As travel bloggers, we tend to have an obsession with wanderlust. And as any good blogger will tell you, when taking into account all there is to begin your journey, age ain’t nothin’ but a number.
Enter: Tracie Travels — one of the more stunning travel blogs to hit the internet this year. The brainchild of Seattle-based professional photographer Tracie Howe, the blog features an incredible array of spectacular photos framed by snippets from her travels around the world. And it launched just this past March.
We spoke with Tracie about her motivation to bring the blog to life and, of course, any pic tips she might bestow upon us amateurs.
The Trip Tribe: Your blog is fairly new. What was the initial motivation to start it?
Tracie Travels: The main reason I wanted to start my blog was because my travel and landscape photography didn’t have a place on my portrait and wedding photography site. I wanted to show people the work that I am most passionate about, but mixing that in with my other site was not a good option. I was getting great feedback about my landscape and travel photography, so I took the leap! My initial motivation quickly evolved during my latest trip to Iceland, so now I am most interested in providing good stories, photos, as well as travel advice. Above all, I want the blog to inspire people to travel.
TTT: Clearly you’re a photographer… your photos on your blog are some of the more stunning in the travel blogosphere. Any simple tricks of the trade to share with amateur photographers?
TT: Thanks! Since I tend to focus on landscapes, let me mention a few items that are handy to have with you any time that you plan on shooting this subject. First, my lens of choice for landscapes is my Canon 17-40mm lens. It’s not the widest out there, but it is pretty wide for those epic scenes, while providing some range of focal length beyond 17mm. If I can only take one lens with me into a very scenic area, this is the one I bring. Next, I always have a circular polarizer with me, which is usually already mounted to my lens. For daytime landscapes, a polarizer can really make a huge difference in the color of your sky, not to mention reducing reflections in water and glass. I also make sure I have a few lens cleaning cloths in my pockets. These are invaluable if you find yourself near a waterfall on a windy day or if it begins to rain. Finally, I suggest bringing a lens hood, especially for those bright sunny days. I’ve been wanting to try the collapsable kind, which offer a lot more flexibility with varying focal lengths, so The Fotodiox Lens Hood is on its way to me as I type!
TTT: Where are you planning on going next?
TT: My next trip will be to Phoenix, Arizona in mid May. However, since it is for a family obligation, the trip will be extremely short. I will do my best to document my experience there, which I’m hoping will include a visit to the Superstitions Mountains and a pretty area called Flat Iron. After Arizona, I’m not sure where to go next, but I’m working on that. 😉
TTT: Besides your own, what is your favorite blog(s)?
TT: Since plunging head first into the travel blogging arena, I’ve been enjoying stories from The Professional Hobo, the photography of Elia Locardi on Blame The Monkey, and the blogging tips over at Go See Write. I’m looking forward to exploring more!
TTT: Describe yourself in 6 words.
TT: Spontaneous, genuine, quirky, kind, passionate, curious.
About Tracie
My first job out of college was working on cruise ships. This took me first to Alaska, then to the Caribbean, and onto Europe, South America, and even Antarctica. I seemed to be an anomaly amongst the crew, spending every second of every day in port exploring what I could, given the time we had. I enjoyed my daily adventures alone and continued traveling solo between ship contracts to satiate my wanderlust. After seeing all 7 continents and making Seattle my home base, I am still not satisfied, but I am no longer working on cruise ships. As a professional photographer, I shoot everything from weddings to travel, always looking forward to the next adventure. Thanks for checking out Tracie Travels! I hope it inspires you to seek out your own adventure!
This piece was originally published May 2014.