Travel Photography

Harry & Iris Matthews

About Travel PhotographyConstantly on the moveConstantly on the move

Not Not location photographylocation photography**

Sydney Opera House

About Travel PhotographyConstantly on the moveConstantly on the move

Not Not location photographylocation photographyTime restrictionsTime restrictions

Reduced control over lighting conditionsReduced control over lighting conditionsWeather*Weather*

Mitre Peak, Milford Sound

About Travel PhotographyConstantly on the moveConstantly on the move

Not Not location photographylocation photographyTime restrictionsTime restrictions

Reduced control over lighting conditionsReduced control over lighting conditionsWeather*Weather*

Time of day*

Columbia River, Canada

About Travel PhotographyConstantly on the moveConstantly on the move

Not Not location photographylocation photographyTime restrictionsTime restrictions

Reduced control over lighting conditionsReduced control over lighting conditionsWeather*Weather*

Time of day*Opportunities*

Swan Valley winery, Perth

About Travel PhotographyConstantly on the moveConstantly on the move

Not Not location photographylocation photographyTime restrictionsTime restrictions

Reduced control over lighting Reduced control over lighting conditionsconditions

Weather*Weather* Time of day*Opportunities*Limited equipmentWeightElectrical

powerInternet

access.

Equipment – in the field• Two small dSLRs (Canon 350D)Two small dSLRs (Canon 350D)

– Canon 17-85 mm IS zoom (f/4-5.6), 4 GBCanon 17-85 mm IS zoom (f/4-5.6), 4 GB– Canon 75-300 mm IS zoom (f/4-5.6), 4 Canon 75-300 mm IS zoom (f/4-5.6), 4

GBGB– Lightweight, insurableLightweight, insurable

• UV filters, lens hoods, polarizing UV filters, lens hoods, polarizing filters, captive lens capsfilters, captive lens caps

• ““Quick-release” carrying cases.Quick-release” carrying cases.

No tripodFocal length = 300 mm(480 mm 35mm equivalent)

1/1600, f/14, ISO 400

Equipment – in the hotel room

• Computer with Adobe P’shop Computer with Adobe P’shop LightroomLightroom– KeyboardKeyboard– Weight (1.26 Kg plus power “brick”)Weight (1.26 Kg plus power “brick”)– Card readerCard reader

• External hard drive (160 GB)External hard drive (160 GB)• Power socket adaptersPower socket adapters• Camera manual on the computer.Camera manual on the computer.

Equipment – spares

• Camera battery (charged)Camera battery (charged)• 4 GB memory card.4 GB memory card.

What’s wrong with travel photographs?

Our balcony on MS. Gaugin in French Polynesia

What’s wrong with travel photographs?

RepetitiveRepetitive

BoringBoring

IntimidatingIntimidating

IrrelevantIrrelevant

Poor qualityPoor quality

Doesn’t broaden the viewer’s Doesn’t broaden the viewer’s experience.experience.

Travel photography

• A travel photographer is A travel photographer is – Pointing something outPointing something out

• A travel photograph isA travel photograph is– Selected and Recorded.Selected and Recorded.

is a photo-journal

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

“Artistic” photography

• One can shoot “art” while travelling;One can shoot “art” while travelling;– But this goes beyond travel photographyBut this goes beyond travel photography

• ““Artistic” photographs are created;Artistic” photographs are created;– The photographer is expressing him- or The photographer is expressing him- or

herself herself – ““Put something of yourself in the Put something of yourself in the

image”.image”.

Water, rocks, sun

Green

Journalism

• A newspaper distinguishes betweenA newspaper distinguishes between– ReportingReporting– CommentingCommenting

• Travel photography ~ reportingTravel photography ~ reporting• ““Artistic” photography ~ Artistic” photography ~

commenting.commenting.

Johnson Lake, Banff National

Park

Moorea, French Polynesia

Travel photographs are records

Travel broadens the traveller’s experience

Marquesandancer

Travel photographs are records

Travel broadens the traveller’s experienceTravel photography broadensthe viewer’s experience

Marquesan dancer

Travel photographs are records

• Travel broadens the traveller’s Travel broadens the traveller’s experienceexperience

• Travel photography broadens the Travel photography broadens the viewer’s experienceviewer’s experience

• But, the experience may be different But, the experience may be different – each viewer reacts in his or her own each viewer reacts in his or her own

way.way.

Public affluence; private poverty

La Paz, Bolivia

natural history

Marine Iguana, Galapagos Is.

natural history,

photojournalism

Arrowtown Autumn Festival

natural history,

photojournalism,

travel photography.

La PazBolivia

natural history,

photojournalism,

travel photography.

Travel photography

• The image must engage the viewerThe image must engage the viewer

Manley Beacon, Death Valley National Park

Travel photography

• The image must engage the viewerThe image must engage the viewer• Emotional impactEmotional impact

– Surprise; Awe; Disgust; Joy; Sadness; Surprise; Awe; Disgust; Joy; Sadness; AngerAnger

Iguazu Falls,

Argentina/Brazil

Travel photography

• The image must engage the viewerThe image must engage the viewer• Emotional impactEmotional impact• Analytical impactAnalytical impact

– ReflectionReflection– Reassessment.Reassessment.

Desert Gold,Death Valley National Park

Strategies: RAW images only

• Leave post-processing issues for Leave post-processing issues for laterlater– Image size and qualityImage size and quality– Sharpening, brightness, contrastSharpening, brightness, contrast– White balanceWhite balance– Colour space.Colour space.

Sharks Bay, Western Australia

Strategies: timing

• Take a quick shot on program modeTake a quick shot on program mode• Refine with manual exposure settingsRefine with manual exposure settings• Choose a different angleChoose a different angle• Keep shooting while improving the Keep shooting while improving the

shot.shot.

Life is uncertain; eat dessert first

Brown pelican, Galapagos Is.

Strategies: Create

• CompositionComposition– Check distractionsCheck distractions– Choose camera position and zoomChoose camera position and zoom

• Exposure Exposure (use first histogram as a guide)(use first histogram as a guide)– Flash Flash – Exposure compensationExposure compensation– ISOISO– Exposure time or Aperture.Exposure time or Aperture.

Strategies: Create

Strategies: Fail-safe

• Try exposure bracketingTry exposure bracketing• Vary depth of fieldVary depth of field• Lock exposure on different parts of Lock exposure on different parts of

the imagethe image• Step back and re-think.Step back and re-think.

Strategies: Fail-safe

Machu Picchu, Peru

• Lag behindLag behind

Strategies – tour groups

Great Wall of China

Jiauguan

• Lag behindLag behind• Get in frontGet in front

Strategies – tour groups

Forbidden City, Beijing

• Lag behindLag behind• Get in frontGet in front• Get up earlyGet up early

Strategies – tour groups

Rainbow bee eater

• Lag behindLag behind• Get in frontGet in front• Get up earlyGet up early• Skip mealsSkip meals

Strategies – tour groups

• Lag behindLag behind• Get in frontGet in front• Get up earlyGet up early• Skip mealsSkip meals• Use tourists to add scale or Use tourists to add scale or

contrast.contrast.

Strategies – tour groups

The Ark, Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Samarkand

Developing: as soon as possible

• BackupBackup• Make notes on each Make notes on each

imageimage– AccuracyAccuracy– Retrieval.Retrieval.

Developing: later

• Assess and select promising Assess and select promising imagesimages– Delay may be goodDelay may be good– Do preliminary processingDo preliminary processing

• Re-evaluate.Re-evaluate.

Output – preparation

• Wait 6 monthsWait 6 months• Select the best imagesSelect the best images• Rarely compromise photographic Rarely compromise photographic

qualityquality• Provide descriptive captions.Provide descriptive captions.

Output – Format

• WebWeb• PresentationPresentation• AlbumAlbum• PrintPrint

• appropriate sizeappropriate size• high qualityhigh quality

• Competition.Competition.

Have Fun

A moment to relaxAs time stands still in

An Island Paradise

Travel Photography

Harry & Iris Matthews