Photography

My photos are by far my favourite souvenirs of my travels. They are so personal and it is such a challenge to try to recreate the images that are witnessed all over the world. They also make fabulous reminders of little things you may forget. I can't imagine arriving home without those anticipations of developing my pictures and reliving my trip with friends and family who stayed behind. There is also little worse than the disappointment of not having success with photos. There are a few precautions, tips and other things to know before you endeavour to create your best photographic memories.

First of all, don't show up in a faraway land with your camera still in its box. Run a roll of film or two through the camera before you leave so that you know the camera is in good working order and you know how to use it. Experiment with its different features in different lighting and with close up shots as well. When you are experiment, you may want to keep track of your settings for each shot so that you can learn from your results.

What pictures to take when

My advice is to take photos of things that either make special or funny memories, or spectacular or unique images. The former includes local people and fellow travellers you meet along the way, funny signs you stumble upon, interesting looking bedrooms and bicycles you have hired, odd looking meals placed in front of you� the possibilities are endless. These photos are the ones that evoke great memories and fun stories to pass on. I find I never take enough of these pictures. Overall, be creative - try to tell stories with your photographs.

With the latter however, photos of things, places and vistas you see, it is easy to get carried away. If you are the trigger happy type, get in the habit of asking yourself every time you look through the viewfinder "Do I really want to look at this picture again?". Not all images becoming to the eye reproduce well on paper - knowing what works and what doesn't takes a little bit of experience and a discerning eye. Try to capture images of sights you see with one or two pictures rather than the five or six near identical shots of your average shutter bug. Make your pictures something you, your friends and family will be happy to look at upon your return. Try to have a mix of shots with and without people in them - not all 300 of your photos should have your travel buddies blurry face in the foreground. Don't forget to have your travel mates take pictures of you too! It's nice to have a proof you were there too. If you are stuck for photo subject ideas, take a look at local post cards.

Use respect and good judgement when photographing local people. Some people around the world do not want to be photographed - either finding it offensive, scary, or just a nuisance. Imagine how you would feel if tourists to your home town were always taking pictures of you going about such mundane tasks as taking out the garbage or mowing the lawn. Try to communicate with your subject before shooting. Try for eye contact without any sunglasses, smile and gesture to your camera. Wait for a response and respect a negative one by putting your camera away. Some people will ask for money for having their picture taken, or indicate that you should buy something from them if they are selling fruit or jewellery or something. Use your judgement on this one - while you don't want to encourage greed, some people consider it their job to dress in local costume, to carry unique animals or to do strange and funny things in order to support their budding modelling careers. If you are requested to pay beforehand, judge whether you want to make the purchase or not. If not, do not take the photo. If you are requested to pay after you have already taken the picture, it is probably wise to offer up a few coins you have on hand simply to avoid creating a scene.

Heed restrictions on photographing things that you have been asked not to. It is generally forbidden to photograph military facilities or members, police, airports, railway stations or customs areas. You may also be restricted from using your camera, video camera or specifically your flash in theatres or museums. By breaking these rules you run the risk of having you film, tape or entire camera confiscated. Not a happy consequence. In these circumstances, there are sometimes photographs or post cards of the sights available for you to purchase. Consider this as an alternative.

Picture taking advice

Once you have decided what to take your picture of, give some thought to composition. These ideas may seem like a lot to think about but you will quickly get used to the concepts if you examine your results conscientiously.

• First decide if the image is best represented by a vertical or horizontal shot. Look through the viewfinder both ways to be sure.
• Next, get closer, get closer, get closer! Fill your shot with your subject and don't leave excessive sky, grass or water around it. Be aware thought that if you are using a point and shoot camera, there is a minimum distance you must be away in order for your subject not to be blurry; typically this distance is in the order of 60 to 70cm. Also with point and shoot cameras there is a slight discrepancy between what you see through the viewfinder and what the camera takes through the lens - this is only an issue with extreme close ups, so experiment a little first.
• Compose your shot using the one-third rule. This means putting the horizon, shoreline or any other natural dividing line about one third of the way into your picture, either on the top or bottom, whether vertical or horizontal. Try to get this line straight too!
• If there are people, animals, statues, vehicles, arrows or anything else to show direction in your shot, compose it so that these components are pointed towards the middle of the picture.
• Experiment with perspectives. Try looking down, up, or from the side on your subjects to see what looks best. If you are taking pictures of children get down to their eye level.
• Pay attention to your background. Try to eliminate electrical wires and phone poles and other objects that may appear to spring out of the people's heads. Keep your thumb out of the foreground too!
• If your subject is moving, shoot with a high film speed. Try to follow the motion of the subject if possible.

The other major factor in taking your best photographs is lighting. Consider both the natural and artificial lighting circumstances as well as the methods with which your camera deals with and compensates for light.

• Watch for shadows and silhouette effects in your photos. By shooting towards a light source, your subject may appear dark or you will have a washed out background. By shooting away from the light source, your subject may be too brightly lit. Squinting can be an issue when photographing people in bright sun, as can shadows cast by brims of hats. Try to take photos in more even or neutral light if possible.
• Avoid photographing in the bright midday sun that can cause a harsh effect. If possible take your pictures in the softer lights of early morning or early evening that are more complimentary on faces and scenery. In bright lights, use lower speed films (ASA/ISO 100) or higher speed settings.
• In lower lights, be prepared with higher speed films (ASA/ISO 400) or use lower speed settings.
• Photography in wet or overcast weather can actually be flattering with easy to work with light conditions. Try adding bright coloured items to otherwise drab scenes.
• Depending on how your individual camera perceives light, you will need to be aware of light sources and light reflectors (sand, water, snow) that can fool your camera into thinking your subject is more or less lit than it is. Understand this section in your user's guide for best results.
• When taking photographs in the early morning, late afternoon or at altitude, try using a polarizing filter to reduce haze and enrich colours and contrast. All avid photographers with filtering capabilities should invest in a polarizing filter. Experiment first!
• When shooting in low light or with low speed, use a tripod.

If you have a flash on your camera, experiment some to get an idea of when the flash is really necessary or not, and what effects it has other than the obvious. When engaging in flash photography, be aware of a few things.

• Avoid flash reflection by not shooting towards mirrors or glass. If shooting through glass with a flash, shoot at an angle and use a polarizing filter if possible.
• Avoid 'red-eyes' caused by reflection in your subjects pupils. Use the red-eye reduction feature if your camera has one. If not, increase the light in the room so that your subject's eyes' pupils will decrease in size, or take two flash shots in succession so that their pupils are smaller for better results in the second shot. Avoid having them look directly into the camera.

Equipment and its care

Carry with you all equipment you think you might need - it would be a shame to catch yourself in a situation thinking you could get that perfect shot if only you had brought this filter or that lens. Compatible replacements are not always easy to find depending on where you are. Carry everything in protective casings. You may want to use a bag that doesn't scream 'camera bag' in order to be surreptitious and avoid thieves. Put your name and address on the camera and in the camera case.

You will want to protect your camera and equipment the best you can from dust, moisture and other contaminants. Do this with sealed bags. When in use or on standby, always have a plastic bag or t-shirt or towel handy in case you need to cover your camera. When shooting in the rain, you can secure a plastic bag around the camera lens with a rubber band, leaving enough plastic to make a protective hood. Protect your camera from humidity by keeping moisture-absorbing silica gel packets in your camera case (those things you find in shoe boxes labeled "Do Not Eat"). Protect your camera especially from saltwater spray. Handle your camera with clean hands too - introducing dirt and oil onto battery connections and other inner workings can cause problems. If conditions are really bad, you may want to try a disposable camera.

Extreme heat can cause electronic breakdowns and can melt components of your gear; don't leave your camera or camera bag in direct sunlight. Avoid extreme changes in temperature which can cause the formation of condensation. Don't leave the camera sitting on heating or air conditioning units. In winter weather, put your camera inside a sealed plastic bag before you bring it inside so that condensation forms on the bag, not in your camera. In cold weather, electronic components and batteries can stop working. Carry spare batteries close to your body to keep them warm, and rotate as needed. When the camera is cold, avoid manually rewinding films quickly as the film could snap or you could cause static electricity which can show on your photos.

When on the move, you will want to keep your valuable camera and equipment with you; not in checked baggage or in the underneath compartment of the bus. Beware of the dangers of x-ray security machines and the damages they can do to your films - in or out of your camera, exposed or not. They can wipe the images right off your film. In the developed world you are generally safe to put lower speed films (up to ASA/ISO 800) through x-rays, but in lesser developed countries, the machines are not film safe. You can invest in a lead lined bag which will protect your films, and should certainly do so if you don't keep your films with you. Otherwise, you can carry your films through and have them inspected by hand. Airport staff generally don't mind but facilitate the process by carrying them in clear plastic bags. Don't forget the film that is still inside your camera. When packing film, do so in plastic bags so as to protect them from those inevitable shampoo and peanut butter spills in your pack.

If you need to buy film on your travels, choose a vendor who has not likely had the film sitting out in the sun and heat. Check the expiry date to see if it is far enough in the future for you to have time to expose it and process it. If you choose not to store used film in their canisters, try recycling them. You can use them for storage of miscellaneous safety pins, twist ties, rubber bands, needles and thread, batteries, keys, stamps, coins, suncsreens and condiments. If you do use them for edibles, wash them first with soap and water; films contain chemicals. If you decide to develop your film in foreign countries, try a test roll first to make sure the results are satisfactory. Remember though that processed and printed photos are likely more bulky, heavy and vulnerable than unprocessed film.

My camera

Several people have written asking me about what kind of camera I use when I travel. It's not a very exciting answer, but here goes... I use a somewhat old Yashica SLR (single lens reflex) - that basically means not a point-and-shoot. Mine is fully manual. I load, rewind and unload my own regular 35mm film, I set my f-stop settings and speed using a light meter internal to the camera and my knowledge of the subject I am shooting, and I focus on my own. When I need a flash, I mount an external flash on my camera and adjust the settings. Manual can be cumbersome - it makes quick and surreptitious shots difficult, and you often miss quick candid moments. Flash photography when controlling your flash is also a whole new ball game, and one I have not yet mastered (as noted by the lack of them on my website albums!) Manual photography, however, can be more rewarding, and gives you greater control over your photos, if you have the time and energy (and money!) to practice and experiment (travelling is not really the best time to do this!). The best thing though, is my zoom lens. I use a 70-300 telephoto/zoom lens which allows me to get super close-up, but also has its limitations (lack of light mainly). I also shoot a lot with a polarizing lens. This makes skies really blue and water transparent. I usually scan in and process (crop, etc) my photos using Adobe Photoshop.

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