Early morning in Manaus and the first rays of sunlight pierce through the dense blanket of fog that has drifted off the Amazon River overnight and wrapped itself languidly around the Brazilian city. Manaus, which serves as a gateway to the Amazonian rainforest, is a popular tourist destination sitting on the nexus of the… [Read More]
How the ‘Instagram Mafia’ is Screwing You Out of Likes
What is behind an Instagram photo? It’s a question that is often debated over as people constantly seek to uncover the ridiculous lengths people go to for social media fame. Recently, I came across a post written by blogger, Sara Melotti, that exposes the tricks that, what she calls, the Instagram Mafia use on Instagram to get… [Read More]
The Disturbing Trend of Body Editing in Travel Blogging
The first time I heard of body editing within the travel world, I was on a press trip in the Caribbean. I was speaking with a fellow traveler who had recently come across a blogger she learned was editing her body in photos. The blogger (who will be left anonymous) had gotten into the controversial… [Read More]
7 Creative Ways to Use Your Travel Photos
We’ve all been there. You’ve just returned from a trip and your camera is practically bursting with the hundreds of photos you took. You’re not entirely sure what you’re going to do with all the photos but you couldn’t help take 100 snapshots of the Eiffel Tower. You sift through your photos and share the… [Read More]
The Truth Behind Those “Perfect” Travel Photos
Earlier this week, I published this controversial story on The Huffington Post about the rise of the anti-travel blogger and what to expect from them. I spoke to a new breed of travel bloggers that are shifting focus from visual-heavy content and perfect travel snapshots to stories about global, social and environmental issues and… [Read More]
The Honest Guide to Building a Social Following
In the past, I’ve often addressed the many ways to start a blog, build a following, earn money and grow as both blogger and travel writer in my BLOG TIPS section. I’ve shared candid advice about writing successful posts, increasing reader engagement and even taking pride in your own work; but I have yet… [Read More]
The Real Story Behind My Instagram Snapshots
Last month, I vowed to start a monthly series that would aim to dispel the apparent perfection of travel shots on social media and share the real story behind the photos. When the story of social media star-turned activist, Essena O’Neill, took the Internet by storm, it brought to light what so many of us already know but tend… [Read More]
The Truth Behind the Travel Photo
I am traveling down the backbone of California’s Route 395 and have stopped at Death Valley. After days of traveling through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, I have fallen in love with “other California”–that often overlooked stretch of deserts, mountains and canyons that people forget when soaking up the sun on the West coast. I am… [Read More]
The Honest Guide to Building a Blog Following
The Pin the Map Project is over three years old now and has come a long way from the day I pressed publish on my first post. Back then my readership consisted of exactly five people: my parents, my boyfriend and my sister (all who I must thank for being so gracious as I inundated… [Read More]
