Insider Letter #029
How to take powerful black & white travel photos, pros & cons of different aircraft types and how to calculate your award redemption value.
š Hey friends,
Welcome to Travelling Lens Insider Letter, where every weekend I send you a carefully curated letter of all things travel, photography and points optimisation.
āļø Travel, Points and Photography
š¤ The best value way to use your points and miles is to redeem for flights and hotelsānot merch or giftcards. But to really see the kind of value you might be getting from your points, you need to calculate your award redemption value. Hereās exactly how and why you should do that.
š§³ Do you have a routine before you travel? This frequent flyer shares his 5 simple rituals he always follows (and why) before he heads out the door.
š¤ Dropping by Houston? Donāt forget to visit Museum of Fine Arts Houston in Texas. An architecturally beautiful museum containing art spanning 6000 years.
In case you missed it š
āļø I love travelling and flying to new destinations, but I canāt say Iām a diehard aviation geek. But understanding the different types of aircrafts is really interesting and makes me appreciate the privilege of modern day commercial flying.
šø I really enjoyed listening to this photo podcast conversation where National Geographic travel photographer Matthieu Paley talks about his experience photographing misunderstood regions of the world.
šø Photo Throwback
Your credit cards, points, and miles. All in one place.
If youāre a frequent flyer or are just getting into the points and miles game so you can travel for cheap, keeping track of your points and miles can feel overwhelming.
Iāve been using Notion to easily organise everything related to points and miles. So, if youāre looking a simple and flexible system to do just that, join the waitlist to be the first to know when my Points Hub PRO in Notion becomes available.
š Substack Finds
To take better photos you need to get out there and shoot more often. But sometimes it can feel like a chore. Lucy Lumen shares her top tips on how to actually get out and take photos even when you donāt feel like it.
Tunis isnāt somewhere I ever heard of, until I read Stina Gustafsson brilliant post on spending 72 hours in Tunis, what a fascinating read. I got so much insight into this north African city that I knew nothing about.
Colour photography is great, but black and white images make for really powerful travel photos. Marcel Borgstijn shares how he spots scenes that work great in black & white.
š Travel Reading
Solo Traveler: Tales and Tips for Great Trips by Lea Lane
A throwback to one of the first books I read about solo travelling, back in 2018.
The author shares her challenges on the road as a solo traveller as well as practical tips around things like dining alone, finding accommodation and how to save money on travel.
š¬ Final Words
Creating memorable experiences is a smart use of your time and money.
Iām on a mission to help you create memorable travel experiences, capture personal documentary-style travel photos and get the most out of your points & miles so you can see the world more often (and in comfort!)
Got a question? Send me an email or a direct message, Iād love to hear from you
If you enjoyed this, comment, restack or share it with one personāthatās the best compliment I could receive from you.
Your friend,
Janice
I'm a Travel Writer, Points & miles optimiser, Photographer and Notion Consultant. To get in touch, email hello@travellinglens.co.
p.s. Want to an easy & organised way to plan your next trip? Get my free Travel Hub trip planning system in Notion.
Loved this one, Janice ā especially your section on black & white travel photography. Itās amazing how stripping out color can add emotional depth and make a scene timeless. And I had to smile at the Houston mention ā that museum is practically in my backyard, and it never disappoints. Always love the mix of art, travel, and practicality in your letters! - Kelly
Thank you so much for the mention, Janice!!