Travel photography dilema..

I have a pretty poor memory so I like to take lots of photos ( though I am not a professional and am just carting around light camera) to remember what I did. So I am on the photos side, but maybe I should put the camera away more, thus helping (forcing) my memory to have to work more. We have a student from switzerland living with us at the moment, and we have been to quite a few nice places in Queensland, Australia and she rarely takes her camera, saying she will always remember it, how beautiful everything is - I think it is an example for me to chill sometimes.

You could always use it as an excuse to travel places twice - once with your camera once without 😊 Reply to this

Photography is obviously an important part of travelling as it's the perfect way to revisit your memories when you're back home. I have previously only travelled with a very basic camera although since I became more interested in photography I am already considering what extra equipment is worth taking with me next time!!
I think as long as you have a good quality point and shoot you should have no problem getting nice shots to remember your tavels by. Small point and shoots also have the advantage of being discreet and easy to slip into a pocket and whip out whenever you see something interesting. I also think small point and shoot cameras allow you to capture those fleeting moments that would be impossible with a larger camera that has to have a lens or two fitted and a tripod to sit on. They are also less obvious which can be a real advantage. I was invited to a local festival in India and I slipped my camera into my pocket and at one point asked if I could take a few pictures. I think I might have got a different reaction if I'd walked into someone's private party and ceremony with a large camera round my neck and started pulling out lenses!
Having said that if you are wanting to take better pictures, particularly if you want to photograph wildlife and so on you may need the better camera. I would suggest taking whichever camera you prefer to use, better to have your good camera with you rather than see something that would make a wonderful picture and not be able to get it because you don't have a good enough zoom etc. You could also take a small point and shoot for those time when a larger camera would be cumbersome. Keep one round your neck and one in your back pocket and you'll still be travelling light, and you'll also have the advantage of having a back up camera if one gets lost/stolen/broken. I can't imagine anything worse than getting halfway through a trip and losing my camera for one reason or another. Reply to this

This is a tough question, because for me, the two are so intertwined. The first time I travelled with an SLR camera, I did feel a bit weighed down with it, but I never regretted having it with me. I don't take more equipment than I can fit in my daypack (and still leave room for a couple of other odds and ends). And the truth is, it doesn't take long to get used to having the equipment.

One of the latest gadgets I've picked up, which I absolutely love, is the gorillapod. It is a mini tripod that comes in three sizes--the longest one is about 30cm (12 inches) long. It can be twisted around branches, railings etc, or stood on any surface. It's great when you need a tripod, without the bulk of a traditional tripod. I've got the largest size, because I do travel with a DSLR and a zoom lens.

Once I'm travelling, I still put travel first--there are times when I don't bring out my camera, either because I don't want to draw attention to myself, or because I want to savour the moment. I remember reading a quote somewhere about keeping some moments sacred by not photographing them, and instead just enjoying them as they happen. (I really wish I could remember where I read that, or who said it). Reply to this

If you're going to sell the pix and live on them, then take a good equipment, if not...just get a compact camera which makes decent pix and enjoy your trip, the quality or quantity are not as important as the trip itself, you´ll have the memories in your mind, at least the important ones... and who travels light gets further...plus think that, with the money you'll spend in the equipment, you could travel even longer... Reply to this

I love taking photos on my travels. Sometimes my husband gets tired of stopping so I can shoot this or that or walk all the way over there to get another angle... but even he appreciates having those visual representations of our trips. I have a pretty bad memory, so I love looking back at my own photos, and have even been guilty of saying, "oh yeah - I had forgotten about that!" Now, I have a really old and cheap digital camera that is desperately needing to be replaced, but I have no plans to sell my photos: they're for me and my enjoyment. Lugging around too much of anything while you're traveling can be a bit of a pain, but if the main reason you're there is to acquire spectacular photos, then the extra time and effort may be very well worth it to you. Some of our outings have been simply to focus on the experience, and there have been times that I've had my camera and not used it, but there have been no times that I've gone out without my camera and not regretted it. Reply to this

I'm a new blogger and a new SLR owner so, as I prepare for my next trip the question of size and weight are very much on my mind. I look at my new camera (small and light by SLR standards) and think it will be like taking the kitchen sink along. It is so nice to read your reviews and Tannis has given me hope that I will get used to it quickly and that I didn't make a mistake. My other two cameras were so small they could fit in pockets so I'm making a big change. My plan is to take fewer but better pictures but still represent all the places and events I captured before. I was coming home with 900 pictures per trip and it was taking me 6-9 months to review, clean, and make a photobook. I'm hoping with greater focus on quality I will have less editing to do. Reply to this

I have Nikon D40. My next trip will be in France, a place I have been many times, so I'm hoping I will feel relaxed and comfortable enough to focus on my new camera. I'm hoping to start practicing around home. Reply to this

From European Union to New Zealand its a loong distance and time . Reply to this

Used "CONTROL PANEL" from you account. Therre you found steps to create your blog
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Photography helps me see things more deeply. I tend to look at things longer, think about the light, maybe about returning at a different time of day, what part of the view stands out. This is very helpful because my "day job" (for seven more weeks, anyway) is teaching economics and I usually think in terms of numbers and logical relationships. By making photography a major part of my travels I force my eyes to open in different ways.

Although I do sell a few photographs through a couple of art galleries, I certainly don't make my living at it or even defray very much of my travel and/or equipment costs. But pursuing a photo project helps me develop a sense of place I might not get otherwise. A couple of years ago I was entranced by the callejones (alleyways) of Guanajuato, Mexico, and meandered through most of them over several days. Turning them into a photography project made me think more about why I found them so fascinating and about the angles of view that gave them so much intrigue.

Yes, the equipment can be a problem. But I can usually use my hotel room as a 'base' and take just what I need on each outing -- one camera, even a fairly large DSLR plus about three lenses, a flash, and my small monopod travel easily in a shoulderable travel bag.

KST



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