention to new cultures, sights, and sounds helps us to be fully in the present, which recalibrates our relationship with time and effortlessly realigns our priorities. Suddenly, the pressure of a work email diminishes when juxtaposed with centuries of history or diverse ways of life. By slowing down, you will find that you discover new aspects of yourself and find simple joys that remind you that now is the time is now to fully enjoy yourself. Your ability to practice being present will reshape your perspective and reposition your priorities leading to a greater sense of inner peace.”

Dr. Khwaja agrees: “A key way in which our brain can benefit from traveling is through the practice of being mindful abroad. Researchers report practicing mindfulness as a tourist, such as increasing awareness of our external environment, grounding ourselves to the present moment, and non-judgmental perception about a destination has positive impacts on our wellbeing, actions, and thinking responses. Mindfulness allows us to move from stress to awareness and broadens our attention to reframe life circumstances in a positive way.”

Treat yourself while on your trip

Obviously, a vacation in itself is a treat—and it can be an expensive one at that. But if you are already going on holiday, then it’s important to make sure that you aren’t spending the entire trip worrying about how much everything costs and scrimping on experiences while you’re there. This harks back to the earlier point about organization: If you plan accordingly, you’ll be able to balance out more affordable experiences with some finer ones too. A vacation is supposed to be a spoiling experience, so make sure you give yourself the opportunity to enjoy the trip as much as you can afford to.

Don’t put too much pressure on the vacation

Having said that, it’s equally as important to realize that a holiday is not always guaranteed to go entirely smoothly. It’s helpful to remind yourself that you are in a new-to-you place and you cannot plan for every potential. There are endless amounts of variables that can occur, and attempting to plan for all of them is never going to work. Do what you can to prepare yourself physically and mentally, but once you arrive at your destination, try your best to relinquish attempts to control anything and everything. This is a chance for you to fully relax, kick back, and enjoy the little time we get each year to let things unfold naturally.