Efraín M. Padró
Articles by Efraín M. Padró
Puerto Rico at Christmas time also gives me an opportunity to photograph beach scenes, rainforest landscapes and holiday decorations all in one trip. As an extra bonus, the weather is warm and I get to enjoy some of the best seafood found anywhere.
As soon as the mercury heads south, most photographers head inside. After all, who wants to photograph in cold, snowy conditions when you could be enjoying a hot drink in front of a roaring fire? Successful photographers who know the money-making tricks, that’s who.
Straddling the border between Argentina and Brazil, the Iguazú Falls are one of the world’s most dramatic waterfalls. I got to see them up close recently—but I wasn’t there just to admire the sights. These massive waterfalls, combined with the lush subtropical vegetation and varied local fauna, makes this UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site a top-tier photo destination.
It’s always good to have a theme or two in mind before you set off on a photography trip. Take my last visit to Puerto Rico. I had seen a number of articles about the famous lighthouses of Maine and other parts of the East coast in various publications. I was also aware that Puerto Rico happened to have its own string of colonial-era lighthouses along its coastline—but I had never seen anything written about them. Since editors were keen to publish articles and photographs about the Maine lighthouses, I was willing to bet they would go for something similar from Puerto Rico.
There are so many different ways to make money from photography. Needless to say, not all efforts are well rewarded – but many are.
I choose most of the countries I visit based on factors such as cost, available subjects, and the likelihood of selling my images once I return. But often, a chance to travel crops up and taking my camera means I can make money from it. In the case of Holland, I saved on food and lodging by tagging along with my wife, who was attending a business conference near Amsterdam.
I practiced law for almost 20 years before becoming a full-time travel photographer, but I first got interested in photography as a hobby in the mid-90s. I lived in Denver, Colorado, so I had plenty of opportunities to photograph world-class landscapes. I took the next step in 1999 when I began sending out my work to travel publications.
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