Annapurna Mellor

Annapurna Mellorhttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/about/contributors/annapurna-mellorAnnapurna Mellorhttps://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/photography/interview-with-travel-photographer-annapurna-mellorOur Travel Photography Scholarship Judge, Annapurna Mellor shares highlights of her journey to becoming a full-time travel photographer and her life on the road. 2017-09-05T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/photography/interview-with-travel-photographer-annapurna-mellorhttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <h2><span>Which came first, the writing or the photography?</span></h2> <p>Writing came first, although it wasn’t long before <a href="/create/learn/photography">photography</a> took over. After I graduated I booked a one-way ticket to Kathmandu and traveled around <a href="/explore/destinations">Asia</a> for a year. I started a blog to document my trip and the photos were initially just an accompaniment to the words. Quickly I realized how much I loved taking photos, and I got really positive feedback on them. I learned how to use my camera and started putting more effort into photography. During that year, I went from someone who had no idea how to use manual camera settings, to selling my first photos to brands such as Lonely Planet. It was a year of learning so much, and one which led me to the career I have today.</p> <p>When my photography work took off, I left writing behind for a bit, but recently I’ve realized how one compliments the other, and how stories can be so powerful. I think my biggest passion is <a href="/create/learn/film/interview-with-visual-storyteller-gregg-bleakney">storytelling</a>, and I feel the combination of words and photographs allows me to do that well.</p> <h2><span>How have your skills as a writer helped further your photography career?</span></h2> <p>Travel photography is an incredibly hard industry to break into today. There are so many <a href="/create/learn/photography/taking-photos-to-next-level-in-post-production">photographers</a> on Instagram and so many travel bloggers. I think writing has helped me stand out in many ways, and it has also made me more appealing to brands because I can use both skills, as well as social media when working for them. It definitely helps to be a jack of all trades in this industry and to diversify your income streams. Some months I may have no photography assignments, but I can sell articles to compensate.</p> <p>I also think writing has helped me become a better photographer as it's allowed me to see photographs through a storytelling lens. When I visit a place now, I’m not looking for that one perfect image that might do really well on Instagram or sell as a great stock image; I’m looking for a collection of images that say something about a place or community. I’ve learned how to approach people and take portraits, how to capture landscapes, and how to communicate the chaos of a city – because often in order to tell the whole story of a place, you have to capture all of those things.</p> <h2><span>How did you break into travel photography? </span></h2> <p>I think passion has to come first, and I can trace my travel photography career back to when I was posting photo stories on websites. I wasn’t getting paid for any of it, but I did it because I loved to tell stories.</p> <p>I spent a year traveling around Asia and I was approached by Getty Images, who offered me a stock contract. Sales came in quickly and it was the first time I realized that I could travel and take photographs and perhaps make a living from it. I continued traveling as often as I could and worked some pretty horrible jobs in between to make ends meet. Meanwhile, I was building a portfolio of images from around the world and promoting myself on the internet as much as I could. I’m not going to pretend it was a smooth ride, it’s a hard industry to break into, and you really need a lot of passion and determination to keep going.</p> <p>Stock image sales allowed me to build up a list of companies and publications who had bought my photographs, and it meant I had been published numerous times before I got my first official assignment. When I got my first well-paid assignment, I quit my bar job and focused on photography full-time. I spent the next few months sending what felt like thousands of emails to brands and magazines until the next assignment came, and then the next one. Then at some point, I realized, hey, I’m doing my dream job full-time.</p> <p>In the beginning, I did a lot of work for free while I was working in a bar. It wasn't ideal, but it helped me build up a portfolio. I know some photographers say not to work for free, but unfortunately, in the current climate, I just don’t think that’s feasible. I think you have to make sure that the unpaid work is benefitting you in other ways, whether through exposure or building your portfolio. It’s also important to be aware of when you should stop working for free, and when your work has more value to the company or publication than it does to you.</p> <p>I think the best advice I can give for anyone wanting to get into <a href="/create/learn/landscape-photography">travel photography</a> is just to create photography work that is authentic to you and to keep on going. Hard work, determination and truly great work does me feel something, whether that be a sense of a place or an emotion. I love images that take my breath away, and really that’s what I am looking for in this competition, a set of images that tell a strong story, stirs emotion in me, and which make me feel like this photographer is doing something unique.</p> <h2><span>What qualities are important to make it in the industry?</span></h2> <p>You need to be a great photographer as your work has to stand out. In the end, it always comes down to the images.</p> <p>Secondly, you need to be business savvy. Being a full-time freelance photographer doesn’t only involve taking photos, it involves branding and promoting yourself. You have to be a social media whiz, a writer, a storyteller; you need to manage money well, and do all the boring stuff like invoices and sending emails trying to find work.</p> <p>You also need to be a really good traveler – with the ability to be independent and navigate sometimes difficult situations while alone on the road. Lots of people look at my job as a travel photographer, and think it's easy. But there’s a lot more that goes into it – I probably spend more time sitting in front of my computer editing, emailing and writing than I do out in the field.</p> <h2><span>How Has photography enabled you to connect with local cultures?</span></h2> <p>One of my favorite things about being a travel photographer is connecting with locals and learning about local culture when I travel. I’m naturally a very introverted person, and I often use my camera as a way to break down barriers between myself and local people. Asking to photograph a person has led me to some wonderful situations – being invited to Indian weddings, or back to villages where I have been cooked feasts on wooden fires as children circle and smile at me. It has also taken me to places that a regular traveler might not think to go. </p> <h2><span>How has Instagram changed travel photography? </span></h2> <p>Instagram is a wonderful tool for photographers to gain exposure, but there are also many negatives that come with it. We are completely oversaturated with travel images from all around the world, and I see many brands reposting images from Instagram rather than paying for professional photographers. I’m very much a child of Instagram, and I’d never known the travel photography industry before the app existed, but I imagine it was quite different.</p> <p>Certain types of images do much better on Instagram than others, although I don’t necessarily think it’s the best images that get the most likes – often it’s just the images that follow a particular formula. This has meant that thousands of accounts post mostly the same type of photos. You see the same locations again and again, and the same type of image getting thousands of likes. Although there is nothing wrong with this type of image, I think it’s important to point out that getting thousands of likes doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a great travel photograph or one that's going to get you work as a travel photographer.</p> <p>I still think Instagram is a very important tool for travel photographers. For me, it’s been an amazing way to get my photography in front of a larger audience and a way to get brands and publications to recognize my work. I’ve gotten jobs with brands who have found my work on Instagram, and I’ve also made lots of friends and contacts with other photographers on the app. If you are trying to make it as a travel photographer nowadays, it's essential to be using Instagram to its full potential, while also understanding that it’s not the only thing you should be doing. You should also have an updated online portfolio and have stories published online. Instagram should just be how you share your work, it shouldn’t be why you create work in the first place.</p> <h2><span>How do you balance your time on the road between work and travel? </span></h2> <p>When I’m on the road it’s either for a specific assignment, where I’ll be working with a brand or shooting a story for a magazine or it’s a personal trip. In the first case, work takes over and I’ll often be shooting for 15 hours a day, then doing edits in the evening and sometimes posting on social media too, depending on the needs of the client. This kind of work can be exhausting but I enjoy every minute of it.</p> <p>When it’s a personal trip, I’ll often split the time between shooting and relaxing – perhaps focusing on one story during a trip, and choosing another place to just relax and enjoy. I’ve never felt like the spark of travel has gone. Every time I go on an assignment I still get excited about a new place, new people, and new photographs to capture. I think when your job is your passion, that spark never really goes out.</p> <h2><span>What's your dream assignment?</span></h2> <p>There are so many places around the world I’d love to go to, and so many cultures I’d love to document. But I always come back to South <a href="/explore/southern-asia/india">Asia</a>, as it’s the culture I feel the most connected to. I’d love to spend more time in the Himalayas, capturing local culture for a long-term personal project on the region.</p> <p>In the future I’d also like to work with charities, as while I love working with travel companies, I’d also love to use my photography for some greater good in the world.</p> </div>Annapurna Mellor 0

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/photography/travel-photography-online-media-and-making-your-markSocial Media, the Internet and the next generation of Travel Photography. Learn how to share your photography with the world from a pro travel photographer. 2017-09-18T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/photography/travel-photography-online-media-and-making-your-markhttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <p>Travel photography is changing. Instagram is full of people calling themselves travel photographers, and there are more than 80 million photos uploaded to the app each day. The industry is more competitive than ever – so how do you make yourself stand out? Is it really possible to break through this sea of mediocre work and make your mark?</p> <p>It was only a few years ago that I was asking these questions myself. As I've built my career as a professional travel photographer, I have found that utilizing social media and the internet has been a very powerful tool in developing my work and showcasing my portfolio to a wider audience.</p> <p>When my photography work took off, I left writing behind for a bit, but recently I’ve realized how much one complements the other. I think my biggest passion is storytelling, and I feel the combination of words and photographs allows me to do that almost effortlessly.</p> <ul> <li><a href="#instagram"> Using Instagram as a Portfolio </a></li> <li><a href="#grow"> Grow Your Account and Get Attention </a></li> <li><a href="#beyond"> Beyond Instagram: Use the internet </a></li> <li><a href="#hardwork"> Hard Work and Consistency</a></li> <li><a href="#makesure">Put the quality of work first</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="instagram">Using Instagram as a portfolio</h2> <p>Once you’ve traveled across the world and taken photographs you’re really proud of, what's next? <a href="https://www.instagram.com/annapurnauna/">Instagram</a> is a great place to start. It’s the easiest way to instantly get your photos to a wider audience, even if your first few attempts only get a couple of likes from your mother, your friend’s dog and a few fake accounts. Instagram can be hard to get going, but when used correctly, it’s a very rewarding platform.</p> <p>It is important to be consistent with the work you are posting. Only post your very best photographs. It can also help to keep the theme similar; for example, if you want to establish yourself as a <a href="/create/learn/photography/landscape-photography-7-pro-tips">landscape photographer</a>, don’t start posting food shots. While it can be tempting to fit within the Instagram style of photography, staying true to yourself and your work is key. Nobody wants to see another copycat on the app; originality will go a long way, and it will help you gain a name for yourself. If you’re looking to attract the right kind of publications, ensure you’re only posting high-quality content.</p> <h2 id="grow">Grow your account and get attention</h2> <p>Increasing your Instagram followers can be a challenge at the beginning, but don’t think you need hundreds of thousands of followers to make an impression. Hashtags can be a great way to get more people viewing your photos, and also a way to get reposted on larger accounts. For example, if you tag <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/worldnomads/">#worldnomads</a>, you have the opportunity to be reposted to over <a href="https://www.instagram.com/worldnomads/?hl=en" target="_blank">240k followers</a> and a few of those are bound to go and check out your account too.</p> <p>Engagement is key on Instagram, so find other photographers you admire, follow them and comment on your favorite shots. One of the best things about  Instagram for me is making contact with other photographers around the world. <br /><br />Instagram can also be a great way to reach out to companies or have them recognize your work before you approach them for possible assignments or collaborations. When I first approached a company that is now one of my regular clients, they were already aware of my work through Instagram, and they already knew it was a great fit for their brand. This broke down the initial barrier of me being an unknown photographer whose work they weren’t aware of.</p> <h2 id="beyond">Beyond Instagram: use the internet</h2> <p>While Instagram is a great tool for getting your photography instantly out to the world, it's not the only way. If you are serious about pursuing travel photography as a professional career, maintaining an online portfolio is key. It is easy to create a website for little cost, and it will be the most professional way to show potential clients examples of your work.</p> <p>See Instagram as a snapshot of the wider photography work you are doing online. Blogging and publishing stories and narratives (if you are also a writer) is a very useful way to develop your work and get more cohesive bodies of work out to a larger audience. Mark Edward Harris, one of my fellow judges of the 2017 World Nomads Travel Photography Scholarship <a href="https://www.worldnomads.com/create/learn/photography/how-to-pitch-a-travel-photo-story">wrote a longer piece about this</a>.</p> <p>There are many websites around the internet that will accept story pitches from upcoming travel photographers and writers. Look at sites such as Passion Passport, SUITCASE Magazine and my own publication ROAM Magazine if you’d like to get your first stories published online. You could also start your own blog. Publishing your stories on these platforms will teach you how to pitch to editors, meet a deadline and put together cohesive stories. When you start approaching bigger platforms, you can also use these stories as examples of your past work. I was first invited to join Getty Images after the talent team at the agency spotted some of my work in a blog post I had published on a great site called Exposure. Blogs and online stories can circulate really quickly if people like what you are doing, and you never know who is going to spot it.</p> <p>Entering photography competitions can also be a good way to get your work out to a wider audience and to instantly get the attention of editors and industry professionals.</p> <h2 id="hardwork">Hard work and consistency</h2> <p>When I first decided to put my whole heart into making travel photography my career, I worked incredibly hard to grow my social media platforms and get my work onto as many travel websites as possible. Consistency, hard work, and genuinely great photography pay off, and I soon found more and more people were responding to my work. I was consistent with the work I was producing <i>– </i>and I traveled as much as I could on a budget, taking <a href="/create/learn/photography/portrait-photography-etiquette">photos of people</a> and cultures and <a href="/create/learn/writing/travel-writing-exercises-that-will-improve-your-writing">writing stories</a> about my trips.</p> <p>I think this hard work has helped me in many ways to get where I am today as a full-time travel photographer, but I would point out that the majority of my work comes from me actively approaching brands and publications via email rather than waiting for people to approach me after finding my social media channels. While promoting yourself on social media is important, there’s still a lot more you need to do to get work.</p> <h2 id="makesure">Put the quality of work first</h2> <p>There is no doubt that the internet has changed the face of travel photography, but what it hasn’t changed is the quality of work. No matter how many followers you have on Instagram, you need to be creating photography work that is high-quality. Sure, spend time promoting yourself on Instagram, but also spend time getting out there into the world and shooting new work, new stories and new ideas. Stay true to your style and the work you want to bring into the world. While making it as a travel photographer might seem like an impossible mountain to climb in the beginning, this is a career that is endlessly rewarding once you get near the top.</p> </div>Annapurna Mellor 0 Photographer self-portrait in a mirror

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/writing/travel-writing-exercises-that-will-improve-your-writingEver returned from a trip and forgotten key parts of the experience? Some exercise tips to follow while traveling. 2017-12-15T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/writing/travel-writing-exercises-that-will-improve-your-writinghttps://www.worldnomads.com<ul> <li><a href="#notes">Take notes</a></li> <li><a href="#memories">Collect memories</a></li> <li><a href="#story">Putting down the story </a></li> </ul> <div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <p>Whether you're an aspiring travel writer, keen blogger or just someone who loves telling stories from their travels – we've all had that moment when we come back from a trip and pause with writer’s block. What was that guide’s name? What was that quote from the Tuk-Tuk driver? Where were those incredible temple carvings I saw?</p> <p>We have the most incredible time traveling and stories buzz around our heads, but when we sit down to put it all together, there are too many gaps. </p> <p>I’ve been there too, and over time, I’ve found different travel writing exercises which help me to piece together those moments, put a memorable story together, and ultimately make me a better travel writer.</p> <h2 id="notes">Take notes</h2> <p>One of the most important travel writing exercises you can do is <a href="/create/learn/writing/journaling-on-your-travels-how-to-for-travel-writers">taking notes</a>. Find a small notebook that easily slides into your pocket and carry it everywhere. </p> <p>I write down what I call ‘trigger words’. This could be the names of the people I've met, short sentences or adjectives to describe how I felt at a certain moment, or <a href="/make-a-difference/responsible-travel/participation/the-ethical-traveler-s-guide-to-souvenir-shopping">any markets</a>, streets, or places I feel I might not be able to research later.</p> <p>I also love writing down quotes from people I have met – as I find speech adds an <a href="/create/learn/writing/importance-of-details">extra sense of place</a> to my travel writing.</p> <p>Don’t forget that you don’t need to have your head in your notebook the whole time. As a travel writer, it is important to immerse yourself in the sights and senses of a place, but taking notes doesn’t have to be an intrusive exercise – it can simply be a few seconds just to make sure your memories are intact. You’ll thank yourself later when you start to put together stories!</p> </div> <h2 id="memories">Collect memories</h2> <p>Another travel writing exercise I find extremely helpful when away on an assignment is to actively collect memories.</p> <p>Tangible memories could be collecting business cards from an amazing cafe you went to or the leaflet of a tour company. I keep these stashed neatly in the back of my notebook, and if I ever forget the name of a restaurant or museum, there’s a chance I might have a little keepsake from the place in the back of my book.</p> <p>Intangible memories can be things like <a href="/create/learn/photography/10-tips-for-improving-your-travel-photography">taking photographs</a> – something which you are probably already doing!  But I don’t mean just <a href="/create/learn/photography/landscape-photography-7-pro-tips">beautiful landscapes</a> – photographs can also be used as a travel writing exercise to trigger memories of a place.</p> <p>I often take pictures of restaurant or hotel signs. If I don’t have a moment to write a name down in my notebook, I can take a picture of the sign and reference the photo later when I’ve forgotten the name! I also find taking photos of menus really helpful, so that if I decide to talk in-depth about a specific restaurant, I can mention a few of their signature dishes.</p> <p>Another way to record intangible memories is to record interviews on your phone. If I happen to stumble across a really interesting character who has great insight into a place, I will ask them politely if I can record our conversation. Later on, I can listen to the recording and get accurate quotes and information.</p> <h2 id="story">Putting down the story</h2> <p>When you’ve tried these travel writing exercises on a trip, you’ll come home with notes, leaflets, photos and a couple of recorded interviews. It's now time to write the story.</p> <p>Look for <a href="/create/learn/writing/find-a-new-angle-for-an-old-story">unique angles</a> in your notes, or perhaps find some descriptive words of a place that really blew you away. Listen to your interviews and maybe you can start a story based on a quote from a character you met. Or maybe a photo of a food menu will have you writing a piece about an unforgettable restaurant you visited.</p> <p>Try these travel writing exercises on your next trip – you might find they help you develop into a better travel writer, and help you to write stories you are really proud of and which others love to read.</p>Thom Holmes 0

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/writing/how-to-find-inspiration-for-your-storyEven for seasoned travel writers, inspiration doesn't always magically strike. Annapurna Mellor shares the methods she uses to find her spark. 2018-01-12T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/writing/how-to-find-inspiration-for-your-storyhttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <p>Travel writing comes in many forms – from guides and blogs to personal stories and informative articles. Whatever you're <a href="/create/learn/writing">writing,</a> your aim as a travel writer is to draw a reader in and inspire them to visit a place.</p> <p>The most powerful way to do this is through stories, which you can weave through any type of travel writing. Stories help to engage the reader with the destination, and also with you as a writer.</p> <p>While working as a travel writer, I have found that one of the most valuable skills is learning how to find and tell an engaging story.</p> <p>If you're looking to take your travel writing to the next level, here are some tips I’ve used in the field to help me find these stories and bring my travels to life.</p> <h2 id="research">Do your research</h2> <p>Before you even head out on a trip, it’s important to get to know the destination.</p> <p>I find it very useful to read guidebooks, online <a href="/create/learn/writing/travel-writing-tips-how-to-monetize-your-blog">blogs</a> and articles written by other travel writers. This helps to get to know the destination before I even arrive.</p> <p>It can help me to identify possible story angles – as well as seeing what has already been done multiple times by other writers and blogs.</p> <p>On a recent trip to <a href="/explore/southern-asia/india/chasing-waterfalls-in-northeast-india">Meghalaya</a> state in India, I read that the local Khasi culture is matrilineal – something which I thought would be a unique angle to a piece of travel writing. My research led me to a weekly tribal market and a remote homestay run by seven Khasi women.</p> <p>Despite only having a few days in the state, my research enabled me to quickly find the story of this unique place.</p> </div> <h2 id="open">Go with an open mind</h2> <p>While research is incredibly important, it’s also important not to get too absorbed with other people’s writing. Instead, leave some space to craft your own thoughts and opinions on a place.</p> <p>Morocco is a place that has been visited time and time again. Before you arrive, you are going to have words like ‘exotic, colorful, vibrant medinas, stepping back in time’ spinning around your head. So much so that when you actually arrive in the country, you will expect to find these things and it will be hard to look outside this box to what else is happening in <a href="/explore/north-africa/morocco/5-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-going-to-morocco">Morocco</a> – a place that is much more than those words.</p> <p>On a recent assignment to the country, I choose to step off the beaten track and spend a few days in Casablanca – a city which in comparison to Marrakesh or <a href="/explore/north-africa/morocco/6-unique-things-to-do-in-fez-morocco">Fez</a> is sparsely written about.</p> <p>I found a city that was moving into the future – full of exciting youth culture, Parisian-style cafes, and an economic hub that was still proud of its cultural heritage.</p> <p>I crafted a story different from the ones I previously read, and it was approaching the city with an open mind which lead me to this story.</p> <h2 id="local">Talk to local people and tell their stories</h2> <p>While I love monuments, natural beauty and the delicious cuisines of the world – it’s always the people who make a place.</p> <p>People are often the best starting point for a story, as readers engage much more with a human story.</p> <p>I’ve previously written about <a href="/create/learn/writing/travel-writing-exercises-that-will-improve-your-writing">a great travel writing exercise</a> which is recording short snippets of interviews with people on your phone while traveling. You can use these snippets of local insight as a starting point for a story.</p> <p>On a recent trip to Chile, I traveled to Pucon, an area known for its Villarrica volcano. While I could have started a story on the region with ‘Looming over the little town of Pucon, the Villarrica volcano is one of the world’s most active’, I instead went for ‘As my guide Ricardo stepped deep into the soft snow, he looked up at the towering Villarrica above us, ‘I remember the day it erupted like it was yesterday’.</p> <p>While the first opening gives the reader a sense of the place, the second one draws you in much more: you get a sense of local life in this area, and you are intrigued to discover more about the region and that day when the volcano erupted over the town.</p> <h2 id="together">Putting your story together</h2> <p>On your next trip, spend some time researching, heading off the beaten track, and talking to local people to find your own story.</p> <p>Look for stories that have <a href="/create/learn/writing/find-a-new-angle-for-an-old-story">never been told before</a> and ones that will inspire and educate your readers.</p> <p>Try these tips in your next piece and you'll find that they're a great way to improve your storytelling and help you create engaging and undiscovered stories across the world.</p>Simon Migaj 0 A traveler with a local Indian woman