The way of the traveling vlogger – digital nomads of the world unite

Today we explore the concept of travel photography, and how the use of light and angle can really affect the outcome of your pictures. Journalists and reporters use these techniques when creating a specific narrative for their posts and articles. Similarly I have used such techniques in today’s video clip of the south Cape coast of Africa. Just by shifting the angle of the camera, I’m able to change the impression one gets of the place, showing just how crucial the right pictures and photos are for each blog post.

In a world of fake news and media spin, it’s hard to believe anything we see online nowadays. Many news outlets or agencies are motivated by a certain bias from the editor or shareholders of the company, so they will paint a picture to suit their desired narrative. Here today I’m filming on the cliff tops of the south coast of Africa, overlooking the mighty Indian Ocean below. Simply by shifting the camera slightly, I’m able to generate completely contrasting effects which portray the beautiful African landscape in differing lights. As a result you may get a different impression of the place compared to someone else who sees a different picture.

Add to that the ability to photoshop, edit, cut and paste, etc and you have a huge diversity of impressions on any subject. Landscape photography that I use here and that we all use as travel bloggers, allows us to capture the scenes around us and, as you are probably aware, it’s very tricky trying to get the overall impression as seen by the eye to fit into the little camera lens. Landscape vistas are vast and panoramic, while our camera lenses are small by comparison. Nevertheless, the photographer is able to adjust the focus to suit their intention.

By shifting the perspective, I am able to make the surrounding area appear attractive or ominous, particularly with the light and cloud cover on the day. Many travelers become interested in photography since we see so many exquisite scenes that we want to capture for the record. And with a simple smart phone and a minimal budget, we use what we have on hand and still create an impressive array of images, if we focus on composition, lighting and perspective.

And usually it’s best to travel to the place of interest yourself, since so much is lost or left out in the mere photo, or even the write-up on a place visited. The smells and weather conditions, along with the overall impression from locals, is initially hard to capture, but with practice it becomes easier. Don’t be shy to pull out the camera and do your thing. Go live, film yourself talking animatedly into your camera phone, while holding the selfie stick up high. Today’s vloggers are the new reporters on the ground. Citizen journalism is here with the technology available to us now, in the form of phone camera, internet and of course, blog channels and platforms like this one.

The travelfeed and travel blogger community in general is growing by the year and we are a friendly bunch, who have transcended borders and nationalism to a large degree simply due to the educating experience of all the travel we do, living among diverse cultures and languages, while simultaneously meeting so many other travelers from all over the world and sharing dorms or guest houses with them. Despite the rumors of war, it is the joy of travel that really creates a sense of the global village, the community spirit among all people form all nations who have very similar interests. All humans share so much more in common than there are differences, so it’s obvious that we are one global family, with only minor differences which quickly evaporate when we travel and live among others in their communities.

My current location now, exploring the south Cape coast of Africa, can be presented in such contrasting lights, depending on the narrative I’m aiming to sell to you, so to speak. Some media outlets will focus on crime statistics, poverty and unemployment, but others, like this one, can show you a completely different and much more positive angle on the same region. The travel and exploration potentials are vast and outweigh any apparent limitations from socio-political conditions. So it’s probably good to get some info from the locals in the region you wish to visit.

When you’re next considering your travel destination, do remember the beautiful Garden Route on the south Cape coast of Africa, and give me a call. I will be happy to show you around and take you to some of the lesser known adventure spots in the vast spacious area at the foot of Africa. Having traveled the world in parts, I am always drawn to return here for a sense of good health and invigoration. So until next time, where I take you to further beautiful treasure seaside resorts on the south coast of Africa and beyond, this is Julescape signing out from The Shape of The Cape.

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