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TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TRAVEL & HOLIDAY PHOTOGRAPHY Summer 2011 | Issue 1 | £4.50 JUNIOR SNAPPERS Photo ideas for kids » Shoot perfect blue seas » Take dramatic willdlife pictures » Make your own photobook HOW TO… THE 10 BEST COMPACTS & DSLRS REVIEWED 25 easy ways to get great shots HANDY GUIDES: Portraits Sunsets Night Festivals Black & white 5 Win an amazing trip to India worth £2,500!

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Page 1: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

TAKEBETTERTRAVELPHOTOS

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TRAVEL & HOLIDAY PHOTOGRAPHY

Summer 2011 | Issue 1 | £4.50

JUNIORSNAPPERS

Photo ideas for kids

» Shoot perfectblue seas» Take dramaticwilldlife pictures» Make yourown photobook

HOW TO…

THE 10 BESTCOMPACTS &DSLRS REVIEWED

25 easyways to getgreat shots

own photobook

HANDYGUIDES:

Portraits • Sunsets Night • Festivals

Black & white

5

Winan amazing trip to Indiaworth

£2,500!

Page 2: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

4 | TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011

GET INSPIRED

10 Travel photos of the decadeIncredible pictures from ten years

of the Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year competition – every one of them by amateurs, like you!

22 Win a trip to ColombiaEnter your best pictures into

the Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year competition 2011 and win a trip tocolourful Colombia!

CONTENTS24 Marrakech: A day in the light

Expert travel photographer Paul Harris looks at how to take advantage of the changing light to capture the best possible images, from sunrise to sunset.

30 Photo Icon:The Taj Mahal

Iconic buildings like the Taj Mahal are so familiar it can be tricky to take an original picture. Steve Davey shows how to make your photos better than the postcards.

40 Take better travel photos(no new kit required!)

From planning your shots to getting to know your camera, we off er 25 tips on how to improve your photographic skills and start taking more striking shots. The best bit? They won’t cost you a penny.

56 Whipper snappersTwo 10-year-old

photography enthusiasts share their favourite shots and off er advice for other young wannabe snappers on how to take great photos.

Could you do better than this? Check out the best amateur shots from 10 years of the Wanderlust Travel Photo Of The Year Competition – and then enter this year’s contest

10

24

Win anamazing tripto India worth

£2,500!P38

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSMarrakech: A day in the lightExpert travel photographer Paul

Harris looks at how to take advantage of the changing light to capture the best possible images, from sunrise to sunset.

Photo Icon:The Taj Mahal

Iconic buildings like the Taj Mahal are so familiar it can be tricky to take an original picture. Steve Davey shows how to make your photos better than the postcards.

Take better travel photos(no new kit required!)Take better travel photos(no new kit required!)Take better travel photos

From planning your shots to getting to know your camera, we off er 25 tips on how to improve your photographic skills and start taking more striking shots. The best bit? They won’t cost you a penny.

Whipper snappersTwo 10-year-old

photography enthusiasts share their favourite shots and off er advice for other young wannabe snappers on how to take great photos.

CONTENTSCONTENTS

know your camera, we off er 25 tips on how

photography enthusiasts share their

Cover storyCheck out our easy25 ways to take better travel photos – whether you have a top-of-the-range camera or something a little more, ahem, antiquated

40

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TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011 | 5

TIPS & SKILLS

64 Masai Mara photo safariCamera klutz Chris Haslam tries

sharpening up his wildlife photography skills on safari in wild Africa.

72 Specialist photo safarisAdvice on choosing the right kit

and fi nding the right photographic safari and guide.

74 Five minute guide:Shooting water

Heading for the seaside? We explain howto capture turquoise seas and misty waterfalls on camera.

80 Ten rules for the roadFrom backing up your fi les to

keeping your kit clean, we off er ten tips for happy photo hunting.

84 Get creative withyour compact

For those with less snazzy cameras, you can still achieve some great shots if you know a few tricks of the trade.

88 Five minute guide:Awesome landscapes

Taking an evocative landscape photo isn’t as simple as it might seem. Pro photographer David Ward shares his expertise.

94 Do try this at homeIt’s homework time – and your

assignments include snapping squirrelsand saying hello to strangers.

98 Compacts vs DSLRs:which one is right for you?

With a bewildering array of cameras to choose from, we off er three steps to buying the right camera for you – plus advice on where to buy it.

101 Top ten DSLRsWant to shoot like the pros

without spending a fortune? Check out our roundup of the best digital single lens refl ex (DSLR) cameras to suit travellers’ needs.

104 Top ten compactsTen compact cameras for photo

enthusiasts who don’t want a DSLR cramping their snap-happy style.

108 Photographer’skit bag

Filters, spirit levels, tripods,cleaners...There’s so much camera kit to choose from, but which pieces really are must-haves?

110 Making movies:holiday video cameras

Whether you’re using a handheld camcorder or the video recorder on your mobile phone, we off er advice on fi nding the best device to fi lm your trip.

KIT & CAMERAS

116 Processing: how to turn your photos up to 11

Why shooting in RAW format makes it easy to turn photos from near-misses to masterpieces. Plus, basic digital processing skills and the software to look out for.

122 Create your ownphotobook

We pick some of the best photobook providers to help you design an album full of all your favourite travel pics.

126 Ten best gallery appsDownloadable applications

to help you enhance, distort and generally play around with your photos.

128 GlossaryWhat the heck’s a DSLR,

anyway? And what’s this white balance business? A helpful glossary of camera terms for photography newbies.

FINAL TOUCHES

choose from, we off er three steps to buying the right camera for you – plus advice on

7474Cover storyCapture watersports action and get those deep blue seas really blue with our step-by-step guideto Shooting water(ticket to Bora Bora sadly not included).

122

101

104

131 FIVE HANDY GUIDESIn a hurry? Flip to our series

of quick reference guides to brush up on Portraits, Sunsets, Festivals, Black & White and After Dark snappery.

MINI MASTERCLASSES

Page 4: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

Camera at the readyLazing on the Greek Island of Santorini? No matter where you are, always have your camera to hand

Page 5: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

2 THINK BEFORE YOU SHOOT

Look in and around the scene, and think about how you are going to make the most of its potential. Is the foreground interesting enough? Are the colours too distracting? If light, weather, time and mood are simply not helping, come back another day. PH

1 TAKE A CAMERA EVERYWHERE

As the adage has it, ‘the best camera is the one you have with you’. The fanciest DSLR in the world is no good back in your hotel room.

better travel photosbetter travel photosYou’re packed and ready to go – but what will you come back with? Our panel of experts explains how to make this year’s holiday photos your best ever,using only what you’ve already got: a camera and your imagination

better travel photos

WAYS TO TAKE

better travel photosbetter travel photos25

25 TOP TIPSGET INSPIRED

Page 6: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

4 USE BACK-LIGHTING FOR DRAMA

Conventional wisdom says you should take photographs with the sun behind you, which tends to give warmer tones. But sometimes you can achieve dramatic results by placing yourself so your subject is back-lit (shooting with the sun facing you). This is especially true if you’re shooting in the early morning or late evening, when the sun often produces a warm rim-lighting around the edge of your subject. SE

Suzi Eszterhas (SE) is an award-winning professional wildlife photographer, based in California and the UK. As well as shooting assignments for newspapers and magazines

worldwide, she leads inspirational wildlife photography tours: trips with availability for 2011-2012 include Borneo, Costa Rica, India and Madagascar. www.suzieszterhas.com

Paul Harris (PH) has a distinguished 25-year career documenting people and landscapes around the world, with a particular focus on environmental issues and

adventure travel. Based in North Yorkshire, he is a and a judge on the Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year competition, and leads trips for Wanderlust Journeys (www.wanderlust-journeys.co.uk).www.paulharrisphotography.com

London-based Peter Mallet (PM) is an in-demand editorial photographer, shooting travel assignments for Wanderlust, Sunday Times Travel, Geographical and other top

magazines. See www.petermallet.com

Additional tips by Steve Davey & Dan Linstead.Additional images: Getty, Alamy, Eric Baldauf, Steve Davey

Suzi Eszterhasaward-winning professional wildlife photographer, based in California and the UK. As well as shooting assignments for newspapers and magazines

Paul Harrisdistinguished 25-year career documenting people and landscapes around the world, with a particular focus on environmental issues and

adventure travel. Based in North Yorkshire, he is a

London-based (photographer, shooting travel assignments for Sunday Times TravelGeographical

magazines. See www.petermallet.com

THE EXPERTS

42 | TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011

3GET TO KNOW YOUR CAMERA

OK, so nobody loves reading the manual – but the more you know about your camera’s capabilities, the more creative you can be. Even the humblest compact camera has a myriad options, so start experimenting. Take the same scene diff erent ways and compare them. Try it once with fl ash, and once without; once close-up and once out wide; try diff erent shutter speeds and white balance settings. For a handy demo of how to use basic SLR settings, have a play with the virtual camera at www.camerasim.com.

Page 7: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

5DON’T MISS THE ‘GOLDEN HOURS’

AFTER SUNRISE AND BEFORE SUNSET You can take good photographs at any time of day (see A Day in the Light, p24), but at dawn and dusk the light is best for revealing the full texture of a landscape, as in this shot of Lake Powell, Utah. This light can be very short lived, especially in the tropics, so you need to be ready at your location in good time. PH

6 INTRODUCEMOVEMENT

One of the easiest ways to animate a scene is to allow a bit of motion blur – birds in the sky, passing bicycles, the bustle of pedestrians in a city centre. Selecting a Shutter priority (S or Tv) or Manual mode (M) is the easiest way to achieve this. Brace yourself against a wall to avoid camera shake, and shoot at 1/15 sec or slower to get a sense of motion. For longer exposures, you’ll need to rest your camera on a surface, or use a tripod.

25 TOP TIPSGET INSPIRED

Page 8: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

56 | TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 201156 | TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011

SNAPPERSKids aren’t just great

subjects for travel

photography – they can

make great photographers

too. We asked two well-

travelled ten-year-olds

to talk us through their

enviable albums

Whipper

Page 9: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011 | 57TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011 | 57

P repare for an attack of envy: twins Joe and Ellie Gray have packed more adventures into their fi rst decade than many of us manage in a lifetime. Trekking in Morocco? Done it. Kayaking in New Zealand? Check. Disneyland? Of course – on three diff erent continents.

Almost from birth, Joe and Ellie have followed their dad, William, an award-winning travel writer and photographer, and mum, Sally, a book editor, on journeys all over the globe. And once they’d got past those tricky toddler years (when, William recalls, the kids threw up in six diff erent car seats), they started photographing those trips too. Here are their favourite shots, and their tips for other aspiring young snappers.

KIDS’ PHOTOGRAPHYGET INSPIRED

Page 10: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

TAKEBETTERTRAVELPHOTOS

From wondrous wildlife to luscious landscapes, start picking up the skills and techniques for great travel photos

TIPS& SKILLS

» Photo safaris: Masai Mara How to capture wild Africa p64

» 5 minute guide: shooting waterWaves and refl ections p74

» 10 rules for the roadTaking care of your kit p80

» Get creative with a compactInstant art – just point & shoot p84

» 5 minute guide: landscapesTaking scene stealers p88

SectionTWO

IN THIS SECTION:

Page 11: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

Want to really improve your wildlife photography?Chris Haslam did, so he signed up for an intensive

photographic safari in Kenya’s Masai MaraPictures Chris Haslam

MISSINGIN ACTION

Going, going, gone... At the start of his safari, Chris was in real need of some photo tips. Could a bit of tuition take him from ‘missing leopard’ to something more composed?

PHOTO SAFARI: KENYATIPS & SKILLS

Page 12: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

80 | TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011

10Pack light, look after your kit and keep smiling – here’s our 10-point

plan to follow if you’re serious about taking better photos

2KEEP ITCLEAN

Always keep your gear clean: dirt or dust on your sensor will show up as ugly black marks on your pictures. Smudges on your lens will aff ect quality and can cause fl are. Clean your gear every night. Some cameras have a sensor that vibrates, but this may need extra cleaning.

A manual blower (try Visible Dust’s Hurricane Blower: £7.95, www.visibledust.com) will jet dust from the sensor (never use compressed air). You might also need a sensor brush (approx £60) if you are doing a lot of travel to dusty areas. Blow grit and dust from lenses and fi lters, then use a washable micropore cloth to clean them.

1TAKE SPARE EQUIPMENT

If you’re on the trip of a lifetime, don’t let the theft or mechanical failure of your camera and lenses mean you can’t take pictures.If photography is important to you, make sure you have a spare camera – even if it isjust a simple compact. If the worst happens and your camera is stolen or broken, then you can still shoot.

Don’t overlook lenses, either. Many people travel with an 18-200mm super-zoom, which has such a wide range it rarely needs to be changed. But pack the kit lens that came with your camera too, in case your fi rst choice lens goes wrong or gets damaged while you’re on the road.

00Pack light, look after your kit and keep smiling – here’s our 10-point

RULES FOR THE ROAD

Take care of your kit – clean lenses (gently) with dust blowers. And always pack spare equipment in case something gets damaged or stolen

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TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011 | 81

STRAP HERE

3BACK UP YOUR PICTURES

Digital images are essentially ephemeral. They can disappear in an instant due to theft, mechanical breakdown or corruption. However, they are easily duplicated, so there is no excuse for losing images.

Memory cards are cheaper than ever. Take enough so you don’t have to reuse them. Copy pictures to a laptop and back this up to a hard disk such as LaCie Rugged Hard Disk (from £95 online). Also, copy cards to a standalone storage device (browse at www.hypershop.com). Only then reuse a memory card. You can also back-up to DVDs in internet cafés. Store one back-up in your hotel; carry the other.

4BE AWARE OF WHERE YOU ARE

Most travel books recommend that you don’t carry valuables on you – but as a photographer, you don’t really have a choice. However, you should take basic precautions against robbery. Try to be aware of your surroundings and take local advice about dangerous areas. Carry your camera securely, and look out for bag-snatchers on motorbikes. Never leave your camera or camera bag on a café table or where anyone can grab it and run away. Learn to work quickly: if you stand fi ddling with your camera for ages, you’ll attract attention. If you are taking a risk, back up your memory card fi rst – just in case.

Be aware of your surroundings and take

local advice about dangerous areas

Always back up your images – twice! Save fi les to portable hard-drives and burn them to CDs at internet cafés

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TRAVEL SAVVYTIPS & SKILLS

Page 14: Take Better Travel Photos Issue 1

You don’t need an expensive SLR camera to take an impressive shot – compacts can give great results if you know a few tricks of the trade, advises Steve Davey

Get creative with yourCOMPACT CAMERA

COMPACT SKILLSTIPS & SKILLS

C ompact cameras are getting more sophisticated. Although, size for size, the sensors used in larger digital SLRs tend to produce better results, the simplicity of

a point-and-shoot allows you to be creative without worrying about camera settings.

However, even the most advanced compacts can’t perceive the photographer’s intentions. At best, automatic functions are an educated guess. And there are times when it all goes wrong.

Luckily, you don’t have to ditch all automatic functions and set everything yourself. You can still use your compact camera’s clever tools to do most of the work, but by making a few simple tweaks you can greatly improve your chances of getting it all right.

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TAKE BETTER TRAVEL PHOTOS Summer 2011 | 85

CAPTURE THE ATMOSPHERE WITH SLOW-SYNCH FLASHIf you light a whole scene with fl ash, the results are often harsh. Flash light is very directional and falls off over distance; this is why backgrounds often look dark.

To improve this, set your fl ash to the ‘slow-sync’ setting. The fl ash will fi re as normal but the camera will also set a slower speed – if it thinks it needs one – so that the ambient light registers as wel l. If light levels are really low, then be careful of blur in parts of the picture lit by ambient light – although this can be a nice eff ect if you are shooting a party or dance performance.

This is the setting to use if you want to take a picture of someone in front of a fl oodlit building at night. The fl ash will light the person and the slow speed will allow the ambient light to register.to register.to register.

Snow-stoppingUse the exposure-compensation facility or Snow setting to correct blue casting

All white nowSet your white balance to suit the scene you are shooting

Stay in controlGet to know your camera’s picture modes: they do make a difference!

AVOID NASTY COLOUR CASTS

Diff erent light sources give off a range of colour temperatures, from red to dark blue. Humans can’t distinguish these casts; the brain automatically corrects them.

Digital cameras have a similar function: the Auto White Balance (AWB). The trouble is the camera doesn’t know what you are photographing: it can’t tell the diff erence between the rich reds of a sunset, which you want to preserve, and the orange cast from an incandescent bulb, which you probably want to eliminate. The AWB will seek to cancel out all colour casts – good and bad.

The solution is to switch off AWB and use the ‘Daylight’ setting. This makes your camera behave in the same way as fi lm, and is perfect for most conditions. At sunrise and sunset warmer light will be reproduced in your pictures as atmospheric red tinges.

If you’re shooting under artifi cial light, switch the AWB on to cancel out the colour cast. If shooting in fl uorescent light, select the ‘Fluorescent’ or ‘Incandescent’ settings; they’ll

usually give better results than AWB.

▶All a blurThe slow-sync setting

can introduce blur to

produce atmospheric

festival shots

Ala

my