As I set out for an adventure to Italy this morning, I'm thinking a lot about how I shoot on the move. For me, photographing what's in front of me really makes me digest what I'm looking at. It's the ultimate vehicle for staying present, taking things slow and examining, exploring and really paying attention to new experiences. Here are some tips that I like to keep in mind . . .
1) Don't be afraid to photograph people while traveling. One strategy is to ask for permission — most of the time people say yes, especially when the question is framed in a compliment: "I love your outfit, would you mind being in my photo?"
2) Look at what's behind you. Maybe you're at a tourist attraction and there are myriads of people photographing the site — turn around. The better shot could be the gathering of crazy tourists all trying to shoot the same thing. One of my favorite images is the wild throngs of crazed travelers all photographing the Taj Mahal, far more interesting than my photos of the dazzling Indian tomb.
3) Vary up you sense of scale. Try shooting big dramatic landscapes, medium shots of gorgeous architecture and then get close, very close to the way your pastry looks with your coffee at breakfast or the fabulous bedding folds in your hotel room. These little details can weave texture and story into your overall gallery of images of a place.
4) Always have your camera on you. Even if it's just the camera on your phone. You'll be kicking yourself if you step out into a fabulous night market after dinner and you've left your camera behind because you're now "relaxing." There's an opportunity around every corner for newness when traveling — that's what makes this special time so fulfilling! Don't regret an amazing photo opportunity.
5) Shoot in AV mode. If your camera has an "Aperture Priority" mode, you're going to be a lot better off than shooting in Auto. This setting allows for the lowest possible aperture in each shot, so your images will have a more romantic, shallow depth of field look when you get close to something. Your landscape or 'far away' shots will not be affected. Major subjects (people, statues, produce, objects) will stay in focus, while the background will be softer.
Do you shoot while traveling? Do you have any photo strategies you keep in mind? Do share!
XOXO,
Leela the Photo Magiciian
(Images by Leela Cyd Ross)
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We're leaving tomorrow on an Alaskan cruise...Thanks so much for these tips--perfect timing!
Great tips - except I always hate being in stranger's photographs (I live and work in a touristy area), so definitely ask permission!
Another travel photo tip for if you're traveling alone - if you want a photo of yourself, ask another tourist who has a similar camera - I have a Canon DSLR, so I look for someone who has something similar - they'll know how to use it, and they're less likely to run away with it!
Please be cautious and respectful when photographing people. It's one thing to photograph a busy street scene or a crowd at a tourist site, but quite another to zoom in on one person. I've seen so many facebook photos of 'quaint', candid photos of the locals. Asking permission is a start but try to remember that these are people with actual lives that continue after you walk away, not just props for a cute anecdote of your exotic adventures when you get home. This is especially important to think about when you're traveling in an area with a skewed power/economic balance.
great tips!
@foodefafa makes a good point. You could really make some enemies if you take photos of the wrong person!
Thanks for sharing these tips! Also, I'm sorry for the criticism but typos are so unprofessional.
I try to avoid taking pictures of humans as much as possible, unless it's the crowd I want. I found in China it was really difficult to take a street view type photo because everyone would look at the crazy foreigner with the camera! Every photo of street stuff is basically ruined by googly eyes, something you might not notice at the time, but definitely afterwards when you are trying to get that one perfect shot to send home.
If you don't like being in your own photos, bring a little toy or mascot with you and stage photos of it doing the same things you did. I had a solo trip to San Francisco where I applied this method with a beanie octopus and it was great!
One of my favorite pictures from my last trip to Italy was of a line of like 8 tourists posed with arms up in front of the Tower in Pisa. It never fails to make me giggle.
You forgot one very important tip - always bring a tripod! My favorite is the Gorilla tripod, large size, to hold a D-SLR. It's small enough that you can leave it attached to the camera all the time and it won't be in the way, but you'll always be able to get that perfect night shot or one with yourself in it, if you're travelling alone.
And for the night time photos (or any low-light situations), I always set the timer for 2 seconds, so that my fat finger won't shake the camera when I push the shutter button. Obviously, this only works for stills, not action. But I get great pictures from the interiors of churches this way!
I'm with SEWDOTCOE: I have a plastic dinosaur (the ugliest one I could find: Entelodont AAA plastic toy) that I take on trips and over the years he has accumulated a nice little portfolio. Some pictures he hanging out with his new found friends and some he's hiding in a "where's Waldo?" kind of way. It makes holiday photos more fun to look at.
Very thoughtful exchange!
When I go on a trip with my friends we always find an old coke wall (the painted kind) and line up for a group shot! It's fun to see how many we can collect.
The corollary to tip #5 is that if you're going to shoot in Auto mode, you don't need to drop a grand or more on a dSLR. They don't take "better" pictures unless you know how to use them. Knowing the basics of lighting and composition will let you outshoot any soccer mom snapping away in auto mode with any decent point and shoot. As a bonus, picture taking is much more discreet and it slips into your pocket when you've got the shot.
I disagree, tinyhands. I recently was given a (few years old) DSLR and it does, in fact, take "better" pictures than my old point and shoot did, despite the fact that I don't really know how to use it. I'm looking forward to finding a class that suits my schedule and really understanding how to make it do what I want it to, but until then it does make a difference. I wouldn't suggest dropping your own $600 on one without intentions on learning how to use it, but if you have one handy, why the hell not use it?
@Jacquielin-
A poorly composed, poorly lit, out of focus picture will be poorly composed, poorly lit, and out of focus no matter how many megapixels you throw at it. Your comparison of an old dSLR and an even older P&S doesn't help. There are plenty of compact cameras that have high dynamic and ISO ranges that take brilliant photos if you simply point it in the right direction.
I'm obviously not going to change your mind, so I'll just recommend
http://www.digital-photography-school.com
where you can browse at your own speed.