Photo of the Day – Wildlife in Yellowstone

by Jeremy Kressmann on

It’s easy to clutter your travel photos with all kinds of random visual information. But sometimes the best shot is also the simplest. For instance today’s snap from Photo of the Day regular fiznatty. While exploring the famous Yellowstone National Park, our photographer spotted this elusive Red Fox trotting through the pristine white snow. Your eye is drawn immediately to the fox’s reddish-orange coat, furry tail and quick movement. It almost looks as if the animal was dropped on a plain white canvas for added effect.

Have any great photos from your travels you’d like to share with the world? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day – 51 Irish coffees for St. Patrick’s Day

by Meg Nesterov on


Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re celebrating today in America, you’re probably planning to drink green beer or a nice pint of Guinness, but why not warm up with an Irish coffee, spiked with whiskey (Irish, of course)? In today’s Photo of the Day, Flickr user jrodmanjr snapped these 51 coffees in action at San Francisco‘s Buena Vista Cafe, which claims to have brought the drink to the United States from Ireland’s Shannon Airport and holds the Guinness World Record for most Irish coffees served. A fun photo bonus: another Flickr user caught the same coffees (and jrodmanjr) at the Buena Vista.

Take any pics of your favorite beverages while traveling? Upload them to the Gadling Flickr pool and we may use it as a future Photo of the Day.

Flying Kites Adventure Challenges: Give back on your next trip

by Kraig Becker on

Travelers looking to add a new dimension to their next journey may want to check out the Flying Kites Adventure Challenges, which are a series of great adventure travel opportunities that allow you to visit some fantastic destinations, while raising funds for charity at the same time.

Organized by Flying Kites, a non-profit that is dedicated to improving the standards for childcare in some of the poorest nations in the world, the adventure challenges are an intriguing prospect to say the least. The process starts with travelers selecting their adventure of choice from a list of five options. From there, they pledge to raise a certain amount of funds for Flying Kites, and once they reach that goal, the entire trip is payed for including airfare, guides, accommodations, and so on.

The list of challenges include climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa and trekking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal, both of which require a $6000 fundraising goal. There are also two options for surfing in Nicaragua with an 8-day itinerary costing $2300 and a 10-day version requiring a $2500 commitment. Photographers and wildlife enthusiasts will no doubt be intrigued by the Kenya Film Expedition, which comes with a fundraising target of $7500, while runners and endurance athletes will want to compete in the North Face Endurance Challenge this May.

The fundraising goals are certainly reasonable, and attainable, for anyone who sets their mind to it. Most of those trips can obviously be done for less money on your own, but in this case, you not only get a fantastic travel experience, but also the added benefit of giving a little something back in the process. Great adventure travel combined with the chance to improve the lives of children in the places we visit? Sign me up!


Flying Kites – Adventure Challenges – Kilimanjaro/Nicaragua from Flying Kites on Vimeo.

London Q & A: Photographer Philippe Sibelly

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Marseille-born, London-based photographer Philippe Sibelly has an inspiring and very international mindset. Two of his projects, both detailed in the interview below, provide exciting and remarkable interventions in the ways that we understand contemporary cities, cultures, and even economics.

Sibelly’s The World in One City depicts London as a vibrant, multicultural city by including photographs of London residents from over 200 countries and territories. His Irish subject can be seen at right. Sibelly’s ongoing project, The Other Africa, overturns notions of Africa as essentially destitute and impoverished by showcasing the lives of middle-class Africans.

These projects provide deep commentaries on globalization and culture. They also provide a delicious kind of social candy for travelers and cosmopolitans.

Q: Sum up your profession.

A: In a perfect world I could give you a straight answer: if only I knew where my camera was, I could say I am a photographer. I am a qualified teacher of art, but teaching is such a demanding profession I had to stop as it was taking over my entire life. My last teaching spell is probably the reason I can’t find my camera any more. I am a househusband right now and I use any opportunity the kids give me to promote my photographic projects: The World in One City and The Other Africa.

Q: The World in One City is a fascinating look at London’s intense diversity. Describe the project briefly for our readers. What prompted the project? How do you feel about it now, a few years on?

A: When I arrived in London, in 2004, I was amazed by this diversity, especially after two six-year spells in Sydney and Dublin. Both are great cities but not the most diverse in terms of cultures. In London a lot was made about multiculturalism in the media before the 2012 Olympic Games announcement. I thought it would be a great challenge to search for Londoners from every Olympic nation. There were 202 at the time. It was also a great opportunity to meet people from every country of the world. After London got the Games, multiculturalism came off the front pages for a while.

As the 2012 Games are now fast approaching, the subject of London’s diversity is back at the top of the agenda. Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent speech on multiculturalism has also reignited the debate. I don’t think you can say it has failed, but asking if it works is a valid question.

The work has spent the last few months exhibited. It is currently at the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, West London.

Q: You’re from Marseille, which I believe is France’s most ethnically diverse city. Do you return often? Do you miss it? Did growing up there shape the way you interpret the world?

A: I go back to Marseille as often as possible, but it is getting much more difficult with the kids. So many logistical issues! After living for nearly seven years in London I find Marseille quite frustrating now. If you think public transport and traffic are bad in London, check out Marseille!

Growing up in such a working class melting pot definitely has an impact on the way you interpret the world. I remember being shocked when I first arrived in Sydney, in 1991. It was such a contrast from Marseille. Very “Anglo-Saxon middle class.” Interestingly enough I find Marseille (and France in general) very conservative now. London is so dynamic, a place where pretty much anything goes. In spite of being so diverse Marseille remains very much “old France.”Q: Talk about your current project, The Other Africa.

A: If The World in One City was my way of meeting people from every country in the world, The Other Africa is my excuse to go to Africa any chance I get. I grew up discovering Africa through depressing news headlines, like pretty much everybody else in the West. I was about 15 when Live Aid happened. I glimpsed the Africa that Bob Geldof was going to save, images of dying kids covered in flies.

There is no doubting this Africa exists but it contrasted greatly with the image I discovered traveling to West Africa. My friends in Dakar surely don’t suffer from malnutrition, more the opposite. Very rarely is it reported that millions of Africans go to work everyday, produce and consume, just like “us” in the West. It is all the more regrettable because changes for the better in Africa should and will come from this African middle class and not via foreign aid.

In 2005 I decided to start documenting this emerging middle class through a simple series of portraits of professionals and images of cities at night. I do not seek to say that everything is fine in Africa. My goal is to try to correct the perceptions we have of the continent.

Q: Where do you like to travel?

A: I just love getting out of the house. Discovering a new part of London can be just as rewarding as going to a new country a 12-hour flight away. It is also quite difficult to travel with the kids, which makes London explorations particularly appealing. I love Surrey and the South East of England as well.

I traveled a lot in Asia and the Pacific when I lived in Sydney. They are great places for independent travel but Africa has got the edge. I am always looking for opportunities to go and live there. Dakar, Libreville or Accra would be great places for the kids to live in while they grow up.

Q: What’s the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to you on the road?

A: Without the shadow of a doubt meeting my partner. I was traveling overland from Sydney to Europe. I bumped into Loretta in a cafe in Xi’an, China. A week later we ran into each other again, in Beijing. A few days after that we met by chance for a third time, on a train platform, in Irkutsk, Siberia! She gave me her Irish phone number from the step of her train carriage as it was leaving for Moscow. I decided to go to Ireland. 14 years later we have two kids together, two little Londoners.

Q: That is an amazing story. Do you have any travel secrets you’d like to share, either secret destinations or tips for other travelers?

A: I have perfected the art of traveling light. Unless I go to Africa to photograph for The Other Africa, I don’t even bring a camera! Too often you spend so much time taking souvenir photographs that you only see the things you were photographing when you look at the photos once you’re back home. I have cut down on everything. I have a special traveling wallet, which is in fact just a small purse, as you rarely need any of what’s in your wallet when you travel. Most of the time I don’t even need what’s in my wallet when I’m at home!

I have come to realize that if I really need something on my journey I can always buy it there. Unless I’m traveling in Norway it’ll be cheaper than it would be in London anyway, and going to a shop to buy something other than a souvenir is actually a great way to discover a place. Buying a toothbrush in a supermarket in Jakarta tells you an awful lot more about life in Indonesia today than does climbing Borobudur.

Apart from the importance of traveling light the best tip I can give to any traveler is to always try to look as smart as possible when crossing borders.

Q: You have a month to travel anywhere and your expenses will be paid by a mystery benefactor. Where do you decide to go?

A: Can the mystery benefactor also mind the kids? If my expenses were paid I would be tempted to go back to Japan as it is not the cheapest place to travel but it is such an interesting one. Iran is another place I would absolutely love to go back to and discover more. It wouldn’t cost my benefactor much either as it is such an inexpensive place to visit. Iranians are simply the most welcoming and friendly people I have ever met. Of course I would be tempted to go somewhere in Africa but I’ll go there whether or not I have a benefactor’s help.

You may find it surprising but if I had to choose one place to relax for a month, enjoy culture, great food, people with lots of character, sceneries second to none and a whole range of activities, I would go to Corsica.

Like this Q&A? Check out previous Gadling Q&As with inspiring travelers like Benji Lanyado, Zora O’Neill, and Jodi Ettenberg.

Tutorial: how to properly shoot / photograph the Northern Lights

by Dana Murph on

In the spirit of journeying during periods less traveled, I’ve embarked to Alaska this winter. Follow the adventures here, and prepare to have your preconceived notions destroyed along the way.

Ah, the Northern Lights. Aurora Borealis. Pure magic. Regardless of what you call them, these mysteries of our universe are truly impossible to forget once you see them, and now that I have, I totally understand why people plan entire trips around the sliver of a chance to witness them with their own eyes. The Northern Lights don’t come out for humans to see that often, but February and March are considered prime viewing months in the frigid wilds of Fairbanks. The northern half of Alaska is one of the only places in America where you stand a chance at seeing this phenomenon yourself, and it’s yet another incredible reason to visit The Last Frontier in the winter. Seeing these colored swirls dance across a starry Alaskan sky stirs the soul like few other experiences can, and if there’s one thing you’ll want to do when spotting them, it’s capturing the moment for years to come. Photographing the Northern Lights is no easy task; it’s more like a science, but it’s far from impossible. Read on to learn how I was able to capture the images seen here in the gallery on one bone-chillingly cold night north of Fairbanks.

%Gallery-118384%For one, it’s important to position yourself in a place that’ll provide the best possible chance to spot the Northern Lights. The Northern Alaska Tour Company runs overnight trips to Coldfoot and Wiseman for this very purpose, and Chena Hot Springs Resort — located some 60 miles from the city lights of Fairbanks — also has a specific area setup to view them. But of course, they don’t emerge every single night, and their appearance is both varied and unpredictable when it comes to timing. You can read more on exactly where I camped out to capture these shots here, but the long and short of it is this: Fox, Alaska is just far enough away form Fairbanks to get a non light-polluted view of the sky, and Goldstream Road is known by locals as having great vantage points. If you’re looking for an easy spot to go in your rental car, Fox is it. Here’s a more detailed look at how to reach this spot.

Now, for the equipment. If you’re making the effort to capture the Northern Lights, you’ll need to come prepared. Being that it’s the winter, you’ll need to dress in pretty much everything you have. Spotting the lights requires patience and time. I started my campout session at 1:00am in early March, and didn’t see any activity until 1:40am. Once you see any activity at all, you’ll need to move fast. I saw them dance for around 60 minutes before vanishing, but there are no guarantees that you’ll see them hang around for that long. Heavy coats and pants, thick socks, a face mask and hand warmers are all a must.

Here’s a breakdown of what camera gear I’d bring when camping out to see the Northern Lights:

  • A DSLR (two if you have them!); the nicer the model, the better. My gallery here was composed with a Nikon D3S and a Nikon D90.
  • A sturdy tripod. This is essential. I know it means you’ll need to check a bag, but you simply have to have a tripod for each camera.
  • Wide-angle lenses. Dedicated wide-angle lenses (like Nikon’s 10-24mm DX lens) capture the widest amount of sky, but even a standard lens (like the 24-70mm FX lens) is “wide enough” for most.
  • Fully charged batteries. -20 degree temperatures can zap a battery in no time, so make sure you’re at 100 percent before leaving home. If you have spares, bring them!
  • Flexible gloves. You’ll need to be able to tweak your camera settings, so make sure you wear gloves that allow you that luxury.
  • A remote shutter. This is optional, but having a remote to activate each shot means less opportunity for blur in long exposure shots.
  • A flashlight / headlamp. This is super useful for lighting up the buttons on your camera so you can tweak settings in the dark of the night.

So, that’s about it as far as kit. Now, let’s talk settings:

  1. Widen your lenses as far as they’ll go — you want a vast image, and having the ground / surrounding buildings visible on the lower portion of the shot provides outstanding scale and context.
  2. Place your DSLR in full manual mode; you’ll want total control over every single aspect of these shots.
  3. Switch each lens to manual mode, and dial your focus ring to Infinity. Be careful to align that Infinity symbol precisely (rather than just cranking the focus wheel past it).
  4. Lower your aperture as far down as it’ll go. I’m talking f/2.8, f/3.5, etc. Whatever your lens will stop down to.
  5. Lower your ISO to 200 – 1,000. This varies greatly depending on the camera, so you’ll need to start at 200 and raise it notch by notch if your shots are simply too dark.
  6. Adjust your shutter speed to 30 seconds. If your camera will only go to 20 or 25 seconds, you can probably make that work as well. Those with a remote shutter can use “Bulb” mode for even longer exposure shots, but remember, the longer you leave that shutter open, the lower your ISO needs to go (and / or higher your aperture value needs to be) to prevent too much light from “whiting out” the shot.
  7. Set your file capture type to RAW! This is an extremely vital step. Feel free to shoot in RAW + JPEG if you want both, but RAW files grab the rich blackness of the sky far better than JPEG will.
  8. Align your shot on the tripod. Peek through the viewfinder and make sure you’re getting the angle you want; I’d recommend various portions of the sky to be in various shots to add some variety.
  9. Gently press the shutter button, and remain still. Even the slightest shaking of the ground could introduce unwanted blur into your shots, so it’s important to remain still as the long exposure takes place. You can dodge this by using a remote shutter from a distance away.
  10. Evaluate your results. If it’s too dark, bump the ISO value higher or lengthen the exposure time (i.e. shutter speed) beyond 30 seconds. If it’s too light, raise the aperture value a notch or two or bump your ISO value closer to 0. You could also slow the exposure, but I’d use that as a last resort.

The only other major advice I have is to shoot a lot. A whole lot. You aren’t guaranteed to see the Northern Lights, so if they come out, you need to be quick in your setup procedure and continually fire shots in hopes of grabbing a handful of keepers. You also cannot assume that you have “one great shot” based on what your see on your DSLR’s LCD. Those are often misleading, and can hide subtle amounts of blur that’ll show up later. Take as many shots as you can stand to take, as each one is guaranteed to be somewhat different than the last. If you execute the shoot properly, you won’t have to fiddle much with the shots in Photoshop afterwards. The Northern Lights pretty much accentuate themselves. I’d also recommend a lot of patience, and if you don’t see them on your first night out, try again. Trust me, it’s totally worth the effort.

Have any tips of your own for capturing the Northern Lights? From prime viewing locations around the globe to helpful photography tips, feel free to share in comments below!

My trip was sponsored by Alaska Travel Industry Association, but I was free to report as I saw fit. The opinions expressed in this article are 100% my own.