Pets have always been a big part of my life, and are important
members of many of the families I photograph. I encourage my clients to
include pets in their photo sessions wherever possible. Animals bring a
whole new dynamic to a family photo shoot, providing a focus for the
children, and a great icebreaker for all parties.
My interest in pet photography widened when a colleague invited me to
join a group called Photographers for Animal Rescue. It is a group of
professional photographers who, outside of their paid work, provide pro
bono photographs to animal shelters. The theory behind it is that a good
photograph greatly improves an animal’s chance of being re-homed, but
few shelters have the budget for professional photography.
During my time with this group, I have been lucky enough to
photograph dogs, cats, rabbits, and even pet rats. All of these animals
have different characteristics and behaviour, and each needs to be
approached differently by the photographer.
Tip #1: A word on safety
All pets, no matter how docile, have the capacity to bite or scratch.
This is especially true of rescue pets, who may have experienced abuse
by humans in the past, and can be mistrusting and unpredictable.
When photographing an animal for the first time, spend time getting
to know each other. Allow the animal to sniff you, your clothing, and
the camera. Offer treats, and gentle petting if the animal will allow
you. Sudden movements or loud noises may startle a timid animal and
cause it to retreat or attack.
Tip #2: Dogs
Humankind’s best friend is the most cooperative of all pets.
Generally, dogs respond to verbal commands and treats, and can be
physically positioned to take advantage of lighting and optimal shooting
angles.
There is an entire article here on dPS devoted to photographing running dogs, so here I will share some tips for capturing other endearing expressions and moments.
Tip #3: My best friend
Dogs are very much part of the human families to which they belong.
The most treasured photographs are often the ones in which dogs are
interacting with family members. Consider when those moments of
connection might occur, so that you can be ready to capture them. It may
be in the moments when your child arrives home from school to a joyful
canine greeting, or when your mother sits in her favourite chair with
her dog on her lap.
As with human portraits, setting and lighting help to convey mood and
emotion. The photo above, shot with an 85mm lens, illustrates the bond
between my youngest daughter and a family dog. Light reflected off the
pavement below them, and shallow depth-of-field achieved with an
aperture of f/1.8, creates a soft dreamy image that evokes quiet trust
and friendship.
This photo of a boy and his dog was part of a family photo shoot for a
client, who lives by the beach. I wanted to capture the beach
environment, but the afternoon sun was too harsh to shoot. I found shade
behind a beach bathing-box, and positioned my subjects to use light
reflected off the surrounding sand. Boy and dog are on different focal
planes, so I selected an aperture of f/5.0, which allowed me to keep
both in focus while softening the background.
Tip #4: The doggy smile
Dogs often smile during, or after, vigorous exercise. If you don’t
want to photograph the dog in motion, you can throw a ball, or run
around with him for a few minutes, before coaxing him into position. The
image below shows our dog smiling as he cools off in the shade,
following a manic ball-throwing session. The shade provides even
lighting on the dog, and f/2.2 turns the leafy background into lovely
bokeh.
Tip #5: The tilted head
Have the dog sitting on the ground, so that you are shooting at a
slight downward angle. Make whining sounds or cat noises – any sound
that will pique the dog’s curiosity. Most dogs will cock their head to
one side and look at you.
Tip #6: Cats
Cats, with their striking eyes and long whiskers, make rewarding
photographic subjects. Unlike dogs, they won’t sit where they’re told,
and will only favour you with eye contact when it suits them.
Photographing cats requires patience and stealth!
Cats are natural predators, and even adults usually respond to a
pom-pom, or toy dangled from a thread. Play peek-a-boo with the toy
around corners, or furniture, to coax the cat into the position you
want. If possible, confine the cat to a room where you can close the
door.
Use your fingernails to make scratching sounds on carpet, walls, or
even your camera body, and the cat will look in the direction of the
sound.
The
photos of the kittens below were shot in a small room, with one window.
The cats were on a multi-level climbing post, which I pulled close to
the window. I stood between the window and the climbing post, and coaxed
the cats to look towards the window so that I could get catch-lights in
their eyes. These images were shot using ISO 2000, at f/4.0 with a 35mm
lens – my go-to lens when working in tight spaces.
Backlighting can also be effective in highlighting fur, which creates a halo effect and frames the cat’s face.
Tip #7: Rabbits
There are few things cuter than a rabbit washing its face. Rabbits
love to be clean, and if you wait long enough, most will wash themselves
without prompting. You can speed up this process by holding and petting
the rabbit. When you put it down, it will usually be in a hurry to wash
away the people smells you have left behind, so get down low and have
your camera ready.
The photos below show Latte and Zeus, two rescue rabbits,
photographed first in their default sitting position, and then washing
their faces. Both are shot at f/4.0 using a 35mm lens.
Often when placed in a new environment (e.g. taken from inside the
house, to an outside enclosure) rabbits will stand on their hind legs
and check out their new surroundings. Be ready to start shooting as soon
as you place the rabbit in the new area. In the photo below, Latte
looks like he is begging to be taken home.
Tip #8: Small critters: mice, rats and hamsters
Even some of the most dedicated animal-lovers are squeamish about
rodents. I love them! Most appealing are their long whiskers, and the
way they hold food in their paws while they’re eating.
Small
creatures move fast. The easiest way photograph these animals is to
have someone hold them. Not only does a human hand keep the animal in
place, it also conveys scale. Use a macro lens if you have one.
The photographs below show off the rat’s beautiful long whiskers.
They also show how small and vulnerable they are, and that they are
comfortable being handled.
Like the kitten photos, these photos of pet rats were shot using only
window light. It was a dull day and the light was poor, so we brought
the rats as close as possible to the window, and used a very high ISO of
8000 to 10,000. Since the images were only going to be used online, the
graininess (noise) was not a problem in this instance.
Give the animal a treat, and she will sit still as she holds it in her paws to nibble.
I hope these tips have given you some ideas for photographing the
pets in your life. Please share any other tips and your pet photos in
the comments below.
Share this article.
How to Photograph Agility Events and Other Dog Sports
Humans and horses aren’t the only athletes to reach massive feats –
dogs do too! From the athletic sighthounds to the driven border collies,
dogs have been competing in a slew of sports on the world stage since
before you were born. Some of the most popular athletic canine sports
include agility, dock diving, frisbee, flyball, barn hunt, nose work,
weight pulling, lure coursing, and herding.
Possibly the most well-recognized of these sports is agility, in
which a dog has to race through obstacles (such as jumps, weave poles,
tunnels, dog walks, A-frames, and teeters) with their handler. This
fast-paced sport has been captivating dog photographers for years, but
yet there remain so few agility photographers.
Some quit from frustration due to the degree of difficulty to
photograph, while others find the long hours hard to manage. Whatever
the reason, this article is here to make it easier for you! Many of
these tips can be applied universally to all canine competitions, as
most have these three things in common: action, speed, and
unpredictability.
Let’s start with equipment. You can’t photograph if you don’ a have
camera. Here are the ideal gear recommendations for doing photography of
dog sports.
The Right Camera
As most of the dog sports listed involve speed, you’re going to need a
fast camera. Similar to photographing human sporting events such as
football and baseball, the speed of your camera will determine what
moments you can capture.
You want to ensure that your shutter closes at the exact moment you
want it to, or is able to capture an entire sequence of movement (which
is what many competitors love to see from action photographers). The
more frames per second your camera can shoot, the more sequence shots
you can capture.
To anyone wanting to get very serious into this type of photography, I
always recommend purchasing a DSLR that has a strong inclination
towards action photography due to its frames-per-second, such as the
Canon 7D (the 7D Mark II is the newest model – 10 frames per second), the Canon 1D-X Mark II (14 fps), the Nikon D5
(12 fps). I am sure there are additional Nikon (as well as other
brands) equivalents with faster speeds, but I am versed in Canon so
you’ll have to do your research.
Choose the Right Lens
The key to dog sports photography is to interfere as little as
possible with the event going on. That means shooting from a distance so
that your activity doesn’t distract the dogs from their task. As such,
most (if not all) agility photographers will work with a telephoto or
zoom lens. This allows you to be far enough away from the subject so as
to not affect their performance while being able to zoom in tightly and
capture some beautiful compositions.
My favorite lens for dog sports photography is the Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 L IS USM II. But
I have seen many other photographers inclined toward the 300mm or 400mm
range to get even closer to the dogs without needing to get in the way
physically.
Finding a lens that has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, or around that
range, is a great idea in order to isolate the dog from the rather
cluttered frame. Since agility rings can make a photograph look chaotic
due to a number of obstacles in close proximity to your subject, getting
a lens that can shoot at f/2.8 will also all you to blur or soften some of the distracting elements in the background.
Camera Settings
Your settings will make a noticeable difference in your
ease-of-shooting. Besides needing to shoot with a very fast shutter
speed to freeze the action (1/1000th at a minimum but I personally like
to shoot at 1/3000th and faster), there are a few other things you can
do to get sharp images. Many new cameras have technological advancements
that make action photography significantly easier than it has been in
the past, such as new autofocus mechanisms. However, what the majority
of new and old cameras have in common in regards to settings are the
focus mode and burst (drive mode).
First, change your focus mode to Continuous Focus Mode
(AI Servo for Canon users or AF-C for Nikon users). This mode allows
your camera to lock onto your subject and follow the dog around as it
moves, preventing you from consistently needing to refocus. Where new
technology comes into play are the additional customizations for your
this mode.
Some new cameras allow you to either use the Continuous Focus Mode
presets or make your own that pertain to what you are shooting. For
example, on the Canon 7D Mark II, you can tell the camera how your
subject moves and what obstacles may be present by adjusting the various
levels of sporadic movement, obstacle interference, and more.
There are even presets for erratically moving subjects and following
the subject despite obstacles getting in the subject’s way. I usually
tell the camera that my subjects are moving erratically in multiple
directions and that there are many obstacles in the way when
photographing agility. In cameras that do not have this feature, your AI
Servo (AF-C) is still a good focusing mode choice.
Next, take advantage of the frames-per-second your camera offers by
using burst mode (high-speed drive mode). You can ensure that you get
the right shot by setting your camera to burst mode (where you take
multiple photographs in a row while pressing down on the shutter) and
shooting with a fast shutter speed to freeze the action. Like I
mentioned previously, competitors love sequence shots. The only way to
get these cool sequences is by shooting in burst mode!
Shooting Technique
Partnered with your gear and your camera settings, your shooting
technique will make or break your results. The most common technique
that I see used for dog sports photography is to pre-focus on an
obstacle and wait for the dog to get there. But I believe you miss a lot
of key moments when you do that, especially since dogs can be
unpredictable (and even though the obstacle is a part of the course,
that doesn’t mean the dog will comply).
Be prepared to practice the art of panning. Panning is moving your camera horizontally
with the subject’s movement. You synchronize your camera movement with
that of the subject moving parallel to you. I find it easiest to focus
on the dog while it is waiting to be released by the owner and then
follow the dog throughout the course.
In agility, the course is preset and the handler must memorize it,
and then lead the dog through. This makes panning much easier because,
by the second or third dog, you will know the course by heart. With
other sports where the movement is more unpredictable, like frisbee
(where the dog has to catch frisbees before they touch the ground), just
use your best judgment on where you think the dog is going to go. This
takes practice, but nothing comes without practice!
Alongside panning, another tip to get the most dynamic actions shots
is to photograph from the subject’s eye level. Be prepared to spend a
lot of time on your knees as the dogs go through the obstacle course.
This allows viewers to relate to the subject (as is the psychological
nature of photography) and gives them an idea of the height the dog is
jumping which aids in how dramatic the photograph appears.
In agility, depending on the type of organization that is governing
that sporting trial, you may or may not have to shoot through a fence.
If there is a fence, it is often full of large gaping holes that you can
photograph through.
Now that you have our gear set, before running off to excitedly
photography some cool dogs, there are several important rules and
considerations to keep in mind while photographing these canine
superstars. Please follow them to respect the owners and for the dog’s
safety.
Ask for Permission before Photographing Events
Always ask for permission before photographing any dog sporting
events. You do not want to tarnish your reputation by being asked to
leave (even if you are only photographing for your portfolio,
experience, or fun).
Some clubs (such as a few that I work with) have an official
photographer and do not allow outside photography to take place. Other
clubs may have a vending fee and request liability insurance for all
photographers wishing to make a profit from photographing the event. A
few clubs do not even allow photographers in the first place. Always ask
for permission. Asking also opens up the door to developing a great
relationship with the people putting on the event.
Do Not Distract the Dogs
As tempting as it is to cheer when a cute dog does an obstacle well,
or to make noises to have the dog look at you, please don’t. These dogs
are there doing a very important job – showing off their skills! Agility
trials and other competitive events are expensive for the handler to
enter, the dogs train for many hours to compete, and they want to have
just as much fun as you are having.
As such, we must all be respectful of each other. Much like you
wouldn’t want someone trying to distract you while you work, these dogs
don’t want that either. Make sure you aren’t photographing too loudly or
too close to the obstacles, and try not to make any noise that could
thwart a dog’s attention away from their handler.
If a Dog Comes Up to You, Ignore the Dog
Not all dogs have iron-clad self-control, especially the novice dogs
that are still learning the ropes in the trialing world. If a dog
happens to notice you while in the ring, turn your head, body, and
camera away from the dog. If a dog runs up to you while in the ring,
ignore the dog. Turn away, and do not pet or talk to the dog. The best
way to help the dog focus back on their handler is to not pay the dog
any mind.
Be Considerate of the Competitor’s Wishes
If a competitor comes up to you and asks you not to photograph their
dog, please be respectful of their request. As much as you want to
photograph all of the dogs that come through, some owners may not want
you to (and that’s okay). There are a hundred different reasons why
someone might not want their dog photographed while the dog is
competing.
Do Not Pet a Dog without Asking, Even at a Dog Sport Event
As much as this should be common sense, many people forget that even
at dog events, you should still not pet a dog without consulting with
their owner. Though many dogs are beautifully trained at dog sporting
events, not all are friendly with people. As this is not a conformation
dog show where a judge has to touch and handle a dog, not all of the
dogs at an agility trial, herding event, or other sports like being
petted by people (and the owners are not obligated to teach their dog to
tolerate strangers petting them).
Do Not Set-Up Inside the Competition Ring without Consent
Some organizations that govern dog sporting events require a fence to
be placed around the competition course. Though you may sometimes be
able to set-up inside the boundary rather than outside of it, do not do
so without consulting the competition judge or the trial secretary.
Setting up inside the boundary can be a safety hazard for both you and
the competitors. So if you are granted permission, listen to where the
judge tells you to stay.
Don’t Set-Up Too Close to the Weave Poles and Tunnels
This is a lesser-known consideration that does not apply to all, but I
have seen it applied to many in my career as a dog sports photographer.
Some dogs get spooked or distracted if a photographer sets up in front
of the exit of a tunnel, as the dog cannot see you until it leaves the
tunnel. Likewise, some dogs get terribly distracted from doing their
weaves if they see you at the weave pole entrance of exit.
These two obstacles tend to be a bit more difficult for some dogs
than jumps or dog walks, and you want to ensure that you don’t add extra
stress for them Instead, set up further away and use your zoom lens to
capture the dog speeding out of the tunnel!
Don’t Eat Near the Competition Ring While Dogs are Running
Another common-sense piece of advice that goes ignored far too often
is to not eat near the ring while the dogs are competing. The smell of a
delicious hot dog could encourage even the most driven dog to forget
what they’re doing and come ask for some food.
Now that you’re an expert, here are some tips and tricks to help you out:
Pay Attention to the Course
The easiest way to photograph a sporting event is to know where your
subjects are going to go! For agility, there is a 15-minute walkthrough
before a course begins in which the competitors learn the course. Watch
them, or even participate in the walkthrough yourself, and learn about
the route. For sports that don’t have walkthroughs, try and figure out
what the course set-up is using logical reasoning.
Listen to the Briefing
Before a trial begins, most events will have a competitor briefing.
Participate in the briefing to learn valuable information about the
event that is about to take place. As well, the briefing is a great time
to introduce yourself to the competitors.
Don’t Stress About Photographing All of the Obstacles at Once
This took me years to figure out. You do not need to worry about
photographing every single obstacle in every single course. The courses
get changed several times throughout the day, the sun will move every
hour, and nearly all of the dogs will run at least three more times
before they leave the event.
It saves a lot of time, energy, and stress to only focus on a few
obstacles that you know you can photograph well (whether it be due to
the lighting and/or the obstacle’s proximity to you) per course. If you
come in the morning and stay until the end in the later afternoon, you
will most definitely photograph everyone’s dog doing every single
obstacle.
When Organizing, Sort Photos by Class or Jump Height
The real challenge comes after the photo shoot: how to make sure the
competitors can find their dog (or you can find their dog). I find that
organizing your images by class (every dog sports event has different
classes, often named for their difficulty level) helps immensely.
For dog agility, sometimes photographing by jump height can be just
as beneficial. Do keep in mind that height changes per organization that
governs the agility trial. There are three organizations in the US that
set the rules for their agility trials: The American Kennel Club, the
United States Dog Agility Association, and the North American Dog
Agility Council. Each of these has their own jump heights and class
names.
Ask for the Run Order
It’s completely acceptable to ask for the run order from the trial
secretary or someone higher up in order to help you organize the dog
photographs. Do keep in mind that the run order may change throughout
the competition, so listen to the announcements and keep notes on what
changes are being made.
Knee Pads are Your Best Friend
Since you ideally want to photograph from the dog’s eye level, you
will spend hours on your knees. Skating knee pads are a great idea to
reduce the amount of bruising and pressure to your knees. Trust me,
you’re going to want to do this after several trials of black and blue
knees.
Stay Hydrated
Dog sporting events are long, tiresome, and depending on your
location, can be very hot. Make sure that you stay hydrated and take
care of yourself, even when you’re wrapped up in the shoot. Bring a
cooler with plenty of water, and a backpack with snacks or food that you
can eat during your breaks. Fruit is a great snack, it’s healthy and
will give you a bit of an energy boost from the sugar.
That being said, I often break my no-junk-food routine at dog
sporting events because the sweets and fast food are quick, easy,
filling, and can help keep me going!
Don’t Forget to Photograph the Novice Dogs
Don’t leave out the new guys! Many of the advanced competitors have
hundreds of photographs of their canine athletes over the years, but the
novice dogs are brand new and probably don’t have any at all. So be
sure to capture photographs of the new kids on the block. They will
thank you immensely for them.
It Is Possible to Photograph More Than One Ring at a Time
This takes a bit of practice and stamina, but it is absolutely
possible to photograph more than one ring at a time. In agility and some
other sports, two different rings can be running simultaneously. Often,
the rings will be very close to each other. If you position yourself
between the two rings, and time the obstacles correctly, you will have
enough time to turn from one ring to the other and photograph both. This
is how I get photographs of both the novice dogs and the advanced dogs
while they are running at the same time.
Most Importantly, Have Fun
Don’t lose sight of why you are there – to have fun! These events are
long, tiresome, and chaotic, but are so rewarding. The photography is
challenging and addicting. But don’t forget to have fun!
Are you a photographer hell-bent on striking terror into your community?
One of my very first posts here on DPS was called “I’m a Photographer Not a Terrorist – How to Shoot in Public With Confidence“. Since the induction of Section 44 The Anti-Terrorism Act, photographers allover Britain have been treated like criminals by PCSOs and Police Officers.
There are loads of alarmist videos and blogs on the internet and I don’t get worked up about them all. But then this morning, there was this video
from The Guardian of a man who filmed his own arrest under suspicion of
anti-social behaviour. You can hear the officer claim that it was ‘the
way in which he was holding his camera’ that caused the public and the
officers to question his motives. When asked for his details, he denied
them as a matter of principle and was then arrested. This
video has really shaken me up. It could happen to any of us. And did
you see the little point and shoot he was using? Nothing close to the
size of my 7D with 200mm lens! I don’t even own a point-and-shoot so I
would certainly be questioned under this same suspicion. I was followed
by three officers in Winchester last year while taking this photo of
rhubarb. I doubt the fruits were feeling particularly terrified by my
suspicious activity.
Please get in on this conversation and tell us: have your rights as a photographer ever been contravened? Share this article.
Avoid These 5 Major Mistakes Made By Travel Photographers
Whether you are traveling abroad or within your own country, there
are several mistakes that I’ve seen travel photographers make that
hinder the process of making memorable photos.
Mistake #1: Not being aware of cultural sensitivities and laws
When you travel to another country it’s easy to forget that the
people there may see certain things differently than you. For example,
in China, you will see signs up in temples asking you not to take
photos. So it should be fairly obvious that doing so may cause offense.
Others are not so obvious. Did you know that in Spain the law
prohibits photographers from taking photos of people in public without
permission unless they are taking part in a cultural event such as a
festival? That’s right, Spain is not a great place to be a street
photographer (although that doesn’t stop people from doing it).
Unless you know this, you probably think taking candid photos
of people in Spain is perfectly okay (as it is in most other places).
Once you understand the attitude (and the law) towards photographing
people in Spain, you can adjust your behavior to fit in with local
expectations and behavior.
If you want to create a street photo
of somebody, it’s best to stop them and ask for permission. That way
you protect yourself and (added bonus!) keep out of trouble with the
police.
I
made this street portrait in Cadiz, Spain after asking the street
vendor if I could take his photo. If I
had tried to take a photo without
him noticing it would have been illegal, and if he had called the
police I would have been on the wrong side of the law.
Some countries have laws forbidding the photography of certain
buildings, like airports. Did you know that photographers have been
arrested, jailed, and accused of spying in Greece for photographing an
airshow at a military base? If you’re going to Greece it’s a good idea
to know which buildings are out of bounds for photographers. Make sure
you’re aware of any legal restrictions in your country of travel.
Mistake #2: Being disrespectful to local people
When you travel somewhere new, especially somewhere that is exotic to
you, it’s easy to treat people as if they were laid out, like colorful
extras in a movie scene, for you to take photos of. That is not true,
and it’s disrespectful and unkind to act as if it is. Imagine how you
would feel if somebody from another country came and tried to take
photos as you went about your daily life, without consideration for you
and your feelings.
It seems to me that a big part of the problem is when people travel
through other countries without interacting with locals in anything
other than a commercial context, such as renting a hotel room or eating
in a restaurant. Sometimes this is down to language – it’s hard to
strike up a conversation in China if you don’t speak Chinese, for
example.
But your travels (and life in general) can become a lot more
interesting if you are open to non-commercial experiences with local
people. Try having conversations with people about their hopes and
dreams, what they do for a living, how they like living in their town
and similar topics. You’ll gain a deeper understanding and appreciation
of the places you’re traveling through when you do.
A
Spanish friend of mine invited me to see a farm owned by a member of
her family. I would never
have gotten to see the farm or make this photo
if we didn’t know each other.
Language study is an excellent way to meet local people. I have many
good friends in Spain and South America that I met online through
websites aimed to help people learn other languages. I’ve met most of
them in person and learned a lot about their culture and countries in
the process.
Mistake #3: Not putting safety first
Another mistake I’ve seen photographers make is forgetting to take
care of their personal security or failing to take appropriate
precautions to guard their gear against theft.
Most photographers travel to most places without any security
problems, but there is always the potential for something to go wrong,
especially if you don’t put much thought into your personal safety and
the security of your camera and computer equipment. Some countries are
safe, others can be dangerous, so make sure you do your research
beforehand and take any appropriate precautions.
A good travel insurance policy that covers your gear (check the fine
print) will help give you peace of mind if the worse does happen.
Mistake #4: Taking too much gear
We’ve all seen the type of photographer that walks around with a large dSLR camera and telephoto lens, perhaps even two, swinging from their side.
At
the other extreme are photographers who travel with just one camera and
one lens. When I worked at EOS magazine we published an article about a
photographer who traveled to India with one camera and a single 50mm lens. He made some beautiful images so the approach worked for him.
During
a recent trip to China, I calculated afterward that I had used my 35mm
lens for 73% of the
photos, including the one above. That tells me that I
probably could have taken just that lens and still
enjoyed a very
productive journey.
There’s nothing wrong with taking lots of gear, especially if it
works for you. Professionals often take lots of lenses so they know they
are covered for just about any situation they may encounter. But there
are a couple of things worth considering.
The first is that a large camera and lens combo is an obvious target
for theft. Smaller cameras attract less attention and don’t look as
expensive.
The other consideration is creative. If you have too much gear it’s heavy to carry around and you can waste time trying to decide which lens/camera combination to use.
The key is to think in advance about the subject matter you intend to
photograph and what gear you’ll need for it. If you are into long
exposure photography, for example, then you’re going to need a tripod,
cable release and neutral density filters.
If you are photographing people, you need to decide what lens or
lenses you are going to use for portraits. If you are photographing
local architecture, you will probably need a good wide-angle lens. If
you are going to walk around all day taking street photos, a small
camera and lens are much less tiring than a large DSLR with a telephoto
zoom.
You get the idea. Ultimately, you need to find the right balance
between taking enough gear to meet your needs and taking too much. Also,
if security is a concern, you may want to consider leaving your more
expensive gear at home.
Mistake #5: Not doing enough research
If there’s one mistake that links all the others, it’s this one – not
doing enough research. It’s important because it makes you aware of any
local laws or cultural sensitivities you need to know (mistake #1).
As part of your research, you may get in touch with local people
(mistake #2) who can give you advice or help you gain access to places
or events you would never know about otherwise. Some photographers go
even further and work with a fixer – somebody who introduces you to
other people, translates if necessary, and acts as a bridge between you
and the local culture.
Research alerts you to any security considerations (mistake #3). It
helps you decide what gear you need to take, and avoid overload caused
by taking too much equipment (mistake #4).
In other words, doing your research is a key part of avoiding the mistakes that many travel photographers make.
Research also helps you find interesting places to photograph, such as this ancient fishing village in
north Devon.
These mistakes are based on my observations of other photographers
while traveling. But what mistakes have you seen other photographers
make? What mistakes have you made yourself? I’m looking forward to
hearing your responses in the comments section below.
Share this article.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Do you ever struggle to get beautiful, soft background blur in your photos?
Watch this viral video and learn 3 ways to get a sharp focus on the subject and a blurred background.
For further reading about railroad safety and photography:
If you are found shooting in areas that are owned by Amtrak that are
considered a part of their restricted area, and this includes the
tracks, you can be subject to fines, arrest, and seizure of your camera
and equipment.
Union Pacific has very specific policies
regarding their tracks, whether they are active or inactive. They not
only fine photographers who trespass on their tracks, but if they find
the images online, they will request that they be removed.
Tip #2: Dogs
This
video has really shaken me up. It could happen to any of us. And did
you see the little point and shoot he was using? Nothing close to the
size of my 7D with 200mm lens! I don’t even own a point-and-shoot so I
would certainly be questioned under this same suspicion. I was followed
by three officers in Winchester last year while taking this photo of
rhubarb. I doubt the fruits were feeling particularly terrified by my
suspicious activity.
