When a photographer goes on vacation, they don’t normally spend the whole day lounging by the pool. Instead, the trip presents a greater opportunity of capturing new sets of images brought about by unfamiliar scenery, landscapes, culture and people. A lot of photographers will attest to the fact that going on holiday widens their perspective and some photographers we have featured here at Resource Magazine ended up producing great photography series stemming from a vacation that gave birth to long-term projects. From the ancient kingdom ruins of South East Asia and South America to the safari wilderness of Africa, the picturesque small towns all over Europe and the massive landscape of National Parks in North America, the choices are boundless for any photographer looking to spend a few days mixing work and pleasure.
To guide you in your future travel plans, Resource Magazine has come up with 10 Dream Vacations for a Photographer. In no particular order…
1. Temple Run and Shoot in South East Asia + Island Hopping
South East Asia is a favorite starting place for any backpacker in the world. This also rings true for a photographer looking to shoot amazing subjects. The ancient kingdom ruins in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos to the cultural rich nation of Vietnam and the many island wonders of the Philippines all conspires to make every photographer achieve instant orgasm clicking on their camera shutters.
Sunset behind a sea of ancient temples in Bagan,Myanmar – © Marky Ramone Go / nomadicexperiences.com
El Nido, Palawan Island, Philippines – © Marky Ramone Go / nomadicexperiences.com
2. Alaskan Wilderness
Melting snow, crystal clear lakes, picturesque mountains and blossoming flowers plus an abundance of wildlife that includes black and brown bears, deer, elk, muskox, seals, fox, plains and wood bison, moose, birds of prey and a lot more, makes the Alaskan wilderness an authentic photographer’s playground and ultimate vacation spot.
Jus don’t go far “Into the Wild” in Alaska © State of Alaska
3 . Safari Photography Adventure in Africa
Capture wild animals like the mountain gorilla, elephants, lions, tigers and many more right up in their elements and natural habitat. If your trip coincides with the great migration, then you will be able to document hundreds of Africa’s most fascinating animals against scenic landscapes. The Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana, Nigeria, Namib Desert in Namibia, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique are just some of the premier Safari locations in the African continent.
Get up close and personal with a Giraffe © African Safari Wild Life Park
4. Stop and Shoot the Flowers During the Bloom of Cherry Blossoms in Japan
Vacationing in Japan during the month of Cherry Blossoms in Japan provides a wonderful opportunity of blending the figurative saying about smelling the flowers and the literal act of photographing it – as thousands of trees and plants starts blooming colorful flowers that will fill any images with visual delight.
Flowers Bloom in Japan © Atlantida Viatges
5. Documenting Culture, Religion, Food and People in India
Everything a photographer searches for to document is present in the nation of India. From food, culture, religion, festivals to fascinating landmarks and people, India is like a smorgasbord of photography subjects. From the beautiful chaos of populated cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai to the desert cities of Jaipur, Jodphur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan to Agra, Varanasi an many more, the vast nation of India present an endless wonderful photography opportunities.
Children and the Taj Mahal (Agra, India) © Marky Ramone Go / nomadicexperiences.com
6. Chasing Waterfalls and Gorgeous Landscapes in Iceland
From geothermal springs to picturesque ice glaciers and a vast landscape that includes sweeping mountain views and stunning waterfalls, Iceland provides one of the best locations in the world for a photographer to spend a shooting holiday. A major plus is chancing up at the occurrence of the Northern Lights.
Just one of the many stunning landscape in Iceland © Iceland Natural
7. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Considered as one of the premier nature photography locations on Earth, the Galapagos Island gives a NatGeo-like vacations for photographers. Home to number of extraordinary sets of animal species that includes giant tortoises, frolicking in its rugged landscape made of black lava, it is the playground of a profuse number of wildlife all waiting to be captured by your camera.
8. Road-Tripping National Parks in the United States
It’s like Jack Kerouac on “On the Road” but instead of booze at every charming cities, you make a pit-stop at every National Parks and point your camera to shoot away. So grab a map and pencil your route to these places; Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, the Grand Canyon and the Wave in Arizona, Yosemite in California, Death Valley in Nevada, Everglades in Florida and a lot more to choose from the 59 protected natural parks in the United States.
Grand Canyon © Music and Sunsets
9. South America Vacation Kicking off in Havana, Cuba
A ‘vacation’ for a photographer isn’t called as such if it does not last more than a month and covering numerous countries. If you are a photographer looking to cross borders to shoot varying cultures, then South America is just what the Gods of Photography ordered for you – and what better way to kick it off by mixing cigar and photography in Havana, Cuba. Photographer Robin Thom has this to say “Cuba is a special place to photograph because of the rich variety of light and patinas, and the juxtaposition of disparate cultures from different centuries. It is a complicated country that is both sophisticated and ingenuous. The more I go, the less I ‘know’ – there is always something to re-evaluate, or new to discover.”
Have a Cigar in Cuba © Vitola
10. Search for the Lord of the Rings in Southern Alps, New Zealand
Petr Hlavacek of NZICESCAPES IMAGES describes the time he spent in New Zealand. “This place is truly special. It is part of the Westland ‘Tai Poutin’” National Park, which along with other parts of the South Westland and Fiordland have a status of UNESCO World Heritage Area. You can see 2 of the highest peaks of New Zealand’s mountains from here – Mount Cook (3,754m) on the right and Mount Tasman (3,497m) on the left, and there are only a handful of spots from where you can photograph these two gorgeous peaks so nicely next to each other. The whole location is just spectacular whichever way you turn your head – it’s very remote, wild and pristine with a seal colony nearby.”
LOTR? © Petr Hlavacek
It is difficult to narrow a list to just 10 with all the many fascinating and beautiful places in the world, and these are just some of our favorites according to personal experiences and narratives of friends and colleagues in the photography industry who have gone to these places. The important thing is you enjoy your vacation and come home with a full memory vault and hard drives filled with amazing images. From the sizzling activities of the markets in Marakesh, Morocco to the sweeping ancient temples in Bhutan and more, there are so many places to see and photograph it will take more than a lifetime for any photographer to visit them all.