I spoke with my mother a while back and she reminded my about the Fisher-Price Adventure People toys I played with as a kid. Think they might have had an influence?
On the way to Death Valley
On the way to the Panama Canal
Another quick tip today, this one will help you get something a little different out of your travel photographs.
Often you will want to
isolate your subject to create the strongest image, but you also should try to give an overview of a location to give a sense of place to your other photographs.
When you get to a new location, look around the area and see if there is somewhere you can get to that will allow you to shoot the scene from above. Rooftops, church towers, balconies, hotel rooms, anyplace you can talk your way into, to give you that high vantage point.
I found a way to access the roof of my hostel in San Cristobal, Mexico.
In Mérida, Mexico there was a third-floor balcony that ran the whole way around the open area of the central market
A local friend took me to a parkade (multi story car-park) in San Salvador, El Salvador. Parkades are especially great because you can easily access all floors and all sides of the building for incredible views of a city. I got about ten unique shots from a single location this way.
It can be worth asking for a room with a view, as it was from the third floor of my Mérida hotel, across from the Zócalo.
Though you might want to
be careful which roof you jump on top of in Cobán, Guatemala...
Posted in
motojournalism,
Photography,
Technique
Just a quick note to say that I've posted a review of the fantastic documentary photography story The Photographer by Didier Lefèvre and Emmanuel Guibert over at 'Thew's Reviews.
It's a unique and amazing collaborative effort, anybody interested in the behind the scenes work of a travelling photojournalist would do well to check it out!
'Thew's Reviews - The Photographer
Posted in
e-book,
Photography,
review
Once you've pruned your luggage down to the bare minimum and chucked the hatchet, cast-iron pan and Kermit chairs, I find that a packing list for a 300km motorcycle trip is not much different than one for a 30,000km trip.
My packing style is minimal - but comfortable - and it's certainly not the only way to do it! Beyond the standard camping and motorcycle gear I carry, I bring a few odds and ends that make my life on the road a bit easier:
Camera Gear
Memory Cards - heaps of them. They're cheap and a reliable form of backup. I try not to erase them during the trip if possible.
Compact camera - I never go anywhere without some sort of camera
Prime lenses - Small, lightweight, reliable and very good in image quality and performance. Zoom with your feet!
LowePro lens case
- These will let you chuck your lenses anywhere, and can clip to your belt when you walk around.
Water
The
MSR MiniWorks
filter was invaluable in North America, where the distance between towns is great and rough-camping is the norm. I didn't use it in Mexico and Central America though. It was easier to buy the good, cheap bottled water that was available everywhere.
The
MSR Dromedary
bag was ideal for carrying extra water through desert areas. The MSR water filter threads directly to the wide opening and the bag rolls-up to nothing when it's empty.
Posted in
gear,
motojournalism,
Travel
