Here's one of my earliest travel pictures.
Shot in 2007 on my then-new Canon Rebel XTi
It was shot in Amsterdam with my then- new and very fancy DSLR. Pretty "amazing" stuff, right?
At the time I thought it was. I used a polarizer - that's a photo filter which helped darken the blue and reduce reflections in the water. I tried to create balance by waiting until the boat was about 2/3rds of the way through the frame before I snapped. I trusted my new and expensive DSLR to make a proper exposure, and I shot the scene exactly as you see here. I felt like a pro because I was shooting in a foreign land with a nice camera, and I figured every shot I'd take would be pure gold.
Here's a more recent shot of a boat in water.
Istanbul
Looking at my old picture from Amsterdam, I remember very little of what it felt like to be there. But when I look at this more recent picture from Istanbul, I remember everything. The sights, the smells, the sounds, the chaos and the beauty all come back to me. I feel like part of me is still there. So what's the difference?
Not much: The composition is nearly identical. Water, buildings, and a boat that falls about 2/3rds of the way through the frame. I put the same amount of thought into each photo. This is essentially the same picture, distinguished only by about 5 years worth of photography experience.
With this upcoming series of posts, I want to help you fast forward through those years.
I want you to see your images and remember not just what it looked like to be in a place, but what it felt like.
This is The Visual Guide to Travel Photography.
The Visual Guide to Travel Photography
I've been planning to release The Visual Guide as an ebook. While that's not out of the question at some point, I finally decided that I'd rather publish the material on The Polar Route as a series of posts. In doing so, I'm leaving the door wide open for comments, questions, and critiques along the way. At least for now, I hope this will serve as a far more interactive medium than an ebook might provide.
Here are some of the things I'm looking forward to posting as part of The Visual Guide. I'll change these to links as I post each article. Most will be posted chronologically, but some are already available:
The Visual Guide
Why Travel Photography is Inherently Challenging
Why Good Travel Photography Enhances the Travel Experience
The Pictures
The Elements of a Great Photograph
Three Steps to Great Pictures
9 Easy Ways to Start Taking Better Pictures Right Now
The Camera
Why You Don't Need A Great Camera to Take Great Pictures
The Argument for AUTO
Getting the Most Out of Your Camera
Advanced Ways to Add Artistic Interest
Your Best Picture
Dramatic Light
Cities
Landscapes
Portraits
Motion
Night Photography
Getting Fancy With It
Using Photo Filters
High Dynamic Range Photography
Flash Photography
Shooting the Stars
Post Processing
Finding Your Photographic Style
Film Is Not Dead
iPhoneogoprahy
Finding Inspiration and Sharing Your Photos