#OnTheRoad On Instagram: Sweden

This week on Instagram we’re off to Sweden, and since I’m at the helm you can expect a lot of bike and food photos. And some good sun shots on ice, because this time of year, in good weather, the landscape can be simply stunning.

With family in Sweden, I have spent a lot of time in the land of pickled herring, meatballs and Abba. It’s a place that I come back to in order to refuel, reconnect with family and find new inspiration. Having spent every summer in Sweden as a child, and much more time as an adult, for me, traveling to Sweden isn’t a novel thing as it would be for most people. It’s simply returning to a place that I know and love.

But this week I am excited to put a new eye to things, to feature all the things that I love about Scandinavian culture – the obsession with the coffee break for example – and give you a look into what life in the cold north really looks like.

Snap a photo worth sharing? Mention @GadlingTravel in your own photo AND use the hashtag #gadling, and your photo will be considered for our Photo Of The Day.

Photo Of The Day: Mount Revelstoke National Park View

This Photo of the Day, titled “Mount Revelstoke National Park View,” comes from one of my favorite Gadling Flickr pool members James Wheeler. I like James’ work for more than its visual appeal too. Rather than simply posting a photo (like I do), James adds detail about the gear he used and more. For example, James captions the image:

“Mount Revelstoke national park is one of the few places you can drive all the way to an alpine summit. Lets you get the great view of a hike up a mountain without the work. The is the view from the top, pretty impressive.”

Known “as a place of contrasts,” Canada’s Mount Revelstoke National Park hosts a variety of geographical zones ranging from dense, old-growth rainforest to alpine meadows and tundra, as depicted in this photo.

James captured the image using a Tokina 12-24mm f/4 lens with a Nikon Polarizing Filter mounted on his Nikon D5000 atop a steady Sirui T-2005X Tripod with K-10x Tripod Head. Processing the image, James used Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Nik Color Efex Pro and Topaz Adjust.

Sound complicated? I thought so too. Check Gadling’s library of timeless Photo Tips by creative photographer Dana Murph who breaks down what all those things are and more.

Want to be featured? Upload your best shots to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as a Photo of the Day.

Tips for being featured: add a caption describing the image and (better yet) your personal experience when capturing it, details of the photography gear used and any tips you might have for others wanting to emulate your work.

Now, you can also submit photos through Instagram; just mention @GadlingTravel and use the hashtag #gadling when posting your images.

[Photo Credits Flickr user James Wheeler]

Photo Of The Day: Philippines Jeepney

This Photo of the Day, titled “Philippines / Palawan / Roxas,” comes from Gadling Flickr pool member AdamJamesWilson.

Adam captions the image

“Took this photo during a stop on the otherwise miserable eight hour bus journey from Puerto to El Nido. Not 100% sure that I was in Roxas but looking at a map now it seems likely.

The jeepney is a real Philippine icon. The originals were converted military jeeps abandoned by the US army after WWII. By today’s standards this one is pretty tame but to me the older beat up ones are the most visually interesting, they have this slightly dystopian appearance that wouldn’t look out of place in a post apocalyptic road movie.”

Somewhat unique, and surely something we don’t see every day, Adam captured this image using a Canon AV-1 with Kodak 200 film.

That brought back a lot of great memories, shooting roll after roll of film while traveling. We would hope for the best until professional developing would reveal the true results of our efforts.

In a hurry, one-hour photo developing was available for a premium price. On a budget, we sent off rolls of film in an envelope that came in the Sunday newspaper, choosing a “flat” or “glossy” finish. If luck produced a good shot, we might send the negative (included with the prints) back for additional copies.

That’s not ancient history either. In 1999, digital cameras replaced film cameras in big city newspapers then soon became the camera of choice for millions. The origin of the digital camera dates back to 1975, not long after I bought a Polariod “Swinger” camera for $19.95.

Upload your best shots to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as a Photo of the Day. Now, you can also submit photos through Instagram; just mention @GadlingTravel and use the hashtag #gadling when posting your images.

[Photo Credits Flickr user AdamJamesWilsonKodak]

Photo Of The Day: Bicycles In Batavia


Sometimes on our travels, we come across a scene so perfectly photogenic, we have to wonder if it was staged. Today’s Photo of the Day was taken by Flickr user thetravelingteacher in Jakarta‘s Old Batavia, or Kota, area. The line of rented bicycles with matching helmets is so beautifully colorful and unusual, it almost looks painted, and I bet she wasn’t the only passerby who took a photo. Not sure those helmets would pass many safety tests, but they sure are fashionable. Why shouldn’t we match our accessories to our transportation?

Share your favorite travel photography in the Gadling Flickr pool, we may choose one for the Photo of the Day series.

[Photo credit: Lauren Irons]

Man Follows Girlfriend Around The World In Striking Photo Series

What would it look like if you followed your significant other to the ends of the world? That’s the theme behind a striking series of photos by Russian video producer Murad Osmann.

Osmann has garnered a huge following on Instagram for the images, which show him being “dragged” by his girlfriend through the rice fields of Bali, along the canals of Venice, down the streets of Hong Kong, and even onto hot air balloons.Osmann said the photo series began somewhat by accident back in October 2011 when he was visiting Barcelona. His tendency to take pictures of anything and everything began to irritate his journalist girlfriend who grabbed his arm in frustration and tried to drag him along. Osmann continued to take photos despite this, and the “follow me to…” series of pictures was born.

Check out some of the dramatic images below.

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[Photo credit: Murad Osmann]