As David duChemin is always preaching, gear is good but vision is better. Whilst I still have kit I’d like to buy (anyone care to send me a Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM for Christmas?) I’m now at the stage where I think I have (most of) the basic kit I need. As a result its time to focus on my vision. Experiencing new things and challenging myself to come back from a trip with engaging shots is far more appealing. Doing this will invariably lead to you taking better photographs.

To illustrate this, have a look at the shots below.

The first is from a 2006 trip to Guatemala and whilst I like it, I’d be the first to say its a little boring and ordinary. Compare it to the second shot from a 2010 trip to Iran.

Whilst I admit my equipment has improved over this time, I think my composition skills, focus, and post-processing abilities have seen a far greater improvement.I hope you agree that over the years my vision has improved! So next time you’re considering buying some new equipment, usually with the thought that it will help take your photography to that “next level”, why not stop and think about other alternatives to push you to improve your skills. If you can travel and put yourself in unfamiliar surroundings I can guarantee it will force you to improve your photography.

So I’ve finally finished the Iran photos. Click the image above to view the full gallery over on importedlight.com. I’ll also be posting a selection of shots to Flickr over the coming days.

So I’m about half way through processing my Iran photos now and I thought I’d post a teaser shot!

The above shot was taken within the old part of Yazd which is all mud-brick houses and narrow lanes. The tower in the picture is a wind tower – an early form of air conditioning. The vents channel the air into the house below and keep it cool during the summer. Looking over the roof tops of these old villages you see a forest of these towers.

So I’m back from my 15 day jaunt to the Islamic Republic of Iran and it was probably one of my best trips! I think the photo above represents quite well the fun we had out there.

Before going, almost without exception, everyone I told replied with “Iran? Why are you going there? Isn’t it dangerous?”. However I’m pleased to report that the country has lots to offer and the people are some of the most friendly and hospitable I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. They are keen to chat and show real interest in what you think of their country and surprisingly, happy to tell you what they think of Iran too!

I came back with over 1,000 photos which is far more than I normally would take for a two week period. So its going to take some time to sort through and process them and I plan to make a start over the weekend. I’ll also be writing a blog on the trip for the tour company I used (Explore! UK) and I’ll cross post here so you can all find out what I’ve been up to. In the meantime once my photos are up I’ll post a link to the gallery.

As a simple way of remembering these tips I used the mnemonic DESIRE – Destination, Equipment, Shots, Interest, Respect, Experience. I already covered equipment in my previous post so I won’t go into that again, but the rest of the points are discussed below.

Destination

Researching a destination can give you a real advantage before you even board the plane. The internet makes it very easy now to find out more about the places you are heading to. Sites like Flickr allow you to search for shots taken in the same areas and help in planning what equipment you might need and what sort of things you might be photographing.

If I’m heading to a place that has an iconic tourist location that I want to photograph, I often use Google maps to see if there’s a less clichéd angle I can get. A perfect example if the Taj Mahal. Many people shoot it front on from within the compound. However if you head into Agra town and over the river you can get down to the other side. With the river flowing below it the site can look just as impressive, but is less of a common viewpoint.

Shots

Think about the style of shots you take. Using a variety adds excitement and helps to tell a story.

Use wide shots to set the scene, mid-range shots to highlight something or someone interesting, and close up shots to show the details.

Vary the time you take your shots. Get up early as places are often very different first thing as the sun rises and the locals hit the market before the tourists are up and about. Stay out late, after sunset, and explore the nightlife of the location. Again, things can look very different under artificial lighting (or firelight!).

Interest

In some ways this is similar to the section above, but where “shots” is about how and when you take a photography, “interest” is more about the subject you are capturing.

Make sure you capture things like local flavour, different cultures, ruins of a past age, the people that live there, food and markets and for sights that are in danger of disappearing altogether it might be your last chance to see them.

Respect

Respect is all about adapting to the local way of life and remembering the country you’re in may have very different customs and attitudes to those you are used to.

I always try to learn some of the local language. I’m not suggesting you become fluent, but even knowing simple basics is always appreciated by locals. Don’t forget important cultural differences. Cover your head if needed, greet (and eat) with the correct hand, and dress appropriately.

If you want to take a portrait of someone, ask them first. Try to engage them in conversation, learn a little about them and their life and spend a few moments with them, rather than just trying to take a quick snap on the sly. You’ll end up with a much more honest photograph.

I also keep a travel journal mainly so I can remember where I’ve been! Captioning a shot as being one place when in fact it is another, or misspelling something is also not very respectful.

Experience

Finally, experience the places you visit. Get out there and mix with the locals. Chat to them and grab a drink at the local cafes. Explore and wander off the normal beaten path (of course watching your safety at all times).

Photographs provide a reminder or the trips and places you have gone to. But make sure you have a great experience for them to remind you of.

So in summary – plan before you go, scope out locations and interesting viewpoints, learn some basic local language, chat and spend time with the locals, take a range of different shots of varying subjects  and ultimately, have a good time!

Obviously its unlikely you’ll want to take everything with you. However pack too much and you’ll be carrying a heavy bag of equipment that provides no use other than improving your fitness and stamina levels! But pack too little and you risk leaving behind something essential that you find out you need when arriving at your destination. So here’s my handy packing lists broken down by (i) a weekend away, (ii) short haul/short break and (iii) long haul experiences.

A Weekend Away

When you head away for a long weekend, you generally know where you’re going and what you’re going to see. Its likely you’ll be staying within a reasonably small geographic area and a little research should provide you with a fairly accurate forecast of the weather. As such you should be able to pack light and keep your kit to a minimum.

• Your camera!
• A good zoom lens (for a city break you might consider something around 18-55mm)
• A reasonably sized (4Gb) memory card + spare (just in case!)
• Lens cloth/Small cleaning kit
• Small daypack/rucksack

Short Haul/Short Break

Heading somewhere slightly further afield, for perhaps up to a week, needs a little more thought. Its likely you’ll be exploring a range of locations and as the forecast won’t be as accurate over longer periods you’re more at risk from the weather. You’ll probably be taking more photos as well so extra memory is important as well.

• Your camera
• A couple of lenses (I’d suggest the 18-55mm mentioned before and something with a larger zoom)
• Lightweight tripod (this depends on what you may be shooting)
• 3-4 memory cards (4Gb or 8Gb)
• Lens cloth/cleaning kit
• Filters (definitely a polariser and perhaps others)
• Remote release (especially if you take a tripod)
• Spare batteries
• Rucksack

Long Haul Experiences

As the trips get longer, there’s a good chance they are more likely to become special places you’ll not return to often (if at all) – and so the ability to capture your experiences becomes more important. The equipment you take with you needs to reflect this and you don’t want to miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because you didn’t bring something to get the shot you wanted. The longer you’re away, the need to be able to back up your images securely also becomes a core requirement. The last thing you want is to return home and find you’ve lost or damaged a memory card!

• Your camera
• Wide angle lens and zoom lens (plus prime 50mm)
• Lightweight tripod
• Filters (polarisers, ND graduated filters plus holders)
• Flashgun
• Spare batteries and charger
• 4+ memory cards (preferably 8Gb+)
• Laptop and card reader, or memory card backup device
• Remote release
• Lens cloth and lens and sensor cleaning kits
• Large rucksack

Of course these are just suggestions and your own requirements are going to vary depending on where you’re heading to. If you’re going somewhere very cold – take extra batteries as they won’t last long. If you’re going to be around water (rain, on rivers, the sea) -  include waterproofing. But as a rough guide to get you started I hope the above lists prove at a minimum something to serve as a base to work from.

As travel became easier and tourism to these same places took off Travel Photography changed from being a glimpse of the exotic and strange to providing enticing and aspirational images for brochures and travel guides. However until relatively recently it was still the work of a few professional photographers who would head out to locations at the request of tour companies and travel guide publishers.

However in this age of digital photography and cheap access to the technology to take potentially stunning pictures I think Travel Photography needs to redefined again. When many locals in destinations that you or I might visit have access to photography and don’t have to travel anywhere to take great shots of their local area (which they also have a better knowledge of) the core market for Travel Photography becomes saturated with a surfeit of shots. As David duChemin mentioned on his blog a while back:

…the market is saturated, and anyone who wants an image of Taj Mahal can go to Flickr and find 100 photographers who’ve shot the same shot from the same angle on the same camera, and they’ll fight for the chance to give the image away in hopes of garnering a publishing credit.

So what is a Travel Photographer to do? Personally I think there are two options: quality specific shots and photo-essays.

Whilst sites like Flickr might abound with images of key landmarks and locations, a serious photographer is going to look for a different angle on a familiar subject to present it in a new and captivating light. And speaking of light, they are far more likely to work with it. Waiting for the right quality and direction of light. Overall this is hopefully going to result in a far more studied composition; a higher quality image. There will also probably be a fairly specific requirement from a client requesting images of the location in question.

The second option is photo-essays and this is where I now think the more modern definition of Travel Photography sits most comfortably.

By photo-essays I mean a collection of images that have a cohesiveness and tell a story, whether that is about the trip itself, or a culture or its history. A gallery that takes the reader along for the ride. Although you have to be careful that they are creative quality images and not just a collection of your holiday snaps. As a result this means having an idea of what you want the final output to be and conducting your research before going. (However its always advisable to remain flexible to adapt to conditions/experiences on your travels).

Personally, I don’t think the Travel Photography genre is going to disappear any time soon. But it’s clear that from its origins in the mid-1800s its definition has changed and adapted as both the available equipment and ability to travel have improved.

Well I’m back from a brief trip to Turkey and must say I’m very impressed with Istanbul. There’s so much to see and do within a nice compact area it makes it a great destination for a short break. Although if you’re a photographer there’s so much to shoot you’ll definitely want to return!

I don’t think I’ve ever taken as many dusk and night shots as I did on this trip but some of the main attractions, such as the Blue Mosque above, look so good lit up its difficult not to!

I’m still working through all the photos I shot during the past week and once complete I’ll be putting the gallery up over on Imported Light. I’ll be posting more then on the trip.

I’m back in Venice (Italy, not California!). Hopefully I’ll have some more photos for you next week once I’m back.

Ciao!

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