If you are familiar with travel photographers at all, you probably have heard the name Trey Ratcliff thrown around a few times. Trey spends a lot of his time traveling the world taking photos and sharing them through various social media outlets. In addition to his blog, he has put out a number of apps. Stuck on Earth is one of those apps. Stuck on Earth is a beautifully designed apps that overlays geo-tagged images from Flickr onto a google map. For me, this is a  great tool for trip planning and travel photography. Using this app, I can get a perspective on an area I am traveling to from a multitude of perspectives and use them to create “trips” within the app. People even have curated lists within Stuck on Earth like Top 5o Beaches on Earth and Top 50 Castles on Earth.

Why You Need This Travel App. Whether you are a photographer, or just a traveler looking for an interesting new place to check out, Stuck On Earth will help you find what you are looking for. This app is a great way to find less than obvious sights to check out.

Waze

Waze is the best navigation app out there in my opinion. Google maps and Apple maps offer great turn by turn navigation, but Waze takes it the extra mile. Adding crowd sourced alerts like road hazards, police and more. When I first downloaded Waze a few years ago, I wasn’t sold on it, but after revisiting it this year, the features are all there. They also added the little polish the user interface needed to make it shine.

Why You Need This Travel App. Getting lost sucks. With Waze,  you will get to your destination frustration free. You may also avoid road hazards, and getting a speeding ticket thanks to the crowd sourced alerts.

Kayak

Being travel savvy is the name of the game when you travel a lot. Being able to search many air travel carriers in one shot will not only save you a ton of time, but it will also help you secure the best deal. Kayak.com and the Kayak app makes it easier than ever to get air travel prices from many carriers around the world. Kayak is not all inclusive as some carriers don’t feed their fares to them, but it does cover a bulk of them. When searching for flights or car rentals, Kayak is my first stop in the process.

Why You Need This Travel App. Traveling can be expensive, so finding cheap rooms, rentals, and flights is key to a cost effective trip. Kayak helps you hunt out the best deal without sacrificing quality.

FlightAware

For better or worse, if you travel, you likely will have to take a flight or two. Flying can be a huge inconvenience, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Planning ahead can help ease the pain of air travel, and one way to plan ahead is by knowing the status of your flight.

Why You Need This Travel App. Sometime air travel can be come with some unpredictability in regard to arrival and departure times. Flight Aware will help you get a handle on expectations.

XE Currency

If you have ever traveled internationally, you know that calculating currency conversions if your head isn’t always fast and easy. I seem to find that even though I spend time in a country, it is easier to wrap my head around the price of a good or service if I convert it to my home currency. With that in mind, I have found that XE Currency is the easiest app i’ve found to do this.

Why You Need This Travel App. Convert currency quick and easily, no nonsense.

RoadTrippers

Sure, you can plan your trip using paper maps and travel guidebooks, but you’re a busy traveler. Why not use Roadtrippers, where you not only have trip mapping tools, but you also have access to a database of interesting locations to visit on your trip.

Why You Need This Travel App. Paper maps are so 1985. Plan your trip digitally with a database of awesome trip locations.

Yonder

Just what you need, another social network to get caught up in, right? Yonder aims to be different. You could be on Facebook arguing politics with your grandma, or instead you could spend your social network time posting travel and adventure pics on Yonder where people are interested to see what you’re up to.

Why You Need This Travel App. Why do we need any social network? It’s fun to share what you’re up to. It’s even more fun to share what you’re up to when your audience is into it.

Skype

Staying in touch with friends and family is important. Traveling is great, but sometimes we just want to talk to or see the ones we love the most. This is especially true if you’re traveling alone. Skype allows you to send instant messages, make calls, or even make video calls. Why this may be a benefit over a phone is connection based. If you’re traveling abroad, or don’t have a good cell service, but have wifi available, Skype will be your ticket to making the call.

Why You Need This Travel App. Connect with family and friends without relying on cell connections or expensive international plans.
Though these are all great tools to make your adventure experience easier, don’t forget the importance of disconnecting from technology while you travel too. With that being said, I hope these apps can help you, and if you have any to add, feel free to drop them in the comments.

Now that you know which travel apps are the most useful, it’s time to get out and hit the road. Where are you headed next? Do you have any travel apps that you find useful that we missed? Lets talk about it in the comments!

The Canon 5D Mark IV is an Adventure Travel Buzz Camera Buyer’s Guide favorite

The Digital Single Reflex Lens camera, or DSLR for short has been synonymous with “Professional Camera” for many years, but it isn’t just pros that flock to these cameras. Their tried and true design attracts Pros and hobbyists alike. A DSLR works by using a mirror to allow you to look directly through the lens and see what the camera sees. This allows you to accurately compose your shot and focus the camera on your subject. There are many manufacturers that make DSLR cameras, but the more notable ones are Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Pentax.

Pros
Long Battery Life
Quickly declining in price
Trusted, time tested design
Large collection of available lenses for most systems
Durable
Lots of choices

Cons
Bulky
Moving Parts
Noisy Shutter

Recommendations

For the sake of this article, I am going to make a good, better, best recommendation based on research and what I know. For the DSLR category, I know Canon very well and will be making recommendations for them since I know them well and can speak to their quality. That being said, there are comparable models in the other manufacturers such as Sony, Nikon and Pentax. If you are biased toward one of those brands I encourage you to figure out what you need based on this article and then research your chosen brands offerings accordingly.

Good
Canon EOS 7D Mark II Digital SLR Camera      $1098.00

Better
Canon EOS 6D Mark II Digital SLR Camera Body      $1299.00

Best
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Full Frame Digital SLR Camera Body      $2799.00

Mirrorless

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Mirrorless cameras are starting really build steam currently and I for one am a fan. These cameras are quickly catching up to and even surpassing digital SLRs in both performance and features. Not only are they often lighter weight than their DSLR counterparts, they also include features that would be impossible on a traditional DLSR. Features like a heads up display built into the electronic viewfinder that allows you to display overlays and other data as well as review photos without ever taking your eye away from the eyepiece. This can be especially helpful on bright days.

Pros
No Mirror
Heads up display
smaller form factor in most models
Lighter weight

Cons
Short battery life
Smaller collection of available lenses
Electronic viewfinders not yet as crisp as optical viewfinders

Recommendations

If you are looking for a balance of compact size, a full set of features and image quality, mirrorless is probably the path you will want to head towards. The portability aspect alone is very appealing for a travel or adventure photographer, that being said, there are some hang up such as battery life and a somewhat limited lens selection, but for some, that may not be enough to break the deal.

Good
Sony Alpha a6300 Mirrorless Digital Camera      $848.00

Better
Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera      $898.00

Best
Sony a7 III Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera      $1998.00

Point and Shoot

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Since the advent of the compact mirrorless camera and the increasing quality of smartphone cameras, Point and Shoots have started to loose their share in the market. That being said, there are still a handful of great cameras to be had in this format if you are looking to bridge the gap between a more complex camera and a smartphone.

Pros
Less complex than mirrorless or DSLR cameras
Compact
Lightweight

Cons
Non removable lens
shrinking market

Recommendations

In my opinion, the world of point and shoot cameras is all but dead. There are just so many other affordable options that do the same thing or more. Be that as it may, some people still like the idea of a device that is simplified and does only one main thing, and there are still a few good products on the market if point and shoot is the route you choose to go.

Good
NikSony DSCW800/B 20.1 MP Digital Camera    $88.00 

Better
Canon PowerShot G7 X Digital Camera – Wi-Fi Enabled      $539.98

Best

Sony RX100 VI 20.1 MP Camera      $1198.00

Action Camera

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Action cameras have blown up immensely in the past few years thanks in part to the GoPro Hero which seems to have dominated this market until recently. There certainly are other players in this space, and cheap knock-off’s have been surfacing seemingly overnight.

Pros
Very small and lightweight
Virtually Indestructible
Waterproof
Many mounting options
Ease of use

Cons
Limited camera settings
No Screen(on most models)
Battery Life
Fixed Lens

Recommendations

First I want to start by saying that I strongly recommend against using an action camera as your main camera. I feel that they make a great compliment to a more traditional camera, but they are missing some key features for every day shooting such as a viewfinder and the ability to shoot in RAW. Even though that is my opinion, keep in mind that the best camera is the one you have with you, so having an action camera is certainly better than no camera at all.

Good
YI 4K Action and Sports Camera      $99.95

Better
GoPro HERO6      $258.00

Best
GoPro HERO7 Black    $399.99

360 Cameras

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360 cameras have been around a while, but they haven’t always been accessible to everyone in regard to price and ease of use. Fortunately that has all changed in the last year or so. There are now several great, affordable, and easy to use options on the market.

If you’re wondering how a 360 camera might fit into your everyday life, well there are a few use cases for these types of cameras. For starters, you can record in every direction, and create an immersive video and photo experience. Currently the display of 360 photo isn’t supported everywhere, but new options are coming out all the time, with YouTube and Facebook already supporting this type of content. While regular 360 video may be intriguing, where I believe these cameras really shine is the ability to reframe a shot from the 360 content, and create a traditional photo or video after you have shot it. This takes some of the planning out of the initial composition.

Pros
A new way to look at video and photo
shoot now, compose later
relatively small form-factor
future proof for VR footage

Cons
May require extra steps in editing process
Display of 360 content not supported everywhere yet

Recommendations

While this market is really just starting to emerge, there are still quite a few options at a variety of price points, and while the image quality won’t match that of a dslr or mirrorless camera, it will provide awesome new perspectives and may be able to replace your action camera as well.

Good
Insta360 ONE      $193.83
Xiaomi Mijia Mi 360 Camera      $292.36

Best
Insta360 ONE X      $399.99
GoPro Fusion 360 Camera      $299.99
Rylo 360 Camera       $399.99

Smartphone

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It’s no wonder why this is one of, if not the most used device to take a photograph with. The majority of people have one, it’s virtually always with them, and for the most part, they take great photos. Not only that, but the ability to easily and instantly share your creations to any web platform you can think of is unparalleled.

Pros
Always available
Ability to instantly share
Good battery life(phone dependent)
Compact

Cons
Fixed Lens
No RAW capability
Limited Control

Recommendations

Personally I am an iPhone guy, it’s the platform I’ve been with the longest, I know it inside and out, and i’m getting results im happy with. iPhone may not be the platform for you and there certainly are more capable phones out there in regard to photography, but that is a decision you will need to make. In the end, it comes down to personal preference and for the reason, I’m going to forgo making a good, better, best suggestions. My advice for you is to get out to the cell phone stores and try out a bunch of phones. Find a phone that is easy to use as a camera. Maker sure it feels good in your hand, and take plenty of test shots to see if you like the results. Chances are, if you can create fairly clean images under artificial light in a store, you will be happy with the results outdoors.

Accessories

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Up until this point, in this camera buyer’s guide has focused on just cameras, but what about accessories? Having the right tools to supplement your camera can help tremendously in getting the images you want. The difficult part may be knowing what accessories you need, and what ones don’t add much value. Below is a few recommendations on both specific accessories and more general ones.

Tripod
Most of the time when I find myself shooting action and adventure style photography I am shooting off hand, but there are a lot of situations where a good tripod is critical to getting the shot, Landscape and night photography especially come to mind. Keep in mind that not all tripods are created equal. Price will more often than not dictate weight and build quality, so remember to be mindful of that when purchasing a tripod.

MeFoto Aluminum Roadtrip Travel Tripod

Manfrotto MKBFRA4-BH BeFree Compact Aluminum Travel Tripod Black

Joby GorillaPod SLR Zoom Tripod with Ball Head Bundle for DSLR and Mirrorless Cameras

Bag
Carrying all your camera gear around would be a major drag if you didn’t have a place to store it. You could carry it in any old bag, but that isn’t ideal. Having the right bag that is designed for carrying camera gear not only protects your investment, but makes it easier to use by organizing everything so it is more quickly accessible.  I personally love camera backpacks, but many people use messenger style camera bags, the choice is yours.

Fstop Brand Bags – FStop bags are modular which makes them great for a variety of uses. I personally use there Tilopa bag with a Large ICU. ICU’s are modular inserts that safely store your gear. Since they are easily removed, you can swap out different sized ICUs based on your needs for a given day of shooting. (Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Fstop, I just really love there stuff.)

Think Tank Bags – If you spend less time in the mountains, and more time traveling from location to location, Think Tank offers a great selection of bags geared for the extensive traveler.

Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW

Other Accessories
The amount of photography accessories out there is incredible, some of them are great, but many of them are unnecessary. When buying accessories, give thought to scenarios where you might use it, if you can’t come up with a solid use case, then it probably is a good idea to pass.

Peak Design Capture Pro – These things are great. When I am hiking or spending time in the mountains, one of the biggest reasons I miss shots is because my camera is stowed away. Using the Capture Pro, I am able to securely attach my camera to the strap of my backpack and easily release it with the push of a button. I can literally go from stored to shooting in seconds.

Goal Zero 41022 Guide 10 Plus Solar Recharging Kit – Being able to recharge phones and other devices while in the field is invaluable. This solar kit from Goal Zero will keep you going.

Remote Shutter Release – If you have any desire to shoot long exposure or time-lapse photography, having a remote shutter release will be crucial. These are camera specific so make sure to find a model that works with your camera. I have had good luck with the budget priced remotes available on Amazon. Search for your camera model followed by “Remote shutter release” and you will find numerous low priced options.

Well folks, there you have it! The adventure travel camera buyer’s guide. This piece will be updated frequently to keep up with changing trends in the industry, so be sure to check this space periodically for the latest and greatest advice regarding camera and related items.

 

Keep In Shape

As you probably are aware, adventure travel photography has a strong focus on the adventure aspect. For that reason, being in shape is of paramount importance, especially if you plan on working with athletes in the mountains, you will not only have to keep up with them, but in many instances you will need to keep ahead of them to get the shots you want, so remember this phrase; Train hard, travel easy.

Warm Those Spare Batteries

If you’ve done any shooting out in the cold, i’m sure you have experienced a dead battery or two that you know you charged the night before. Keeping your batteries warm will help keep you shooting long into those cold days, no one wants to miss a shot because all of there batteries died. What I’ve found that works best is to keep your batteries in a pocket close to your body, Preferably a pocket on an interior layer of clothing. Another additional way to help keep your batteries warm is to add a hand warmer into the pocket where you are keeping your batteries. As you shoot, rotate your batteries out to keep rewarming them, and you will be sure to shoot longer!

Bring Only What You Need

I’ve always been bad at following this advice, and when it comes to adventure travel photography, packing light is your friend. I always seem to pack way more than I need, then never even end up using half of it. Having a solid idea of what you plan on shooting will help you get an idea of what you actually need to bring. Try to stick to bring only equipment that you know you absolutely need. If you can’t 100% come up with a reason you need something, it is probably safe to leave at home. Having a lighter load will make you much happier when you are twelve hours into a day and your energy is waning.

Take Notes

This is a big one! Your camera may be able to capture photos and video, but it can’t capture the exact idea you’re are trying to convey as you envision it in your mind. Jotting down some quick notes about a location, feelings, or a particular shot can help you a lot in the long run when you are trying to put your story together, whether it is a collection of photos, or even a video.

Take More Photos Than You Think You Need

We live in the digital age! This means that if you want a particular photo from multiple angles, go for it! That way you have options when you get to the editing room. Though I think it is a good idea to shoot many angles of an image, keep in mind that the more photos you have, the more time you will spend culling through images.

Play With Composition

Composition is your most powerful tool for telling your story and should be used accordingly. A great place to start is by working with the rule of thirds. By using this rule, you will be able to create stronger compositions that emphasize the subject of the shot. For those unfamiliar with the rule of thirds, it is where you divide your scene into thirds both on the vertical and horizontal, then use the intersections created to position your subject. More on rule of thirds can be found here.

 

Research Your Destination, Extensively

Adventure travel photography is about the journey and the destination. The more time you put in researching your intended destination, the better off you will be, and your photos will definitely reflect it. Most locations change throughout the year, so getting yourself ahead of the curve and planning for any seasonal changes that may affect your shooting plans will help you avoid wasting time, In addition you will also be able to plan shots ahead of time which will certainly streamline the process of shooting on the move. I like to do a combination of Googling my destination, and checking out what others have done in a particular location on an app called “Stuck On Earth” which over lays geotagged photos onto a map.

Scout The Location

Once you have arrived at your destination and you have a few locations or objectives picked out, take some time if it is a reasonable undertaking and scout out the location. Take notes on lighting in regard to time of day, and how it might change throughout the day. Note any obstacles that might hinder your ability to get the shot you need so that you can plan accordingly. Take some sample images with a cellphone or other camera to use as a planning aid for your shots.

Include People whenever Possible

Having people in your shot not only adds interest and a focal point to your scene, but they also help to add a sense of scale to your image as well. Sometimes with landscape photos, it is hard to really get a sense of how big a feature really is, but if you have a human element, it adds a familiar frame of reference in which to judge scale.

Get out there and refine your adventure travel photography!

I hope that  these tips will help you improve your adventure travel photography game, or at the very least, become more conscious of your process and approach. As I mentioned before, Planning is a big part of this process, and not to be taken lightly, so with that in mind, start putting pen to paper and planning your next adventure shoot. As always, if there is any thing you have of value to add to this, feel free to discuss it with us in the comments, we love to talk shop!

 

The Long Road Home | Trey Ratcliff

Trey and his Stuck In Customs blog is another reason why I traveled to Iceland in the first place. Trey has showcased so many beautiful locations around the world that have inspired me to travel and Iceland is no exception. The shot of the open road perfectly conveys how beautiful and free Iceland feels.

 

Kirkjufell | Chris Burkard

This is one of the places in Iceland I have not personally made it to yet, Mount Kirkjufell which is situated on Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the western part of Iceland. Chris does a beautiful job capturing the iridescent glow of the northern lights over this fascinating mountain.

 

Solheimasandur Plane Crash | Expert Vagabond

This plane wrecked in the 1970’s due to what the pilots thought was a lack of fuel, which later turned out to be an error due to them switching into the wrong fuel tank. The pilots surived the crash, and the fuselage was left behind on this vast expanse of black sand for all of us to explore. If you are looking to find out how you can get to this place, check out my write up here.

 

Jökulsárlón Summer Sunset | Wildernesscapes Photography

The color and drama in this shot is just astounding! Jökulsárlón is already an incredible place, but this sunset capture just takes it to a whole new level. The calm of the water is remarkable and the fact that in creates such a perfect mirror to a perfect sunset is great! If you get visit to opportunity to visit this lagoon, do yourself a favor and do not pass it up.

Well there you go! Five of my personal favorite Iceland photos from around the web. Selecting just five was no easy task, but I think these ones really do a solid job of showcasing what a beautiful place this is. Do you have a favorite photo from Iceland? Maybe even one you took yourself? Share it with us in the comments, we’d love to see it.