While the world is still at a halt to some extent, for now, I've decided to rack up my gear to check for some photos from locations I've pinned into my passport some time ago, and I did little research on your behalf to ease you up, once the summer traveling is a thing again. In this article I will present you with 7 beautiful places for photographers to travel to this summer.
#1 Lake Ohrid, Former Yugoslavian Republic Macedonia
As a nature-loving photographer, I'd like to start with the jewel crown of this small country in the Western Balkans. Lake Ohrid is one of Europe's most profound and oldest lakes, with a unique aquatic ecosystem of worldwide importance, with more than 200 endemic species.
It stretches between Montenegro, Albania and FYR Macedonia. The area around the lake itself reveals a Roman amphitheater, medieval churches, and a fortress, which is known for stunning views. Of course, the lake is a diamond of its own.
Besides taking magnificent photos of sunset and sunrise, you can rent a boat to take photos from the middle of the lake or take your GoPro to swim and dive and take some underwater pictures.
The area is crowded with cheap rentals and camping spots for hardcore tourists, so it makes a perfect sense to check in here if you're looking for a spot to hit on a budget.
#2 Gdansk, Poland
Poland is well known for its postwar architecture, which is a revival of medieval structures. What to take photos of? Well, start with shipyard cranes, which date back to the 15th century. If you decide to hit the road in the summer, make sure you find yourself in the coastal resort of Sopot, where you can find golden sand beaches, the longest pier in the whole Europe and a great party scene – something you don't expect from a port town which is part of the famous Baltic riviera.
The architecture, however, is a trademark of Gdansk. If you ever wanted to have a feeling of medieval knight city, cross the Polish border, head north, and visit this small gritty port town filled with brick houses, small stone streets, and great, cheap places to rent and merchant places to purchase genuine souvenirs from.
#3 Transylvania
Vlad the Impaler, best known as Count Dracula, is the most famous person you can think of when I mention Transylvania, and you bet you're right. Great citadel in town of Sighişoara, the birthplace of Count Dracula, certainly claims its fame as a great touristic spot for taking photos, resembling the great history of this old town.
However, selfies crept with fear, and blood is not the only type of pictures you can take in Transylvania. I suggest you take your 70-200 mm lenses so you can catch up with the Transylvanian wolf, bears, red deer and lynx, animals that are free to roam in Piatra Craiului National Park, where you can take mesmerizing landscape photos, and if you're lucky, get some wildlife shots.
#4 Georgia
It is likely physically the most demanding travel spot on the list. Georgia is not quite European, yet not quite an Asian country, but rather a mix of cultures and climate conditions packed with different sorts of outdoor activities, out of which I fancy hiking and waterfall photo shooting the best.
For this type of off-road activities, you will need your mountaineering gear as well as your standard photo backpack. But, no worries! Even though you can find extremely difficult hiking trails in Georgia, with Gergeti Trinity church and Gergeti glacier being the most difficult one, you will enjoy beautiful scenery even if you are a beginner mountain climber.
If you're more interested in getting your feet wet, your must-see place is Gveleti waterfalls, which kind of resemble scenery out of the world's best national parks, and that specifically is the reason why it is one of the top spots for water and nature photography.
#5 Kaeng Nyui Waterfall in Vang Vieng, Laos
If you are a morning person, then the Kaeng Nyui waterfalls are a good choice for you. Why is the waterfall connected with the early morning routine?
Well, because the place is crowded with tourists during the day, and if you want to take awesome long exposure photos for which you'll need some time, along with your tripod, make sure to hit the door in a blue hour. Coming to Kaeng Nyui Waterfall, you will not only visit a fantastic waterfall, but also you can visit a village of Ban Naduang as well as swim in any Nam Lao Stream's water hole.
As a plus, Kaeng Nyui consists of three waterfalls, which makes it a great spot for Instagram selfies as well as pro mode full landscape shots. The place is accessible via car and motorbike, but I recommend you take a hiking trail, just make sure to go while it is summertime, because it can get super wet and slippery during the rainy season.
#6 Sossusvlei, Namibia
The river does not reach the Atlantic Ocean even during the wet years but drains away between the dunes. The Sossusvlei is home to very diverse wildlife. Here, you will find snakes, scorpions, geckos, and even hyenas.
However, the real reason to visit Sossusvlei lies in its magnificent dunes – even three of them! The dune one is the photographer's favorite spot because it has the shape of the letter S (did someone say "tone curve?), but dune number two with its altitude of 260 feet is very popular when it comes to snapping once in a lifetime sunrises.
My favorite is, of course, "Big Daddy, "one of the highest dunes in the world, with an altitude of 1000 feet. Once you climb it, you will be tempted to run down, which I highly recommend, just make sure to take your GoPro or tripod for great videos, especially if it is a bit windy.
#7 Chiang Dao, Northern Thailand
I've decided to finish off the list with one of the more popular destinations, Chiang Dao. One of Northern Thailand's sweet spots is a scenic place of limestone cliffs and a home to Thailand's third-highest mountain, Doi Chiang Dao, with an altitude of 7,136 feet.
If you are a bird lover and love to take pictures of beautiful rulers of the sky, Chiang Dao is a place for you; it is a premier spot for bird watching in the country with more than 350 species, some of which are quite rare.
I'm, of course, aware that many photo travelers like a more laid back approach, so I recommend you to ace your Instagram feed with photos of caves and hot springs, especially in winter, because Chingao Dao can get quite cold.
As a cherry on top, this small town is located next to Pha Daeng National Park, where you'll find yourself emersed in snapping bamboo forests shots as well as the everyday life of Karen hill tribes that dwell nearby.
So, there you have it. These are seven budget-friendly exotic locations that will make you feel like you're in some other dimension, specifically for photographers. Make sure to utilize the magic of these recommendations, snap the best photos, and share them with us. Happy travel!
This was a guest blog written by John Bennet, a travel photographer from New York, more of his work can be found on his blog. If you are interested in writing a guest blog or other forms of collaboration please send an email to: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com. More of my travel photography can be found on my website, my Instagram, my Facebook Page and my Flickr account.