Holiday snaps to travel photography

30th July 2015

From Holiday Snaps to Travel PhotographyBy Matt Widgery

A bit about this dude…✤ Self confessed photography nut✤ First picked up a camera aged 5 (Boots 110 Easy Grip) Still got it✤ Earns a living shooting portraits, bands and commercial work✤ Teaches workshops around the world✤ Founder FramedPlanet.com international photography news and

entertainment website.✤ Part of the F Stop Lounge international photographer’s collective✤ Has a YouTube channel which you should all subscribe to immediately! ✤ Is at www.mattwidgery.com if anyone has one of those internets at home.

✤ How to avoid gas ruining your holiday

✤ How to stay married and avoid the divorce courts

✤ How to make a thousand pesky tourists disappear in broad daylight

✤ How to come away with a set of photographs actually worth a damn

What we’re going to learn today

Don’t let G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) ruin your holidayOr, how to pack what you need to take great photos, without needing a sherpa to carry it around for you!

Henri Cartier-Bresson only used a 50mm in his personal work!

✤ You don’t have to limit yourself to just a single prime but you may find it liberating to try.

✤ You will miss some shots, but you’ll get your eye trained on that focal length. You’ll start to see the world in those frame lines.

✤ For street I use an 18mm (28mm equiv.) lens. I like to get close!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s…

…A Super Zoom!

Pros of a super zoom lens?

✤ Wide range of focal lengths in one

✤ No need to change lenses

✤ keeps dust and moisture out of camera

✤ Lighter than carrying a bag of lenses

✤ Can often be had cheaply (unless you’re a Fuji user)

Cons of a super zoom lens?

✤ Variable aperture so image darkens when you zoom in (like your kit lens)

✤ Optics of a zoom never as good as a prime

✤ Wider the focal range there worse the optics (although modern lens designs and post production software are freakin fantastic these days that I wouldn’t worry too much.

✤ Not very bright (the lens, hopefully not the photographer). You may want to pack a prime with a f/2.8 or brighter) aperture for low light shots.

Spend more money, get better photos?The best camera for travel photography

The best camera is the one you have with you- Chase Jarvis

A few tips for choosing the best travel camera

✤ Size and Weight

✤ Low light capability

✤ AF speed

✤ Weather Sealing / toughness

✤ Manual controls easy to get to

Other stuff you probably shouldn’t forgetEssential Travel Photography Gear

Useful bits and bobs

✤ Tripod. Light Weight = good! Carbon fibre cheaper than ever now.

✤ Essential for astrophotography

✤ long exposure shots of water or other cool stuff we’ll come on to in a while

Useful bits and bobs

✤ Filters

✤ ND Filters cut out light so you can shoot wide open in the day

✤ Allow you to get very long exposures for cool effects like smokey water & Making a thousand pesky tourists disappear in broad daylight!

✤ Cut out glare from glass and water.

✤ Increase colour saturation especially in foliage and skies

How to make a thousand pesky tourists disappearPhoto credit: Etienne Gaboreau

useful bits and bobs

✤ Graduated Filters

✤ Darker at top than bottom.

✤ Bring detail out in the sky and maintain detail in the shadows.

Useful bits and bobs

✤ Spare cards and batteries

✤ Bring at least one spare card and battery with you

✤ Both can fail unexpectedly

✤ Both can fall in the sea

✤ If the card is full and your battery is dead you’re screwed!

Useful bits and bobs

✤ Camera bag

✤ Branded stuff is attractive to thieves

✤ get a camera bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag

✤ For travel pick a smaller bag so you’re forced to take less stuff!

How to stay married and avoid the divorce courts

Get up at sunrise but don’t insist the whole family comes too

If you spend all your money on camera gear

Leave enough for the hotel

Some more tips for a pleasant trip for all

✤ If you’re travelling with non-photographers don’t keep them waiting for hours while you get the perfect shot

✤ Find some time to go out and shoot while the others are shopping or at the beach

✤ Book a photography specific holiday so you can indulge your passion with like-minded people and expert guidance

The meat and potatoesHow to make better travel photographs

Light matters

I got up at 4:30am to get this light

Mostly the light sucksIf you’re with a tour group they will leave after the good light is over and get back before the good light comes back.

Harsh shadows and midday sun are what you’ll have to deal with. Embrace them! Look for shafts of light, and remember to expose for the highlights.

Photo series can be more powerful than single images

It’s about people and places, not pictures!

The journey is as important as the destination

Get

Clo

se

Get Creative…

Try out new techniques

Think like a photojournalistTell the whole story

✤ Food

✤ People

✤ Culture

✤ Religion

✤ History

✤ Landscape

✤ Wildlife

The Final ProductMake a photobook and keep your memories safe.