Having an Instagram platform with over ten followers, I have a certain duty to upkeep whenever I go on vacation. I’m a professional photographer at heart, a low-grade amateur photographer in reality, but with my dedicated audience of ten, I go out of my way to take the best photographs I can and ensure that they are just as entertained by my vacation as I am.
A lot of the time, it doesn’t work. While the places I go are often lavish and beautiful, I don’t always manage to represent that. Maybe it’s the angles, or maybe it’s the fact my finger consistently gets in the way of the lens – darn the invention of iPhone Minis – but I always find it difficult to capture the magic of certain locations.
Not so with Israel. When I travelled to Israel last summer, I had no idea how photogenic the country would really be. This country is so beautiful that anyone, literally anyone, can take a beautiful picture. This is because Israel offers you everything on a silver platter. There is no technique needed, no clever angles, and no perfect lighting. Even the slight shadow of a stray finger can’t hamper the beauty of the scenes on offer.
I came away from Israel with a number of brilliant photographs – some of which garnered a total of 5 likes on Instagram – but there were five scenes that really blew me away. With this in mind, if you’re travelling to the country anytime soon and you want the same cheat codes to boost your Instagram following, then here are the places that were the most memorable for me:
1. Masada National Park
I considered not getting a guide during this Israeli vacation. I liked the idea of wandering the deserts alone, free to explore anything I wanted. Then I remembered that I still get lost on my way to my local Walmart after seven years. The tour I booked was a tour to the Masada fortress, which is in the Judaean Desert, overlooking the incredible Dead Sea. I’m so glad I booked it, too, because it gave me the opportunity to see and photograph so much more than I would have done on my own while also telling me all there was to know about the fortress’s history.
2. The Dead Sea
Speaking of the Dead Sea, after I had seen all there was to see in the Masada fortress, I travelled down to the shore to take a special Dead Sea guided excursion, which not only takes you to all the best spots, but also gives you the opportunity to get into the water and experience the healing benefits of the sea yourself. I have to say, I felt pretty rejuvenated after the experience, not least because I’d taken some of the best photographs of my amateur photography career.
3. The Mount Of Olives
Just east of Jerusalem’s Old City, there’s a place called the Mount of Olives. This is home to one of Israel’s most beautiful churches, Dominus Flevit, but the reason this makes my list is because of the incredible view you can get from the very top of the mount. If you want a virtual bird’s-eye-view of the city, then there’s no better place to get it. Just be prepared, the hike to the top is not a short one, and you are in the Judaean Desert, so take it from me when I say it can get a little toasty.
4. The Grottos At Rosh Hanikra
One of the most popular tourist spots in Israel is Rosh Hanikra, which is a geologic formation between Israel and Lebanon, just on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. With the white chalk cliff opening up into intricate, mystical grottos, this will give you one of those pictures that will light up your Instagram. Just beware, the water can get choppy at times – or at least, it was when I was there – so don’t push yourself too hard to get the perfect photo. Believe me, you don’t need to.
5. All Of Tel Aviv!
One of the biggest surprises on this vacation for me was Tel Aviv – officially one of the happiest cities in the world. Whether it’s the Carmel Markets, the museums of art, the Old City Of Jaffa, or the gorgeous beaches, there is always something to see and something to snap. I will never ever forget Tel Aviv. And neither will my ten followers on Instagram, who were lucky enough to see it along with me.
Even if you don’t have thousands of Instagram followers, I can’t recommend a trip to Israel enough. Even though a picture is worth 1000 words, seeing all of these things in person is even better.
Feature Image by Avi Theret on Unsplash
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