NZPhotographer Issue 61, November 2022

POST-COVID TRAVEL TIPS
When heading out for your first international trip post-
Corona, a definite recommendation is to take as
little gear as possible. Unfortunately, the new level
of control authorities gained during the pandemic
has not been lost on security lines at airports. They
definitely seem more rabid than they did in the past!
If you’re travelling with a tripod, no matter how small,
check it in; the same goes for a drone, but you must have
all batteries for this and your other photographic gear in
your carry-on as they risk causing fires if placed in cargo.
Having your drone (minus the batteries) in checked
baggage makes you more likely to have it overlooked. A
friend of mine, just this week, was on a 3-hour layover at
New Delhi airport and had his drone “stolen” at security
because he had it in a carry-on. The guys on the x-ray
machine said it was a security risk. Obviously not, but
they took it, and there was nothing he could do. If you’re
heading to the Middle East however, leave your drone
at home - they are illegal in many countries, particularly
Egypt and Iran, so check before you go.
TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
Remember, when you’re on vacation, don’t expect
too much from yourself. If it’s your first time in a country
or at a destination, you really can’t expect to get the
hero shot the first time out. Slow down and take in the
experience, don’t put too many places on your mustsee
list; otherwise, it will all flash by in a second, and you
won’t get those great shots, nor will you be present in
that special moment at that place you so longed to
see. Remember, be here now, be there later.
Try to plan your day around the best times to shoot,
don’t go to a special place in the middle of the day
if photographing it is your aim. Wake early, go to bed
early, and you’ll be ready for that beautiful soft light
right after sunrise and right before sunset.
It’s always good to research taking your tripod before
you head out for a sunset shoot in a square, at a
temple or a site. In some countries, they don’t mind
at all; in others, they’re dead set against it and often
for illogical reasons. I was surprised here in Vietnam
that I was allowed to take it up to the SkyDeck on
the 49th floor for a late afternoon shot overlooking
the city. And in Luxor, Egypt, I only had to pay a small
extra fee, and I could take it into the 3,400-year-old
Luxor Temple for a sunset shot. On the other hand,
I remember trying to use it at Britomart in Auckland
and was chased away by a security dude! More
recently, in Dubai, where they are very paranoid
about DSLR cameras and tripods, I had been invited
to shoot sunset at the Address Beach Hotel but was
then told I couldn’t use my tripod, what?! Therefore, I
often search the site’s website ahead of a visit, some
will clearly say no tripods are allowed. If there is no
mention, you can search Tripadvisor and add ‘tripod’
to your search engine query. If you do rock up with
your tripod and they won’t let you take it in, most
ticket offices will hold it for you until you exit.
Karachi City, Pakistan - Environmental Portrait
Canon 6D Mk1, Canon EF50mm F/1.4 USM lens
@ F1.8, 1/400s, ISO320
Travel photography has to be the most pleasurable of
all forms of photography. It’s broad and encompasses
landscapes, street, and environmental portraits in
which you tell people’s stories in the place they live
or work; many countries allow you the opportunity to
photograph people going about their everyday lives.
This is such a gift for the travelling photographer.
If you want to get your shutter mojo back
after lockdown, aim for a country where street
photography is easy and fun - anywhere in Asia and
even parts of Africa. That way, you know you’ll come
home with lots of great images.
CONCLUSION
I hope you have enjoyed my series “From the Road”
and that it provided you with travel inspiration
and kept the flame lit for your lust for international
destinations and cultures during that awful period
of the pandemic. For me, it has been a pleasure
recounting my experiences over the past two years,
and I truly hope you are inspired to head out and
create your own epic travel moments.
So, without further ado, it’s ciao from me for now,
this is the end of “From the Road” however I will be
back from time to time writing some travel features
for the magazine as I find new inspiration in the next
year. Thank you all for reading, and good luck in your
exploration of this beautiful planet.
www.youtube.com/girlsontheloose1