Photographer tips - Travel

Vittorio Sciosia

• Extensive research about the place you're travelling to. Find photos, articles, news and forums related to that place. Today you have access to virtually anything over the internet.
• Prepare a checklist of spots absolutely not to be missed as well as, if possible, notes with information about when to be there, if in the morning or in the afternoon.
• Once you have planned what to photograph, try to get permission and passes in advance by contacting the embassies, the consulates or chambers of commerce.
• Prepare a written list of things to not be forgotten. After all, once that task is completed, you save time for future travels. And keep that list updated if you realize, during the trip, that something is missing.
• Prepare a list also for clothes, accessories, shoes and whatever could be useful to have with you, for example in the middle of a desert, or in a big city in the third world.
• Clean your camera gear as well as possible before leaving. It could be difficult, if not impossible, doing it again on the spot (specially cleaning digital sensors).
• Prepare a list of your equipment with the exact description and serial numbers. Print several copies to carry with you. Each copy should include your name and address.
• And, last but not the least, check all parts of the cameras and accessories you are taking with you, to see if everything works properly. Pack spare batteries and memory cards as well as little props that it could be difficult or time consuming to find (white and black cloths as background for small objects close-up and/or Maglites (torches) of different sizes). Check your passport.

• As soon as you get there, dedicate some time to a quick survey, (without camera gear), of the places where you are going to spend the most of your time. This will save you time later. Try to get a feeling of dangers (if any). Find and remember potential escapes. Picture how to get back to your hotel via the quickest and safest way. Find an alternative. Personally check it to see if it works!
• During your first fact finding mission, take some time to look at postcards on sale. This is the best way to discover good points of view, hidden corners and also to have an idea of the average level of local photography. Who knows, you could end up by selling your pictures as postcards.
• In this first exploration bring a compass with you (my suggestion is to have a compass with you at all times) to check where the sun will be in the morning or afternoon. Get a rough bearing of the whole area.
• Invest a lot of time in talking to the local people, the fruit seller as well as the policeman. Start the conversation in any possible way (asking what time it is, is a good start, as is asking for directions to a known landmark). You can then switch to talk about things you are interested in, (does the person know the local imam and can they help you get a shot from the top of the minaret?). Always specify that your aim is to take great pictures to promote his/her city or country abroad.
• Keep a journal of your activities. Take notes of meaningless things as well. Where you have been? What's the name and phone of that guy that kindly opened his house with a balcony overlooking the main square? How much is the average prize for a pretzel in the street? Which bus number goes to the top of the hill for the best view of the city? Especially if you spotted great places but you had no chances or time to take the shots, write down that information for a future trip.
• Do not pay people that pretend to be your guide through the maze of a medina. Be strict and in cases, impolite, in refusing. Generally speaking the old city is a safe place to wander and there is no risk of getting lost. Being with a false guide, instead, you'll very likely end up in a souvenir shop where you have to fight to be able to continue your tour. And also if you want to buy something, don't do it when with a local. You'll pay more because he goes back later to claim a percentage from the shop.

• Store in a file all the information you gathered during this trip.
• Make a list of places you have visited but that you didn't take pictures of because of bad weather or lack of time.
• As soon as possible write captions for your pictures. After two days at home, back to your normal life, that cosy square where you spent every night sipping hot tea, no longer has a name.
• Send copies of pictures if you promised to do that. This will pay in the long terms either you again or another fellow photographer.

• Do your homework! Know what's special about the country, the region, or the city you're shooting. Find out how YOU want to portray the assigned location within your capability and unique style - and do it 100%!
• Try shooting well-known landmarks and sights in a new way - with a twist. Reinvent well-known icons. Avoid mere cliches. Try to make the ordinary extraordinary. I like bold and vibrant colours. I like interesting angles. I like images with a minimum of clutter - I say: avoid the clutter and make your photos simple and graphic.
• Good travel photos often include local people - be it a group of Hindu devotees in Varanasi at sunrise or a laid back Cuban man inside a humble bar in Trinidad. And - hard and unpractical as it may be - get your models to sign model releases whenever possible. Use your winning charm to make this happen.
• Bring two or even better three cameras with you on your travels. If you're still shooting with film, this will enable you to shoot under various light conditions - and also shooting both exterior and interior motives without constantly rewinding the roll prematurely. And if one of your cameras breaks down (touch wood!!!), you always have a familiar spare camera at hand.
• The final words of advice: have fun - this will shine through in your images. For example, if you're shooting for tourist purposes, be a tourist yourself! Work hard - be focused - enjoy what you do.

• Shoot as much as possible in the very early morning and late afternoon twilight - don't bother taking pictures anywhere near midday.
• Monopods give you sharper pics in low light, act as a walking stick on long hikes and in the worst circumstances can be used for self-defence - and only weigh 1/3 as much as a tripod.
• Experiment with filters, especially warming filters and polarizers.
• Smile. Nothing gets you access and permission to take pictures like a charming, disarming smile.
• To keep camera or computer equipment dry in very bad weather or when boating, put gear into condoms and tie ends in a knot... but don't use lubricated condoms or you'll be cleaning gear for a week.

• Always ask Local people
  For me one of the most important considerations, particularly when working in third world countries, is that photographers do not impose what I call the "zoo effect” upon the local people. By this I mean that one should be respectful of their culture and privacy, do not thrust cameras in their faces without first asking them if it is OK. In my experience some people do object, but most are secretly flattered. Especially if you are shooting digital, as you can show them an instant result.
• Use Tripods for serious portraits
  When I am shooting proper portraits I usually use a tripod, apart from the obvious advantage with depth of field, I find I get better results as I am usually shooting medium format.
• Electronic cameras can be unreliable in extreme conditions
  On many occasions I have been in mountainous areas such as the Himalayas or Kilimanjaro, it is then that I find that my purely mechanical Hassleblad is a far more reliable companion. It doesn't require batteries of any sort. Experience has taught me that any camera that requires batteries can let you down at the most difficult times.
• Watch your weight
  One of my main bugbears when preparing for a trip is the question of how much equipment do I take? For me weight is a constant concern - Often I will be carrying all the gear myself and for that reason I reduce it down to the minimum.
  
  For example:
  
  With the Hassleblad I carry one body, one back, and three lenses: 50mm, 80mm and 150mm, plus a minimum amount of filters a light meter and tripod. On some occasions I carry two bodies and two backs, but rarely.
• Night photography
  Depending upon time available try to check out locations carefully in advance of shooting. Taking into account local conditions such as time of day and available light sources.

Prepare for the trip properly; research the subject matter that you're taking and the location. I prefer to do more homework and therefore spend less time sorting things out on my arrival. The more you can do at home, the more time you'll have on your trip to actually take pictures.

As a travel photographer, the majority of people that I photograph are not models but real people. I ask permission before I take their picture, and will explain the model release to them. I pay them a fair price for their time, and am respectful towards them.

I'm not sure that the type of camera gear I use is that important, I still, at the moment use film cameras. I do make sure though that they are regularly serviced on my return, especially as they are put through very harsh conditions in the field.

I try not to let the weather conditions put me off a shoot, I've often woken up on the day of a shoot to find the opposite weather to that I was hoping for - just be prepared.

I try and take a day off here and there during the shoot. This gives me time to think about the work I've produced up to that point and to make sure I'm working to the goal I set myself at the beginning of the trip.

Finally, have fun and enjoy the experience.

First, as with any subject, follow your interests. Often when I've simply gone off to photograph something I thought would only rarely sell, but I liked the subject for its personal appeal, it turned out that it sold quite well. These have sometimes even been subjects that "experts" told me would be a waste of time to photograph.

Do your homework! The more you can learn about a subject ahead of time, and while photographing it, the better you will do with interpreting it. If you are truly interested in a subject, you will naturally be drawn to learning about it. Read relevant books, talk to those who know the subject. Personally I like to scrutinize maps and learn the geography of a region.

Let the writers of guide books save you time, mistakes and money. I nearly always carry two or three guide books to a given region. Each publisher has its strong points. Learn which publishers produce books that correspond well to your own orientation.

If you really want to become a serious specialist in travel photography, if you haven't already, you should learn a foreign language, or languages. When you become conversant in a language, you will start to find doors opening for you that you formerly wouldn't have known were there, not to mention you'll have a lot more fun, deal far better with the potential problem of loneliness, and probably save yourself a lot of money.

Some travel photographers like to travel around in a camping car of some sort. For me that would be too isolating. Staying in lodgings of one sort or another brings me into greater contact with the local people and fellow travellers, which for one thing I enjoy, but also I've gotten some amazing tips that more than made up for the cost of the lodging, plus met some wonderful people, some of whom have become good friends.

Travel light. The most important tool you have is yourself, which includes your energy. If you can't do good work with one camera and two or three lenses, you need to develop your imagination. I frequently have to carry my equipment on my body for as many as 12 or 15 hours. If I'm too tired by the time the sweet light appears late in the evening in the spring and summer, then it doesn't matter what equipment I have, I'm not going to produce my best work. Plus, by having a lot of professional looking equipment with you, you turn yourself into a media event, which I find kills many good photo opportunities in a hurry.

Carry the tools and tricks that can solve most small equipment or health problems, like glue, small tools, sewing kit, Band-Aids, aspirin, string or rope for a clothes line, a universal bathtub drain stopper (a plug), clothes washing detergent, I always have a pocket knife on me, except when boarding an airplane. A flashlight and extra batteries have saved my bacon, and possibly my life more than once. Even in the summer, I carry a pair of long johns and other protective clothing in my suitcase. Hypothermia can threaten your life any time of year.

Revisiting locations leads to greater understanding and new ways of seeing them. Many of my favourite photos have been taken after returning to favourite spots numerous times. It can happen that on the umpteenth visit somewhere, all of a sudden I'll say to myself, how could I not have seen that before, and then get the picture I long knew had to be there, but had previously eluded me.

The single most important thing is to do some advance preparation by familiarising yourself with location from maps or books and identifying the key points to photograph and the time of day that they are likely to be at their best for photographing. While this might seem obvious what it significantly does is provide a structure so that when you arrive you are not totally overpowered by the unfamiliar and possibly new surroundings. It prepares you to make the most of the first couple of days while you adjust and keep an eye open for that all import unique picture not already featured in the stock libraries. Of course it doesn't help if you arrive to find that there has been a pandemic of scaffold building or bush fires that have blighted everything the week before you arrived. At such times a vast and varied vocabulary of obscenities is a great help.

Research a destination before you travel - get an idea of what there is to see and what sort of photographs there are to be taken. Travel magazines, brochures, guidebooks and the Internet are great sources of material and may offer interesting perspectives on even the most familiar of places. Successful travel photography often involves summing up the essence of a destination in a single shot yet also exploring unique perspectives of well known scenes. Strive for the iconic, the bold and the quirky whenever possible.

Details and closely cropped images, such as of architectural features (A1B0K1, AN2C93) , food (AJCC2A, A1B0H1) handicrafts (ABX9D7, AJBCEC) or costume (ABRF75, AJCC49) can be very representative of a country. Also look for patterns (AJC428, A1AXH5), textures (ABX988, AJC331) and colour combinations (A02MFD, AJCA9B).

Festivals are obvious reasons for visiting somewhere on a particular date (A1B5WB, ATD58E, ATD5D3). Bear in mind that very often, great photo opportunities also exist both before and after the actual festival celebrations so don't put your camera away just because the procession is over. From a photojournalistic perspective, photographing the preparations leading up to an event, and indeed the aftermath, help establish a more rounded record of the occasion.

Plan an itinerary of subjects to cover - the 'must sees' may not all be practical in the allotted time so choose wisely with back-up plans in case unscheduled events or prevailing weather conditions force you to adapt. Numerous photo opportunities will crop up throughout your journey and it's just how you use these to your best advantage that presents the key to getting a successful spread of images. Technical considerations aside, premeditating a potentially photogenic moment and getting yourself in the right place at the right time are all important in capturing successful images. Be prepared at all times - your camera will be useless in the depths of your pack. Get it out and strap it to your wrist, making the most of casual encounters as you travel around.

It is true that approaching a stranger and asking if you can photograph them requires a certain degree of confidence. If you don't speak the local language, try and learn at least a few simple words - this helps break the ice, and does so by showing respect for your subject and an interest in their culture (AK9081, AJC9F5, AJC9F6). Be friendly (yet always respectful) and use hand gestures to indicate your photographic intentions. Another good way to break the ice is to buy something from someone or engage their services - a market vendor or a rickshaw driver for instance (AJBE75, AN3896, AJ1X2F, AGFT0A) - it really is as simple as it sounds as you've already set up a relationship, albeit one based on a simple commercial transaction. It's usually easy to strike up a rapport with people - showing postcards, or photographs of home and family can also help break down social barriers.

Photographing people going about their daily work can make for good photographs (AJCA63). By including the subject's surroundings (AJCA6C) you can say more about them in a way that a straightforward portrait of someone's face cannot (AX0N1E). Always try and make the most of the moment without shattering your subject's patience - work as efficiently as possible. Studying people's habits, gestures, expressions, movements and postures will help hone your observational skills. Capturing the right mood in your subject can make or break not only a portrait (AN38AE, AJBD2C) but a landscape which has human content (AJBED1).

Although it goes without saying that if someone has given you their address and asked for you to send a copy of their photo you should always do so, a good alternative, if you have the ability to do so in a timely fashion, is to personally hand deliver prints instead. This in itself represents an excellent way of getting to know someone better and indeed opens the doors to more photographic opportunities as a result.

Photographing religious institutions usually requires sensitivity, especially if prayers are in progress, or if you are entering a sacred area. Try and set up a rapport with someone in a position of authority, make your intentions clear, establish which areas may be out of bounds and make donations as appropriate.

Become acquainted with local laws regarding subjects which may be off- limits to photographers. Photographing airports and bridges are commonly prohibited, and in some countries even photographing the national flag is illegal and may get you into deep water.

It's always wise to take precautions when travelling with expensive equipment. Cover over the branded logo of your camera with masking tape to make it appear less valuable to thieves. Some photographers swear by purpose built camera bags - great for situations where security is not an issue but otherwise making you an appealing target to muggers. Consider a less fancy alternative if travelling in countries with a reputation for violent crime and street robbery - use a plastic carrier bag if necessary as a temporary way of disguising your kit-bag inside. Mountaineering carabiners combined with a strap are excellent ways of securing items to your person or immovable objects.

It would be wise to consider making a list of all your photographic equipment, including serial numbers, for customs purposes, or in the unfortunate event of loss. If the equipment was newly purchased before your trip, carrying copies of purchase receipts should satisfy customs officials that it is not subject to import duty.

Travel can be one of the most rewarding categories of creating imagery through the medium of photography. You can enrich your life creatively, spiritually, intellectually, and hopefully financially. Personifying your travel imagery will lead to creating interesting images that, with experience, will elevate the visual content. Through experience, unpredictable photography becomes predictable. You begin to read people better and your understanding of the behaviour of light is enhanced.

There is a big difference between vacation travel photos and setting out to document a location for commerce. You will be forever buying time from friends and family during a vacation, which will in most cases short-change every ones relaxation and happiness. Decide beforehand if the journey will be a vacation or work.

Preparation for a trip begins where the last one ended. Familiarize yourself with destinations by reading novels set in the location. Also watch movies filmed on location and pay attention to angles, light and time of year for weather effects. Treat travel guides with trepidation. If you follow their recommendations you may be disappointed. Learn the layout of a city through good maps to get a bearing of where you are. Learn some foreign phrases. Even if you can't speak the language it is appreciated and the locals will usually open up to you.

Months before leaving, visit your doctor or public health office to know which countries may be a health risk and have the proper inoculations.

Contact the tourist board of the country you are visiting and ask for as much information and help as possible. Be sure to ask for the in-country tourist office contacts as well. They may be more familiar with your needs.

Register your equipment with the customs office of your own country to prove ownership with your arrivals and departures especially for your return trip home.

Keep your equipment simple and light and have a back up camera body. Regardless of whether you are shooting film or digital the less you have with you, the less you have to worry about.

I carry all my equipment as hand checked luggage. I pack a small camera bag in my suitcase. When I arrive at my destination I use my small camera bag for street photography and leave my large camera bag tucked and locked inside my suitcase. Out of sight, and out of mind to hotel staff.

Always ask for a hand check for your film. Check this web link for more information.

Be courteous and friendly. Ask permission before photographing people and property as you will need both model releases and property releases. Without releases images may be rejected by some stock photo agencies. You may sell people images without model releases for editorial only.

Gaining access to locations can be a challenge. At times you will have to pay a fee and will only be permitted to photograph at certain times and on certain days. You may be asked days in advance to set a time of day and regardless of the weather the fee will need to be paid. There may also be extra fees for lights and tripods. Be kind and courteous for sometimes your personality and the person granting you permission can make or break the access to a location.

Pay attention to the quality of the light. The warm glow of the magic hour just after sunrise or before sunset can make all the difference. If you find a promising scene, come back when the light is right. Play with the moods of the weather - fog, rain or stormy skies.
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Anticipate the shot. Find a unique background, compose the frame and wait for someone to come into the scene. Expect the unexpected.
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Scout the iconic shots. Seek different angles. Then go back to the location again and again.
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Clichés are the most difficult. The Golden Gate Bridge is tough to shoot in an original manner; we've all seen it; we know how it looks. Shoot the cliché to get it out of your system, then try to see it afresh.
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Successful travel images almost always include people. Engage them, ask, smile. People are often more willing to help than we are to ask. Carry releases. Some of my favourite compositions are just hands or feet.
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Learn to say "hello" "goodbye" and "thank you" in the local language, whether Xhosa, Burushashki or Navaho. Write the words on a card and use them. It's a sign of respect and people appreciate it - and smile.

As security controls tighten at airports, it's more important than ever to travel with only indispensable items of photographic equipment, even if your client is prepared to pay unlimited excess baggage charges. It's always a good idea to go through your equipment, piece by piece, evaluating the potential possibility of using it on your specific shoot. As a general rule, keep down the weight wherever possible.

The more camera equipment that you can take with you as carry-on-luggage, the better. Your cameras and lenses are far more secure with you on board the plane and less likely to be mishandled or damaged than in the hold. The weight and size restriction of carry-on-luggage depends on the airline. Most airlines do seem to have flexibility, even though they don't publish the fact.

It's always a good idea to have a press card or a letter of introduction from your client at the ready.

In order to maximize your weight allowance, make sure that your assistant or any travelling companions use their hand luggage allowance to carry on your valuable photographic equipment.

For some reason, a duty-free carrier bag never seems to count in terms of weight for hand luggage. I usually carry a couple of spares for emergencies.

I always had problems checking in tripods and lighting stands, until one day I noticed golfers, checking in golf clubs with complete ease, for the last two years, my tripods have travelled flawlessly in golf bags, no questions asked.

Make sure that your hotel knows that you're a travel photographer. Nine times out of ten they will do their very best to provide you with a well appointed room. This room could be an ideal location for that atmospheric early morning or sunset shot.

Familiarize yourself with your travel brief and try to read up as much as possible about your location in advance, take a look at available imagery of the region and try to give a new angle on classic shots.

Upon arrival at your destination it's a very worthwhile investment to hire a local guide and ask them to give you a quick tour of the area that you wish to cover. Sometimes vantage points can take hours to locate and a local guide can save you so much time. A small hand-held GPS is ideal to record precise locations; knowing the co-ordinates will make your life so much easier to return to those specific locations.

Wherever possible, try to pre-arrange permissions in advance. In many countries the bureaucracy to obtain permissions can take around a week or more and the last thing you want is to find yourself on location, using valuable sunlight hours on administration.

Whilst taking your travel images, it's essential to maintain accurate records of the place names, historical dates and details - basically any relevant information that can be used in your key wording. Good concise key wording will increase your travel photography sales.

Festivals always add a splash of colour to a travel shoot. Find out as much information on timings as possible, try to locate or pre-arrange a good vantage point, think about where the sun will be at the time of the parade and locate yourself accordingly.

In general, travel photography doesn't have the lucrative financial rewards of the advertising and fashion world, however, it is a true privilege to work in this field, enjoy!