PASSPORT
T HE M AG I C OF T RAVEL
WINTE R 20 19
Jacob
Salzburg Geneva
Tola
Sardinia
PASSPORT THE MAGIC OF TRAVEL
Flytographer Quarterly Issue 8 Winter 2019
Front cover image: Natalie
in Prague for Flytographer Back cover image: Rachael in Paris for Flytographer Editor: Michelle Ardiel
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This year, I started 2019 with a quick week in Mexico to recharge: to read, think, dream and return home fired up for the year ahead - a true vacation. Since starting Flytographer five years ago, I have been lucky to travel to many new destinations, but it’s been mostly for business and very much in “go-gogo” mode the entire time. Running a startup takes a lot of energy, and I knew I was burning out and couldn’t give those who matter (my family, my friends, my team) my best self. Enter the “do absolutely nothing” vacation where I locked my phone in the hotel safe all day so I could spend blissful, uninterrupted hours playing with my kids at the beach and in the pool, kayaked, napped, read, and did not cook a single meal. I unplugged from Slack, Gmail, and social media; my team handled everything back at the office. It was glorious. I returned home well-rested, full of love (and vitamin D) and ready to tackle my big goals for this year. Have you ever had a “do nothing” vacation? How did it go? Drop me a message on Instagram - I’d love to hear about it! @flytographerlife In the meantime, I hope you enjoy our latest round of travel stories inside. Maybe it will spark a trip to a new uncharted territory or remind you why you still love the tried-and-true! Wishing you an adventure-filled 2019! Nicole Smith CEO & Founder, Flytographer
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Whistler
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Finland 12 Paris 22 Salzburg
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Rockies 38 Lima 44 Detroit 52 Manchester
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Positano
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New York City
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Lisbon Meetup
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Bangkok
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M w o n S
n u F h c u
Photos by: Alanna in Whistler for Flytographer FLYTOGRAPHER.COM • 7
Anita’s story Our trip to Whistler, Canada was everything we needed and then some. This was my first trip with my son since separating with my husband. I wanted to get away from the reality of my separation stress and just have a great time with my son in “winter-wonderland.” We skied and tubed and had such amazing adventures!
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At some point, my 7-year-old son said, “Mommy, you are being too cautious.” (Moms out there can relate, since instinctually we seem to get a bit more cautious and protective when trying something new with the kids!) So, I took him zip-lining 600 feet in the air, travelling 60mph above the snow. Call me cautious now! We had a blast. Not only did we laugh, play, and cry together, we also conquered the highest and longest zip-line in North America! I wanted pictures as a momento of this time in our life, a reminder that things will be okay, things can be beautiful. It’s such a significant time for us, and now I have precious pictures of it together with my son.
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Cold Skies
Warm Hearts Photos by: Karolina in Helsinki for Flytographer FLYTOGRAPHER.COM • 13
Yeo Han’s story My wife and I got to know each other from our mutual friend. We hit it off immediately and had a wonderful chat during our first meeting. To be honest, it was a love at first sight for me! Both of us just clicked and the love story continues. We are both avid travellers, and we’ve been on many adventures together through the years. To see the northern lights was always on our bucket list and a dream activity for us. That is why we planned this amazing trip, but I also knew from the start that Finland was where I wanted to propose, out in the powdery snow. How nice to do this in our dream destination!
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This proposal was beautifully planned by our Shoot Concierge at Flytographer, and of course our photographer, Karolina, who agreed to capture the moment for me without any hesitation at all and came from Helsinki to Saariselkä for us. Words couldn’t describe how much we appreciate her for making the effort to fly over to capture this amazing moment! Looking back, my wife said to me, “What makes this trip special was that he proposed to me on a hilltop overlooking the entire Lapland. The view was amazing, although it was really extremely cold. My tears were frozen but my heart melted. It couldn’t have been more perfect than this!”
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We planned most of our stay in Saariselkä, as there were so many activities to do in the area itself, ranging from toboggans to reindeer and husky rides. It was followed by a few nights stay in Rovaniemi, and the last couple of nights in the capital of Finland, Helsinki! I would recommend to stay in both Saariselkä and Rovaniemi, as there are really a number of fun-filled winter activities that you could do. After our Finland leg of the trip, we also visited the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. There are so many things that surprised me throughout the entire trip. The beauty of Lapland, the scenery, the wildlife in the forest, the clear starry night sky, the powdery white snow and also the calmness of the destination. This is one vacation that really took my breath away!
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Yeo Han’s Top 3 Tips 1. Saariselkä has the world’s longest toboggan ride! It is one of my favourite memories. We spent so much time going up and down the slope. Once is never enough and the best part is, it’s free! 2. Be sure to catch the northern lights! Also a must-visit is the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. You can do husky and reindeer rides here, and be sure to take a picture with Santa Claus himself. 3. Plan only one tour activity each day. Leave yourself with enough free time every day to leisurely walk around Saariselkä or the nearby town. You will definitely be mesmerized by the beauty of Lapland and find surprises each day.
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The City of Light for One
Photos by: Olga in Paris for Flytographer
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Farah’s story I love travelling to Paris. It’s a magical city. Since this was to be my final December working as an expat in Europe, I wanted to have memorable pictures, something that I can look back on in the future and share with family and friends. My favourite sights to see in Paris are The Louvre, La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur and the Arc de Triomphe – to name a few – and I also love strolling around the Champs-Élysées. Since I am very passionate about fashion, exploring fabrics, cuts and design is a must. It keeps me updated with the latest trends that appear on the runway. Although shopping is easier these days online, it can never beat the actual feeling of trying it on to see how it looks before purchasing an item. Paris has so many boutiques and the choice is endless.
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Farah’s Top 3 Tips for Solo Travel in Paris 1. Use Paris’ public transport. It is efficient, cheap and easy to use. Download the RATP app to your smartphone for information on maps and timely schedules for bus, metro, tram and RER. If you would like to know how to get to the destination of iconic landmarks in Paris via public transport, you can get the information from RATP’s tourist app called Next Stop Paris - it is really handy. And now you are good to go!
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2. For solo travellers, it is best to pick a hotel that is close to pharmacies, supermarkets and basic needs such as restaurants and cafés. Also, the closer to the metro station, the better it will be if you plan to reach the hotel late in the evening. A neighbourhood popular with tourists is a bonus since it means there are always lots of activities nearby and it is never dull. 3. Be sure to capture your memories! f you’d like to photograph yourself, a selfie stick might help, but then a professional service by Flytographer will do wonders to capture the special moments.
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Photos by: Agnieszka in Kraków
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Birgit’s Local Guide to Salzburg
“I love everything about this city: the surroundings, architecture, landscapes and social climate inspire me over and over again. The city’s history is full of tradition and the interplay between modern and baroque architecture make Salzburg to one of the nicest cities in the world.”
Photos by: Birgit in Salzburg for Flytographer
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What does a perfect day in your city look like? An idyllic evening stroll along the Salzach river, a shopping trip on Thursday at the Grünmarkt with its regional products, an original Bosna sausage at a hot dog stand or a cozy espresso at Café Tomaselli, one of the famous Salzburg coffee houses with a beautiful view over the city. I love to relax in the Mirabell Garden or take a walk to our city mountains, Mönchsberg and Kapuzinerberg. I love Salzburg in summertime, but also during Christmas with its amazing Christmas markets. My favourite place is St. Peter’s with its bells. Salzburg is a city with a strong feelgood factor and the highest quality of life.
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What is your favourite free activity to experience in your location? I love to walk around the city on Sunday early morning and breath the magic atmosphere – it is very quiet, with only the church bells. Afterwards I like to have breakfast at Café Bazar – they make the best omelette ever! What is the most unexpected fun fact about your location? A favourite holiday tradition in Salzburg includes parades with Krampus, a frightening figure with knarled horns meant to accompany St. Nicholas and teach a lesson to the children who haven’t behaved very well. In stark contrast to typical warm and cozy Christmas traditions, this parade is something to see!
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Eat Pescheria Backi - THE place to have seafood in Salzburg. FranzJosef-Straße 16b Icezeit - Several locations with the best ice cream in town! Restaurant Zum Eulenspiegel - Come for the schnitzel and farmfresh menu in a centuries-old pub. Hagenauerpl. 2 Wernbacher - Diner-inspired café with a relaxed atmosphere and tasty homestyle Austrian food. Franz-Josef-Straße 5 Ludwig - Definitely the best address for a burger! Bruderhof/Linzer Gasse 39 Café Sacher - An outpost of the posh Viennese establishment known for inventing the Sachertorte. Come for a fresh, handmade slice of rich cake and excellent coffee. Schwarzstraße 5-7 Pasta e Vino - A cozy place for great Italian food! Wolf-DietrichStraße 31 220 Grad - Carefully-sourced coffee and extra-long breakfast hours - the perfect choice for a lazy brunch. Chiemseegasse 5 Yao Yao - When you’re in the mood for Japanese food, this is the place to come. Europastraße 1 Magazin - Modern concept compound with restaurant, bar, wine shop, cookery school, and grocery store all in one place. Augustinergasse 13 Café Fürst - Don’t forget your friends back home! Pick up a box of original handmade Mozartkugels to pack in your case. Brodgasse 13
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See Mozart Square - One of the city’s busiest squares, with a statue of Mozart in the centre. Getreidegasse - This is a very busy, charming pedestrian street with posh shops and lovely traditional cafés. No. 9 is famous as it is Mozart’s birthplace. Festung Hohensalzburg - This well-preserved castle is perched high on Mönchsberg mountain above the city. You can get your exercise walking up the hill or ride the funicular instead. Salzburger Dom - The Salzburg cathedral is a Baroque masterpiece that you simply cannot miss, right in Old Town. Mozart was baptized here. Residenz Castle - This building was seat of rule for Salzburg’s Prince-Archbishops, and it must be seen for its lavish interiors and art collection. St. Sebastian’s Cemetery - This quiet cemetery has many famous people buried here, including Mozart’s wife and father. It is found just behind St. Sebastian Church. Hellbrunn Palace - The 17th-century grounds and palace are simply stunning, and Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus installed amusing trick fountains just for the fun of it. The gazebo scene from The Sound of Music was also filmed here! Mirabell Palace & Gardens - Also where several Sound of Music scenes were filmed, the beautiful Mirabell Palace and Gardens is a popular place for weddings and conferences, and one of the mostvisited sites in Salzburg.
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Do Take a walk up Kapuzinerberg via Steingasse and enjoy the marvellous view over the city. You can sit for a while on the rooftop of the houses. There’s lots to see along your hike, including churches and ruined fortifications, and you can stop for refreshments at Franziskischlössl. Visit the Stiegl Brewery to immerse yourself in Salzburg’s original beer culture. For a fun social day out, Austria’s largest beer garden is at Augustiner Bräu. Schrannenmarkt is the oldest and best farmers’ market in the city. It opens weekly from 5am to 1pm on Thursdays, so come early to get your pick of top-quality fresh products. Go for a walk with the locals around Leopoldskroner Weiher, a little lake on the grounds of Schloss Leopoldskron. (The Sound of Music movie fans will recognize it.) In the winter, the lake freezes over for ice skating. Rent a bike or walk the lovely tree-lined path of Hellbrunner Allee from the city to Hellbrunn Palace. Just south of the city, the salt mines in Hallein are worth a visit to understand the history of Salzburg’s wealth. Salzburg hosts lots of fun festivals. If you come in December, you must see the Krampus parades. In January, we of course celebrate Mozart’s birthday with Mozart Week. The first of May is the Maibaumfest, or Maypole Festival, where a large pole is erected in town and much beer is consumed. In summer, we have the big Salzburg Festival with many musical performances throughout the city.
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10 Reasons to Spend Your Winter Holidays in the
Canadian Rockies
Photos and local tips by: Lyndsay in Calgary & Banff for Flytographer
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1. Get steamy in Banff Hot Springs Banff has many attractions, but one that you can’t miss is the natural mineral hot springs. Soak up the heat while you’re surrounded by the indescribable beauty of the snow-covered Rockies - it doesn’t get better than this. 2. Hike the frozen waterfalls at Johnston Canyon You have to see this to believe it. Huge spiky icicles drip down from the cascading rock, forming shapes and colours that will leave you in awe. Wear warm hiking gear and traction boots to get on the trail and don’t forget your camera! 3. Go dogsledding in Canmore The majestic Three Sisters watch down on you as you race through the powder led by your team of beautiful huskies. It’s exhilarating!
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4. Visit Lake Louise There are endless outdoor things to do here: ski, hike, skate, sleigh, heli-tour, fish, climb - and then when you’re ready to warm up, the spas and restaurants at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise are a happy way to unwind. 5. Drink up at Park Distillery Using the cleanest spring water running off the mountains, this award-winning distillery has daily tours and tastings at its gorgeous space in Banff. There’s also a restaurant and the food is so good! 219 Banff Avenue, Banff 6. Ride the Banff Gondola Get to the top of Sulphur Mountain, then take the boardwalk to Sanson’s Peak to the Cosmic Ray Station for incredible views that seem to go on forever.
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7. Tube on Mount Norquay Just outside of Banff, you can ride the biggest tube park in the province. It’s really fun for the whole family, and this year the mountain is open in the evenings for a little night tubing. 8. Visit a Wolfdog Sanctuary If you love dogs and want to support a great cause, the nonprofit Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary offers tours to visit rescued wolfdogs and learn about their conservation efforts. If you really fall in love, you can even adopt one. All proceeds from the tours go back into the sanctuary so they can continue on with their initiative. 263156 Range Rd 53, Cochrane
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9. Eat pizza at the Bear Street Tavern If you are in Banff, make a stop at Bear Street Tavern - their pizza is ridiculous! You must try it with honey and chili oil drizzled over top - it’s perfection. 211 Bear Street, Banff 10. Let it all go at the Kananaskis Nordic Spa Hydrotherapy at its best! Get cozy in the steam while snowcapped mountains envelop you. There are multiple saunas, both inside and out, and you can add on massage services for the ultimate luxury. This is not a family adventure, however - only 18+ allowed (so a great excuse to leave the kiddos at home!). 1 Centennial Dr, Kananaskis
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Anniversary in the Andes
Photos by: Joanna in Lima for Flytographer
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Edna’s Story My husband and I caught the travel bug pretty early on in our relationship. We have always enjoyed visiting new countries and love to experience new cultures. We like to travel to a new place every year for our anniversary instead of a gift exchange. South America has always been on our bucket list. We’d heard so much about Machu Picchu and decided to pack our bags for Peru to see this wonder in person! What better way to celebrate our anniversary than to hike the Inca Trail which ends at this historic site?
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We stayed in Miraflores District in Lima. Miraflores is one of the touristy parts of the city. It’s centrally located and safe to walk around, which makes it easy to visit all the sites and good restaurants nearby. Miraflores is about a 10-15 minute walk to the waterfront ,where an amazing view of the dramatic cliffs awaits you. Miraflores is also within walking distance to one of the top five restaurants in the world, Central, according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. Definitely go with the seventeen course meal!
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We were surprised by how diverse of an environment exists in a country that is not extremely large. There are beautiful coastlines, rain forests, deserts, high mountains, modern culture, and an old world charm in this amazing country. It blew our mind that in Cusco, such a large civilization was built at such a high altitude, especially when sometimes just walking would make us short of breath! Our favourite memory from our vacation was definitely hiking the Inca Trail. It was a four-day trek from the start of Km 82 all the way to Machu Picchu. The trek was challenging with a lots of ascends and descends. Our proudest moment was when we reached the top of Dead Woman’s Pass at 13,828 feet! We shared a lot of great memories on the trek and made a few friends along the way.
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Edna’s Top 3 Tips 1. Plan early and do your research! There are so many tours out there, especially when visiting the more popular sites. Spending some time to compare itineraries and prices will allow you to find the right company for your budget/activity level. We worked with Jon Green from Nazca Flights to set up a private overnight tour to Paracas, Ica and Huacachina from Lima. As for the Inca Trail, we went with Alpaca Expeditions. We cannot say enough good things about Alpaca! Amazing service from start to end. We were the first group to arrive at the Sun Gate. Words cannot explain how exhilarating it was to be the first to see Machu Picchu on the last day of our trek! 2. Altitude sickness is no joke! We experienced this first-hand after we arrived in Cusco. Give yourself enough time to acclimate to the altitude. Also be sure to check out which vaccinations you need on the CDC website. 3. My husband and I speak very little Spanish, so we had to rely on our Google Translate app to communicate with locals. It was pretty funny because a simple question could take up to five minutes! It’s probably best to learn basic Spanish before visiting Peru.
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Detroit
is for Friends
Photos by: Jacob & Robyn in Detroit for Flytographer
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Sandra’s story After spending the last few winter holidays away from home, I was thrilled to be coming back to southern Ontario for Christmas! Since so many of my friends in the area have spoken so highly of Detroit - just a quick trip across the border - I knew I had to take the opportunity to go explore it for myself. Besides the car industry and sports teams (Lions, Tigers, and Wings - oh my!) I suspected there was a lot more to Motor City, so my friend and I spent a festive weekend away to check it out.
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Without a doubt, my Flytographer shoot was the highlight of the trip! My photographers Jacob and Robyn generously met us before the shoot for a beer at the Eastern Market Brewing Co., and they shared their knowledge of and love for Detroit. They really opened my eyes to the history and energy that this vibrant, strengthening city has, and I was sincerely impressed. I really appreciated that they shared so many useful tips with us during the shoot. I wished we could have spent even more time with them and in the city to experience it all!
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Sandra’s Top 3 Tips 1. Absolutely go to Supino Pizzeria near the Eastern Market. They have huge, thin-crust slices you have to fold in half to eat, with the hot, stringy cheese melted to perfection. If you’re interested in trying Detroit-style pizza, check out Luigi’s Original or Cloverleaf. 2. We stayed in the East Village part of the city and had breakfast at Sister Pie, and highly recommend it! The cafe was so quaint and community-focused, and their amazing baked goods were a great way to start the day. Stop in before you head across the river to Belle Isle for a lovely day trip. 3. If you are in the downtown area, visit the top floor of a central parkade - parking lot “Z.” Sounds odd, but trust me! It has amazing urban street art on every floor, and the tenth floor is open to see the beautiful city laid out all around you.
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Izumi’s Local Guide to
MANCHESTER
Photos and text by: Izumi in Manchester for Flytographer FLYTOGRAPHER.COM • 59
Move over, London! Manchester, UK is quickly becoming the cool kid on the block. With its gritty northern attitude and savvy artistic sensibility, it has all the makings of the hippest of getaway destinations. Whether you come for the food, the music, or the football, Mancunians will be sure to show you why they are so proud to call Manchester home. Read on for Izumi’s top picks of what to eat, see and do in her vibrant city.
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Eat Home Sweet Home - This café & bar is loved by the locals. If you are looking for hearty food, this café would be good for you. Great for a refreshing pint of beer, with awesome burgers, fried chicken, waffles, steaks, and salads. It is also famous for outlandish cakes. 49-41 Edge Sugar Junction - This café offers wonderful afternoon tea (booking required) as well as all day brunch and lunch. The café is very lovely & relaxing, and the staff are friendly. They also offer some good vegetarian meals. 60 Tib Street BrewDog Manchester - Located in central Manchester (5 minutes’ walk from Town Hall), it’s a great pub with a fun atmosphere and nice choice of tasty beers. Scottish Mutual House, 35 Peter Street
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See Northern Quarter This neighbourhood is Manchester’s creative hub, filled with old buildings, independent retailers of fashion, street art, music, cafés and bars. It is very photogenic so if you love taking photos, you should visit this area! Many people think it looks like old New York, but at the same time it definitely has a British atmosphere. Town Hall & Manchester Central Library These two iconic and historical buildings in the city centre stand side-by-side. The town hall was built in 1877, the library was built in 1934, and together they are a sight to see. The surrounding area is very popular for sightseeing. There are iconic phone boxes next to the library, a rare sight these days in Manchester. St Peter’s Square Castlefield If you are tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, visit Castlefield - the Roman heart of Manchester filled with canals and green spaces. You can just walk around the quiet and relaxed area, have beer at a waterfront bar, go through the bridge and see the ruined Roman fort of Mamucium (Roman for Manchester). John Rylands Library If you like gothic architecture, John Rylands Library is a mustsee. It opened in 1900 and still now you can enter the building. You would be surprised how old, beautiful and breathtaking it is. The stained glass, stairs, old books, the historic reading room, everything is amazing. There is a gallery in there and you can see library-owned collections. 150 Deansgate
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Do Get a tram day ticket and tour around the city. Manchester is not a big city. You can walk around it, but using trams saves you time and energy. Most tram stops connect to the main attractions. For example, from Victoria Station you can go to Manchester Cathedral & National Football Museum, Market Street Station is near Northern Quarter, and Town Hall & Manchester Central Library are in front of St. Peters Square Station. Enjoying the view from the tram windows is also exciting! Read the day away. Waterstones is a huge book store, and if you are a book-lover, it needs to be on your must-see list. There is a wide variety of books, and you can also get stationary and gifts. Grand Café Waterstones is on the top floor fort a coffee break. If you love books like me, you could spend all day there. 91 Deansgate Watch a game of footie. Manchester United is one of the top football clubs in the league, and watching a match live at Old Trafford is an experience you’ll never forget. If you miss match day, superfans can still tour the stadium and museum. Sir Matt Busby Way Explore Greater Manchester. Head outside the city to check out the smaller towns, such as Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan. There are interesting attractions, such as The Quays in Salford; this is Greater Manchester’s waterfront destination with MediaCityUK and Manchester United FC Stadium. In Bury, there is The East Lancashire Railway where people can see steam trains. The worldfamous Bury Market takes place every Wednesday, Friday and
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Proposal in
Positanole
Photos by: Mary & Maurizio in Positano for Flytographer
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Ryan’s story We talked about Positano the first night we met and I had never heard of it. The reason it was even brought up is because Hillary mispronounced a local restaurant, which is called Postino. We never forgot that conversation and as we fell in love, we continued to discuss taking a trip to Italy, primarily because I wanted to eat pizza every day for a week straight. We ended up going to Florence, Rome, Capri and of course, Positano.
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Our favorite memory was definitely the proposal. Hillary thought we were going to dinner near the beach. I convinced her to walk to the beach instead of walking straight to the restaurant because she bought this selfie stick and we hadn’t used it the entire trip, but little did she know that I had arranged for our Flytographers, Mary and Maurizio, to be “tourists” that could take our photo instead of a selfie stick. Soon after they captured our magical moment. Mary and Maurizio were amazing photographers and took pictures that will be part of our family for the rest of our lives. They captured the moment and our fun-loving personalities in the photos. We are eternally grateful to both of them. Fun fact: we ended up throwing away that selfie stick later that night!
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Babymoon in the
Big Apple
Photos by: Johnny in New York City for Flytographer
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Leona’s story For Valentine’s Day, I surprised Angie with a trip to NYC for our babymoon. This would be the last vacation for just the two of us before our little one arrived. We loved going to West Village to check out the historic Stonewall Inn and memorial, and seeing Aladdin on Broadway was also a highlight. Our favourite thing was spending the day in Brooklyn while we waited for our Flytographer shoot. We enjoyed an extra long dinner date at Grimaldi’s Pizza, reminiscing about our life together and the journey ahead.
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Funny story: we are usually very punctual people, but in New York, we were running late for everything! We had to race to ge tto our planned events. Luckily, we always made it just in time! We were just so absorbed in the moments in NYC. Our photographer, Johnny, was so professional and kind. He was very flexible and easy to work with. He put us at ease and made the whole experience very enjoyable. We will never forget our babymoon to New York!
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Leona’s Top 3 Tips 1. Must-eat brunch: Buvette in West Village. It’s a quaint Frenchinspired bistro and the food is fantastic! 42 Grove Street 2. The best way to travel is by subway. You can get anywhere in NYC the quickest by going underground, as the streets are crazy! 3. You can’t go to New York without checking out a Broadway show - they are just incredible. One last tip: bring earplugs for night, as it is true that this city never sleeps!
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Bom dia! Flytographer’s
4th Global Meetup in Lisbon
P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i FLYTOGRAPHER.COM • 79
P h oto : D a n a i n Bu d a p e st
Lisbon | October 9 – 11, 2018 Story by Michelle, Director of Photographer Operations This has to be my favourite time of year. I’m not talking about Christmas or summer holidays, or even when the cherry blossoms start to pop (all moments I do love, by the way). No, the best time of year is when Flytographer hosts our annual Global Meetup. This is an event where our photographers have the opportunity to come together in a fun location for three days of workshops, photo walks, brainstorming, collaborating, learning, networking, and of course, lots of sampling of the local food and wine scene. We chose the gorgeous city of Lisbon, Portugal as our meetup base for 2018, and found it to be the perfect backdrop to our activities. We could not have been more inspired by the colours, the patterns (those tiled walls!), the yellow trams, the warm fall sunshine, the cobblestone streets (mostly running up or downhill), the architecture, the friendly people, and the many incredible viewpoints from each of the city’s famous lookouts. 80 • PASSPORT | THE MAGIC OF TRAVEL
As the person in charge of Flytographer’s photographer recruitment and community, what makes this event special for me is that I get to witness the magic of our global team come together in one place. After months or even years of communicating only via email, social media, or Skype, finally, we meet in real life! In the end, it doesn’t really matter where we host our meetup (though a standout city like Lisbon certainly adds to it); the very best thing about our Global Meetup is the chance for our photographers to connect with each other in person – such a valuable thing in what can be a solitary profession. It is so gratifying for me to see the friendships that are created and renewed each year, and it simply reaffirms what I already know: that our community is strong and full of human beings with giant hearts who care not only about their work, but more importantly, about the people around them. Curious to know what we got up to during our Global Meetup in Lisbon? Read on for my daily journal accompanied by our photographers’ stunning images. (And check out our IG hashtag #lisbonmeetup2018 for some insider photos as well.)
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Day 1 – Tuesday After months of planning, it was finally here! The afternoon sun kissed our cheeks as our group of 40 came together for the first time in beautiful São Domingos square. It took no time at all for old friends to embrace and new friends to shake hands, ready for the meetup to begin. We were kicking it all off with a guided photo walk around the streets with models (friends of one of our Lisbon photographers) to practice posing techniques and watch each other in action. We split up into four groups, each with a set of models and a local photographer to make sure we didn’t get lost in the city’s labyrinth of streets, and ventured out into the neighbourhoods of Chiado, Bairro Alto and Alfama. After a couple of hours and thousands of shutter clicks later, our group reconvened in the square, where we had bottles of Ginjinha, Portugal’s famous sour cherry liquor, ready to go. We each raised a shot glass to toast each other and the start of our annual Global Meetup. Saúde!
P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
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P h oto : G o nç a lo B . i n L i sb o n
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P h oto : K i m o n i n S a nt o r i n i
After the success of our first photo walk, I was even more excited for that evening’s event: our very first gallery exhibition featuring Flytographer photos! Favourite images from each of our meetup participants were displayed in a cool neighbourhood gallery called Sala d’estar; as a special one-day pop-up show, the public was invited to visit the space during the day. In the evening, we took over the gallery for our private event, with nothing but wine, food, photography, and friendship on our minds. It was thrilling to see all our photographers’ beautiful work in a public space and feel their pride in being part of an international photography exhibition.
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P hoto: Mankic a i n L j ub lj a n a
P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
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Day 2 – Wednesday If you’ve been to Lisbon, you know that you can’t turn a corner without coming face-to-face with yet another beautiful vista or neighbourhood; the city is overflowing with streets and squares presided over by buildings swathed in colour and pattern. We chose a workshop space nestled within an eclectic, up-andcoming area called Intendente. The Surf Office was the perfect place to set up camp for our event, away from the touristy crowds but close to trendy restaurants and elegant buildings covered in tile with the popular yellow tram running right by the front door, so we still felt right at the heart of Lisbon. We got the first full day started by discussing our gallery photos with each other, and afterward, we created our own gallery wall within the office so we could enjoy each other’s work for a little longer.
P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
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P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
Marian, one of our incredible photographers who works in Lake Como and region, generously presented a workshop on creativity, a topic close to her heart (and a workshop which she also offers at various conferences around the world). With so much soul and grace, Marian transfixed our group as she discussed ideas and practices for keeping creativity alive every day. After a short lunch break, we met back at the space to hear our VIP speaker talk about storytelling. Anne Farrar is the Director of Photography for National Geographic Traveler magazine, and she provided us with so many gems related to creating, shaping and telling a visual story through the lens. With cameras in hand, we followed her through the streets of Intendente to put theory into practice, where we asked questions and used each other as models and muse to our photo ideas. We can’t thank Anne enough for lending her expertise and experience to our group, and providing us with valuable insight to apply to our own work.
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P h oto : Ly n d s ay in Ca n a d i a n Ro c k i es
P h oto : Kr y st a l i n Pa r i s
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P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
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P h oto : Jimmy i n Lo n do n
As evening approached, we reassembled for our traditional Golden Hour Photowalk, led by Lisbon photographer Gonçalo B. We started the walk in Praça Dom Pedro IV (Rossio), wandering the streets until we ended up at Praça do Comércio and down by the water. The sunset light was perfect with the Tagus River glistening in the background, and we wasted no time posing each other and capturing gorgeous portraits. When eventually it became too dark to shoot, we strolled back towards the city for a team dinner. Nestled into a courtyard in Chiado, Café Fábulas seated us at a long, family-style table and served a delicious menu of grilled octopus, bacalhau, risotto, and vegetarian strudel, accompanied by delicious Portuguese wine and sweets. Bellies filled, we rolled back out into the street in search of a photo booth, gelato, or home.
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P h oto : Va n e ssa i n Du b l i n
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P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
P h oto : Kr y st a l i n Pa r i s
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P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
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P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
Day 3 – Thursday Our final day saw us bright and early back at our meetup space, ready to hear the team from HQ discuss best Flytographer practices and conduct a little business brainstorming. After lunch, Marian again took to the stage to discuss the importance of connections, and then our founder, Nicole, gave some tips on finding success with social media. After a tiny stretch break, we sat back down, eager for the first Flytographer PechaKucha 20X20, a presentation format whereby each presenter gets 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide to talk. We were blown away by the images and stories of Juan Felipe from Bogotá, Claudia from Cancún, Kimon from Santorini, Katie from LA, Daniel from Puerto Vallarta, Jimmy from London, and Lyndsay from Banff/Calgary, all who were brave enough to get up in front of everyone and present their personal projects and ideas. I was so inspired to hear their passion wrapped around every word. 94 • PASSPORT | THE MAGIC OF TRAVEL
P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
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We ended our time in the workshop space with a draw for some incredible giveaways from our awesome Meetup sponsors. Huge thanks and shoutouts to uber-generous Peak Design for donating bags and straps (Have you seen their products yet? They are fantastic – well-designed and well-made. Several of our photographers were already long-time fans and came equipped with their own beloved gear); to Tribe Archipelago for some cool new presets; and to ShootProof for offering a full gallery plan to one lucky winner.
P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
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P h oto : Kimo n i n S a nt o r i n i
And in the end, what’s left to do but celebrate? Everyone met at a hotel rooftop bar for our farewell, where the wine, stories and fun overflowed. Eager to move on to a dance club, we left the bar after a couple hours – but first squeezed into one of the hotel’s public washrooms for our traditional “bathroom party” (see where it all started in the Barcelona 2016 post). Lisbon embraced us well into the wee hours of the morning, watching us dance and sing, laugh and cry (happy tears, of course), all while knitting our friendships together even tighter. Until we meet again in 2019 (and I can hardly wait) – até logo, meus amigos! xo (To see more Lisbon meetup photos, please visit the blog: flytographer.com/blog/bom-dia-flytographers-4th-global-meetupin-lisbon).
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The Romance of Bangkok
Photos by: Natasha in Bangkok for Flytographer
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Camila’s story This was our honeymoon vacation and our first stop was Bangkok. We chose to have Flytographer help us capture good memories from all the temples, since we were so amazed that we often forgot to take pictures and just kept staring at everything. Bangkok is really something! You’ll be amazed by all the temples, Buddhist pagodas, and the buzzing traffic. You won’t have time or will forget to take good pictures for future memories, so we strongly recommend booking a Flytographer there!
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The funny thing is, we hired Natasha to capture photos of us, but as she speaks fluent English and Thai, she helped us SO MUCH with the language. Actually, by the time we met her, we hadn’t yet learned how to say the name of our hotel in Thai and were still miming with the taxi and tuk tuk drivers every time we needed to go back to our hotel. After our photo shoot, we could get a cab for the first time without taking 15 minutes trying to explain where we needed to go! We loved Natasha. She not only took our photos, but also made our experience so fun and light - we didn’t even notice we were taking photos! She was such a great person to get to know in Bangkok.
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