Photography On Your Travels | by Abi Coop
Hi, I’m Abi, a photographer and photography mentor from the UK - this means I will be using the term holiday rather than vacation throughout this blog! I have always loved having my next holiday, big or small, lined up to look forward to and long before I knew anything technical about photography would enjoy taking my camera with me and capturing the sights. My travel plans have had to adapt somewhat since having children, but in the past I have toured India, Nepal and New Zealand and I’ve visited many other places. One day I will get back to ticking things off my bucket list, but for now I make the most of what we can do during this phase. In this blog, I’m going to share a my top tips for photography on your travels, whether it’s a day trip to somewhere nearby, or a once-in-a-lifetime dream holiday!
Pack Wisely
Choosing which lenses to take away with you is always a tricky decision. You need to think about what kind of things you’ll be wanting to shoot there, and balance that with how much you want to carry around with you. Do you want photos of your family on your adventures or are you more likely to be taking wider landscape shots of the location? Are little details your thing or do you prefer a wider perspective to incorporate more of the environment? If you have a zoom lens such as a 24-70mm this might be the most versatile option. Otherwise, you could chose a combination of one wider prime lens and one longer, a 24mm and an 85mm for instance. If you are going on a trip that would require specific speciality equipment, such as a telephoto lens for a safari or a tripod for astrophotography, then ensure you pack this kit as a priority. If you know you won’t be needing anything like that, leave these heavier, bulkier items at home. Beyond your main camera, you might also want to take a GoPro or a drone, and of course there’s always your phone.
When I go away I really want to capture our experiences there in my own creative way. I want photos that are a little bit different to the shots that everyone else takes. So, in addition to a couple of prime lenses I will also choose a selection of Lensbaby lenses and OMNI filters. Luckily Lensbaby products are quite small and light. These creative tools, along with various creative techniques under my belt, allow me take photos that show how it really feels to be immersed in the location, the culture and the weather.
Capture the Essence of the Location
Each destination will have features that define its character: colours, textures, architectural designs and so on. Capturing these within your images will evoke the feelings and memories associated with each place. Last year we took our summer holiday in Italy. The beautiful town of Sorrento is famous for it’s lemons and the colour yellow was seen widely throughout. The hat my daughter is wearing was purchased in a market there, and against this colourful painted wall that we regularly passed, created a perfect depiction of Sorrento colour palette.
Shoot at All Times of Day
By this, I don’t mean carry your camera kit around with you everywhere, all day, but don’t rule out shooting at any time of day. You could decide to leave it in your accommodation during a hot day excursion, but then take it out with you to dinner in the evening. Or you might choose to get up for sunrise over the beach and capture that first morning light, and then enjoy chilling for the rest of the day. Some of my best holiday images are ones I have take outside of what might be the typical shooting times - blue hour is a particular favourite of mine. I have even been known to go out on a balcony at 2am to capture the night sky because I so rarely get to be in a location without clouds or light pollution.
Vary Your Point of View
Rather than capturing everything from eye level, intentionally try to look for that unique angle. Get down low or get up high - these can be great perspectives to minimise other people in your frame. Get behind something and shoot through something - this can add depth and framing to your image. Get in close and focus on details, take a step back and include the wider scene. Look for lines, shadows, reflections, movement, scale, emotions and so on. All these things will strengthen the storytelling and create images that instantly transport you back to the moment.
Get Creative
Whilst away, I love having the time to try out different techniques. In my day to day life I am always clock-watching - waiting for school pick-up time, when they need ferrying to their dance lessons or are wanting dinner. But on holiday, I make the most of the opportunity to take longer and to experiment with many creative ways of shooting. I especially love it if we are in a place where I can capture the same view across multiple days, trying out different techniques each time. A few years ago we had our summer holiday in Ibiza and each night there was a spectacular sunset over the beach right beside our hotel. I used all my different Lensbaby lenses and OMNI wands, I did some intentional camera movement (ICM), long exposures, double exposures…
Take a Break
Although it’s super fun to capture images that hold precious memories of your time away, and to fill your creative cup with some experimenting, it’s also important to take a break. Put the camera away sometimes and enjoy being present with your family or friends, or just soaking in the environment!
I hope you have found these tips valuable and are excited for your next trip away! We’d love to see what you create. Please use the tag #tff_travels when you share your images in the Facebook group and on Instagram so we can live vicariously and feature them on The Framed Focus account.
Freebie
Enjoy this Sky Overlay Freebie as my gift to you! Be sure to follow and tag me on Instagram when you use it and I’ll share your beautiful work!
