Monday 24 February 2014

Tips for boring travel photographs

Here are a few tips  to ensure that you achieve Class A  boring travel pics on your next oversaes holiday.

Make sure you travel on the bus with your crowd, getting off the bus and standing in the same place, shoot from the same height as everyone else (1.58 metres) and from the same angle (eye level). Huddle together in one group with your tripods and long lenses and eat exclusively in tourist hotels and tourist restaurants. Avoid mixing with locals.


Choose a photographic tour leader who shows you lots of pretty pictures and then leaves you to your own devices and is more interested in his/her own photography than teaching or assisting you.

To guarantee that you max out on the boring scale avoid contact with locals or learning any of the local language. Whatever you do, make sure you don't interact with any locals or attempt to befriend them.

oOo


I've been lucky! I've worked out how to achieve quite a high hit rate for getting people shots in foreign countries.

Here are my four tips:
  • Carry a small camera and a  large smile
  • Have a photograph of you and your family ready in your camera bag
  • Start a conversation and befriend a local
  • Ask permission to photograph something the person is proud of rather than  the person.
In these photos in Malaysian North Borneo I befriended a local Chinese man and his associates. We had an animated conversation about Malaysia, Education, food and coffee. I managed to get a few simple shots in the cafe of a genuine real life everyday situation.

Later, when I went to  pay for our group of photographers, I discovered the  bill had been picked up by my newly acquired Chinese friend. I emailed him a thank you and these pics.

Friendship works - if its genuine.


I'm leading a group of photographers to Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and the Dalmatian Coast in October 2014. Click HERE for information.

or

Learn the Art of Friendship on  my next UWA Extension course on successful travel photography 'On The Move'. Contact me on onethemove@wildheart.com.au for dates and times.








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