Travel photography can be very demanding, depending on the level it is practiced. It includes all classical photographic categories and requires good knowledge in all fields of photography to insure a high success rate for the resulting pictures.

Travel and photography match perfectly. Traveling gives the opportunity to see new and at times even strange or spectacular places. A spectacular place will trigger the inspiration of the photographic eye; the desire to take pictures is much stronger than at a well-known or frequently visited place.

Every traveler likes to share his experiences and impressions with somebody. After a great vacation, having seen all those historical places, he might ask himself:

It can be easier and more interesting to brighten up one's narration with pictures instead of just "small talk".

One could buy some postcards on location, but that is like cheating in school. Like hunters, photographers hunt for their motif and bring the resulting pictures home as a trophy.

As a beginning travel photographer, I started with a cheap "point & shoot" camera for one of my trips, determined to conserve my memories on a sheet of paper, in a vivid, colored manner. Home again, I was not really satisfied with the pictures I had taken, and even disappointed about some of the results. At that point I knew that I wanted more.

I went to a local photo dealer and tried another approach. Maybe an auto-exposure 35 mm (millimeter) manual-focus (auto everything) camera would do a better job.

So I bought a camera body with a zoom lens as a starter. Now I was in the process of "making" pictures rather than just "taking" them.

Proudly, I brought back more pictures from the next trip, with better results (at least from my perspective), and on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon my spouse and I started to make one of those regular photo albums and later a more a sophisticated scrapbook.

Unfortunately, it can become very expensive the deeper one "dives" into it! This is how it all starts...

 For me travel photography is very exciting because it covers (or may cover) all the different subjects in photography. There are many possibilities and it never gets boring.

While traveling (on vacation), the mind is free of the daily workload. The vacationer is able to relax and to open his eyes and mind to a new place, wherever that is. A new location is always a challenge for the eyes.

Travel photography could be performed in a photojournalistic style, and for example tell the story of a trip. The sub-categories of travel photography can be defined as follows:

A lot of motion and high speed may be involved with Action (and Sport) photography as in ball games, racing, rafting etc.

Close-up (or macro photography) covers plants, flowers, or insects, and much more of what the travel location has to offer. There is an entire "micro-cosmos" to be discovered by the photographer!

Landscape photography (also called scenics) includes all the picturesque places the eyes are drawn to. The resulting picture captures the spirit and the mood of a place. Colors, direction, quality and intensity of light, they all have an immense effect on the outcome of landscape pictures. Weather in all its forms often has an interesting (dramatic) or positive influence on a scene, too. Learning "to see" and to record a scene's potential on film is the hardest part.

Portrait photography can be done almost everywhere and may cover friends, family or even strangers. A completely blurred background or a blurred but recognizable landmark might emphasize the scene.
(For the publication of pictures of a stranger a signed model release is required).

Pictures of cityscapes, single buildings, people in their environment, and even portraits or model shots belong in the category street photography.

In Still Life photography a photographer may just "stumble" across an interesting composition or he arranges one.

Wildlife photography can preferably be performed in the world's great Nature Parks (National Parks) or locally in State Parks, where it is possible to get close to large and small mammals or birds of all kinds. At times the park animals are not even shy of human presence.

Instead of organizing photographs in the chronological order of the trip, it might be helpful to categorize them, thus taking each picture out of the original context and giving new meaning to it. Sometimes even obvious subjects as the following may be discovered with new eyes:

• Architectural Details (Modern & Classical)
• Bridges (Modern & Classical)
• Buildings of (Your) Interest (Apartment, Cottage, Hotel, Restaurant, etc.)
• Churches (Stained-glass Windows)
• Circus (Artists and animals)
• City Streets (Urban Landscape at Day & Night)
• City Vistas (Bridges, Cityscapes, Skyscraper, Fountains etc.)
• Events (Festivals, Fireworks, Parades, etc.)
• Gardens (Botanical, Formal, Farms, Vineyards, Zoo, etc.)
• Harbors (Buildings, Goods, People, Ships, etc.)
• Industrial Compounds
• Landmarks, Historical Buildings & Monuments (Castles, Excavations, Fortresses, Lighthouses, Palaces, Statues, Arches, Ruins, etc.)
• Markets (Buildings, Merchandise, People, etc.)
• Museums (Art, Cultural, Collections, etc.)
• (Train) Stations (Building, People, Trains, etc.)
• Villages
• Zoo (Animals, buildings, habitats, plants, etc.) or animals in a non-natural environment

• Beaches (Tropical, Cliffs, Ocean, Shorelines, Above & Underwater etc.)
• Canyons
• Caves & Caverns
• Desert, Forrest, Prairie, Nature Parks & Preserves etc.
• General Landscape
• Islands
• Lakes
• Oceans
• Mountains (Scenery or Adventure)
• Rivers & Waterfalls
• The 4 Seasons (Including The Elements: Afterglow (Alpenglow), Fog, Lightning, Mist, Rain, Rainbows Snow, Storm, Sunrise & Sunset, etc.)
• Signs (City, Advertising, Highway, etc.)
• Wildlife (Animals In Their Natural Habitat, National Parks, Safari, etc.)

• Friends & Family (Including Activities, Events & Occasions, Portraits)
• People In Their Environment (Harbor, Marketplace, Street, Restaurant, etc.)
• Portraits (Single & Groups)
• Sports

• In Action (Exercise, training, hunting, etc.)
• On Location (Show, home, garden, etc.)
• Portraits

Still Life (Indoors and outdoors)

• Color
• Food (Meals, Vegetables, fruits, etc.)
• Found Objects (car wreck in the woods, etc.)
• Furniture
• Pattern
• Shape
• Tools

Usually, photography is not the main purpose of my trips. It is rather a medium to record what I (we) have experienced during the trip. I try to achieve the best possible image at the given time, meaning that the resulting images range from typical snapshots to salable pictures. The more research I do in advance, the more success I will have at our final destination.

I often browse through travel and photo magazines for articles on interesting locations, and if they seem to be useful I keep them on file, organized by country, region, city, etc.

Before I go on a trip, I collect as much information as possible about the places I intend to visit. For my research I consult libraries, magazines, travel books, the Internet, other people etc.....

I try to find out whether there is a tourist information of the chosen destination in my home country. One can get a lot of valuable literature for free this way.

In case I visit only one specific region, I buy the best travel guide I can possibly find. I have often noticed that the best guides can only be purchased on-site. In Spain I experienced that a dedicated travel bookstore in Barcelona (near the university) had fantastic guides available, sometimes even translated into English or German. I never could have bought them in Germany. Most of the time, the not translated guides in Spanish (or Catalan) were even better.

Here is an example of the planning of one of my trips:

Local tourist information centers offer a lot of material and it is usually free of charge!

I also visit the postcards stands, to get an impression what the local opportunities are.

When I spend a longer period of time at one location, I take some time to scout the area and make notes of what I think could be the right angle/view, time of the day, etc. This may be the only way to achieve real "keepers".

Large equipment should be registered at one of the local "Customs Offices" (probably at the nearest airport). They normally require a detailed list including serial numbers and they want to see the equipment for verification, too. This may help to avoid hassle upon returning to the home country. In case registration is not an option, copies of the sales slips prove that the equipment was not bought abroad.

Getting an insurance against theft and damage for the equipment is very important. According to "Murphy's Law", there won't be any trouble after signing a policy.

I buy enough film before I go. I never know whether I can get quality "refills" along the way. At some destinations the price can be awfully high. I suggest to take a minimum of 2 rolls per day (I usually take 10!). For shooting mainly scenics, I take a mixture of 1/4 fast film and 3/4 slow film; if a lot of wildlife opportunities can be expected, more fast film is recommendable.

Several weeks before I leave, I go through each item of my photo gear and make sure it works properly. In case something needs a repair it might take 6 or 8 weeks to get it fixed. At that time, I usually also clean all lenses and filters, check all batteries and buy spare ones. If I have just bought a new item (camera body, lens, etc.) I get some practice before I leave.

When traveling via plane, I never check through any film, but I keep it in an extra bag and ask for "hand inspection".

My photo gear is packed in a photo backpack as carry-on luggage. In case I intend to take a tripod on the trip, I detach the head (and handles) of the legs, wrap both into beach towels for cushioning and pack them in a hard-sided suitcase. The same applies to a monopod.

It all depends on how much one is willing to carry or what the travel habits are. If I go by car, by plane, by train or ship, whether I intend to go hiking, biking, climbing, or whatever ..., I always want to have my equipment "light" in weight and size.

As basic equipment, an auto-focus camera body that usually comes with some built-in "auto"- programs and a small in-camera flash should be considered. They are "easy", and fast to use. Since I don't have to focus manually anymore (I use auto-focus now), I find time enough for a more careful composition. In addition, the auto-gizmos enable me to take an extraordinary candid shot much faster!
However, it is important to have a manual over-ride capability for all these auto features:

Regarding lenses, nobody seems to have the "really" right answer. Looking back and summarizing my experiences, I think it was helpful to have worked with a 35-200mm zoom first, then with a 28/50/135 mm fix focal (also called prime lenses or short primes) set-up, and with an additional 100mm macro at last. This was all 35mm manual focus equipment, which helped me to develop a certain technique and shooting style.

The next steps were 24mm and 50mm fix focal lenses and special filters to suit my additional specific needs.

The "classical" (or professional) approach for a line of focal lengths is a 28mm f2.8, a 50mm f1.8 (or faster), a 135mm f2.8, and (or) possibly a macro lens in the 100-mm range with a f2.8 aperture.

My recommendation is a good zoom lens in the 24 to 135 mm ranges preferably, but not necessarily, from the camera body's manufacturer. This range offers a lot of convenience without sacrificing too much the optical quality and the available maximum aperture. Optically, a "cheap" off-brand zoom can never be as good as an "expensive" fix focal lens or "professional" zoom from a camera's manufacturer.

If the goal is to make small, regular prints only, and to change lenses not often, an off-brand or even a brand 28-200 mm zoom is the right approach. Due to its "small" maximum aperture (usually f 4.5 - 5.6) the ISO 400 film can compensate for loss of light. A lens hood should be used at all times to achieve better contrast. No money should be saved on lenses.

Main features to look for in a camera bag are weather protection, padding, overlapped metal zippers, and a not too suspicious look. No matter how much money is spent, one will never be at peace with only a single bag. It will always be either too big, too small, not padded enough as a check-through, or just not slim enough as a carry-on item on a plane.

My closet is "full" of camera bags, packs and cases (6 at this time). I will surely never regret having spent "big bucks" for their quality (but I still have my first cheap one in my closet).

For frequent plane traveling a short tripod is a good solution. The bulk of a tripod can be cut down by using a monopod, a window-pod (when traveling by car) or a beanbag instead.

Finally, right clothing should be given some thought to. Since I mostly travel during the warmer months, my 2 "hottest" items are a hat and a photographer's vest (meshed style and with many pockets). The rest of my clothing is usually casual and outdoor/hiking oriented. Depending on what kind of terrain I will be facing at my destination, a pair of good hiking boots will provide the right grip and hold. If I am heading for higher elevations, I take some gloves (e.g. LowePro) to operate my equipment in cold conditions.

Equipment for a photographer is like a tool for a craftsman.

It will only serve but not create or form vision.

Before buying, try to borrow a camera and various lenses, maybe even different brands to gain a little practice with important equipment features.

The best gear is usually the most expensive. It is therefore worth taking some time for shopping around and getting as much information as possible in order to save money.

In general, only the 3 major brands should be considered: Canon, Minolta and Nikon. In my experience it is better to look for auto-focus equipment than for the good "old" manual focus. Once I got used to mastering the demand even Auto-focus makes on the photographer (e.g. not to leave the subject "dead" center, because that is where the AF sensors are; or to re-compose the picture after having locked the auto-focus), my composition improved dramatically.

Pentax makes some very good equipment, too. But a major disadvantage for the average photographer is that their product line is too short on certain items and their good (professional grade) lenses are very expensive. Off-brands as Tokina or Tamron do not make too many lenses in Pentax AF mount these days.

Nikon and Pentax are the only brands allowing the use of older manual focus lenses on their auto-focus bodies. This is very economical in case there is the need to have an expensive specialty lens such as a 16mm fish-eye lens. The market price of used manual-focus lens is lower than that of an equal auto-focus lens.

In most major cities one can rent the very expensive telephoto lenses for Canon and Nikon. Minolta and all the other brands are virtually non-existent in this field!

Before I bought my equipment, I checked out the entire product line of the manufacturer for accessories. It proved to be very reasonable for me to buy a camera system I could grow with.

Non-camera manufacturing companies such as Tamron (with their LD-series) and Tokina (with their ATX lenses) have a pretty good reputation for most of their products. Nobody (of the professionals or serious amateurs on the Internet) seems to like Sigma products, even though they have a few good products (the EX line). It is claimed that this company has a serious problem with quality control, but this may have changed.

If I had to buy new equipment today I would probably buy everything used (just replace the Minolta with any other camera brand name):

I have recently insured all of my equipment against theft, damage, or loss to be on the safe side. This is an extra addition to our renter's policy and covers the purchase price.

Travel guide, a lighter, Leatherman- Tool (for small repairs), Zip-loc bag (just in case) and shower cap (as "raincoat" for the bag).

Off-Trail 2 waist belt, 2 camera bodies both with built-in flash (eventually extra flash unit), AF 28-105 f 2.8 and AF 80-400 f 4.5-5.6 zoom lenses, lens hoods, 2x converter, as much film as fits, binoculars. Tripod stays in the car to be at hand when needed.

Long Trips/Vacation by Motorhome (e.g. USA):

Off-Trail 2 waist belt and LowePro Nova 5, 2 camera bodies both with built-in flash, extra flash, AF 24 mm f 2.8, AF 50 mm f 1.4, AF 28-105 mm f 2.8, and AF 80-400 mm f 4.5-5.6 lenses, lens hoods, 2x converter. I will take polarizer, warming, SingRay ND-filters (2 f-stop soft and 3 f-stop hard), Cokin P filter holder, as much film as fits into the bag (-s) plus some in the car or in my vest.

Binoculars, cleaning kit, travel guide, a lighter, Leatherman-Tool, a Zip-loc bag and a shower cap.

Tripod and back-up equipment are kept handy in the car.

My back-up equipment used to be a manual focus body, 28mm f 2.8, 50mm f 1.7, 135mm f 2.8, 35-200mm f4.5- 5.6 zoom and flash. It has been replaced by a modern 2^nd AF body.

Photo-Trekker packed with Off-Trail 2 waist belt and Nova 5, 2 camera bodies both with built-in flash, extra flash, AF 24 mm f 2.8, AF 50 mm f 1.4, AF 28-105 mm f 2.8, and AF 80-400 mm f 4.5-5.6 lenses, lens hoods, 2x converter. I will take polarizer, warming, SingRay ND-filters (2 f-stop soft and 3 f-stop hard), Cokin P filter holder, as much film as fits into the bag (-s) plus some in the car or in my vest., binoculars, cleaning kit. Travel guide, lighter, Leatherman-Tool, Zip-loc bag and shower cap.

Tripod and back-up equipment is stored in a safe location to be available.

My back-up equipment used to be a manual focus body, 28mm f 2.8, 50mm f 1.7, 135mm f 2.8, 35-200mm f4.5- 5.6 zoom and flash. It has been replaced by a modern 2^nd AF body.

I take the best info material that I found trough research prior to the trip (books, maps, etc.) with me.

Keeping a travel-log has proved to be very helpful on my trips. My travel log consists of three sections.

1. As already mentioned, I do a lot of research (quite in advance) on the locations I intend to visit. I print or copy the most interesting information and put everything in the order of the journey in a 1.5" (approx. 4 cm) folder.
2. The second section consists of blank spreadsheets which I prepared for daily short information such as mileage, gas expenses and MPG (= miles per gallon or liters per 100 km), stops (where & when), food stops etc. ...
3. The third section is a daily diary. Either my wife or I write a diary of what happened during the trip. We write down what we've seen, and we also try to describe our thoughts and impressions about certain locations etc. It worked out quite well in the past. However, there is no doubt that one has to be very disciplined to do that. Every night or even while driving one has to write.

Using self-created templates for travel writing helped us to keep the discipline. An electronic format on a computer notebook would probably be even more useful.

Also, as other sources on the Internet suggest, we collect all our bills, receipts, maps, tickets etc. to insert these later with our pictures in a scrapbook style photo-album.

Recently, I created a template to record my exposure data in an easy way. But I wasn't always able to record the information while being in the field.

"So what's the secret of good travel writing?"

There are several books on "Travel Writing" or writing in general on the market (book link coming soon...).

Here, is what my wife said after a joined photo-tour:

My own experience showed me that a family vacation should not be turned into a photo trip. I want to take pictures all day long, but I have learned to divide my time between family and photography.

A dedicated photographer needs no rest, can skip meals and barely needs to drink. My wife definitely thinks differently.

So I have come to use the "shoot first, ask later" approach, i.e. taking pictures at the time when a subject is appealing to me. I don't wait until whatever is right and try not to postpone a subject for the next or another day. I missed a lot of good pictures in the past, simply because I was running out of time at the end. Being always alert for a possible (unexpected) photo opportunity I keep the camera at close reach.

It is possible to arrange a "shooting schedule" for the early mornings and the late afternoons; the light will be at its best anyway. For the rest of the time I just take snapshots for our family album. That means leaving the heavy gear behind and settling for something lightweight (e.g. Olympus Stylus Epic) that is capable to capture decent pictures.

If I am heading to a prime photo location I ask companions in advance to be patient with me; afterwards I invite them to a nice dinner. In any case, I try not to overreact to any remarks; I just swallow them down. "Keep peace!" is my motto.

If the family wants to stay a day at the beach and I hate it, I try to sneak out and find a location for some shooting. How about photographing seagulls in flight? Or I visit the closest harbor.

At times I use family or companions as "models". Often a picture needs a person to show the scale or so. Such picture can serve as a private snapshot or a salable one.

For pets (e.g. dogs) applies the same. Pets can be as impatient as kids when one is setting up the "perfect" shot. In addition, pets usually have to be restricted with a leash. I had to set up a schedule here, too. We traveled a lot with a motorhome, which gave us the opportunity to spend time with our dog (and he liked this better than staying "alone" in a kennel). Sometimes we were facing public restrictions, e.g. backcountry hiking is usually not allowed with pets in order to protect the wildlife, ourselves, and the pet. I came to understand that while we were hiking through bear-country in the Yellowstone Park.

If I spend time "useless" on a bus, on a train, on an airplane or as "co-pilot" in a car, I use this spare time to plan my picture opportunities ahead.

As indicated at the top of this page, all texts and photographs on this site are © Copyright 1999 by Marcus and Christine Erne. Prior permission is required for any reproduction.

Reproduction rights of all text and images can be made available. For further details please contact us at the e-mail address below.