For most, the pictures taken during their travels are just for personal keepsakes, but there are some that aspire to see their photography in print. Whether you wish to contribute to magazines, books or calendars, there are rules to the game and certain pictures that have greater potential for selling. If you're interested into getting into professional travel photography, you'll need to know the ropes before jumping in. After all, travel is expensive and cameras, film, developing and equipment all carry considerable costs as well.

Just as in any endeavor, research is always the first step. Checking out different markets and what they're looking for from different locations, be it scenery or culture, is important. Also, finding out the ins and outs of legal responsibilities, like getting signed release from people captured in your photographic art is also important.

A great resource to begin with is Susan McCartney's Travel Photography: A Complete Guide to How to Shoot and Sell. She's very detailed and thorough about the process from start to finish and dishes out practical, straightforward advice that will save you a lot of time and frustration. She even includes model release forms in over 25 different languages. It's clear that McCartney is an experienced travel photographer and has spent a considerable amount of time thinking through and answering all the important questions a newbie would ask. Read more about Travel Photography: A Complete Guide to How to Shoot and Sell

There are over 20 Spanish speaking countries around the world just waiting to enrich your life with culture and beauty. If you're interested in visiting one of these amazing destinations, it's important to be able to communicate, even just a little, with those who live there. Sure, if you're going to a hot tourist spot or resort, the chances of being met with English-speaking employees is more likely, but if you want to get a real feel for the true essence of the culture, you have to be able to speak with the locals.

There's little worse than being in an unfamiliar place when you're in need of medical assistance, or heck, even a bathroom. When you're in an unfamiliar place and you can't ask anyone for help, that urgency and frustration can be multiplied exponentially.

If you're going to a Spanish-speaking nation, and aren't fluent in the language, you should bring along a couple types of books: a Spanish-English dictionary and an English-Spanish phrase book. Many travelers automatically bring the dictionary, which will get you by in a pinch for the little things, like getting to a restroom on time. It doesn't take more than a worried look and the word “baño” to get you where you need to go. But, if the thought, feeling or need you're trying to express goes deeper than that, having a phrase book can really help a great deal. Read more about Easy Spanish Phrase Book: Over 770 Basic Phrases for Everyday Use