Travel photography embraces almost the whole range of classic photographic themes: travelling photographers make portraits, landscapes, still life, and architectural pictures.
Most of us don’t just get up in the morning and decide on a whim to go on holiday. So, before going away, there’s a whole load of things that we need to do. The following points are invaluable.
- Research: is the key word. Don’t automatically book the package tour holiday because it’s easy and good value.
- Making an agenda: there are excellent travel guides available to almost anywhere on earth. Plan the holiday based on photographic potential, make a list of your criteria.
- Camera: old or new? Never take a new camera on a trip without shooting at least for a couple of days as a test and a “get to know each other” sort of thing. Same thing apply to your old camera.
- Money: Always make sure you have small bills of the local currency to tip cab drivers and service staff when you arrive.
- Wife and kids: it’s possible that they couldn’t care the less about photography! So if you spotted a potential masterpiece and your family are with you, ask what’s the names of this area, or take a compass reading and come later in the evening (better early in the morning), take the shot, then head back for a nice breakfast.
Now we get down to the big question: what equipment do I take? To answer this one I have to make 2 lists, one for point and shoot users, the other for DSLR users. Here is the point-and-shoot list of equipment:
- A 28mm fixed focal length compact - there are small and you can “get more in” because they have a wild angle lens.
- A 35-100mm zoom compact or similar for the versatility and the telephoto facility.
- A few throwaway, single-use compacts- just in case.
And here’s the advanced DSLR list of equipments:
- Two DSLR bodies.
- A 28-70mm f2.8 zoom - a good all-round workhorse of a lens.
- An 80-200mm f2.8 zoom - a great lens taking me from long focal length to tele.
- An 18mm very-wide-angle lens for city panoramas or interiors.
- A 50mm f1.4 - a lens with a very large aperture, which allows me to shoot in low light without flash.
- A dedicated flashgun, which I use only in emergencies or for special effect.
- A 28mm fixed focal length compact camera, which I will slip into my pocket for when I really can’t be bothered to take all the other gear but would hate myself if I missed out on a good picture!
I hope you find this useful. Check my other article about landscape photography for more useful equipments and tips, happy shooting!
Hani Gamal is a professional photographer since 1997 and have a large number of photography students in his 101 photography class.
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