5 Travel photo tips

When my mom asked for some copies of some travel photographs that I had taken, I got to thinking about the whole art of travel photography. This is an area where I can put together some of my favorite things--traveling to new places and taking pictures. Following are some general tips that can apply whether you are travling to London, Washington D.C., or the country fair.

1. Packing. Determine ahead of time (as much as possible) what parameters your traveling will take you through. Are you going to be doing a tremendous amount of walking, in which case you want the bag as light as possible. Are you going to be near the car or hotel, where you can stash extra gear? My advice is always pack as little as possible as camera gear ges heavy in a hurry. In most instances, when traveling and sightseeing, you will only regret taking the tripod. If you have a zoom lens, say 28-200 or so, those are worth their weight in gold. Some things I never leave home without: lens cleaning kit, wide-angle lens, and extra batteries. If you can, invest in a small camera bag as well to only hold your essentials. This will be easier on your shoulder.

2. If you will be near historic landmarks like Mount Rushmore or the Eiffel Tower, do a little research ahead of time. Look at the structure, its shape, form, size, and try to imagine a few angles of shots that you would like to frame. This will help you not only save time but be creative too.

This is a semi-abstract view of the famous St. Basil's cathedral in Moscow, Russia. I shot this to get a different view than most people and also because one of the main domes was shrouded in scaffolding while undergoing repair.



3. Don't be afraid to look like a tourist. Not to the extend that you are rude to others or have an invisible sign that says "rob me, I'm from out of town." But don't neglect to have a photo of yourself taken in front of the White House because you think it might look cheesy. You might not want to blow that show up to an 11"x14" to display over your mantel, but it will stil be a nice memory to add to your photo album. After a year in Russia I discovered that I really would like to be in some of the photos, rather than taking them all.

4. Resign yourself to the fact that you might not get a picture without other tourists in it. You can, however, reduce the number of people by timing your visit and/or photograph. Traveling not only in off-peak seasons limits the number of tourists, but so does visiting during un-popular hours. Try early morning or evening. For outdoor exhibits, though, remember that the noon hour tends to cast harsh lighting.

5 .Put down the camera every once in a while. Those of us who practically live with a lens in front of our eyes sometimes get so wrapped up in photograpphing the moment that we forget to enjoy the moment. Relish the opportunity to be somewhere special. And who knows, after you take a minute to enjoy your special opportunity, you may be inspired!