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Pre-Travel Planning ZOOM LENSES MAKE GREAT TRAVEL COMPANIONS. Today's lightweight D-SLR cameras and lenses have the versatility to capture everything on your journey, including night scenes, beautiful wide-angle scenics and close-ups. The choice of which lenses to pack can be difficult, since you don't know exactly what you will encounter while traveling, so versatility is a MUST. A high quality, lightweight hi ratio zoom lens offers the best solution. Tamron’s 18-250mm or 18-270mm lenses are all-around zoom lenses featuring an unprecedented 13.9X and 15X zoom range respectively and the most versatility you could ask for. Whether you’re on safari or in the ting twisted crooked streets of an ancient village, or documenting the sea shells you collect, these lenses do almost every possible kind of subject beautifully. |
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PACK EXTRA MEDIA CARDS AND CHARGED BATTERIES. It's important to bring plenty of memory and extra batteries and/or charger. Batteries always seem to "give-up" at the worst possible time, so play it safe and pack more than you think you'll need. Do not pack your camera in checked baggage. Carry all of your photo equipment and supplies with you. |
Bring Home Great Shots CONSIDER THE WHOLE PICTURE. Wherever you travel, and whatever you shoot, following a few simple techniques can help improve your photography. An important element of good photo composition is keeping a balance between your subject and the background. The background will help tell the story, but make sure the main subject is prominent. Try to position yourself close to the subject and shoot at the wide angle (18mm) position of your zoom lens. This will emphasize your subject and fill the frame with the background. |
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The subject does not always have to be placed in the center of the image. By placing your subject off center, you cause the subject to interact with the background - rather than just being placed in front of it. |
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CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Changing the focal length of your zoom lens has a significant effect on the perspective of your photo. By using a wide angle setting to shoot a portrait, you are able to include more background. Shooting the same photo with a telephoto setting, while keeping your subject approximately the same size, gives the picture a completely different look. A telephoto compresses the background, bringing it much closer to your subject. It also isolates the subject on a small area of the background, instead of the wider perspective. These effects are evident as you look through the viewfinder of your D-SLR camera. |
Details Make your photo albums more complete by including some interesting details. Hotels are an important part of any trip yet we seldom photograph them. Record both the interior and exterior of the places you stay. One of the enjoyable aspects of traveling is sampling the different foods. Shoot the outside of those charming restaurants and make sure you include a close-up of your favorite meals and libations. |
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| City and Village Scenes | |
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STREET PHOTOGRAPHY. Towns and villages are filled with streets bursting with activity and local charm. What an opportunity to get great photos! Sort out your impressions of a place - then take a series of pictures that will tell the story well. Try shooting in the early morning or late afternoon, even in the fog or rain. Shoot scenics in a wide angle setting, then zoom-in to emphasize a segment of the scene. Be sure to include close-ups of windows, doorknobs, flower boxes and other interesting details. Be creative by using the complete range of your zoom lens. |
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BUSES, TRAINS, BOATS. You can often capture the atmosphere of an exotic place with pictures of their unique modes of transportation. Trains, street cars, buses, subways, horse-drawn carriages...all add to the atmosphere of the cities you visit. |
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INCLUDE LOCAL PEOPLE. When shooting street scenes, remember to capture the local people. Placing a person in the frame adds interest and helps illustrate distance or scale. Even a person's shadow can add to the image. Try to be considerate when photographing people. Ask if they mind before snapping their picture. Use fill-flash outdoors to fill-in the harsh shadows. Try setting your flash (built-in or accessory) to -1 or -2 so that the light is balanced and natural. Leave your white balance set to daylight (sun, shade or cloudy depending on the light). |
| Close-ups | |
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When shooting a close-up, you should use a tripod, and set the aperture to f/8 or f/11. This is easy to do if your D-SLR has an "aperture priority" mode. A zoom lens with close-up capabilities can fill the frame with your subject. Using a flash will improve the quality of your close-up. Try adding a white reflector card alongside your subject. This will bounce the flash back into your subject, producing a soft even illumination. |
Your Photo Album Make one, it’s important to show your photos. It’s also fun to make the book and show it around. |
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EMPHASIZE THE SEASON. When shooting scenic photos, you should look for ways to emphasize the season. Include items like flowers, seasonal plants or trees in your photos. Try shooting a scene with wild flowers in full bloom contrasted against snow covered mountains in the distance. Look for other ways to capture the seasons, like including growing fruit, bright green grass, or the beautiful colors of changing leaves. And don't be afraid to experiment with the elements of snow, rain, fog, or even a rainbow or lightning. These are easy ways to make your travel photos more dramatic. When shooting a wide open scene, include some close subjects in the foreground to add interest and a sense of depth. When shooting at the beach, try bracketing your exposures. The meter in your camera may tend to under expose, so try a +0.3 ~ +1.0 compensation. |
| Dramatic Light | |
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The same scene shot at different times of day can provide a dramatic sequence. Get up early and shoot at dawn. Then shoot from the same spot during early morning or late afternoon. Then at sunset and again late at night when all the lights are glowing. When the light is low, you should use a tripod and cable release to assure sharp photos. Use a fast ISO, such as 400 or 800. If you didn't bring a tripod, brace yourself against a wall, or place your camera against a fence or wall to avoid camera shake. Use a small towel or beanbag when bracing your camera against a hard surface. This is the ideal time to use a lens with Vibration Compensation, like Tamron's 28-300mm or 18-270 VC lenses. You can handhold you camera in low light and shoot as slow as 1/4 sec in order to capture the scene. |
PLAN YOUR PHOTOS Shooting travel photos offers a wide range of possibilities and challenges. How you view the scenes and how you compose the photos will provide an expression of your own viewpoint. Improve the quality of your travel photos by setting up an assignment for yourself. PHOTO REGULATIONS When you travel, please be aware that photography is sometimes prohibited for religious, military or security reasons. Many museums and churches prohibit the use of flash. Some parks do not allow use of tripods. WATCH YOUR EQUIPMENT Camera equipment is considered a luxury, and is therefore subject to theft. Keep an eye on your equipment, and don't leave it unattended. You may consider a travel insurance policy that covers the theft of personal items. YOUR TRAVEL ALBUM When you return from your trip you should compile a photo album or scrapbook to tell the complete story. So plan to take a few extra photos during your travels: inside the airport, out the airplane window, or inside the plane. You can also include actual items such as travel or entertainment tickets, maps, restaurant bills, coasters, etc. All these will help to tell your story and give others a fuller perspective of the trip. LOOK FOR NATURAL FRAMES Try framing your subject with a natural frame to draw the viewer into your photo. Look for windows and doors, trees and branches, stone arches, bridges, tunnels and more through which you can capture skylines and scenery, or under/in which you can position your subject. |
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