Travel photography has its own challenges, but careful preparation and a flexible approach will allow you to return from your next adventure with a great set of images, says Robert Keeley.
Travel broadens the mind, they say. For photographers though, it can also expand your techniques, skills, and perhaps most importantly, your visual awareness. Most people enjoy taking pictures when they travel, and some get more serious about it than others. Whatever your approach, there are a few things you can do that should make a big difference to the standard of images you bring back home. Let’s take a look at a few simple points that are worth considering.
01 PREPARATION IS KEY
Whatever genre of photography you plan to tackle, preparation is the key. But with travel you need to think very carefully about the type of images you want to shoot. Once you’re away from your home base – whether it’s interstate of overseas – you won’t be able to grab that extra lenses or a different tripod very easily!
The difficulty with preparing for a trip is that if you haven’t been to a destination before, it’s hard to know exactly what you’ll need. So start by researching the location. Does it offer opportunities for great architectural shots, or is it a good location for photographing ‘people’ images, wildlife, or amazing landscapes? Each type of shot can require different equipment. If you’re going overseas, also determine the type of power plugs which are used. Almost certainly you’ll need to buy an adapter (or adapters) to plug in chargers and other equipment. Use the web to investigate what’s on offer photographically, but also check out specialist travel agents for their advice, and even look for photo books which might cover your particular location. Once you’ve determined where the key areas of interest are, you can prepare your kit. And of course, don’t forget to cover non-photographic requirements like foreign funds, vaccinations, safety (both your own and that of food and water), and the likelihood of any security restrictions which might be placed on photographers. You won’t get many great images if you’re laid up in bed!
Research your destination so you know where to go for the best shots.
02 AIR TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS
Travel brings its own challenges for photographers. If you’re travelling by air problems arise with weight restrictions and sometimes the physical dimensions of carry-on luggage. For a couple of reasons it’s not a good idea to load delicate cameras and lenses into baggage to be loaded into aircraft holds. The obvious one is the damage which might occur with rough treatment. Don’t think it won’t happen! On my last trip overseas I packed a tripod into a brand new bag which had to undergo multiple flights. By the end of the second flight the tripod had smashed through a corner of the bag and I had to start again. Cameras need to be in carry-on luggage, but different airlines have different restrictions so make sure you check them all out – especially if you have to use different airlines over the course of a trip. Some airline officials are more vigilant about these restrictions. Talk to your travel agent, work on the tightest restrictions being applied, and you should be fine.
How much gear do you need? Think carefully about your photographic needs and try not to take anything you won't use.
03 EQUIPMENT DECISIONS
When photographers travel they often want to reduce the hassle of carrying lots of expensive (and heavy) gear. It’s become popular in recent years to work with so-called “travel” lenses, which are zooms covering a really wide range, say 18-200mm. These lenses have the obvious advantage of less weight and more convenience. Rather than carrying a bag full of heavy glass, shooters with travel lenses can move around easily, and if they see an opportunity they don’t have change lenses. These are serious considerations, but in my view if you are an SLR shooter, it’s still worth thinking about carrying separate lenses. For example, rather than carrying one smaller wide-range zoom, I still prefer to work with at least two higher quality lenses. I shoot with a 16-35mm wide-angle lens, and a 70-200mm telephoto zoom. If my destination includes the possibility of shooting wildlife or other distant subjects, I will also carry a 1.4x teleconverter for extra reach. I balance out the potential inconvenience and extra weight against my desire for higher quality images. My view, especially with overseas travel, is that has taken a lot of time, effort, and expense, to get to where I’m going, and as a photographer the images are a key reason why I’m going. I don’t want to reduce my chances of getting good quality shots. And look closely the most compact and efficient bag you can take to carry all your gear. The options are endless, but some are better for travel than others. Some will also fit a laptop. Overall dimensions are critical for carry-on luggage.
In part two of our series on travel photography (out next week), we explain how it can help your photography to make a list of the shots you want, discusses whether you should take a computer, and shares some more planning considerations.
You may be able to leave some of your gear behind at the hotel and carry a day pack with a few essentials.