Travel Scholarships - Travel. Experience. Contribute.

Travel Writing Scholarship 2012 - The Shortlist

scholarships — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:33:00 GMT

[This Singapore skyline is one step closer...]

Our judging panel has spent the last three weeks pouring over all of the applications from our 2012 Travel Writing Scholarship. Each of you had taken us on a journey to another place to see, to understand, to taste, to know the world through your writing.

This year, we've decided to end the suspense early and announce to you the top applicants that have made our shortlist.

Congratulations to our shortlisted applicants - the winner will be announced on May 17th!

The Shortlist

(in alphabetical order)

Friends Road by abruckne

Travelling tigers by acinonyx

Memories of Meals in Haiku by agenbite

The Two Babushkas by annanore

The Voice of Mount Banahaw by apriljsun

Songs of the Mountains by aurvi

The Odd Duo by edsonlg

Priceless Currency by emily_rose

Why you like my Pakistan? by hanna

This too, is Africa by henkrigter

They say the last glass is gentle as death by homesickfoods

Snake Blood by imperfectrhyme

The Price of a Memory by jeffreyeide

Bird poo at the barber by kcasmann

Supermarket Desire by lerato

Three Cups of Tea, Malian edition by myviewfromeurope

Cookery Lessons on the Banks of the Ganga by niall-l

A Feast Fit for a Pharaoh by writing_the_world

Peculiar touristic attractions by ziggy

Stay in Touch

Want to learn more about our scholarship program and stay up-to-date on travel writing, photography and film making opportunities? Sign up to our Scholarship Mailing List.

Want to know what our past scholarship winners are up to?

2011 winner - Zoe Return to Turkey to Write for Rough Guides

2010 winner - Amy becomes a Rough Guides Author, checks out Australia

About WorldNomads.com

WorldNomads.com keeps you travelling safely. Whether you’re off for a long weekend, looking for the ultimate adventure or living the nomadic dream, you’ll stay safe with Travel Insurance you can buy online, anytime, and the latest travel safety advice. Learn how to flirt in over 25 languages with our free language guides and have an experience of a lifetime on a travel scholarship. We'll also help you share your journey with a free travel blog, get answers from other nomads to all of your travel questions (try the new 'Ask A Nomad' iPad app) and donate to a local community development project through our Footprints program.

WorldNomads.com - an essential part of every adventurous traveller's journey.

Travel Writing Scholarship 2012 - Southeast Asia

scholarships — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:36:00 GMT

APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED! Entries close April 23rd, 2012 at 2pm AEST (UTC +10).

Do you want to be a published travel writer?

This year we decided to shake things up a bit and instead of choosing just one country for our scholarship…we’ve decided to send you off to three different countries in Southeast Asia! Once on the ground, you’ll have the opportunity to see for yourself life beyond the banana pancake trail, and get to know Southeast Asia from the local perspectives, through the eyes of three amazing writers.

Here's the triple-dip deal:

First you'll head off to Singapore to go on assignment for five days under the mentorship of Rough Guides writer Richard Lim to review and update 'The Rough Guide to Singapore'.

Then you'll fly to Bali and meet up with Stuart McDonald, founder of Travelfish, the online travel guide to Southeast Asia, before heading off on six days of cultural insight and adventure in Indonesia.

For the last leg of the scholarship, you will be whisked off to Malaysia for a food odyssey through Kuala Lumpur and Penang with former local and cookbook author of award winning hsa*ba Burmese cookbook, Tin Cho Chaw, to explore how cuisine shapes the lives of Malaysians.

Important Dates

**You need to be available between June 18th - July 6th, 2012 to participate on the assignment.**

April 23 Submission deadline

April 24-May 11 Judging preliminary shortlist

May 11-16 Finalists shortlist

May 17 Winner confirmed and announced

May 17-June 17 Trip preparation

June 18 Arrive in Singapore

June 19-20 Meet Richard Lim - Singapore, shadow for two days

June 21-22 Solo assignment for two days

June 23 Meet up with Richard, feedback on assignment etc.

June 24-30 Indonesia: Culture & Adventure

July 1-July 5 Malaysia: Food Odyssey

July 6 Depart

August 20 Copy deadline

Singapore: On assignment with Rough Guides

_{Photo courtesy of}_{Rough Guides}

Your Rough Guides brief

* We'll fly you to Singapore from your country of residence.

* After spending two days learning the ropes with mentor Richard Lim, you will have a chance to explore this bustling, progressive city for two days on your own. In this time, you will research, review and update essential travel information for 'The Rough Guide to Singapore', including accommodation, bars & restaurants, cultural sights and activities, tours, and transport, as well as searching out those local secrets that travellers want to read about. On your final day, you will meet back up with Richard to go over your work together.

* Your mentor will be at hand to offer guidance, but essentially this is your assignment; you will travel on your own for this part of the journey so you must be comfortable travelling solo. Richard will assign you a specific area based on your travel experience.

* Your work will feature in the new edition of 'The Rough Guide to Singapore', placing your foot firmly in the door of the elusive travel writing industry!

_{Photo courtesy of Rough Guides}

Mentor, Richard Lim

Find out more about what you can expect from your Rough Guides mentorship.

Read an interview with Richard Lim about life as a travel writer.

Indonesia: Culture & Adventure

_{Photo courtesy of Emanuele Siracusa}

Explore a whole different side of Bali. Venture off the grid to the remote village of Sidemen - live like the locals live, experience firsthand their coconut and salt industries and delve into the Balinese belief in "black magic" (need a hex on your ex? you're in the right place).

To get your blood pumping, you'll then hike up to the top of Gunung Agung, an active volcano, and the highest point on the island, followed up with a refreshing dip in the surf, with lessons at a surf camp in West Bali (yes...you must be comfortable in the water!).

You'll also have some free time to explore on your own and to sit down with Stuart of Travelfish to pick his brain about online publishing in the travel space.

_{Photo courtesy of Travelfish}

Malaysia: Food Odyssey

_{Photo courtesy of hsa*ba}

Malaysian cuisine is comprised of three distinct cultures: Indian, Malay and Chinese - and the fusion recipes that make it so uniquely Malaysian. On this portion of your scholarship journey, you will be sampling it all, and learning about the process, stories and people behind the famous dishes (picky eaters, you've been warned!).

You will meet up with Cho of hsa*ba (with a blog that translates into "please eat", bring an empty stomach) in Kuala Lumpur and eat your way around the night markets before checking out the KL fine dining scene. You will also join a local food blogger and her Makan Club for a typical night out in Kuala Lumpur to experience what's happening in KL's food scene.

Finally, head up to Penang, the renowned food mecca of Malaysia. You'll get a hands-on cooking lesson and learn how to plate up some of your favorite dishes, wander through the endless wet market stalls on a food tour with Eating Asia, and visit a durian plantation (to sample the delicacies, of course!).

^{Photo courtesy of hsa*ba}

What you'll need to produce

Along with your work on the 'Rough Guide to Singapore', you will be required to keep a daily travel journal on WorldNomads.com (no less than 200 words per daily entry) to share your adventures through Southeast Asia. Your journal should be completed no later than two weeks from returning from your trip.

Who can apply

* This opportunity is open to students, emerging and non-professional writers and lovers of travel looking for a career change.

* The scholarship is open to all nationalities, however, you must have a high degree of proficiency in written English.

* The opportunity is designed to give you a taste of what it's like to be a travel writer on the road, so you must be comfortable doing some travel on your own.

* Minimum age 18 by the date the scholarship application close (April 23, 2012)

* A current passport with at least six months before expiry

* You must be available as per the dates set out. Please note these dates are not changeable in anyway, you must be available for the entire assignment.

* You should be an exceptional writer with a lust for adventure travel, a desire to experience new cultures (and eat them!)and above all, a burning desire to become a professional travel writer!

Watch our video for more eligibility information and application tips!

What constitutes a professional travel writer?

Essentially this is a 'learning opportunity' for someone who is looking for an introduction into the travel writing industry and importantly keen to be mentored.

As a guide, for the purposes of the opportunity, we would consider you to be professional travel writer if you have been published regularly in newspapers, travel magazines or travel journals. We would also consider you to be a professional travel writer if you derive more than 25% of your income from travel writing.

If you have had a few stories published, or keep a regular travel blog then we would not consider this professional.

We would also like to further clarify that a professional writer of any sort (travel writer or otherwise) is not eligible to apply if they derive more than 25% of their income from writing.

Please consider the spirit of the program which is intended to help those with a burning desire to be a professional travel writer and need some help getting started.

Apply now

If you want it, you've got to show it. To apply you need to:

1. Write. Craft a 2000 character or less (this includes spaces) travel focused essay based on a personal experience around one of the following themes;

a. 'Understanding a Culture through Food'
b. 'A Local Encounter that Changed my Life'
c. 'Seeing the World through Others Eyes'
d. 'Giving Back on the Road'

It's up to you to convince our judging panel through your writing that you have the spirit of adventure and passion for travel writing to be chosen for this scholarship. We will be looking for:

- great descriptive ability
- strong eye for detail
- ability to uncover and tell a compelling story
- excellent spelling and grammar and a knack for avoiding clichés

Check out our video blog with Rough Guide editor Clare Currie for some writing tips.

2. Complete an entry form which includes contact details and a maximum 800 character essay on why you should be chosen and what the opportunity will mean for you. Your answer will provide considerable weight in the judging process.

3. One entry per person.

4. The entry must be submitted in English.

Applications close April 23, 2012 at 2pm (AEST)

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY - Please read before applying!

Click to read the terms and conditions of this scholarship

The recipient of the Scholarship, along with the shortlist of best entries will be published on the WorldNomads.com website on May 17th, 2012.

Read the winning and best entries from our 2011 Travel Writing Scholarship

Got a question? Check out the FAQ video blog.

Psst! Want to know what our past scholarship winners are up to?

2011 winner - Zoe Return to Turkey to Write for Rough Guides

2010 winner - Amy becomes a Rough Guides Author, checks out Australia

Photos on Assignment: Walid Shares his Photos from South Africa

scholarships — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:54:00 GMT

In January, Walid Rashid joined National Geographic photographer, Jason Edwards, on assignment in South Africa as the winner of our 2011 Travel Photography Scholarship.

They embarked on an 8-day trip with G Adventures, to photograph the wildlife and landscape of South Africa, which included lots of early mornings and late nights in the game reserves to capture the action. Flooded conditions in Kruger National Park (thanks to a monsoon in Mozambique) only added to the adventure as the team got to hop in a chopper and take some amazing aerial shots. Needless to say, Walid got a taste of what it is really like to be on assignment as a National Geographic photographer!

Walid on his experience...

"Being mentored by National Geographic Photographer Jason Edwards for 8 days was a rewarding experience. Delving into the daily life of a professional photographer with 25 years of experience in the field has reshaped my approach to photography. Apart from the advanced technicalities of camera handling, which every enthusiastic photographer should master, I learned to find a frame in almost every scene and to always keep shooting since you learn something new with every photo you take.

My experience in South Africa with the World Nomads & National Geographic Channel Travel Photography Scholarship was beyond my expectations; from enjoying the beautiful scenery and breathtaking landscapes, to tracking wildlife in the vast open African savannas, to riding in a rescue helicopter as part of the aerial documentation of the recent floods and visiting some rural villages in Cape Town. In short it was a trip of a lifetime."

Here is a selection of photos taken by Walid that will be featured on National Geographic Channel's website!

Check out Walid's full set of photos from his assignment.

Read Walid's journal of his experience in South Africa.

Are you an aspiring photographer? If you are interested in our next Travel Photography Scholarship, check out our Scholarships page and sign up to our newsletter to receive information about upcoming opportunities.

About WorldNomads.com

WorldNomads.com - an essential part of every adventurous traveller's journey.

Video FAQs: Travel Writing Scholarship 2012 - Southeast Asia

scholarships — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:51:00 GMT

Are you an aspiring travel writer planning to apply for the 2012 Travel Writing Scholarship to Southeast Asia?

We've put together a few video clips to share with you in hopes that they will answer any application questions and provide a bit of insight into what makes a great travel writer.

Alicia Smith, Programs Marketing Manager at WorldNomads.com, shares the details of the scholarship. Watch the video.

- Who is eligible?

- How do I apply?

- What will I be doing?

Clare Currie, Publishing Director at Rough Guides, gives us an insider's view on what it takes to be a successful travel writer. Watch the video.

- What kind of writer are you looking for?

- What am I going to get out of this scholarship?

- What skills set apart a Rough Guides travel writer?

Good luck everyone! We can't wait to read your entries!

Travel Writing Scholarship Winner Update! Zoe Returns to Turkey to Write for Rough Guides

scholarships — Wed, 1 Feb 2012 14:39:00 GMT

The 2011 winner of our Travel Writing Scholarship to Turkey, Zoe Smith, is soon to be back on the road!

She has just been asked by Rough Guides to return to Turkey in the spring as a staff writer. On her scholarship assignment, she worked on 'The Rough Guide to Istanbul', and now she'll be exploring new territory, heading to the Sea of Marmara and the North Aegean.

Congratulations Zoe!

What did Zoe have to say about her scholarship experience?

"The World Nomads/Rough Guides Travel Writing scholarship offered me the unique opportunity to both complete a professional travel writing assignment and receive the guidance and mentorship of author Terry Richardson (who is still offering me advice almost one year on!). There was truly no better introduction to the industry than this - learning on the job and being encouraged to offer and develop my own
ideas, gave me the chance to hone my skills and gain confidence as a writer.

Not only that, but I got to explore the country as part of a BikeHike Adventures tour and take part in a host of activities - hot air ballooning over Cappadocia, horseback riding through the countryside, kayaking on the Mediterranean... the list is endless. The recent news that I have been invited back on board the Rough Guides team, this time to write for The Rough Guide to Turkey, is the perfect summation of an unforgettable experience.

Best of luck to the 2012 entrants - I can't wait to follow the winner's adventures and will spend the whole time wishing that I was there!" - Zoe Smith

You can check out Zoe's adventures on her blog - Loco for Locum.

Zoe was sent on assignment to Turkey with Rough Guides travel writer, Simon Richmond. To find out about your chance to be the next Travel Writing Scholarship recipient, sign up to the Scholarships Mailing List.

PSST!!! We're getting ready to launch our 2012 Travel Writing Scholarship later this month...stay tuned!

Related Articles:

Life of a Travel Writer. Our Rough Guides Mentor Tells All!

Writing and the Road - 6 Tips for Budding Bloggers

About WorldNomads.com

WorldNomads.com - an essential part of every adventurous traveller's journey.

Photos: Travel Writing 2012

scholarships — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:23:00 GMT

Travel Photography Scholarship 2011 - Winner Announced!

scholarships — Thu, 1 Dec 2011 04:25:00 GMT

On behalf of World Nomads and National Geographic Channel we would like to thank each and every one of you for sharing your talent and creativity by applying to our 2011 Travel Photography Scholarship. As happens each year, you continue to raise the bar with your poignant and captivating photos and the amazing stories from across the globe that accompany them.

You did not make our task an easy one when we set out to create a shortlist and pick the winner. We are so thrilled to know that such a deep pool of talented, budding photographers are out there capturing our world.

Congratulations to you all!

Judging Panel - General Feedback

Unfortunately we don't have the resources to comment on each individual entry, but there has been some general feedback from the judges which you might find useful when applying next year.

It is important to demonstrate that you can read and interpret a brief correctly, by making sure you carefully consider the judging criteria before submitting your photos. We include the video blog from Jason Edwards to make the criteria as clear as possible. Even so, we still had a number of entries who submitted fantastic photos but did not provide any captions for their photos and/or did not fulfill the brief of a 300 word maximum essay.

The Scholarship is a learning/mentoring opportunity, and we want you to tell us what have you captured, who you are are and why you should be the one person chosen to be mentored by a National Geographic photographer. If you didn't fulfill each and every part of the judging criteria, you would have been penalised accordingly. When a competition is as competitive as this, every point in the judging process is crucial. As a reminder these included; composition, exposure, originality, story, opinion, depth, captioning, reason for why you should win (max 300 word essay), willingness to learn and, contribution to photography.

Overall, the standard of submitted photos was excellent so we cannot fault you there! But some people did let themselves down by not fulfilling all of the brief.

So without further ado, we give you the winner...

1st Place - Kawah Ijen: Hope in the Inferno

Walid Rashid (Lebanon)

I’d like to congratulate Walid on his wonderful series featuring men working in a toxic sulphur mine. His images are a collection of wonderful compositions that strive to place the labourers within their environment whilst communicating their struggle and obvious dedication to their families. I was very pleased to see such a well-balanced mix of environmental portraiture and landscape within the set. I was also very happy to see Walid avoid the cliché mining image so common today, very well done!

2^nd Place - Eiderdown

Ingolfurb Bjargmundsson (Iceland)

Congratulations to Ingolfurb for a clear and concise snapshot into the lives and struggles of Eider Duck farmers. I loved his use of lines to encapsulate the scene and more importantly his use of negative space to take me into this isolated farm environment. I thought the fox prints on the wall a fantastic addition to the set.

3^rd Place (Equal) - Rural Living

Gunta Podina (Sweden)

Gunta’s heartfelt essay on the struggles of the elderly in a Latvian village was not only beautifully photographed but also insightful and thought provoking. Her composition sucked me into the world of this forgotten generation aided by wonderful exposure.

3^rd Place (Equal) - Mayurakshi in Birbhum

Debashis Chandra (India)

As soon as I viewed Debashis' images of the Birbhum fisherwomen I just wanted to be there! Not only to photograph this scene myself but also to share the experience with Debashis who so obviously felt an affinity with her subjects. It was nice to see a set of images that had a very obvious timeline i.e. a day in the life, as opposed to a set representing an overview of a ‘place’.

4^th Place - Grainfed Photo

Adrian Smith (Canada)

One of the simplest ways of endearing yourself to a wider audience photographically is to capture something that touches on a simpler way of life, an ‘ideal’ if you like. Adrian’s series about a family day at the farm does exactly that. Simple yet clever compositions, smart choices in the time of day and a very strong sense of place all combined to create a lovely essay.

The Shortlist (in alphabetical order)

Angela Radulescu (USA) - Finding Old Shatterhand

Annabel Candy (Australia) – Get in the Hot Spot

Antione Reveau (France) – Bagan behind the scene

Bianca Anderson (Spain) – Tales from a 35 litre backpack

Bryce Hughes (UK) – Stranger on the Streets of London

Catherine Jaffee (USA) - Chronicle of a Trottingglobe

Chris Tanner (USA) – The Village

Clancy Lethbridge (Australia) – A Japanese Story

Doug Wayne (Canada) – The Mesh Life in Jurujuba

Emlyn Crockett (Australia) – A Brief Step into Cambodia

Felix Lowe (Australia) – Rock to Ring: Diamonnds in Siberia

Grace Lee (USA) – The Light in your Eyes

Hannah Robinson (Australia) – The Last Nomad

Hema Narayanan (India) – Faith & Life in Ladakh

Ilan Zvuluni (Israel) – Radio & Times

Jessica Sartini (Australia) – Along the Roads of the Kingdom of Morocco

Joachim Neilandt (Belgium) – Sights

Julie Hockensmith (USA) – A Small Village in Sri Lanka

Kristen Bacon (USA) – Appalachia

Leyland Cecco (Egypt) – Ceccout Egypt

Matiinu Ramadhan (Indonesia) – The Cikapundung Kids

Mohammad Amin Ahangari (Iran) – No Pain, No Gain

Nazrul Haider Chowdhury (Bangledesh) – In the Valley of Banderban

Nicolas Rakotopare (Australia) – Unseen Durbar Square – Kathmandu

Penny Kittel (Australia) – The Arena

Rhysg Gwyn (Australia) – The Story of Cobra

Richard Fairbrother (China) – A long winter in Beijing

Sarah Pragnell (Australia) – Laugh. Love. Eat. Create. Travel.

SureshBabu Korangi (India) – Countryside

Taushik Mandal (India) – Julaaay!

Victoria Schuller (Cambodia) – Children of Cambodia

Zaki Habibi (Australia) – tranquility

What's Next?

Congratulations to Walid Rashid, and everyone who was shortlisted or placed. We will keep you posted on Walid's trip to South Africa with Jason Edwards and the resulting photos.

We look forward to seeing everyone's new work next year! To stay up to date on scholarship news and for upcoming opportunities, don't forget to sign up to our Scholarship mailing list.

A Final Thought from Jason Edwards

It seems only a moment ago I was boarding a plane for Bhutan and now here we are with our 2011 winner, Walid. Congratulations!

Every year I marvel at all that I’ve had the privilege to experience and photograph and also all of the wonderful people I’ve met along the way. I feel that way about this Scholarship now, we’ve become somewhat of a family finding long lost cousins and making new friends every year.

For myself 2011 has been a little different, for a start I have been shooting but a lot less; I’ve been travelling but also a lot less. I lost four months to illness, possibly penance for my wayward lifestyle, and in between smaller photographic projects attempted with my assistant Katie to edit a couple of hundred thousand frames, about 27 shoot folders to be exact. And we’re still going…

I was also back in Washington meeting with Editors and friends at National Geographic so if it’s any consolation the harsh eye I’ve focussed on your entries has likewise been turned inwardly. The result was a mix of surprise, frustration, pride and pinch of self-loathing and flagellation.

The quality of entries rose again this year so the judging was even more cutthroat if that was at all possible. It was wonderful to see such a variety of stories told in so many ways and from so many countries. However, it still surprises me how few people focus the eye on their local community but there you have it, you all like to travel it seems!

Winning the Scholarship is not simply a matter of selecting the best imagery but in finding the individual we felt would benefit the most from time with me and in turn what they hoped to achieve through their photography. This year that element of the judging became more difficult as people chose to ignore the judging criteria in far larger numbers.

Many people seemed troubled talking about themselves wasting valuable words describing things that should have been in their captioning. So many people didn’t tell me what they wanted to gain from the experience or even what they hoped to learn. Some people chose not to even caption their images, a major omission… Ignore the judging process criteria at your own peril!

In closing congratulations to everyone that took the time to produce a portfolio and enter. This in itself is a great exercise and strengthens your photographic ability in ways you may not realise. Please remember, what is most important about your images is what you capture at the time, not what you do in post production. Enjoy your photography as a creative expression of who you are and your place in the world. I hope to see you all again next year!

Best Wishes  

Jason

Travel Photography Scholarship 2011 - South Africa - APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED!

scholarships — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 02:23:00 GMT

Go on assignment to South Africa and be mentored by a National Geographic photographer!

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED! GOOD LUCK TO ALL THAT ENTERED.

Applications close November 8th 2011, at 2pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (GMT +11)

WorldNomads.com and National Geographic Channel are giving one exceptional individual the chance to go on assignment with renowned wildlife and natural history photographer Jason Edwards to South Africa!

This is your chance to photograph in Kruger National Park on an 8-day trip with G Adventures. Step into the heart of Big 5 game country with lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo, as well as zebra, giraffe, kudo and monkey...to name a few. You'll also photograph Cape Town in all its vibrant colour and visit a pre-school community project on the outskirts of Cape Town, offering you a well rounded view of modern South Africa, courtesy of South African Tourism.

A selection of your best photos will be published on National Geographic Channel where they will be viewed by thousands of travellers worldwide, offering you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get your foot in the door of one of the most revered exploration organisations in the world!

Highly regarded for his wildlife and remote landscape photography, Jason Edwards is represented by National Geographic Image Collection.

Jason Edwards, National Geographic

Your Assignment Brief

* We'll fly you in from your country of residence to Johannesburg where you will meet your mentor and small travel group for your bespoke 8 day trip with G Adventures. You'll need to be available to be in South Africa between January 18-25, 2012.

* On the trip you will work alongside Jason Edwards photographing wildlife and landscapes in Kruger National Park at various times of the day and night. You will also work through a specific shot list as part of your assignment.

* You will gain invaluable mentoring and hands-on experience in everything from shot set up, technique and composition through to insights into his many years of diverse experience as an award winning photographer.

* Your assignment will involve observing and assisting Jason as well as undertaking your own photographic work. This will involve long days, early mornings and late nights working!

* You will keep a daily diary about your time on the trip and upload this to a WorldNomads.com travel journal, including pictures you've taken.

* On your return you will work with Jason Edwards through the editorial process to shortlist your top photographs and colour balance to achieve professional looking shots for submission to National Geographic Channel for publication.

* Most of all, you'll be experiencing what it's like to be a photographer on-assignment with National Geographic!

See past travel photography scholarship winner Dat Vu's photos (2010) on the Nat Geo Channel website, and Anna Zhu's (2009) exhibition with Jason Edwards in Sydney.

Jason Edwards, National Geographic

Who can apply

* This opportunity is open to any non-professional trying to start a career in Travel Photography - photography students or keen amateurs/pro-amateurs looking for a foot in the door.

* Minimum age 18 with a good level of physical fitness.

* This is a global opportunity - you may be a resident of any country.

* You should be an exceptional photographer with a lust for adventure, have a strong desire to be mentored and grow your photographic knowledge and skills, an ambition to forge a career in Travel Photography, and of course a desire to travel to South Africa.

* Remember this is a scholarship, a learning experience, and therefore will not be suitable for professional or semi-professional photographers.

* Find out more about eligibility in our FAQ video blog

Jason Edwards, National Geographic

Apply now

Please look carefully at the 4 steps required to complete your application.
If your photos are not ready, we suggest you come back later to complete this entry.

1. Shoot a series of photos (maximum of 5)

They must tell a story about a place you have visited. 'Place' may be anywhere; somewhere in your own community or much further away. The judges will be looking for:

* originality
* ability to convey a story through photos
* excellent technique

Each of the 5 shots must have accompanying caption text to help contextualize the shot (see Point 7 in Jason's Judging Criteria).

Please see our FAQ video blog about the theme, making digital adjustments and Jason's judging criteria .

2. Add your photos to WorldNomads.com.

Firstly create a journal, which is where your photos will be hosted, and fill in the entry form. Upload your photos either as a Flickr set or directly in the journal. (If you are already a member or have a journal, please sign-in.)

*Please don't remove the tags and title of the gallery we have set up for you - this is how we find you*

3. Tell us in 300 words or less about yourself and why you should be chosen.

Your written response will have significant weighting in the judging process, so think carefully about why you should be chosen. Tell us about yourself, your passions, why you love photography, what drives you to take a better shot, where you would like to go with your photography etc. Help us form a picture in our mind of you as a person with your text (see Point 8 in Jason's Judging Criteria).

Remember this is a once in a lifetime learning opportunity, not a junket for professional photographers.

4. Finally the legal bit.

You know the Terms and Conditions of entry.

One entry per person

Applications close: 2pm November 8, 2011 (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)

Please Note: Last year we almost had a server meltdown because applicants left it to the last minute to submit. Don't miss out! Apply well before the closing date to ensure your application is successful!

The recipient of the Scholarship, along with the best entries, will be published on WorldNomads.com on December 1, 2011.

Check out our finalists and shortlist from 2010 along with judge's comments.

About WorldNomads.com

WorldNomads.com - an essential part of every adventurous traveller's journey.

Ask the Photographer: FAQs with Jason Edwards - Travel Photography Scholarship 2011

scholarships — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:17:00 GMT

We have created ASK JASON - FAQ's video blog with our program mentor, Jason Edwards. Hopefully you will find the answer to any questions you might have about the Travel Photography Scholarship.

1. Tell me more about the photographic theme. Can a 'place' be anywhere? How many photos should I submit?

VIDEO ANSWER

2. I have a technical question about;

a) Colour calibration.

VIDEO ANSWER

b) Saturation and Contrast

VIDEO ANSWER

c) Sharpening

VIDEO ANSWER

d) Cropping

VIDEO ANSWER

e) Digital Enhancement

VIDEO ANSWER

3. What kind of camera/equipment can I use to take my photos?

VIDEO ANSWER

4. Am I eligible to apply? What constitutes a professional or semi-professional?

VIDEO ANSWER

5. How does the judging work? What exactly will I be judged on?

VIDEO ANSWER

6. What will I get out of this scholarship?

VIDEO ANSWER

Don't have time to watch the videos? Here are a few tips about Judging Criteria and Digital Adjustments.

1.Preparing your entries - digital adjustment guideline

-Calibration and colour Images must be colour profiled/corrected using a calibrated monitor and utilising Adobe RGB 98 colour space before submission. Allowances will NOT be made for poorly colour managed/corrected images.

-Please ensure your images are not over saturated and faithfully represent the subject matter. The same applies to Contrast Levels, the resultant image should be realistic.

-Sharpening is allowed but use sparingly – many images are ruined by over-sharpening. Likewise for Noise Reduction, only use this function where absolutely necessary, and keep it to a minimum.

-Mild cropping is allowed, but please be mindful that if you are a finalist and the original file is requested for comparison with your submitted image, you may be penalized for excessive cropping. We are interested in your ability to capture the image at the time, not find the perfect composition whilst sitting at the computer.

-Digital adjustments are only acceptable if limited to minor cleaning work (removing dust spots), levels, curves, colour, saturation and contrast work. Setting the Black and White Points, minor adjustments to the Curves and correcting for any colour shifts should be all that is required.

-Compositing and multiple exposures are not allowed. Sandwich shots, double exposures, photographs which consist in any way of more than one separate image and images that have been digitally manipulated are not eligible.

-Adding or removing people, animals, parts of animals, plants, reflections, distractions, architecture, objects etc into/from the image is NOT allowed. Always keep in mind as a finalist you may be required to submit the original file or film for comparison.

The faithful representation of what was captured at the time of the shot
being taken must be maintained.

2. Judging Process

Jason has identified the 10 key criteria your entry will be judged on in the judging process below. Please read them carefully before lodging your application for the
best chance of success.

1. Composition: Every element should have it's place in an image, even shadows and highlights.

2. Exposure: The exposure should match the tone and mood of the image, without manipulating the integrity of the subject matter.

3. Originality: There are more images being taken in the world today, but there are fewer photographers. See it differently.

4. Story: Every individual frame should tell a story, if an image doesn't do this then remove it.

5. Opinionated: Is your story opinionated? It does not have to be a moral or ethical viewpoint just your emotion coming through.

6. Depth: Have you explored your story or scraped the surface?

7. Captioning: Do not rely on an editor seeing everything you see in an image. Provide at least some background to what is happening in the frame.

8. Reason why you should win: Always a personal viewpoint, entrants are ranked based on what they hope to gain from the experience and what they hope to contribute back to the greater community. Entries over 300 words will be ineligible for judging, so don't go over!

9. Willingness to learn: Very, very important! It is a scholarship, and the successful applicant had to be willing to learn, and in some cases re-learn elements of their photographic technique and how they behave as photographers.

*Note: In addition to learning about you as a person I also look for answers to Judging Criteria 8 and 9 in the 300 word essay. But please do not exceed the word count!

10. Contribution to Photography: Did the images and story as a whole contribute something to the art of photography?

3. Some final thoughts from Jason...

Today the world is awash in imagery but there are fewer Photographers. Is the art of photography dying, quite possibly, and the root cause is the reliance on post-production software to make poor images better. Our scholarship provides a unique opportunity to learn the art of making a beautiful image in the field rather than in front of the computer. I am not interested in your skills with imaging software, in fact quite the opposite.

We are looking for an individual with potential, and the greatest desire to listen and learn. I am working on this assignment and will need your assistance; this will take patience and focus. Remember that we analyse every image in your submission, so read the Judging process and Conditions carefully. If one frame is weak then leave it out, you do not necessarily have to submit five images. In addition, the format of your entry does not matter, film, digital, and 35mm or medium format. However, if you are mixing formats ensure the images work together.

The theme of your story does not have to be wondrous or exotic, just a place you have visited. Look at your immediate life and be creative.

Want to hear more from Jason? Check out his personal photography blog here.

Find Jason on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jason-Edwards-Photography/298894843459544

If you are unsure if we have received your photo submission, please check this link, as it lists all applications for this scholarship: http://adventures.worldnomads.com/scholarships/?m=5

Please read this post & all comments below Before posting a new comment

Photos: South Africa - 2011

scholarships — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 03:27:00 GMT

Travel Video Documentary Scholarship - Our Winner!

scholarships — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 23:25:00 GMT

It's been tough Nomads. Really tough. We reviewed your documentaries from the edge of our seats; amazed, horrified, inspired, heart broken, and left contemplating our very existence!

We received over 170 entries from every crevice of the earth. The places you are travelling, the people you are meeting and the stories you are telling astound us.

Thank you to everyone for sharing your important stories with us and congratulations to our winner, runners' up and shortlisted applicants, all of which were exceptional.

WINNER: Cassie De Colling - Line of Control

Judge's comments: This was a beautifully filmed and wonderfully told story. The little story of hope in one family told against the backdrop of a war torn region was engaging and moving without falling into the overtly moralistic or sentimental world. The imagery gave a great sense of the world and narrative a clear and concise structure in such a short space of time. A worthy winner.

Congratulations Cassie! You will be flying to Arnhem Land with Virgin Australia, joining the World Expeditions Marine Rescue Program. Your assignment under mentorship from Trent O'Donnell is to make a short documentary for Nat Geo Adventure!

RUNNERS' UP

Second Place: Erin Morris - Courage

Judge's comments:This film has a great rawness and energy to it. It was a wonderful character driven piece that gave such a clear sense of one man's plight under incredibly difficult circumstances. The final moment between father and son was handled with lovely observational soft touch.

Third Place: Ernesto Anaya Adalid - 0 Longitude

Judge's comments:A spectacular looking piece with great characters and an interesting tale of bureaucracy in the strait between Alaska and Russia. The film had a great sense of adventure and local community in an incredibly harsh climate. I thought the sense of place was conveyed really well and the visuals showed an wonderful, creative eye.

Fourth Place: Thomas Allan - Letter from Lapland

Judge's comments:If Tom's letter from Lapland is a taste of what's to come from this
aspiring documentary filmmaker then we can't wait to check our inboxes for
the next instalments of his journey. Beautifully shot and scored, it
captures the isolation and haunting beauty of the arctic with a real sense
of warmth. Now if only I could remember where my bike is?

Fifth Place: Ralph Lam - A Short Travel Documentary

Judge's comments:If there's one thing that always gets to me it is finding out what other people are thinking and in Ralph's 'A Short Travel Documentary', that is
exactly what I feel like I'm getting. It's a very simple film, a series of interviews of a handful of travellers passing through one area in Malaysia but the result is terrific. The filmmaker has turned the premise of a travel film on its head and come up with gold - he isn't travelling, everyone else is, he's just capturing their, sometimes amusing, thoughts as they pass by. Why didn't I think of that?

THE SHORTLIST

(In alphabetical order)

Nisar Ahmed - Voice from Pakistan

Rodrigo Alvarez - Mexican Roots

Josephine Boxwell - Rural Voices in British Columbia

Sarah Choi - Stories of Empowerment

Jessica Crump - Rediscovering the Lost City of Columbia

Oana Dragan - Whoa is Me

Simon Doree - Consider This Before You Enlist

Wajeeha Fatima - Hindu Community in Pakistan

Frank Ferendo - The Bridge Diaries

Nate Gross - Arequipa Volunteer Adventure

Jacqui Hocking - Creating Peace Through Cultural Pride

Stephanie McWilliam - Korean Encounters

Analeen Hermans - Tia

Mir Mukarram Hossain - Crama

Manuela Lorga - My Jazz

Noella Marquez - The Art that Lives

Alex Pena - Mexico: Narco Encounters

Ilyas Sarib - Village 14

Danie Van der Westhuzien - A Local Encounter of Hope

Louis Young - Street by Street

Kevin Zeichmann - In the Blood: Tradition of Hunting

Random Award for Awesome Entries!

(Formerly the Nomads Community Choice Award - but our Facebook liking tool had a bug, and we couldn't honestly calculate the likes. We're very, very sorry! So we picked a entry number randomly...)

Goes to Bryan Myers for Composting at Crawford High School

Lucky you Bryan, a new video camera is coming your way!

Thanks Nomads, we look forward to seeing your entries next year.

Sign up to the Scholarships Mailing List to hear about more opportunities.

Travel Video Documentary Scholarship 2011 - Arnhem Land, Australia

scholarships — Sat, 2 Apr 2011 00:17:00 GMT

-NOW CLOSED-

Go on assignment to the Arnhem Land, far north Australia and have your doco broadcast on Nat Geo Adventure!

Applications close June 16, 2pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

Kick start your documentary career by going on assignment to one of the most remote Yolngu Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land (far north Australia), and be immersed in traditional Yolngu Aboriginal knowledge and understanding of the land, sea and animals.

Flying to the Northern Territory with Virgin Blue,you will take part in a special project with World Expeditions, working alongside the indigenous Yolngu Aboriginal rangers to restore sea country by removing and cataloging marine debris, the by-product of South East Asia’s fishing industry.

Under the mentorship of documentary producer Trent O'Donnell (who filmed our Positive Footprints series screened on Nat Geo Adventure Channel)you will find your story and create your own short documentary.

It will then be considered for broadcast on Nat Geo Adventure! That's right - the holy grail documentary makers work their whole lives to achieve!

_{Photo: Cameron Herweynen, winner 2007 Travel Photography Scholarship}

Your assignment brief

Join a 7 day World Expeditions' community project in North East Arnhem Land, working alongside the indigenous Yolngu Aboriginal rangers to restore sea country by removing and cataloging marine debris, the by-product of South East Asia’s fishing industry.

The virtually pristine coastline is facing a significant environmental threat from marine debris washed in on the ocean currents. Discarded fishing nets, rubber footwear, empty bottles and plastic bags are all carried by these currents from throughout the South East Asian region and deposited on the Arnhem Land Coast. All of this waste is a major threat to the wildlife, as animals get caught up in the nets and choke on the plastic rubbish.

Not only will we be using high-tech techniques for dealing with this modern problem, but also relying on and learning from Traditional Yolngu Aboriginal knowledge and understanding of the land, sea and animals. The group may break into mens and womens groups to share in the gender-specific aspects of culture and lifestyle. Men can learn traditional hunting and fishing and women can be involved in traditional bush medicine, bush food and handicrafts.

This project aims to work alongside and under the direction of Yolngu Aboriginal Rangers from Dhimurru and Laynhapuy Land Management as we together collect, catalogue and dispose of the marine rubbish.

Working with the Yolngu people under the mentorship of Trent O'Donnell you will find your story and film your own short documentary.

What's the deal?

* We'll fly you to the Northern Territory, Australia with Virgin Blue from your country of residence.

* You need to be available to be in Australia from September 3-9, 2011 to participate in the project.

* Under the mentorship of Trent O'Donnell you will shoot a video documentary about the experience.

* You will keep a daily diary about your time on the trip and upload this plus pictures you've taken to your WorldNomads.com travel journal.

* You will edit together your 5-10 minute documentary and submit it to WorldNomads.com within 2 months of your return.

Watch Mo Soliman, our 2010 winner talk about his experience

Who can apply?

* Any non-professionals can apply - this is open to film students, or anyone who's trying to build a career in documentary making!

* Minimum age 18 with a current, valid passport and you must available as per the dates set out. Please note these dates are not changeable in anyway.

* You may be a resident of any country.

* You should be a mad-keen auteur with a lust for adventure and burning desire to be a documentary maker.

* You must be fit and healthy as moderate levels of physical work are involved, and happy to camp for 7 days.

Am I eligible? What makes a non-professional?

This is a grey area, and very tricky to put measures around. We appreciate documentary filmmaking is a difficult industry to crack and there are a lucky few who can count themselves as a professional full time documentary maker.

This scholarship is very much about the mentorship opportunity, and the judging panel will be selecting someone who they feel will most benefit from the learning opportunity. So if you have already been commissioned to make documentaries or have had your work broadcast on numerous occasions, it is unlikely you will be selected.

You will be asked to outline your experience to date in the submission process, and it will be the judging panel who decides who is most suitable based on their video and written component. So whilst we are not stipulating exactly what does and does not constitute a professional, think about the spirit of the mentorship program and whether you think you would make the most ideal candidate.

Apply now

If you want it, you've got to show it. To apply you need to:

1. Compile a maximum 3 minute video documentary in English based around the theme; 'Local Encounters'. Remember, 3 minutes maximum means that 3:01 videos will be ignored. In a professional video environment, you need to be able to deliver up to the exact time, we're no different in this case. Do not go over !

Your 'local encounter' may be from your travels or somewhere closer to home. You should explore how this encounter changed your perspective on the world. The theme is open to interpretation, so be creative! The documentary may be compiled from previous travel videos you've shot.

It's up to you to convince our judging panel through your video that you have the spirit for adventure and passion for filmmaking to be chosen for this scholarship. Our judging panel will be looking for;

* The ability to convey a strong narrative within a short time-frame
* Originality
* A visually engaging story
* A candidate whose passion for documentary filmmaking makes them an obvious choice to benefit from this professional mentorship opportunity.

We strongly recommend you look at the previous winners (below) to give you an idea of the quality we are looking for. Entries compiled solely of still shots will not be considered, you need to demonstrate your skill with the moving image.

2. Upload your video : Go to Youtube.com to upload your video

3. Add your video to Worldnomads.com: Create a journal and fill in the entry form, then follow the simple instructions to upload your video into the post. In under 200 words tell us about your video;

- What inspired your subject matter?

- What has been your documentary experience to date?

- What is your ambition as a documentary maker and what would winning this scholarship mean to you?

You will be judged on what you write as much as your video submission, convince us you are a worthy candidate!

4. Additionally, we will be offering a Random Award for Awesome Entries whereby every eligible entry, who has met all the criteria, will go into the draw to win a digital video camera worth AUD$2500! (This award will have no bearing on the scholarship judging).

One entry per person (no longer than 3 minutes, again remember, entries that exceed this will not be considered)

Watch our 2010 winner's & shortlisted documentaries

Watch our 2009 winner's & shortlisted documentaries

Entries close June 16, 2011, 2pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

DOWNLOAD A SCHOLARSHIP POSTER;

A4 SIZE
A3 SIZE

USLETTER SIZE

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY - Please read!

Travel Writing Scholarship 2011- Our Winner!

scholarships — Fri, 1 Apr 2011 02:42:00 GMT

Our judging panel have been around the world, and back, and then some, reading through 1142 travel tales from you talented nomads! Riotous, insightful, disorientating, hilarious and always inspiring, your submitted stories were a pleasure to read. Thank you to everyone who applied and shared your travel experiences with us, particularly our shortlisted entries who were all highly commended by our judging panel.

But of course...there can only be one winner...

Our Winner....

Zoe Smith!

_{Zoe Smith, Thailand}

Congratulations Zoe, you are off to Turkey to meet your Rough Guides mentor, Terry Richardson! You'll also enjoy a Turkish Delight tour with BikeHike Adventures. Can't wait to read about your adventures.

Winning Story: Jamu in Java by Zoe Smith

Judges' comments: Jamu in Java was favoured by all the judges - and rightly so. Zoe created a piece of writing which was remarkably well balanced - successfully evoking a personal experience and making the reader feel involved and engaged with the sights, sounds, smells and emotions. The piece demonstrates a lightness of touch which is vital for successful travel writing and combines it with insightful observation and well-judged wry humour. It made us feel included in Zoe’s experience and, most importantly, it made us want to experience it for ourselves.

Second Place

Knights off-the grid by Chris Knight

Judges Comments: Knights off-the-grid stood out because it told a unique story – it animated a small detail, a brief moment from a trip which was presumably full of bigger, splashier experiences. It was a story told without clutter or embellishment, just simply related and all the more impactful for it. I felt like I’d really learned something and gained an insight that only this author could bring.

Third Place

The Heart of Varanasi by Eliza Latham

Judge's Comments: Heart of Varanasi took a subject matter that appeared quite a few times in the competition entries and elevated it above the crowd. Many writers got bogged down in excessive descriptions, but this piece brought us clarity and insight with vivid and well-judged prose which made us feel this was more than just a backpacker’s tale.

The Shortlist

(in alphabetical order)

In Transit by arabun

Keeping the Paradise Dream Clean by chantelles_travel_adventures

Cuba Libre by eileenorama

Touted! by ghobbs

"No Man" by gulliblestravels

Yemen-In-between Spaces by hopehill

Holy Mole(Pablano!)by lucieboots

A Home-cooked meal, Away from Home by mbrinlee

Mosi-oa-Tunya by nomadic_adventures

The Day I Saw a Living Goddess by ninawegner

Motorcycling in Vietnam by pete

Bloody Good Friday by ptumang

Spirits Lost and Found in New Zealand by sarahlochner

Heatstroke in Mongolia by tomczaban

View from a Camel's Back by umbriagal

Journey in an Unknown Culture by theworldisabook

Mesmerised by Mayhem by writing_the_world

Make you sure you keep in touch by signing up to the Scholarships Mailing List

Photos: Antarctica Photographic Exhibition

scholarships — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:50:00 GMT

Antarctica Photographic Exhibition by Jason Edwards and Anna Zhu

scholarships — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:27:00 GMT

Remember Anna Zhu?

Our 2009 Travel Photography Scholarship winner who went on assignment to Antarctica with National Geographic photographer Jason Edwards?

Her stunning photographs have captured the attentions of many including UTS (Sydney, Australia). Together with WorldNomads.com and our program partners National Geographic Channel and Gap Adventures, UTS are currently hosting an exhibition of Anna's Antarctica photos alongside the work of veteran photographer and mentor Jason Edwards.

_{Photos: Jason Lyon}

The exhibition includes 34 photos, and 3 video presentations including interviews with both Jason and Anna in Antarctica about their experience.

Our opening night event on March 24 attracted about 150 folk, and we were treated to talks from both Jason and Anna.

Any Sydney Nomads out there, please check out the free exhibition which is running until April 15, 2011 at UTS Tower, Foyer Exhibition Space Building 1 Level 4, 15 Broadway Ultimo, NSW (map)

Congratulations to both Anna and Jason!

Let us know what you think if you make it along.

_{Jason Edwards and son Will. Photo: Jason Lyon}

_{Photo: Jason Lyon}

Would you like to be mentored by a Nat Geo photographer?

Sign up the Scholarship Mailing List.

Dat shares his photos from Bhutan

scholarships — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:36:00 GMT

Dat Vu, winner of the 2010 Travel Photography Scholarship, went on assignment in December with National Geographic photographer Jason Edwards to Bhutan.

They travelled for a week exploring historic buildings and monasteries, picturesque villages and beautiful Alpine Wetlands- home to the endangered Black Necked Crane. Dat enjoyed 8 days of mentorship from Jason and learnt first hand what its like to be on assignment, searching for those coveted shots.

This is a selection of photos from Dat taken on his Pentax camera , which are being featured on National Geographic Channel's website!

See Dat's full set.

Read about Dat's scholarship experience.

Do you want to go on assignment with National Geographic?

Sign up to the Scholarship Mailing list to be kept up to date with opportunities.

Travel Writing Scholarship 2011- Entries have now closed

scholarships — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 01:20:00 GMT

Entries closed March 28th 2011, at 2PM AUSTRALIAN Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11)

Do you want to be a published travel writer?

Go on assignment to Istanbul with Rough Guides!

Kick start your travel writing career by going on assignment to Istanbul, Turkey. After touching base with your travel writing mentor, you will hit the road for 7 days reviewing and writing for The Rough Guide to Istanbul for your chance to get published. You will also have the chance to satisfy your adventure cravings on a 12 day Turkish Delight tour, biking, hiking and kayaking your way through Turkey with BikeHike Adventures.

Your assignment brief

* We'll fly you to Istanbul from your country of residence. You need to be available between June 7th - 28th, 2011 to participate on the assignment

* After spending two days learning the ropes with mentor Terry Richardson, you will research, review and update essential travel info for 'The Rough Guide to Istanbul', including accommodation, bars & restaurants, entertainment, shopping, tours, activities and transport, as well as searching out those local secrets that travellers want to read about.

* Your mentor will be at hand to offer guidance, but essentially this is your assignment; you will travel on your own for this part of the journey so you must be comfortable travelling solo. Terry will assign you a specific area based on your travel experience.

* Your work will feature in the new edition of 'The Rough Guide to Istanbul', placing your foot firmly in the door of the elusive travel writing industry!

Mentor, Terry Richardson

Find out more about what you can expect from your Rough Guides mentorship.

Read an interview with Terry Richardson about life as a travel writer.

Important Dates - 2011

March 28 Competition closes (2.00pm, Australian Eastern Daylight Time)

April 28 Winner announced

June 7 Winner Arrive Istanbul

June 8-19 Turkish Delight Tour with BikeHike Adventures

June 20-21 Meet your mentor Terry Richardson, shadow for 2 days

June 22-25 Solo assignment

June 26-27 Meet with Terry to review work etc.

June 28 Depart

Aug 15 Rough Guides content deadline

Turkish Delight tour with BikeHike Adventures

Before you meet your mentor, enjoy immersing yourself in the Turkish culture, get your travel writing skills up to speed and satisfy your adventure cravings! BikeHike Adventures will provide you with the ultimate buffet of multi-sports activities with a 12 day itinerary on their Turkish Delight tour highlighting most of Turkey's trusted gems. The trip includes exploring the fairytale landscape of Cappadocia by mountain bike, foot and horseback, strolling through Istanbul visiting the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar and Palace and sea kayaking on the Mediterranean past ancient ruins.

_{Photos courtesy of BikeHike Adventures}

Assignment location

^{Photos courtesy of Rough Guides}

Turkey is a vast country – France would fit within its boundaries with plenty of room to spare – incorporating characteristics of Middle Eastern and Aegean, as well as Balkan and trans-Caucasian, countries. Mosques coexist with Orthodox churches; Roman theatres and temples crumble alongside ancient Hittite cities; and dervish ceremonies or gypsy festivals are as much a part of the social landscape as classical music concerts or delirious sports fans. The one constant in all this – and one of the things that makes Turkey such a rewarding place to travel – is the Turkish people, whose reputation for friendliness and hospitality is richly deserved.

^{Text and photos courtesy of Rough Guides}

Who can apply

* The scholarship is open to students, emerging and non-professional writers and lovers of travel looking for a career change.

* You must have a high degree of proficiency in written English.

* The opportunity is designed to give you a taste of what it's like to be a travel writer on the road, so you must be comfortable doing some travel on your own.

* Minimum age 18 with a current passport and you must be available as per the dates set out. Please note these dates are not changeable in anyway, you must be available for the entire assignment.

* You should be an exceptional writer with a lust for adventure travel and a burning desire to be a travel writer!

What constitutes a professional travel writer?

Essentially this is a 'learning opportunity' for someone who is looking for an introduction into the travel writing industry and importantly to be mentored.

As a guide, for the purposes of the opportunity, we would consider you to be professional travel writer if you have been published regularly in newspapers, travel magazines or travel journals. We would also consider you to be a professional travel writer if you derive more than 25% of your income from travel writing.

If you have had a few stories published, or keep a regular travel blog etc then we would not consider this professional.

We would also like to further clarify that a professional writer of any sort (travel writer or otherwise) is not eligible to apply if they derive more than 25% of their income from writing.

Please consider the spirit of the program which is intended to help those with a burning desire to be a travel writer and need some help getting started.

Apply now

If you want it, you've got to show it. To apply you need to:

1. Write. Craft a 500 word (or less) travel focused essay based on a personal experience around one of the following themes;

a. 'Responsible Travel'
b. 'Journey in an Unknown Culture'
c. 'My Big Adventure'

Check out our video blog with Rough Guide editor Clare Currie for some writing tips.

2. Complete an entry form which includes contact details and a maximum 200 word essay on why you should be chosen and what the opportunity will mean for you. Your answer will provide considerable weight in the judging process.

3. One entry per person.

4. The entry must be submitted in English.

Applications close March 28, 2011 at 2pm.(Australian Eastern Daylight Time)

The recipient of the Scholarship, along with the best entries will be published on the WorldNomads.com website on April 28th, 2011.

Read the winning and best entries from our 2010 Travel Writing Scholarship

Got a question? Check out the FAQ video blog.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY - Please read before applying!

Click to read the terms and conditions of this scholarship

Video FAQs: Travel Writing Scholarship 2011

scholarships — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:07:00 GMT

Dreaming about going on assignment with Rough Guides in Turkey??

If you've already read all the info about our Travel Writing Scholarship and still have some questions or would like a bit of extra insight, hopefully our video blog below will help you.

Clare Currie, Publishing Director for Rough Guides gives us an insider's view on what you can expect from this opportunity;

- What kind of writer are you looking for?

- What am I going to get out of this scholarship?

- What skills set apart a Rough Guides travel writer?

Watch Clare's video

Amanda Byrne, Progams Marketing Managing for Worldnomads talks about scholarship eligibility and how to apply.

Watch Amanda's video

Good luck everyone, we look forward to receiving your submissions!

Turkish Delights - Local Adventure awaits Scholarship winner in Turkey

scholarships — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:09:00 GMT

The WorldNomads.com 2011 Travel Writing Scholarship is sending one talented and lucky aspiring travel writer on assignment to Turkey. While in Turkey, the scholarship winner will embark on a 12-day Turkish Delight trip with BikeHike Adventures.

We caught up with Trish Sare, founder and Director of BikeHike Adventures, to find out a bit more about what to expect in Turkey and get the scoop on what adventures get her feet itching.

What sorts of companies do you work with on the ground in Turkey? How do you select your partners/in country guides?

We work with boutique hotels that have been in the families for generations. We have lunch in a family home where they cooked a meal for us and we are introduced to 3 generations of the family (grandmother, mother and daughter). This way our travelers can interact authentically and learn how life has changed over the years. Our guides are all local Turkish guides who know their countries intimately, speak Turkish and fluent English. They have long friendly relationships with many of the people in the villages, so can frequently get us invited along to special events, ie a village wedding. Our guides are active, outdoor adventure enthusiasts who can look at a hair pin trail on a mountain and say, I have to know where that goes. Adventure is their passion, not just a job. They are great communicators, epicurean chefs, trained in wilderness first aid, skilled bike mechanics, horseback gauchos who grew up raising horses, historians and sea kayak enthusiasts.

Why is adventure travel important, will it really save the world?

I hope that adventure travel will help to save the world. Adventure travel is important for so many reasons. From the travelers perspective, it is so thrilling to be on an adventure, doing something that might be a new activity that they are trying for the first time. The adrenaline rush and empowerment factor is what makes people feel alive, at least the active types that is. This If the traveler is out in the wilderness doing activity, they hopefully have a far greater appreciation for their natural environment and will hopefully do their part in preserving it as best as they can.

Adventure travel educates the local people that by not cutting down forests, poaching elephant tusks, sea turtles, birds nests, etc. they can instead become tour guides or drivers, taking people hiking through the rainforest, or on a wildlife safari or canoeing into caves to see the birds nests. Through education, the locals are learning that these natural resources can work to earn sustainable incomes for many years.

Overall, adventure travel is educational, puts travelers in touch with issues globally, directly, where they have the opportunities to help to make a difference if they choose to. Take for example Sr. Edmond Hilary, first an adventure traveler and then a philanthropist building schools and hospitals in Nepal.

What are you hoping to gain from your involvement in the 2011 Travel Writing Scholarship?

This is a really great opportunity for us to be involved with two fabulous organizations (World Nomads and Rough Guides) collaborating on a contest that is innovative, exciting and is going to help one lucky person to follow their dream. This prize is going to really impact the winner's life and will hopefully lead his or her career path into the exciting world of adventure travel. If we can help to kick start someone's career into this world, it is a great honour. We've never participated in a contest like this, so it's been a lot of fun coming up with creative ideas on how to get the word out about the contest. It is also a great opportunity to tell our BikeHike story to the global community out there.

How do you think you will be able to help the scholarship winner grow into a successful writer?

I've spent many years backpacking and working my way around the world, traveling in the way that the winner will be traveling while doing his or her research. I'm constantly scouting new destinations for BikeHike, suppliers, hotels, restaurants and attractions and have a really in-depth understanding of the different types of travelers out there, and what their needs are. I'm more than happy to share my years of experience with the winner. One of the best ways I've discovered some of the hidden gems that we go to on our BikeHike Adventures was by being open and communicative to the people I've met on my travels. People are always excited to share their best and worst finds (boutique hotels, great restaurants, special people, the best place to go for a Turkish Bath, etc).

What is your favorite memory of Turkey? Why do you think people need to travel there NOW and not in 5 years?

On one of my scouting trips into the Taurus Mountains I was in a car with my local guide driving through a rugged and remote area. We encountered a semi-nomadic woman and her son walking with a lone sheep. There was absolutely nothing around us, for miles. The terrain was desolate, arid and dusty. We asked her if we could give them a lift, and of course she agreed. She put the sheep on the roof, her son in the backseat, and she stood on the windowsill of the passenger door, holding the sheep on the roof. She had the most colourful striped songs on and I snapped a photo of her colourful legs in the window.

Turns out that they had been walking for 4 days, looking for their lone sheep that had wandered off. They had no food, no water, and her son was mentally challenged. I remember thinking how easy life is for us compared to so many people on this planet.

Two hours later we arrived into her village, and were invited for tea. It was truly a memorable experience.

Related Articles:

Life of a Travel Writer - Our Rough Guides Mentor Tells All!

Video FAQs: Travel Writing Scholarship 2011

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Mo's Documentary from the Amazon

scholarships — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:36:00 GMT

Our 2010 Travel Documentary Scholarship winner, Mohamed Soliman from Cairo went on assignment to Ecuador with Gap Adventures. Hosted by the Quichua people, Mo stayed with Delphin and his community and created Shaman, a short documentary.

As part of the scholarship, Mo's video is now being considered for broadcast on Nat Geo Adventure.

Congrats Mo!

We hope you enjoy Shaman.

Are you our next Travel Documentary Scholarship winner?

Sign up to the SCHOLARSHIP MAILING LIST to stay informed.

Photos: Travel Writing Scholarship 2011 - Istanbul

scholarships — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 02:10:00 GMT

Travel Documentary Scholarship VIDEO: Mo on his Ecuador assignment.

scholarships — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 23:57:00 GMT

Mo Soliman, winner of our 2010 Travel Documentary Scholarship has generously shared his thoughts on his assignment in Ecuador, how it has changed his life, and what his plans are for the future.

We'll be checking back with you in 8 months Mo, good luck!

P.S - Mo is putting the final touches on his short doco for Nat Geo Adventure - watch this space.....

For your chance to be our next Documentary Scholarship winner, make sure you sign up to the Scholarships Mailing List

Travel Photography Scholarship 2010 - Winner announced!

scholarships — Tue, 2 Nov 2010 03:52:00 GMT

^{Photo by Dat Vu}

Thank you to every one of the 1558 talented individuals who applied for our 2010 Travel Photography Scholarship. The caliber of entries this year was exceptional as you continue to raise the bar every year with your beautiful, poignant and eye opening stories from all over the world.

It was an excruciatingly difficult job creating a shortlist from such a deep pool of talent and even more challenging separating one winner.

Congratulations to you all!

Judging Panel - General Feedback

Unfortunately we don't have the resources to comment on each individual entry, but there has been some general feedback from the judges which you might find useful when applying next year.

It is important to demonstrate that you can read and interpret a brief correctly, by making sure you carefully consider the judging criteria before submitting your photos. We added the video blog from Jason Edwards this year to make the criteria as clear as possible. Even so, we still had a number of entries who submitted fantastic photos but did not provide any captions for their photos and/or did not fulfill the brief of a 300 word maximum essay.

The Scholarship is a learning/mentoring opportunity,and we want you to tell us what have you captured, who you are are and why you should be the one person chosen to be mentored by a National Geographic photographer. If you didn't fulfill each and every part of the judging criteria, you would have been penalised accordingly. When a competition is as competitive as this, every point in the judging process is crucial. As a reminder these included; composition, exposure, originality, story, opinion, depth, captioning, reason for why you should win (max 300 word essay), willingness to learn and, contribution to photography.

Overall, the standard of submitted photos was excellent so we cannot fault you there! But some people did let themselves down by not fulfilling all of the brief.

There can only be one winner.....

So, down to business!

We are very pleased to announce Dat Vu Tien from Vietnam as our winner!

Jason's Comments:

Through his poignant and uplifting series of images Dat has shown us a place in the world occupied by a child and her everyday triumphs. His imagery was beautifully composed, tight and unfettered. I appreciated his desire to communicate her story through her disability and environment and I very much felt I was there, sharing the experience. A wonderfully immersive experience!

Equal Second Place:

Richard Fairbrother (China)- Twilight of Old Beijing

Jason's Comments:

My hat goes off to Richard and his wonderful story on a vanishing community and way of life. It must be said I LOVED seeing traditional black and white film images. Richard’s treatment of this medium was superb as was his composition and selection of subjects.

and

Inanc Tekguc (Cyprus)- Sharing the Beauty

Jason's comments:

Congratulations to Inanc for his wonderful series set in a Samburu village. Through his images I was there, caught between worlds and colliding cultures. Inanc made wonderful use of shadow and created a fantastic portrait of rural life in modern Africa.

Third Place

Andrew Houston (Japan)- Kamgasaki: Japan's Forgotten Ghetto

Jason's comments:

Raw, powerful and uncompromising! This was great imagery that enveloped both human and political issues in a community where so much hangs in the balance. Wonderful to see iron bars used so prominently and yet illustrating the strength of a peoples’ so marginalized.

Fourth Place

Ionut Tarcea (Romania)- The Story of Nargiles

Jason's Comments:

This was a beautifully lit and composed essay that had me there, in the factory, where the men produce these traditional nargiles. Ionut made excellent use of light and shadow and captured lots of character in the faces of his subjects. All this tied together with images of the nargiles in use. Well done!

The Shortlist (in alphabetical order)

Aiess Alonso

Michael Cook - Homo Sacer, People without Place

Arko Datto (India)

Alexander Evansen(Norway)- Reporting from the Arctic

Fabi Fliervoet(Netherlands)- Island Life

Colter Freeman (USA) - Chernobyl and Pripyat

Eloise Fuss (Australia)- Ghana, West Africa

Don Gurewitz(USA) - Images of our World

Kristina Hoksbergen (Australia) - My Place, My People

Martin Ilcik (Slovakia)- Slovak Paradise

Artesia Irawan (Indonesia)- My Lucky Boots

Jonnek Jonneksson (Greece) - India:Chaos & Religion

Jillian Keenan (USA)

Nick Kuchmak(Canada)- Life and Death in Toraja

Kai Loffelbein (Germany)- Witches in India - Life of Desperation

Tammy Law (Australia)- Mongolian Grasslands

Amelia Merrick (USA)- Skip Town

Greetje Mulder (Netherlands)- Travel Photography

Dragos Rapeanu (Romania)- Life Journal

Eric Reichbaum (Korea) - Korean Elders

Anubhv Tyagi (India)- Experience

Hids Samsudeen(India)- Vanishing Tribes

Tejas Shah (UK)- A Snapshot of Modern Japan

Sabine Shwarz (Australia)- Being Bondi

Voula Tripolitsiotis (USA)

Nic Uthaipanumas (Thailand)- Believe

Fabian Weiss (Austria)- Living on the Edge in Transylvania

Tracy Yuen (Australia)- A Little Bit of the World

What's Next?

Congratulations to Dat Vu, and everyone who was shortlisted or placed. We will keep you posted on Dat's trip to Bhutan with Jason Edwards and the resulting photos.

We look forward to seeing everyone's new work next year, so make sure you sign up the the Scholarship Mailing List to be notified about our next exciting opportunity.

A Final Thought from Jason Edwards

Hi Everybody,

Here we are again at that all-important time, judging the 2010 World Nomads Travel Scholarship. Where did the past twelve months go? For myself it’s been a crazy period of shooting assignments in eight countries and habitats ranging from deserts to rainforests to ice fields. I sincerely hope your photographic pursuits were as rewarding.

As you will all be aware the judging for this year’s event is now over and we have our winner, congratulations Dat! The standard of entries was amazing, literally quite amazing! Thank you for your patience whilst the judging panel struggled to separate our finalists and whilst I was tortured in coming to a final decision, it was very, very difficult.

The competition was incredibly tight so much so we had two people drawn for second place. At these times you cannot afford a weak image or to ignore any part of the judging criteria. I was humbled; so many people had a vision of what they wanted their photography to be. This is a Scholarship so finding the right person was not simply a matter of selecting the best imagery but in finding the individual we felt would benefit the most from time with me and what they hoped to achieve in their careers.

Whilst viewing this year’s place-getters and finalists please review the ten judging criteria again. Just because an entry made it to the final round does not preclude it from these criteria, in fact that is when the entry was critiqued the hardest. Several entries were removed from the finalist list for over treating their files. This year we had many issues with captioning and the 300 word written component. Ignore the judging process criteria at your own peril! I would strongly suggest everyone including the finalists, review their entries with the judging process criteria at hand and try to see where they may have lost a point or two.

In closing congratulations to everyone that took the time to produce a portfolio and enter. This in itself is a great exercise and strengthens your photographic ability in ways you may not realise. Please remember, what is most important about your images is what you capture at the time, not what you do in postproduction. Enjoy your photography as a creative expression of who you are and your place in the world.

I hope to see you all again next year!

Best Wishes

Jason

Travel Documentary Scholarship - Mo returns from the Amazon!

scholarships — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 03:00:00 GMT

Mohamed Soliman was the lucky guy selected as our Travel Documentary Scholarship recipient, recently traveling to Ecuadorian Amazon with Gap Adventures to stay in the jungle with a Quichua family.

His scholarship included mentorship with filmmaker Trent O'Donnell, learning everything you need to know about how to create documentaries on the road - or off the road in this case, deep in the Amazon. Mo formed a bond with his host family and had an extraordinary experience in the jungle discovering Pachamama (mother earth).

^{Delphin, the Amazon}

Lucky for us, Mo is putting together a short doco on his experience for Nat Geo Adventure, so shortly we will all get to share his journey.

In the meantime, you can read Mohamed's journal.

Welcome back Mo! We can't wait to see your documentary.

For your chance to be our next Documentary Scholarship winner, make sure you sign up to the Scholarships Mailing List

Travel Writing Scholarship winner becomes Rough Guides author!

scholarships — Mon, 4 Oct 2010 23:34:00 GMT

Amy Palfreyman, winner of our 2010 Travel Writing Scholarship has just received her first travel writing commission - writing for the Australia Guide for Rough Guides no less!

She will be updating the South Australia chapter in its entirety. Alone. All 100 pages of it. This will take her over almost 10,000kms during a 6 week journey through vineyards, beaches, riverside towns and, most exciting (and scary) of all, the South Australian outback - including driving the famed Oodnadatta Track from Marree past lake Eyre. From east to west and north to south.

And what did Amy have to say about her experience as winner of our Travel Writing Scholarship?

"The World Nomads Travel Writing Scholarship is the best leg-up into the travel writing industry I could’ve ever hoped for - and then some. Having the chance to learn from a well-respected, experienced and knowledgeable travel writer, while working in-country on an actual guide book are things that most aspiring travel writers could only dream about... things I never even dreamed I would have the chance to do!

In sending me to Japan to work with Simon Richmond for the Travel Writing Scholarship, World Nomads handed me all of this on a sushi-covered silver platter. My most sincere thanks to all involved for affording me such a wonderful opportunity."

Yay Amy! We look forward to reading about your Aussie adventures.

Amy was sent on assignment to Japan with Rough Guides travel writer, Simon Richmond. To find out about your chance to be the next Travel Writing Scholarship recipient, sign up to the Scholarships Mailing List.

You can follow Amy on her blog - theseroads.

Travel Scholarships - Travel. Experience. Contribute.

Travel Writing Scholarship 2012 - The Shortlist

The Shortlist

Stay in Touch

Want to know what our past scholarship winners are up to?

About WorldNomads.com

Travel Writing Scholarship 2012 - Southeast Asia

Do you want to be a published travel writer?

Important Dates

Singapore: On assignment with Rough Guides

Indonesia: Culture & Adventure

Malaysia: Food Odyssey

What you'll need to produce

Who can apply

What constitutes a professional travel writer?

Apply now

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY - Please read before applying!

Psst! Want to know what our past scholarship winners are up to?

Photos on Assignment: Walid Shares his Photos from South Africa

Walid on his experience...

Check out Walid's full set of photos from his assignment.

Read Walid's journal of his experience in South Africa.

About WorldNomads.com

Video FAQs: Travel Writing Scholarship 2012 - Southeast Asia

Are you an aspiring travel writer planning to apply for the 2012 Travel Writing Scholarship to Southeast Asia?

Good luck everyone! We can't wait to read your entries!

Travel Writing Scholarship Winner Update! Zoe Returns to Turkey to Write for Rough Guides

The 2011 winner of our Travel Writing Scholarship to Turkey, Zoe Smith, is soon to be back on the road!

About WorldNomads.com

Photos: Travel Writing 2012

Travel Photography Scholarship 2011 - Winner Announced!

Judging Panel - General Feedback

So without further ado, we give you the winner...

1st Place - Kawah Ijen: Hope in the Inferno

2nd Place - Eiderdown

3rd Place (Equal) - Rural Living

3rd Place (Equal) - Mayurakshi in Birbhum

4th Place - Grainfed Photo

The Shortlist (in alphabetical order)

What's Next?

A Final Thought from Jason Edwards

Travel Photography Scholarship 2011 - South Africa - APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED!

Go on assignment to South Africa and be mentored by a National Geographic photographer!

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED! GOOD LUCK TO ALL THAT ENTERED.

Your Assignment Brief

Who can apply

Apply now

More Questions?

About WorldNomads.com

Ask the Photographer: FAQs with Jason Edwards - Travel Photography Scholarship 2011

We have created ASK JASON - FAQ's video blog with our program mentor, Jason Edwards. Hopefully you will find the answer to any questions you might have about the Travel Photography Scholarship.

Don't have time to watch the videos? Here are a few tips about Judging Criteria and Digital Adjustments.

1.Preparing your entries - digital adjustment guideline

2. Judging Process

3. Some final thoughts from Jason...

If you are unsure if we have received your photo submission, please check this link, as it lists all applications for this scholarship: http://adventures.worldnomads.com/scholarships/?m=5 Please read this post & all comments below Before posting a new comment

Photos: South Africa - 2011

Travel Video Documentary Scholarship - Our Winner!

WINNER: Cassie De Colling - Line of Control

RUNNERS' UP

THE SHORTLIST

Random Award for Awesome Entries!

Sign up to the Scholarships Mailing List to hear about more opportunities.

Travel Video Documentary Scholarship 2011 - Arnhem Land, Australia

-NOW CLOSED-

Go on assignment to the Arnhem Land, far north Australia and have your doco broadcast on Nat Geo Adventure!

Your assignment brief

What's the deal?

Who can apply?

Am I eligible? What makes a non-professional?

Apply now

Entries close June 16, 2011, 2pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY - Please read!

Travel Writing Scholarship 2011- Our Winner!

Our Winner....

Second Place

Third Place

The Shortlist

Photos: Antarctica Photographic Exhibition

Antarctica Photographic Exhibition by Jason Edwards and Anna Zhu

2^nd Place - Eiderdown

3^rd Place (Equal) - Rural Living

3^rd Place (Equal) - Mayurakshi in Birbhum

4^th Place - Grainfed Photo

If you are unsure if we have received your photo submission, please check this link, as it lists all applications for this scholarship: http://adventures.worldnomads.com/scholarships/?m=5

Please read this post & all comments below Before posting a new comment