Corridor leading to the bullfighting ring, Ronda, Andalusia, Spain

If you are a professional travel photographer, chances are that you won’t get to choose the location for your next assignment. But if you are just starting out, creating your own assignments is a great way of building your portfolio and gaining some valuable experience. So how do you choose a location to shoot?

Make it interesting

As a general rule, the more interested you are in a subject or destination, the more time and effort you put into your photos. While it is often good advice to go shoot something you aren’t interested in, or even dislike, to improve your photography, an expensive trip is probably not the time.

So go somewhere you really have a passion for. If you are interested in Asian cultures and lifestyle, visit China or Japan. If not, maybe Europe. The world presents such a wide variety of cultures and climates. And not all of them are easy to travel in. It is easy to get inspired by images in magazines of exotic lands, but if trekking across the Sahara is not your idea of a good time and you can’t go more than a day without hot water and room service, it is going to show in your photos. Your attitude can greatly affect the way you see things and if you are rushing through trying desperately to get back to civilization, your eyes are closed to photo opportunities.

Make it marketable

With more people able to travel longer and further, finding somewhere, something or someone that hasn’t been covered in depth is increasingly harder to do.

Travel destinations, like clothes, go in and out of fashion. Look at magazines, newspapers, the internet and television amongst other sources to get an idea of what destinations are popular and what images are selling.

Make it cost effective

Think about your return on investment. Do you believe you will be able to make enough from the images you take on this trip to make it financially viable? You need to add up certain cost factors such as air fairs and expenses like hotels and food against how many of your images you believe you can sell and how. Do you intend to submit a few hundred photos to stock agencies with the intention of having them licensed in publications? Or do you have the fine art market in mind? Which ever way you believe works best for you, you will need to know your market and the potential of the images you create. Then you can decide if the trip can be profitable and if not, possibly alter some of your plans to make it so. Such as the type of accommodation you use, how you travel and the length of your stay.

Planning a photographic trip is a detailed exercise, especially if your goal is to make money from it, but if you start with the above points in mind, you have a better chance of being successful and moving on to bigger and better things.

Mark Eden is a freelance travel photographer and owner of Expanse Photography, a photographic services company You can see Mark’s, travel photography and contact Mark through the Expanse Photography website http://www.expansephotography.com.

Sightseeing Boat, Seine River, Paris, France

Perhaps the best way to see and photograph the bridges of Paris is from the Seine River itself. Countless river cruises will take you through the main portion of the Seine, often while sipping on wine and eating good food. I don’t recommend this food and wine habit for photography however as you will get little in the way of photographs. Save that for a later time; it’s one of the reasons to be in Paris in the first place! Most of the large boats leave form the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower and these boats are “huge” carrying upwards of 300 passengers or more. For photography my preference is the smaller boats leaving from Pont Neuf that carry fewer people and don’t serve food. Get to the cruise terminal early and try to get a seat at the front of the boat for the best views. The evening light is stunning so attempt to be on one of the last river trips before sunset, this is a very photogenic time to be on the river.

Don’t neglect to photograph the bridges from land as well. Many are popular with musicians and artists while others have small cubbyholes for lovers to watch the Paris skyline unfold in front of them and well, be lovers. The Seine River has a constant supply of commercial boat traffic of interest while the river dinner cruises and site seeing tours pass underneath the bridges as well. This is a fascinating way to see how Paris works and a great perspective for photographs.

The bridges span about 200 years of architectural styles from simple pedestrian bridges to ornate sculptural masterpieces. Every bridge is different, one of the exciting reasons to spend time on the Seine River.

While I wont cover most of the bridges in this article I’ll touch on a few of my favourite and most photogenic of the Paris bridges.

Pont Alexandre III is an arch bridge ornamented with fine sculptural work that many consider to be one of the most beautiful in Paris. The bridge connects the Champs-Élysées quarter and the Invalides and Eiffel Tower quarter, well worth the time to spend walking over between these two landmarks. Much of the detail work can only be seen from the river so viewing Pont Alexandre III from this vantage point is worth the river trips in itself. Pont Alexandre III was built between 1896 and 1900.

Sculptural details on Pont Alexandre III, Seine River, Paris, France

Pont Alexandre III and the Grand Palais, Paris, France

Pont des Arts or Passerelle des Arts is a pedestrian bridge in Paris which crosses the Seine River. It links the Institut de France and the central square (cour carrée) of the palais du Louvre. The original bridge was built between 1802 and 1804 and was the first metal bridge in Paris. After a somewhat rough history including damage during the two world wars and a barge collision in 1979 the bridge was dismantled. The present bridge was built between 1981 and 1984. Today the bridge is frequented by artists and musicians and is a popular place for picnics and to watch the barges plying the Seine.

Pont des Arts, Seine River, Paris, France

Musicians playing on Pont des Arts, Paris, France

The newest bridge in this area of Paris is the passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, formerly known as passerelle Solférino (or pont de Solférino) linking the Musée d’Orsay and the Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Gardens). The bridge was built between 1997 and 1999. This bridge crosses the Seine with as single span and is very photogenic with its’ unique architecture. An interesting note is the use of Tabebuias, a Brazilian tree that was used to cover the bridge.

Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, Paris, France

One can’t spend every minute in Paris doing photography however as there are so many other interesting things to do. A highlight of any time in Paris for me has always been joining the locals on the banks of the Seine and watching the world float by; dining on fine cheese with a  baguette and  a bottle of French wine while soaking up the sun. It really doesn’t get any better than this!

Enjoying the view in front of Pont de la Tournelle, Seine River, Paris, France

Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos

If you are anything like me, you have one or two decent family holidays a year. This may be in a perfect Caribbean resort, for optimum rest and relaxation, or a more adventurous holiday for those pioneering types. Either way, you understandably want to take the opportunity to capture every memorable moment and image. Therefore, what follows is a summary of key digital photography tricks to ensure you don’t return home disappointed with the outcome of your shots.

Just because you are on holiday, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get up early, as this is when you can get some of your best shots. Just after dawn, light can be softer. The sun’s low angle is great for landscapes. Getting out and about early also means you can avoid crowds, so historical sites and landmarks can be captured in their full glory.

Shops and markets make perfect locations for really getting a feel of your holiday destination. A little research will tell you when the local markets take place, and these can often be colourful events. Shop displays and market stalls create many interesting shapes and colours, and look out for those recurring themes, such as piles of similar goods or boxes all stacked together.

Exciting actions shots are available, especially on beach holidays. Watersports always create the chance to produce scintillating images. One of the most important digital photography tricks to note is to take with you, if possible, a telephoto lens of at least 300mm. This will enable you to get close up shots of windsurfers, waterskiers, or even paragliders. A fast shutter speed, of around 1/1000 sec, will be required to freeze the action.

No set of holiday photographs is complete without the classic sunset shot. It’s easy to fall into the trap of waiting for the sun to set and just pressing the shutter. Sure, you can still grab a decent sunset picture, but it actually helps to provide a little foreground interest. For example, why not persuade a local out walking his dog to sit by the water’s edge. Take a before and after shot of the same scene and notice the difference.

Finally – I could write an almost unending list of travel digital photography tricks, but just as important when you are taking pictures on vacation is to keep everyone happy! Not everyone one in your family may be as enthusiastic as you are about photography. Make sure you plan your time to allow for you to go solo to capture the shots you really want – but also make time to include your travelling companions, so that the family album has some good additions too.

If you found these digital photography tricks helpful, you could consider following an online course to enhance your photographic skills. Please check out http://www.photographycourseonline.info for more details.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

La Sagrada Fami­lia, Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Fami­lia, Barcelona, Spain

Whether you are on a professional assignment or just planning to take some photos on your annual holiday, by putting some effort into planning your trip properly you will be able to maximize your time and produce better results. It all comes down to research and knowing what to expect once you get there.

It is easy to think that it isn’t worthwhile researching your destination just for a short trip. But the opposite is true. The less time you are spending there, the more planning you need to do to pack in as much photography as possible.

There are two crucial pieces of information you need when deciding when to go. Firstly, the weather. If you are short on time, bad weather can play havoc with your photo taking plans. If you have two days and want to take some great landscape shots for example, constant rain is going to ruin any chance you might have had. So find out when the dry and wet seasons are and plan to travel at the best time of year.

The other essential information is to find out when festivals and events are held, as these can provide a wealth of photo opportunities. These events are often linked to public holidays, so research when these are and try to work them into your schedule.

If you are planning to fit a lot into your trip, it is vital to make sure you can get from one location to another quickly and easily at the right time of day. Making a shot list of “must shoot” photos will help you do this. Once you have your list, mark it out on a map. This will enable you to see how realistic your plans are, and plan how to get from one to another. Where you stay will also be a great influence on how much you can achieve on a tight schedule. If possible, try to stay somewhere central that will allow you to get from one place to the next quickly and shoot for longer once you are there. A central location also has the advantage of enabling you to pick up and drop off gear that you don’t need all the time and is an annoyance to carry around. Like everyone’s favorite friend, the tripod.

Information about your chosen destination can be found in many sources. Guidebooks, magazines and websites are all very useful. One especially helpful method is to get involved in travel forums on the internet. Hearing about other travelers experiences can give a more realistic picture of a place than a glossy guidebook, and also give some useful insights into the best ways to get around and lesser known festivals and events.

If you are shooting for someone else, proper planning can avoid disaster when on location. If you are shooting for yourself, it can avoid disappointment and also free up time for other non photographic activities while you are there and ultimately make your experience one that you can look back on with a sense of achievement.

Mark Eden is a freelance travel photographer and owner of Expanse Photography, a photographic services company You can see Mark’s, travel photography and contact Mark through the Expanse Photography website http://www.expansephotography.com.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

When you think of a particular place, all the different elements that cross your mind are melt together to form its unique character or personality, that je-ne-sais-quoi that makes it different from any other place in the world. Whether it’s an old village or an exotic travel destination, a good photographer can capture its uniqueness and present it to the audience. This article is aimed to share some ideas on how to capture the character of a place through photography.

Basic Elements
A location has certain specifics that make it what it is. In most cases, these can be broken down into landscape, culture and people. Let’s take each of them separately to go into more details.

Landscape. Every little town, mountain or city looks different from any other place in the world. The architecture may be exclusive to that specific region or the natural surroundings may be unique. Think of the Gaudi area in Barcelona or the steep cliffs and rough seas of the coasts of Ireland and Scotland. Think of how the place looks like at night or early in the morning. A location takes on different personalities throughout a day and it’s important to capture each of them.

Culture. An important aspect of a destination’s character is its culture. A photographer can capture elements of culture in foods, drinks, local festivals and other things that are specific to that place. Local dishes, an yearly parade with traditional costumes or a street party are good examples.

People. People from different parts of the world look, dress and behave differently. Try to take as many photos as you can, both posed and candid, and catch people in activities the place is known for. If they are famous for being happy and lively you should take photos at parties to express this lifestyle. If they are hard working, photograph them while at work.

Creating the whole picture. To put all these elements together, zoom in on the subject. You can start with the landscape, photographing surroundings, interesting buildings and anything else to help the audience recognize the location. Then you can zoom in to people, capturing their attitudes and lifestyle. Finally you can start exploring culture. Apart from local food and festivals, photograph shop signs that can show the languages spoken there, as well as products that are a tradition for the area.

Travel photography is a very complex job because you need to be good at portrait photography, still life photography, nature photography and still life photography. Learning all these will put you on the right track of becoming a good photographer.

Alex D. is an expert on photography techniques with http://reshade.com . The company is specialized in online photo enlargement programs providing a free online image resizing web-tool. It’s also possible to download a picture enlargement software application for Windows. Try it now!

Article Source: ArticleSpan

Monks, Luang Prabang, Laos

Taking beautiful travel and vacation pictures is easy if you know some basic photo skills. In this article, you will learn 7 travel photography tips that will help you take some incredible travel pictures.

Add Drama to Your Pictures

You can add interest and visual appeal to your pictures by adding some drama to your pictures. If you want to add some impact to your pictures, one way is to show scale. One way to show scale in your pictures is by having a person stand next to something extra large (like the World’s largest Redwood) so you can see the full impact of the size difference.

Get Rid of the Clutter

When you’re seeing exciting new things, it’s easy to ignore the background. But before you hit the shutter release button, look at what you’re really photographing. Simply by changing positions slightly or changing your angle, you may be able to eliminate background clutter like billboards or power lines.

Take Pictures of the Locals

No matter where you are traveling in the world, learn how to say some basic things like “May I please take your picture?” in the local language. Offer to send those you photograph a copy so make sure to have a small notebook or pencil to jot down names, addresses or emails.

Unique and Candid Photos

Candid shots when traveling are the best, but occasional portraits of the family in front of spectacular views and famous landmarks are part of almost every vacation album. Remember to use the self timer or remote shutter release when taking family pictures so you can be in your vacation pictures too.

Always take pictures of things that interest you instead of taking pictures of things “you have to take” like those shown on postcards in the gift store. You can always pick up some postcards to add to your vacation souvenirs. Unusual subjects always make great travel photos so always keep an eye out for these unique photo opportunities.

Every Picture Tells a Story

You may also want to tell the story of your trip so make sure to take pictures from the moment you departed to the time you returned home. Include highlights like your campground neighbors,an unusual meal you had, activities, the look on a family member’s face when he or she saw something for the first time. After you get home and upload the pictures, select the best ones to tell the story of your trip and then proudly frame it on your wall.

Recruit Additional Picture Taking Help

If traveling with kids, hand each child a camera (disposables are great for the younger ones) and encourage them to take pictures for their own vacation album.

Then when you return home you can create a fun photo album to remember your vacation. While on your vacation, make sure to make notes so you can later add captions to your photos.

Camera Care and Maintenance

If you have any plans for being around water, make sure to bring a one time use or waterproof camera.Watch out for salt water and sand as they can wreak havoc on your camera.

Not even the most experienced photographers keep every picture, so bring extra memory cards or bring a way to upload your photos regularly so you’ll never run out of room while traveling. Always recharge or replace your batteries and memory card daily so you can be ready for whatever picture opportunity comes your way. If you do this, you’ll be ready the next day to take more pictures!

As you can see, taking good pictures on your vacation can be easy and fun. By the time you get home, you’ll have lots of great pictures to share with your friends and family.

Autumn Lockwood is a writer for http://www.yourpictureframes.com . If you’re looking for stylish or classic square picture frames visit our website now: http://www.yourpictureframes.com/categories/Square-Picture-F rames/

Article Source: ArticleSpan

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA

There is a mind numbing amount of considerations when packing for your photography trip. Such as which lenses you will need, how you are going to store your photos and how you are going to carry it all around. Then there’s the pleasure of getting it all past the ever tightening luggage restrictions of airlines. A little forethought and planning can help make sure you don’t get stuck without essential equipment and aren’t burdened by what you don’t need.

The gear

Perhaps the most obvious consideration is the camera and lenses. If you have planned your itinerary already you will have an idea of the types of shots you want to take. If you haven’t, stop what you’re doing right now and do this first. Once you know what photos you want to take, you can decide on the lenses that will best help you take them. Thinking landscapes? Then don’t be without your wide angle lens. Intimate portraits? Maybe a mid range zoom would be useful.

If you are debating taking a spare camera body then don’t. Debate that is. Pack it. The last thing you need is for your camera to be stolen or break while on the road. You might not be able to find a repairer, and if you do they might not be able to fix it on the spot. That would be the end of your photo taking adventure right there. Don’t learn the hard way for the sake of a little extra weight.

Then there are all the accessories that may or may not come in handy. Should you pack that set of neutral density filters? Again, think of the types of photos you will be taking. If its landscapes, then yes, by all means put them in. If its portraits they are probably just going to take up space. This goes for the tripod as well. Usually, travel portraits are taken hand held, usually with abundant light. Landscapes however tend to be early morning or late afternoon.

Storage

Once you’ve figured out what your going to need to take your pictures, you need to put some thought into how to store them. Should you take your laptop, a portable hard drive or two, a bag full of memory cards or all of the above? How much storage you will need depends on how long your stay is and how much shooting you’ll be doing. A laptop is useful if you need to view images as you go, or want to do some editing back at the hotel room. But if not, its just one more expensive piece of equipment you need to worry about. Leave it at home. Some portable hard drives have a viewing screen so you can review your photos as you upload them, which can be handy to see if you have the shot you want and gives you the chance to go back and try again if you missed it.

As a rule, it is a good idea to have two copies of your images as hard drives are notorious for failing at inopportune times. If you have a good supply of memory cards, backup to a portable drive and store the used cards is a separate place.

Getting it around

There are a few different options for carrying your gear around with you at a location. Shoulder bags tend to be able to hold a large amount of gear, but have the disadvantage of all the weight hanging off one shoulder. These bags are a good choice if you don’t have to do too much walking, but carrying gear around like this for days can do serious damage to your back.

Backpacks have the advantage of distributing the weight evenly, making them ideal for locations where you will be doing a lot of walking. Many of them also have the extra benefit of not looking like camera bags and so tend not to draw as much attention.

Many considerations go into packing for a photography trip. But think it through and take the gear that suits the style of photography you want to do and the place you are going and it will allow you to focus more on what is around you when you get there, rather than trying to decide which lens to use and missing the shot altogether.

Mark Eden is a freelance travel photographer and owner of Expanse Photography, a photographic services company You can see Mark’s, travel photography and contact Mark through the Expanse Photography website http://www.expansephotography.com.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

Samara Beach, Costa Rica

As a travel photographer, one of the most interesting and rewarding subjects to capture is the many different cultures and people the world has to offer. Photographing people also brings its share of challenges. This article looks at some of things to consider when looking capturing a culture in an image.

Do your homework

Before starting out, ask yourself this question. Do I know anything about the people I want to photograph? If the answer is no, or not really, then do some research. A little homework and you can gain some helpful insights into how to approach your subject. For example, some cultures might take offence to having their picture taken, some will expect to be paid, while others will rush you begging for you to take their photo. Having some idea of what to expect gives you an advantage in considering how to approach people. Research can also give you insight into the culture of the people. You may discover a piece of clothing native to that part of the world and look for people wearing that piece of clothing. These small pieces of knowledge can make the images you come away with more authentic and real by being able to gain people’s trust and cooperation.

Model releases

If you intend to sell your images, you may need a model release. This can present some difficulty in language barriers and people being willing to give their permission for their image to be sold. It can be daunting to ask a stranger to sign a piece of paper allowing you to make money from their image. The best advice I can give is make it easy for them. Have your model releases easily accessible and make them easy to read and understand. Be patient and answer any questions they might have. Most importantly, be honest. Don’t hide your reasons for wanting permission. Most times, if people see you are being upfront with them, they are more likely to cooperate. There will however always be times when people will be unwilling to sign a release, or maybe even unable to sign because of illiteracy or language barrier. In these cases simply accept their decision with a smile. Arguing with them will not change their mind.

Be considerate, give something back

It is important to remember that wherever you are, you are a guest in someone else’s country, and to behave accordingly. To take great images of people, you need to get them to let their guard down, to relax and open up to you. You will never achieve this with a grab and run approach. Slow down. Stop and talk to people. Give something back rather than making your photography only an act of taking. This may be as simple as engaging in conversation with someone before asking to take their photo, or you might carry around small gifts to give people. Whatever your approach, you (and for that matter your subjects) will gain so much more from the procedure.

A little sensitivity can go a long way in photographing other cultures. It is a practice that will allow you to come away with more than great images. It will also allow you to gain an education. Which, at the end of the day, could prove much more valuable.

Mark Eden is a freelance travel photographer and writer, and the founder and director of Expanse Photography, a photographic services company offering fine art, limited edition prints as well as stock and assignment photography and publishing services. Mark can be contacted through the Expanse Photography website http://www.expansephotography.com.