Digital Camera World » travel photography

How to take pictures through a window and avoid reflections

jmeyer — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 13:00:52 +0000

When traveling, it’s common to take pictures through a window in your hotel or museum… or anywhere you may find yourself. But too often reflections are visible in your images. If you can’t open a window, here is a quick way to minimise reflections when you take pictures through a window.

You don’t want pictures like this!

Ideally, you need the inside of the room to be as dark as possible, compared with outdoors.

A natural reaction is to draw the curtains, leaving only a small opening for the camera.

However, most curtains have a light-coloured lining, so they’ll bounce light from outside back onto the glass.

You’ll have more success draping a dark T-shirt around the lens.

Shoot from as close as possible to the window but, if you’re using an SLR, don’t allow the end of the lens to touch the glass.

This can blur the results by exaggerating mirror-bounce.

Try to avoid ultra-wide-angle focal lengths, too, because these further increase the risk of reflections.

You want pictures like this!

Final Tip
Some modern high-rise hotels use polarising glass in their windows. Beware of using a circular polarising filter in these conditions, as you’ll probably get unwanted and pronounced colour shifts across different areas of your images.

Behind The Image: David Clapp on his secret passion for infrared

jmeyer — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 13:00:22 +0000

Leading professional travel and landscape photographer David Clapp is currently in India, shooting an infrared-converted Canon EOS 5D. In his latest guest blog post he explains how he captured this moment using this wonderful photographic format.

See more of David’s images by liking David’s Facebook page, or you can check out his blog.

Namaste – Greetings from India. I have to say it is so good to be back, photographing in this beautiful country, my second extensive trip in the last 14months.

I am travelling for the next 17 days, west into Rajasthan. The trip began jet-lagged this morning in New Delhi / Old Delhi, and as usual we are not too far off the tourist track….

Earning a living is always at the forefront of all my experiences, so I continue to look for a combination of ‘originality within familiarity’, my quote of the day.

This is the remarkable tomb of Humayun, built by his rather loving wife to celebrate his departure from this world to the next. It’s easy to see how this building influenced the Taj Mahal, but rather than being made entirely out of marble, it is constructed from red sandstone.

This image is one of my ‘infrared specials’, something that will run at the forefront of my photography here in India and on my return to the UK in springtime. Its become a huge passion as perhaps you will know, remaining in the bag at all times.

This was photographed using an architectural lens, the Canon 24mm TSE Mark II, attached to my seven-year-old Canon EOS 5D(IR) – which is still going strong but will soon to be replaced with a Canon EOS 6D(IR) on my return.

To capture this shot I waited for just the right moment as this gardener approached and carefully rounded the bend in the path, the magic to enrich this simple and peaceful scene.

Interview with disqualified winner of National Geographic Photo Contest

samanthacliffe — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 02:00:53 +0000

First published in Photography Week iPad magazine.

Harry Fisch’s image, ‘Varanasi, India’, caused a stir earlier this year when it was chosen as the winning shot in the Places category of the prestigious National Geographic Photo Contest 2012, only to be disqualified shortly afterward for editing out a bag using Photoshop. We caught up with him to discuss his thoughts on National Geographic’s decision, and travel photography.

Having been born in France to Spanish and Hungarian parents, it’s no wonder 60-year-old Harry speaks five languages and travels the world with his camera. Harry has been shooting for 45 years, the last five professionally.

Another image from Varanasi, India, by Harry Fisch. This image has been shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards 2013, in the Low Light category.

Q: You made the headlines recently by winning – and then being disqualified from – the National Geographic Photo Contest. Do you feel the decision was justified?

A: Yes. Rules are made to be followed. When you enter a photographic contest you are dependent on these rules. Now, it’s possible to have a discussion about the legitimacy of a specific rule, but this should be done outside of the contest. I made the mistake of thinking that rules could be interpreted.

Q: Why do you feel so many major competitions like this still have rules against photo manipulation when so many photographers do it?

A: I believe they do it to help simplify the process. When you have 22,000 submissions, for instance, you don’t have time to debate the thin line between some images. I would endorse a clarification of what some rules and terms actually mean, though.

Varanasi, India, by Harry Fisch. This image originally won, and then was disqualified from, the National Geographic Photo Contest

Q: Your image that nearly won – tell us about where and how it was taken.

A: It was of Assi Ghat, at Varanasi, in India. A ghat is a series of stairs leading down to the body of water, and Assi Ghat can accommodate around 22,000 people during festivals/ I arrived at 5.15am, before dawn, and set up my camera on a tripod and waited to see what would unfold. As the world came to life I was surrounded by mud, garbage, cows, beggars, flower salesmen, travellers and crowds of pilgrims – it was an amazing scene. This shot is part of a wider project on religious practices in Asia, where, instead of creating a series that tells a story, each individual photograph tells a story by itself. I do wonder, though, why this picture was considered ‘false’ with the bag erased, yet real with the bag left in. Is it any different than cropping it out?

Q: Your images have a very distinct look – rich, heavy tones, often vignetting, and also typically a relationship between your subjects. How did you develop this style?

A: My style is oneiric, or dreamlike. My images are heavily influenced by aesthetics, and I give preference to the pictorial result before authenticity. For instance, I nearly always modify the colours in my images, particularly the colour temperature, and I like to use vignetting to emphasise subjects. But I only use these devices when I feel that they add value to the story being told.

Q: You also shoot a lot in very low light. Do you shoot handheld, and how do you get sharp images in what often looks like pitch-black night?

A: I never shoot handheld in low light. It can be cumbersome to carry, but I always take a tripod on shoots. I also often use a remote shutter release. In my low-light photography I’m looking for quieter, reflective moments, so I spend a lot of this time waiting for the moment when everything stops. Getting this moment requires a bit of luck. And, frankly, luck – when everything falls into place – is often a key factor in some of the best pictures.

Buddhist monks at the sacred pilgrimage site of Namo Buddha, Nepal.

Q: What’s your method for getting close to your subjects?

A: If I have the time, I like to slowly mix in and become part of the scenario, whatever it may be. Having the patience to take your time and let people familiarise themselves with you – and get used to having a photographer around – is the best way I’ve found of getting potential subjects to trust you, and act naturally in front of your camera. A smile also goes a long way. Just be sincere and look people in the eye when talking to them – even if you don’t know the language!

Q: What types of locations particularly draw your interest?

A: Perhaps unusually for a travel photographer. I hate crowds. I hate noise. When I’m someplace like India, where I shot the Assi Ghat image, I enjoy places where I can find peace amongst the multitude the most. I’m interested in people, but not chaos. But my overall rule in finding locations to photograph is that it must be a reality that isn’t readily available to us.

Q: How do you choose your subjects – is it in much the same way?

A: I haven’t the slightest idea! No, in all seriousness, I plan my pictures and pre-compose what I expect will be in the final picture. First I find the location, then look at it from different angles, analysing the light. Then I consider it from different focal lengths and try to plan for the inclusion of people in the frame. Once I have this framework set, I then only have to wait for things to happen.

Interview via Photography Week.

You can see more of Harry’s images at his website, or on his blog.

Winners of Travel Photographer of the Year 2012

samanthacliffe — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:24:29 +0000

The winner of the Travel Photography of the Year 2012 is photographer Craig Easton, the first Briton to win the award since 2007. As well as being the overall winner of the prestigious competition, his striking and unusual images of also won him the Cutty Sark Award. He will received a £2500 cash prize, as well as a £2500 international photography commission.

You’ll be able to view the winning images at the Royal Geographic Society in London from 12 July to 18 August 2013.

Here’s a selection of some of the winning images.

By Craig Easton, winner of TPOTY 2012 and the Cutty Sark Award

By Samuel Fisch, winner of The Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2012

By Timothy Allen, winner of TOPTY 2012 Best Single Image for People Watching

By Marsel Van Oosten, winner of TPOTY 2012 Portfolio for Wild Planet

By Andrew Newey, winner of TPOTY 2012 Best Single Image for Journeys

By Alessandra Meniconzi, winner of TPOTY 2012 New Talent Portfolio, Another World

By Hilde Foss, winner of TPOTY 2012, One Shot, Water

By Enrique Lopez Tapia, winner of TPOTY 2012 Conde Naste Traveller Award, Celebration

To view all of the winners including commended entries and runners up, visit the Travel Photography Of The Year 2012 website.

Story via British Journal of Photography.

Professional Photographer to the Rescue: tell a story with your travel photography

jmeyer — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 02:00:25 +0000

So far in our Professional Photographer to the Rescue series we’ve revealed a pro’s tips for music photography and the secret to shooting wild landscapes. This week our professional photographer takes an apprentice to bustling markets of Marrakesh, in Morocco, and shares his best travel photography tips for learning how to tell the story of a place through your pictures.

Our Professional Photographer

David Sutherland
Canadian by birth, David has worked as a professional photographer for over 25 years. Based in London, his mastery of light and colour has helped him make a successful business out of jetting around the world – shooting stock for Getty, Corbis and other top image libraries. When not globetrotting, he runs a commercial studio with his daughter. See more of David’s work.

Our Apprentice

Cliff Hobbs
IT consultant Cliff lives in Milton Keynes. He bought a Canon EOS 400D three years ago, but has got the photography bug big time – so upgraded to his all-singing Canon EOS 5D Mk II last year. He travels widely with his Brazilian bride and, like many of us, dreams of becoming a full-time travel photographer. We flew him to Marrakesh in Morocco to give him a taster and some valuable one-on-one advice.

Technique assessment

After an hour or two meandering around the markets in Marrakesh’s medina, David pointed out two ways in which Cliff could tweak his DSLR settings to improve his hit rate

Continuous shooting
“When shooting in markets you can wait for ages for the right people to appear in the right part of the frame,” David says. “When the moment arrives, you need to fire off as many frames as possible – small differences can make all the difference. I therefore recommended Cliff to change his camera’s Drive mode from single to high-speed continuous shooting – and to be prepared to burn up a lot more memory!”

No time for manual mode
“Great moments appear and disappear in an instant when photographing candids – and you generally don’t have time to play around with your camera settings if you are to get the picture. Cliff was shooting in Manual – but I suggested he switch to Aperture Priority mode for quicker control, and showed him how to use the rear dial on his 5D for speedy exposure compensation, if needed.”

PAGE 1: Meet our professional photographer and apprentice
PAGE 2: During the shoot
PAGE 3: Final tips from our professional photographer
PAGE 4: Our professional photographer’s recommended gear

How to make money from photography, part 4: a new idea to make cash on holiday

jmeyer — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 02:00:56 +0000

So far in our series on how to make money from photography we’ve told you how to submit to stock photo agencies, run a workshop and even teach a night class on photography. In our penultimate installment we suggest a new idea for making cash from your holidays.

There’s nothing like going on holiday and taking pictures of exciting new places, but while you’ve got your camera with you, why not take advantage of the opportunity to recoup some of the costs?

While you could set up a specialist photo holiday and ask others to pay to join you in a photogenic location, the holiday/work bias will obviously be shifted towards the latter as you take on the role of tutor-come-host.

However, you can still potentially make some money and have a ‘proper’ holiday if you think a little more laterally.

For example, when you booked your holiday, it was most likely pictures of hotels, campsites and destinations that helped you decide.

Brochures and websites get updated regularly so, while you’re away, why not shoot some pictures with a view to marketing them to the place you stayed when you get back?

Making £20 for a shot of a campsite would pay for a night, perhaps.

Speculate too…
Similarly, consider shooting images for stock libraries, competitions and magazines – not just photography publications, but travel and holiday magazines as well.

It’s speculative work, but thinking about where you are, who might use pictures of it and, most importantly, contacting them when you get back could cover the cost of more than a few of the meals you had under the summer sky.

Remember…
As in the UK, be wary of including official installations in your shots. Some buildings, such as police stations, army bases or transport terminal are restricted areas and you’ll need to check with officials before shooting (and publishing) them.

Photo of the day: 11 August

samanthacliffe — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 06:00:52 +0000

Serenissima: Venezia by Edwin M

This photograph captures one of the most iconic images of Venice; Piazza San Marco visible on the horizon across the lagoon, and the gondolas bobbing on the water in the fore. The long-exposure has helped to brighten the shot, and nicely blurred the gondolas, giving an impression of gentle movement on the water.

You might also like:

Digital camera effects from A – Z
30 great examples of motion blur photography
Motion blur: How to create a sense of speed in your photos
What to pack: 8 essential travel photography accessories

Photo of the day: 9 August

samanthacliffe — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 07:00:52 +0000

Mask by Ata Alishahi

This portrait of a woman wearing a Venetian mask is dramatic and eye-catching. While the background has been blurred out using Photoshop, this effect can easily be achieved in-camera using a wide aperture.

You might also like:

Depth-of-field: What you need to know for successful images
Portrait photography tips: 10 quick ideas for better images
18 of the best-ever posing tips for group photos

9 Creative Photo Ideas for August

jmeyer — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 01:00:00 +0000

As part of our ongoing series to help you get more creative with your digital camera, each month we publish some fun, seasonal, creative photo ideas to help inspire your imagination.

Along with some amazing images, we’ve also provided some quick photography tips by photographers who are experts in these fields.

In August, unsurprisingly, many of our photo ideas take inspiration from the ongoing Olympics in London.

But we’ll also have you snapping your holidays, weddings, bugs in your back yard and more.

Remember: don’t forget to come back at the end of the month and share what you’ve done on our Facebook wall.

01 Capture a bug’s life

Photograph the world at close proximity and you’ll be amazed at the results,” says retired microbiologist and keen macro photographer Brian Valentine. “99.9% of my macro shots are taken in my back garden.”

Brian took this shot of a 4mm Chironomid midge early one morning when the dew on the ground had yet to dry off. “I found the midge on top of my compost bin,” he explains. “It wasn’t moving anywhere, so I set up my camera with my Canon 65mm f/2.8 macro lens attached, and rested the barrel on the side of the bin.”

To ensure the midge was captured in sharp focus, Brian used so-called focus-stacking. “Softening due to diffraction can be a problem at narrow apertures,” he explains, “so I often shoot in this way.”

To get his finished image, Brian took a sequence of eight different shots at f/7.1, but with each one focused on a slightly different part of the midge.

He then merged the sharp bits from each of the images together using Zerene Stacker software, to produce an image that’s pin-sharp from front to back.

In order to light the midge, Brian used his Canon Speedlite 430EX flashgun set to auto, and to soften the light from the flash he attached a homemade diffuser.

“I also placed a blue milk-bottle top behind it, as I wanted the image to have a blue sheen that enhances the crystal water drops.”

Get started today…

Head to your garden or local park. Early morning is the best time to get out and look for surfaces where bugs like this may be drying out.
A macro lens is best for pro results, but if you haven’t got one, an extension tube attached  to a normal lens is the next best thing.
Stack the focus by turning the focus ring one small step for each frame. Use a tripod or rest the lens on a steady surface to keep the camera in the same position and set the aperture to around f/8 (check out these great tips for how to hold a camera steady when you don’t have a tripod).
To process the image, use Zerene Stacker software. A free 30-day trial can be downloaded from http://goo.gl/oX7oD.

PAGE 1: Capture a bug’s life
PAGE 2: Shoot a summer wedding
PAGE 3: Capture moving action
PAGE 4: Capture action with drama
PAGE 5: Line up a summer beach shoot
PAGE 6: Photograph sea fowl
PAGE 7: Photograph your summer holidays
PAGE 8: Capture the colour of summer flora
PAGE 9: Take advantage of stormy skies

Photos from airplane windows: tips for getting killer shots every time you fly

jmeyer — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:10:56 +0000

It’s always tempting to try and take aerial photos from airplane windows when traveling. Though it might seem like you’re quite limited in what you can do in this situation, there are a few ways you can ensure you get quality snaps. Below are our tips for getting killer photos from airplane windows every time you fly.

You usually get the best views in the final phase of the flight, when approaching your destination. Do a bit of research in advance and, as far as possible, find out the flight plan.

You’ll then be able to work out the direction in which you’ll be flying and the time of day, so you can book a window seat on the best side of the plane.

Jet airliners are fairly free of vibration, but this isn’t the case with smaller propeller planes and helicopters. Sensor-shift or optical image stabilisation can help to eliminate camera shake and give you sharper shots.

Even so, it’s best to use a fairly quick shutter speed of 1/250sec or faster when taking photos from airplane windows.

The speed at which the ground is passing below you will appear to increase dramatically at lower altitudes, and especially when coming in to land – at which point 1/500sec is a safer bet.

An aperture of around f/8 to f/11 usually yields the best quality results in photos from airplane windows so, if lighting is fairly dull, increase your camera’s sensitivity (learn when to increase ISO settings) setting to enable the best balance of aperture and shutter speed.

To avoid unwanted reflections, position the front of the lens as close and parallel as possible to the window.

Finally, don’t rest the lens against the window, as this can increase the risk of camera shake as well as blurring from mirror-bounce when using an SLR.