the wander project dispatches from over there
Josh Fulmer
Tips from a Pro: Get the Most From Your Point-and-Shoot
Travelers routinely find themselves making the most of limited photo equipment, often carrying a point-and-shoot and little else. TWP asked professional photographer Will Godfrey for his top five tips for the minimally equipped.
1. Get creative with composition
“Finding a visually interesting angle can be as simple as kneeling down to compose the shot differently or as complicated as climbing onto a rooftop for an aerial view,” says Godfrey. “Even hiking up a nearby hill can completely overhaul an otherwise boring shot.”
2. Stabilize in low light
“Low-light shooting is one of the most [...]
What I’m reading: April 30, 2010
Different Strokes Christine over at the newly-redesigned Almost Fearless makes some important observations: Travel isn’t for everyone, and a year-long RTW gauntlet isn’t for every traveler. “It’s as if we’ve collectively decided that if you’re going to travel, then you must cram as much actual traveling into that time as possible,” Christine says.
Going to Burma? Jodi from Legal Nomads offers a solid Crash Course to Burma that includes a fascinating discourse on the perils of Burmese alarm clocks. After her explanation of Burmese currency (there are no ATMs, you can’t withdraw money from banks, U.S. dollars must be pristine [...]
TWP Guide: The World’s Iconic Beers
Basic barley-and-hops knowledge is really all that separates well-traveled beer connoisseurs from meandering alcoholics. TWP enlisted brewer Ryan Frank, fresh off an eight-country brewery tour and a stint at the Siebel Institute & World Brewing Academy, to profile four of the world’s best beer-producing destinations.
Belgium
We’ll start where any discussion of beer must: by paying homage to Belgium’s Trappist monks, who’ve created some of the best beer on the planet (in service to the Lord, of course).
Belgian Golden Strong As the name implies, beers in this category are generally golden in color and highly alcoholic. Belgian yeast is highlighted [...]
Weekly Steals: The Best Deals on Travel Gear
Vasque Equalizer (For Men)
The Vasque Equalizer strikes the perfect balance between hiking boot and running shoe, making it an ideal choice for travelers looking for do-it-all footwear. Snag them for $80 at Sierra Trading Post and save 30% for your travel funds.
Mountain Hardwear Monkey Woman Jacket (For Women)
Made from warm, packable and quick drying polyester fleece with strategically placed stretch panels, the Monkey Woman Jacket is a perfect addition to any adventurous lady’s pack. Campmor has it for a mere 80 bucks — 43% off the retail [...]
What I’m Reading: April 23, 2010
Computer Security, Expat Aspirations, A Twitter Party, Travel Underwear and Cambodian Hookers….
Your money and computer on lockdown Anil over at foXnoMad gets 2 shout-outs for solid info on choosing a bank and securing your laptop while traveling— two items that have been on TWP’s “to research” list for a while. Thanks, Anil.
Because underwear is important Brooke at Brooke vs. The World reviews her unmentionables on tape and weighs the pros and cons of Ex Officio’s travel underwear. Stay tuned for the guy’s version from TWP (because not all boxer-briefs [...]
Stranded in Africa by Iceland’s Volcano, a Photographer Goes to Work
When Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano blew its top, thousands of travelers were stranded as the ash cloud formed a 3000-mile no-fly zone over western Europe. Photographer Austin Mann found himself without a ride home from Ethiopia, so he did what any enterprising freelancer would: he went to work. TWP caught up with him via email from Addis Ababa.
TWP: What are you up to in Ethiopia?
AM: I came over on March 24th to help a couple of mission groups develop media to raise money and awareness about new projects. One of the organizations is comprised of volunteer [...]
Weekly Steals: The Best Deals on Travel Gear
Outdoor Research Revel Jacket ( For Men)
With 2.5 layer Pertex fabric offering waterproof yet breathable protection from the elements in a 13 oz package, the Revel Jacket promises to be a near-perfect travel shell. Thanks to Campmor, you can snag it for $80 — nearly half of the $150 retail price.
Vasque Volta Low (For Women)
If I were a lady, I’d have to take a long look at the Voltas. They’re lightweight yet supportive, with a Gore-Tex liner to fend off moisture and a lugged sole that’s at home on rough trails or potholed [...]
What I’m Reading: April 16, 2010
Strategic Seating
Scott from Trekeo pinch-hits over at Almost Fearless and fills us in on how to snag an empty airline seat. My personal favorite: “The Shufle.” When boarding’s finished, just hustle back and claim that empty row for yourself— flight attendants aren’t likely to care, says Scott.
When Travel is Work
Audrey from Uncornered Market shares insight on combating the working-traveler’s burnout, a self-induced condition that results from tight itineraries and ambitious goals. Her advice, which she calls the “sanity-preservation principle,” is simple: choose fewer destinations, stay in them longer.
Scandanavian Utopia?
I didn’t really know much about Gothenburg, Sweden aside from the [...]
Beware the Tourist [photo] Trap
Sometimes the difference between fantastic travel photos and mediocre snapshots is what you don’t do. TWP asked editorial and documentary photographer Michael Friberg to clue us in on six rookie photography blunders— and tell us how to fix them.
1) Shooting on auto
While your camera’s automatic setting will yield usable shots, you’ll end up with much better photographs by switching to a manual mode, or a similar setting that allows greater control over the settings. “You are smarter than your camera’s computer” says Friberg.”It has no clue that you’re exposing for the [...]
TWP Gear Review: The Kodak Zi8
The best backpacking-with-camera advice I’ve heard came from a guy who lugged a full-fledged professional video rig around the world: “Take the smallest camera you can find with a microphone jack.”
Mini cameras like the Flip are hugely popular with travelers for good reason — they’re pocket-sized yet capable of capturing great video, and uploading them to your favorite social media or video sharing site is unbelievably simple. The downside: audio is less than stellar, and there’s no input jack for an external mic. Roaming filmmakers were forced to choose between lugging a larger camera with the necessary inputs or sacrificing audio quality.
Mini cameras like the Flip are hugely popular with travelers for good reason — they’re pocket-sized yet capable of capturing great video, and uploading them to your favorite social media or video sharing site is unbelievably simple. The downside: audio is less than stellar, and there’s no input jack for an external mic. Roaming filmmakers were forced to choose between lugging a larger camera with the necessary inputs or sacrificing audio quality.
Enter the Kodak Zi8.
