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

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 Guide to the Best Sri Lanka Photography Locations

Ilse de Groot — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 10:12:28 +0000

Sri Lanka Photography Location Guide Sri Lanka is a beautiful and photogenic island of mesmerizing landscapes, lush tea plantations, waterfalls, palm fringed beaches and friendly locals. Also known as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’, the island offers diverse landscapes, cultures and experiences from North to South. With something to entice anyone to visit, photographers won’t be able to put their cameras down for too long with photography opportunities existing around every corner. Having never visited Sri Lanka personally, the lovely (and talented) Ilse de Groot from Digital Travel Couple has put together this guide for readers of The Wandering Lens based on her experiences travelling around the island. Let’s take a peek at some of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka… Best Sri Lank Photography Locations + Experiences – Little Adams Peak Little Adams Peak is a short 20 – 30 minute hike to a breathtaking viewpoint in Ella, one of the most scenic Sri Lanka photography locations. With views over Ella Gap as far as the eye can see, this is a great way to spend your morning in Ella. Little Adams Peak sits at 1141m above sea-level, although you already begin at a high elevation...

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The Best Photography Locations in the Lofoten Islands

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 20:39:59 +0000

A Guide to Photo Spots in the Lofoten Islands, Norway They’re rugged, wild and oh so beautiful. The Lofoten Islands are fast becoming one of the most popular destinations for photographers and this guide will show you all the best locations to capture the scenery from all angles. Whether you’re visiting for an adventure packed trip, hiking mountain peaks and kayaking fjords, or if you’re keen for a road trip exploring at your own pace, you’ll be wowed by all that Lofoten offers. Located in Northern Norway above the Arctic Circle, the Lofoten Islands are a snow covered wonderland in winter and a sparkling lush outdoor dream in summer. Ever changing weather will keep you and your camera occupied with bright blue skies, moody clouds and striking storms that show the full force of nature’s power. Some days you’ll have calm winds creating picture perfect reflections from every angle, others fierce winds will bring giant waves that are equally as photogenic. Be prepared for anything and you’ll love Lofoten. All of the images you see below in this guide were taken in March so expect to replace the snowy scenes with a lot more green in summer! As with all...

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Location Scout: Photogenic Waterfalls to Visit in Bali

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 07:07:44 +0000

Bali is lush. It’s a tropical paradise where rainforest grows rampant, greens are greener than anywhere you’ve been before and where waterfalls shower their way through mist-filled gullies. If you’re heading for Bali and want to explore some natural wonders away from the coastline head north and be treated to cascading delights in the island’s central heart. Visiting every waterfall in the region can be quite a challenge since most are located down long, winding roads in different directions and each require about a 20minute hike to access. That said, if you’re hiring a driver for a day, it’s definitely possible to see a few beauties, just pick your favourites and put together a plan! During my recent trip to Bali I visited three waterfalls and wanted to give a little rundown on each so you can decide if all, or any are worth visiting on your own holiday. First up though a few little tips for visiting the waterfalls… Make sure your camera gear is weatherproof or waterproof. They can generate a lot of spray and it’s very humid and wet on the hike down! I used my Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II which can handle a little downpour...

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Photographing the Colours of the Cook Islands

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 00:30:14 +0000

Photographing the Cook Islands of Rarotonga + Aitutaki The Cook Islands are a bright, visual playground of tropical tones. From the sea to the sky, you’re spoilt for ever changing landscapes to photograph and if you’re a beach person, this is one place to add to your list! Having visited this corner of paradise three times before, I had a few spots in mind that I wanted to revisit and capture some new creative landscape images Island landscapes are a subject I’ve grown very familiar as my photography career has developed. Having lived on Hayman Island in Australia’s Whitsundays for six years, palm trees and clear water became kind of routine…if that’s even possible!? Always beautiful, but it was necessary to think outside the box to make the palm trees look different every time I photographed them. The same happens when I revisit a destination, I love to look for new angles, new locations and bring some creativity to capturing them in a new light. Luckily the Cook Islands have a kind of mystery to them. Especially the island of Rarotonga which is always offering different conditions no matter how many times I visit. With a lush interior rising in...

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Lanzarote Photography Locations + Travel Guide

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 14:31:18 +0000

Lanzarote – A Volcanic Beauty of the Canary Islands As far as landscapes are concerned, Lanzarote looks a little like the planet Mars blended with the Mediterranean Coast. It’s barren and rocky scenery is so shocking at first glimpse it actually takes a while for your eyes to adjust to the lack of green. Located in the Canary Islands of Spain off the coast of Morocco, Lanzarote is a rare find. The closest I’ve come to seeing a landscape similar was in Iceland but even there you’ll find green moss covering the lava fields. On Lanzarote you’ve got blue skies contrasting beautifully with volcanic craters and teal seas. White villages are scattered along the coast line and in the interior you’ll find palm groves and vineyards growing amidst black volcanic soil. For photographers there’s plenty to keep you busy so below you’ll find a guide to the most photogenic locations on Lanzarote. As always I’ll kick things off with a map highlighting where each location is, then below you’ll find a more detailed description along with tips on getting around and where to stay on Lanzarote. Playa de Papagayo Perhaps the best beach on Lanzarote, Playa de Papagayo is at...

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Whitehaven Beach – Photographing Australia’s Natural Wonder

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 23:00:04 +0000

Whitehaven Beach = The Most Photogenic Beach in Australia From the air Whitehaven Beach is like an abstract painting. It’s sandy swirls, teal water and carved channels twist and turn like Picasso’s paint brush. Okay so Picasso is one of the few artists I actually remember from art class but Whitehaven is definitely worthy of gallery walls, I know that much. Located on Whitsunday Island off the Queensland coast in Australia, Whitehaven dazzles with it’s beachy goodness. Regularly named on the world’s best beach lists, it’s not hard to see why this stretch of sand is one of the most visited in all the land. What makes Whitehaven so special is the delicate silica sand which at approximately 98% is among the purest in the world. The beach also covers 7km which means a whole lot of pure white sandy beach to stroll along. Access to Whitehaven Beach is only possible by boat, seaplane or helicopter meaning if you arrive early, you may just have it all to yourself! During the day tourist boats begin to arrive from nearby Airlie Beach and the resort islands but there’s always enough beach for everyone. In the northern section you’ll find Hill Inlet,...

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Naoussa, Paros Island – The Cool Kid of The Cyclades

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 09:23:11 +0000

Paros Island is where white washed fishing villages, rocky coastlines and olive plantations meet the sparkling Aegean Sea. I like to think of it as the chilled out little sister to the more popular neighbouring islands of Mykonos, Ios and Santorini. It’s rustic, relaxing and ideal for outdoor adventures. Fairy lights hang throughout the colourful harbour village of Naoussa on the islands northeast corner. Photogenic from every angle you’ll find hidden alleys offering Cycladic charm and coves with waterfront cafes and bars. Naoussa is also home to perhaps the cutest harbour I’ve ever photographed. Wooden fishing boats bob gently on the clear teal water as fisherman sit on brightly painted chairs and octopus hang drying in the sunshine. Like many of the Greek Islands, it’s possible to drive around Paros Island in a day, exploring every beach, village and historic sight along the way. In the mountaneous region of the island are the beautiful villages of Kostos and Leftkes. Kostos is a sleepy little village gleaming with brightly coloured fuchsia bougainvillea and a quaint town square. Leftkes was the original captial of Paros and while it’s much larger than Kostos, retains that slow pace and mountain vistas. Below you’ll find...

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Sailing Croatia: Adriatic Adventures with Medsailors

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 02:00:24 +0000

Wake up to the sound of the sea gently lapping against your cabin. As the morning progresses the sound soon turns to splashes as you jump into the clear waters of the Adriatic at lunch then to rocking waves as you cruise to your next port before sunset. This is the sailing life. It’s just as relaxing as it sounds. You also need to add warm summer days, picturesque villages and evenings spent eating delicious seafood with new friends as your yacht floats under the stars until you’re ready to tuck in for the night. It is pretty damn fine. I jumped on board a Medsailors yacht to sail the islands off the coast of Split, Croatia this September. The Dalmatian coastline had been on my photo shoot list for a while now and armed with a bucket of seasick tablets and fully loaded camera batteries, Croatia didn’t disappoint. In fact, it charmed me every little moment from sunrise to star gazing. The small port village of Stari Grad with it’s enchanting old buildings, pockets of farm land and vineyards dotted behind crumbling churches was gorgeous. Sitting at the stern of the yacht as we sailed slowly down the long...

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Lagoon Adventures in Aitutaki, Cook Islands

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 12 May 2015 08:18:14 +0000

As far as water goes, Aitutaki Lagoon is in a league of it’s own. As our boat glided through the calm tropical ocean, shades of blue glistened above and below the surface. Aitutaki lies to the north of Cook Island’s capital Rarotonga in the Pacific Ocean. If you’re after a piece of paradise, this is it. Away from the crowds and far from any bustle, this island is relaxation served on a tropical fruit platter. Surrounding the main island of Aitutaki is a coral fringed lagoon dotted with palm drenched islands begging for you to pretend you’re castaways. It’s where the television reality mega series Survivor stranded 30 Americans and filmed as they bathed in the warm water, frolicked in the sunshine and roughed it by sleeping under the stars. Sure they had no food but really…what a location to be voluntarily stranded! Over 20 islands scatter the lagoon and on a day trip you can cover at least three with plenty of time to explore above and below the crystal clear water. Grabbing my underwater housing I jumped in the moment the boat slowed down and drifted over coral outcrops. Water clarity was on par with drinking water and...

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The Maldives: A Snorkel Safari in South Male Atoll

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 08:00:21 +0000

The Maldives. Two words that conjure up visions of luxurious over water bungalows, sparkling swimming pools and white sandy beaches. You’ll find all this and more on over 1100 dreamy islands dotted within the atolls, 105 of which are home to hotels and resorts. One thing everyone needs to do when visiting the Maldives? See the underwater world! While each resort will have a swimming beach that’s the definition of paradise, there is nothing quite like jumping off a boat into the ocean and exploring an open ocean reef. While staying on Kandoomafushi Island in the South Male Atoll I booked a boat trip to ‘Turtle Point’ to photograph underwater in the Laccadive Sea. The 45minute boat trip was reason enough to take my entire camera bag, passing exotic islands and local fishermen in their traditional wooden Dhoni boats. What I was excited about though were the turtles…surely being named ‘Turtle Point’ was an obvious hint at what resides below the surface!? Arriving at Turtle Point I was a little surprised to see it was actually a spot in the middle of the ocean, no nearby islands, no beach to swim to, just water for as far as the eye could see. Jumping off a boat is...

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Escape into the world of W Retreat Maldives, Fesdhoo Island

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 10:35:14 +0000

Imagine a world where you have a soundtrack perfectly composed to your tropical surroundings, echoing as you float from pool to beach to boat. As my seaplane landed on the turquoise waters at sunrise, the W Maldives Retreat and Spa sat like a beautiful mirage in the distance across the lagoon. Approaching the island shortly after landing the water suddenly turned from a deep ocean blue to a crystal clear aquatic wonderland so perfect I wanted to jump in fully clothed! The W Retreat Maldives is one of the hundreds of island resorts dotted across the coral atolls of this island nation in the Indian Ocean. Based on Fesdhoo Island, the W has its own chilled out vibe, something unique that makes it stand out amongst the rest and that is evident throughout the world of W Hotels globally. It’s simply cool. Each room has a surround sound system allowing the customised tunes to play as you slip into your private pool, bath tub or as you lounge on your rooftop deck. The décor is hip and trendy but still so damn comfy you don’t even need to leave your little oasis. I stayed in the Beach Oasis, a luxurious...

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