in July/August 2005
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resources_travelwisdom.html
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The Little Book of Travel Wisdom
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Don't go on a vacation (or a photo trip) with a camera you've never used before.
Experiment with fast-negative film, speeds such as 800 ASA. This film now has less grain, and its fast speed permits you to handhold your camera in low-light situations when you would normally have to use a tripod.
A large Ziploc bag will easily hold 30 rolls of film, simplifying security checks at airports. Don't carry film in checked baggage; some scanners will ruin it with only one pass. The handcheck x-ray machines at the gate will not damage film.
Catherine Karnow: Getting close to people is the best way to get close to the culture. The camera is a great tool for meeting people, and even though people may say they don't like being photographed, I find that in every country, there are people who love to be photographed. I always ask permission; I never shoot with a long lens from across the street. Be friendly and polite, listen to people, and take your cues from how they are acting; sit down with people and you'll get great pictures.
Don't shoot when the sun is bright and high, except in the middle of the city where the tall buildings can throw great light around, and in the Caribbean where the water looks most blue midday.
Put people in your photos. I find pictures of nature and landscapes boring without people. There is no sense of scale, and no sense of "you are there." When you include people in your photos, have them do something like walk, hike, or climb—anything but just standing there. Even the smallest gesture is important. The gesture is everything. Every photo should be capturing a moment in time.
John Kernick: My best pictures come when I'm relaxed and not spending time desperately looking for a shot. I like to stay open to my surroundings and be ready for the unexpected.
Keep your equipment light and simple; carry little more than a standard lens and camera. You'll only shoot great pictures if you have a camera on you. It's no good to see a great photograph when your big camera bag and five lenses are sitting in the hotel room. Carry a point-and-shoot.
Have a goal. Know what you want to capture and how to go about it before you set off. Sounds obvious but it's easy to waste good shooting time by not being prepared.
Cloudy days can be fine for portraits of people and close- ups, but nothing beats that early-morning or late-evening light. For some reason the evening light always lasts longer and can sometimes be best after the sun has dropped below the horizon, when city scenes come alive and the sky turns amazing shades of magenta.
Bob Krist: I never leave home without gaffer's tape. Strong, waterproof, and—unlike duct tape—removable. I've used gaffer's tape to secure lighting, repair tripods, fix French showers, and lock down rattling windows in cheap hotel rooms.
Go for humor and serendipity. Compositional imperfections, less-than-perfect light, and other flaws are readily overlooked if the picture carries a humorous, offbeat situation at its core.
You can set your landscapes apart if they're shot in unusual light or weather conditions.
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