Sun, camera, action: The ultimate guide to adventure photography

For as long as there have been cameras, photographers have been among the world’s most intrepid adventurers. More than one hundred years ago, Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley embarked on voyages to Antarctica, braving inhospitable terrain few dared to explore. By the 1920s, an aviator by the name of Edith Keating was helping to pioneer the emerging genre known as aerial photography.

“Adventure photography” is a broad term that can encompass multiple genres, spanning landscape, sports, travel, wildlife, and beyond. The only requirement is that you get outdoors. Today, adventure photographers on 500px continue to reveal unseen places and unlikely perspectives, whether they’re climbing mountains or surfing waves.

As the weather warms up, we hope you’ll feel inspired to pack your backpack and hit the open road, wherever it might take you. In this introductory guide to adventure photography, we’ll cover the gear you need, essential tips for planning your trip, and plenty of inspiration from the 500px community.

Before we start: Safety always comes first, so be cautious, do your research, travel with friends, and bring a GPS tracker just in case.

Gear basics

The right gear forms the foundation for a safe and successful adventure photography trip. In general, you’ll want to pack light to leave room for non-photography essentials, such as layers of clothing, snacks, water (or a water filter), sunscreen, and a first aid kit. With portability in mind, here are some (very) basic, foundational items to consider adding to your backpack.

A mirrorless camera
A DSLR also works, but mirrorless cameras tend to be lighter and easier on your back.

A versatile zoom lens
Prime lenses are sharper, but a good zoom lens, such as a 24mm-70mm or 70-200mm, will allow you to cover a range of focal lengths without packing multiple lenses.

A stable tripod
You’ll need a tripod for landscape shots and self-portraits on the road. A strong and lightweight carbon fiber option, paired with a ball head, is a good place to start.

Durable memory cards and portable drives
It’s worth investing in the highest quality possible to avoid losing your work to the elements!

A solar power bank kit
Keep your camera powered, even when you’re off-grid.

A rain cover and a microfiber cloth
Regardless of the weather, it’s good to have these on hand in case of rain, snow, or dust.

As you research your location in-depth, you’ll tailor your packing and add other items to your checklist to suit the weather, conditions, and length of your adventure photography trip.

Must-have tips for adventure photography

Pre-visualize your photos

While you’re conducting research online—via Google Earth, social media, and local blogs—start thinking about the kinds of photos you want to capture. Put together some inspiration photos, and then decide from there what you’ll need to pack. Even better, reach out to a local photographer for tips on great spots.

Does the location lend itself to wide-open landscapes, or do you need a telephoto lens to capture some intense sports/action shots? If you’ll have to deal with sunlight, glare, and reflections, remember to bring a polarizing filter; carry a neutral density filter if you’re banking on some long exposures.

Plan for the early morning or late afternoon

When it comes to adventure photography, nothing beats the golden hour, so it’s worth the early wake-up to see the sunrise. If possible, scout your location during the day so you know the lay of the land. Then, when the time comes, check the weather forecast, wear a headlamp, and get set up before those first rays peek over the horizon. A weather app like Clear Outside can help with planning for the best conditions possible.

Stay open to surprises

Pre-visualization and planning are just the first steps, so stay open and flexible. If the light and weather aren’t cooperating as you might have hoped, embrace what you have: overcast days, for instance, can make for stunning, moody photography.

Embrace the spirit of collaboration, especially when working with athletes. They know their sport, and they’ll have advice on how best to capture it, depending on the conditions, weather, and so on. If you can, bring an action camera or drone with you as well; these can provide fantastic opportunities for unusual perspectives and behind-the-scenes moments.

Be patient

Adventure photographers tend to take a lot of photos—from all sorts of angles, perspectives, and vantage points. Whether you’re shooting an athlete in burst mode, looking to capture that perfect moment, waiting for the right light, or keeping an eye out for wildlife far in the distance, chances are you won’t get “the shot” right away. Keep your camera accessible and ready to go at a moment’s notice; that way, when the time comes, you know you’ll be prepared.

Adventure photography inspiration

Follow these photographers to get your creative juices flowing—and add some destinations to your bucket list!

Daniel Kordan has hosted photography workshops and expeditions in Indonesia, Japan, Greenland, Patagonia, Namibia, and far beyond, capturing breathtaking and remote landscapes in the process. This particular series brought him to Son Doong, a massive cave in Vietnam, where he spent three days hiking in near-darkness. He illuminated the images with varying combinations of underwater torches, headlamps, and 40k lumen ambient light for a magical atmosphere.

Karol Nienartowicz is a professional mountain photographer whose travels have taken him across the Giant Mountains, the French Alps, the Faroe Islands, the rugged terrain of the American West, and the wilds of the Peruvian Andes—to name just a handful. He made these images in Iceland, where he explored epic waterfalls, witnessed the majesty of Vestrahorn mountain, and roamed the remote volcanic highlands.

Iza Lyson’s love of dog photography has taken her—and her dog, Opi—to some of the most beautiful places on Earth, from the ice caves of Switzerland to the mountain bridges of Austria and the meadows of the Italian Dolomites. She made these images while traveling through Norway with a friend and their three dogs. For the third photo, they climbed to an elevation of more than 1000 meters to see this view.

Tal Vardi, a photographer, adventurer, and educator, has a passion for remote landscapes, ranging from mountains to glaciers, forests to seascapes. He captured these images throughout the seasons in and around Whistler, British Columbia, just two hours from where he lives in Vancouver. Known for its sports (skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding, and mountain biking), this pristine location offers mountain views and verdant green trails.

Mike Tesselaar has road-tripped through Iceland, lifted off via helicopter over the Netherlands, and traveled off the beaten path in Tasmania. He recently traveled to Madeira, Portugal, where he hiked and made this series of photographs. On the highest peak, he witnessed the strange and magical phenomenon seen in the third image.

“All rainbows are circular but are normally cut off by the horizon,” he explained. “In this instance, a combination of low-hanging clouds, sun, and elevation allows you to see the full circle.? The rainbow forms around your own shadow.”

Explore 500px throughout the spring and summer for new photographs from around the globe, and be sure to submit your own adventure photography as well. We can’t wait to see what you create.

Not on 500px yet? Sign up here to explore more impactful photography.

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Spotlight: Licensing Contributors shooting awesome pet photography

Long gone are the days of stock photography that feels outdated, posed, and cliché.

Today, content creators are diversifying their commercial portfolio with content types that lean into relatable and real moments. This shift is directly inspired by the rising wants and demands of the consumer market.

At 500px, we strive to provide our Contributors with up-to-date insights on trending concepts and guides to top-selling content. Shooting content that speaks to the consumer market is a great way to build a salable portfolio. But as commercial photographers know—the concept is only half of the work. Executing a shoot is where the creative magic happens. At 500px, we constantly remind Licensing Contributors to consider finding their models and locations close to home. This saves time and money but is also a great way to personalize your content, share your passions, and consider how your voice can be represented within commercial advertising.

If you have never experimented with this before, and are curious how and where to begin, we encourage you to read on and see how these four 500px Licensing Contributors turned their lens on their own pets to create authentic and genuine content!

Sam Brockway is a 500px Ambassador and 500px Licensing Contributor. He has been using his adorable golden labs in his wanderlust aesthetic content for years.

Meet Baker and Poppy!

Friendly, adventurous, and downright cute is what comes to mind when we see his content featuring his pup duo.

By incorporating his dogs into his shoots, it allows the viewer to relate more easily to the photo and develop an emotional attachment. The connection to the photo almost becomes second to the stunning landscapes and locations in the background. There is a whole psychology around using animals in advertising—research has proven that using animals creates a positive emotional response in consumers. According to Harvard Professor Gerald Zaltman, “95% of purchasing decisions are subconscious.”

The photo above is an excellent example of how using an animal can break down barriers within your work. The photo illustrates concepts of relaxation, camping, and adds a smidge of humor as the pup adopts a human action. By featuring a dog and not a human, the photo gives us anthropomorphism—“an instinct that we have to give animals, as well as inanimate objects, human-like characteristics.” This technique, when used in advertising, is highly effective and captivates audiences.

Don’t be timid when it comes to adding people into your scenes. The examples above show the models either looking away from the camera, or their face is completely anonymous. This is another trick that Contributors may want to consider, as it also helps consumers visualize themselves as the anonymous person and place themselves within the scene.

All of these photos could have been captured with hired models and been staged down to the last detail, but they are simply representations of Sam’s life. He travels around west America with his partner as a freelance photographer, shooting outdoor and travel content. We love the authenticity that we constantly see from Sam!

Check out this guide on how to improve your landscape and wanderlust content! How to take landscape photos that stand out to content buyers

Iza Lyson is a well-known dog photographer from Poland who is very skilled in this genre. Iza is an excellent example of a Contributor who combines her passions in her Licensing content. Originally, Iza strictly shot dog photography in her stunning signature style, but after engaging with 500px Licensing Quests and Briefs, Iza discovered her talent for lifestyle content. Naturally dogs, especially Opi, her fur baby, became the star of her shoots.

Iza’s portfolio is filled with content featuring everyday moments incorporating Opi and his friends. From typical dog-centered themes, like bath time and walks, to more creative concepts such as baking doggie Christmas cookies and yoga, Iza has stunned the 500px team with her creativity and genuine content!

Cooking is a great concept for all Licensing Contributors to explore. Whether you are new to Licensing, or a seasoned pro, consider a shoot that narrates the process of preparing a meal and enjoying it with family and friends, or packing it for lunch, etc.

Also, consider people who you know that have different interests and passions from yourself. Shadow them, and capture the details of their story. We love Iza’s doggie yoga shoot seen below.

Another great way to make saleable content is to consider what is trending in the consumer market. Iza does a great job of incorporating her daily life into her photos, with inspiration from trends that consumers want to see. Look at how she captures themes of sustainability and technology all while using her favorite muse.

Check out these guides on how to incorporate sustainability and technology into your Licensing content:

How to incorporate sustainability in your commercial portfolio
How to shoot technology for Licensing

Olha Doobsh is a photographer based in Spain. Her content is exceptionally diverse, and she is constantly expanding her portfolio. Her portfolio stands out as one that is very timely and relevant—an excellent resource for beginner contributors to look at.

Olha shoots her rat Pepa. Pepa pops up now and again in Olha’s shoots and we LOVE it!
Her content featuring Pepa typically shows “a day in the life of a rat” and that is a perfectly good concept to capture for Licensing.

Olha captures candid shots of herself, and her family, interacting with Pepa in realistic and genuine ways.

See more ways to incorporate your furry friends in this guide: Licensing photos of animals

Check out these Licensing Contributors from our 500px Licensing Discord who took stunning shots of their pets for Licensing.

Niko Angelopoulos shot this photo of his sweet Lina (below).

Say hello to Django and Juancarlo from Pablo Reinsch (below).

Jaks is Trevor Tinker’s adorable Chihuahua-Terrier mix (below).

Join our 500px Licensing Discord here.

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Spotlight: 500px Prime Creator Iza Lyson

Meet our newest 500px Prime Creator and learn more about how Licensing is creating a more inclusive world through visual storytelling.

Iza Lyson is a Polish photographer specializing in dog photography and lifestyle content. Having been a 500px Contributor for over eight years, her Portfolio has captured the attention of 500px for its stunning and genuine content that encapsulates various timely themes and concepts. Iza’s approach to Licensing is consistently fun and personal—traits that are often overlooked when shooting commercial content. By incorporating her passions and daily life into her shoots, Iza has successfully captured everyday micro-moments that consumers can relate to.

500px is thrilled to have Iza as a 500px Prime Creator and be able to recognize her as an exemplary content creator for the 500px Licensing Collection.

Q: Hello! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

A: Hi, My name is Iza. I’m 26 years old and have been a photographer for the past 14 years. I don’t really remember a time in my life without photography. From the very beginning of my photography career, I began photographing dogs—my adventures started with my golden retriever, Luna, that I got when I was 12. Hundreds of thousands of photos later I found myself here, a 500px Ambassador for the past six years. Throughout my career my pictures have received awards in top-class contests. Additionally, I was honored as a guest judge for Dog Photography Awards—largest dog photography contest. Other than that, I am a proud owner of two border collies—Opi and Tra—with whom I frequently travel through Europe.

Q: We are thrilled to have you as a 500px Prime Creator! Your commercial Portfolio illustrates the type of content we advocate for in our 500px Licensing collection. Can you tell us about your experience in Licensing and how it began?

A: I remember when I sold my first picture—I was in high school at that time, so the amount of money that I earned seemed so huge, I thought that I would never have to work another day in my life. What was even more surprising, was that I just uploaded this picture to my 500px Portfolio and ticked one checkmark—add to Licensing. Of course, later on, the tough reality came that I actually needed to sell a few more photos to sustain myself in my adult life. Since then, I have been adding to my Licensing Portfolio on 500px and building up my gallery of images on a regular basis.

Recently, I started capturing lifestyle content strictly to be sold as “stock” photos. I am currently very happy with my 500px Licensing collection, which I must admit sells quite well.

Q: You are traveling to the Netherlands soon! What are you most excited about, and do you have any photoshoots planned?

A: Apart from the photoshoot I have planned of my own dogs in the tulip fields of Netherlands, I cannot wait to meet up with my friend Auderey Bellot. Auderey is also a dog photographer! Photography is not only about taking pictures, but it is about the community and new friendships. I enjoy talking and exchanging experiences with other photographers.

Additionally, I would also like to recreate some of the shots I took last year in a much smaller tulip field in Poland. The shoot I would like to recreate was of my younger dog Tra, who was four months old at the time. I would love to see the contrast between the two photos as a representation of how she grew.

Q: Your Licensing portfolio is a great example for other Contributors to learn from. Can you share with us your process of conceptualizing and executing your lifestyle shoots?

A: Most of my lifestyle photos were taken because of the 500px Licensing Quests. The first brief I participated in was based on the topic of “sustainability”. This was at the start of the pandemic. That was the first time I asked my friends to pose for photos; this was a completely different genre of photography than I was used to. The next Quest I participated in was “home sweet home” during the pandemic. I taught myself how to cook (so I could photograph this process). The results I achieved led me to keep participating in 500px Quests. The Quest “50 over 50” allowed me to finally take the time to get some pictures of my dad and grandmother. Now I am a big fan of the Monthly Shot List Quests! Apart from that, I just like having my camera near me to photograph my dogs when they play or sleep. Same with my dog photography—apart from beautiful portraits I try to catch the moments where the dogs are just being dogs and are enjoying themselves.

Q: In regards to your dog photography, can you tell us how you recruit your models?

A: I always start with asking myself, “what do I want to photograph?” Then, whether I can execute this plan with the cooperation of my dogs, or my friend’s dogs. If not, I announce on Instagram or Facebook that I am looking for specific models, and quite often, I manage to find them. Sometimes I just find an account of a dog on Instagram, and it inspires me to visualize a photoshoot in some specific location and then I write to the owners with a proposal for cooperation. And other times the customers contact me, and together we choose the best conditions for their dog.

Q: We are always reminding Licensing Contributors that you can usually find great models pretty close to home, whether turning the lens on pets, family, friends, or even yourself. Do you have any tips or tricks for shooting self-portraits?

A: Of course—I take hundreds of pictures using myself as the model! Currently the most convenient solution for me is to put my camera on a tripod, books, or even a stack of clothes, and then launch the remote app on my phone. If you don’t have the ability to connect to your camera via Bluetooth or WIFI, you can use a remote control or set the camera to take pictures every two seconds. In situations where I am taking self-portraits with my dogs, I often need the help of another person who can press the shutter button and photograph a series of predetermined shots I have planned out. That’s how most of my portraits in the mountains were made.

Q: What are your go-to camera and lens choices? How does shooting dog photography versus lifestyle content influence your setup?

A: Currently, I use Nikon Z9, which I must admit is quite heavy, but the quality of photos is just astonishing. Thanks to a high number of FPS, I can capture the ideal moment of even the most dynamic scenes. When it comes to the lens, in dog photography I mainly use the 135mm f/1.8 for both portraits and dynamic pictures. On the other hand, when I create lifestyle content, I prefer a shorter focal length—for example 35 mm. This allows me to be closer to the model, and show more of the surroundings.

Q: Commercial photography and Licensing are always changing and evolving to reflect the concerns, needs, and values of the times. What is one way you would like to see the industry change in the future?

A: I hope that it will change in such a way that my pictures will be the ones selling the best! Of course, I am joking, but just a little. In my photos I show the everyday pleasures that are sometimes hard to admire. Of course, I also love to capture the pure happiness in dogs that I think we can all learn from!

Q: If you had an unlimited budget to execute any shoot you dream of, what would it be?

A: I would love to do a photoshoot of my dogs in Iceland! Unfortunately, the thing stopping me is not only the finances, but also the fact that you can only bring your own dog to Iceland after a one-month quarantine there. That is why I probably won’t be able to fulfill this dream, but maybe I will be able to compromise and photograph someone else’s dogs

Q: What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever had to do to get the perfect shot?

A: There have been times when I had to lay on the ground in crowded city streets or have someone piggyback me, all to capture the best perspective. I also drove 1,500 kilometers one way just to photograph a beautiful ice cave in Switzerland. As it happens, while I was returning from the ice cave, I stopped at a waterfall where I took my most famous photo featured in the Sony World Photography Awards.

Q: Do you have any unique or quirky personal rituals or routines that you follow before a photoshoot?

A: Usually, my rituals are arriving a little early to scout the best location and get familiar with the space and best lighting. Thanks to many years of experience, it only takes me a moment, after which I can move on to shooting. But, if I photograph my own dogs, I always give them as much time as they need to familiarize themselves with the place and to calm down.

Keep up with more work by Iza Lyson:
500px
Instagram
Website

Not on 500px yet? Click here to learn about Licensing with 500px.

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