Once upon a time, a lone traveler wound his way through the beautiful paths of an exotic location. He longed for something, something with which he could make those breathtaking scenes immortal. Until he discovered – the camera. This was the beginning of a long romance between a traveler and his camera and thus was born that romantic nomad, the Travel Photographer.
He practiced and practiced, discovering images never seen by the common man. Then he thought, ‘Why not share these experiences so that many more like me can gain knowledge?’. What followed was a precious collection of ten travel photography hints and tips, which were his simple tools to that winning picture. They were:
Lighting: The word ‘Photo’ means light. Thus, an image can be captured only when there is an optimum level of light reflected on that object. Once there is a good source of light, the picture can bring out amazing results
Composition: This is the art of knowing what to include in the frame and how to. You can be as creative as possible, but the image within the frame of the picture must attract attention. An eye for detail will do the trick.
Blurry Images: Many a times, while traveling in a bus or car, an image can be captured, but you just cannot decipher what it is because it is blurred. There is a solution to that too. Simply increase the shutter speed if you have an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera or use a faster speed film (400ISO) for film cameras.
Memory: For the digitally savvy, remember to carry along several memory cards and transfer chords (USB chords), or a good number of rolls if analogue.
Alternative camera: This is very important for adventure enthusiasts. Small, one time use cameras, for adventurous trips like glacier climbing, river rafting, etc prove to be reliable even when your latest state-of-the-art camera would fail.
Tripods: They work like an extra, extendable pair of hands. You can attach your camera to it for basic shots like a complete family picture or explore the wonders of night photography in your favourite travel destination. Tripods come in especially for telephoto shots.
Pictures through glass: For SLR cameras, it is wise to use a polarizing filter if taking a picture of an object through glass. If shooting with a compact camera, stand sideways to avoid getting a bright white circle as your picture!
Filters – The use of yellow filters on a very sunny day can give you great detail and bring out the deep tones of a beautiful sky.
Photographing people - When taking photographs of people, come in close for a tight shot unless the main focus is the background. Don’t make the mistake of taking pictures of people who are 15 feet away, making them unrecognizable!
X- Ray: For air travelers, get your films hand-inspected as you go through security. Many a times, exposure to the X-ray scan can damage your films.
But most of all, always carry your camera and keep practicing, just like the lone traveler did and you will get a ticket into the magical world of travel photography!
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