In photography, one of the most interesting and fun things to capture and to experiment with are reflections. Whether in the city or out in nature, reflective surfaces are all around us. So why not use them for an extra level of interest in your travel photos? Let's see when and how to use reflections in photography and what may come out of it...

When in Paris, have you ever wondered what is hiding behind the closed doors of its numerous magnificent buildings? While museums and churches are open to the public, certain edifices first of all serve their direct purpose and can only be visited during Heritage Days in September. One of such venues is the Hôtel de Ville de Paris, the Town Hall of the City of Paris. Besides Heritage Days, when the building gets very crowded, the Hôtel de Ville organises guided group visits several times a year, balancing them with the busy schedule of local administration. This year, I had the chance to be a part of such a visit, camera in hand and I can't wait to share my discoveries with you!

To watermark or not to watermark your photos? That is the question! Watermarking is one of those endless photographers' debates of the digital era. Some say a work should be signed before publishing it online, whereas others argue that a watermark distracts from the image and does not prevent it from being copied. And as it often happens in such discussions, there is no absolute right answer. Every photographer is free to decide whether to watermark his or her images, and if so, how to do it. Let's have a look at the pros and cons, as well as at the key moments of proper watermarking.

Probably every night photography enthusiast has a moment of doubt when the weather forecast announces rain. If getting a camera out on a rainy day may seem like quite a challenge, rainy nights tend to scare some photographers even more... but only those who do not know what a wonderful photographic opportunity a rainy night can be! Properly equipped with waterproof clothes and camera protection, even a beginner photographer may get some absolutely stunning shots. Check out our 6 creative ideas for photography on rainy nights and find out what a rewarding experience this is!

Two years after his memorable exhibit "Cronicles of Parisian life" in Paris, the acclaimed Magnum photographer and British photojournalist Martin Parr turns his camera towards his fellow Londoners. In his new exhibit "Unseen City", presented in the Guildhall Art Gallery in the very heart of London, Parr explores both ancient and modern traditions kept by The City, a corporation with a thousand year history, as a part of his long-term project to study British establishment. Given an unprecedented access to some of the most intimate ceremonies held in The City, Parr unveils this unique world to the viewer with his usual mix of humour, irony, and of course humanism.

It's not a secret that the best time for outdoor photography is the "golden hour", or the time just after sunrise or before sunset, when the sun is low and the light is soft and shadows are long. At noon, on the contrary, the light is harsh and strong, the contrast between light and shadow is at its maximum and everything around looks flat. While middays are usually best for scouting the locations to photograph later, we don't always have this possibility when traveling. Here are 7 ideas on how to make the most out of photographing under the midday sun and get exciting travel photographs.

When in London, besides exploring the city thought the viewfinder of my camera, I like to pop into one of the numerous photo galleries for some inspiration. This time I paid a visit to The Photographers' Gallery in Soho area in central London to see a retrospective of Saul Leiter, a prolific American photographer, best known for his colour photographs of the streets of New York and an easily recognisable fluid, impressionistic style.

In our previous post we discussed 6 principles of portrait photography, such as the choice of lens and the settings of the camera, portrait composition, various crop options, and the importance of lighting. This time we will share some other secrets of portrait photography and will add some tips and tricks on how to make the portraits look more interesting.

Another year has passed and the Fire Monkey has replaced the Wood Goat... Yes, that's right: the Chinese New Year has arrived and the carnival is back in the streets of Paris! It is always so much fun photographing street events and festivals, so I simply could not miss it. After capturing dragons and firecrackers against the traditional Parisian backgrounds of the Marais in 2015, this time I decided to head to the 13th district of Paris, the very heart of the Chinese community. The show promised to be truly flamboyant, if it wasn't for those rain clouds on the horizon... but first things first.

We continue the series of interviews with Better Travel Photos photographers who share their knowledge and passion for photography with our participants in both Paris and London. This time we are excited to introduce our photographer Catherine O'Hara!

Born and raised in Ireland with a predominantly equestrian background, Catherine came to the City of Light to pursue her studies in the prestigious Speos Photographic Institute and a subsequent career in wedding photography. Her photography style can be described as photojournalistic, subtle, tasteful, and extremely elegant. So who is this girl, often seen in the streets of Paris with her trusty camera, accompanied by her dog Percy? Let's ask Catherine a few questions...

Besides photographing sights and architecture, travel photography is also about capturing portraits, whether it's your travel companions or people you meet along the way. During photo tours, our participants often ask us for some tips on how to capture a good portrait against an iconic background. We have therefore put together some tips to start with, while our photographer Elena kindly volunteered to pose for photos to illustrate the main points. In part I of this article we will cover the basic principles of portrait photography, while part II will provide some tips and tricks on how to make the portraits more interesting.

Most digital cameras are equipped with various automatic modes (or presets) that help beginner photographers get more control over the resulting images without venturing too far into camera settings. If you don't feel quite ready for semi-manual or manual modes, you may start discovering your camera from these presets, letting the camera help you according to the situation. By understanding how the automatic presets work, you will learn how to use them creatively and to adapt them to various cases.