Tribaleye Images - Travel Photography Tips (6)

F. Photographing Places

The ideal times to photograph are in the early morning and afternoon / early evening (depending on latitude), say a couple of hours after sunrise and before sunset. At these times, the low sun casts a golden glow that enrichens colours and heightens textures. This is particularly important for landscape photography. That said, the moments just before sunrise and sunset can yield exceptional skyscapes particularly if rainclouds have just cleared.

Consider the direction of the light – high contrast side lighting has a tendency to increase colour saturation, whilst backlighting tends to have the opposite effect. In diffuse lighting conditions, such as an overcast day, colours are represented in a more realistic way.

Use a screw-on polarizing filter to reduce reflections (of water and foliage), and to increase the saturation of colours in a scene. In certain conditions, such as at high altitudes, ta polarizer may render the sky a very deep shade, closer to blue that black, so use the filter in moderation in these circumstances. Also remember that the use of a polarizer will cut down the amount of available light through the lens and will mean shooter at a larger aperture or slower speed to compensate. In low light conditions this may prove difficult unless you use a tripod to stabilize the camera.

When using a tripod, lock the mirror up (if you have this feature) and use a cable release or self-timer for ultimate stability and sharpness. If possible, use a small aperture to increase the depth of field. If you're serious about landscape photography, a tripod will be an invaluable tool because using small apertures dictates requiring longer exposures and a tripod is the best tool
for ensuring the camera is steady throughout.

Although photographing through the distorting plastic of aircraft windows is far from ideal, reasonable results can be had, even on commercial aircraft. For the best results book flights either in the early morning or late afternoon, establish which side of the plane will have the most scenic views en route, and avoid seats overlooking the wing. Take-off and landing offer the best opportunities as scenery from higher altitudes is often obscured by haze. Take light readings off the mid blue of the sky above – especially if photographing snow clad mountains, and use the highest shutter speed you can to offset vibration, shooting as close to the window as possible without touching it. Even if the scenery is not particularly worthy, the cloud formations might produce nice skyscapes.