Travel Photography Tips
An article by David Smith of Travel Photography Tips.
Annual vacations provide the perfect opportunity to dust off your camera gear and
indulge in an orgy of picture-taking. You may only take a few pictures during the
rest of the year, but come your fortnight of well-earned sabbatical, photography
suddenly takes on a whole new meaning. The reason for this is simple. Faced by completely
fresh surroundings — often far more exotic than anything you are used to at home
— you find that the urge to capture everything in glorious technicolor is irresistible.
Mundane pictures
Unfortunately, despite all the promising signs, most holiday pictures fail miserably
in their attempt to faithfully capture the spirit of the place depicted. Why? For
exactly the same reason you took them in the first place. Being hundreds of miles
from home, in a strange place — often a strange country — even the most mundane
scenes seem beautiful simply because they are unfamiliar. All of us in the Travel
Photography Tips office have sat through a friend or relative boring slide show
and we want to help you avoid the pitfalls.
Do your homework
The more you know about a place before you arrive, the better equipped you will
be to make the most of photographically. So once you have decided where you are
going to spend your holiday, the next thing on the agenda is to do a little research.
Take the right equipment
The next consideration is deciding which equipment to take, and to make that decision
you first need to think about how big a part photography will play in your holiday.
If you are mainly interested in soaking up the sun and taking snaps of your family
having fun, a decent compact camera is all you really need — ideally a zoom model
so you have got the flexibility to shoot a range of subjects. Chances are most of
you will want to do much more than that though, so you need to think carefully about
the contents of your gadget bag. A Travel Photography Tip – Make sure your camera
bag is big enough to take all the equipment you need for a days photography.
Cameras – one SLR body is sufficient, but here is a Travel Photography
Tips, if you have a second it is worth taking, even if you don’t take a compact.
If you planned your holiday around taking picture then you have a malfunction with
your primary then your holiday could be ruined.
Lenses - Focal lengths from 28 to 200 mm should cope with 99 per cent
of your needs, and can be covered using various combinations. The ideal one is probably
a couple of zooms — a 28—70mm and 70—210 mm, mainly because it cuts down on weight
and bulk. Zooms are also quick to use and allow you to precisely compose your pictures.
If you do not have zooms, a 28 mm wide-angle, 50 mm standard, plus 135 mm and 200
mm telephotos should suffice. A Travel Photography Tip – a 2 X tele-converter is
also worth considering, because it will increase the scope of your lens system considerably.
If you like to use wider or longer lenses by all means take them along, but remember
the weight factor. A good policy to adopt is if you will not use a lens at least
once a day, leave it out .
Flashgun - You may not use a flashgun very often at home, but on holiday
it will prove essential for taking pictures in dimly-lit interiors, or illuminating
people outdoors at night.
Filters - Although you should not overdo it in the filter department,
there are a few that are worth packing. A polariser is an absolute must. It will
deepen blue sky, reduce reflections on the sea and increase colour saturation. An
81B or 81C warm-up should also be included, for enhancing the light, a soft focus
to add mood to the odd shot, and a grey graduate to tone down bright sky. Creative
filters such as a starburst and diffractor can be used to great effect, but avoid
using them too often otherwise your pictures will become predictable and tedious.
Tripod - The very thought of carting a tripod half-way around the
world may not exactly fill you with excitement, but if you want to make the most
of the photo opportunities that you encounter it is an essential tool. Rather than
taking a large tripod, compromise by purchasing a smaller model that is easy to
carry but stable enough to keep your camera still during long exposures. Even a
table-top tripod is better than nothing, although it does not offer as much flexibility
because you need to find an existing support such as a wall or post to stand it
on. A Travel Photography Tip, try out a new Gorilla pod, they are fantastic.
Cleaning kit - Sand, salty air and general day-to-day use play havoc
with cameras and lenses, so regular cleaning is necessary if you want to keep everything
in tip-top condition. Essential items include: a stiff brush for the camera body
and lens barrels, a soft blower brush to remove dust from filters and lens elements,
and microfibre lens cloth for removing marks and fingerprints from filters and lenses.
All this gear should be carried in a gadget bag that has plenty of pockets and partitions
to give easy access, but can be closed securely to protect the contents from sand,
wind and rain, or light-fingered thieves. If you’re planning to do any
underwater photography you’ll need a waterproof housing.
After arriving at your destination
You’ll probably be eager to take some shot as soon as you arrive. The quality of
light is important in your pictures, so try to workout where the sun is going to
rise and set, and what time of day the light is likely to be at its most attractive
for the things you see, such as buildings, harbours, hills, monuments, seaviews
and so on. While you are out, have a glance at the postcard stands to get an idea
of what subjects are at hand. This will give you a good idea of attractive locations
that you can look for. A Travel Photography Tip – buy a map and study the surrounding
countryside looking for interesting locations.
Make the most of famous sights
The Eiffel Tower, The Taj Mahal, The Leaning Tower of Pisa, The Statue of Liberty,
Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, The Pyramids at Giza, Victoria
Falls . . . All these places and many others around the world are photographed by
millions of people every year. The trouble is, just about all the pictures look
the same. Tourist sights usually have recommended viewpoints, and that is where
the vast majority of visitors take their snaps from, or they start firing away the
minute they tumble off the coach. For a unique picture, you could take advantage
of a balloon ride or sight seeing tour from the air and take some
aerial pictures.
As a keen photographer rather than a snapshooter, you will want to come away with
something better and different to everyone else, so you need to think carefully
about what you are doing. Firstly, avoid the clichés and popular viewpoints. Instead,
look for alternative camera angles, and look at your subject through different lenses.
Most folk will be using a standard lens, so why not put a 28 mm wide-angle on your
camera and shoot from close range, or wander down the road and take your pictures
through a telephoto? The actual camera angle can also make a big difference to your
pictures. While most folk are snapping away with the camera at eye-level, try capturing
a worm’s eye view by stretching out on the ground, or find a higher viewpoint so
you are looking down at your subject.
Photographing local people - A Travel Photography Tip
The people you meet on your travels are as much a part of the country as the buildings
and landscape, so remember to shoot a few local portraits for your picture collection.
The best way to photograph strangers is by approaching them and asking permission,
rather than sneaking pictures from behind a lamppost with a long telephoto lens.
That way if they object, either for personal or cultural reasons, you will avoid
the embarrassment of a confrontation. Your pictures will also be far more intimate
because you are closer to your subject, and you will have more control over the
final result.
A short telephoto lens between 85 and 135 mm is ideal for head-and-shoulders portraits
— remember to set a wide aperture so the background is thrown out of focus. Alternatively,
use a wide-angle lens and include your subject’s surroundings in the frame.
Here at Travel Photography Tips we hope you’ve enjoyed this article on black and
white photography.