Travel Photography Tips For Amateurs

The purpose of this presentation is to give the amateur photographer, like myself, useful tips designed to help enable anyone to come back from vacation with impressive photos.

Modern digital equipment, when used together with these simple suggestions, will allow the novice to produce superior work.

Lion Cub, Tanzania, Africa

Tip Categories

FocusFocusMagnificationMagnificationFlashFlashMeteringMeteringComputer EditingComputer EditingConclusionConclusion

The following is a list of the major categories covered. These are the main points I have found to be the most critical in capturing superior travel photographs. The show will advance automatically. Clicking anywhere on the screen will advance manually.

FocusFocus is the most critical component of a good travel photograph. Coming home with a stack of blurry photos is disappointing. When in an exotic location seeing something for the first time, we often get so excited we shoot away without taking the time to stabilize the camera to get crisp, clear shots. The following tips might help:

Take a deep breath and hold it prior to releasing shutter.

Lean against a solid object while shooting.

Use a tripod or a mini pocket tripod to brace camera on a solid surface.

Use a monopod which doubles as a walking stick.

Green Atlantic Sea Turtle, Tortuguero, Costa Rica

Green Atlantic Sea Turtle, Tortuguero, Costa Rica

This tiny baby turtle was photographed on an east coast beach in Costa Rica using a monopod on the sand. This allowed for the sharp focus capturing the details of the soft shell and skin.

This tiny baby turtle was photographed on an east coast beach in Costa Rica using a monopod on the sand. This allowed for the sharp focus capturing the details of the soft shell and skin.

This Asian elephant was photographed using a monopod. Notice how you can see the wrinkles in the skin.

This Asian elephant was photographed using a monopod. Notice how you can see the wrinkles in the skin.Maeping Elephant Camp, Thailand

Baboon, Tanzania, Africa

This baboon was photographed using a monopod from within a vehicle. Notice the fine texture of the fur and the piercing eyes.

This baboon was photographed using a monopod from within a vehicle. Notice the fine texture of the fur and the piercing eyes.

MagnificationEspecially when photographing wildlife, my personal favorite, magnification can make the difference between an impressive photo of a magnificent animal and a small dot lost in the landscape. The following should be taken into account:

Camera stabilization is critical as small movements will be magnified.

Use the maximum optical magnification available with the particular camera.

Remember; digital magnification is “empty” magnification. It will not add to the photo. The same effect can be accomplished by using a computer to crop the final image.

Leopard,Tanzania, Africa

This leopard was spotted in a far-off tree. Getting too close might scare it off or be dangerous. With a monopod and a long telephoto lens, this photo was captured.

This leopard was spotted in a far-off tree. Getting too close might scare it off or be dangerous. With a monopod and a long telephoto lens, this photo was captured.

This is one of my favorite Zebra photos from Tanzania, taken with a telephoto lens on a monopod from a vehicle.

This is one of my favorite Zebra photos from Tanzania, taken with a telephoto lens on a monopod from a vehicle.

These two butterflies from Peru are good examples of high-power close-up imaging. Insects are excellent subjects for this type of photography.

These two butterflies from Peru are good examples of high-power close-up imaging. Insects are excellent subjects for this type of photography.

Owl Butterfly, Peru

Anole, Costa Rica Small reptiles are also good candidates for magnification.

Small reptiles are also good candidates for magnification.

Poison Arrow Frog, Tortuguero, Costa Rica

These tiny poison arrow frogs were photographed using a monopod to stabilize the camera as I got close enough to get the magnification needed to capture the blue feet.

These tiny poison arrow frogs were photographed using a monopod to stabilize the camera as I got close enough to get the magnification needed to capture the blue feet.

FlashEven outdoors, flash can make the difference between a dull, underexposed shot and a vibrant photo.

Using flash on a shadowy subject on a sunny day, also called “fill” flash, can light up dark regions of the photo. This includes facial features.

Fill flash is extremely helpful when the sun is behind the subject, creating shadows on faces, etc.

Fill flash will often lighten objects in the foreground without affecting distant objects.

Albino Bat, Costa Rica

The details on this albino bat were made visible using fill flash. The background is slightly overexposed, but the main subject is nicely illuminated.

The details on this albino bat were made visible using fill flash. The background is slightly overexposed, but the main subject is nicely illuminated.

Shark Swim, Moorea, Tahiti

Shadows were virtually eliminated in this underwater shot of sharks feeding with fill flash.

Shadows were virtually eliminated in this underwater shot of sharks feeding with fill flash.

Stingray, Moorea, Tahiti

Similar to the previous photo, the surface of this stingray along with the attached lampreys is nicely illuminated with fill flash.

Similar to the previous photo, the surface of this stingray along with the attached lampreys is nicely illuminated with fill flash.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

This is one of my favorite examples of fill flash. Without it, the faces would be dark and filled with shadows.

This is one of my favorite examples of fill flash. Without it, the faces would be dark and filled with shadows.

MeteringMetering refers to the mode with which the camera is set to measure the light in a scene to determine the correct exposure for the shot.

Automatic metering modes often average out all the light in a scene to select the correct settings. This can be desirable for landscapes.

Spot metering is invaluable when photographing wildlife in dense vegetation. The camera will measure the light in the very center of the frame to correctly expose the subject.

Seal, Icy Bay, Alaska

This seal image was captured from a sea kayak using spot metering. As you can see, the exposure appears correct for the subject, but the foreground and background are washed out and not in focus. In this case, this acts to accentuate the animal.

This seal image was captured from a sea kayak using spot metering. As you can see, the exposure appears correct for the subject, but the foreground and background are washed out and not in focus. In this case, this acts to accentuate the animal.

Frigate Bird, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

This Frigate Bird was photographed with spot metering. As you can see, the background is overexposed, but the main subject is sharp and nicely exposed.

This Frigate Bird was photographed with spot metering. As you can see, the background is overexposed, but the main subject is sharp and nicely exposed.

Sea Lion, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Spot metering allowed for proper exposure on the suede-like skin of this sea lion. The sky is overexposed, but proper exposure of the clouds would have underexposed the animal, making for a dull photo.

Spot metering allowed for proper exposure on the suede-like skin of this sea lion. The sky is overexposed, but proper exposure of the clouds would have underexposed the animal, making for a dull photo.

Vervet Monkey, Tanzania, Africa

This example shows how spot metering can be effectively used to correctly expose the subject’s face. Without it, the photo would probably be too dark, and the monkey would be lost in the vegetation.

This example shows how spot metering can be effectively used to correctly expose the subject’s face. Without it, the photo would probably be too dark, and the monkey would be lost in the vegetation.

Computer EditingComputer editing is used after a photo session is complete to enhance photos.

“Cropping” can be done to select the part of the photo desired, discarding the rest of the scene.

Brightness and contrast can be adjusted to render a mediocre photo acceptable.

Multiple images of the same scene can be viewed, selecting the best of the set and discarding the rest.

Photos can be enhanced in any number of ways, but I prefer only to work with cropping and brightness.

Acoma, New Mexico

On the right, the wall has been cropped out of the photo to restore the authenticity of the scene. This is a simple procedure best done on the computer. This eliminates the need to spend time composing the perfect shot on-site when the desired composition can be accomplished at a later date.

On the right, the wall has been cropped out of the photo to restore the authenticity of the scene. This is a simple procedure best done on the computer. This eliminates the need to spend time composing the perfect shot on-site when the desired composition can be accomplished at a later date.

This is an unedited photo taken at the ancient Pueblo village of Acoma, Sky City in New Mexico. The modern stucco wall on the right side of the image spoils the scene.

This is an unedited photo taken at the ancient Pueblo village of Acoma, Sky City in New Mexico. The modern stucco wall on the right side of the image spoils the scene.

Bat In Flight, Costa Rica

One night in Costa Rica, I noticed a bat circling our cabin. I timed the passes, and took random shots in the dark with a flash at the appropriate intervals. I didn’t know I had photographed anything until I lightened the photos on the computer at home, and saw this tiny image of a bat in flight on one of the frames.

One night in Costa Rica, I noticed a bat circling our cabin. I timed the passes, and took random shots in the dark with a flash at the appropriate intervals. I didn’t know I had photographed anything until I lightened the photos on the computer at home, and saw this tiny image of a bat in flight on one of the frames.

Cropping produced this image. Although not very crisp, it is still worth examining. Without computer enhancement, I never would have seen this.

Cropping produced this image. Although not very crisp, it is still worth examining. Without computer enhancement, I never would have seen this.

The image on the right is also a good example of empty magnification. Digital enlargement, whether done on the computer or by a camera that boasts enormous digital magnification, does not add detail to a photo. A small unfocussed image becomes a large unfocussed image, but now the imperfections are more noticeable.

The image on the right is also a good example of empty magnification. Digital enlargement, whether done on the computer or by a camera that boasts enormous digital magnification, does not add detail to a photo. A small unfocussed image becomes a large unfocussed image, but now the imperfections are more noticeable.

Times Square, NYC

This photo taken in Times Square has trash piled on the left and a bus on the right.

This photo taken in Times Square has trash piled on the left and a bus on the right.

With cropping, these distractions are easily removed.

With cropping, these distractions are easily removed.

Conclusion

With a little thought and practice, anyone can be a good photographer using the modern digital equipment available today.

Steady the camera to maintain sharp focus.Use telephoto equipment, when appropriate, to get

maximum optical magnification.Use flash, even in bright daylight, to eliminate

troublesome shadows.Use appropriate metering for proper exposure,

especially spot metering when shooting a dark subject.Rely on the computer for final composition and

enhancement of photos when necessary.Return To Website