The Photographer's Life

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The Right Way to Travel
Edited by Lori Allen in Arlington, VA
February 22, 2008

"The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen." -- Frank Loyd Wright

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Today:

*** Explore Ecuador with Two Professional Photographers
*** Navigating the Computer World
*** Practical Writing Prompt of the Week: Tell Your Terrible Travel Tales
*** Make the Exciting Photographer's Life Yours
*** More Opportunities and Resources for Writers

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*Highly Recommended*

You're on a sailboat in a midnight storm. You don't know how to sail. Your only map is torn to shreds. Your compass flew off into the waves. And there's nothing but a book on navigating by the stars... written in Portugese.

If that's how you feel when you're dealing with your computer, we're right there with you.

We couldn't find a simple navigational guide either, so we rounded up some experts and wrote our own.

In plain, simple English. Smooth sailing. Guaranteed.

Introducing the brand new -- Computer Basics for Writers and Photographers http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/ctp/website

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Dear Reader,

We're making a lot of changes in the Travel Division this year.

One change that I already told you about is that we're branching out from straight "travel-related" opportunities to bring you other, related ones too -- more ways you can make life fun and interesting (and get paid for it) -- like food writing and food photography.

Another change is that I'm going to start giving away more free stuff.

A couple weeks ago, I sent you a link where you could download our latest e-guide, 101 Things You Can Get Paid to Photograph.

You can still find it here today: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/free/101things/index.php .

It's still free. And now, you can get the edited version. (The last time I sent it to you, I offered you the unpolished, pre-press edition. Today, you'll find the final version there if you want to download it again.)

And here's another freebie for you, too -- A Quick-Start Guide to Selling Your Photographs: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/free/quickstart/index.php.

We're still working on the Quick-Start Travel Writing Guide. I'll try and get that to you shortly because I'm going to be writing about travel writing a lot next week when I talk about Victor Englebert.

MEET VICTOR ENGLEBERT

Victor is a travel photographer who sells his photos (with -- and sometimes without -- articles) to travel magazines across the globe.

Over the years, National Geographic has published nine of his stories -- pictures with articles. International Wildlife, The World and I, and Americas have published even more. And other magazines like Smithsonian, the London Times, Paris Match, La Recherche, and Geo have all paid him for his article-photo packages as well.

One of his pieces won him Grand Prize in the 2003 North American Travel Journalists Association's annual awards competition. And another one just won Writer's Digest's fifth-place prize for feature articles.

He's also published 17 photo books, one of which earned him the 1992 Publication Award of the Chicago Geographic Society.

So you can see why I'm so excited Victor's going to be with us in Ecuador on our next photo expedition and Spanish immersion tour, coming up in April.

While photography and Spanish are going to be our main focus on this trip, Victor's preparing a couple presentations on travel writing and pairing your photos with articles to sell to magazines too.

He told me: "I'd like to prepare a talk on how, and why, to shoot stories rather than single pictures. Not just from the point of view of making more money and finding more editors. But because, when you shoot single pictures, you only skim the surface. When you strive for a story, or a photo essay, you dig much deeper, and end up with much better pictures, which sell better individually. Stories and essays are also so much more satisfying to do."

I'll send you more details about Ecuador next week. But in the spirit of giving things away, let me offer you this special freebie deal...

If you sign up for this Ecuador Expedition with Victor before Monday,,you can save between $300 and $1,500 by combining the Early Bird discount with one of many, many other discounts available.

(I should tell you, too, that flights right now are incredibly reasonably priced -- so it's a smart time to grab one.)

So... now I'm getting to the free part. Take advantage of the great savings and sign up for this trip before Monday, and I'll send you -- free -- a copy of Jennifer Stevens' live workshop presentation on how to come up with the story ideas that sell best.

It's an audio recording you can listen to online at your convenience. Armed with the secrets she shares, you're bound to leave Ecuador with infinitely salable story ideas to go along with your photos.

And let's not forget that you'll walk away speaking Spanish, too. I'm not bringing everyone down there to sit in a classroom all day and memorize Spanish words. Nobody can learn a language that way. And anyway, who would want to spend days you could be out exploring just sitting around?

No. This is something completely different. You won't be memorizing anything, in fact.

You don't need to when you apply Dr. Georgi Lozanov's famous SUPER THINKING technique. You need only learn four simple formulas for breaking down the language into digestible pieces. Pair those formulas with Baroque music -- to help your mind retain certain rhythms in the language -- and you'll find yourself absorbing Spanish as if by osmosis.

Combine that with the real-world interaction you'll have with the locals while you're visiting many of their beautiful villages, and you'll come away from this program with not only great photography skills, but speaking a new language, too.

It's going to be great fun. And maybe we can set up a little club afterwards where we can get together on the phone once a month and speak Spanish to each other. I'd really like that.

You can read all about the Ecuador Photo Expedition and Super Thinking Program here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ecuador

Oh, and don't forget that we've created a MySpace page here: http://www.myspace.com/awaitravel. (I think I told you about this last week.)

If you're on MySpace, check us out and "friend us." This might be a good way to meet and greet some of your fellow readers.

And don't forget to scroll down for today's writing prompt. It's about telling your readers to do as you say, not as you do.

And, as always, keep me up-to-speed on your travel-writing or photography success. If you have a story to share, send me a quick note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com.

-- Lori

Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division

P.S. Know a friend or two who'd enjoy the freedom and independence of a writer's or photographer's life? They, too, can sign up to receive this free e-letter here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com.

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* Advertisement *

This April, Spend Eight Amazing Days in Ecuador... Land of Smiles

** Explore local villages with a National Geographic published photographer to guide you...

** Capture gorgeous, colorful images of the people, markets, and jaw-dropping landscapes...

** Soak in healing thermal waters nestled in the green valleys...

** Learn new Spanish skills...

** And all the while, discover how to take photos that sell...

The Photographer's Life CAN be yours. This spring... make it your reality.

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PRACTICAL WRITING PROMPT OF THE WEEK: Wandering Wiser

You can take a one-day trip to Morocco from Spain... but be ready for a full day of friendly and very persistent salesmen. The "tour" through the city streets will most likely take you to a few rug shops, a local market, and a place to pay for camel rides.

If you're a travel addict, you know this sort of thing. Because when you travel, you make mistakes. You offend a local by accident, pay too much for a tour, or catch the wrong metro train. It probably isn't your fault. Travel can be confusing... it's part of the adventure. And the more you do it, the better you get at avoiding those little mishaps.

This week, think about a few mistakes you've made while you were traveling and how they've changed the way you travel, now. You're sure to find a few great tips to lead your readers in the right direction... by not doing what you did.

You can also spin your mishaps in a humorous way. Making fun of yourself... not taking yourself too seriously... editors love it when you do that in stories.

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OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:

* COMPUTERS: EXPLAINED -- IN PLAIN ENGLISH: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/ctp/website

* WRITE BETTER, GET PUBLISHED FASTER, MAKE MORE MONEY:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/sanfrancisco

* SAVE THOUSANDS ON YOUR TAXES - Legally Write off Your Travel Expenses: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tax/tw4

* WE NEED YOUR GOOD TRAVEL STORIES AND PHOTOS:
http://www.travelpostmonthly.com

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The Right Way to Travel is a FREE newsletter from the American Writers & Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

(c) 2008 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
memberservices@awaionline.com

To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com
http://www.thephotographerslife.com

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