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Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Monday, December 28, 2020
A Local’s Guide to Shanghai, China
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Tuesday, December 22, 2020
The Coolest Airbnbs in Joshua Tree
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Thursday, December 17, 2020
Cute Ideas for Families Celebrating the Holidays Apart
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Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Hawaii’s Grand Canyon: Visiting Waimea State Park On Kauai
Kauai, Hawaii
While the garden island of Kauai is certainly a lush green tropical paradise, it also boasts a massive red & orange canyon called Waimea — the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
Waimea Canyon is not the kind of landscape most people associate with the islands of Hawaii. Stretching 14 miles long, one mile wide, and around 3,600 feet deep — it’s quite impressive.
One of the reasons Kauai is my favorite Hawaiian Island is because of the diversity of things to do there. You could easily spend a whole day just visiting the different viewpoints and hiking trails in Waimea Canyon State Park if you wanted to!
Grand Canyon Of The Pacific
Carved by the Waimea River over millions of years, the canyon’s name means “Reddish Waters” in Hawaiian. The river water is stained red/orange by the canyon’s red, eroding volcanic walls.
While much smaller than Arizona’s famous Grand Canyon, the views are equally impressive — which led writer Mark Twain to nickname the area “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific” after he saw it for the first time.
Waimea Canyon Lookout Points
Red Dirt Waterfall – To the right, Waimea Canyon opens up below. To the left is a quirky little waterfall pouring over red volcanic dirt with a few short trails.
Hohonu Awawa Lookout – The first large established platform overlooking Waimea Canyon State Park.
Waimea Canyon Lookout – This lookout probably has the best view of the canyon. They’ve built a large viewing platform here.
Pu’u Ka Pele Lookout – One of the best viewpoints of Waipo’o Waterfall.
Pu’u Hinahina Lookout – A final stop that gives you some more great views, with a slightly different perspective. Also the start of the popular Canyon Hiking Trail which I mention below.
Kalalau & Puu O Kila Lookouts – These aren’t technically part of Waimea Canyon, they are located in Kokee State Park a few miles further North. Just make sure to keep driving and check out these incredible viewpoints of the famous Na Pali Coast!
Waimea Canyon Hiking Trails
Iliau Nature Loop – A short 1/4 mile loop hike that showcases some of the area’s plant life and bird watching. Keep an eye out for the local Iliau Plant! If it’s in bloom, you’re super lucky.
Kukui Trail – This trail takes you down to the river at the very bottom of the canyon. It’s steep, and can get very treacherous when wet due to the red clay. Recommended for experienced hikers who might want to camp at one of the campgrounds at the bottom of the canyon.
Canyon Trail (Waipoo Falls) – This hike takes you to the top of Waipoo Falls, the stunning 800 foot waterfall you see as you drive along the canyon rim. Standing at the top isn’t the best place to be for a photo of this waterfall, however the hike still has great views, and only takes about an hour round-trip.
Flying Over The Canyon
Another cool way to experience the immensity of Waimea Canyon is flying through it in a helicopter! The gorge is often part of island helicopter tours, and whipping through the canyon, especially with the doors off, is pretty amazing.
Flying up close to the massive Waipoo Falls was fantastic, and our pilot flew super close to the canyon walls, which was quite a thrill too.
Getting to Waimea Canyon State Park
There are two routes for driving up to Waimea Canyon from the town of Waimea — Waimea Canyon Drive or Kokee Road (Highway 550). They eventually meet before you enter the canyon rim, so it really doesn’t matter which you choose.
Entrance into Waimea Canyon State Park is free (no permit required), however there may be a fee for parking in certain popular areas near viewpoints.
Rental Car
The best site to book your car is with Discover Cars. They search both local and international car rental companies to help you find the best possible price. This is the easiest way to rent a car and drive on Kauai.
Renting a car offers the best flexibility to explore remote spots on the island. Kauai has two major highways, Kaumualii and Kuhio. It can take an hour to get to the other side of the island.
Useful Tips For Visiting Waimea Canyon
- The temperature can get much cooler on the canyon rim. Bring a rain jacket or windbreaker. Wear shoes with traction to handle rocky, muddy terrain.
- Parking spots at lookout points can fill up fast, as it’s a popular tourist destination. Try to arrive early, before 9am if possible.
- How much time do you need to explore? I’d set aside at least half a day, but if you want to do a bunch of hikes, you could easily spend a full day here.
- After exploring Waimea Canyon’s trails, continue driving North and visit Kokee State Park. If the weather’s good, you’ll have awesome views looking down on the Na Pali coastline!
| Travel Planning Resources For Kauai |
|---|
| Packing Guide Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Book Your Flight Ready to fly? Here’s how I find the cheapest airline flights. Rent A Car Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find a deal. Cheap Accommodation Learn how I save money booking hotels & vacation apartments. Protect Your Trip Don’t forget travel insurance! Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read why you should always carry travel insurance. |
READ MORE HAWAII TRAVEL TIPS
I hope you enjoyed my guide to Waimea Canyon on Kauai! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:
- 30 Best Things To Do On Kauai
- Experience A Helicopter Tour Over Kauai
- Planning Your Trip To The Big Island
- Island Hopping Around Hawaii
Have you ever heard of Waimea Canyon? What’s your favorite Hawaiian Island? Drop me a message in the comments below!
This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.
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A Special Expedia Coupon for Your Winter Holiday
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Monday, December 14, 2020
The Ultimate Home and Kitchen Gift Guide
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Friday, December 11, 2020
The Coolest Airbnbs in Colorado
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Thursday, December 10, 2020
The Ultimate 3-Day Charleston Itinerary
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Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Recipes Around the World: Glühwein (German Mulled Wine)
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Thursday, December 3, 2020
The Ultimate New England Fall Road Trip Itinerary
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Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Holiday Gift Guide for Dog Lovers
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Monday, November 30, 2020
A Local’s Guide to Osaka, Japan
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Friday, November 27, 2020
Shop Small: Holiday Gift Guide from Small Businesses
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Tuesday, November 24, 2020
An Honest Review of the Best Smart Home Gadgets
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Sunday, November 22, 2020
Tips for Rescuing Your Dry Hair in the Winter
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Friday, November 20, 2020
Getting Certified to Fly With Your Emotional Support Animal
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Thursday, November 19, 2020
10 Best Gifts For People Who Work From Home
Gift Guide
Looking for the perfect holiday present for someone who works from home? These are the best work from home gift ideas for remote workers, no matter what your budget.
What a mess this year has turned out to be! While I’m a huge fan of working from home, I never thought so many others would be forced to do the same — suddenly and without warning.
There is certainly a learning curve, but it gets easier over time.
These popular gifts for people who work from home can help make any home office a more comfortable and productive environment.
Working remotely as a blogger for the past 10-years, I’ve become especially careful about how I set up my personal workspace.
I enjoy working in a clean and clutter-free environment, with office accessories that are ergonomically functional. Along with art that gives off a peaceful vibe!
So here are some of my best work from home gift ideas for remote workers that are guaranteed to put a smile on the recipient’s face!
Why Listen To Me?
Experience! I’ve been working remotely from around the world for the past 10-years as a professional travel blogger. I’ve tried everything you can think of to stay productive at home. This guide is also completely independent.
Work From Home Gift Guide For 2020
1. House Plants
Liven up your home office environment with some potted plants from TheSill.com! Choose from easy-to-care for live plants, or fake ones — either will help give your workspace a bit more color & life. Potted plants have really taken off during the pandemic, as more people try to spruce up their living spaces and home offices due to all the time we’ve been forced to spend at home.
2. Timed Water Bottles
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! If you’re not drinking enough water during the work day like most people, this is an easy way to help fix that. Fill it up, and keep track of how much water you’re drinking throughout the day. Remember to re-fill the bottle at noon! Don’t let working from home hinder your health goals.
Two liters of water a day keeps the doctor away… or something like that.
3. Ergonofis Standing Desk
Ok, this is more of a luxury work-from-home gift, or maybe just a gift you can give yourself! I absolutely love my Ergonofis Standing Desk. The 2-inch thick slab of real wood, paired with a powerful motorized base and an elegantly designed control makes it the highlight of my home office for sure.
Standing at my desk just for an hour or two each day somehow keeps me more energized and comfortable, I don’t know how to explain it, but you can learn why endocrinologists recommend it here.
4. Noise Canceling Headphones
Not only do they work great as a gift for travelers who fly a lot, these Sony Bluetooth Noise Canceling Headphones are also perfect for drowning out the sound of screaming toddlers, garbage trucks, barking dogs, and any other random noise making its way into your home office. With the onboard microphone, they’re also wonderful during video conference calls!
5. Foot Hammock
Yes, it’s a mini hammock for your feet! Feeling the need to kick back and get comfortable in your ergonomic office chair? Let your hair down, and put your feet up, on this wonderfully fun office invention that hangs under your desk. Perfect for taking a work break to watch some cat videos… or for your own cat to take a nap.
6. Ergonomic Office Chair
Speaking of ergonomic office chairs, a really good one can make working from home all day a lot more comfortable and bearable. I own the amazing Herman Miller Aeron, basically the king of all office chairs.
Want a comfortable and stylish office chair that’s a bit more affordable, and comes in more colors? The Steelcase Series 1 is a great option.
Even tighter budget? Try the XUER Mesh Computer Chair. Your back & neck will thank you for it!
7. Convertible Desk Riser
Don’t want to buy a complete standing desk? You can convert your existing desk into a standing one with this innovative Vivo Convertible Desk Riser. It can support two desktop monitors and a keyboard, allowing you to raise them up to 17 inches higher than your traditional desk to allow working while standing.
8. Portable Bluetooth Speaker
When you don’t want to wear headphones, but are still in the mood to work to your favorite music, blast those tunes in your home office with this Sony Portable Bluetooth Speaker. Take it with you around the house, and enjoy up to 24-hours of wireless battery life on a single charge.
9. Wireless Phone Charger
Want easy viewing access to your smartphone on your desk while it’s charging? Check out the Anker Powerwave Wireless Charger. It comes in either black or white, and looks really elegant sitting on your desk, while also being practical. You can keep an eye on notifications, quick-charge your phone, and free up your pockets while working from home.
10. LED Color Changing Lights
If you’re waking up before sunrise, or working late into the night, setting the ambience of your office with some colorful led lighting is a wonderful way to enjoy working from home a bit more. My office is equipped with a Philips Hue Color Ambiance LED Starter Kit but you can also get something like this table lamp too.
BONUS HOME OFFICE GIFT: Fine Art Photography Prints!
Ok, I’m going to get a bit self-promotional here, but all the photography I have hanging around my office are images I’ve shot during the course of my adventures around the world.
From Antarctica to Afghanistan, I’ve put together a gallery of my favorite images if you’d like to purchase some interesting new artwork to spruce up the walls of someone’s home office (or your own!)
My photography prints come in a few different sizes, printed in stunning clarity on metal with a floating wall mount. 10% of all my print sales are donated to the National Park Foundation — an organization who works tirelessly to preserve our wild places.
Happy Holidays This Season!
Well, that’s it for the best work from home gifts for 2020. I hope you found some unique gift ideas for the remote worker in your life who likes to stay productive.
Whether you’re shopping for a birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwansa, or even Festivus — you can’t go wrong with these fun gifts for people who work from home! ★
Looking for more home office gift ideas? Make sure to check out my Full Amazon Shop to see all my top recommendations.
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READ MORE TRAVEL TIPS & RESOURCES
I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best gifts for people who work from home! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:
Have any questions about these home office gifts? What about other suggestions? Drop me a message in the comments below!
This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.
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Tuesday, November 17, 2020
My Favorite Holiday Décor
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Thursday, November 12, 2020
A Local’s Guide to Visiting Yellowstone National Park
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Wednesday, November 11, 2020
The Beginner’s Guide to Editing Photos in Lightroom
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Monday, November 9, 2020
10 Places to Visit in the Netherlands (That Aren’t Amsterdam)
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Wednesday, November 4, 2020
The Coolest Airbnbs in the Catskills
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Tuesday, November 3, 2020
The Ultimate 3-Day South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary
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Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Our Cozy Fall Front Porch Decor
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The Coolest Airbnbs in Los Angeles
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Monday, October 26, 2020
Visiting The Hidden Mayan Ruins Of Calakmul In Mexico
Campeche, Mexico
Calakmul is an ancient Maya ruined city located deep within a jungle biosphere on the Yucatan Peninsula. Here’s why it’s my favorite archeological site in Mexico!
Not many people make it down to the ruins of Calakmul compared to the other famous Mayan pyramids in Mexico like Chichen Itza or Tulum — mostly due to its very remote location near the border of Guatemala.
Calakmul is far away from any tourist cities, requiring a pretty long & dedicated trip out there to visit the site.
It’s a real hidden gem for those who wish to get off-the-beaten-path!
Located in the Mexican state of Campeche on the Yucatan Penninsula, the ruins are extensive and cover 2 square kilometers (0.77 sq mi).
Many sections have never been excavated, and because it only receives about a dozen visitors per day, it feels like a true “Indiana Jones” kind of experience.
In this travel guide, you’ll learn tips for visiting Calakmul, along with some interesting history about my favorite Mayan ruins in Mexico.
History Of The Calakmul Maya Ruins
The ancient city of Calakmul is thought to have been populated with about 50,000 people. It was “re-discovered” and named by a biologist named Cyruss Lundell, who flew over the area in 1931.
Calakmul means “two adjacent mounds” in the Maya language — which makes sense as I’m sure the two main pyramids just looked like two mountains in the middle of a very flat jungle!
The city was the capital of a large regional state at the time. The Calakmul kingdom included 20 secondary cities such as La Muñeca, Naachtun, Sasilha, Oxpemul and Uxul. The population of the whole kingdom is estimated to be about 1.7 million people!
The equally large city of Tikal in what’s now Guatemala regularly fought with Calakmul — until Tikal won and took over in 700 AD. Eventually the city was abandoned and consumed by the jungle over hundreds of years.
Calakmul’s ruins and the surrounding jungle was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
Calakmul Ruins Highlights
Pyramid Structure 1
Among the many interesting structures found there are two gigantic pyramids — called Structure 1 & Structure 2. Structure 1 is the second highest pyramid at Calakmul, reaching a height of 130 feet/40 meters. One thing that makes Calakmul stand out from other sites is that you can climb these pyramids!
The steps of the pyramids are steep, and not very wide — maybe just the length of your foot. Some are narrower than that! You need to be careful climbing, and preferably not afraid of heights. Falling would be a disaster…
Pyramid Structure 2
The most impressive building in Calakmul is called Structure 2. This pyramid was built up a number of times over centuries to reach a final height of around 150 feet/50 meters.
It is the highest and largest structure in the Maya world. Nine royal tombs have been found inside the pyramid, some containing rich artifacts like jade masks.
Mayan Ball Court
Calakmul has its own Maya Ball Court, where athletes put a rubber ball (representing the sun) into a small stone circle perched very high on a wall, without using their hands OR feet.
Some carvings suggest that the winning team’s captain was decapitated, which was a sign of honor. The ball game is over 3,500 years old, making it the first organized game in the history of sports.
Games were played to resolve arguments between rival cities or as an alternative to all-out war.
Chiik Nahb Acropolis
The Chiik Nahb Acropolis, or “Place of the Water Lilly” is an area to the North of the site. Climbing this Acropolis gives you an excellent view of Structure 2 for photos.
This complex is famous for incredible painted murals recently discovered inside.
Ancient Stone Stelae
Many great stelae can be found at this site too — large slabs of limestone that have been intricately carved with pictures and glyphs.
Unbelievably some of them still have their original color pigments showing! It’s crazy that the color has lasted so long…
The Biosphere Reserve
The ruins of Calakmul are located inside the massive Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, 2,792 square miles of protected jungle.
You’ll find all sorts of wildlife living within the reserve, including Ocellated Turkeys, Howler Monkeys, Spider Monkeys, Baird’s Tapir, Tucans, and if you’re SUPER LUCKY — the very elusive Jaguar!
The best time to see wildlife on the drive up to the ruins is early in the morning, or right before sunset in the late afternoon.
Getting To Calakmul
Calakmul is much more difficult to reach than other Mayan ruins in Mexico. I’ve visited 3-times now, once through a combination of bus, taxi, and bicycle. Plus twice more with a rental car (it’s much easier!)
Rental Car
The best site to book your car is Discover Cars. They search both local and international car rental companies to help you find the best possible price. This is the easiest way to rent a car in Mexico.
CANCUN – Calakmul is 464 km (6 hours) from Cancun by car.
TULUM – The ruins are 334 km (4 hours) from Tulum by car.
CAMPECHE – Calakmul is 300 km (4 hours) from Campeche by car.
By Bus/Taxi
The closest town to Calakmul is a small city called Xpujil. There are buses that run from Campeche and Tulum to Xpujil via the Mexican ADO Bus Service.
Once in Xpujil, you can then hire an expensive taxi (the trip still takes an hour or so) to take you to the Calakmul ruins — they will wait while you explore for a few hours.
Where To Stay Near Calakmul
Because Calakmul is basically in the middle of nowhere, you’re going to need to spend a night or two nearby. The closest towns are Xpujil and Chicana. Here are some suggestions for good places to stay during your trip to Calakmul…
Best Accommodation In Xpujil
Camping In The Calakmul Biosphere
If you’re up for an adventure, I highly recommend camping within the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. There are a few campgrounds located inside, and you can even rent a tent if you don’t have your own. The place I’ve stayed during all my trips is called Campamento Yaax Che.
Just be aware that camping overnight in the jungle is a very LOUD experience! Walking around in the dark with howler monkeys screaming at you from the tree tops is something you’ll never forget…
Tips For Visiting Calakmul
- The ancient ruins of Calakmul are HUGE. Plan to spend at least 4 hours exploring the site, if not more.
- If driving from Xpujil, first you’ll have to enter the Biosphere Reserve. From here you still have a winding hour-long drive to the ruins.
- Yes, you can climb the ruins! This is rare in Mexico these days, but I think it’s because this site gets so few tourists.
- You can hire a tour guide at the entrance for about $600 MXN pesos who will explain the history and culture of the site.
- If you go on a weekday around 8am when they first open, you may be the only ones there!
Travel Planning Resources For Calakmul
Calakmul Entry Fee: $200 MXN ($10 USD)
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm
Packing Guide
Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip.
Book Your Flight
Ready to fly? Here’s how I find the cheapest airline flights.
Rent A Car
Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find a deal.
Cheap Accommodation
Learn how I save money booking hotels & vacation apartments.
Protect Your Trip
Don’t forget travel insurance! Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read why you should always carry travel insurance.
READ MORE MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS
I hope you enjoyed my guide to exploring the remote Calakmul Mayan Ruins! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:
- Ready to party in Mexico? Here are my top things to do Cancun.
- Road tripping the Riviera Maya? Read my favorite things to do in the Yucatan.
- Save money on your vacation with my ultimate guide to budget travel in Mexico.
- Stay safe out there with these important travel safety tips everyone should know.
- Upgrade your camera with my useful guide to the best travel cameras for any budget.
Have any questions about Calakmul? What are your favorite Mayan ruins? Drop me a message in the comments below!
This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.
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The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park
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Wednesday, October 21, 2020
A Local’s Guide to Naples, Italy
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Tuesday, October 20, 2020
How Much to Budget for Your Dream Honeymoon
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Sunday, October 18, 2020
The Best Destinations in the United States for Leaf Peeping
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Thursday, October 15, 2020
10 Awesome Online Photography Classes To Improve Your Photos
Photography Tips
Want to become a better photographer? Stuck at home in lock-down? Try joining these great online photography classes & courses created by pros to improve your photos.
So, you’ve bought a nice camera. You’ve watched a few YouTube videos.
But why doesn’t your Instagram look as good as other photographers’?
Well, aside from the many years of experience and practice they have under their belts, another likely reason is the hundreds of hours they’ve probably spent working under mentors, attending workshops, taking college courses, or joining online photography classes.
The key to getting better at something — is to never stop learning.
Even after 10-years working as a freelance travel photographer, I’m still actively learning new techniques to improve my images. Photography classes, courses, and tutorials are a big part of this.
So I wanted to share some of my favorite online photography courses.
These photo tutorials go into extreme detail on topics like planning, composition, advanced techniques (focus stacking, time-lapses, long exposure, etc.) post-processing skills, social media tips, and even making money with your photography.
There’s no need to spend thousands of dollars on a college photography degree when you can study from home using these great online photography courses produced by working professionals.
The perfect way to kill some time during this worldwide pandemic we’re in.
Best Online Photography Classes
1. 5DayDeal Photography Bundle
The biggest photography tutorial deal of the year is happening right now! Every year, the guys at 5DayDeal.com put together a MASSIVE bundle of photography classes from some of the world’s top photographers in multiple genres like landscape, travel, fashion, portraits, and more.
This is actually 26 different tutorials & courses worth $2,700 — for only $89.
That’s a 96% discount off the regular price if you bought them all independently…
As per the name, the 5DayDeal Photography Bundle is only available between October 15th to October 20th, 2020. For 5-days only.
Some of the highlights for me in this bundle include courses like:
- Time Blending & Complex Masking By Mads Peter Iversen
- How To Photograph Landscapes In Any Lighting By Nigel Danson
- Jimmy’s Big 5 Photos Course By Jimmy McIntyre
- Capture The Night By Ryan Dyar
- Beautiful World Foundations By Jessica Drossin
But in total, there are 26 different photography tutorials/courses/presets that you get when you purchase this bundle. Plus 10% of every bundle purchase is donated to charity.
As part of the deal, there’s also a free photography giveaway worth over $10,000 (featuring Peak Design Travel Tripods, camera backpacks, a 13″ MacBook Pro, and more!)
TO SWEETEN THE DEAL: If you buy the bundle using my link below, I’ll also throw in a FREE online webinar where you can watch me edit one of my favorite travel photos in real time!
2. Landscape Photography In Depth
By Daniel Kordan
Daniel Kordan is one of my favorite landscape photographers, and he has an online photography tutorial called Landscape Photography In Depth that shows exactly how he creates his incredible images in a series of videos.
It takes a lot more work than you think it does! I spent many hours watching this course, and learned a lot about scouting locations and post-processing techniques. One of the best tutorials out there.
3. Adventure Photography Pro
By Alex Strohl
Alex Strohl is one of my favorite outdoor adventure photographers, so when I learned he created his own online photography class called Adventure Photography Pro, I signed up ASAP! Alex shoots professionally for some HUGE brands, so it was super interesting to learn about this part of his business (along with actual examples on location with clients).
He spends a lot of time going over the storytelling process, the importance of planning & scouting before shooting, reaching out to potential clients, building an audience, his editing techniques, and much more. Make sure to use my discount code VAGABOND20 to get 20% off the price!
GET 20% OFF WITH CODE: VAGABOND20
4. The Business Of Photography
By Chris Burkard
Chris Burkard, if you’ve been living under a rock, is one of the most accomplished travel & adventure photographers out there right now. Not only is his photography incredible, his business chops have made him a household name.
From prints, to books, to movies, to huge commercial projects with brands like Apple, Toyota, Sony, The North Face, Patagonia, CitiBank, Microsoft, Volkswagen — Chris seems to do it all!
Well, now you can too, with his Business Of Photography Course that explains when and how to grow your business, diversifying revenue, working with agents, modern marketing techniques, and more. Make sure to use my discount code VAGABOND20 to get 20% off the price!
GET 20% OFF WITH CODE: VAGABOND20
5. Wildlife Photography Workshop
By Charly Savely
Professional wildlife photographer Charly Savely captures some of the most incredible photos of animals I’ve ever seen. And, she’s recently decided to share her secrets with the world through her online Wildlife Photography Workshop recorded in Alaska’s Katmai National Park.
Learn how she chooses her lenses, framing for impact, camera settings for handheld or tripod use, using art to influence your style, where to find wildlife, how to photograph animals safely, shooting in the cold, and how she edits her images for an emotional reaction. Make sure to use my discount code VAGABOND20 to get 20% off the price!
GET 20% OFF WITH CODE: VAGABOND20
7. Mastering Lightroom & Photoshop
By Andrew Kerns
Every professional photographer uses post-processing techniques to make their images stand out. In fact, editing & post-processing your images is a major part of the photography workflow. You can’t ignore mastering the skills of photography software if you want to make a living with photography!
Luckily Andrew Kerns put together an amazing online class to help you learn the latest Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop techniques that professionals like him use: manipulating luminance, contrast, color, curves, split-toning, re-touching tips and much more. Make sure to use my discount code VAGABOND20 to get 20% off the price!
GET 20% OFF WITH CODE: VAGABOND20
8. A To Z Of Selling Your Photos
By Lola Akinmade
Lola Akinmade is an award-winning travel photographer who’s work is regularly published by brands like: National Geographic Traveller, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times, Vogue, Outside, Smithsonian Journeys, the BBC, and The Telegraph to name just a few.
She’s also put together an excellent online photography class that goes into detail about HOW to sell your photos to these types of organizations. From approaching brands, how to deal with copyrights, working with editors, obtaining model releases, seeking out grants and much more.
9. Photographing The World
By Elia Locardi
Elia Locardi is a very successful landscape photographer who’s been traveling the world for years. His course Photographing The World is packed full of tips & post-processing techniques he uses to create his landscape and travel photography.
With 15 lessons and more than 12 hours of video content, his photography tutorial takes you from the on-location capture (in places like Iceland & New Zealand) all the way through his post-processing techniques in the studio.
10. The Travel Photography Course
By Laurence Norah
Want to learn how to compose a better image while telling a story with your camera? Or the technical side of photography like understanding what aperture, shutter speed and ISO really do? These are just some of the topics travel photographer Laurence Norah goes over in his Travel Photography Course.
The course is structured well for complete beginners to photography, but with helpful tips for the business and professional side of things too. With 10 weeks of content and over 60 individual lessons, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy!
Free YouTube Photography Tutorials?
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for new Adventure Travel Videos!
Yes, there are thousands of free photography tutorials on YouTube (in fact, here’s one of mine!) While you can certainly learn from them, I find that investing in a paid course provides the highest quality experience.
Maybe I’ll share some of my favorite free photography tutorials in a future article. Because there’s a lot of crap on YouTube too…
The BEST online photography courses demand a TON of time and knowledge to put together, and when done well, they’re just as useful as working under a mentor or taking classes in person.
Developing Your Photography Style
One of the most important aspects of becoming a professional photographer is developing your own personal style of photography. Whether that’s subject matter, editing style, or both.
By learning from other photographers through online classes, you can pick and choose parts of their workflow and style that you like, then adjust for your own use. We all get inspiration from others — it’s just the nature of art.
Learn as much as you can about the craft, then use that knowledge to develop your own signature look and make your work stand out!★
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READ MORE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best online photography classes! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more photography articles that I recommend you read next:
Have any questions about these online photo courses? Any good ones I missed? Drop me a message in the comments below!
This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.
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