Every journey starts with the right preparation – and for me, that includes choosing the perfect piece of luggage. I swear by a reliable carry-on suitcase when travelling. It saves time at the airport, both at check-in and after landing, and it completely eliminates the risk of lost baggage. Especially on short trips or when flying with airlines known for high loss rates, having everything you need right by your side is a real game-changer.

As a travel blogger, I rely on functional, durable travel gear that can keep up with my lifestyle. I’ve been using LEVEL8 suitcases for years now – both for carry-on and checked luggage – and they’ve impressed me from day one. In fact, they’re the best suitcase brand I’ve ever tested.

In this post, I’m sharing my review of my latest travel companion: the LEVEL8 Polaris Carry-On.

My Level8 Polaris Carry-On Review

1. First impression & design

What immediately stands out about the LEVEL8 Polaris Carry-On is its premium look: a sleek, minimalist design paired with a matte finish that feels both modern and refined.

The color and style are modern and sophisticated – making the Level8 Polaris Carry-On suitable for both business trips and city breaks.

The overall appearance of the Level8 Polaris Carry-On makes a high-quality impression on me – robust materials and precise workmanship.

2. Material & Safety

The Level8 Polaris Carry-On is a hard-shell case and the body is made of 100 % Makrolon polycarbonate. This material is extremely sturdy yet lightweight. In addition, its scratch resistance keeps the case looking amazing even after frequent use. I’ve been using it on quite a few trips already and it still looks brand new.

For protection, the Level8 Polaris Carry-On also has a reinforced YKK zip and an integrated TSA lock, which is ideal for air travel.

→ As a content creator with a valuable equipment like camera, laptop & co. in my luggage, a robust suitcase is especially important to me. That’s why I count on durability instead of cheap solutions.

→ If you travel a lot, you don’t need to compromise. A high-quality suitcase lasts for years and can cope with heavy travelling. 

If you travel often, you shouldn’t have to compromise. A well-made suitcase is a long-term investment that pays off with every trip. And LEVEL8 really delivers on its promises. My experience with their luggage over the years has been consistently positive. Our suitcases have been through a lot – from rugged terrain to chaotic baggage handling – and they’re still going strong.

3. Mobility

And the wheels? Game changer. The four high-performance 360° spinner wheels glide effortlessly across airport floors, cobblestones, and even those slightly questionable hotel driveways. You really feel the difference on long travel days, when every bit of ease matters.

One thing I immediately appreciated about the LEVEL8 Polaris Carry-On is the wide telescopic handle. It feels super solid in your hand, doesn’t wobble, and adjusts smoothly to different heights – which is great, because let’s be honest: dragging a wobbly suitcase through a busy airport is the worst. With this one, it’s all smooth sailing (or rolling, in this case).

It also has two padded handles – one on top and one on the side – which makes lifting it into overhead compartments or onto luggage racks so much easier.

→ For me, a suitcase has to feel like a reliable travel buddy. One that doesn’t slow me down, and just… works. That’s exactly what the Level8 Polaris does – and it makes a noticeable difference.

4. Interior & Packing Volume

Like all Level8 suitcases, the Level8 Polaris Carry-On has a well thought-out interior: two main compartments with dividers and zippers.

This keeps everything well organised and easy to find, even when travelling with multiple stops

 → My tip: This works even better with the packing cubes from Level8, as their dimensions are perfectly matched to those of the suitcases. I just love traveling with them as they keep my stuff organized – even after multiple hotel changes.

With a volume of 38 litres, the Level8 Polaris Carry-On is ideal for shorter trips of two to five days – depending, of course, on your packing style. Personally, I’ve even managed to travel for an entire week with just this carry-on and no additional luggage. Yes, really!

Packing light has become second nature to me. I love the freedom that comes with skipping checked baggage – no waiting at baggage claim, no lost luggage stress, and way more flexibility on the road. The Polaris fits everything I need, without feeling bulky or overstuffed.

5. Size, Weight & Airline Compatibility

The LEVEL8 Polaris Carry-On measures 55.5 × 37.5 × 23 cm and weighs around 3.5 kg – placing it solidly in the mid-range when it comes to carry-on luggage weight. But honestly? You don’t really feel it. The smooth-rolling wheels make it super easy to handle, even when it’s fully packed.

The dimensions are well within the standard hand luggage regulations of most airlines, which means no stress at the gate – even on stricter carriers. I’ve taken it on multiple flights already and haven’t run into any issues.

6. Who will love the Level8 Polaris Carry-On?

• Frequent travellers who value quality, design and functionality
• Business travellers looking for an elegant, reliable cabin trolley
• Travellers who pack smart for a short trip

7. Final Thoughts: Is the LEVEL8 Polaris Carry-On Worth It?

As someone who travels constantly, I can confidently say: the Level8 Polaris Carry-On is one of the best cabin suitcases I’ve ever used. The mentioned points above speak for themselves – easy organization, solid build quality, smooth handling, and a sleek, minimalist design.

Yes, the price point is on the higher side – but in my opinion, it’s absolutely worth the investment. I’d rather buy one high-quality suitcase that lasts for years and years than replace a cheap one every season. I’ve taken my Level8 Polaris on a few trips already, and it hasn’t let me down once.

→ If you’re looking for a reliable, stylish, and well-built travel companion, I wholeheartedly recommend checking out the Polaris by Level8!

I hope this review has helped you in your search for the perfect carry-on. If you have any questions or want to know more about how I pack light, feel free to drop a comment or message me!

Transparency: LEVEL8 provided me with this suitcase for testing. However, this did not influence my opinion in this product test. I only recommend products on my blog that have convinced me and that I would buy again!

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Finally getting our scuba diving certification has been on our wish list for a long time. We’ve always loved snorkeling – especially in tropical destinations like the Maldives or French Polynesia, but exploring the underwater world while diving is a whole different experience. You experience the marine life much closer and feel like you’re part of it.

We finally took the time to complete the theory as well as practice for the PADI Open Water certification.

→ Find all available PADI courses here!

What is the PADI Open Water Diver Certification:

• The Open Water Diver certification is the first entry-level scuba diving certification from PADI, which entitles you to dive to a depth of 18m without an instructor present and it allows you to rent diving equipment worldwide.

What must be presented for the diving license?

• A diving medical certificate on your fitness for diving.
  For this, mostly your blood pressure and lung function are measured in order to avoid possible complications during diving and to exclude pre-existing conditions that can become critical during diving.

What are the parts of the PADI Open Water Diver course?

• theory
• two pool diving sessions
• four diving sessions in the open water

The Theory

Yes, scuba diving requires some theory in addition to the practical experience. But the great thing about the theory part of the diving certification is that it can be done anywhere in the world as well as at your individual pace. The material as well as the quiz that follows, are completely available online. There is even a PADI app offered that can be used to complete the theory. There are a total of eight segments, each of which can be completed in about an hour. Afterwards, an online questionnaire must be answered, of which at least 80% of the questions must be completed correctly. But this is not a problem if you have read the material carefully. After each segment, there are also practice questions to reinforce what you have learned. These are very similar to the exam questions and prepare you for a successful pass.

→ Sign up here!

The Pool Sessions

To get familiar with the equipment and to do the first exercises in the water, the first two diving lessons usually take place in the pool. The two dives can be done easily in two days, e.g. on a weekend, and can take place parallel to the theory.

Especially during the second pool dive many safety exercises are trained. For example, how to share the air supply with your dive partner in case of an emergency. In addition, special situations are trained, such as losing the regulator or water entering the mask, in order to be able to solve them in reality.

The Open Water Sessions

Of course, the dives in open water are  the most exciting ones. In non-tropical regions, these usually take place in a lake or gravel pits. However, it is also possible to do the open water dives while traveling, in “more exciting places”. Although we had booked a trip to the Maldives immediately after getting our diving license, we decided to do all sessions in Germany – for two reasons: First, we were super satisfied with our diving school and thus wanted to have “everything done from one source” and second, we could completely concentrate on the diving experience in the Maldives instead of spending our time with exercises.

By the way, even in winter it is quite possible to do the open water dives in colder areas. A dry suit, will keep you warm and dry for a very long time.

Although a total of four open water dives are required to complete your scuba certification, ideally these can be completed in two days. This means you can complete your certification after a total of four days – or two weekends.

Where can I find the right scuba diving school for me?

On the → official PADI website you can find a diving school near you! You can also get a lot of information on the → PADI Facebook page!

For the Dresden and Meißen area in Germany, I can highly recommend the → Abyss diving school! We were extremely satisfied and happy with the support as well as with the diving locations. We not only felt professionally and well taken care of, but also had a lot of fun.

After obtaining the first PADI Open Water Diver certificate, it is possible to expand and deepen the diving certificate with many more courses. For example, diving with special Nitrox tanks for longer dives or the Avanced Diver certification for deeper diving.

Our first dive in the Maldives was fantastic! On the spot we decided for a special course about diving with manta rays (Manta Specialty Course). Diving with these animals is an incomparable experience!

For all those who find the underwater world as exciting and fascinating as we do, a diving license is essential! We have discovered a new passion for us, which cannot be compared with any other experience.

→ Sign up here for your PADI Course!

A brand new addition to the Six Senses portfolio and a new eco-luxury hotspot in the Maldives: welcome to Six Senses Kanuhura! In this hotel review, I’ll tell you what sets this resort apart from other islands in the Maldives and whether it’s the right choice for you!

My review of Six Senses Kanuhura Maldives

Location & accessibility

Six Senses Kanuhura is located in Lhaviyani Atoll, north of the capital Male, and is therefore a short seaplane flight from Male International Airport. After landing your international flight, you will be greeted directly by the Six Senses team and escorted to the lounge while the staff arrange your transfer flight to the resort. Although the seaplane flight is slightly more expensive than a boat transfer, the view over the atolls is unique.

The concept behind Six Senses Kanuhura

Six Senses Kanuhura only opened at the end of 2023. A former resort was taken over and completely renovated. Some of the restaurants, villas and other facilities were newly built, while many others were renovated in the familiar Six Senses eco-luxury style. For this reason, the outdoor areas of the new Beach Retreat Villas in particular still need to gain some vegetation before they reach their full charm. Fortunately, in a climate like the Maldives, this happens very quickly.

Six Senses is our favourite hotel brand because the connection to nature and our environment flows through every vein of the concept. At the same time, the resorts are very luxurious, designed for wellness and incorporate local traditions and special features. It is an ‘all-inclusive package’ that guests can also experience at Six Senses Kanuhura. Starting with the barefoot concept and a personal welcome for each guest, to your own butler, the so-called GEM, and unique cuisine and wellness treatments.

The villas at Six Senses Kanuhura

We tested various room categories during our stay, and these were our favourites:

Beach Retreat with Pool

The newest villas are the so-called Beach Retreats on the beach with their own pool. They can be booked for couples as well as small families, as they comprise two separate buildings.

Each Beach Retreat is unique and slightly different in layout, but they all have the same features: the first villa has a large living room with bathroom and an open-plan kitchen, where a large selection of snacks, fruit, coffee, tea and other refreshments, and a bottle of sparkling wine awaited us. A staircase leads up to a small TV lounge, which can be converted into an additional bedroom.

The second villa mainly comprises the cosy bedroom and the open-plan bathroom with a bathtub, rain shower and access to the outdoor shower.

Outdoor showers are usually my favourite. However, at our beach retreat, the newly planted vegetation still needed to grow a little before we could enjoy complete privacy. Thanks to the weather in the Maldives, this happens very quickly.

The private outdoor area is not only incredibly large, but also flows seamlessly into the quiet beach in front of the villa. It overlooks the blue lagoon and a private island belonging to Six Senses Kanuhura (more on that in a moment) and is usually deserted.

There is also a covered terrace, sun loungers and a large pool. However, we mostly spent our time swimming in the warm waters of the lagoon.

For large families and friends travelling together, there are beach retreats with up to three separate bedrooms and plenty of space!

Water villa with pool

Of course, we also tested one of the popular water villas and were surprised at how much space they offer. All water villas have their own pool and a spacious terrace. However, I found the terraces to be relatively close to the neighbours. Therefore, the water villa furthest to the left was my favourite, as it overlooks only the water and the island from the pool.

Inside, there is of course a comfortable bed with a view of the ocean, as well as a lounge area, a small work area and a walk-in wardrobe. My favourite feature is the spacious and bright bathroom with its own completely secluded outdoor area, which not only has an outdoor shower but also a hammock suspended above the blue water. The perfect place for a morning shower.

→ Click here to book your stay at Six Senses Kanuhura

Wellness & Spa at Six Senses Kanuhura

Wellness naturally plays a major role in the Six Senses concept. Six Senses Kanuhura offers not only ‘classic’ massages and treatments, but also special treatments with various holistic or scientific influences. These include singing bowl healing, guided meditations, biohacking for rapid recovery of the body, and much more. If we had had more time, I would definitely have tried one of their wellness programmes, which last several days and include the right treatments, massages, therapies, meals, etc. to achieve a specific goal such as detox, fitness, better sleep or something else. As you can see, everyone can tailor their wellness experience to their own needs

These are the features of the large spa facility:

Eight cosy treatment rooms – one of which is a couples’ suite

a water treatment area – separate for ladies and gentlemen – with a hot and cold swimming pool

a spacious yoga and meditation studio for guided sessions

a well-equipped gym

a nail salon

the Alchemy Bar for DIY workshops

an extensive shop with various wellness gadgets and accessories

Pools

In addition to the best pool in the world – the Indian Ocean – there are two additional pools on the island of Six Senses Kanuhura. The second of the two absolutely blew us away!

Sip & Sand Pool

First, there is a ‘simple’ but very beautiful pool on the beach, which is perfect for lounging and is particularly suitable for families with children. It is surrounded by palm trees and tropical plants, which makes it very cosy. It is located directly next to the Sip & Sand bar and snack restaurant.

Sunset Point

But the second pool is the absolute highlight and has been completely rebuilt. The circular infinity pool at Sunset Point is located at a lofty height and is an architectural masterpiece! As the name suggests, it is the ideal place to enjoy the sunset and sip a cocktail from the bar. The water turns into a mirror and reflects the different colours of the sky. But even during the day, it is an incredibly impressive spot to look out over the endless blue lagoon.

The private islands of Six Senses Kanuhura

Six Senses Kanuhura consists of not just one, but three private islands. The resort is located on the largest island, while the others can be visited during the day.

A small water taxi transports guests from the jetty on the main island to Drift. A tropical island with a beach that is perfect for sunbathing and snorkelling, as well as the cute Drift barbecue restaurant. Here you can sit under palm trees with your feet in the sand, listen to the gentle sound of the waves, enjoy a fresh meal and feel like a luxurious Robinson Crusoe! Lunch at Drift is an absolute must during a stay at Six Senses Kanuhura!

In addition, there is another small island behind the Drift that can be booked for a private picnic. A setup is erected under a protective canopy of leaves, and you have the entire island to yourself – for as long as you like. You can’t get more privacy than that! Accordingly, the picnic excursion is a bit pricey at USD 500, while a visit to Drift Island is free of charge.

Sustainability

Sustainability is one of the core values of the Six Senses concept – and not just since it became ‘trendy’, but since the brand was founded. That’s why the idea of sustainability runs through every fibre of Six Senses Kanuhura. Starting with a ‘no plastic’ policy, it extends to its own garden, a recycling station, the Earth Lab, where something new is created from waste, a turtle conservation programme and much more.

Breakfast & Restaurants

Six Senses Kanuhura offers a wide range of culinary options, so we had the chance to try a new restaurant at every meal during our stay! Here are my highlights:

Scoops

Scoops is undoubtedly in first place. We already know and love this café from other Six Senses hotels, because it offers free ice cream all day long! Homemade and as much as you want! How awesome is that?

Bottega

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that this was the best Italian food we’ve ever had in the Maldives. We were particularly impressed by the homemade pasta and ravioli. The pizza was only okay, but everything else was top notch!

The Market

The Market is the main restaurant at Six Senses Kanuhura! Not only is breakfast served here, but dinner is also available. Once a week, The Market even transforms into an Asian food market in the evening!

As in every Six Senses resort, breakfast at The Market is incredibly good! I am always delighted. It consists of a large buffet and many à la carte options, including lots of healthy food choices, but also some ‘sinful treats’. There is something for everyone here!

The Point

Directly below the legendary infinity pool, The Sunset Point, is the Spanish restaurant The Point. (The name givers were particularly creative here ) As the restaurant is run by a genuine Spanish chef, the tapas are authentic and just as delicious as in Barcelona. Whether croquetas de jamon, pimientos de padron or crema catalana – here you will find all the classic tapas as well as special variations!

The Drift

As mentioned above, The Drift is a small restaurant on a private island off the coast of Six Senses Kanuhura. It is only open for lunch and offers a delicious menu of freshly grilled dishes. With just a few tables set up on the sand right by the water, it has a rustic, romantic atmosphere and serves incredibly delicious food!

Other restaurants at Six Senses Kanuhura:

Sip & Sand – A snack restaurant and bar by the main pool, perfect for a light lunch or a cocktail in the sun.
The Sunset Point Bar – The Sunset Point infinity pool also has a great bar for sundowner drinks. Every evening, a DJ plays music here at sunset and there is a great atmosphere!
Private Beach Dinner – Private dinners on the beach can be organised for special occasions. With candles in the sand, a private chef and a glowing starry sky. Pure romance!

Summary of our stay at Six Senses Kanuhura

As Six Senses fans, we were incredibly excited to try out the new Six Senses Kanuhura, and it exceeded all our expectations! We were absolutely thrilled with the service, the food, the huge range of wellness options and the size of the island. It is the ideal luxury resort for couples, and thanks to the great kids’ club and various villa categories with multiple bedrooms, Six Senses Kanuhura is also perfect for families!

I have already been asked whether the new Six Senses Kanuhura is better than Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives, which opened in 2011. And the answer is no. But it is different. While Six Senses Laamu is a small island with a rustic luxury ambience, Six Senses Kanuhura is more modern and a larger island with numerous activities. For me, both resorts have their own special charm and are an ideal choice for a luxury resort in the Maldives.

→ Click here to book your stay at Six Senses Kanuhura

We had a sponsored stay at Six Senses Kanuhura, which does not influence my opinion and rating of the resort.

While working as travel content creators the last few years we not only had the chance to visit amazing places around the world but also learnt a lot about photography, editing and which gadgets are necessary to create the best possible photos and videos. Due to numerous requests I’m sharing my travel photography gear in this blog post and show you what’s in our camera backpack!

Note: By clicking on links and photos in this blog post you will follow an affiliate link which tracks my recommendation to you. This way I’ll receive a small provision from the brand in case you decide to buy a product. Thank you for supporting our small business!
I received non of these products as a collaboration – we purchased & tested them all ourselves  for several years already. Every travel photography gadget in this post is a REAL recommendation from my side!

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What’s in our camera backpack? – A Travel Photography Gear Guide

The right backpack for your travel photography gear

Travel photography gear essential: Our Camera

The Body

Lenses

We travel with two lenses which are perfect for travel photography: The first one is our → compact “Allrounder” 24-70 mm zoom lens. We mostly use this one for photos where I’m in the focus of the photo with a beautiful background behind me.
Our second lens is a→ wide angle lens (14-30 mm) to capture more of the surrounding landscape.

Drones

For incredible aerial shots and videos, a drone is an incredibly important tool of our travel photography gear.

If you’re an drone beginner you’ll love the → DJI Mavic Mini 2! this tiny drone weighs less than 250g, is super handy and easy to use. We also have the mini version since some countries only allow small drones.

A better model for more stability during windy conditions and a higher resolution is our → DJI Mavic 2 Pro which we use 99% of the times! P.S. We are planning to upgrade to the newer → Mavic 3 Pro soon!

For the maximum of flexibility while flying and to film outstanding flights with loopings and other maneuvers, a First Person View Drone will level up your drone videos to a new level. The big difference to a regular drone is that FPV drones come with a goggle which show you the video from the drones perspective – you basically experience the flight like you’d be a pilot in the drone. We got the → DJI FPV Combo last year but still have to get a bit more familiar with it. It’s is an incredible drone for experienced flyers but most likely too complicated for beginners!

Action Cam

More gadgets of our Travel photography gear

Photo Presets

Do you want to take your travel photos to the next level: With my Lightroom Presets you can transform all your captures with just a few clicks. I created them for the free Lightroom Mobile App as well as for the Lightroom Desktop version! They are a main tool of my travel photography gear and essential to edit our shots according to my Instagram feed.

→ Click here to check out all my presets with before and afters!

Full Travel Photography Gear List

I could make this list with my travel photography gear much longer if I’d include smaller electronics and gadgets like power banks, external hard drives, lens filter for our camera and drone, … That’s why I created a list with my Travel Essentials on Amazon! I’m always updating it & add all the products we purchase and use ourselves

→ Find & Shop my full Travel Photography Gear List here!

Read next – The other parts of my Travel Blogging series:

→ Part 1: How I became a travel blogger & tips for beginners

→ Part 2: How we create content for Instagram

→ Part 3: How I earn money as a travel content creator

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Being a travel blogger looks like a dream life… Traveling the world, visiting the most beautiful destinations and hotels but most of all: working location-independent. But how exactly do I make money as a travel blogger? And are all my trips 100% sponsored? Find the answer below.

How Do I make money as a Travel Blogger?

First of all it’s important for me to mention that this is just my personal way of how I earn money. The exact way varies a lot from content creator to content creator. It most of all depends on where they put their focus on… Instagram, Blog, Youtube, digital products or courses, … the possibilities are endless.
I personally like to set my focus on different things instead of just relying on one source of income so in case one of them breaks off (for whatever reason) I still have other sources to earn my income.

But let’s get started – I know so many of you are interested to hear about this topic! These are my biggest sources of income (in no particular order):

Collaborations with Brands

The most obvious and common way to make money as a travel blogger – especially with your focus on Instagram – are paid partnerships with brands. I personally try to keep this one low to always have the freedom to share the content I really love the most: Beautiful destinations and hotels. But if I really like a product and think it would be interesting for my travel passionated audience too I offer sponsored posts on my Instagram page or stories. Most of the times brands contact me first via mail and if their product or service fits my travel content we agree on a budget, posting time, etc. Sometimes brands even want to see the content in advance to give their okay before publishing. But most of the times they trust our creativity  It also happens that I contact my favorite brands myself to ask about a partnership – cause if I really like a brand then it feels super natural for me to share more about it with you guys.
If both parties liked the outcome of the first collaboration then we usually stay in touch for a longterm partnership.

Sponsored Trips

With a focus on travel tips and photos, one of my biggest income streams are collaborations with hotels, tourism boards and other companies which offer bookings etc. In this case we often get contacted by agencies which look for partners for their clients to promote for example hotel openings, special destinations or events. We then agree on the deliverables after and during the trip depending on the available budget: Daily stories? How many posts? A blog post? Photos for promotion usage? …

But again we also contact tourism boards or hotels ourselves prior a new trip we planned.

Are all our trips 100% sponsored?

Not at all! We love to keep the freedom to travel wherever we want to and show you what we loved the most. So the biggest amount of the destinations we show you on our social media channels are trips that are planned by ourselves. But we love to combine these trips with partnerships with hotels or tourism boards that fit our travel plans. But yes it also happens that we go on trips that are completely sponsored – from the flights to accommodations, experiences on site, food and so on. But we always make sure to speak about the details first to make sure the trip will fit the way we travel usually to share authentic experiences with you

Licensing our content

Another big income stream is selling our photos, videos and even travel guides to brands or magazines to use them for promotional uses or their own products. The license fee always varies on the usage purpose and if a brand needs the non-exclusive rights (a brand can use our content for a specific reason but it still belongs to us) or give away the full rights.

Creating content for brands

Not all photos we shoot land eventually on our Instagram page or website. We also do shootings which are only for brand usages like promotions or for their websites. Most of the times we are collaborating with a hotel we also agree on a specific amount of stock photos for their own usage in advance. Sometimes brands send us samples before a trip to shoot their products in a tropical surrounding for product shots they couldn’t achieve themselves without hiring a photographer team, models, etc.

Selling Digital Products

If you follow me on Instagram then you may probably know that I sell my own presets for easy photo edits in Lightroom. The good thing about ANY digital products – no matter if e-books, presets, courses, etc. – is that they never run out of stock like physical products can do plus you don’t need any storage space, shipping, raw materials, … You produce them once and can offer them forever!

Click here to check out my preset sale!

Social Media Managing

While posting on Instagram almost daily for several years already I learned a lot about social media, how to use different apps to prepare your posts and how to create the right content & captions for your community. That’s why I know many fellow content creators which also offer their expertise for brands who don’t have the full knowledge or simply the time to run their own Instagram channel. I personally work together with the German travel agency and deals page First Class & More since my early beginnings as a travel blogger and take care about their Instagram posts, dm’s, comments etc.

Partnerships with music labels & artists

Since the release of Reels and the growing popularity of TikTok we get many requests for partnerships with music artist or labels to use their new released songs for our videos. If you listen to the current charts and top hits you may notice that many of them used to be “trending songs” on social media before you heard them on the radio. When a video goes viral it can reach several hundreds of thousands or millions of people all listening to the same song which might then stick in their head. That’s why more and more artists invest in this way of advertising their songs.

Affiliate Links

Many times when you click on the link for a hotel or product on social media or blogs you’re using an affiliate links which tracks where you’re coming from and who exactly gave you the recommendation. Which mean that while using affiliate links you automatically support your favorite creators for free! I personally use these links on my blog (mostly for hotels) and in case someone books an accommodation after reading my hotel review I’ll get a little fraction as a thank you from the hotel.

I hope this post answered a few of your questions about the mythos ‘How do Bloggers make money?’ If you have any more questions about this topic put them in the comments below!

You may also like to read my other parts ‘About being a travel blogger’

• Part 1 – How I started as a travel blogger + Tips for beginners

• Part 2 –  How we create content for Instagram 

How to create content for Instagram? I get daily questions about this topic in my direct messages. This a step by step guide how our photo ideas turn into the final post you see on Instagram.

1ST STEP: CHOOSE THE LOCATION

Choosing one or several locations for your shoot in advance is an important step! Most pictures you see on Instagram look like a spontaneous click. But that’s rarely the case. If we travel to a new destination, hotel, etc. I always do my research first. My favorite platforms for inspiration are Instagram itself or most of all Pinterest. I have several folders/pin boards for any place we are about to visit or which are on my bucketlist. Even if you’re not traveling Pinterest can help you to get inspiration for a place to shoot in your hometown, a new outfit combination, another pose, ….

Check out my Pinterest Page to see my inspiration boards.

2ND STEP: THINK ABOUT A SPECIAL OUTFIT OR REQUISITES YOU NEED?

This may sound a little exaggerated but sometimes this question is really essential if you want to create eye-catching content for Instagram.
For example some places have a special color so maybe you want to wear a dress, jacket, etc. with a nice contrast to pop out or a special outfit which fits the surrounding.

Accessoires always give a little extra to a photo and make them more interesting for the viewer. That’s why I sometimes pose with a hat or like to set up a breakfast, some pillows, flowers, … which make the scene look more authentic. Additionally accessories make natural poses a lot easier. Just get creative with your surrounding and what could fit to the scene.

3RD STEP: SHOOTING THE PHOTO

THE RIGHT CAMERA

At the very beginning we took all our shots with our iPhones. And still now I think they do pretty good jobs! The only minus is that you can’t shoot in RAW which is limiting the editing possibilities – but more about this later!
Before our first “around the world”-trip we decided to buy our first DSLR camera which was a Nikon D3500. It was the best decision we made since it’s a great camera for beginners with a good lens.
Later we upgraded to a mirrorless Nikon Z6 II with a 27-70mm lens and an additional wide angle lens (14-30mm) which makes landscape photography a lot easier!

ARGUING WHILE SHOOTING IS NORMAL – AT LEAST FOR US !

I wont lie – for some shootings we need forever. We shoot maybe 500 clicks with different angles or poses until we find one we both like! This can be harder than it sounds. We often have different opinions about how a photo could look the best. Anyone who knows us knows that we almost never argue… Until it comes to taking pictures  The reason for that is that we mostly have different visions about how a shot could look the best. But in the end we mostly get a photo we both like and forget about all the arguing we did before.

FIND A NEW WAY OF SEEING THINGS

After getting a lot of inspiration from other pictures it’s is important not to copy a photo but to create your own version of it with your personal unique touch. Look for another angle or maybe a captivating pose. Otherwise people will see your post on Instagram and think ‘nice but I’ve already seen it a 100 times before!’

SHOOT IN THE RIGHT MODE

While shooting for Instagram it is important to shoot your photos in portrait mode. Landscape shots never work very well on the platform.

If you use a camera make sure to change the settings before shooting. All your photos should be RAW-Files which makes editing a LOT easier later. Using the lowest ISO and a high shutter speed is also key for a sharp & detailed photo. Unless you want to play around with a long time exposure of course. Don’t be afraid if your photos may appear “too dark” on your camera! To have a darker pic is always better than having one which is too bright. You can fix this in the edits later and will still have all the details in your shot. But it’s almost impossible to heal an overexposed photo.

4TH STEP: GOING THROUGH ALL THE PHOTOS AND CHOOSING THE BEST ONES

When we’re on the road I often have to go through thousand of pictures after a day to see which ones turned out nice. Thats probably the most time consuming part of creating content for Instagram.

Step one is saving all my photos from the SD-Card to an external hard drive. Memory cards are very fragile and you can loose them super fast. Thats why it’s important to have your work stored somewhere else too!

After this important step I open all pictures on my Macbook. I do the first sorting and delete the pictures which are a 100% NO!
Then I start to upload the photos into my Lightroom cloud to do the fine screening. I give the ones I want to edit a five star rank which makes it easier for me to find them back later.

Every photo is different when it comes to light conditions and colors. Thats why I usually do some fine editing after applying a preset. I change the lights, shadows, … until I have a result I’m happy with.

Do you want to edit like me? Shop my presets here!

ADDING A LITTLE EXTRA SUNSHINE

If you go through my instagram page you will notice that I like to add a little sunshine to some of my photos. I do this with the brush- or radial-tool in Lightroom. I mark a specific area of my picture on which I like to have a little light added and create a “fake” sunshine.
But be careful: Always look where the shadows are in your photos and apply the light to the right side of the photo. Otherwise people will feel like your post looks very unnatural.

The right crop

The last step is cropping your photo: 4:5 is the best size to create content for Instagram. With they format users will see the maximum of your photo on their phone screen while scrolling through Instagram.

ERASING UNWANTED OBJECTS …

When I’m done with the Lightroom edit I sometimes open my photos in Photoshop. That’s where I erase unwanted objects out of my photos when they are distracting for the eye from the main object in the photo.

If getting a license for Photoshop is not an option for you I can recommend you the app ‘Retouch’. I always used it when I first started and I still use it for quick edits on my phone even now cause it works very well.

… & ADDING NEW ONES

Another plus to get Photoshop is that you can not only delete objects out of your photos – you can even ADD some. From birds or flowers to whole skies! But this requires a little training to make it look natural. I’m not the biggest fan of photos on Instagram with the obviously fake sunset or birds in the sky. The added objects should always fit to the rest of your photo and the color hues.

THE FINAL STEP: POSTING!

Now we finally have our photo ready ! It’s been a long way BUT WE MADE IT! Great photo! But we’re not finished here…

FINDING THE RIGHT CAPTION

Now we have to think about a nice caption for your photo. It can be a special memory you have from the moment which is captured in your photo or something completely different. Most important is that people are bei willing to read it and in the best case leave you a comment. The best way to do this is by leaving a call to action question under your photo. It can be something very simple like “What are your plans for the weekend? What is your favorite summer destination?” or you give room for a discussion “…what is your opinion about this topic?” Just make sure the question fits to the rest of your caption.

THE MAGIC OF HASHTAGS

If you want your picture to be seen by more than just your followers than the usage of hashtags is key!
Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per photo- no matter if right in the caption or in the comment. Where you put your hashtags doesn’t make a difference for your reach but remember to vary your hashtags for every photo. Depending on the location or the people you want to reach with your post. Using the same hashtags over and over again can eventually be tracked as a spammy behavior by Instagram and limit your hashtag reach. If you need some inspiration search for a basic hashtag like #travel and Instagram will automatically give you suggestions of similar ones. Or use one hashtag in different languages.

KEEP UP YOUR GREAT WORK!

Yes it really is a lot of work to create content for Instagram. But no worries! The steps which will take a lot of time in the beginning will work a lot faster after a little practice.

And don’t let the Instagram algorithm bring you down… It’s changing all the time so it’s very natural to see some ups and downs in your reach.

You might also like to read:

• Part 1 – How did I become a travel blogger? + Tips for beginners

• Part 3 – How do I make money as a travel blogger?

2021 comes with some big hopes that international traveling will finally be easier again and I’m currently planning our bucket list for this year! Do you need some Travel Ideas for 2021? Check out these incredible destinations:

My Travel Ideas for 2021 begin with a road trip through South and Central Italy. Last summer we flew from Berlin to Napoli where we rented a little car to make our way to Pompeii, the nearby Amalfi Coast, Tuscany & Rome. Driving in this part of Italy is not a problem at all but make sure to get a small rental car since the street can get super narrow and parking lots are mostly tiny too – especially the ones at the Amalfi Coast!

Our first adventure last year has been our trip to the Bahamas. It’s been the first “real vacation” we had in a long time to celebrate our birthdays in January together with some friends! My favorite experience of the Bahamas has been our boat trip from Nassau to the Exuma Cays. These are more than 360 tiny islands surrounded by the bluest water you can think of and some unique inhabitants too

Click here to read my EXUMAS CAYS Guide & find out which islands you shouldn’t miss!

Last year we had to cancel many trips to oversea destinations so we focused on countries in Europe instead. One of these destinations has been Greece and I can’t recommend it high enough as a summer destination for 2021! We decided to explore the capital Athens, beautiful Santorini and a lesser known island which is called Tinos and located right next to Mykonos.

Thinking about traveling to Greece too? Don’t miss my posts:

• The best phtoto spots in Santorini (with map)
• 5 Reasons why you should visit the island Tinos

Our last trip in 2020 have been the Maldives. It’s been the most relaxing way to end this strange year. What we loved the most about our time was that it felt like traveling to another world without any stress and we could completely forget about our worries – at least for a few days!
We had the luck to visit some of our bucket list resorts in the Maldives – click on any of them if you wanna see & read more about our stays:

• The Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi – a brand new high end luxury resort
• The Pullman Maldives Maamutaa – where we stayed in an insane underwater bedroom
• The Soneva Fushi – a legendary resort in the Maldives with a focus on sustainability & reconnecting with nature
• The Fushifaru – a cozy boutique hotel with more affordable room rates

Exploring our own country this summer has been one of the best decisions ever. It really blew us away how many beautiful spots we discovered in our backyard.

Especially the beautiful mountain lakes in Bavaria & the unique rock formations of the National park “Saxony Switzerland” left us speechless and definitely should be on your bucket list when you’re visiting Germany!

Make sure to put this country to your travel list for 2021: Egypt has been the last destination we visited before the borders closed back in March 2020. Unfortunately we had to shorten our trip to head back home to Germany. But anyway we visited some of the most impressive ancient places I’ve ever seen in my life like the pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza, the Karnak Temple and – my favorite – the impressive temples of Abu Simbel!

If you’re planning a trip to Egypt yourself make sure to put this 3000 years old side to your list and check out my detailed guide to visit Abu Simbel!

During a road trip from Germany to explore the northern part of Italy we absolutely fell in love with it! Especially the beautiful mountains of South Tyrol are now below my top 10 destinations ever.
It’s also been the first time that I visited Venice – and wow this city is even more romantic in real life than on all the pictures you’ve ever have seen!

Words can barely describe how magical our trip to Iceland has been! It’s not only No. 1 of my Travel Ideas for 2021 but of all times! We visited Iceland mid June and this magical island truly left us speechless with its beautiful waterfalls, colorful midnight sunsets and the most impressive nature! It reminded us so much of a Nordic version of Hawaii and we can not wait to revisit the country during the winter season next time!

Don’t miss my ICELAND GUIDE with all the unbelievable places we visited. It includes a detailed map to make it easy for you to find these spots yourself

In this post I’ll tell you step by step how to install & use my Lightroom Mobile & Desktop presets!

If you use my presets make sure to add the hashtag #voyagefoxpresets so I can check out your edits and for a chance to get featured on my Instagram channel

Step 1 – Download the preset to your phone

You will receive my mobile presets for Lightroom as a zipped file. But no worries! You can easily unzip them on your phone with a double tap or by using the App iZip. If you download the presets to your Laptop, you simply have to double click on the zip to unzip the folder with the DNG-Files (presets) !

On your phone the DNG-Files will be saved to your files program. If you downloaded the presets on your laptop just send them to your phone using Airdrop (for Apple) or Dropbox (for Android) or via any other method you prefer. In this case your DNG-Files will be saved to your camera roll / album. No worries if you only see a blank picture – they should look like this!

Step 2 – Import the DNG-Files to your Lightroom App

If you have downloaded the free Lightroom Mobile App head over to Albums and click the + sign to create a new Album called “Presets” and add the DNG-Files from either you Files or Camera Roll.

Step 3 – Extract the presets from the DNG-Files

The presets are now attached to the DNG-Files and to create a real preset you can quickly & easily you for ANY picture simply do the following: Open each DNG-File one by one and click the three dots in the upper right corner. There you will see “Create Preset” – here you have to type in the name of the preset again (f.e. VOYAGE Bali) and add a folder for my presets (f.e. Voyagefox)

In the checkboxes you choose which parts of the preset you wanna save! Most of my presets don’t have settings for Tools, Optics and Geometry these parameters really vary for each photo so you can leave these boxes empty.

P.S. My VOYAGE Bliss Preset includes Tools settings – so make sure to tick the Tools Box when extracting the presets for this DNG-File!

You have to repeat this Step for each DNG-File but only one time and your preset will be saved forever

Step 4 – Happy Editing!

Your now ready to use my presets! YAY

Now whenever you upload a photo to your Lightroom Mobile App all you have to do is to go all the way right in the lower bar of the App where you will find Presets. Click on it and find back all your saved presets to start playing around and testing them!

P.S. Every photo is unique! So after applying a preset make sure to change into settings to regulate brightness, shadows, warmth, … a bit until your happy with your photo!

Step 1 – Downloading the presets

First you have to download the presets as a zip-file. Double click on the file to unzip it and get the xmp-files (Lightroom Desktop presets)

Step 2 – Import the xmp-files to Lightroom CC

If you have opened the desktop version of Lightroom change into Develop-Mode and find the presets menu on the left side. Click the little + next to it and find “import presets”.

A window will open up  to choose the xmp-files of the presets you want to add (you can add all the files at the same time). Now just click import and all the presets will be in your preset menu.

Step 3 – Happy Editing

Now you can find my presets in the preset menu whenever you want to edit a picture and simply click through them to check out the different edits!

As already mentioned in Step 3 of the Mobile presets: Every photo is unique so make sure to play around with parameters light brightness, shadows, warmth, … to make the picture look exactly like you want it!

This is the most asked question I get from you guys: “How did you become a travel blogger? And how can I also live this dream?” Read my honest answer in this post:

PART 1: HOW I STARTED TRAVEL BLOGGING – AND HOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

If you scroll through your Instagram feed you might feel like travel blogging is the new trend job everyone wants to do. And if you read e-books, instagram captions and blogposts they might tell you that everyone can do it!
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not here to tell you that this is not the case. I just want to show you the reality of how to get a travel blogger and tell you about my personal story which might also be helpful to fulfill your own dream.

HOW I BECAME A TRAVEL BLOGGER

TURNING A HOBBY INTO OUR PASSION

SO NOW LET’S GET TO THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:

WHAT ARE THE FIRST STEPS TO GET SUCCESSFUL ?

• Find a style you feel comfortable with and stick to it! This might be a specific way to take photos, to edit them, the stories you are telling, … You have to produce value for your audience and give people this „yes I want to follow this person“-feeling
• Connect with other people from your niche.
  I did this by using smaller hashtags of my niche, by commenting regularly on other peoples photos and soon I got invited to groups of other travel bloggers. This can be really helpful if you find a group of people with the same mindset as you: Not only to have a few more people who engage with your photos but more to share value with others, talk about tips, strategies and so on. But be careful: some groups are very superficial – I left any of these ones as soon as I realized it. But others really gave me a lot of knowledge and I connected with amazing creators which I’m very happy about 
  A little tip: If you don’t want to wait until you get invited to the right group simply create your own one and invite users which fit to you and inspire your work.
• Try to post to your best times and be consistent with it! Find out where most of your followers are from and when they are most likely active! The best way to do this is by changing into a business profile on instagram. And if you really wanna build up your reach it is very important to post high quality content on a regular base. It’s not enough to only post after a trip and skip some weeks after it. If you don’t have enough pictures then go outside and find nice photo spots close to where you live – you will be surprised how much you will find. I also learned not only to do ONE good photo for each place during travels. Try out different poses, outfits, perspective. So you will have some back up pictures you can use a bit later. Maybe you can also create some throwbacks of your favorite travel memories.
• Keep up your momentum! If you notice your reach going up than you reached your momentum and the Instagram algorithm shows your content to more people than usual! It’s important to keep this up as long as possible by posting your BEST content at least once a day. You now have a high chance to hit the explorer page or to “go viral” with a post which will reach a ton of new people.
• Use all Instagram Features! Instagram STORIES are important to connect with your followers and to build a relationship. Maybe show some behind the scenes, special tips, your daily life, … This is how people will start to feel like they know you personally and will more likely engage with your posts!
  The new REELS feature is a great way to reach a huge amount of people which aren’t following you yet! Try to combine Reels with your daily posts.

Of course! But you can’t trust on this cause it only happens rarely. I know accounts which got many thousand new followers after their photos went ‚viral‘ in the media (this can be for a good or a bad reason) But in 99,9% of the cases there will be no shortcut for you! It takes a lot of time to find your style, to grow your audience and to get the attention you are striving for.

A FEW THOUGHTS AT THE END:

We live in a century of endless possibilities. The Internet and social media opened up many doors for all of us and we all have to decide for ourselves if and how we want to use it. Turning your passion into your job has never been so easy but don’t do anything just because you think it would be easy money or fast success – cause it won’t! Everything is not as it seems and especially on Instagram people are only sharing their best moments with you. You don’t see the sleepless nights, the sacrifices a person gave or maybe the destroyed dreams. But I believe that everything in life is happening for a reason. So if you realize that your “dream job” doesn’t make you happy it’s never a shame to change your mind and to try out something new. Everyone has a different story and a different way to go!

You might also like to read:

• Part 2 – How to create content for Instagram?

• Part 3 – How do I earn money as a travel blogger?