Canon photographers share five tips for better travel photos

12 November 2018
Comments Comments

To celebrate Canon Australia's new Christmas giveaway, five talented Canon photographers have shared their favourite travel locations and their top travel photo tips with us.

Huacachina, Peru @jordhammond

Jordan Hammond - Shoot at sunset
Location: Peru

  • Shoot locations like this, the Haucachina Desert, around sunset, whilst the dunes cast ominous shadows. I recommend taking a full frame camera and both wide angle and telephoto lenses to Peru, as the wide-angle lens will enable you to capture the enormity of sights such as Machu Picchu and Huacachina, while the telephoto lens will allow you to compress and exaggerate the epic scenes found in the Peruvian Andes. 
Man and staircase, Morocco @brookrushtonfoto

Brook Rushton - Have go-to settings ready
Location: Morocco

  • I have a few go-to settings for this travel work. For straight landscape images, I shoot at 50 ISO, f11 to f16 and wherever the Shutter Speed falls. If I want to shoot long exposures, I recommend a specific 6-stop or 10-stop ND filters and graduated ND filters to help control exposure. For the more street style, such as this image, I try to work to the lowest base ISO I can but is comfortable about pushing this higher if it means getting the shot. A good place to start is 320 ISO, f5.6 to f8 and a shutter speed of around a 1/400th of second. Of course, all this is completely dependent upon light and conditions
Sitting under the Northern Lights, Iceland, © @coldxneil
Sitting under the Northern Lights, Iceland, © @coldxneil

Neil Bloem - When shooting the Aurora, choose a fast lens
Location: Iceland

  • A wide angle lens with a high aperture will make the world of difference when shooting the Northern Lights. If the whole sky is covered with auroras then you want to capture as much of the sky and landscape as possible in the frame, below 20mm would be ideal. The higher the aperture like f/1.8 or f/2.8, the wider opening of your aperture is going to be, letting more light in but before taking photos of the beauty in the sky, you will first need a tripod, a critical tool for night time photography. Two quick guidelines for shooting the Northern Lights below: 

    • Faint Northern Lights (only a little bit in the sky): ISO - 1600
      Aperture - f/2.8 (or as high as possible with your camera) Shutter Speed - 20/25 seconds 
    • Strong/Dancing Northern Lights:ISO - 1600
      Aperture - f/2.8 (or as high as possible with your camera) Shutter Speed - 3/5 seconds 
Elephant in the streets, India @melissafindley

Melissa Findley - Look at the details
Location: India

  • Make the most of exploring India, get curious behind the lens as it is a place of vibrant explosion of colours and tradition, an oasis of culture and heritage, that will keep you salivating for more. Look out for the beauty in the finest details of the intricate mosaic ceilings, the colorful frescoes and all their complex designs. Beautiful details await you around every corner, between the regal palaces and crowded bazaars. I recommend taking lightweight gear.
Shibuya crossing, Japan © Itchban
Shibuya crossing, Japan © Itchban

Benjamin Lee - how to get the perfect Shibuya, Japan shot
Location: Japan

  • It is a little strange to be in awe of a street crossing. That said, I’d highly recommend seeing Shibuya in person - especially if it’s your first time. Seeing thousands of people flood across a small patch of road every few minutes is unique to Tokyo. You can visit Shibuya at most times of the day and it will be quite busy - but if you want to see it in all its glory I’d recommend going during peak hour 4-5PM and at night when all the city lights are lit up

  • To capture the crossing, get street level and on the actual crossing itself. Try to get to the front of the kerb so you can see the opposite street and all the pedestrians flood towards you. If you want a higher & wider vantage point to capture the whole crossing, try shoot it from the Shibuya train station windows that overlook it. There is also a new observation deck that just opened (it’s free). At these two spots I’d recommend using a wide lens (anything wider than a 35mm) to capture the whole crossing and then switching to a telephoto lens to focus in on the details and subjects.

Canon Australia is offering consumers an opportunity to win 1 of 30 life-changing experiences. By purchasing an eligible Canon product from now till 6 January 2019, Australians will stand the chance to jet off to incredible destinations in the New Year, turning their potential Christmas gifts into an awe-inspiring adventure. These unique trips will take 84 people to Canada, Egypt and Jordan, Iceland, India, Japan, Lapland, Madagascar, Morocco, Peru and Russia. You can find out more here.

comments powered by Disqus