Travel photography

[photonoob]

hihi i'm a noob in photography and currently owns a nikon D70 with a 18-70mm lens. As i will be planning on a trip to new zealand this coming Sep/Oct, i need infos on the various aspect with regards to photography. As i understand, temperature will be around 10 - 18 degrees, will it affect my lens and battery ? What other kinds of filter i'll need ? circular polarizing , ND filters ? and also , will i need a remote in order to shoot some waterfall shot? ( to get the slow and flowy effect ) . By saving the photos in a small size format (which will give me 1K exposure) , will it affect a R8 size print ? Expert advise needed urgently pls ........ :sweat:

 

[ANEWUSER]

Wonderful it is a beautiful place. Bring much Mem Card. If you have much mem take the photos in the max size possible.

 

[ndroo]

For 8R prints, you will need at least 1600x2400 pixels. Polarizer & ND filters will be good to have. A tripod does help too.

 

[nuts]

My suggestion/opinion/recommendation :
- use your max resolution. If CF too little, get a portable
storage; personally feel its worth it
- bring a tripod; lots of landscape, flowing water etc
opportunities
- C-PL and ND can be quite useful; remote optional
- temperature should not affect camera/lens but battery
better bring a spare
- bring ziplock bag/raincoat if going south island; some
areas have high rainfall
- do a self-drive F&E trip if possible for max flexibility
- enjoy yourself

 

[therat]

For 8R prints, you will need at least 1600x2400 pixels. Polarizer & ND filters will be good to have. A tripod does help too.

for 1600x1200 pixels, what is the max size of the print.

 

[Nightstar]

I agree with nuts on the points, esp:

a) Tripod - definitely need one. I didn't bring a tripod with me (only a table tripod) and missed some opportunities. Even my table tripod served me well though pple think I'm weird setting it up in front of effiel tower at night.

b) Portable hard-disk - Feel that shooting at the highest resolution your camera allows is the best option and a portable hard-disk (tried and tested one) can give you the freedom to keep shooting without worrying about storage space. I borrowed mine from a kind soul for my trip. Will invest in a good one if got $$ + good bargain!

c) Battery - bring a convertor so that you can use your adaptor to recharge your batt everyday. If may not get a stop at a hotel/hostel at night, shld bring more than 1 spare batt? Me just being kiasu .

hope this helps!

from fellow noob

 

[Yildun]

It is known that batteries drain faster at lower temperatures so bring along spare ones. It helps to have some ND filters if you are taking pictures of snow.

Yah...and have fun.

 

[jimtong]

buy travel insurance for yourself and the camera equipment.

 

[poohbear]

yoyo just some question ! will a travel tripod be sufficient ? and how to make that rain coat ?? pls advise....

 

[novaD70]

Depending on the purpose of the trip. Can't imagine one bringing a tripod on getaway sightseeing trip.... toiling all the way. Just get the camera and enjoy the trip and capture the beautiful memories than come across. If you are fussy, maybe a light monopod make more sense. When you browse thru your photos years later, are you going to nit pick that lack-of-tripod photo and ruin your fond memories - NO!

The necessity of tripod have sometimes been over glorified by some and that we forget that life must be fun and nothing in this world is perfect.

Of course, if I am a pro and on an assignment then it is a different story. I enjoy more with a cheap wine in a so-so restaurant with friends/family than an ex. one in a posh rest. during official fn.

I agree with nuts on the points, esp:

a) Tripod - definitely need one. I didn't bring a tripod with me (only a table tripod) and missed some opportunities. Even my table tripod served me well though pple think I'm weird setting it up in front of effiel tower at night.

b) Portable hard-disk - Feel that shooting at the highest resolution your camera allows is the best option and a portable hard-disk (tried and tested one) can give you the freedom to keep shooting without worrying about storage space. I borrowed mine from a kind soul for my trip. Will invest in a good one if got $$ + good bargain!

c) Battery - bring a convertor so that you can use your adaptor to recharge your batt everyday. If may not get a stop at a hotel/hostel at night, shld bring more than 1 spare batt? Me just being kiasu .

hope this helps!

from fellow noob

 

[Nightstar]

Firstly, I think tripod is very necessary for certain shots eg in low lighting scenarios and in instances where there is no one to take pictures for you. There are many types of tripod...there are also lighter ones. I only brought my table tripod (no brand one from AP) which weighs less than 500g and costs me $5 and it served me very well for my Europe trip for 2 weeks. I caught Effiel Tower and Notre Dame at night using my table tripod on the ground. I went on a previous trip before without a tripod and regretted it very much cos I missed a few opportunities.

Just my 2 cents ...of course it's up to individual preference. Have a good trip and keep your eyes peeled open for photo taking opportunities!

 

[student]

First, is this a holiday travel with family and tour group? If so, forget about taking great landscape photographs. You are unlikely to be there when the light is the best. Concentrate on people photography.

However, if it is a photo travel, or at least a self drive, or a personalised tour travel, then opportunities can be made. You have to decide your priorities. In a certain way, I disagree with novaD70. I agree with him that you should enjoy the trip. But if your enjoyment is taking photographs, and photographs of landscapes, then take all that is necessary for your enjoyment. If you only intend to take pictures to remind you that you were there, then novaD70's point is valid.

Although I do not shoot digital, I think ND may not be necessary with your D70. Just expose for the highlights and the foreground and merge the pictures later! But a tripod IS necessary. Maybe not a heavy one. But bring one.

 

[kohweekuan]

Firstly, I think tripod is very necessary for certain shots eg in low lighting scenarios and in instances where there is no one to take pictures for you. There are many types of tripod...there are also lighter ones. I only brought my table tripod (no brand one from AP) which weighs less than 500g and costs me $5 and it served me very well for my Europe trip for 2 weeks. I caught Effiel Tower and Notre Dame at night using my table tripod on the ground. I went on a previous trip before without a tripod and regretted it very much cos I missed a few opportunities.

Just my 2 cents ...of course it's up to individual preference. Have a good trip and keep your eyes peeled open for photo taking opportunities!

hi wanted to know your table tripod max height is how much?
thanks!

 

[Nightstar]

hi wanted to know your table tripod max height is how much?
thanks!

Oops just lent mine to my fren so I can't measure it exactly but it's about 15cm tall. The brand is Sakura and it has a rotable ball head too. Now AP doesn't sell it...the last 2 times I went they told me they only have Nikon table tripod for S$10. But it's really only a table tripod and only suitable for smaller compact digicams. I use Canon S50. My fren tested her Canon A80 on it and it nearly toppled over when we flipped the camera horizontally all the way to the end...so choosing a suitable tripod for your camera is important i guess...

hope this helps!

 

[HotSpots]

I agree with NovaD70. Enjoy your holiday. Unless you're really passionate about photography and very critical about your photos, I'm almost sure you're going to curse at having to lug that tripod around and having to take a few minutes to set it up for a shot and keeping right after.

This better not be a holiday with your wife/girlfriend ...they'll throw your camera into the falls if you spend all the time setting up the tripod and taking it down. :nono:

You can still take good pics by upping the ISO, stablising the camera on lamp posts, propping it up on dust bins ...you get the idea.

 

[poohbear]

lol many thks for the advice hope can post some pictures here after my trip and pls give some pointers oso... well till den NZ HERE I COME !!!! :gbounce:

 

[chriszzz]

Something no one has mentioned yet. When entering a warm building from the cold outdoors, water will condense on and IN your lenses. This is a big no-no.

Solution : before entering the building, put your camera/lens in a plastic bag, and squeeze out as much air as you can, and try to keep the bag airtight by twisting its mouth tightly shut. The air that's left in the bag will be cold and dry. When you enter the building, water will condense on the plastic bag instead of your camera.

Leave the bag tightly close until it returns to room temperature ( 30-60 minutes ). You can then remove the camera from the plastic bag.

Resolution : Shoot at highest resolution you can. Shoot at highest quality you can too. But if you have to sacrifice one of them, reduce the JPG quality before reducing resolution. Lower resolution is alot more noticeable than lower JPG quality.

Bring a small tripod. Those little ones that extend to waist height are perfect for travelling. Not the most stable, but enough to support a mid sized body. D70 is fairly heavy ( compared to prosumers ), so you might need a slightly more robust one. But make sure its not too heavy, or you will tend to leave it in your hotel room, or curse at having to lug it all over the place. Best if its small enough to put into your daypack. The Slik Sprint Mini is a decent choice, at around $70.

Oh, around touristy areas, beware of pickpockets or snatchthieves. They can really put a damper on your holiday.

 

[alvin]

This is one of the sites I really enjoy reading up on travel photography. Crap part of it is whenever I go abroad it's for a purpose other than leisure :angry:

http://www.fodors.com/focus/

Alvin

 

[jbma]

First, is this a holiday travel with family and tour group? If so, forget about taking great landscape photographs. You are unlikely to be there when the light is the best. Concentrate on people photography.

Totally disagree with you. New Zealand has one of the best landscape sceneries around this part of the world. It is postcard standard. Do take plenty of landscape. It's worth it. Bring a light tripod if you can. Most of the time you will be shooting wide.

 

[Nightstar]

Totally agree with jbma...my fren went with his wife to NZ for honeymoon and he brought a travel tripod. Took wonderful pictures...NZ is fodder for landscape post card pictures!!

btw, if your wife/gf really loves you, she will bear with your setting up of tripod m sure she is used to it...my fren's wife (my buddy) did so though not without some grumbling ;p but her pride and love in her hubby's work sustained her