Author: Jennifer Clarkson
Source: download
So you've decided to take a trip - that's fabulous! You're excited about capturing photos along the way, but how do you make sure you've remembered everything you need to pack? Well first, each person has a different approach to taking photos while away from home, so to help you figure out what you need to pack, consider the following concepts.
Concept #1: How many photos will you take?
When it comes to photography and trips, it's all about the balance of time spent snapping photos and time spent doing activities or relaxing; it's about how you want to experience your trip. Are you the type of person who spends hours waiting for the right light before taking a photo, or do you snap a single shot and move on? Are you trying to get the artsy shot or are you perfectly happy just to record the scene once? Part of your plans to take photos will depend on who you're travelling with and whether you're on a pre-scheduled trip, or free to make your own schedule. Are you travelling with someone who is a photo enthusiast, or will your travel mates grow impatient the instant you pause to take a shot? Have you signed up for an organized tour, or can you stay in a city for an extra 3 days if you wish? Are you planning to visit 30 cities in 30 days, or just 1 city in 2 weeks.
The number of shots you take will depend on who you are and the nature of your activities. For example, if you're hiking through forest or jungle for 8 days, you may be too tired to snap more than a few shots a day, let alone carry anything heavier than a small camera, whereas if you're staying in central Venice for 8 days, you may plan to take hundreds of shots a day and can easily change cameras or lenses should you need to go back to your hotel. Consider how active you plan to be - e.g. hiking vs bungee jumping vs rafting. Can you hold your camera securely, or do you need to rely on the camera strap, or even some other type of harness? Is your camera heavy, or do you have a lighter one? Are you willing to carry it in a large camera bag with various lenses and accessories, or would you prefer to have a small case that fits only the camera? The case or backpack that you bring to carry your camera and accessories in can make your trip very pleasant, or very unpleasant! The bottom line is that only you know yourself when it comes to snapping photos and what you're likely to do. Make sure you'll be physically comfortable with what you choose to bring or else your photography goals will be hard to achieve.
Memory card capacity is a major consideration for digital photographers when it comes to how many photos you can store; likewise film photographers need to know how much film to bring. Assess how many photos you plan to take per day, and come up with the total number you plan to take for the whole trip. Then look up how many photos will fit on each film or memory card; that should tell you how many of each you need to pack (or purchase). However, once you've calculated how much memory storage you have to pack, or how many film cartridges you need to carry, seriously consider doubling it; it's a lot easier to pack extra film or an extra memory card than spending time during your vacation buying an extra one. If you're anything like me, you'd rather spend your time looking through tacky souvenirs than searching for an internationally-known brand of film! Of course, if you're going the digital route, research the internet cafes near your lodging to see if they support USB downloads; perhaps you can burn a CD along your travels using these facilities. Or, if you're really gung-ho, pack a laptop or a video iPod and download your photos to a larger disk.
Concept #2: Airports and Customs
The obvious concern of travellers these days are the X-ray machines and what damage they can do. Digital cameras and memory cards have no reported incidences of damage from X-ray machines at airports, so you're pretty much safe if that's all you carry. Film photographers, however, do need to be concerned about film passing through X-rays, so be sure to pack your film in your carry-on luggage in a separate bag so that you can specifically request the bag be manually searched instead of X-rayed. Note that checked luggage typically have more damaging X-rays pointed at them, so checking your film is not a good idea. At modern airports, there tend to be fewer problems with X-ray damage, but I know a friend of mine who went to Iceland returned with blemishes on virtually all of his 12 rolls of film after airport authorities convinced him that X-rays would not damage the film. Better be safe than sorry.
The other concern is your destination country's customs laws and whether they limit the amount of camera equipment that you can bring, so do a little research on customs and check with your travel agent before you pack. Some countries may charge a fee or require you to bring special documentation, so it's best to go prepared. At a minimum, you should get your expensive equipment certified at your local customs before you go, so that re-entry is not a problem either.
Concept #3: Lighting conditions when you get there.
Flash will use up batteries faster than non-flash, as will using the built-in digital viewfinder on point & shoot digital cameras. So consider how much photography you'll be doing in low light. Museums and indoor photo opportunities may require flash, or use of a tripod, whereas sunny outdoor shots may need you to increase the brightness of your viewfinder.
Concept #4: Technical limitations on your hardware.
Let's face it: extreme temperatures can play havok with any mechanical or digital equipment. How hot or cold will it be where you stay? Will you be quickly going between air conditioning and hot humid weather, or will you be outdoors in frigid temperatures for more than a minute? You must weight the risk of fungus or heat damage to your film or memory cards versus convenience and the cost of replacing them. Also consider taking sealable bags to prevent condensation as you go between dry, cold hotel rooms, and steamy hot outdoor temperatures.
Do you plan to take underwater photos? If so, consider purchasing a disaposable underwater camera. These days, it seems most underwater cameras also float, but you need to figure out if that's what you want. Sometimes your camera will have a special underwater casing accessory for your camera that you can buy before your trip, but it likely won't float, so be sure you don't drop it in the ocean!
Digital photographers must consider battery life in foreign countries, and accessibility of throw-away batteries if rechargeable ones are not available. The DSLR that I own has a proprietary battery, but in case it dies, I purchased a AA battery accessory that lets you operate the camera on 6 AA batteries. Disposable AAA batteries are much more readily available than proprietary rechargeable ones, and I'd rather spend money on batteries than be without. Be careful, though; should you ever end up purchasing batteries in a foreign country, make sure you splurge on internationally known brands, rather than skimping on the cheap kind - I can't tell you how frustrated I was when I bought a brand I had never heard of in Switzerland only to find my camera detected they had no juice left!
Related to battery recharging, it's important to be aware of the power configuration in your destionation country. Do you need a power converter, or will your native power supply work? Do you plan to bring your AA battery recharger with you, or your priorietary battery charger? Check with your vendor to see if they recommend a particular power converter.
Concept #5: In case of damage...
Is there technical support available for your camera at your destination? If so, is it free, or do you have to pay for it? Can they fix your camera same-day, or replace it quickly if it outright dies? If your nearest camera shop is 500 km away, you may need to take a second camera with you, or tools to fix it yourself.
That's a lot to consider! But frankly it depends on your shooting style and your desitnation. On my trip Mexico, I took a disposable underwater camera, a small point & shoot, and a larger DSLR with a single primary lens. I left them locked in my room's safe, and only used one at a time, so it worked well for me. I took a small bag with which to dampen the affects of condensation because of rapid changes of air conditioning to humidity. But I also took a larger bag that had cleaners, spare batteries, and my AA battery pack - I used this when going inland to see Mayan communities since I knew I'd never go back and didn't want to risk coming away with no photos!
Jennifer Clarkson is a Canadian Photographer living in Ottawa. She is compiling a website of articles for Amateur Photographers to share knowledge about digital photography (http://www.jclarksonphotography.com). You can sign up to her Photography Forum to post questions and images, and you can rate the photos in her Photo Gallery. She is also compiling a series of eBooks for Beginners, and the first eBook is now available: Choosing your Digital Camera and Accessories.
How To Avoid This Number One Mistake Others Have With Travel Photography
Author: Amy Renfrey
Source: download
I spoke not long ago about travel photography. I'd like to discuss a particular problem with travel photography, and it's not with the camera, it's with us.
One thing that you might notice whilst travelling is the lighting differences between the place you are visiting and home. Your digital camera 'light settings' will still be set to where you came from, not where you are when you are travelling to.
Last year I went London on business and while I was there I discovered something very important. I had my trusty Sony set to an E/V of 1.0+. This really means, in English, that I had the eye of the camera adjusted to reduce some light because light here in Australia is so bright. I realised what a bright environment we live in down under when I went overseas. In a nutshell I had my camera set to 'Australian light settings', not 'UK light settings.' It's not really called a 'light setting', but I'll use that term for the purpose of simplicity.
When I got to London I looked at the viewfinder and everything looked really dark. I was confused at first but had a suspicion. So I took a few test shots to try out my feeling about what was happening. I was right I had the camera on the wrong setting for London light. My first test shots I focused the camera at the brightest part of the object I was taking and took the shot. As a result my pictures came out either too bright or too dark.
I then took the E/V up to 1.7+ and got the right shots. I got the right shots because I adjusted the amount of light that was coming into the camera. And to me, coming from such a bright place and going to London to me, seemed a darker place generally. Not bright, glary light like Melbourne. However this light is fantastic for digital photography if you have filtered light like this. In Australia we are constantly ranting "the polariser! the polariser!" But in London, at times, I could get away with not having it on the camera at all.
So please remember the first thing you do with that digital when you are travelling is to look at what you have the camera set to accept new lighting conditions. You may need to adjust the aperture if you are going from one continent and one season to another. Each season has a different light and varies from country to country.
Have a great day.
Amy Renfrey
www.digitalphotographysuccess.com
Source: download
I spoke not long ago about travel photography. I'd like to discuss a particular problem with travel photography, and it's not with the camera, it's with us.
One thing that you might notice whilst travelling is the lighting differences between the place you are visiting and home. Your digital camera 'light settings' will still be set to where you came from, not where you are when you are travelling to.
Last year I went London on business and while I was there I discovered something very important. I had my trusty Sony set to an E/V of 1.0+. This really means, in English, that I had the eye of the camera adjusted to reduce some light because light here in Australia is so bright. I realised what a bright environment we live in down under when I went overseas. In a nutshell I had my camera set to 'Australian light settings', not 'UK light settings.' It's not really called a 'light setting', but I'll use that term for the purpose of simplicity.
When I got to London I looked at the viewfinder and everything looked really dark. I was confused at first but had a suspicion. So I took a few test shots to try out my feeling about what was happening. I was right I had the camera on the wrong setting for London light. My first test shots I focused the camera at the brightest part of the object I was taking and took the shot. As a result my pictures came out either too bright or too dark.
I then took the E/V up to 1.7+ and got the right shots. I got the right shots because I adjusted the amount of light that was coming into the camera. And to me, coming from such a bright place and going to London to me, seemed a darker place generally. Not bright, glary light like Melbourne. However this light is fantastic for digital photography if you have filtered light like this. In Australia we are constantly ranting "the polariser! the polariser!" But in London, at times, I could get away with not having it on the camera at all.
So please remember the first thing you do with that digital when you are travelling is to look at what you have the camera set to accept new lighting conditions. You may need to adjust the aperture if you are going from one continent and one season to another. Each season has a different light and varies from country to country.
Have a great day.
Amy Renfrey
www.digitalphotographysuccess.com
Travel Photography Tips and Preparation
Author: Richard Schneider
Source: download
I just returned from a trip through Europe as a tour photographer and gained some useful knowledge that could be helpful to any photographers, amateur or professional who are planning a trip. This article deals with: obtaining the necessary equipment, carrying the equipment and always being in the right place at the right time. If you are hoping to get a professional collection of pictures from a vacation or group tour in a far away place you should definitely consider some of these issues. If you would like to see a collection of my personal photos from some of my trips (in which I used these techniques) please visit the wallpaper galleries on picturecorrect.com.
-My Personal Equipment Preparation
Through many photography trips I gradually developed a strategy for traveling lightly and conveniently with a sufficient amount of camera equipment. On long trips I typically take along two cameras; one digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera and one small digital point-and-shoot camera. For the SLR camera I take two lenses; one midrange telephoto lens (70-200 mm) and one fixed wide angle lens (24 mm). With these two types of lenses you will be ready for effective people pictures and beautiful landscape and scenery photos.
In addition to the cameras I absolutely always have some sort of tripod readily available whether it is the simple mini type or the full size larger type (for traveling you should make sure the tripod is made out of a light-weight material). For memory storage I take a larger memory card for the SLR and typically a smaller capacity card for the point-and-shoot camera. I also recently purchased an ipod so as soon as the memory cards are full I just unload them onto my ipod.
-Carrying the Equipment
For long trips that are full of photo opportunities I only carry one shoulder bag for my photography equipment. I keep the SLR camera in the bag with the extra lens that I am not currently using. I then carry the smaller point-and-shoot camera in the pocket of my cargo pants or shorts. The newer small digital point-and-shoot style cameras have developed so much that sometimes I feel that the photos I obtain from that camera are better then the SLR camera's photos. If you keep a small camera in your pocket then you will always be ready for spontaneous photo opportunities (mainly people pictures). And that way you won't always have to have a huge camera hanging around your neck which in many places will make you an instant target for professional pick pocketers.
I can't emphasize how important a tripod is on vacation trips. I am thoroughly convinced that the best pictures I have taken have either been at sunset or at night with long shutter speeds made possible by the use of a tripod. It has also come in very handy for architectural photos inside many cathedrals and buildings that have huge areas that are not very well lit.
-Techniques for Professional Travel Photos
Of course for effective photos you should read some articles on composition, exposure, shutter speed, and aperture. But there are also many other issues that I have realized are very important for travel photos. For pictures of landmarks or landscapes you should make sure that you have some kind of foreground and background so your viewers will have a good perspective of what it would be like to visit the site themselves. You should also make sure that you take plenty of photos from one scene with different combinations of exposure settings and angles. I usually only find about 1 photo out of 10 that I really like even though all ten photos are taken of the exact same place. And remember that you will probably want to make sure that you get at least one good photo of each spot since it is likely that you won't return any time soon.
For people pictures it is important to get photos of the people that may be accompanying you on your trip as well as some photos of people native to the area that you are visiting. When people are looking at photos following a trip they like to see both photos of them visiting certain spots as well as close ups of them enjoying themselves or focused mainly on their facial features. On the occasions that I have been hired to accompany a tour and prepare a slide show I found that the photos that the people enjoyed the most were of them enjoying a funny moment or of someone doing something silly that makes them look like an ignorant tourist. But they also enjoyed seeing photos of some of the interesting kinds of people that they met in the foreign environments. One example of this is on my recent visit to Germany I took many pictures of the crazy soccer fans who were cheering in the streets and waving flags.
There is a seemingly endless supply of things you can learn about travel photography, but I would say that the most effective technique is just to take a lot of photos and a wide variety of photos.
Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and founder of http://www.picturecorrect.com/ which offers tips and news about digital photography, digital camera reviews, and photoshop tutorials. Please also visit http://www.picturecorrect.com/freewallpaper.htm where you can find many examples of the techniques described in this article to use as your desktop wallpaper.
Source: download
I just returned from a trip through Europe as a tour photographer and gained some useful knowledge that could be helpful to any photographers, amateur or professional who are planning a trip. This article deals with: obtaining the necessary equipment, carrying the equipment and always being in the right place at the right time. If you are hoping to get a professional collection of pictures from a vacation or group tour in a far away place you should definitely consider some of these issues. If you would like to see a collection of my personal photos from some of my trips (in which I used these techniques) please visit the wallpaper galleries on picturecorrect.com.
-My Personal Equipment Preparation
Through many photography trips I gradually developed a strategy for traveling lightly and conveniently with a sufficient amount of camera equipment. On long trips I typically take along two cameras; one digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera and one small digital point-and-shoot camera. For the SLR camera I take two lenses; one midrange telephoto lens (70-200 mm) and one fixed wide angle lens (24 mm). With these two types of lenses you will be ready for effective people pictures and beautiful landscape and scenery photos.
In addition to the cameras I absolutely always have some sort of tripod readily available whether it is the simple mini type or the full size larger type (for traveling you should make sure the tripod is made out of a light-weight material). For memory storage I take a larger memory card for the SLR and typically a smaller capacity card for the point-and-shoot camera. I also recently purchased an ipod so as soon as the memory cards are full I just unload them onto my ipod.
-Carrying the Equipment
For long trips that are full of photo opportunities I only carry one shoulder bag for my photography equipment. I keep the SLR camera in the bag with the extra lens that I am not currently using. I then carry the smaller point-and-shoot camera in the pocket of my cargo pants or shorts. The newer small digital point-and-shoot style cameras have developed so much that sometimes I feel that the photos I obtain from that camera are better then the SLR camera's photos. If you keep a small camera in your pocket then you will always be ready for spontaneous photo opportunities (mainly people pictures). And that way you won't always have to have a huge camera hanging around your neck which in many places will make you an instant target for professional pick pocketers.
I can't emphasize how important a tripod is on vacation trips. I am thoroughly convinced that the best pictures I have taken have either been at sunset or at night with long shutter speeds made possible by the use of a tripod. It has also come in very handy for architectural photos inside many cathedrals and buildings that have huge areas that are not very well lit.
-Techniques for Professional Travel Photos
Of course for effective photos you should read some articles on composition, exposure, shutter speed, and aperture. But there are also many other issues that I have realized are very important for travel photos. For pictures of landmarks or landscapes you should make sure that you have some kind of foreground and background so your viewers will have a good perspective of what it would be like to visit the site themselves. You should also make sure that you take plenty of photos from one scene with different combinations of exposure settings and angles. I usually only find about 1 photo out of 10 that I really like even though all ten photos are taken of the exact same place. And remember that you will probably want to make sure that you get at least one good photo of each spot since it is likely that you won't return any time soon.
For people pictures it is important to get photos of the people that may be accompanying you on your trip as well as some photos of people native to the area that you are visiting. When people are looking at photos following a trip they like to see both photos of them visiting certain spots as well as close ups of them enjoying themselves or focused mainly on their facial features. On the occasions that I have been hired to accompany a tour and prepare a slide show I found that the photos that the people enjoyed the most were of them enjoying a funny moment or of someone doing something silly that makes them look like an ignorant tourist. But they also enjoyed seeing photos of some of the interesting kinds of people that they met in the foreign environments. One example of this is on my recent visit to Germany I took many pictures of the crazy soccer fans who were cheering in the streets and waving flags.
There is a seemingly endless supply of things you can learn about travel photography, but I would say that the most effective technique is just to take a lot of photos and a wide variety of photos.
Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and founder of http://www.picturecorrect.com/ which offers tips and news about digital photography, digital camera reviews, and photoshop tutorials. Please also visit http://www.picturecorrect.com/freewallpaper.htm where you can find many examples of the techniques described in this article to use as your desktop wallpaper.
Travel Photography For Beginners: Choosing A Camera And Getting Started
Author: Paul Symonds
Source: download
Travel photography can be as much fun for non-professionals as it can be for professionals. So what do you need to take up travel photography as a hobby and what else do you need to know? If you are a professional photographer this article will definitely be too basic for you. If you are a beginner then please read on.
Most of us travel these days anyway, so it is not a case of needing to travel anymore than what we already do, to start enjoying travel photography. Travel need not even be far, with the other side of your city still worthy of being called travel. The idea behind travel photography is that you are capturing images of culture, scenic views ie the essence of a place no matter what its location or size.
The more expensive the camera then generally you can of course expect better quality images, i.e. higher pixilation and more available optical zoom. Personally I find pocket cameras excellent because it is not realistic to carry a bulky camera everywhere, unless you are a real hard-core photographer (perhaps one who also carries a tripod everywhere, as though it were the car keys). I have found myself that I have some of my best photos from opportunistic moments and I have only managed to get these photos because I had a pocket camera ready on hand. If you are looking for a pocket camera so that you can begin snapping away wherever you are and whenever you want, then I personally think the Sony series of pocket camera's such as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70 Digital Camera (with 7.2 Million pixels & 3x Optical Zoom and affordable) is a worthy buy.
Hard-core photographers will say that using a manual camera is better. The fact is though, that unless you are a series paid photographer, then digital camera's are fast closing the gap on manual camera's and many digital camera's now also have add on manual lenses and also manual features.
Many beginners to photography get confused also about zoom and the meaning of optical zoom, when buying a camera. Optical zoom refers to the zoom that you get which does not affect the quality. You zoom in on an object for example and the quality is not affected. Normal zoom is when you zoom in closer but the closer you zoom is, the less focus you get. Optical zoom is the zoom that matters. Buying a camera with optical zoom of 3 or 6 is usually sufficient. If you really want to zoom in from a distance then you might possibly need a camera with 8-10 optical zoom.
Others may disagree with me but I think that the way best to start off is buying yourself a pocket camera and just to start snapping away. Get a feel for what works, what comes out well, what doesn't. Do not be afraid to experiment with the features on the camera. Try night shots for example, and try shots of different subjects i.e. sunsets, objects, landscapes and people. From experience and experimenting you can move out of the beginners level.
Travel photos - stock free images
home sauna and jacuzzi
Source: download
Travel photography can be as much fun for non-professionals as it can be for professionals. So what do you need to take up travel photography as a hobby and what else do you need to know? If you are a professional photographer this article will definitely be too basic for you. If you are a beginner then please read on.
Most of us travel these days anyway, so it is not a case of needing to travel anymore than what we already do, to start enjoying travel photography. Travel need not even be far, with the other side of your city still worthy of being called travel. The idea behind travel photography is that you are capturing images of culture, scenic views ie the essence of a place no matter what its location or size.
The more expensive the camera then generally you can of course expect better quality images, i.e. higher pixilation and more available optical zoom. Personally I find pocket cameras excellent because it is not realistic to carry a bulky camera everywhere, unless you are a real hard-core photographer (perhaps one who also carries a tripod everywhere, as though it were the car keys). I have found myself that I have some of my best photos from opportunistic moments and I have only managed to get these photos because I had a pocket camera ready on hand. If you are looking for a pocket camera so that you can begin snapping away wherever you are and whenever you want, then I personally think the Sony series of pocket camera's such as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W70 Digital Camera (with 7.2 Million pixels & 3x Optical Zoom and affordable) is a worthy buy.
Hard-core photographers will say that using a manual camera is better. The fact is though, that unless you are a series paid photographer, then digital camera's are fast closing the gap on manual camera's and many digital camera's now also have add on manual lenses and also manual features.
Many beginners to photography get confused also about zoom and the meaning of optical zoom, when buying a camera. Optical zoom refers to the zoom that you get which does not affect the quality. You zoom in on an object for example and the quality is not affected. Normal zoom is when you zoom in closer but the closer you zoom is, the less focus you get. Optical zoom is the zoom that matters. Buying a camera with optical zoom of 3 or 6 is usually sufficient. If you really want to zoom in from a distance then you might possibly need a camera with 8-10 optical zoom.
Others may disagree with me but I think that the way best to start off is buying yourself a pocket camera and just to start snapping away. Get a feel for what works, what comes out well, what doesn't. Do not be afraid to experiment with the features on the camera. Try night shots for example, and try shots of different subjects i.e. sunsets, objects, landscapes and people. From experience and experimenting you can move out of the beginners level.
Travel photos - stock free images
home sauna and jacuzzi
Travel Photography: What to Keep in Mind
Author: Anton Sheker
Source: download
Just came from a Recent out of town trip and decided that It would be a good idea to share the things you need to do, prepare for your Travel Assignment or Vacation.
What to prepare when you travel?
1. You should have a good Traveling bag for your camera gear. Putting everything in order will help you in those situations
when you need to find your gear or accessories fast. Good Cases
and Travel bags also protect your gear from the elements.
2. Scout the place before you travel. Most Travel Destinations have been photographed before or someone may have went there in the past. Look for guides, warnings or anything online to give you a glimpse of what to expect. Looking at photos of others will give you a window to view where you are going so you can start imagining how you will take your signature shot of the Place.
3. Bring the Right Gear. Why bring a macro lens if you won't use it? It will only make your bag heavy and hard to carry long distances. Bring only what you need.
4. Bring a Good Tripod or monopod for those shots that need the extra stability like night shots or low light level shots.
5. Wear Comfortable clothes that will keep you warm and dry while you shoot. Wear comfortable shoes that you can use for walking long distances. Some people prefer to bring Photographers Vest which is a practical idea knowing that you have so many compartments to place your accessories.
6. Bring only the accessories you need. Graduated filters, polarizers, warming filters bring only what is necessary. Special filters like expodisc or whitebalance card may not be used in outdoor situations for travel photography.
7. Bring Extra Set of Batteries, Water, Gum or candy, a clean cloth for lenses. You will never know when your next store, or break will come if you are shooting travel, It is best to keep stock of the things that you will be needing while waiting. Water to quench your thirst, Gum or candy to keep you from starving and a clean cloth or towel to keep you and your lenses dry.
8. I usually psyche my self up by listening to music that gets me into the mood to shoot. You can do this or maybe view some of your favorite photos or maybe read books on the destination you are going to.
10. There is safety in numbers. Find out who else is going to your destination, if it is a fiesta, festival or some event there will always be other photographers there.
11. Have emergency numbers ready. Not that anything will happen to you but it would be good to have some numbers handy. If you travel abroad, keep your embassy numbers. If you travel to a province or a nearby city it would be good to keep numbers of relatives that live nearby or maybe the number of the hotel that you stay in.
12. One of the important things to consider when traveling in this digital age is that you should consider your shooting capacity and your memory storage solutions. How big your files are and how often you shoot will leave you needing more and more memory cards. There are digital wallets available in the market but I still prefer to download them to my laptop or burn them to CD for multiple backups.
13. Like any other shoot, this is something you should enjoy and make the most out of. Don't Let it pressure you, go with the flow and do what you do best.. Take good photos!
Anton Sheker is a photographer based in Philippines. For more Photography Lessons, tips and tricks visit his site online at http://www.photo.net.ph/blogalicious.
Anton Sheker is also founder and member of the World Photo Directory http://www.worldphotodirectory.com
Source: download
Just came from a Recent out of town trip and decided that It would be a good idea to share the things you need to do, prepare for your Travel Assignment or Vacation.
What to prepare when you travel?
1. You should have a good Traveling bag for your camera gear. Putting everything in order will help you in those situations
when you need to find your gear or accessories fast. Good Cases
and Travel bags also protect your gear from the elements.
2. Scout the place before you travel. Most Travel Destinations have been photographed before or someone may have went there in the past. Look for guides, warnings or anything online to give you a glimpse of what to expect. Looking at photos of others will give you a window to view where you are going so you can start imagining how you will take your signature shot of the Place.
3. Bring the Right Gear. Why bring a macro lens if you won't use it? It will only make your bag heavy and hard to carry long distances. Bring only what you need.
4. Bring a Good Tripod or monopod for those shots that need the extra stability like night shots or low light level shots.
5. Wear Comfortable clothes that will keep you warm and dry while you shoot. Wear comfortable shoes that you can use for walking long distances. Some people prefer to bring Photographers Vest which is a practical idea knowing that you have so many compartments to place your accessories.
6. Bring only the accessories you need. Graduated filters, polarizers, warming filters bring only what is necessary. Special filters like expodisc or whitebalance card may not be used in outdoor situations for travel photography.
7. Bring Extra Set of Batteries, Water, Gum or candy, a clean cloth for lenses. You will never know when your next store, or break will come if you are shooting travel, It is best to keep stock of the things that you will be needing while waiting. Water to quench your thirst, Gum or candy to keep you from starving and a clean cloth or towel to keep you and your lenses dry.
8. I usually psyche my self up by listening to music that gets me into the mood to shoot. You can do this or maybe view some of your favorite photos or maybe read books on the destination you are going to.
10. There is safety in numbers. Find out who else is going to your destination, if it is a fiesta, festival or some event there will always be other photographers there.
11. Have emergency numbers ready. Not that anything will happen to you but it would be good to have some numbers handy. If you travel abroad, keep your embassy numbers. If you travel to a province or a nearby city it would be good to keep numbers of relatives that live nearby or maybe the number of the hotel that you stay in.
12. One of the important things to consider when traveling in this digital age is that you should consider your shooting capacity and your memory storage solutions. How big your files are and how often you shoot will leave you needing more and more memory cards. There are digital wallets available in the market but I still prefer to download them to my laptop or burn them to CD for multiple backups.
13. Like any other shoot, this is something you should enjoy and make the most out of. Don't Let it pressure you, go with the flow and do what you do best.. Take good photos!
Anton Sheker is a photographer based in Philippines. For more Photography Lessons, tips and tricks visit his site online at http://www.photo.net.ph/blogalicious.
Anton Sheker is also founder and member of the World Photo Directory http://www.worldphotodirectory.com
Travel Photography Tips
Author: TJ Tierney
Source: download
Summer time is the perfect time for snap happy people, and for anyone heading to an exotic destination for a well deserved break. Tourists all over the world capture priceless memories forever and their top-quality images are then stored away never to be seen by anyone.
Travel photography is a great hobby for any holiday goer, and with a few helpful tips you can bring home some great images that you can enjoy forever. If your images are better then normal you may be able to make some cash from them.
The key to travel photography is to make your images appealing to a wider audience than normal. You want to capture the mood and culture of a new place. You need to be able to sell a holiday through a photo.
Tips on what to photograph:
Taking landscape images in a far-off land can be tricky. The light conditions may be very different from what you are used to. Exposure may also be very tricky to calculate. If you are in doubt, bracket your shots to ensure that you will get the perfect image.
Travel photographers should start their day as the sun is rising. This is the best time to capture mood in a landscape image.
Night time urban landscape pictures will always make an interesting shot when exposed correctly. Use a tripod to ensure that your image is sharp.
Food shots can be very memorable, try to include the waiter or anything that you normally don't see at home. The interior and the exterior of restaurants can also be photographed.
Take pictures of local signs, buildings and famous landmarks. Be very careful with the position of the sun. Try taking images when the sun is to your side. This will cast long shadows along the front of the building. Use a polarising filter to cut out any glare from the glass in buildings.
Photograph the people. Travel companies are always seeking interesting people images. Photograph people eating food - people working - children playing - local police, fire fighters and any other service people in the area. Make sure that they are doing something interesting.
Visit local markets. This can make very interesting photography. Take plenty of images of the local stalls and the sellers. Take pictures of the different foods and anything else that you think may be unusual.
Travel photography may also be an immense financial trip for the professional photographer. Photo publishers are always seeking new material and are always on the look out for new talent.
When you return home with your images make a copy of each. Label each image with a brief caption. Its best to do this straight away when the holiday is fresh in your head.
Any holiday goer with the ability to use their lens correctly has the potential to sell their images. All you need to know is what makes a good travel image. You don't need to be a top class photographer to profit from taking pictures of far-off places.
TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer.
He frequently writes for the photography directory Goldprints.com and the shopping directory Shop 4 us.com
To view or buy some of his images visit his on-line gallery - Pictures of Ireland
Source: download
Summer time is the perfect time for snap happy people, and for anyone heading to an exotic destination for a well deserved break. Tourists all over the world capture priceless memories forever and their top-quality images are then stored away never to be seen by anyone.
Travel photography is a great hobby for any holiday goer, and with a few helpful tips you can bring home some great images that you can enjoy forever. If your images are better then normal you may be able to make some cash from them.
The key to travel photography is to make your images appealing to a wider audience than normal. You want to capture the mood and culture of a new place. You need to be able to sell a holiday through a photo.
Tips on what to photograph:
Taking landscape images in a far-off land can be tricky. The light conditions may be very different from what you are used to. Exposure may also be very tricky to calculate. If you are in doubt, bracket your shots to ensure that you will get the perfect image.
Travel photographers should start their day as the sun is rising. This is the best time to capture mood in a landscape image.
Night time urban landscape pictures will always make an interesting shot when exposed correctly. Use a tripod to ensure that your image is sharp.
Food shots can be very memorable, try to include the waiter or anything that you normally don't see at home. The interior and the exterior of restaurants can also be photographed.
Take pictures of local signs, buildings and famous landmarks. Be very careful with the position of the sun. Try taking images when the sun is to your side. This will cast long shadows along the front of the building. Use a polarising filter to cut out any glare from the glass in buildings.
Photograph the people. Travel companies are always seeking interesting people images. Photograph people eating food - people working - children playing - local police, fire fighters and any other service people in the area. Make sure that they are doing something interesting.
Visit local markets. This can make very interesting photography. Take plenty of images of the local stalls and the sellers. Take pictures of the different foods and anything else that you think may be unusual.
Travel photography may also be an immense financial trip for the professional photographer. Photo publishers are always seeking new material and are always on the look out for new talent.
When you return home with your images make a copy of each. Label each image with a brief caption. Its best to do this straight away when the holiday is fresh in your head.
Any holiday goer with the ability to use their lens correctly has the potential to sell their images. All you need to know is what makes a good travel image. You don't need to be a top class photographer to profit from taking pictures of far-off places.
TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer.
He frequently writes for the photography directory Goldprints.com and the shopping directory Shop 4 us.com
To view or buy some of his images visit his on-line gallery - Pictures of Ireland
Travel Photography
Author: TJ Tierney
Source: isnare.com
Capture the world with travel photography.
Summer time is the perfect time for snap happy people, and for anyone heading to an exotic destination for a well deserved break. Tourists all over the world capture priceless memories forever and their top-quality images are then stored away never to be seen by anyone.
Travel photography is a great hobby for any holiday goer, and with a few helpful tips you can bring home some great images that you can enjoy forever. If your images are better then normal you may be able to make some cash from them.
The key to travel photography is to make your images appealing to a wider audience than normal. You want to capture the mood and culture of a new place. You need to be able to sell a holiday through a photo.
Tips on what to photograph:
Taking landscape images in a far-off land can be tricky. The light conditions may be very different from what you are used to. Exposure may also be very tricky to calculate. If you are in doubt, bracket your shots to ensure that you will get the perfect image.
Travel photographers should start their day as the sun is rising. This is the best time to capture mood in a landscape image.
Night time urban landscape pictures will always make an interesting shot when exposed correctly. Use a tripod to ensure that your image is sharp.
Food shots can be very memorable, try to include the waiter or anything that you normally don't see at home. The interior and the exterior of restaurants can also be photographed.
Take pictures of local signs, buildings and famous landmarks. Be very careful with the position of the sun. Try taking images when the sun is to your side. This will cast long shadows along the front of the building. Use a polarising filter to cut out any glare from the glass in buildings.
Photograph the people. Travel companies are always seeking interesting people images. Photograph people eating food - people working - children playing - local police, fire fighters and any other service people in the area. Make sure that they are doing something interesting.
Visit local markets. This can make very interesting photography. Take plenty of images of the local stalls and the sellers. Take pictures of the different foods and anything else that you think may be unusual.
Travel photography may also be an immense financial trip for the professional photographer. Photo publishers are always seeking new material and are always on the look out for new talent.
When you return home with your images make a copy of each. Label each image with a brief caption. Its best to do this straight away when the holiday is fresh in your head.
Any holiday goer with the ability to use their lens correctly has the potential to sell their images. All you need to know is what makes a good travel image. You don't need to be a top class photographer to profit from taking pictures of far-off places.
Source: isnare.com
Capture the world with travel photography.
Summer time is the perfect time for snap happy people, and for anyone heading to an exotic destination for a well deserved break. Tourists all over the world capture priceless memories forever and their top-quality images are then stored away never to be seen by anyone.
Travel photography is a great hobby for any holiday goer, and with a few helpful tips you can bring home some great images that you can enjoy forever. If your images are better then normal you may be able to make some cash from them.
The key to travel photography is to make your images appealing to a wider audience than normal. You want to capture the mood and culture of a new place. You need to be able to sell a holiday through a photo.
Tips on what to photograph:
Taking landscape images in a far-off land can be tricky. The light conditions may be very different from what you are used to. Exposure may also be very tricky to calculate. If you are in doubt, bracket your shots to ensure that you will get the perfect image.
Travel photographers should start their day as the sun is rising. This is the best time to capture mood in a landscape image.
Night time urban landscape pictures will always make an interesting shot when exposed correctly. Use a tripod to ensure that your image is sharp.
Food shots can be very memorable, try to include the waiter or anything that you normally don't see at home. The interior and the exterior of restaurants can also be photographed.
Take pictures of local signs, buildings and famous landmarks. Be very careful with the position of the sun. Try taking images when the sun is to your side. This will cast long shadows along the front of the building. Use a polarising filter to cut out any glare from the glass in buildings.
Photograph the people. Travel companies are always seeking interesting people images. Photograph people eating food - people working - children playing - local police, fire fighters and any other service people in the area. Make sure that they are doing something interesting.
Visit local markets. This can make very interesting photography. Take plenty of images of the local stalls and the sellers. Take pictures of the different foods and anything else that you think may be unusual.
Travel photography may also be an immense financial trip for the professional photographer. Photo publishers are always seeking new material and are always on the look out for new talent.
When you return home with your images make a copy of each. Label each image with a brief caption. Its best to do this straight away when the holiday is fresh in your head.
Any holiday goer with the ability to use their lens correctly has the potential to sell their images. All you need to know is what makes a good travel image. You don't need to be a top class photographer to profit from taking pictures of far-off places.
Travel Photography
Author: Roy Barker
Source: articleage.com
To many people the idea of being paid to take photographs of
exotic places is the ideal job. It may takes years of effort to
be paid by magazines such as the National Geographic, but are
there better ways to become a travel photographer. As most
people have more leisure time, more holiday time, and more
disposable income, the demand for travel photographs has
increased dramatically. Not only are they in demand for travel
brochures, but they also are used extensively in other
advertising copy. Images necessary for sale and publication
require rather more skill than those applied to standard holiday
snaps. "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new
landscapes but in having new eyes." Was a quote by the French
novelist Marcel Proust, and it appears to be of particular use
to the travel photographer. Investigate the possibilities of
becoming a contracted photographer at Lonely Planet Images.
Lonely Planet Images is a digital library of travel photography.
They have submission guidelines available for download at their
website. They are a subsidiary of what used to known as the
Lonely Planet Guide, and currently have 400 photographers on
contract. You can also increase your chances of breaking into
the very lucrative travel market, by entering competitions such
as the Travel photographer of the Year . There closing date for
submissions is September 5th 2005. A camera is merely a box,
that captures light, and in a studio, it is very easy to
manipulate light. The reality of location photography is that it
is generally expensive; you have the expenses of air tickets,
hotels and meals on top of normal expenses. At the end of the
day you are at the mercy of "weather", no one wants to see their
ideal location subject to rain clouds. When we talk of light in
terms of travel photography we are talking about intensity, as
most travel shots are taken outdoors, In general there is harsh
direct sunlight and diffuse soft light. Harsh light is when the
sun is directional, and it is great for capturing deep contrasts
between light and shadows. With this type of shot, it is
difficult to judge the exposure. If you direct your exposure
towards the light, that will leave your shadows without any
depth or definition. Conversely if you use the correct exposure
for shadow, then the light areas will be without detail, giving
a vaguely sinister result to the image. Unfortunately your
drawback here is film, the human eye is capable of registering
contrast to a ratio of 800:1, slide film is capable of only
30:1, which is slightly improved, by going digital at a ratio of
40:1. Professional photographs have all passionate views on
their favourite brand name of film in this situation, but they
are all in accord that you need a slower speed films, as they
record better contrast and grain. ISO/ASA rating of a hundred is
about the fastest film to use. It is important that you use a
good photovoltaic cell (either a separate light meter or one
inbuilt into the camera. Once the light meter has registered the
light, the camera is capable of indicating the aperture opening
required, and the shutter speed. The speed of the film is also
taken into this equation. You need to measure the darkest and
the lightest areas. Your immediate decision is whether to
correctly expose the dark and emphasize the shadow and leave the
light areas washed out or to correctly expose the light and
leave the shadows without definition. Using light correctly
greatly enhances your colors, the diffused lighting just after
and dawn and just before sunset is helpful here. The technical
reasons for this are simple when the sun is nearest to the
horizon; the light has a greater distance to travel through
pollution, ozone, water vapour and dust. This means that
wavelengths at the violet end of the spectrum are more
scattered, than the colours at the red end. This allows the
blues to absorb more colour than at the red end, so the sunlight
appears more golden. To study the more technical aspects of
lighting you may like to take an online course. An inexpensive,
but invaluable tool for the outdoor photographer is a polarizer,
as they improve the ambient lighting. They will always emphasise
the blue of the sky, whilst minimalizing glare. This will allow
you to capture the colors you want to make a saleable
photograph. More importantly it reduces the contrast in a
photograph by creating a more even tone, it restricts the very
much lighter and darker tones, in the image. Mike Johnston gives
an excellent technical explanation of this in his excellent
online course. He has also written an excellent tutorial on
color theory, which explains the use of color to improve the
quality of your outdoor images. Photographers who use digital
imaging will also find this article tremendously helpful in
enplaning how to improve the final image with regard to colour.
Research is a great tool for the travel photographer, and the
Internet is a great help, but don't forget to use local
knowledge, ask local taxi drivers, as well as the tourist boards
for inside information on a location. City photography is also
included in the aspect of travel photography and here taxi
drivers' knowledge can be invaluable. You can also try and
coincide a trip with local festivals. If you can oversee a
vantage point you can use a zoom lens to great effect without
the embarrassment of having to foist a camera into someone's
face. Also local festivals give opportunities to capture a part
of the local culture.
Source: articleage.com
To many people the idea of being paid to take photographs of
exotic places is the ideal job. It may takes years of effort to
be paid by magazines such as the National Geographic, but are
there better ways to become a travel photographer. As most
people have more leisure time, more holiday time, and more
disposable income, the demand for travel photographs has
increased dramatically. Not only are they in demand for travel
brochures, but they also are used extensively in other
advertising copy. Images necessary for sale and publication
require rather more skill than those applied to standard holiday
snaps. "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new
landscapes but in having new eyes." Was a quote by the French
novelist Marcel Proust, and it appears to be of particular use
to the travel photographer. Investigate the possibilities of
becoming a contracted photographer at Lonely Planet Images.
Lonely Planet Images is a digital library of travel photography.
They have submission guidelines available for download at their
website. They are a subsidiary of what used to known as the
Lonely Planet Guide, and currently have 400 photographers on
contract. You can also increase your chances of breaking into
the very lucrative travel market, by entering competitions such
as the Travel photographer of the Year . There closing date for
submissions is September 5th 2005. A camera is merely a box,
that captures light, and in a studio, it is very easy to
manipulate light. The reality of location photography is that it
is generally expensive; you have the expenses of air tickets,
hotels and meals on top of normal expenses. At the end of the
day you are at the mercy of "weather", no one wants to see their
ideal location subject to rain clouds. When we talk of light in
terms of travel photography we are talking about intensity, as
most travel shots are taken outdoors, In general there is harsh
direct sunlight and diffuse soft light. Harsh light is when the
sun is directional, and it is great for capturing deep contrasts
between light and shadows. With this type of shot, it is
difficult to judge the exposure. If you direct your exposure
towards the light, that will leave your shadows without any
depth or definition. Conversely if you use the correct exposure
for shadow, then the light areas will be without detail, giving
a vaguely sinister result to the image. Unfortunately your
drawback here is film, the human eye is capable of registering
contrast to a ratio of 800:1, slide film is capable of only
30:1, which is slightly improved, by going digital at a ratio of
40:1. Professional photographs have all passionate views on
their favourite brand name of film in this situation, but they
are all in accord that you need a slower speed films, as they
record better contrast and grain. ISO/ASA rating of a hundred is
about the fastest film to use. It is important that you use a
good photovoltaic cell (either a separate light meter or one
inbuilt into the camera. Once the light meter has registered the
light, the camera is capable of indicating the aperture opening
required, and the shutter speed. The speed of the film is also
taken into this equation. You need to measure the darkest and
the lightest areas. Your immediate decision is whether to
correctly expose the dark and emphasize the shadow and leave the
light areas washed out or to correctly expose the light and
leave the shadows without definition. Using light correctly
greatly enhances your colors, the diffused lighting just after
and dawn and just before sunset is helpful here. The technical
reasons for this are simple when the sun is nearest to the
horizon; the light has a greater distance to travel through
pollution, ozone, water vapour and dust. This means that
wavelengths at the violet end of the spectrum are more
scattered, than the colours at the red end. This allows the
blues to absorb more colour than at the red end, so the sunlight
appears more golden. To study the more technical aspects of
lighting you may like to take an online course. An inexpensive,
but invaluable tool for the outdoor photographer is a polarizer,
as they improve the ambient lighting. They will always emphasise
the blue of the sky, whilst minimalizing glare. This will allow
you to capture the colors you want to make a saleable
photograph. More importantly it reduces the contrast in a
photograph by creating a more even tone, it restricts the very
much lighter and darker tones, in the image. Mike Johnston gives
an excellent technical explanation of this in his excellent
online course. He has also written an excellent tutorial on
color theory, which explains the use of color to improve the
quality of your outdoor images. Photographers who use digital
imaging will also find this article tremendously helpful in
enplaning how to improve the final image with regard to colour.
Research is a great tool for the travel photographer, and the
Internet is a great help, but don't forget to use local
knowledge, ask local taxi drivers, as well as the tourist boards
for inside information on a location. City photography is also
included in the aspect of travel photography and here taxi
drivers' knowledge can be invaluable. You can also try and
coincide a trip with local festivals. If you can oversee a
vantage point you can use a zoom lens to great effect without
the embarrassment of having to foist a camera into someone's
face. Also local festivals give opportunities to capture a part
of the local culture.
Start Up a Travel Photography Business
Author: Roy Barker
Source: articleage.com
Too many people have the idea that being paid to take
photographs of exotic places is the ideal job. It may take years
of effort to be paid by magazines such as the National
Geographic, but are there better ways to become a travel
photographer. As most people have more leisure time, more
holiday time, and more disposable income, the demand for travel
photographs has increased dramatically. Not only are they in
demand for travel brochures, but they're also used extensively
in other advertising copy.
Images necessary for sale and publication require rather more
skill than those applied to standard holiday snaps. "The real
voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but
in having new eyes." Was a quote by the French novelist Marcel
Proust, and it appears to be of particular use to the travel
photographer.
Investigate the possibilities of becoming a contracted
photographer at Lonely Planet Images. Lonely Planet Images is a
digital library of travel photography. They have submission
guidelines available for download at their website. They are a
subsidiary of what used to known as the Lonely Planet Guide, and
currently have 400 photographers on contract. You can also
increase your chances of breaking into the very lucrative travel
market, by entering competitions such as the Travel photographer
of the Year . There closing date for submissions is September
5th 2005.
A camera is merely a box, that captures light, and in a studio,
it is very easy to manipulate light. The reality of location
photography is that it is generally expensive; you have the
expenses of air tickets, hotels and meals on top of normal
expenses. At the end of the day you are at the mercy of
"weather", no one wants to see their ideal location subject to
rain clouds.
When we talk of light in terms of travel photography we are
talking about intensity, as most travel shots are taken
outdoors, In general there is harsh direct sunlight and diffused
soft light. Harsh light is when the sun is directional, and it
is great for capturing deep contrasts between light and shadows.
With this type of shot, it is difficult to judge the exposure.
If you direct your exposure towards the light, that will leave
your shadows without any depth or definition. Conversely if you
use the correct exposure for shadow, then the light areas will
be without detail, giving a vaguely sinister result to the
image. Unfortunately your drawback here is film, the human eye
is capable of registering contrast to a ratio of 800:1, slide
film is capable of only 30:1, which is slightly improved, by
going digital at a ratio of 40:1. Professional photographs have
all passionate views on their favourite brand name of film in
this situation, but they are all in accord that you need a
slower speed films, as they record better contrast and grain.
ISO/ASA rating of a hundred is about the fastest film to use. It
is important that you use a good photovoltaic cell (either a
separate light meter or one inbuilt into the camera). Once the
light meter has registered the light, the camera is capable of
indicating the aperture opening required, and the shutter speed.
The speed of the film is also taken into this equation. You need
to measure the darkest and the lightest areas.
Your immediate decision is whether to correctly expose the dark
and emphasize the shadow and leave the light areas washed out or
to correctly expose the light and leave the shadows without
definition. Using light correctly greatly enhances your colors,
the diffused lighting just after and dawn and just before sunset
is helpful here. The technical reasons for this are simple when
the sun is nearest to the horizon; the light has a greater
distance to travel through pollution, ozone, water vapour and
dust. This means that wavelengths at the violet end of the
spectrum are more scattered, than the colours at the red end.
This allows the blues to absorb more colour than at the red end,
so the sunlight appears more golden. To study the more technical
aspect of lighting, you may like to take an online course.
An inexpensive, but invaluable tool for the outdoor photographer
is a polarizer, as they improve the ambient lighting. They will
always emphasise the blue of the sky, whilst minimalizing glare.
This will allow you to capture the colors you want to make a
saleable photograph. More importantly it reduces the contrast in
a photograph by creating a more even tone, it restricts the very
much lighter and darker tones, in the image. Mike Johnston gives
an excellent technical explanation of this in his excellent
online course. He has also written an excellent tutorial on
color theory, which explains the use of color to improve the
quality of your outdoor images. Photographers who use digital
imaging will also find this article tremendously helpful in
enplaning how to improve the final image with regard to colour.
Research is a great tool for the travel photographer, and the
Internet is a great help, but don't forget to use local
knowledge, ask local taxi drivers, as well as the tourist boards
for inside information on a location. City photography is also
included in the aspect of travel photography and here taxi
drivers' knowledge can be invaluable. You can also try and
coincide a trip with local festivals. If you can oversee a
vantage point you can use a zoom lens to great effect without
the embarrassment of having to foist a camera into someone's
face. Also local festivals give opportunities to capture a part
of the local culture.
Source: articleage.com
Too many people have the idea that being paid to take
photographs of exotic places is the ideal job. It may take years
of effort to be paid by magazines such as the National
Geographic, but are there better ways to become a travel
photographer. As most people have more leisure time, more
holiday time, and more disposable income, the demand for travel
photographs has increased dramatically. Not only are they in
demand for travel brochures, but they're also used extensively
in other advertising copy.
Images necessary for sale and publication require rather more
skill than those applied to standard holiday snaps. "The real
voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but
in having new eyes." Was a quote by the French novelist Marcel
Proust, and it appears to be of particular use to the travel
photographer.
Investigate the possibilities of becoming a contracted
photographer at Lonely Planet Images. Lonely Planet Images is a
digital library of travel photography. They have submission
guidelines available for download at their website. They are a
subsidiary of what used to known as the Lonely Planet Guide, and
currently have 400 photographers on contract. You can also
increase your chances of breaking into the very lucrative travel
market, by entering competitions such as the Travel photographer
of the Year . There closing date for submissions is September
5th 2005.
A camera is merely a box, that captures light, and in a studio,
it is very easy to manipulate light. The reality of location
photography is that it is generally expensive; you have the
expenses of air tickets, hotels and meals on top of normal
expenses. At the end of the day you are at the mercy of
"weather", no one wants to see their ideal location subject to
rain clouds.
When we talk of light in terms of travel photography we are
talking about intensity, as most travel shots are taken
outdoors, In general there is harsh direct sunlight and diffused
soft light. Harsh light is when the sun is directional, and it
is great for capturing deep contrasts between light and shadows.
With this type of shot, it is difficult to judge the exposure.
If you direct your exposure towards the light, that will leave
your shadows without any depth or definition. Conversely if you
use the correct exposure for shadow, then the light areas will
be without detail, giving a vaguely sinister result to the
image. Unfortunately your drawback here is film, the human eye
is capable of registering contrast to a ratio of 800:1, slide
film is capable of only 30:1, which is slightly improved, by
going digital at a ratio of 40:1. Professional photographs have
all passionate views on their favourite brand name of film in
this situation, but they are all in accord that you need a
slower speed films, as they record better contrast and grain.
ISO/ASA rating of a hundred is about the fastest film to use. It
is important that you use a good photovoltaic cell (either a
separate light meter or one inbuilt into the camera). Once the
light meter has registered the light, the camera is capable of
indicating the aperture opening required, and the shutter speed.
The speed of the film is also taken into this equation. You need
to measure the darkest and the lightest areas.
Your immediate decision is whether to correctly expose the dark
and emphasize the shadow and leave the light areas washed out or
to correctly expose the light and leave the shadows without
definition. Using light correctly greatly enhances your colors,
the diffused lighting just after and dawn and just before sunset
is helpful here. The technical reasons for this are simple when
the sun is nearest to the horizon; the light has a greater
distance to travel through pollution, ozone, water vapour and
dust. This means that wavelengths at the violet end of the
spectrum are more scattered, than the colours at the red end.
This allows the blues to absorb more colour than at the red end,
so the sunlight appears more golden. To study the more technical
aspect of lighting, you may like to take an online course.
An inexpensive, but invaluable tool for the outdoor photographer
is a polarizer, as they improve the ambient lighting. They will
always emphasise the blue of the sky, whilst minimalizing glare.
This will allow you to capture the colors you want to make a
saleable photograph. More importantly it reduces the contrast in
a photograph by creating a more even tone, it restricts the very
much lighter and darker tones, in the image. Mike Johnston gives
an excellent technical explanation of this in his excellent
online course. He has also written an excellent tutorial on
color theory, which explains the use of color to improve the
quality of your outdoor images. Photographers who use digital
imaging will also find this article tremendously helpful in
enplaning how to improve the final image with regard to colour.
Research is a great tool for the travel photographer, and the
Internet is a great help, but don't forget to use local
knowledge, ask local taxi drivers, as well as the tourist boards
for inside information on a location. City photography is also
included in the aspect of travel photography and here taxi
drivers' knowledge can be invaluable. You can also try and
coincide a trip with local festivals. If you can oversee a
vantage point you can use a zoom lens to great effect without
the embarrassment of having to foist a camera into someone's
face. Also local festivals give opportunities to capture a part
of the local culture.
Introduction to Travel Photography
Author: John S
Source: articleage.com
If you're a traveler and a photographer you're blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime to capture moments in time from throughout the world and allow others to experience the world through your photography. Your adventures will become others dreams and inspiration. Often a particular photograph could make someone want to follow in your footsteps. Just one photograph could trigger the travel bug in someone and the next thing you know, you, the photographer, and enhancing people's lives through the use of your camera.
Besides the impact travel photography has on others, it's also very rewarding to the travel photographer. Chances are you would have had a camera on you anyways, so why not apply the creative principles of art photography to help enhance the pictures you take.
How to take the best travel photographs
There are two types of travel photography.
1) The "stand in front of that sweetie" brand and the "spontaneous and interesting" brand. Unfortunately most travel photography falls into the former category. We've all seen this type of photographer before, and regrettably most of us are guilty of it as well. We will try and capture the shot of something for no other purpose than to just prove we were there. The result is an often scripted, uncomfortable, predictable and visually boring picture. These types of pictures clog photo albums. Page one; the family in front of a water fountain. Page 2; the family in front of a monument. Page 3; the family in front of a sign that says something only funny to tourist. Congratulations, you've taken the same shots, in the same position as thousands and sometimes millions of other people. Let's now turn our attention to the other brand of travel photography, the spontaneous and interesting brand.
2) with this type of photography you are still free to capture the tourist site and you are still allowed to include yourself in the picture. However, there will be a stark difference in both composition and character engagement. Let's say for example that you and your family have gone on a kayaking for the day. Some people may line the kayaks up, gear up and stand in front of the kayaks, throw their thumbs in the air and "click". The picture is taken. When you get home to look at your shot you realize that the picture didn't capture the peacefulness of kayaking, the calming backdrop of mountains or the scared look on sisters face when she had to duck under a log. You've simply captured proof that you've been there and done that. A better idea would be to have someone on shore (because you probably don't want a camera in a kayak unless you're very skilled), and have them take pictures of the action while its happening. Even if you have to recreate events, it is still better than the scripted and visually boring alternative. Obviously capturing the moment spontaneously is best, but recreation finds itself in second place if that's the only other option.
Likewise if you're in Rome and you'd like to get a picture of your friend and the Coliseum all in one, try quickly pulling out your camera while they are looking at the size of the structure and snap a shot of the wonder and curiosity in their eyes. Often this takes some preplanning with however you're with. You will need to tell them; "Look, when I take out the camera I don't want you to stop what you're doing and "say cheese". Just keep doing what you're doing because I'm trying to capture our unpredictable and beautiful life as it unfolds". It may take a couple of times before they stop turning and looking your way, but once you get this down pat as a team, your pictures will turn out much better.
John S
Stare Online Photography School
http://www.starephotography.com
Source: articleage.com
If you're a traveler and a photographer you're blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime to capture moments in time from throughout the world and allow others to experience the world through your photography. Your adventures will become others dreams and inspiration. Often a particular photograph could make someone want to follow in your footsteps. Just one photograph could trigger the travel bug in someone and the next thing you know, you, the photographer, and enhancing people's lives through the use of your camera.
Besides the impact travel photography has on others, it's also very rewarding to the travel photographer. Chances are you would have had a camera on you anyways, so why not apply the creative principles of art photography to help enhance the pictures you take.
How to take the best travel photographs
There are two types of travel photography.
1) The "stand in front of that sweetie" brand and the "spontaneous and interesting" brand. Unfortunately most travel photography falls into the former category. We've all seen this type of photographer before, and regrettably most of us are guilty of it as well. We will try and capture the shot of something for no other purpose than to just prove we were there. The result is an often scripted, uncomfortable, predictable and visually boring picture. These types of pictures clog photo albums. Page one; the family in front of a water fountain. Page 2; the family in front of a monument. Page 3; the family in front of a sign that says something only funny to tourist. Congratulations, you've taken the same shots, in the same position as thousands and sometimes millions of other people. Let's now turn our attention to the other brand of travel photography, the spontaneous and interesting brand.
2) with this type of photography you are still free to capture the tourist site and you are still allowed to include yourself in the picture. However, there will be a stark difference in both composition and character engagement. Let's say for example that you and your family have gone on a kayaking for the day. Some people may line the kayaks up, gear up and stand in front of the kayaks, throw their thumbs in the air and "click". The picture is taken. When you get home to look at your shot you realize that the picture didn't capture the peacefulness of kayaking, the calming backdrop of mountains or the scared look on sisters face when she had to duck under a log. You've simply captured proof that you've been there and done that. A better idea would be to have someone on shore (because you probably don't want a camera in a kayak unless you're very skilled), and have them take pictures of the action while its happening. Even if you have to recreate events, it is still better than the scripted and visually boring alternative. Obviously capturing the moment spontaneously is best, but recreation finds itself in second place if that's the only other option.
Likewise if you're in Rome and you'd like to get a picture of your friend and the Coliseum all in one, try quickly pulling out your camera while they are looking at the size of the structure and snap a shot of the wonder and curiosity in their eyes. Often this takes some preplanning with however you're with. You will need to tell them; "Look, when I take out the camera I don't want you to stop what you're doing and "say cheese". Just keep doing what you're doing because I'm trying to capture our unpredictable and beautiful life as it unfolds". It may take a couple of times before they stop turning and looking your way, but once you get this down pat as a team, your pictures will turn out much better.
John S
Stare Online Photography School
http://www.starephotography.com
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