Lots of people travel for work, but photographers get the best deal. I’ve been in the other guy’s shoes, and it’s not the same. Before opening Blume Photography, I worked in the swimming pool business and traveled for occasional conferences, all to nice warm climates.

When you work in Washington, D.C., and you photograph corporate headshots day in and day out, it’s very easy to get burned out. You may even ask yourself why you became a photographer in the first place. Where is that creative spark you need in order to be fulfilled by what you do?

This month’s edition of Shutter Magazine is all about travel. I want to share with you several ways to maximize opportunities while traveling. I am always looking for ways to reduce my costs, find ways to generate income and create images for print competition.

Why are millions of people mesmerized by the Humans of New York project? For me, it’s the connection photographer Brandon Stanton quickly makes with his subjects to enable a life story to be told in a single portrait. Photographer and subject are both participants, resulting in a different kind of “decisive moment” than the classic street photography of a photographer like Henri Cartier-Bresson, whose subjects often aren’t aware that their moment has been captured. Viewed together, the HONY portraits tell the story of a city, revealing a true sense of place through its inhabitants. Street portraits are my favorite type of travel photographs, my favorite way to tell the story of the places I visit. They are also the most challenging for me to capture.

I used to think of a day when I was taking a flight as a day off. I couldn’t plan anything that day because I was flying. Traveling would take all the energy out of me, and being midair meant I was free from contact with the outside world. Not anymore.

Use a quality tripod. Nothing can ruin the perfect shot like a weak tripod or, even worse, no tripod at all. This is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your gear bag. Just as important as a steady set of legs is the head you put on it. Especially when you start shooting with a longer, heavier lens. Nobody wants to be in the middle of a long exposure only to have the ball head fail. I use Really Right Stuff carbon-fiber tripods. They’re incredibly sturdy, unbelievably light and easy to use. Cared for properly, they will last you a lifetime.