Travel Tips

The above photograph breaks a lot of rules, but is still effective despite the flaws. (Having the Great Smokey Mountains of East Tennessee as a subject helps.) Anybody could have taken this photo. I took it with a PnS camera with a 3.8x zoom lens and IS (Image Stabilization)

I am not an expert in the field of digital photography. I am a retired professional photographer who never got in on the digital side of things until after my retirement. Unfortunately, I still have thousands of dollars in cameras that have far less value than what I paid for them. I was very reluctant to get into digital cameras when I had all this equipment that was doing nothing, and that has been a costly mistake on my part. Today, rather than list the things that make digital photography inferior to film photography, I embrace the new medium despite the flaws. Only God knows how much my back appreciates the change.

First, and most importantly, the rules of photography and composition have never changed, neither have the laws of light and physics. People still run around and take pictures with their little "point and shoot" cameras. The only thing that has changed is that now they are taking really good pictures. This has happened twice before on this scale. Those times were with the invention of the Kodak Brownie and its' evolution into the Instamatic camera also by Kodak. Today these new, affordable, and technically amazing little cameras have made people even more conscious of photography than they were in the past. When coupled with the new photo processing speed, quality, and price, there is no wonder that there is a huge competition for the amateur photography dollar. How big is that dollar? A number of years ago I confronted a Kodak representative about his corporation's obvious lack of concern for the professional photographer by taking care of the amateurs' needs first and not the professionals'. "Let me tell you something, sonny, "he said, "Eastman Kodak makes more money from the amateurs on one sunny weekend than they make from all the professionals it a year." I never thought of that.

Camera manufacturers keep bringing out new and different cameras to attract the consumer. New innovations are coming almost on a daily basis. The number of megapixels is becoming greater and greater. Zoom lenses are going out of sight with 3x, 4x, 6x, 8x, 12x. Cameras are getting smaller. Low light capability is greater. More of everything is better for everybody, right? Not at all!

The point of this effort of mine is to hopefully educate a few people on what is needed and why. While I write it, I will be taking pictures with a mid-price point and shoot (PnS) camera. No attachments will be used and no extra equipment will be purchased. The camera does not have aperture or shutter speed controls. I will carry it in my shirt or small jacket pocket. No print enhancements will be done. The make and model of the camera is irrelevant, they're all good.

I'll end this section with an an with a long-winded answer to the question, "What is a good photograph?" When I first entered the field of professional photography, I was fortunate to know a man named Gerhard Bakker. Gerhard eventually had more "Merit Awards" from the Professional Photographers of America than anyone in history. One of his infamous presentations was called "The 10 Top Rules of Composition." For purposes of this discussion, only the first and last rules are important. The first asks, "Does the picture have total and immediate impact?" And the last, "Is the impact lasting?" If you remember those two rules, and follow them, you will be able to decorate your home with your travels. My last suggestion is also a quote from Mr. Bakker: "Do the usual in an unusual way." So here we go...

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Along a canal in Ghent, Belgium

Cameras

Just a straight photograph, but a good illustration of light, dark, and middle tones blending with many shapes and lines.

There is really nothing new about most cameras. A camera is nothing more than a device to control the amount of light, that reaches the sensor (or piece of film). It does this by regulating the SIZE of the lens opening and the amount of TIME that the lens is open. How the camera does it is not really important other than it's accuracy and repeatability. While there are some factors that affect exposure that I will talk about later, they really are not important to the conversation right now. What is important is the need that the camera fills. So that is the starting point.

Today's PnS (Point and Shoot) digital cameras come in many styles with many features. What is important is to fit the right camera with the individual's need. To do this, we must first understand that every PnS will take good pictures. The question to ask is what camera capabilities are desired by the individual user. If you know what kind of pictures you want to take and what you want to do with them, just find a camera with the features you need, and purchase it. For example, if all you want to do is to take pictures for email or small prints for your scrapbook, all you need is a 3 megapixel camera. If you want to make pictures to put on your wall, 5 megapixels will enlarge to 16x20 inches. There are many cameras now that are over 7 megapixel in capacity. The point is, why spend the money on a camera with a capacity that you will never use? The higher the number of megapixels, the larger the amount of memory you need. The memory cards are more expensive with increased memory. If all you want is 4x6 pictures, a 128 MEG card will hold over 700 pictures. So why buy a 1 GIG card that will store 6,000 images? And, by the way, if you transfer your images from your flash memory card to your computer or CD, all you do is reformat the card and you have another 700 pictures to take. If you have a 5 MEG camera and want to make larger photographs, the 128 MEG card will store 51 images. In that case you may want more memory. Again, fit the camera and flash memory to the need.

One other thing is power for the camera. For me it is a matter of personal preference. Some cameras use AA Alkaline or rechargeable NiCad (nickel cadmium) batteries. Some use NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) rechargeable batteries as well. Still others use Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries which are of different sizes and shapes and are for use only in your camera. While you will get more pictures from a charge in the more expensive Lithium Ion, when it runs out of power, you need a new charge. You can't just go out and buy a couple of AA's. That choice is up to you.

It does not take a lot of your battery's charge to take pictures. What drains your battery(s) is your flash and the LCD on the back of the camera. Most of the flash units that are built into the PnS cameras do not have a lot of power, but they do eat batteries. The newer cameras with larger LCD's take more power as well. Battery usage is what it is and there is nothing you can do about this, except to be aware of it. If you have an optical viewfinder, you can conserve power by using it instead of the LCD. (It is easier to hold a camera steady if it is against your face than it is when held in outstretched arms.)

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Antwerp, Belgium

Lenses

Testing the limits of "depth of focus." I knew that with a 2.5x zoom at F8, both the lion (6.5 feet from the camera) and the Dom would be in focus and the vertical and horizontal lines would be more or less straight.

With a PnS camera, you get the lens that comes with the camera model (most of which have zoom lenses). The zoom lens allows you to stand in one place and move your subject closer or farther away. A magnification of 3x simply means three times. From your standing position you can bring your subject three times closer or move it three times farther away. If it is a 4x, it means four times. These numbers are misleading. A 4x zoom will not necessarily allow you to move your subject closer and farther away than a 3x. Most lenses start with a wide (W) field of view equivalent to a 35mm to 38mm wide angle lens on a 35mm camera. All the telephoto (T) does is bring your subject closer. When somebody brags that they have a 12x zoom, it usually means that they can take pictures of subjects from farther away. If you want to spy on your neighbor, this is a good choice, but if you are trying to take scenic pictures in the mountains, you may want a wider angle lens. It is important that you find out what the range of a zoom lens is as well as the amount of magnification.

Different lenses allow photographers more freedom. They also allow more safety. If you want a picture of a gorilla's face, it is smarter to use a telephoto lens from a distance rather than going into the cage to get close enough. The same is true with a wide angle lens. It is better to use a lens with a wider field of view than it is to step out into the middle of a freeway to get far enough away from your subject to get the picture you want. While these are extreme examples, they are valid. In some cases these different lenses are necessary; in others, they are merely a convenience. Don't get caught up with extreme wide angle lenses. The best advice I can give is to look at "National Geographic Magazine." You will find very few gimmick photos.

All lenses come with trade-offs. If you take a picture of a building with a wide angle lens, you will notice that suddenly the walls are not straight (the phenomena has many names, but "converging lines" is probably as good as any). If you can back up and still get the building, the walls will appear straighter. If you take a picture with telephoto part of your zoom lens, things will appear very close together (it's a phenomena called foreshortening). If you come closer and use less magnification, the picture will appear more normal. There are lenses with adjustable axis' that allow for corrections of converging lines. If you have an extra $1500 lying around and a DSLR to hang that lens on, have a good time. If you're like most of us, you will deal with the converging lines. In normal photography, get farther away from your subject so that you are using a little telephoto. That will make the walls as straight as you will get them. The point is that if you have one lens and no attachments, you live with these trade-offs.

There are advantages to the DSLR, multiple lens cameras. Using a specific lens to do a specific thing gives you more control. While that is photographically better, you still have to carry a bunch of lenses. If the purpose of your trip is to make photographs, the DSLR's with multiple lenses is the way to go. If not, go for weight and convenience. This is as technical as I want to get.

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Dusseldorf, Germany

Image Stabilization & Review

This picture of a building by Frank Gehry in Dusseldorf, Germany was possible because of IS. It was a very gray and dark afternoon (basic yuk). I could not have held the camera steady at one-eighth of a second. I was happy to get what I did and enlarged this to 16x20 for the fun of it.

Most manufacturers have PnS models that have image stabilization (IS) in either the camera body or the lens. For our purposes the location is unimportant. What IS does is important. Generally, we blame the focus mechanism of the camera when our pictures are blurry. Many times the problem is camera movement. When you are in low light (dim light, night shots or in a home with incandescent lights only), the lens of the camera has to stay open longer to create the proper exposure. Generally speaking, camera movement at the same lens opening is controlled by three factors: camera weight, brace, and personal tremors. The heavier the camera, the more stable you can hold it. Bracing a camera against your cheek and your arms against your body will lessen camera movement. Personal tremors are just that. As we age, we become less steady. Even the slightest movement in low light situations will lead to blurred pictures due to camera shake. Try this test. Fill two cups of coffee to the brim and hold one cup in each hand at the distance you would use to see your LCD. Hold them out for six seconds. Is there any coffee in the saucers or on the floor? That is camera shake if there is. If there isn't, you're a rock and don't need IS. Actually, IS will give you the ability to take longer exposures while the camera is electronically or mechanically steadied, however only a couple of stops (don't worry about that word if you don't understand it). IS will not help you take pictures in really low light. That needs a tripod.

IS is not cheap. Currently, you can figure that it will be between $75 and $100 extra to get a camera with IS versus the same model without IS. That figure is sure to come down in the next year or so. Personally, I have one camera with IS and one camera without. The IS has saved me a couple of times.

Camera Size and Convenience

As mentioned above, the heavier the camera, the steadier you can hold it in low light. When I was in the business, my cameras weighed from three to six pounds depending on number of batteries, flash unit, and lens. I also carried a bag with lenses and extra stuff that weighed 30 lbs. Digital cameras used by professionals today are no lighter than they were in the past. But that's for professionals. When we talk about amateur cameras it has become totally different. For the most part, the larger the camera, the more bells and whistles you can put on it. Plus, the controls are more spread out and easier to work with. But there is a trade off there too. A large camera needs a bag to carry it in. Now you have something else to sling over your shoulder. It won't fit in a purse or computer bag. It's something else to keep track of. Small cameras offer the advantage of being carried easily. Some are smaller than a deck of cards. They fit in a shirt pocket. The disadvantage is that they can be difficult to hold and work because the controls are all so close together. Some people (like me) have clumsy hands. The best thing is to go to a camera store with a list of the things you would like to have. Then, HANDLE all of the cameras that fit your needs. Don't just pick them up and put them down. HANDLE THEM. Spend some time. Buy the camera that fits your hand and feels good in your hands. When I bought my first PnS I purchased it online without ever touching the camera. I had to pay a 15% penalty to return it because my hands did not function well with that particular little camera.

Last thing about mechanics. Sit down and read the entire manual. Take the time to find out what you DON'T understand. As you take pictures, you will remember those things and come to understand them.

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Sofie, my granddaughter

Taking good pictures

This picture was taken by my daughter of her daughter (my granddaughter). Note the softness of the light and how the shadows under her eyes (those are shadows and not bags) are not distracting. This is very overcast light and soooo soft. The picture is not great photographic art, but what grandparent would not like it on their wall?

What is a good picture? For purposes of this conversation I define a "good" picture as one that is clear, sharp, and pleasing to you. You are the final judge. With today's digital cameras, this is not a difficult thing to do. The camera will read the light, select the proper exposure, focus the camera, and make the exposure. All you have to do is to compose the picture and push the button. It is that simple if you follow a few very easy to understand rules.

Rule 1. Don't complicate the rules. IF IT LOOKS GOOD, SHOOT IT! We used to have a saying in photography: "Film is cheap." Today's memory cards are cheaper, AND reusable!

Rule 2. Take lots and lots of pictures. The odds of getting good photographs increase with the number of pictures taken. Take pictures from different angles and distances. To paraphrase a great photographer, Andreas Feinninger, "Pictures, pictures, and more pictures; it is experience that counts. The ability to do something successfully is based on having done the same thing or something similar often enough to know how to do it successfully."

Rule 3. "See" the full picture in your camera. Amateur photographers take pictures from two distances: too close and too far. Decide what the picture is supposed to be and compose accordingly. If it is a scenic, get far enough from the subject to show the entire scene, but not more than the scene that you want. Then, take some pictures of PARTS of the scene. If it is a picture of people in a scene, make sure that you are close enough to recognize those people. Also, most people do not respond well to pictures of their "rear view." If you want pictures of your friends tell them to look at you. When taking scenic pictures and there are crowds of people, try to wait until the scene opens up and there are no people within about 15 feet of your camera.

Rule 4. Don't use a zoom lens for convenience. In other words, use wide angle when you need it, not because you don't feel like walking backwards some distance. Have a REASON for the distance you choose. The most "real" looking photographs are taken with a very slight telephoto lens, about 65mm if the normal lens view is a 50mm lens. This leads to a minimal amount of distorting and foreshortening. Take the picture BOTH ways to see which looks better to you.

Rule 5. READ the instruction manual that came with your camera. It was written to inform YOU.

Rule 6. Any weather is good weather for pictures. Umbrellas will cover you and your camera. Waterproof shoes will keep your feet dry and warm. The softest light and most pleasing to peoples faces is overcast with few shadows.

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The Capital Building - Madison, Wisconsin

Odds and ends

This photograph was taken from about one block away with full zoom. A man saw me with one of my professional film cameras and asked me to take a picture of the building with his camera because the pictures he was taking were not coming out. This is where experience tells you that close is not better. He was kind enough to email the picture I took.

Good photography is nothing more than seeing light the same way that your digital sensor or film sees it. A "good" photographer can "see" light. A "great" photographer can "feel" light. Becoming a good photographer means "seeing light" and learning how to manipulate light. Virtually all light follows a certain set of rules that are simply laws of physics. You don't need to be a physics major to be a photographer; all you need is to understand that the meaning of the word "rule." For photographers, that means that light is measurable and predictable.

Many people believe that in order to achieve greater "depth of focus" or "depth of field," you need a wide angle lens. This is where knowing something about what is "physically" possible comes in. The truth is that if you set up two cameras, one with a telephoto lens and one with a wide angle lens, given the identical image size on the sensor or film plate, and the identical F-stop (a ratio number used as a group of standards - 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, etc.), "the depth of field" will be exactly the same. Exactly! It is a case where you don't need to know the law; just how the law applies.

Have you ever heard that "the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection?" That single law is the basis of pool, billiards, and snooker. In any sport where a ball is used, physics is in charge. In photography, light becomes the ball, and is the basis for all lighting. The point is, that if you know a little about the nature of light, your photos will take on new meaning.

There is one last thing that I recommend that may not be possible in your travels. If you have enough time budgeted in a particular area or city, consider taking a tour of the city without your camera, or at least without taking any pictures. If you want to get the true feel and flavor of a city, you will not get it with your eye glued to a viewfinder or LCD screen. Unless it is a picture that you would not be able to get at a later time, leave your camera in its' case. For those of you who never tried this, you will find that you leave knowing lots more about the city than you would have if you were taking pictures all that time.