I'll never forget the first time I picked up a camera. It was in Dali, Yunnan, at the shore of Erhai Lake in the early morning. Standing at the foot of Cangshan Mountain, I watched as the morning mist slowly rose and sunlight pierced through the clouds onto the lake surface. It was truly beautiful - fishing boats appearing and disappearing in the thin fog, with occasional distant calls echoing across the water. Holding my newly purchased entry-level DSLR with slightly shaking hands, I was afraid of missing this fleeting moment of beauty.
I woke up at five that morning, walking along the damp stone path against the cool morning breeze to reach Erhai's shore. To be honest, I wasn't very familiar with camera settings then - terms like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO were still somewhat foreign to me. But guided by an intuition for beauty, I pressed the shutter for my first truly memorable photograph.
Looking back at that photo now, there are many technical flaws: the composition is a bit messy, and the exposure isn't quite right. But whenever I see it, I can still feel that surge of emotion from that moment. In that instant, I felt the magic of photography - it's not just about pressing the shutter, but about telling a story through the lens.
After that, I became obsessed, throwing myself into studying photography techniques. I joined local photography groups and met others who shared my passion. We often went out shooting together, sharing what we learned. During that time, my camera never left my side - I photographed everywhere I went, afraid to miss any spectacular moment.
When it comes to travel and landscape photography, many people often can't tell the difference. Actually, these two styles are like twin brothers - similar yet distinct. Let me explain their differences through my experiences.
Travel photography is more like storytelling. I remember capturing an elderly lady selling durians on a street in Penang, Malaysia. Her wrinkles told stories of time passed, with street art adorning the weathered wall behind her. I wandered the streets all day just to capture the most authentic scenes of city life.
The old lady's stall was in an unremarkable alley in George Town, surrounded by historic buildings. I captured her skillfully opening durians, her hearty laughter while bargaining with customers, and the various tropical fruits piled around her. This is typical travel photography - it's not just about documenting a place, but capturing its cultural atmosphere and daily life.
Later, I visited the Clan Jetties, where many generations of fishermen have lived in wooden houses over water. I followed a fisherman out to sea, photographing his casting and retrieving nets. Though we couldn't communicate verbally, through my lens I documented their simple way of life. These photos captured not just the fishermen at work, but also the morning light on the sea and modern buildings looming in the distance, creating a unique sense of time intersection.
Landscape photography focuses more on natural beauty. Last year at Kanas in Xinjiang, I spent three whole days at the same spot, waiting for perfect light to break through the clouds and illuminate the lake and forest below. Each day, I would wake up at 3 AM and climb to the viewing platform in the cold wind. Sometimes I'd wait all day without getting the light I wanted, but that's the charm of landscape photography.
I remember one day when the weather was perfect, I finally got the shot I was waiting for. When the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, it seemed to illuminate the entire Kanas Lake, casting golden light across the water while the surrounding birch forest took on warm hues. At that moment, all the waiting felt worthwhile. Landscape photography is about this patience and timing, the purest record of nature.
I had similar experiences on the Pamir Plateau. To photograph the night sky, I waited an entire night in sub-zero temperatures on a desolate gobi desert. When the Milky Way stretched across the sky and meteors streaked through the night, all hardships transformed into emotion. This is the unique charm of landscape photography - it allows us to capture nature's most stunning moments with our cameras.
Regarding shooting techniques, I've summarized some insights. First, whether it's travel or landscape photography, basic photography knowledge is essential. This includes understanding aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and basic composition principles. These are the fundamentals, just like learning sketching before painting.
In travel photography, the most important thing is "seeing" the story. For example, at the Potala Palace in Tibet, rather than just photographing the majestic exterior, it's better to find an angle to capture the silhouettes of pilgrims or monks striking wooden fish in the early morning. I remember waiting an entire morning outside Jokhang Temple just to capture a moment when a young lama ran past. His red robe floating in the wind, face beaming with innocent joy - such photos often convey deeper cultural meaning.
In Kathmandu, Nepal, I liked going to Durbar Square early in the morning. There weren't many tourists then, just locals doing their morning prayers. I would find a corner and quietly observe, waiting for the perfect moment to shoot. Sometimes it was the devout profile of an elderly person, sometimes a flock of pigeons suddenly taking flight. These seemingly ordinary scenes best reflect a place's character.
For landscape photography, composition becomes particularly important. At Tianchi Lake on Changbai Mountain, I chose to frame the distant lake surface with foreground snow, creating depth. This composition technique is called "framing," which can add more depth to the image. Moreover, landscape photography is all about light - I usually shoot during early morning or dusk when the light is softest and most dreamlike.
At Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai, I've tried various composition methods. Sometimes I'd lie on the ground using an ultra-wide lens to capture sky reflections; other times I'd find a high point to shoot down on the geometric patterns of the salt fields. Different composition angles create completely different visual experiences.
Light usage is also crucial. In landscape photography, shooting against light often creates dramatic effects. For instance, at the Wucaitan in Xinjiang, I choose to shoot during sunset, letting the evening light pierce through the colorful hills, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. But you need to carefully control exposure to avoid images being too dark or bright.
For travel photography, I pay special attention to capturing details. A passerby's expression, the carving on a door handle, even graffiti on a wall - these details can make photos more story-rich. In Varanasi, India, I particularly enjoyed photographing details along the Ganges: the copper bowls of morning bathers, flower garlands in priests' hands - these are all important elements of Indian culture.
Many beginners often ask me about equipment. Honestly, while equipment is important, it's not as crucial as you might think. I've used cameras from entry-level to professional grade, but ultimately found that the key to taking good photos lies in your eye and mindset.
When I first started photography, I was also very concerned about equipment. Seeing others with full-frame cameras made me feel my image quality wasn't good enough; seeing others with large aperture lenses made me think my background blur wasn't dreamy enough. But with experience, I gradually understood that the best equipment is what suits you best.
For travel photography, I now mainly use mirrorless cameras. They're compact, easy to carry, and today's mirrorless cameras match DSLRs in quality and performance. I most commonly use a full-frame mirrorless camera with a 24-70mm standard zoom lens. This focal range covers wide-angle to medium telephoto, suitable for most travel scenarios.
If budget allows, I recommend adding a 70-200mm telephoto lens. This focal length is particularly suitable for human interest subjects, allowing you to capture natural expressions and actions without disturbing subjects. When shooting on Indian streets, I often use a telephoto lens to photograph vendors and pedestrians in markets.
For landscape photography, equipment choices become slightly more professional. First, a tripod is essential, especially when shooting sunrises, sunsets, or night skies. I currently use a carbon fiber tripod - though expensive, it's lightweight, portable, and very stable.
For lenses, I choose wide-angle lenses as my main gear, like the 16-35mm range. These wide-angle lenses are particularly suitable for shooting magnificent landscapes, capable of including more scene information. Additionally, I carry a medium telephoto lens for close-ups or distant mountains.
Filter systems are also important equipment for landscape photography. I commonly use polarizing filters and graduated neutral density filters. Polarizing filters can eliminate reflections from water and glass surfaces, making sky blues more saturated; graduated ND filters can balance light and dark differences, particularly useful when shooting sunrises and sunsets.
However, I want to emphasize that equipment is just tools - what's truly important is the user's creativity and technique. I've seen many people with hundreds of thousands worth of equipment unable to take good photos, while others create stunning works with entry-level cameras. So rather than spending all money on equipment, it's better to invest time in improving your photography skills and aesthetic sense.
Post-processing is another art form. My principle is: travel photos can have moderate color adjustments to make images more vibrant, while landscape photos should remain natural, without excessive modification. Nature's beauty is already the most perfect art.
For travel photos, I use different processing approaches depending on the scene. For instance, when shooting Indian festivals, I might increase saturation to make colors more vibrant; for Vietnamese morning markets, I might slightly darken highlights to emphasize the market's atmosphere. But regardless, I maintain one principle: keep photos looking natural, without excessive modification.
I typically use Lightroom for basic adjustments, including exposure, contrast, and color temperature. For more complex editing like removing distractions or local adjustments, I use Photoshop. But I always believe that good photos are mostly completed when pressing the shutter - post-processing is just the finishing touch.
For landscape photos, my post-processing is more restrained because landscape photography is about reproducing nature's true beauty. I might slightly adjust white balance to make colors closer to what I saw, or slightly increase contrast for better layering. But I absolutely won't make extreme modifications like sky replacement or adding non-existent elements.
In post-processing, I pay special attention to detail handling. For instance, skin tones should look natural, sky gradients smooth, and distant mountain details clear. These all require patience and accumulated experience. I often spend considerable time on local adjustments, using brush tools to carefully adjust each part of the image.
Additionally, I believe every photographer should develop their own post-processing style. Like painters have their painting styles, photographers should have personal characteristics in post-processing. But this style must be based on respecting reality, not deliberately being different for its own sake.
These years of shooting experience have taught me that whether it's travel or landscape photography, the most important thing is to feel with your heart. Sometimes putting down the camera and recording with your eyes and soul can help find better angles and timing.
I remember meeting an old photographer in Pokhara, Nepal. He told me: "Good photos aren't taken with cameras, but seen with the heart." This advice has benefited me greatly. Since then, whenever I arrive somewhere new, I first feel the atmosphere, understand local culture and customs, before starting to shoot.
In Tibet, I once stayed at a monastery for a week. Every morning, I would chant sutras with the monks, understanding their way of life. This deep experience made my later photographs warmer and more soulful. I captured monks' daily lives: morning chanting, afternoon debates, evening bell-ringing - these photos contain not just images but stories.
Deep in Xinjiang's Tianshan Mountains, I met a group of nomads. They invited me to their yurt for milk tea, letting me experience authentic nomadic life. Those days' experiences made my photos more than simple landscapes, but full of life. I recorded the silhouettes of herders driving sheep, children's laughter while horse riding - these became my most precious photographic works.
Every time I look at the photos, I seem to return to those scenes: Tibet's morning, Nepal's dusk, Xinjiang's starry sky... These aren't just photos, but my life's most precious memories. The photos contain not just scenery, but human touch, stories, and emotion.
Photography has taught me to see the world from different perspectives. It taught me patience, observation, and gratitude. While waiting for a perfect sunrise, communicating with strangers, overcoming various difficulties, I continuously grow and improve.
You know what's most fascinating about photography? It can freeze time and make memories eternal. Whether travel or landscape photography, both record the world's beauty in unique ways. With each press of the shutter, we create an eternal moment, tell a unique story.
Remember, true photography isn't about what camera you use, but how you observe the world. It's not just a technique, but a life attitude, a pursuit of beauty. Whether you're just starting photography or already have some experience, I hope you find your own joy on the photography path.
I look forward to seeing your work on your journeys, and perhaps one day, meeting at some scenic spot to share our photography insights and travel stories. Let's use our lenses to record the world's beauty, and our photos to convey our love for life.
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