Comments on: Travel Photography Tips

By: Becca (DMW)

Becca (DMW) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:01:36 +0000

These are all really great tips! I especially like how you elaborated in the “comments” about how to create a cultural exchange through the act of taking pictures.
Thanks!

By: admin

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:51:12 +0000

Great advice Mark – when I got my first SLR I took it to Brazil the next week…boy – that was a learning experience! It forces you to learn quickly – but not the recommended way to go about it! akin to jumping in the pool when you don’t know how to swim!

By: Mark H

Mark H — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:26:11 +0000

Some great tips. Digital cameras have changed so many things – almost limitless shots can be taken and you get instant feedback via the little screen on the back – much different to film – when you had the excitement of seeing all your photos on your return home returning from the photo developing shop. Some truly practical tips above – I like the one about crouching to change the perspective. I’d add an obvious favourite – practice and practice some more. Take photos around home and your own town and then take some more at another time and compare the differences. Too many people I see seem to be learning to use their camera (often a new one for a special trip) when on their trip of a lifetime.

By: Sally

Sally — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:24:30 +0000

Great tips! I also like analyzing landscapes and other scenes to find a sense of geometry that will make for a good shot. I’m taking an SLR class next weekend, so am excited to learn more about taking quality photos! Your advice is a good start!

By: admin

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:33:54 +0000

Thanks for your thoughts Stephen! Glad you visited my site!
True – it can be a personal preference. I used to shoot people only one way – up close and tight – but I felt a bit re-energized when started shooting wider. One good thing though is that even if you do use a wider angle lens to shoot people, you can still get close up…simply by walking up closer. Keeping a wider lens on my SLR instead of my telephoto made me get over my fear of walking up and getting close to people to shoot them.

By: Stephen McGrath

Stephen McGrath — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 09:02:31 +0000

Agree with all tips except “wide”. I think that’s personal preference. After all, photography is art and different people like different things. Personally I prefer a tight crop and seeing the detail. Wide angles quickly lose my interest as I can’t see what’s really happening, and there’s often too much to look at.

Of course, a wise angle image can make a great wall hanging because you want to discover something new about the picture every day.

By: Donna Hull

Donna Hull — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:48:53 +0000

“Crouch” is a great tip, Sherry. I do this often and it totally changes the composition of a photo.

My tip is to use the bracketing feature (even on point and shoots). You’ll have an under-exposed, medium-exposed and over-exposed shot of the same scene. But then again, I like choices .

By: Anil

Anil — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:01:23 +0000

I like the tip on waiting. I’m terrible at asking people for pictures and when I do I usually walk away with the cheesy grins. One of my goals this year is to take more pictures, something I don’t do enough of, and leave my comfort zone.

By: Heather on her travels

Heather on her travels — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:57:00 +0000

I’m very much from the point & shoot school & take everything on auto, having never quite understood the finer points of apperture & shutter speed.

Nevertheless i think you can still get some great shots, sometimes more by luck than judgement.

My tips are;

Take loads of shots of the same thing – I will sometimes take 5-10 shots of a similar scene, especially groups of people when one person will innevitably be looking the wrong way. Then edit them down later.

I use Flickr & Picasa for editing which can make a longer shot a close up as long as you shoot in high res.

The obvious one that all photographers know is to shoot early & late in the day when the light is more forgiving.

Also the one I’ve learned by bitter experience is always take the shot when you first see it, never assume that you will get back to it – plans change, so does the weather, shoot it NOW

By: admin

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:41:37 +0000

excellent advice Barbara – will give that a try!

By: admin

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:41:02 +0000

Totally agree! I have been trying to learn more and more about editing this year – but it can really help, but it takes so much time when going thru hundreds of shots! I guess I have to improve on taking fewer shots!

By: admin

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:39:55 +0000

Megan – sometimes shooting people can be rather intimidating; especially when you can’t communicate with them in their language. All I can say is try and make it a cultural exchange experience. Show them their photos, take a photo with them, make it fun; it will lighten thing up a bit and you’ll have more of a connection with them. I give my little point and shoot to some kids and let them take photos of us (if I sorta know them of course!).
As for what’s in my bag:
3 lenses (wide, telephoto, and everyday portrait type)
CODA filters (neutral density filters of different colors, polaroid filter) and filter holders (wide angle and regular)
extra batteries
extra memory cards (I like to take many small cards in case I lose one of the camera gets stolen – I don’t loose everything on one card)
Camera manual (you never know when you need it!)
4 in one card reader (for uploading my images to laptop at night)
POint and shoot camera

I honestly try to carry very little when I’m traveling; hence no tripod. I have very simple gear!

By: admin

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:33:02 +0000

Thanks for the tip Gary! I totally agree – you have to put have an editing eye to your own shots. One way I try to achieve this is to join photography groups/clubs where critique is a big part of it. I was in a great photography club in Saigon that was super about reserving a part of our meetings for critiques of each other’s work. I learned a ton from that group. There are also online versions of this where you can submit your photos that you think are great (a google search on photo critique) – and have others provide feedback…must have tough skin.

By: Barbara at Hole in the Donut Travels

Barbara at Hole in the Donut Travels — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:32:10 +0000

Good tips, Sherry. I would add getting to know the aperture and shutter speed settings for typical conditions. Landscape that needs long focal length in bright sun – F16 or smaller with a speed of 1/125 or faster. When to stop down, when to open up, etc. When setting exposures becomes automatic, you start taking really good photos, because the camera is part of you rather than just a piece of equipment.

By: Abi from Inside the Travel Lab

Abi from Inside the Travel Lab — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:51:16 +0000

Lovely post, Sherry. Some time this weekend I’ll be seeing how accurately I can change my settings without stopping to look at them!
Purists may hate this but I’d also mention photo editing software. You don’t even need to get into the technical detail – sometimes a good crop is all it takes to get rid of a distraction and create a better photo.

By: megan

megan — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:22:58 +0000

Great tips, thanks Sherry!
You need so much confidence to take good photos I think, particularly when you want to truly capture the environment – I always feel so conspicuous with my big camera, even when it has a small lens on it, because people are so used to seeing tiny point and shoots these days. I definitely want to try and take more people shots on my next trip, and these suggestions are really helpful.

One question – what’s in your kit bag? Any tips on equipment? I’m always looking to refine my gear.

By: Gary Arndt

Gary Arndt — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:47:35 +0000

One thing I’d add is to look at the photos you shoot with an analytical eye. Everyone will take bad photos. It is unavoidable. Try to figure out why a photo sucks and why other photos are good.

Look at other people’s photos the same way. Try to figure out how they got a particular shot.

I began to notice similar circumstances with my good photos and my bad ones now just avoid the things which made many of the bad photos.

You have to be your own worst critic.