The love of wildness that many landscape photographers have pushes them to travel far in quest of wild and remote locales. Many people are drawn to photographing far off the main route because of the allure of solitude and new landscape. At its finest, adventure photography.
These distant sites are reached and used in a variety of ways, including backpacking, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, climbing, and other self-propelled forms of transport. These activities are frequently shared with others, and the rewards can include breathtaking scenery, biodiversity, and, of course, the wilderness experience.
Here’s how to have the best time while looking for that one-of-a-kind shot on your bucket list.
Travel Photography Guide
1. Make Unique Work
When you dive headfirst into the realm of expedition photography, you may easily become overwhelmed. With far too many self-proclaimed travel enthusiasts out there, getting your photos seen can seem unattainable. Don’t let this discourage you.
And there’s more. Don’t assume that since you don’t have a high-end camera means you can’t take good photos. Over the last few years, camera technology has advanced to the point that any equipment you own ought to be capable of producing stunning images. Allow your photography to be a creative outlet for you! Be unique, but most importantly, be yourself! Travel photography is not a precise science. The trip photographers who stand out are those who go for something different!
2. Always Have a Camera With You
Leaving your camera in the hotel, whether because you’re lazy or because you don’t think there would be anything exciting that day, means you’ll be missing out on some of the most amazing vacation photography opportunities.
If you leave your camera at home, you can miss that one-of-a-kind image or a spectacular sunset. Travel photography is inherently erratic; the greatest moments are often spontaneous and unexpected. It’s all about being equipped and keeping your stuff with you at all times, which doesn’t mean you need all of your best equipment; even if you only have a recent smartphone, you can get some very amazing images.
3. Emphasis on Practice
“Practice makes perfect”, as the adage goes. This is true of trip photography, as it is of anything else. As with any passion or ability, practicing helps you develop your unique style of travel photography. It improves your artistic eye and techniques. When you’ve mastered the ins and outs of landscape photography via practice, you’ll find that you’re having a lot more fun with it.
4. Permission Matters
I think we can all agree that several of the top travel photography photos are of individuals who are completely unaware of the lurking covert photographer.
If you don’t ask your picture subject’s permission, you may be yelled at, have stuff hurled at you, get arrested, or face other unpleasant consequences. Respect individuals, ask for permission, and hope that your subject will achieve that NatGeo-worthy posture!
Tips for General Exploration, Biking and Hiking
When hiking or riding, the weight and bulk of your photography equipment should be your first concern. Attempt to predict the photo circumstances that are most crucial to capture whilst on the trail when determining what camera gear to bring.
When bicycling, position the camera near the top of your hydration bag for easy access. Consider carrying a portable point-and-shoot camera in a pouch linked to the straps of your biking hydration pack so you’re always prepared for the shot.
Winter Sports and Expeditions
When photographing skiing and snowboarding, you’ll usually be in front of the skier or snowboarder seeking a good shot. In ski photography, speed is everything. Placing your camera in a bag slows down access. Have a hip pack with a waist belt and straps instead. To prevent snow from getting in, the waist pack should feature a zipper.
Water Sports and Other Experiences
Since water is destructive, a waterproof cover or bag is required for surfers, rafting, and most paddling sports. Prepare to be on the water for four to five hours every day on a rafting or paddling excursion. You can shoot shots while seated on the boat in calm water if you have a waterproof case for your equipment and are cautious.
On flowing water, boats may be rather lovely. To find out what you like best, try changing your lens to lower shutter speeds. When photographing water, reflection is another useful technique. Whenever the water is between you and the clearest part of the sky, reflections become much more noticeable.
The Extras
Like every other experience out there, there are little things that you might forget that are quite necessary for your expedition. These may include;
- Food and dieting; consider bringing with you a portable fridge, a portable stove, food, and hence frozen food packaging. Some frozen food packaging ideas include pouches and plastics, depending on the size of your food storage.
- Exercise; Wake up early and get in a workout in preparation for your day. You might even get lucky and capture the sunrise.
- Protective gear: these include headgears for bikers, masks, and other PPE equipment depending on the areas you travel to. Do not forget to buy some hand sanitizers too!
The Bottom Line
Expedition photography is primarily about conveying a narrative. Begin the process at the start of a journey, and as the experience progresses, get more closely immersed and attuned to possible dramatic situations. With the above guide, we believe that you are ready for your first/next expedition. Get ready and you might just get lucky to be an award winner on Nat-Geo. All the best out there!
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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