Basics of travel photography

Just a few words on how to start photography while on your trip.

Travelling the world is a dream many people have and everyone has that one special place that they really want to see, whether it be the Coliseum in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Pyramids in Egypt we all have a dream.

The beauty of photography is that we can take a still of the memories we have and keep them in a book as well as in our heads. When we’re 80 or 90 we can look back and say “Oh, I’d forgotten how beautiful it was. Taking photographs is one of the oldest ways to keep a visual log of something and in today’s world with so much going on it is oh so important to keep this tradition going.

You may be an expert in travel photography and be all set up with your camera, tripod and bits and pieces but it’s always nice to see what’s new out there for the travel photographer and if you’re new to all this then just read on and you should have a good understanding of what you need in order to get great snaps of your touring adventures.

The first step to getting some great shots is to know your subject. If you have a specific idea for your shots in mind then make sure you research the area and find out what pictures you could take at your time of travel. You don’t want to end up looking for a beautiful animal or plant and find out that you are looking for it at the wrong time of year. Do some research on the place you are going to, look at travel brochures, books and on the Internet to find out what can be seen and where. Make notes on special events and interesting times of year for the region you will be visiting.

The next step is to know your equipment and choose the appropriate camera, tripod or what have you according to your trip and the climate you will be in.

When choosing your camera, for travel, you want to make sure that the body is 35mm maximum because if you choose to take a trek across country you do not want to be carrying a half ton camera with you. Always take a spare body, purely for back up or in case you use different lenses or film speeds.

When choosing your lenses make sure you consider a wide variety before making your decision. It is best to choose a relatively versatile lens because you never know what you might capture and if you’ve taken your underwater lens and then find out you are unable to get your shots then you will have a wasted camera to lug around.

Travel photography is a wonderful experience when done right, getting home and processing your photos is such a wonderful feeling. You literally relive the experience and of course if you are a professional then you will be earning as you travel what more could you want

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