Landscapes Archives - Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens

17 Natural Wonders to Photograph Around the World

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 09:13:25 +0000

There’s something truly humbling about standing in front of a vast desert dune or watching icebergs drift silently under a pastel-pink sky. Over the years, my journey as a travel photographer has taken me to places that feel like the Earth is quietly showing off, unveiling landscapes carved by time, shaped by weather, and filled with colour and life in the most unexpected forms. Each trip has been more than just a chance to take photographs. They’ve been filled with moments to connect with nature, with stillness, and with that childlike sense of awe we often forget in the rush of daily life. From the soft silica sands of Whitehaven Beach to the towering spires of Bryce Canyon, these natural wonders have not only filled my camera with images, but also helped me develop a deep appreciation for the wild beauty of our planet. I wanted to pause and reflect on the places that have inspired me the most, places that remind me why we travel, why we explore, and why it’s so important to protect the environments and landscapes we photograph. Below is a collection of 17 natural wonders I’ve been fortunate to photograph, each unique in its beauty,...

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Japan Travel – Photographing the Snow Monsters of Zao, Tohoku

Lisa Michele Burns — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 08:39:49 +0000

How to Photograph the Snow Monsters at Zao Onsen, Japan When it comes to winter photography experiences, the Yamagata prefecture of Japan is hiding something pretty remarkable in the scenic village of Zao Onsen. It’s a landscape and subject I’ve hoped to visit since I was a student visiting a host family in Japan at 15. I saw an image of this natural phenomenon and couldn’t get it out of my mind. Fast-forward 25 years…and I finally saw them. Now, I want to help you plan your visit, too. It’ll take two ropeway rides to reach the top, and halfway up, you’ll start to see them appear. First one, then the horizon will reveal thousands more, appearing to multiply across mountain peaks and into the distance. I’m talking about Snow Monsters, also known as Juhyo. These frozen wonders are created as a result of strong Siberian winds, chilled water droplets and heavy snowfall across the winter months, formations that transform the landscape into a forest of monster-like trees. The high altitude of Jizo Sancho Station, located just below the peak of Mt.Jizo which sits at 1,736m, helps these iced beauties remain solid, chunky and visible throughout winter. Let’s take a...

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Ilulissat, Greenland – A Guide to Photogenic Experiences

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:47:23 +0000

Capture the Magic of Greenland in Ilulissat Ilulissat is somewhere you need to visit in your lifetime if you’re into icebergs and all things arctic. Frozen natural wonders meet a culture that’s as fascinating as it is colourful forming a photogenic dreamscape of possibilities. As Greenland’s third largest city, Ilulissat is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ilulissat Icefjord where the world’s fastest moving glacier funnels icebergs towards Disko Bay. It’s a sight that’s hard to comprehend upon first glace. It’s sheer scale, shapes, patterns and the vast whiteness can take a few days to really soak up so be sure to plan for at least five days! Basing yourself in Ilulissat is a great way to ensure you can take advantage of the many tours and hiking routes that begin in town. Having spent two weeks exploring the region in July, I’ve put together this guide of photogenic experiences should you need a little inspiration for your own trip. Midnight Sun Icefjord Cruise Prepare yourself for what will be one of the best evenings of your life. No question. Before you’ve barely left the harbour at 10pm, the boat will be cruising past floating icebergs, some...

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Iceland Photography Locations on the South Coast

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 13:00:52 +0000

Iceland Photography Location Guide – Reykjavik to Hofn It’s a country where waterfalls, icebergs and volcanoes converge to create otherworldly landscapes. Iceland will take your breath away with natural beauty from the moment you arrive to the moment you fly over its dramatic coastline on your way home. It’s no wonder Iceland photography locations are high on any photographer’s wish list! Before we get started while this guide is titled from Reykjavik to Hofn, it actually includes a section a little further east to Djúpavogshreppur…that fabulous name is just a little too long for the heading! Exploring Iceland photography locations by car is the best way to see as much as possible and the southern coast is full of places to visit. You can snorkel between continents before driving east to experience endless waterfalls and glaciers, it’s the ideal destination for adventure travellers. The Ring Road from Reykjavik to Hofn is filled with photo stops, if you drove straight it would take about 6hrs to cover the odd 545kms however with so many places to see along the way, it’s possible to take 2-3 days…or much longer if you add on activities and hikes and want to take it slow!...

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A Photographer’s Guide to Mungo National Park

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 10:54:41 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHING + VISITING MUNGO NATIONAL PARK, NSW Where lunettes form a chiselled landscape of rugged formations and Australian wildlife and Aboriginal culture take centre stage, Mungo National Park is one location to put on your photography wish-list. The glow of sunrise illuminates dry lakebeds where kangaroo and emu are slowly starting their day, while golden sunsets and pastel skies create a stunning palette when photographing the other-worldly landscape. Carved and shaped over millions of years, Mungo National Park has so many stories to tell and on a recent visit, I was blown away by just how much I didn’t know about not only Australian landscapes, but our culture, people and history. Do yourself a favour, if you get a chance to visit Mungo, spend a few days here to really soak up the beauty and magic of this photogenic and significant part of Outback New South Wales. Where is Mungo National Park? Located in Outback NSW, Mungo National Park is roughly an 11hour drive west of Sydney or 7hours north-west of Melbourne. Resting near the centre of the Murray Basin, Mungo National Park comprises of 19 connected lakes (now dry), dunefields, sandplains, lunettes (more on these in the photography...

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8 Beach Photos and How They Were Taken

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 10:08:42 +0000

Beach Photos and The Stories and Settings Behind them Beach photos make us dream of sunnier days, time spent by the sea, holidays and a general warmth and happiness. We’ve all got our favourite beaches, whether that’s close to home and ideal for regular walks, or abroad, somewhere exotic, tropical and glistening. It’s where many of us who live by the coast learn photography. Using the crashing waves, sand patterns and sunrise or sunset to compose landscape images and practice camera settings and composition. From island beach photos to long stretches of sand that disappears into the distance, I wanted to share a collection of my favourite shots. Beach photographs that take me back to the moment they were captured, to share a little story behind the image and the details of how it was captured. I’ll be including camera settings, location information and creative techniques used for each beach photo included below. If you’ve got a favourite beach photo, be sure to share it via Instagram with the hashtag #thewanderinglens or leave a comment at the end of this article to tell me where your favourite beach is! Let’s hit the beach – Beach Photo #1 – Whitehaven Beach,...

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A Photographer’s Guide to Death Valley National Park

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 23:55:41 +0000

Death Valley National Park Where to Photograph + Things to do in Death Valley Planetesque landscapes await within the depths of Death Valley National Park, officially home to the hottest place on earth and surprisingly accessible. Within two hours from Las Vegas and a little closer to four hours from the coast of California, this other-worldly region of dunes, deserts and salt flats is somewhere you need to visit with your camera. Back in 1913 a temperature of 57degrees (134F) was recorded at Furnace Creek and once you’ve experienced the heat in Death Valley, it’s actually not that hard to believe this is possible. To describe this place in one word it has to be harsh. Harsh in every aspect from the landscapes to the conditions and somewhere that needs to be taken seriously when visiting, it’s called Death Valley for a reason and that’s so evident when you’re standing in 40+ degree heat with nothing around for shade. While Death Valley National Park is one of the most inhospitable places, happens to be one of the most photogenic. With salt flats, sand dunes, mountain ranges and volcanic lava filled hills, it’s hard to put your camera down…unless of course...

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A Guide to the Photogenic Wonders + Experiences on K’Gari (Fraser Island)

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 08:59:20 +0000

K’Gari Photography Location Guide – Fraser Island Imagine somewhere with a colour palette featuring many of the world’s natural wonders. Ocean blues, rainforest greens, sandy whites, mineral reds, sunset yellows and pink pastel dusks…they’re all here. As a landscape photographer, the chance to capture these colours and landscapes in one location is rather rare but after a recent visit to Fraser Island, I can confirm, it’s completely possible and I’ve got just the guide to show you where and how. The traditional name for Fraser is K’gari, meaning paradise, and once you lay your eyes upon the scenery found here off Queensland’s coast you’ll see why. Stretching for over 120km with a width up to 22km in places, K’gari is the world’s largest sand island. It’s not only an adventure and outdoor lover’s utopia, it’s for those who love the gentle sounds of birdsong, nature walks and getting creative while photographing wildlife and a plethora of diverse environments. Based at Kingfisher Bay Resort on the island’s western coast, I recently spent three days photographing across K’gari and below you’ll find a series of photogenic locations, experiences and photo tips for your upcoming visit. Let’s get exploring… A little note –...

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Behind the Lens: The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes of Death Valley

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 22:03:02 +0000

Hot, steamy, swelteringly muggy and well, pretty uncomfortable. The heat of Death Valley National Park in California’s west needs to be experienced to be believed. As the hottest place on earth, Death Valley is like stepping onto another planet, with landscapes and rugged formations that lure photographers from around the world. In the northern section of the park you’ll find the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, a seemingly endless sand pit with ridge upon ridge leading into the distant hills. On the day of my visit temperatures were resting around 43 degrees, not exactly the type of conditions that make a sane person say “I know, I’ll go for a hike in the desert!”. Waiting until the late afternoon, I loaded my camera bag with 2L of water, snacks (always) and of course my gear including the following: Olympus E-M1 MKII Olympus E-M1X (read my review here) M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 M.Zuiko 40-150mm f2.8 If I was going to hike into the dunes I wanted to be prepared with everything needed to avoid walking back to the car for anything I may have forgotten. Sitting in the car I waited about 30mins while watching others arrive and venture into the dunes, disappearing within...

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A Photographer’s Guide to Antelope Canyon

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 18:30:18 +0000

Photographing Upper Antelope Canyon + Photo Tips for Inside Long before photography became part of my life I saw an image of Antelope Canyon that drew me in. The lines, the light, tones, vibrancy and marvels of nature in one photograph. It was an image that perhaps unconsciously inspired my path within landscape photography and for this reason Antelope Canyon has been on my wish list ever since I purchased my first camera. Antelope Canyon is somewhere that defies the imagination. Carved by water over centuries as it gushes through the canyon, the formations within are otherworldly. On a recent visit to Arizona I couldn’t resist a tour of Upper Antelope Canyon despite knowing that it’s one of the most visited sights in the US, something that usually turns me off in preference for more remote locations. I’ve written here about how to visit a secret slot canyon without the crowds, but for now, wanted to share all about photographing inside Upper Antelope Canyon; the good, the bad and how to be prepared to capture beautiful photos. Where is Antelope Canyon? In the American Southwest, located a 10 minute drive from Page, Arizona. You’ll need to book a guided...

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Underwater Photography: Kayaking Glacial Meltwater in Canada

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 00:18:16 +0000

Hidden high in the Lillooet Range of British Columbia, Canada you’ll find vibrant turquoise streams of glacial meltwater. This natural phenomenon only happens for a few weeks each year and I have to say, photographing this landscape in is something I’ll never forget. Melting rapidly as summer creeps in, the streams produce an intense clarity and a brilliant blue hue which provides a striking contrast against the surrounding snow-covered landscape. During the winter months the glacial lake is completely frozen over with snow covering the lake lying metres below the surface. Once Spring arrives in May, the lake begins to slowly thaw out, revealing colourful meltwater streams around the edges and creating what looks like a watery race track seemingly made for adventurous kayakers. Every word in the thesaurus relating to beautiful, stunning and awe inspiring is relevant. Above the surface of the meltwater alpine peaks and pines loom amidst rocky outcrops and white slopes. Below the surface a patterned floor of ice dimples ranging from a few centimetres in width to crevices more than 8ft deep in places provides a fascinating canvas to photograph. The conditions for split-level images was perfect. I’ll be honest in saying that it’s taken...

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Provence Lavender Fields – A Photographer’s Guide to the Lavender Fields of Valensole

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 22:00:19 +0000

Provence Lavender Fields – The Best Locations to visit on the Valensole Plateau… Want to skip through purple fields of Provence lavender as bees buzz happily around you and the warm summer sunshine lights up the sky above? The Provence region of France is glowing in the summertime so if you’re planning a trip to Europe this summer, be sure to include a little of this gorgeous region in your itinerary. From mid June to mid July, you can witness the lavender at full bloom meaning rows of purple as far as you can see, rolling over hills and into the sunset. People flock from all corners of the world to experience the magic of Provence during the summer months with lavender being just one of the many draw cards. You’ll find fresh food markets in medieval villages, the crystal clear seas of the Mediterranean and about a 99% chance of sunny skies! If your sole desire is to see the beauty of the lavender fields then, I’ve got you covered with this guide to Valensole, the best area in my opinion to photograph the fields. In order to get a great photograph you’ll need a car to zip around...

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