Archive for June, 2011

Travel Writer – How To Get Paid For Writing About Your Travels

Travel | Posted by admin
Jun 30 2011
travel

So you are a passionate traveler and you have an adventurous spirit. Have you ever thought about being a travel writer or about writing the story of your escapades in different places? You’d be surprised by the money you can make.

It is very easy to write about something you thoroughly enjoy. Its easy to write about your travels, just describe what you see. The majesty of nature, your feelings of amazement, and the beauty of the world!

One tip I can give aspiring travel writers is to learn how to write concisely No matter what your intended market is, you must be skilled in the art of short an informative writing.

Most likely, just writing off the top of your head and then rereading and editing your post will surely result in a literary product that is interesting and engaging. With your great passion, the readers may feel they are right there with you.

So, how can you make money out of it, you ask. Here’s how.

1. Become a Travel Writer On Your Own Blog

Build a website or use a free blog site to begin with. The content of your site will be, of course, about your travels and adventures. Lots of people find travel adventures very appealing and some even use it as an escape from their day to day lives.

If your content is great, using a few optimizations, link building sites, and SEO tricks, you will rank high in the search engine ranking and gain audience members. People will flock to your site and some may become regular readers if you update often enough with interesting posts.

You can gain money from this through advertisements placed in your site. Advertisement systems such as AdSense from Google, Chitika, and others are a great way to get pre made ads for your blog. Or you can be an affiliate marketer for products and services relevant to your content. All of this creates passive streams of income.

2. Write About Your Travels On Other People’s Blogs

If you don’t want the complexities of building your own site, you can write for other people’s site.

Some people are just too busy or too lazy to put articles on their sites so they will happily pay other people, like you, to create articles for them. Short articles, ranging from 450 to 700 words, are sufficient. If they like you enough, they will regularly ask you to make create more content.

3. Sell Your Travel Writing Stories To Magazines and Newspapers

Newspaper work is quite risky because payment is not assured, that being said, it is a good way to earn extra money.

Have a list of magazines, newspapers, or any other kind of reading material that may need content for their publication Your articles don’t have to just be about traveling they can be about anything you want. Contact them and propose a deal that you will provide articles and stories for a nominal fee.

Of course, these publishing outfits will need some samples or something to substantiate your competence. You can give them samples and if they like it enough, they may just make you an offer you can’t refuse.

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Choosing The Best Hiking Gear

Hiking | Posted by admin
Jun 29 2011
hiking

If you intend to go hiking this summer, or enjoy hiking as a part of your year-round activities, making sure you have all the right gear in place will help you to get the most out of your hiking, while ensuring that you still look good when you’re out on the trail.

Of course, depending on where you’re going to be hiking, you will often need different types of gear, but we’ll come to that shortly.  By making sure you’ve got good hiking shoes, it will avoid typical walking problems from cropping up, such as blisters and sores, which can ruin an otherwise really great day.

Hiking Boots

Among the essentials in any set of hiking gear would definitely be hiking boots. And you will need to choose them carefully based on where you’re planning on walking.  For most purposes, a good set of hiking boots should remain waterproof and provide support especially to the ankles, which can often twist easily if you’re going to be hiking for a long day or on rough terrain.

Personally, I prefer a good solid boot without anything too fancy. But really, it is a case of experimenting with your preferences and trying on a few different styles and brands  until you’re happy with your choice.  Once you’ve got them, spend a bit of time hiking regularly while breaking them in, and soon enough, you’ll have a pair of hiking boots that will almost feel as though they’re a part of your feet.

Pants

If you’ve ever found yourself hiking on the trail with the pants chafing between your legs, then you’ll know that getting the right pair of trousers is vital. Polypropylene is the usual material used for hiking trousers because it is comfortable and quick-drying. Aside from being comfortable, I like my hiking pants to have plenty of pockets for storing granola bars or almost anything that you need quick access to on the trail.

When choosing my hiking trousers, I usually go for the ones that have the lower legs which can be zipped off, and be converted into shorts.  It might just be a small thing, but when the heat is baking, then putting the bottom of the legs into the pack and getting on with the hiking does feel great.

Shirts And Base Layers

When it comes to hiking, the base layer is probably the most important garment that you will wear, second to your boots.  A good base layer will be wicking away the sweat from your skin, while making sure that you stay at the right temperature.  Most important of all, you need to make sure that you’re comfortable, so try a few different materials, and make sure you’re happy with the one you choose, and it’ll look after you while you’re hiking.

Once you start moving on to shirts and fleeces, the old adage about thinner layers and lots of them being better than a small number of thicker layers is completely accurate.  If you’re hiking to the really cold areas, a thicker coat can be a good addition, but most hiking trips will suffice with a few layers and a set of waterproofs.

Conclusion

Hiking gear is certainly an area where you will have plenty of choice.  Just make sure that you take your time in picking out the right hiking gear, and if you look after it, it will look after you while you’re hiking.

 

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Travel Photography Jobs – Mistakes Made By Amateurs

Travel | Posted by admin
Jun 24 2011
travel

Travel photography jobs are tons of fun! But not just anybody can just point and shoot a camera. So how can you be a good travel photographer and stand out from the crowd of camera wielding enthusiasts?

Taking up travel photography is more than just taking pictures. It is a passion for capturing beauty and there are intricacies in the craft that one can only learn through experience. Needless to say, travel photographers with lack of experience are amateurs. They will either have a hard time capturing pictures that are stunning, dealing with local culture, setting up their equipment for optimal results, or all three.

If you want to be travel photographer or just started to become one, this article can help. Let me share some things that can save you a lot of headaches and stress.

In your quest to take quality pictures in a foreign place, let this be your guide. Avoid these amateurish mistakes so you can monetize your passion for photography in a flash. Pun intended.

Travel Photography Job Mistake #1. Not Planning The Right Equipment To Bring

Remember to travel prepared but travel light. If you are traveling in a place where your goal is to capture beautiful landscapes, you should only bring the appropriate equipment for your goal. Bringing your complete set of equipment will only end up being a burden to your travel so why bring equipment you won’t really use?

Travel Photography Job Mistake #2. Not Using A Camera’s Automatic Settings

The thing about photography is that sometimes great opportunities for a picture are fleeting. You don’t have enough time to change lens or adjust your camera settings. So you should know when is the right time to bring and use a camera with fixed lens. Learn to love your camera’s automatic settings such as, exposure and focus.

Taking photographs about culture and local activities requires readiness and photographers instinct. So you should be ready to point and click whenever an opportunity presents itself. Trust your equipment!

Travel Photography Job Mistake #3. Not Being Polite Or Respectful To Local Customs

Taking candid shots of people is priceless but sometimes people just don’t want to be photographed. Before, doing some “people shooting” you must assess first if the atmosphere and the mood of the locals who you are photographing.

You should ask first before taking the picture. Ask if you can take some portraits of the people and if you can take some candid shots of them going about their daily business. Once you have permission, you can fire away with your camera even without asking.

Take note that some places have traditional customs that go against your craft. Islamic countries for example, they don’t want their women photographed. Always be informed about the customs of the people you are photographing.

If you can do it without looking suspicious use a camera with a long zoom. That way you can take pictures without causing discomfort to the subject.

Travel Photography Job Mistake #4. Not Scheduling the Photographs

As a photographer, you should take note of the best times of the day to capture your photograph. Always study the scenery first. Find out when the natural light will be most beneficial to your photo capture. Some shots look better at dawn while others look better during early morning or evening.

Most of the time, landscape photographs can be best captured when the there are no distractions from people. If it is best taken early, make it a point to go their early.

These are just some of the mistakes amateur travel photographers make. Avoid them in order to get the best out of your travel photography adventure!

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