photography Archives - Wander-Lust

02 Oct 2018

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Amsterdam Guide, Netherlands With No Comments Permalink

Visiting the Dutch capital? Here are 7 Photo Worthy Spots in Amsterdam

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On October 2, 2018 With No Comments

Amsterdam has many photogenic places where you can shoot amazing pictures. Whether you like photography or like to be in the picture yourself, the locations selected below do not disappoint you! Are you visiting Amsterdam and you want to know where to find the best spots? Now it’s up to you to find the right angle on the right time of the day (sunset recommended!).

1. NDSM Wharf
Urban photography at your fingertips! The NDSM shipyard in Amsterdam Noord is a rugged, adventurous and iconic area next to the IJ. The free character, the post-industrial buildings and the creative atmosphere form the backdrop where culture, events and urban development come together. Go here for a wonderful afternoon exploring and photographing!

2. Damrak Canal
Do you want a photo of the old typical Amsterdam houses? Then Damrak Canal is your way to go. The famous ‘dancing houses’ line on the side of the canal. The tall and narrow houses can be found throughout whole Amsterdam, but these are the most iconic ones. With sunset it is nice to see the reflection of the lights in the water.

3. EYE Film Museum
Besides the beautiful old canal houses, there are enough modern architectural gems in the city. The EYE Museum in particular is a spectacular building for photography from both afar as for very (close) detailed photographs. And you know why it’s called EYE? If you find the right perspective, you can see the shape of an eye in the museum.

4. A’Dam Tower
The A’DAM Tower is a nearly one-hundred-meter high tower on the shore of the IJ in Amsterdam-Noord. From here you have a beautiful view of Amsterdam. They also have a giant swing on one of the top floors: Over the Edge! If you go with sunset you will often see a beautiful pink / purplish sky.

5. The Canals
The one and only way to really experience Amsterdam is to walk along the canals. You will discover many beautiful bridges, streets and squares. It is wonderful to wander around for hours along the canals with a camera. Best spots are; prinsengracht/singel,

6. Hortus Botanicus
If you really want to see special plant species, the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam is highly recommended. The Hortus Botanicus is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. There are no fewer than four thousand species of plants from all corners of the garden and greenhouses. You can make beautiful pictures of the surroundings, the plants and the architecture of the building. Fashion shoots are also regularly hold here.

7. Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum shows art in a beautiful environment. One of the more unknown but beautiful rooms in the museum is the Research Library. This place is the largest public art history research library in the Netherlands. Doesn’t it look cool?! Hogwarts vibes all over the place.

Get arty at Rijksmuseum

Love,

Iris

*Iris is one of our guest editors from The Netherlands. She’s got a big interest for fashion, poetry and traveling. She was only 3 months old when she was on the plane for the first time, and she has been to every continent in the meantime. She’s a dreamer and would prefer to be on the beach every day. You can follow Iris on Instagram.

09 Oct 2017

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Travel Essentials With No Comments Permalink

Review » The new Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On October 9, 2017 With No Comments

There are sooo many camera’s out there at the moment and when you live in the year 2017, you know you are in need of one. In my profession, a good camera is pretty much unmissable. But because I’m always on the go, I don’t want to walk around with a huge camera that breaks my back. I decided to buy the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II camera a few years ago. One of my better decisions in life I tell you. This camera has been strapped around my neck on every presstrip and holiday since then. You can imagine that I was stoked to hear that Olympus released their new version of the camera this September. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III. Let’s review this baby!

How does it look?
The body is available in silver and black and apart from the color, it looks pretty much the same as the previous OM-D version. Some buttons have change position like the ON/OFF switch. The hand grip is also slightly different than the previous OM-D, but that’s about it. I guess there is no point in changing a good look and that’s exactly what Olympus must have been thinking.

Hello you!

Important Improvements
There are a few highlights to the new OM-D E-M10 Mark III that are worth mentioning.

UHD 4K video capture (3820 x 2160 resolution)
16MP image sensor (same as previous OMD), but with updated processor TruePic VIII, the same processor used in E-M1 Mark II
Improved image stabilization
New Cluster AF points selection
Simplified menu and shortcuts

Images, Anywhere, Anytime
Thanks to the combination of the latest TruePic VIll image processor, which I already knew about the OM-D E-M1 Mark II top model, and Olympus’ leading 5-axis image stabilization system, photographers can now take even more beautiful and sharper photos than ever before. Colors are extremely vivid. You need to play around with the settings of the camera to find the right balance for every photo opportunity but the easy menu makes this possible.

Anne Frank, captured in Amsterdam

Video
We all know that video has become a very important tool for journalists and influencers over the last 2 years. One thing Olympus does pretty damn good is the build-in camera stabilization. When you move or the road is a bit bumpy, your frame will still looks amazingly steady, especially with video. Another great feature is, that you have the option to capture a video in 4K format. This means you can use the video on every platform, from Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. It’s also the highest quality format. I am really happy the way it films and I also love the slow motion setting! Baywatch run, here I come!

Scenes and Art settings
The Olympus OM-D has a lot of options to be creative. You can use the scene section for close ups (there is even a setting for shooting close up documents), movement or better sunsets. You can use the Art section to create your photo’s into something more dramatic. There are 30 different art settings! While I was in Berlin to test the camera, I captured a girl on skates to really test the movement and I also played around with the art dramatic tone. The first picture is shot with the movement setting in the Scene menu and the second is shot with the Art setting.

These photo’s have not been edited besides using the Scene and Art Settings.

Other handy functions

Build in WIFI so you can connect your camera to your phone and download images
Viewfinder which is great for when it’s sunny
Contrast Detection AF system
Self timer
Touch screen
Sleep mode to save battery
You can fit many different lenses onto this camera (even from other brands!)

Verdict:
The OM-D E-M10 Mark III is a stylish compact system camera for beginners and hobby photographers that are looking to be a little more creative. Having said that, pro photographers would also love this camera as a second to hand. It’s extremely lightweight so when it’s impossible to travel with a lot of gear, this is the camera you should have. It’s one of the better compact camera’s out there in my opinion and although I am far from being a professional photographer, I seem to be taking some pretty good pictures and video’s and I can’t take all the credit myself right?

Buy the new Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III for €799,- at stores worldwide.
All images were taken with the E-m10 Mark III

Love,

Elke

Do you want to know how to take travel photo’s like a boss? Click on the picture!

07 Dec 2016

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Off the Beaten Track With No Comments Permalink

Photo Report » Finding Magic on the Isle of Skye

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On December 7, 2016 With No Comments

In the first week of November, a small remote island on the west coast of Scotland prepares for winter lockdown. Tourists flee and sea mist covers the land in shadows. All that’s left is deserted roads curling through rough landscapes dotted with thousands of sheep. Not the best season to visit Scotland, or so you might think. But on an island where history has been dominated by myths and legends, you might be rewarded if you put your trust in the hands of the Gods. I was ready for the Magic on the Isle of Skye.

For two weeks, I drove around the Isle of Skye in a campervan with my good friend and journalist, Hans Roozekrans. We drove, hiked, and camped all day, every day, experiencing all the magic the small island had to offer.

I’d heard many things about Scottish weather, but shiny, calm, and sunny weren’t any of them, especially about the fall season. We got lucky. We opened the door of the campervan each morning and found ourselves deserted under a perfect, blue Scottish sky, looking out at spectacular cliffs of lush green valleys. Each morning was a gift. The landmarks on our map of Skye had names like “The Fairy Pools,” “The Fairy Bridge,” and “The Old Man of Storr.” It was easy to imagine that, on this little island, fairy tales could be real.

Deer

I’m always on the hunt for the most rugged and remote landscapes to travel and photograph. One of the things I love about photography is that it allows me to get outside so often. My two weeks in Skye were filled with long hikes, sleeping under the stars, and walking for days without seeing another soul.

I love the independence that photography gives me. I love that there’s no right or wrong way. I love being able to walk outside and photograph whatever I want. For me, travel photography is about wandering and observing. There are just as many unique ways to look at things as there are unique things to look at.

Pie

*Pie Aerts is a professional Instagram photographer from The Netherlands and travels around the world trying to capture those special places. He recently got featured in the amazing photobook Depart where 12 photographers tell their story. Follow him on Instagram or contact him on info@pieaerts.com.

24 Nov 2016

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Uncategorized With No Comments Permalink

A huge Black Friday Discount for our readers!

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On November 24, 2016 With No Comments

We love sharing good things with you and besides the travel tips and beautiful destinations, we think you should also enjoy the best of our travel essentials. We have our biggest Black Friday Discount ever! (yes, it’s tomorrow).

After the success of our last article about Portret Photography, we got a lot of comments about the lens we use. Well, for our close up photography, we use the Olympus 45mm 1.8 portret lens and this is why;

The benefits of using the Olympus 45mm 1.8 portret lens:
Well, pretty simple actually, you make better pictures. A lot better. Let’s check:
» Easy to bring along and with just over 115 grams and measuring only 46x56mm, it’s a truly small and lightweight lens that fits easily in the palm of your hand so a lot more convenient while you’re on the move.
» Create clear, focused objects or people with blurry backgrounds, If you try this without this lens, you might struggle for a while. This lens basically does the job for you, times 10.
» Autofocus is extremely fast, this is great for shooting moving animals or children.
» No flares to ruin your shot! You can even make a picture of the sun and it still won’t give you those annoying flares

Beautiful images with blurry backgrounds

Clear, sharp and close-up

So what’s the deal?
Well, because sharing is caring (yes, we firmly believe this!) and tomorrow it happens to be Black Friday, we’re happy to share this amazing offer with you guys! If you use code WANDERLUST with your order for the Olympus 45mm 1.8 portret lens, you only pay €199,- instead of €329,-! Talking about a big discount! You can order the lens via the Olympus online shop.

Be aware that this offer is ONLY available between the 25th and 27th of November so make sure you won’t miss this opportunity!

Happy Black Friday Discount!

Love,

Wander-Lust

21 Nov 2016

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Travel Tips With 2 Comments Permalink

How to shoot your best portret photo’s while you travel

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On November 21, 2016 With 2 Comments

When you travel there is one thing you will never forget to bring with you. Your camera. At least, if you’re serious about capturing those special moments with a lot of quality. Lucky for us, there are briljant camera’s out there that will make sure you don’t miss a thing! In this blogpost I want to highlight portret photography and why it’s important to buy yourself a good lens.

One of the portret photo’s I shot with my new Olympus 45mm lens

Tips For Shooting A Great Travel Portret
If you’re not used to shooting portret photo’s of people during a trip, it’s certainly something to get over with because there is nothing more amazing than capturing a face with a story behind it.

» Set your camera. I recommend you to use aperture priority in which the aperture is selected and the appropriate shutter speed is controlled automatically. This enables you to choose the aperture and ISO you want and lets you spontaneously shoot a scene without the necessity to change every setting. However, be cautious about the shutter speed.
» Get yourself a good lens. When you want to capture a face (or animal) it’s vital that you opt your camera with a good lens. If you want to bring out details in the face, like wrinkles or huge sweaty pores, you might close your aperture a little bit more than for a young girl with soft skin and a soft look. Yes, lenses are expensive but they are a huge investment. We advise the 45mm 1.8 portret lens from Olympus as it’s easy to use and does the job without too many settings.
» Ask for permission. Always ask if you can make a picture and if you can’t, take the gamble because the moment might fade and chances are that you’re not going to be back again.
» Be confident. If you’re going to hesitate you might miss the window of opportunity. You are the photographer and you know your skills.
» Try to make a conversation. There might be a language barrier but by using a bit of sign language you will get a long way. It’s great to learn more about the person you photograph. Find out why this person inspires you.
» Accept and understand different cultures. You might not agree with everything you see around you but accept that there are different believes and cultures and embrace them.

Moving Animals are easy to photograph with a good lens

We use the Olympus 45mm 1.8 portret lens

I hope you can use these tips on your next adventurous trip!

Love,

Elke

Also read: How to make travel photo’s like a boss:

24 Aug 2016

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Travel Essentials, Travel Tips With 4 Comments Permalink

How to take travel photo’s like a boss

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On August 24, 2016 With 4 Comments

As travel bloggers, it’s extremely important to have a sense of photography skills. Right? Well let us tell you a secret. We are anything but professional photographers! (Although we still have a dream to become National Geographic photographers one day..). If you look at our website and Instagram account, you will see that we are very much focused on visuals. From nature, portraits to food and buildings. You won’t even realize how much we discuss sometimes about getting the perfect image. If the color isn’t right of the light doesn’t quite do it for us, we won’t post it. But I think over the years we have managed to improve our skills a great deal to the point that people ask us:

So how do we do it?
Creating that perfect image doesn’t need to take a million settings or hours editing. No, it all starts with a good camera. At Wander-Lust we work with Olympus and even though we used to own a Canon and Sony before, we have shifted to Olympus for several reasons;

We needed a compact digital camera that we could bring everywhere
The Olympus OMD and PEN are one of the best compact SLR camera’s out there
You can fit different lenses onto the Olympus OMD and PEN camera’s for better visual performance

Shot with the Olympus OMD

So once we got our new camera’s, we needed to learn a few things. For us there are a few things of importance when we shoot travel photo’s; light (ISO) saturation (color) settings, wifi and video. Something that our newly bought camera’s have. Don’t think we are professionals, we are far from it, but that’s the great thing about having a easy to use camera, you can pretend to be a pro without anyone noticing it! These are the settings we think you should know about when starting your photography:

ISO (light)
Diafragma (Blurry fore or background)
Different scenes setting

Setting P: brightens the picture even it’s it’s darker outside

Capturing movement is no problem with the OMD

I decided to buy the Olympus OMD E-M10 and Sarah got the Olympus PEN E-PL7. Both are now available for €499,- in selected stores or online. Let’s put the 2 camera’s next to each other and compare a few things.

One of the great things that both camera’s have, is the build-in stabilisator which you really notice when making a video. Plus blurry travel photo’s are a thing of the past! Both camera’s have an Art setting where you can edit your picture to create a dramatic look like Sarah did on the picture below that she made in Malaysia. Another great feature is the WIFI so you can transfer pictures to your photo in an instance. Once you buy yourself an Olympus, download the Olympus Share App to be able to share. You can even use you phone as a remote if you want to shoot a clear picture of yourself without having to use the timer.

Set your camera on ART and see what happens!

You can also change your color settings to what you would like. I personally love it when colors are vivid and pop out so I put my saturation up one notch in the setting menu. The result? The bluest water and skies without any effort!

Clear, colorful pictures

So there you have it, no need to buy a camera for thousands of euros, next time you’re on a trip, you can become a pro, shooting the best travel photo’s without even knowing it! For more info about our camera’s visit Olympus.com or check out the reviews via google.

Love,Elke

08 Aug 2016

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Amsterdam Guide With 2 Comments Permalink

6 amazing locations in Amsterdam to shoot awsome photo’s

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On August 8, 2016 With 2 Comments

The city of Amsterdam is extremely rich with photography eye candy. From the famous canals in the city center to the people that live there, we’ve all seen the iconic images. But there are quite a few locations in Amsterdam that you might not know about that lend themselves particularly well to shoot photo’s. I’ve compiled a list that should get you started on your urban exploration through Amsterdam. Use this as a guide and you will find your own spots in no time!

NDSM Wharf
This place is hip. Berlin has Kreuzberg, Amsterdam has the NDSM wharf. What used to be the city’s industrial harbor area is now an up-and-coming artsy student neighborhood. If you want the ultimate urban-exploring experience, be sure to visit NDSM. Easiest is to take the free ferry departing from central station.

Photo credit: @Bastiaansizoo

Leliegracht
I know, I mentioned the canals already and you might argue that you’ve seen them all already. But this one’s too beautiful to leave out. In spring, the lush greenery that fills the sides of the canal creates an almost surreal feel. It’s fairly small, but you can’t skip this one. Tip: take your tripod with you after sunset and shoot some long exposures of the canals, there’s a whole different feel to them when shooting at night.

Photo credit: @vrijmiboot

IJdock
These buildings situated just north of Central Station are incredibly cool and one of the best photographic locations in Amsterdam, yet almost no tourists will go here. Highlight of this place is the triangular spiral staircase – a must for every Amsterdam Instagrammer.

Photo credit: @lucahalma

EYE and ADAM tower
These architectural masterpieces are fairly new in Amsterdam and also easily accessible from Central Station by ferry. You can go inside the Eye building to grab drinks or watch a film, or go up the ADAM tower to get the coolest panoramic view of Amsterdam possible.

Photo credit: @Bobsizoo

Sarphatipark
Amsterdam is full of parks, the Westerpark and the Vondelpark as the most famous ones. But there’s a lot more. One of the gems I found to be particularly suitable for a photo shoot was the Sarphatipark. There aren’t a lot of people around so you can really create that sense of seclusion – in the middle of the city.

Photo credit: @bastiaansizoo

Hortus Botanicus
If you want to go for a more tropical feel while staying in Amsterdam, go the Hortus. The Hortus is a botanical garden in the Plantage district of Amsterdam, which makes it very easy to give an exotic feel to your images.

Photo credit: @florinephotography

Photo credit: @Wander-Lust

Best,

Bastiaan

*Bastiaan Sizoo is a professional Instagrammer living in Amsterdam and part of the well renowned Sizoo Brothers. He travels the world with his camera and shoots the most amazing projects for his Instagram account @bastiaansizoo. He will write for Wander-Lust on a monthly basis.