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Alison with cheetah, Maasai Mara |
Traveling? Carrying a camera? Want images infused with your own vision? Before packing your bags, here are some photographic techniques I’ve developed after 30 years of documenting cultures, land and wildlife in Africa, Europe and the Americas.
Long before departure: Review your equipment inventory, itinerary, images from previous trips, and expectations. Study your past images to remember what works and what doesn’t. Consider how you want to depict cultural customs, what weather conditions will be, what filters will be useful, and research local tipping norms. It’s critical to learn all you can about wildlife behavior, and other issues you might encounter so you are prepared to capitalize on the experiences you will have. Consider what points of view and compositional styles you feel will be uniquely appropriate for your particular destinations.
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Provençal boules player, France |
All photographers can benefit from pre-visualizing scenes that are likely to be interesting, whether professional, beginner, or serious amateur. It’s helpful to create a personalized folder of travel and photography information, as well as plan a perfectly packed camera bag. This preparation will allow to more easily create unique images, even of the most commonly photographed scenes.
Visit my website and those of other travel photographers whose images define their philosophy and correlate with yours. I have benefited immensely from belongingd to NANPA, ASMP, and ICP (photography organizations), as well as TechnoServe and The Explorers Club. Consider which groups or camera clubs might be beneficial in your preparedness and honing your skills.
Tips for a typical safari day: use the African conditions of dust and strong sun to your advantage; and capture images, not just snapshots. Refresh yourself on photographic basics, so your creative juices can take over, and get down low when photographing wildlife to avoid distracting backgrounds.
Packing Tip: Each trip really needs its own specialized packing list, not just those exotic trips like climbing 19,341 feet up Mt. Kilimanjaro or fishing and riding through windy Patagonia!