Planning Vacation Photography

So, you are going to finally get that long overdue vacation, and you have made plans to go somewhere scenic and beautiful. This means you will be taking along your camera gear in order to make excellent images of your journey. Does it also mean that you have done your research and made a list of potential sites? Have you also planned on taking the minimal gear to make traveling easier? Do you even know which gear you are going to need?

Just like any other photographic endeavor, scheduling vacation photography requires some advance planning and research. “Step one” on any trip is knowing where and what you will photograph. For example, you are planning a vacation to Bath, England and you hope to take tons of photographs of the historic Roman buildings and Georgian architecture that

fill the city. That is great information to know because it guides you in selecting the lenses and gear to bring along on the trip. You know that you will want a wide angle lens for the massive buildings in the city and also for several of the scenic parks, and you will also have to understand that tripod photography is probably out of the question. Lastly, you will know that your photographs might have to be taken at the “sweet light” hours of early morning and very late afternoon because of the reflection of sunlight off the many white stone buildings.

So, with advance planning you will be able to identify the minimal gear to bring and the times of day when your photographic pursuits will be the most successful. Have you also considered your backup plans, such as extra memory cards and battery chargers? If you are heading out of the country it is enormously important to take into consideration the major “what ifs” of any technical glitches. While buying a backup camera is usually out of the question, bringing along the many common extras that make photography

possible is a good idea. As mentioned, memory cards, batteries, an extra flash unit, and the proper power adapters are crucial to success.

Now you have done the research, made a list of the shots you consider imperative, planned for the gear required, and made some backup plans in case of disaster. The final step is to consider how you intend to make your shots unique and memorable.

For example, if you did your research on Bath, England you will see a repetitive look to some of the images of the most popular locations and sites. Why not plan, in advance, to document your visit to these buildings in a way that is different from everyone else. For instance, you might decide to head out before dawn and setup in front of the baths when the streets are empty and record them in the soft light of dawn.

This article was provided by Amy Renfrey – you can learn the same magnificent photography knowledge Amy has and shares here.