Great Escape Publishing

Posted May 7th, 2015 by Bonnie Caton & filed under Travel Photography.

I have a raging sweet-tooth. One of my favorite travel pleasures is trying all of the sweets in a new country. So, on our last photo expedition in Abu Dhabi, I tasted all of the dates in the date market (some of which are covered in chocolate), nibbled on honey-sesame wafers, tried the rose-flavored custard at our desert safari, savored a bar of camel’s milk chocolate, and ogled the cakes and truffles covered in gold leaf at the Emirates Palace Hotel. Bonnie, here, telling you that it’s a good thing photographers walk a lot. Not only did I consume a ton of sugar, but all of that walking around camel markets, spice markets, and shining modern city streets allowed me to come home with a ton of new photos (instead of new pounds). Here are some of the different kinds of vacation photos I brought home: 1. Fine art photos for my wall When we say “fine art” photos, we usually mean photos deemed worthy to hang on a wall. Taking such photos is the specialty of professional photographer Rich Wagner. He says that many people like to buy interesting photos of their own cities to hang in their homes – so, not surprisingly, his best selling fine art photos are those that he has taken locally in his hometown. But fine art photos can be taken anywhere. I like these two images that I took in the UAE because they remind me of the great experiences I had in the desert and at the gorgeous city landmarks. I’m going to frame them and hang them in my office: 2. Photos for My Scrapbook and Facebook The falcon hospital was a fascinating place to visit — here attendees are touching a falcon that has been sedated by the vet for a routine talon-clipping and feather maintenance visit. I didn’t ask for any model releases, but this photo will go on Facebook so that the others can share it with friends and remember their trip. When the light was harsh in the desert, I liked playing with the shadows and shapes. This one I probably won’t try to sell, but it’s a fun, artistic memory of my trip. After spending the night in the desert, we all went out at sunrise to shoot the dunes. I looked up and had to snap this shot of our group out early with their tripods. It’s another shot I’ll use to remember the trip and share with group members on Facebook. 3. Photos for sale Of the hundreds of photos I took in the Emirates, there are probably around a dozen that I’ll be able to sell. If I want to sell a photo as editorial, I’ll need a story or some text to go with it. It could be an article for first-time travelers to the UAE about the best way to book and plan a trip. It could be a profile of the desert safari we took. Or it could be a “know before you go” article – maybe something like what to wear in the dunes. Here’s one of my photos that has already sold a few times as stock: And here are a couple I could include in an article about the markets and the people in and around Abu Dhabi: These are just a few examples of what you can do with the hundreds of photos you’re likely to take on just one trip. But the options (and the photo markets) are endless. So don’t hold back. Every shot is worth taking… even if it’s just for practice. Share on Facebook