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

The Creative Benefits of Solo Travel for Photographers

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:29 +0000

Why Solo Travel Can Transform Your Photography (and How It Changes the Way You See a Place) There’s something different about travelling alone with a camera. Without meaning to offend everyone I’ve ever travelled with, solo travel is, as far as I’m concerned, the best way to immerse yourself in the experience of travel, while documenting the adventure and learning about your creative approach, and, let’s be honest, yourself too. When travelling solo, you learn how to deal with whatever comes your way, which in turn leads to feeling more confident, capable, and creative because you’re in control of the journey unfolding. As a map geek, I love planning routes, finding locations, and researching places to stay, I know this can feel quite overwhelming for others who may be new to solo travel, but after a few trips, even short ones at first, you’ll see the freedom it unlocks. Without the pace of a group, or the quiet pressure of keeping up with someone else’s plans, the experience of travelling begins to shift in subtle but noticeable ways. You move slower, not because you have to, but because you can. You notice more. You pause when something catches your eye,...

The post The Creative Benefits of Solo Travel for Photographers appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Photographing the Darwin’s Frog: A Rare Encounter in Chile’s Valdivian Rainforest

Lisa Michele Burns — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 08:47:28 +0000

Photographing the Darwin’s Frog – A Rare Encounter in Chile’s Valdivian Rainforest Deep within Chile’s Valdivian rainforest, where rain falls in patterns of gentle whispers and torrential waves, and where the forest floor glows a vibrant green beneath layers of fog, a tiny creature quietly tells one of nature’s most extraordinary stories. A really tiny creature, one with an average size of just 22 to 31mm. When researching Parque Futangue, I saw photos of the Darwin’s Frog (Ranita de Darwin) and was instantly drawn to learn more about this leaf-like little wonder. Because it’s listed as endangered, with some outlets even stating that it’s close to extinction, I assumed there would be no way I’d be lucky enough to photograph one on my ATWS pre-summit adventure with the Adventure Travel Trade Association and Sernature Chile. Then I met Felipe, our guide at Parque Futangue and a fellow photographer who shared images he’d captured during his years guiding in the park. While it could never be guaranteed, he explained that there was a chance we might encounter one along a specific guided trail within the reserve. I couldn’t put my MC-20 2x teleconverter on fast enough. A Frog Unlike Any Other...

The post Photographing the Darwin’s Frog: A Rare Encounter in Chile’s Valdivian Rainforest appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Field Notes: Landscapes and Lupins with the OM-3 by OM SYSTEM

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 07:57:47 +0000

OM-3 Review : User Experience + Creative Possibilities Well, hello there OM-3. Just announced by OM SYSTEM, this new camera is a game changer for creatives and I’m going to share my recent experience working with it to photograph landscapes and lupins in New Zealand. There are sample images plus a whole bunch of behind-the-scenes visuals to show you what the art tools and camera functions look like. If you enjoy experimenting, playing with colour, seeing the world with a creative eye and producing images with a consistent tone, you’ll want to keep reading. There’s so much inside this compact (and cute) camera! Just a quick note, I am an OM SYSTEM ambassador, however this is an experience and user review. I knew there would be a lot of focus on the technical specifications in other reviews of the OM-3, so as you’ll see throughout the words below, I’ve taken the creative approach, sharing what I found innovative and fun to incorporate as I photographed. In December I took a secret squirrel trip with the OM-3 to New Zealand. On social media I mentioned it was my solo/self-employed Christmas party (which was also the case), however, I wanted to...

The post Field Notes: Landscapes and Lupins with the OM-3 by OM SYSTEM appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Behind the Lens – Visiting Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 12:07:09 +0000

Behind the Lens – Two Days at Perito Moreno Glacier Location: Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia – Argentina Gear: OM-1, OM-1 MKII, 7-14mm f2.8 pro lens, 12-40mm f2.8 pro lens + 40-150mm f2.8 pro lens with the MC-20 2 x teleconverter and LS-P5 audio recorder. Date: April 18-20th, 2024. Autumn in Patagonia Rising early to collect the hire car and head out to the glacier, I was eager to see the ice, it was actually the part of Patagonia I was looking forward to most. The towers of Torres del Paine and Mount Fitz Roy were right up there on the wish list too of course, but glaciers have been a subject I’ve love researching and photographing since I was bewildered by the landscapes and ice sheet of Greenland. Layers of glacial ice disappearing toward ridge lines and valleys are a sight I could happily stare at forever. The sounds, thunderous roar of crashing ice, glistening sparkles, centuries of weather conditions, snow and glacial streams combined to present a scene so rugged yet intricately delicate. They fascinate me and every time I photograph a glacier, I leave with hundreds (jokes, thousands) of photos that usually, let’s be honest, look pretty similar....

The post Behind the Lens – Visiting Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Golden Hour – Chasing light with The Wandering Lens Community

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 07:00:25 +0000

Golden hour is such a beautiful time to have your camera with you. Whether you’re photographing from home, exploring landscapes in remote destinations, or out and about when magic strikes and you capture the sky illuminating from wherever you’re standing in that moment, there’s something so special about this time of day. Sunrise or sunset, it’s inspiring to capture the golden glow as details within a scene are sprinkled with light, shadowed, softly lit, or silhouetted. As photographers, we almost can’t bear to be indoors when the sky is on fire with colour, or when you know the sun is about to set at any minute, but you’re stuck in traffic. The thrill we feel when we’re in the right place at the right time, when an entire scene is awash with reds, oranges and deep yellow, it’s what we’re all seeking, for some of us, it’s the reason we pick up our camera. I recently asked the network of photographers via Travel Photography Courses to share their golden hour images. This collection below were stand outs and feature imagery from all corners of the world. Take a browse through their work, click through to see their Instagram accounts and...

The post Golden Hour – Chasing light with The Wandering Lens Community appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Behind the Lens – The Pastel Peak of Aoraki/Mount Cook

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 04:57:15 +0000

Landscape Photography – The Unexpected Moment at Mount Cook Gale force winds and cloudy skies gave the indication that we might not have the best conditions to photograph sunset. Arriving to Queenstown for a short 4-day trip to photograph ice patterns, I had one location in mind and that was Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. Having visited New Zealand and photographed the peaks around Queenstown, Wanaka and Milford Sound many times before, there was one trail I’d heard so much about, but never had the chance to visit. The Hooker Valley Trail. It’s ranked as one of the best day hikes you can do in New Zealand, yet despite driving past on a number of occasions, weather, time or just a different itinerary had always stopped me visiting. For this short and spontaneous trip, I made it the sole destination. Hiring a car in Queenstown, we drove north to Mount Cook Village and while the weather window looked great when I booked the flights 24hours earlier, it had changed quickly and a storm was soon on our tail. I’d researched two other short hikes that I wanted to attempt while in the area, and...

The post Behind the Lens – The Pastel Peak of Aoraki/Mount Cook appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Behind the Lens – Photographing a Sumo Tournament in Tokyo

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 12:34:21 +0000

Photographing a Sumo Tournament in Tokyo at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo wrestling has been an integral part of Japanese culture for centuries, and its tournaments have captivated audiences all over the world, some intensely interested, others puzzled but amused by what they’re witnessing. *A little warning for those who don’t want to see too much flesh, the photos within this article do showcase a lot of skin. I’ve tried to photograph the event tastefully and used creative techniques to make the images a little more arty…hopefully you’ll enjoy seeing a peek inside this fascinating Japanese sport. On my recent trip to Tokyo, I was lucky enough to reserve a ticket to the September tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan, the national sumo arena of Japan. I reserved the seat online, picked up the tickets at a local 7-Eleven store and had no idea as to where we’d be sitting, but assumed it would be very far from the action because they were roughly $20AUD. Spoiler, we were in the very back row, but this actually ended up being ideal for someone who had no idea what was happening and wanted to photograph as much as possible without getting in anyone’s way. So, let’s...

The post Behind the Lens – Photographing a Sumo Tournament in Tokyo appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

What Cameras I Packed for Greenland

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 11:16:09 +0000

Photographing in Greenland – What to Pack Endless hours of sunshine shimmer along the coastline of Ilulissat in the summer months. A land of climatic extremes,historic adventures and a culture that’s as fascinating as it is friendly, Greenland is quickly becoming somewhere photographers are flocking too. The frozen wonders of glaciers and icebergs meet humpback whales and arctic foxes with vibrant villages making up the trifecta of photogenic delights. Icebergs over 50m in height drift into the northern waters of The Atlantic Ocean, providing not only an epic sight to see, but to photograph. Still relatively remote, Greenland requires a well planned trip to ensure success with your images. There are of course very distinct differences in seasons so it’s essential to research the type of images you’re after and plan ahead with plenty of wriggle room to account for weather related delays. The winter months offer a chance to photograph aurora over the snow covered scenery, see the Greenlandic Sled Dogs in action and even sleep in an igloo. There will also be a considerable amount of darkness over the winter months, with polar night meaning the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon from a certain latitude. Read more...

The post What Cameras I Packed for Greenland appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Photographing the Dunes of Sossusvlei + The Namib Desert

Lisa Michele Burns — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 09:02:19 +0000

Photographing Deadvlei with Wilderness Safaris – Namibia Departing in darkness, a slight glow simmered on the horizon, a tiny hint of the magic soon to be revealed across the Namib Desert. With Kulala Desert Lodge being the closest lodge to Sossusvlei, a short drive led us to the Namib Naukluft National Park gate from where the peaks of dunes grew closer and my camera quickly jumped out of the bag, never to leave my hands for the rest of the day. Despite knowing photos from a moving vehicle don’t always produce the best results, I couldn’t help myself. As the sun rose slowly in the distance, the dunes changed colour and I was snapping out the window at anything and everything that revealed one of the dunes I’d been wanting to photograph for years. With me for the day I had the Olympus E-M1X and E-M1 MKII bodies, both with impeccable weather sealing to ensure the desert dust wouldn’t be an issue. The M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8, 12-40mm and 40-150mm pro lenses were also in my bag to ensure all bases were covered for the scenes I imagined along with the MC-20 2x teleconverter which I was using for the first...

The post Photographing the Dunes of Sossusvlei + The Namib Desert appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Photographing with the E-M1X in the Driest Desert on Earth

Lisa Michele Burns — Sat, 02 Jul 2022 05:53:28 +0000

The Olympus E-M1X at work in the Atacama Desert, Chile Dust, sandstorms, chilly conditions and contrasting extreme heat are all factors that come into play when photographing in one of the driest places on earth. Chile’s Atacama Desert is known as the driest non-polar location in the world, with some areas never receiving a drop of rainfall in over 57 years. It’s dry, vast and oh so photogenic. With the E-M1X built with industry leading weather proofing, I put it to the test in San Pedro de Atacama, a great base for exploring the other worldly landscapes of the desert. From salt flats to volcanic skylines the area is a photographer’s playground of all things naturally beautiful, carved by strong winds and intense weather conditions. When photographing in locations like this it’s essential to have gear that can withstand a little tough love. Knowing that the Olympus OM-D E-M1X can handle almost anything meant I could focus on composing my shots without worrying if the dunes were whipping up sand or if I needed to rest the camera on the salt flats while photographing flamingos. The diversity that exists in the Atacama Desert is almost unbelievable. A place where you’d...

The post Photographing with the E-M1X in the Driest Desert on Earth appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Behind the Lens – Working with Water

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 08:18:07 +0000

If you’ve been a long-time reader of The Wandering Lens you will have seen me mention many times how much I love incorporating the element of water into my work. Photographing water, being in the water, on the water, watching water, inspired by the movement water, I just can’t get enough and have hard drives filled with so many watery images. How many times can you say water in a sentence? There have been times in my career that I only focused on underwater imagery of both bridal portraits and split-level landscape photographs. After living on Hayman Island for six years, surrounded by water and the beautiful Great Barrier Reef I became so intrigued by the creative possibilities it provided and took that curiosity with me when I moved to France. I photographed the coastline of the Mediterranean, capturing the colourful villages and rugged coastlines. There were even plans to do an underwater photoshoot with ballet dancers from Monaco beneath the stunning cliff top Musée Océanographique but I panicked at the last moment and thought I wasn’t good enough. Something I’ll forever wish I went through with as I can see those images so clearly…one day maybe. Anyway, back to...

The post Behind the Lens – Working with Water appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.

Behind the Lens – The Olympus Photographers

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 08:59:32 +0000

Photography Inspiration: Behind the Professional Lens You’ve heard me say it before and I’ll say it again to kick off this article; photography isn’t only about what gear you have but how you use it and what story you want to convey with your image. Having a creative vision, the ability to read a scene and dream up compositions using light, props or the scene before you requires skills and talent that takes time to develop. When you can then pair that practice with equipment that helps you to bring your ideas to life, this is when the magic happens. Now, speaking of what gear you use, have you ever wondered if other photographers use their cameras in the same way you do? Sure there are the key features and buttons that most people will use but do they see through the lens in a different way? I’ve been photographing with the Olympus system for the past three years (read the archive of articles here) and absolutely love their rugged, lightweight bodies for the work I do. Having met up with many other Olympus photographers, both professional and enthusiast, I’m always amazed at how much we can teach each other...

The post Behind the Lens – The Olympus Photographers appeared first on Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens.