The Masterclasses by National Geographic Traveller (UK) were held in January 2025, featuring four online sessions and a live event at the Buffini Chao Deck, National Theatre, London. Sponsored by MPB, these sessions aimed to enhance the skills of aspiring travel writers and photographers.  

Expert panels included photographers like Sophia Hsin, Annapurna Mellor and Celeste Noche, and editors such as Sarah Barrell, Shafik Meghji and Greg Dickinson, who shared practical advice on publishing photos, building portfolios, pitching stories and crafting narratives. 

Here are eight top tips for budding  writers and photographers, courtesy of some of the brand’s most experienced contributors. 

Writing tips

1. Start well 
“With intros it’s a good idea to plunge the reader into the middle of a story. Good intros do that while also making it clear to the reader where they are and what the tenor of the story is all about. I’d also advise thinking of the intro and ending as a pair — they’re often the most difficult parts of travel writing, so it’s really worth spending time on them.” — Shafik Meghji 

2. Evoke the senses 
“It’s important in travel writing to create a sense of place, and evoking the senses is such an enormous part of that, if readers are going to feel as though they’re there with you. Things such as the feel of the ground under your feet, the smell and texture of the air, the sounds of dusk and dawn… these things are often more immediate than a straight description. However, remember that less is more — don’t overdo it or you risk overwhelming the reader with adjectives.” — Sarah Barrell 

3. Mess with chronology 
“Just because your journey is A-to-B, it doesn’t mean you have to write your piece that way. You don’t have to start at the beginning, and you don’t have to finish with the end point of your journey — in fact, you don’t even have to talk about making it to the end.” — Daniel Stables 

4. Pitch first, then travel 
“If you can, pitch before you travel, as it allows the editor and writer to shape what the story might be, tailor the itinerary if need be, and make sure that narrative really works for the publication. If you pitch once you’ve travelled there’s no real way to alter the story — and if a few elements aren’t quite right, it’s too late to do anything about it. — Amanda Canning 

Photography tips

1. Find your light 
“Try to find the light that’s available to you in that place. Sometimes you don’t have your ideal light, but I think you should still take photos even if your perfect light isn’t there. And you can think about how the absence of light can also help tell your story and help inform your photos —  sometimes harsh bright sun is all that’s available to you, but also what makes a photo.” — Celeste Noche 

 2. Get to know your target publication 
“It’s useful to study magazine layouts and design if you want to shoot for them. It’s a way to visualise how your pictures are going to be displayed and think about how you compose them and light them.” — Jonathan Stokes 

3. Get your work online 
“The main way that your work is out in the world is through your website. Be really selective about your images — only feature your best images. Think about separating your portfolios… maybe you really love travel photography, but you’ve also shot some restaurants or even weddings. Your second online portfolio is your social media. Keep your social media up to date. In my opinion, it should be a professional space like your portfolio, but it should also show more of your personality.” — Annapurna Mellor 

 4. Prepare for the worst 
“Always carry a backup camera and bring a hard disk or SSD drives so you can make copies of 
your photographs.” —  Adib Chowdhury 

 Check back for live recordings – on sale soon. 

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About APL Media    

An award-winning publisher and content marketing agency founded in 1997, APL Media Limited has been changing the narrative, and the way clients communicate with their audiences, for over 27 years. In addition to publishing the award-winning magazines National Geographic Traveller (UK) and Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK) and organising related events under the National Geographic brand umbrella, APL Media produces print, digital and live media across the travel and lifestyle sector. aplmedia.co.uk