Essential Antarctica Photography Tips: Creative & Practical

Susan Portnoy, The Insatiable Traveler, on a beach on South Georgia Island, looking at a baby elephant Seal

Essential Antarctica Photography Tips: Practical & Creative Creative and practical advice to make the most of your photos Photographing in Antarctica can throw you for a loop if it’s your first time. Inclement weather, shooting from boats, high-contrast conditions, and wildlife flying, swimming, and waddling is not your usual mixed bag.  On my expedition cruise […]

The Best Gifts for Photography Lovers

Susan Portnoy photographing in Peru on a boat

The Best Gifts for Photography Lovers Items they’ll actually use and love! There’s a lot of gimmicky stuff out there for photography lovers. This gift guide doesn’t showcase any of them. I use and stand behind every product below. For example, lens cleaner may not seem like the sexiest present, trust me, when a lens […]

A Guide to Picking the Best Photography Trip For You

Large man photographing buffalo from a jeep during a travel photography tour

Photography trips can be a spectacular adventure: You explore bucket list destinations, make new friends who have a shared interest, and improve your skills under the guidance of very talented (sometimes famous) photographic professionals. But with so many organizations offering excursions of all kinds, it can be a challenge to find the best photography trip […]

How to Take Silhouette Photos You’ll Love

Buddhist Temple in silhouette at sunset.Old Bagan, Myanmar,

Photos composed using silhouettes are shrouded in drama, mystery, and more than a drop or two of romance. I love silhouette pictures for what you don’t see as much as for what you do; It’s the lack of light that ignites the imagination. It isn’t hard to take silhouette photos; it just takes an understanding of […]

Why Gura Gear’s Kiboko Backpack is the Best DSLR Camera Bag

Susan Portnoy the Insatiable Traveler wearing a Gura Gear Camera backpack

I typically don’t write entire posts about a single product but when I find something I really love and use I like to share it. Hence, my wet kiss below for the Gura Gear Kiboko 2.0 DSLR backpack. Finding the Gura Gear Kiboko DSLR Backpack Years ago, I needed a decent camera bag for a […]

Central Park in Fall – Best Places to See and Photograph Autumn Foliage

Central Park’s Gapstow bridge in autumn

If I could only visit New York’s famous urban respite once a year to make photos, I’d choose Central Park in Fall. In winter, New York is a snow-capped wonderland. In spring and summer, a flower lover’s delight. But Central Park in Fall is utterly magical. There’s nothing like wandering the park’s winding paths and […]

The Ultimate Guide to Polar Bear Tours in Churchill Manitoba

Polar bear walking in the snow

When you think of polar bears, does Churchill, Manitoba come to mind? Never heard of it? You’re not alone. It’s a small, remote hole-in-the-wall town in north-eastern Canada, but for polar bears it’s the cat’s meow. The tiny hamlet (population 900) is one of the best places in the world to see the white behemoths […]

10 of the Best Africa Photo Safari Tours in the World

Lions heading toward a woman in a vehicle taking their pictureAfrican Photo Safaris

Do you dream of being a photographer in Africa, making amazing pictures of some of the most incredible animals in the world? One of the best and most economical options (relatively speaking) is to join a group on an African photo safari (tour) led by a professional wildlife photographer whose job it is to help […]

Photography Workshop or Tour: Which is Right for You?

Learn the difference between workshops and tours; what to expect, and how to find a photography workshop or tour that's right for you.

One of the best ways to improve your photography is to take a workshop with a pro. But workshops cost money, require commitment, and only provide value if you’re serious about learning. Is a Photography Workshop Right For You? Let’s start with a little Q & A to provide some context. What is a photography […]

7 Tips for Photographing Amazon Rainforest Animals

Woolly monkey | Tips for Photographing Amazon Rainforest Animals-0571

You’re headed to the Amazon for a river cruise, a beautiful and exotic destination teeming with wildlife and photographic opportunities and you want to take some great pictures. Awesome. But take heed, the jungle has its challenges: from a towering canopy to problematic lighting, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind […]