Linda Donahue combines her two passions photography and travel to capture images around the world. We spoke with Linda about inspiration, travel photography tips, and how she brings her digital images to life.

What circumstances led you to become fascinated with photography? When I was a little girl, my father was an amateur photographer. He really got into the technical side of things: camera settings, flash settings. I was his test subject, in many cases, being forced to hold up cards denoting distance from the camera, flash setting, and camera settings.  Linda's photography has been exhibited in galleries in New York and Miami and is featured in private collections around the world. 

On your website, you showcase many examples of your prints from all over the world. Where is your favorite place to photograph and why? I abandoned photography after I graduated from college, embarking on a career as a writer. But my love of foreign travel reignited my love for photography and getting to combine the two has been an incredible voyage. But your question doesn't really have an easy answer, because every new destination becomes my favorite place to photograph. My camera adds a fourth dimension, if you will, to my discovery of this new place; a textural dimension. I consider my images about the texture of a place more than a broad picture of what it's like. Custom Frame by Art To Frames featuring Linda's image Pere Cross

What tips would you give someone who may be interested in dipping their toes into travel photography? For too many years, I fully subscribed to the belief that bigger is better when it came to my equipment. I used to carry multiple lenses in a shoulder bag, and I was in miserable pain within an hour. Last year, I rented a mirrorless system (an Olympus OMD) for one of my trips to France. It was a revelation. I could throw the camera and two or three lenses into my regular shoulder bag (my purse), and it weighed about the same as adding another wallet. So that's a big tip. As for WHAT to shoot, here's what I'll offer: capture the emotion of the place. Be different. Don't take a hundred pictures of your travel companion standing in front of a landmark. You don't have to prove you're in Paris or Rome or wherever. But a moody shot of them from behind leaning against the rail of a river barge as the Eiffel Tower comes into view that different and enticing, and it captures the mood of the moment. St Emilion by Linda Donahue

What type of relationship do you have with Art to Frames? A few years back, I was looking for the easiest way to custom-frame my prints and send them directly to galleries or customers, and I somehow found Art To Frames. I loved that I could upload my digital images and choose not just the frame and matting, but control the dimensions of the matting to add some drama. The quality of the work is exceptional  I wouldn't consider anyone else, even a local framing store, to handle my work. Photography by Linda Donahue & Custom Frames by Art To Frames; a winning combination for any living room!

In your opinion what makes Art To Frames unique? Every project I've entrusted to Art To Frames has been exceptional, so I've come to expect the extraordinary from them. They deliver. And what makes you guys so unique is that you really help me visualize what my photography will look like after the matting and framing, so it makes it easy for me to plan and execute. Old Men at the Spice Market by Linda Donahue. Image available for purchase here: https://lindadonahue.com/buy-prints/istanbul-prints/

What does the future hold for Linda Donahue Photography? I spent many years afraid of photographing people, but a few years ago, during a visit to Istanbul, I found myself drawn to the city's old men. Whether they were outside the mosques preparing their ablutions or coming out of prayers, they seemed so much a part of the city's texture. I couldn't stop photographing them. I'd like to go back to Istanbul and add to my Old Men of Istanbul series and publish a book. But I m thinking I'd like to expand to other cities even Miami. There's nothing more textural than the old Cuban men playing dominoes in Little Havana! So, that's my next big project. If you're interested in finding out more about Linda's work please visit LindaDonahue.com. And if you're a travel photographer with incredible images be sure to head to ArtToFrames.com for all your printing and framing needs!