Photo of the Day: Erbil Citadel
Erbil Citadel, originally uploaded by pangur.
The Citadel of Erbil rises dramatically above the capital city of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region in Iraq. Until recently, it had been inhabited continuously for over 5,000 years, witnessing the rise and fall of such empires as the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Greeks. In 2007, the government evicted and resettled the inhabitants of the Citadel’s dense warren of streets and houses in an effort to preserve this architectural and historical treasure.
Browse more cool photos from Away.com, plus contribute your own favorites, at Away.com's Photostream on Flickr.com!
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October 16, 2009
Photo of the Day: Lake Nakuru Flamingos, Kenya
Lake Nakuru, located within central Kenya's chain of Great Rift Valley lakes, nourishes an incredible diversity of wildlife, including hundreds of thousands of pink flamingos that feast on the lake's abundance of algae. Part of Lake Nakuru National Park, founded in 1961, the park was recently expanded to provide habitat for Kenya's endangered black rhinoceros. It also home to white rhinoceroses, Rothschild's giraffes, baboons, and warthogs.
Planning a safari to Kenya? Learn about one company that has been leading the charge toward sustainable tourism in Africa for over 40 years.
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October 12, 2009
Outside Magazine Helps You Take Better Travel Photos
In case you missed it, the September issue of Outside magazine focused on all things photography, from dreamland product profiles to behind-the-image anecdotes and tips from some of the best photographers in the outdoor world. There's also an interesting rumination on the dangers of over-Photoshopping your pictures by one of the magazine's former photo editors. We're talking putting a mountain in the middle of the sea, not tweaking the unavoidable midtone problems that typically plague digital photos. For those standard fixes, Outside Online has even posted a batch of free Photoshop macros from Santa Fe-based photo consultant Joel Lipovesky.
My favorite tips: when taking portraits, get your subject to either look into the camera or smile--never both. And edit your photos before posting it on your preferred social media.
Check out the full issue here, and take what you learn into the field next time.
Full disclosure: Outside is a content partner of The Away Network.
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October 09, 2009
National Parks Photo Contest: And the Winner Is...
Mesquite Flats, Death Valley National Park (Erik Dresser)
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Erik Dresser's photograph of the Mesquite Flat sand dunes in Death Valley National Park (pictured above) has been selected as the winner in our National Parks Photo Contest. Taken on a late September afternoon, here's how Erik got the shot:
"My girlfriend and I were in Las Vegas for a mini vacation (and to get engaged) last month and on our last day, we decided to take a day trip to Death Valley, which is about a two-hour drive away. I had seen photos of the dunes and knew that they would be at their most photogenic in the late afternoon, so I planned our trip so that we would reach them at around 6 p.m. It was very hot and windy that day so I went to a spot where the blowing wind would be back-lit by the sun. Despite shooting into the sun, the dunes still have a golden glow due the sunlight reflecting off the sand. This shot is at 200mm. I got some good close-up shots at 400mm, but I chose this one because it includes the ridgeline in the background to provide some scale to the scene."
Technical specifications:
Camera - Canon 1D Mark III
Lens - EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
Exposure - 200mm, 1/1000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200
We were thrilled to receive over 200 entries for the contest, showcasing an amazing array of landscapes in 66 different parks and public lands across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the national parks claiming the highest representation of entries were Yellowstone National Park (31 entries), Glacier National Park (17 entries), Grand Canyon National Park (17 entries), Grand Teton National Park (15 entries), and Yosemite National Park (12 entries). Browse all of the entries here. Continue reading below the jump to view our five runners-up.
Thank you again, everyone, for taking part, plus a big thanks to Karine Aigner for joining us this week to judge our finalists. Karine is a senior photo editor with National Geographic Kids magazine. Here are her thoughts on the winning entry:
"For me, the winning image stood out because it was a different way capturing the Death Valley dunes, which are so often seen front-lit. After several rounds of judging we kept coming back to this image. It captures the the natural world's powerful, yet subtle beauty as well as spirit, and has wonderful layers of various textures from front to back—making the simple composition work. The back-lit sand creates a mood of anticipation. In all, the image beautifully captures a small moment, those that we often miss in our haste to take in and see as much as possible."
Continue reading "National Parks Photo Contest: And the Winner Is..." »
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October 05, 2009
Photo of the Day: World's Highest Via Ferrata, Mount Kinabalu
Mountain Torq's via ferrata on the upper slopes of Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia (courtesy, Tourism Malaysia)
Malaysia's 13,435-foot Mount Kinabalu is a hulking granite massif located on the north end of the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. The main summit, Low's Peak, is a popular route for even non-climbers in good physical condition, many of whom get up in the early-morning hours to catch sunrise at the top. Those interested in taking a less-trammeled route to the top should consider Mountain Torq's via ferrata, which opened in December 2007 and is certified by Guinness World Records as the world's highest via ferrata. "Via ferrata" is an Italian phrase meaning "iron road" and offers a fixed climbing route up steep cliffsides and mountain faces, which are otherwise off-limits to those without technical climbing and mountaineering skills. The original via ferratas were deployed in the Italian Dolomites during World War I to aid the movement of mountain infantry. Today, these popular routes offer access to recreational mountaineering in the European Alps, Québec's Laurentian Mountains, and countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. Mount Kinabalu is located in UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kinabalu National Park, home to four distinct climate zones and a rich array of flora and fauna. Other popular attractions on the Malaysian-administered side of the Borneo landmass include the bustling town of Kuching and the longhouses, rainforest, and indigenous tribespeople in the state of Sarawak.
Browse more cool photos, plus contribute your own favorites, at Away.com's Photostream on Flickr.com!
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September 30, 2009
Free Photowalk With Award-Winning Outdoor Photographers in Sante Fe
Clay pots in Santa Fe (Corbis)
Mark your calendars (if you're going to be in or anywhere near Santa Fe)! On October 7, renowned outdoor photographers Andy Biggs and Michael Clark will lead a free photowalk through Santa Fe, New Mexico. They'll meet at 4 p.m. at the gazebo in Sante Fe's historic Plaza in the middle of the city, and head out from there. But they don't have a predetermined path yet, so don't be late! Photographers of all skill levels and ages can attend. Just bring a camera (digital or film), comfortable walking shoes, and whatever else makes sense (water, sunscreen, hat, bag). This is a great opportunity to learn tips and tricks from professional photographers, and to ask questions about how to take better pictures. Plus, you'll likely get a better appreciation for the beauty of Santa Fe—or at least see things through a different lens!
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September 28, 2009
America's Best Idea
The hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park (Photodisc)
Master documentary filmmaker Ken Burns' most recent project, The National Parks: America's Best Idea, premiered on PBS last night. Like each of Burns' hugely popular documentaries—including Baseball, Jazz, and most recently, The War, about World War II—National Parks promises to be yet another epic, in-depth look at an important part of our country's history, focusing on the people who helped to pioneer and shape the creation of these important public spaces, something that was a uniquely American idea. We encourage you to watch at least some of the six-part series (although if his other films are any indication, you'll probably find yourself glued to the TV night after night). But of course, the best way to appreciate the national parks isn't just to watch pictures of them scrolling across your TV screen. Get out and visit them! Gaze up at soaring mountain peaks, hike through enormous canyons, raft roaring rivers, climb over sand dunes, and experience for yourself the natural beauty of our country.
If you've visited any of the national parks already, and have some great photos to share, don't forget that this is the last week to submit a photo to our National Parks Photo Contest! You could win more than $200 in hiking gear from KEEN, and have your photos featured on Away.com! We've already gotten tons of great submissions—see them all at our Facebook page.
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September 17, 2009
How to Find the Best Fall Foliage Updates Online
Fall colors in Colorado (courtesy, Colorado Tourism)
Tuesday, September 22 officially marks the start of fall, a date eagerly anticipated by those most ardent of outdoorsy folks: leaf peepers! Reports show that Mother Nature is already revving up for the annual show, with rich reds, crimsons, and yellows already sweeping down through Canada and some of the more northerly parts of New England.
Look out this year, too, for a color-filled profusion of online updates, with newcomer Twitter.com able to provide a stream of real-time updates. And check out Away.com's comprehensive guide to fall for activity ideas and general peak predictions. For a great general resource, go to YankeeFoliage.com, plus follow the photographer who's behind the site on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Foliage_Reports.
Below the jump are listings for state and provincial tourism bureaus in those regions where fall colors are typically the most impressive, with additional information on the latest updates for the 2009 season. Obviously there are dozens more great local resources available around the Web, so tell us in the comments section if you have additional leaf-peeping information to share!
Continue reading "How to Find the Best Fall Foliage Updates Online" »
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September 14, 2009
Share Your Best National Park Photo to Win KEEN Hiking Gear!
Master documentary filmmaker Ken Burns' most recent project, The National Parks: America's Best Idea, premieres on PBS on September 27. We know many of you seasoned travelers out there have visited national parks and have some great photos to share, so in celebration of this new documentary, Away.com is having a contest to spotlight our country's parks. We're looking for your best photo, taken in or of a national or state park, forest, or seashore, that shows off the park's natural wonders, as well as your photography skills. But choose your very best photo, because you're only allowed one entry per person! All you have to do is:
1. Go to the Away.com Facebook Fan Page.
2. Become a fan of Away.com.
3. Type a descriptive caption of no more than 100 words—being sure to include where and in what park the photo was taken—in the text field at the top of the page (where it prompts you to "Write something...").
4. And before you hit the "Share" button, use the Photo icon below the text field to attach your most impressive national park photo.
Your photo and caption will then appear on our Facebook Wall to be shared with fellow travelers.
The grand prize winner will receive more than $230 worth of trail-ready gear from outdoor pros KEEN, to include hiking boots, a backpack, and merino wool hiking socks. The winner, along with several runner-ups, will also have their photos featured on our site. So start looking through your photo albums now, and send us the one that has the greatest "Wow!" factor. We're excited to see what you've got!
Contest ends midnight on October 2. Click here for the Official Contest Rules.
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July 02, 2009
Behind the Image: Machu Picchu
An untraditional view of the famous ruins of Machu Picchu (Nathan Borchelt)
Machu Picchu is one of the rare places in the world where all expectations are exceeded. Whether you hike the Inca Trail to the ancient city, hop the train from Cusco via Aguas Calientes, or trek for three days in the adjacent Camino Salcantay valley with Mountain Lodges of Peru (one of the newest—and best—Peruvian tour operators), you already likely know what to expect: the stone ruins of a vast, sprawling pre-Columbian Incan city 8,000 feet above sea level, with dense cumulus clouds blanketing the peaks of this mysterious UNESCO World Heritage-listed spot.
Despite its many unanswered questions, one thing is almost universally known: what it looks like, thanks to that singular, ubiquitous image of Machu Picchu. Looking down from the upper reaches of the ruins with the neighboring peak of Huayna Picchu jutting upwards, the ruins sprawl across the peak, almost like a half-constructed, stone Lego city built across terraces carpeted with verdant green foliage.
And when you follow the path up to that vantage point, the view does indeed hit every travel cliche: It steals your breath, quiets you, humbles you, makes you feel alive and aware and bigger than life, and yet small and insignificant. And you also realize that the photo you're obligated to take is...well, just like every other one you've seen.
So, when you find yourself in a place such as Machu Picchu, take on the challenge of finding something different.
Continue reading "Behind the Image: Machu Picchu" »
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