11 Tips to Make Your Travel Photos Better

Another illustration of point 7 about looking for interesting lines. But mostly I put this photo here just because I like it.

I’ve been consciously trying to improve my photography the last few years, and by that, I mean paying a lot more attention to how I’ve been doing things. The nature of the traveling we’re doing means that, by default, I’ve been shooting a lot more landscapes and other static scenes. Here are some tips I’ve gleaned from looking at the work of other photographers, taking a couple of seminars, and my own 50,000 or so exposures I’ve made over the past three years.

1. Use a tripod (or at least a monopod.)

The main thing using a tripod does is make you slow down and think more about what you are looking at. Mostly, it’s a composition thing. But, there are plenty of other implications for the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed you’ll be using, and those are important as well.

2. Get as much depth of field as you can.

Photography 101 tells you that to get your foreground and background in sharp focus, you are going to need to stop down your lens. Perhaps all the way to f/22 or however far it goes. If you do that, and focus properly, everything from the foreground out to infinity will be sharp. Of course, if you are stopped all the way down, and are also using a slow ISO of 100 or thereabouts, you’re going to need a slower shutter speed to get the correct exposure. That’s where the tripod comes in. If you are hand holding at that ISO and f-stop, you’re going to have camera jiggle, and that’s just going to make your lens sharpness irrelevant. In fact, the sharper your lens and the bigger your file size, the more jiggle will be magnified. So, even if you are using a tripod, use mirror lockup and/or remote shutter release or timed shutter release. There’s no point of introducing your clumsy finger on the shutter button to add jiggle.

At England’s Exeter Cathedral, the detail and depth of field come from using a tripod and a slow shutter speed.

3. Focus on something, not everything.

Pick out the main subject of your landscape and compose your shot around that. It could be a building, a mountain, a road, or a rock in the foreground. What it is doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you have chosen something as the main subject. You might also want to remember the “Rule of Thirds” here and place your chosen focus point at one of the intersections of the imaginary lines you’ve drawn dividing your frame into thirds from top to bottom and side to side.

There’s a lot of framing going on here by various elements, but there’s no doubt what the main subject is: The Temple of the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto.

4. Think about the sky.

Is that what you’re really shooting, or is it the foreground? If there’s nothing special going on in the sky, leave it out or minimize it. Normal composition guidelines suggest you put the horizon one third from the top or bottom, but if the sky is not important, you can get rid of it. Conversely, if what you are shooting is a spectacular cloud formation, sunset, or whatever, a thin sliver of earth might be just what you’re looking for. But, you should choose one or the other. If you make the photo half sky and half ground, i.e. put the horizon in the middle of the frame, you’re going to get a middling picture every time.

The sky is adding nothing to this shot of Chile’s Atacama Desert, so leave it small.

At Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, the sky was the shot, so the little tree tops just are there to let you know where you are.

5. The foreground is important for scale and for framing.

The reason you see so many photos of a mountain in the background framed by leaves of a nearby tree is that it just works. It draws attention to your main subject as well as gives scale to a distant object. Of course, it adds three dimensionality and perspective, which also serves to emphasize your focus. Also, a shot which features a foreground object and yet leads your eye off to the horizon puts that object into a context that makes it more emphatic.

The foreground at Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland is plenty interesting here, especially since it leads your eye straight to the mountain which highlights the scene.

6. Less than ideal weather is ideal.

There are two things that tend to kill the dramatic light that makes a great landscape shot: a cloudless sky with bright sun and complete overcast. I hate them both. Work with the clouds and be patient. Sometimes they are dramatic in themselves and provide a nice frame or even the main subject of your shot. Other times, they cast defining shadows, and when you’re patient, spout that one ray that hits your main topic and illuminates it beautifully while bathing the rest of your scene in a softer light. Like I said, be patient and wait for the light to do what you want. If it doesn’t happen, try changing angles or come back another day.

We were hiking up the vocano Pinchincha near Quito, Ecuador. It was a sunny day, which made the shooting pretty boring. But as sunset approached, the clouds rolled in, and voila. A nice shot, but we thought better of climbing through the clouds in the dark.

7. Utilize lines which emphasize perspective.

A road winding toward the horizon, a stream wending its way toward you, a roof line leading down a street. All of those give depth and movement which impart interest to your shot. And sometimes, those lines are also patterns which, in themselves, are the interest point of your shot.

The ceiling of the library at El Escorial in Spain is amazing. But you get a sense of the scale because the emphatic perspective from a low angle leads the lines off to the horizon.

8. Get up early or stay late.

The color and angle of the light at sunrise and sunset imparts a quality to your image that you can’t otherwise get. Also, there are often dramatic shadows that add your your composition. Those times of day are not as bright as midday, of course, so to get your depth of field and shutter speed you want, you’re really going to need that tripod.

Sunrise makes this shot. The color, and especially the oblique light which highlights the edge of the lilypads. An hour later, and this is nothing special.

9. Watch the edges of your frame.

Often–and I’m guilty of this on occasion–two things go wrong at the edges of your frame. Problem one is some stray element like a phone wire, a leaf, or a tourist creeps in at the very edge. You’re so concentrated on your main subject, you don’t notice them until it’s time to look at the shot on your computer. Yeah, you can maybe clone or crop them out with Lightroom or Photo Shop, but it’s a lot easier to just make a slight adjustment and get rid of them in the beginning. Problem two is your horizon line. How many times have you looked at the shot on the computer only to realize the whole thing is tilted five degrees? There’s an easy fix for this: just align the horizon line with the top or bottom of your frame in the viewfinder while you’re composing the shot. Again, you can fix this in post processing, but why not just get it right to start with?

10. Take your time and take lots of exposures.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spent twenty or thirty minutes fussing over one shot, doing all the things I’ve mentioned above until I get it just right, and then packing up my gear, walking 10 meters down the road and seeing a composition of the same subject I like much better. It happens all the time. All I can say is, take as much time as it takes to get something you love, not something that’s just “good enough.” Sometimes, that’s holding the camera over your head, or even bringing along a ladder. Sometimes, it’s getting down on the ground, or even lower. (Ever heard the famous story of Orson Wells digging a four foot hole in a concrete studio floor just for one five second shot in Citizen Kane? I’ve wanted to do that on occasion.) Sometimes it’s an odd tilt; sometimes it’s getting closer or further away. Sometimes it’s including a stray element that’s right in front of you, but isn’t part of the main scene. Sometimes, it’s leaving and coming back, and sometimes it’s walking around the back and looking at things from a totally new angle. (One time, I drove into an entirely different state to get another look at the Grand Teton Mountains.) Like I said, there’s no hurry. Take your time.

I’ve seen a million shots looking up the Snake River in Wyoming toward the Grand Teton mountains, but I got this one by driving over to the Idaho side and hiking in the national forest there. Same mountains, further away, but a different scene.

11. Bonus tip: Come back to your favorite spots again and again.

I heard this one from a famous photo teacher: “The average number of times a great photographer will go back to a spot to get the best landscape photo possible is 25.” For non pros, that’s not usually an option. But keep it in mind when you happen to luck into that photo on the first try. Luck matters, too.

Clouds out our front door in Cantabria, Spain. One of about a hundred exposures I made of the same scene on different days.

Another shot of the same scene. This time, the fog’s in the valley behind the shed. A different, and more dramatic look.

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7 Hidden Travel Expenses and How to Minimize Them

When planning a big trip, most travelers have a basic budget in mind, and they usually remember to include the obvious things like hotel rooms, transportation between cities, food, entrance fees, and maybe even a little flex money.

I know that I planned in all of these things before I set off on my six month long trip; however, there were several things that I forgot to include in my budget, and I’m sure I’m not the only one to forget an expense or two.

Here are seven easy travel expenses to overlook, and some suggestions on how to minimize their impact on your budget.

LAUNDRY

If you are traveling for more than a week, it is nearly impossible to take enough clean clothes with you to last for your entire trip. Thus, laundry becomes something that you need to think about. While it can be as cheap as $1 a kilogram in some countries, I’ve also seen hotels charge several dollars just to wash one shirt. One way to minimize your laundry expenses is to take a small container of washing powder and do laundry in your hotel’s sink. While some hotels discourage you from doing this, I’ve never had anyone actually ask me to stop hanging clothes to dry.

DRINKING WATER

For many of us who grew up in the western world, drinking water is something that we take for granted. Getting a glass of water is as simple and cheap as turning on the faucet and filling up a glass. However, in many parts of the world the water just isn’t clean enough to do this. While many hotels provide a water dispenser, many do not. Therefore, while water isn’t the most costly of items, make sure that you include it when budgeting your expenses.

ATM FEES

Make sure to include ATM fees in your budget. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You can’t travel without money, but how do you get it? If you are traveling long-term, it’s not practical to take all of the money that you will need with you, and traveler’s checks are getting harder and more expensive to cash. So, most travelers resort to using ATM cards at local banks. The problem with this is that many ATM machines charge a fee to use, on top of the fees that most banks charge. It wouldn’t be ridiculous to think that you might have to pay $8-10 just to access your own money.

To avoid some of the fees, look into a bank that doesn’t charge ATM fees before you leave home. If you are lucky, you might even find a bank that will reimburse you for the fees other banks charge.

SUPPLIES

If you are setting off on your first backpacking trip, there are some supplies that you will likely need to buy: a backpack, quick-drying clothes, shoes, etc. Don’t forget to add these into the cost of planning your trip. While I’ve seen plenty of people traveling in jeans and cotton t-shirts, keep in mind that these clothes are heavier and take much longer to dry than moisture-wicking shirts and pants.

Spending the money upfront to get some higher quality clothes will help keep your laundry expenses down because you can wash them yourself more easily. They will also pack smaller and lighter in your bag.

Don’t forget to email your mom. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

INTERNET

If you are traveling abroad, it is likely that you will want to use the internet at some point, whether it be to contact your family, update a blog, or research your next destination.

While some hostels and hotels do provide free computers to use, most of the time you will have to make your way to an internet cafe and shell out a few dollars to use a computer.

One way to avoid this is to travel with your own laptop. A small laptop won’t add too much weight to your bag, but will save you a lot of money on internet expenses and provides you with a free way to backup your photos as you travel.

SECONDARY TRANSPORTATION 

Very few travelers forget to include the cost of inter-city transportation in their budget, and you might have even included the cost of buses, subways, and taxis around the city while sightseeing; however, don’t forget to include the cost of transportation from the airport, bus terminal, or train station, to and from your hotel.

In many cases, especially with airports and, to a lesser extent, bus stations, the terminal is located outside of the city center and may not be connected to public transportation. This can result in a nasty surprise if you forget to include it in your budget.

To minimize your secondary transportation expenses, you have a few options. First, book a hotel that provides free pickup. However, keep in mind that these hotels are usually on the higher end of the price range. Second, look at all your options. Many airports have several different transportation options for getting into the city in addition to taxis. Third, walk a bit. In my experience, the most expensive taxi drivers are the most convenient ones. Walking even 2 minutes from the bus station to the street can save you as much as 75% off of the price of transportation to your hotel.

You’ll likely want to buy some local handicrafts or souvenirs, so make sure to include it in your budget.

SOUVENIRS

While many backpackers buy few souvenirs due to space, it is almost inevitable that you will buy something during your travels. Make sure that you include this expense in your planning.

One way to minimize the expense to is shop around and to bargain. In many towns, the cost of an item can vary wildly from one store to another. In addition to shopping around, keep in mind that you can bargain for many souvenirs that don’t have prices listed on them, especially in second and third world countries.

If you find you’ve gone overboard and bought too much stuff, consider mailing it back home via surface instead of using air mail or paying extra baggage fees. While it can take as long as three months to arrive, surface mail is generally half to a third of the cost of air mail and, from my experiences, is just as reliable.

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With or Without Itinerary

Spontaneous Travel: Can You Travel Without an Itinerary?

Recreational vehicle owners and backpackers do it all the time; they pack up and hit the road or trail, not sure where they will stop for the night. They travel where and when they plea se, seeing new sights and meeting interesting people along the way. But for the more traditional traveler, who is used to making reservations and planning an itinerary, is spontaneous travel really possible? What are its advantages and drawbacks?

Advantages of Spontaneous Travel

• Flexibility. You will have the freedom to stay longer in a place that truly intrigues you or to leave early if you wish. How many times have you wanted to stay an extra day somewhere but could not do so because of your itinerary? Spontaneous travel offers you the chance to linger and really get to know a particular place.


• Adventure. There's something thrilling about traveling without a fixed itinerary. Something wonderful could be just around the corner. You could meet some fascinating people or enjoy the best meal you've ever eaten.


• Relaxation. You won't have to stick to anyone's schedule but your own, and if you want to change plans, you can. There's nothing more relaxing than knowing you can sleep in, watch the sunrise, eat when you like or sit and watch the world go by; it's all up to you.


• Insight. Traveling without an itinerary gives you the opportunity to visit off-the-beaten-path places and meet people wherever you go. There's no better way to really get to know a place than to travel like a local.

Disadvantages of Spontaneous Travel

• Anxiety. It can be stressful to arrive somewhere without the assurance of a place to stay for the night. For travelers used to plans and itineraries, spontaneous travel could present some challenges.


• Extra Cost. Depending on the season, traveling without pre-booked tickets could be more expensive than reserving flights, train tickets and hotel rooms in advance. However, last-minute travelers can sometimes take advantage of discount travel opportunities.


• Transportation Issues. You may encounter problems if you decide to reserve a rental car in advance and then want to change the dates of your rental. It's always best to call the rental car company and talk to a customer service representative about changes, extensions and early drop-offs, any of which might cost extra.


• Unexpected Problems. When you travel without an itinerary, you may find yourself in situations you had not planned for. Spontaneous travel is not the same thing as clueless travel; it makes sense to research the places you think you might visit, perhaps usingyour country's official website related to travel safety, so that you know what issues you might encounter. It also makes sense to check travel websites, such as About.com's Travel Channel, to find the latest information on museums, monuments, national and state parks and any other places you know you will visit.

Spontaneous Travel Tips

• If you are traveling at the last minute, particularly if you are on standby or space-available status, be sure you have enough money to cover the cost of meals, hotel rooms and miscellaneous expenses should you have to wait for a later flight or train.
• Register your trip with your State Department or Foreign Office, even if you don't have a pre-planned itinerary.
• Check the visa, international driving permit and passport validity requirements for every country you think you might visit and make sure your travel documents are in compliance.
• Bring guidebooks or a list of possible accommodations in case you have trouble accessing the Internet during your trip. It's much easier to call ahead (or ask the tourist information office to telephone for you) if you have some idea of where you'd like to stay and how much you might spend.
• Pack light; whether you travel by air, rail or automobile, you're likely to be happier carrying a smaller suitcase.
• Take things slowly. Spontaneous travel does not have to take place at tour group speed. Linger where you like, and don't worry if you don't see everything in every place you visit. Savoring the experience is part of the fun of spontaneous travel.

By Nancy Parode, About.com Guide

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OVER PACKING FOR VACATION?

Photo By: Fiona Bradley / Flickr

Over packing for a vacation -- we're all guilty of it, whether we want to admit it or not. I'm definitely a culprit, but after living in Europe for over a year and going to new countries at a moment's notice, there are a few tips I've learned (some of them the hard way) on over-packing. A lot of them may be common sense, but to a person in suitcase mode, common sense can be hard to come by.

Running Sneakers / Workout Clothes

Unless you're running a marathon while on vacation, leave the running shoes home. Yes, we all picture ourselves going for an early morning jog along the Seine in Paris, but the reality is more like you sleeping off the excess wine and escargots consumed the night before. There's nothing wrong with indulging a little. You're on vacation. Run when you get home and your life is boring again.

Credit Cards with Foreign Transaction Fees
This is a big one. Apply for a Chase Sapphire card or a Capital One Venture card before you leave for vacation. These cards have great rewards points and also have no foreign transaction fees, a rarity for U.S. cards. This way, you won't be paying a new fee on top of the already high exchange rate for the dollar.

Blow Dryers and Hair Straighteners

Just don't. U.S. electrical products usually won't work in Europe (even with a converter). Chances are, you'll either blow a fuse in your hotel or break your product. Either way, the situation won't end well. Most hotels abroad have blow dryers in the room. Invest in a cheap, European product once you're over there. Take it from someone who's blown out one-too-many hotel rooms: It's better this way.

Nail Polish / Breakable cosmetics

Of course you want to look your best while abroad, but believe it or not, most of the cosmetics you find in the U.S. can also be found in any drug store in Europe. Leave the nail polish and liquid cosmetics at home and save yourself the trouble of having to buy a whole new wardrobe to replace your Essie-covered one. If you have to bring any liquid cosmetics, double Ziploc-bag them for caution in case they do break on the flight.

Jewelry

Every woman thinks she's going to be changing her earrings to go with her outfit every day of vacation. That is simply not true. Wear one pair of earrings, bracelet, necklace, etc. that will look good with all of your outfits and just leave them on the entire time. This will not only save space in your suitcase, but will also give you piece of mind when leaving the hotel room. You'll never have to worry if you "left your jewelry bag" out again. 

Too Many Bags

This is a tricky one, because many people bring "empty" bags with them on vacation to fill with souvenirs. It's ok if you bring one extra empty bag, but try to remember, that each extra bag will cost you a fee on the flight back. Try to leave as much extra room in your suitcase for souvenirs rather than putting a bunch of bulky, empty bags. Oh and the same goes for pocketbooks. Bring one pocketbook. Not one per outfit, or one in each size. One total.

Excess Gadgets

You're on vacation, which means it's time to relax. Pick two gadgets to bring on the trip, meaning a cell-phone and a laptop. Not a cell-phone, laptop, iPod, tablet, etc. You don't need to be connected 24/7. The less technology you pack, the more enjoyable of a time you'll have.

Books and Magazines

Now's the time to invest in a Kindle. For $69, you can fit all of your vacation reading into one tiny device. Talk about saving space and weight in your suitcase. Buy your gossip mags abroad. Why carry extra paper when you don't need to?

These are just an overview of the items you should go without on your next trip. Before you even begin packing, make a list for yourself of needs, wants and excess items. It will save you time, money space and even sanity on your next adventure

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How to save cash in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is not exactly known for being cheap. The former British colony, perched on the shore of the South China Sea, frequently graces ‘most expensive cities in the world’ lists for its sky-high rents, acres of posh shopping malls, and dazzling displays of wealth (think Rolex shops on every other corner, women clutching Prada bags as they hail taxis, lapdogs in bejewelled collars).But despite its glitz, the city still has plenty of bargains – provided you know how to find them. In general, Hong Kong Island itself is the most expensive part of town, while the Kowloon Peninsula across the harbour and the adjoining New Territories are gentler on the wallet.

Budget eats and bargain booze

 

'tim ho wan pork buns' by goodiesfirst. CC SA 2.0

The home to dim sum, brisket noodles, huge fluffy pork buns and other delights, Hong Kong abounds in budget eats. Wherever you go, the city has hole-in-the-wall restaurants with lines snaking out the door.

If you see one of these lines, you know you’re in for a classic meal, likely for under HK$100. For beef brisket noodles swimming in fragrant, oil-slicked broth, we love Kau Kee (21 Gough Street, Sheung Wan). For the city’s iconic dim sum, Tim Ho Wan (2-20 Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok) has earned fame as the ‘world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant’. Try the pork buns. Seriously. For egg tarts with buttery crusts and yolk-yellow fillings, Tai Cheong Bakery (35 Lyndhurst Terrace) is justly famous.

Unlike many Asian cities, Hong Kong does not have a huge street food presence these days. But just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there – former street vendors now hawk their bowls of noodles, dumplings and braised chicken feet inside public ‘cooked food centres’. The unadorned concrete-and-tile design of these buildings can look a little forbidding, but they generally have produce, meat and fish markets on their bottom floors, and cooked food on the top. The center in Sheung Wan (at Queen’s Road and Bonham Strand) is a local favourite – if you want to splash out a bit, try ABC Kitchen (Stall 7, 9278 8227, reservations crucial), which serves impeccable Italian dishes in a distinctly un-gorgeous environment (fluorescent lights, plastic checked tablecloths) – all at half the price of the city’s other trattorias.

For drinks, a mix of expats, backpackers and well-heeled locals booze it up in the bar districts of Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo on Hong Kong Island. Here, happy hours running from mid-afternoon to early evening are the norm. Check out the websites (www.ilovesoho.hk and www.lankwaifong.com) for deals, or just take a wander and read the chalkboards posted on the sidewalk. Luxe-Zen-themed Zinc (www.zinchk.com) boasts the longest happy hour in the district, from 5pm to 10pm.

Free Sights

 

'Dragon's Back' by DearEdward. CC SA 2.0

When it comes to free things, you can’t beat nature. Those who haven’t visited Hong Kong before are often shocked by how green the city is. Sure, downtown and Kowloon are snarled masses of concrete and glass high-rises. But some 60% of the city is preserved green space, and you don’t have to go far to find it. The city is famed for its hiking, with hundreds of kilometres of well-marked trails. The Dragon’s Back Trail, one of Hong Kong’s most glorious hikes, traverses Hong Kong Island, following the ridgeline south, offering panoramic sea views. It ends in the village of Shek-O, where tired ramblers can chow down on cheap noodles and watch the waves slap the rocks.

On Wednesdays, many of the city’s museums are free. The Hong Kong Museum of Art is one of the best, with a comprehensive collection of Chinese pottery, calligraphy scrolls and paintings. From the museum’s Kowloon location, take advantage of another one of Hong Kong’s best freebies – the ‘Avenue of the Stars’, a seaside promenade which offers cheesy tributes to local film heroes, but whose real star quality is its gleaming view of the Hong Kong Island skyline. Every night at 8pm, crowds gather here for the (free) ‘Symphony of Lights’, a music-and-light show illuminating the skyscrapers across the water. It’s silly and slightly bizarre, but good fun.

Cheap Stays

 

'The Famous Chungking Mansion' by feserc. CC SA 2.0

Come bedtime, budget backpackers worth their salt should brave the infamous Chungking Mansions. This 17-story behemoth on Kowloon Peninsula’s teeming Tsim Sha Tsui district attracts people of such varied ethnicities, languages and clothing styles it’s earned comparisons to Star Wars’ riotous Mos Eisley cantina. On the ground floor, African and South Asian vendors hawk samosas and grey-market cell phones, while the higher floors are a concrete warren of restaurants, apartments, beauty parlours and budget guesthouses. Chungking House (www.chungkinghouse.com) is a longstanding favourite, with double rooms going for about HK$275.

Reasonably-priced guesthouses abound in the Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kong districts of Kowloon. Try Booth Lodge (www.salvationarmy.org.hk) a simple-but-clean spot run by the Salvation Army. A double will run you HK$1200.

Souvenirs for a song

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'Chinese toy and tourist souvenir' by Michal Osmenda. CC SA 2.0

If you’re yearning for some souvenirs, Hong Kong’s kitschy-cool street markets are chockablock with lucky cat statues, fake jade jewelry, vintage reproduction cigarette ads, fake designer handbags and more.

The Temple Street Night Market and the Ladies Market in Kowloon are perennial favorites, as is Cat Street on Hong Kong Island. Bargaining is both acceptable and expected. If you’re not happy with the price, try saying this: tai gwai la (Cantonese for 'it’s too expensive!').

by EMILY MATCHAR· 10 April 2013

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