TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY AS ART - Part 1of 2

When I travel I'm not just snapping "pictures" to record where I've been. I, at least, want to tell the story of the place and sometimes these images can become fine art. Doing this takes research and planning before I go to the location and further planning after I get there, such as time of day limitations.  Where many photographers will take thousands of photos, I create hundreds of images to achieve my vision because of my targeted planning and pre-visualization.

This probably has it's roots in my film days when using Kodachrome 64 in the 135 format. With each roll of film I had 36 exposures and it was always my goal to create something great on each roll otherwise I had wasted a roll!  So, that has been my yardstick--I would say to myself, if you can't create something great in 36 frames you might as well just hang-up your camera and take-up knitting or something!  Just my way of pushing myself…

The following images are all from one of our Caribbean cruises where I sought to capture the beauty of the islands--using color, sometimes black & white, composition and detail…lots of detail.

The butterfly farms are always a challenge, because it's just like photographing flowers--you have the loss of depth of field as you go in close--but with the disadvantage that you can't be on a tripod dropping your shutter speed so you can really stop-down the lens.   At least flowers stay put and don't fly away when you approach them!

f5.6 @ 1/320 sec using 400 ISO

We did an excursion to an old cocoa plantation where we learned about the cultivation and production of chocolate. Well, at least Kathi and the others in our group learned something. I never heard any of the lecture. All I saw the marvelous light from the windows in the old warehouse that was flowing over the coca plans and the tools of the trade displayed on the old work benches.  I went into classic window light food photography mode!

f11.0 @ 1/20 sec. using 800 ISO

The challenge here was, again, no tripod. So, I could only work in hand held mode. However, the best part was that I had the freedom to arrange all the various subjects here--add or delete--and place them where I wanted them on the table for the best fall of light.  I still don't know what the heck some of the things I photographed ARE! 

After they dragged me out of the warehouse I discovered some nice details on the outside of the old buildings, too!

On our way back to the "tourist-town", as I call it,  we would always pass through the areas where the locals lived--what I've come to call colorful squalor--I usually manage to capture some striking images from our moving vehicle.

f5.6 @ 1/640 sec. using 400 ISO

Back in town I did some more details like this old historic building and a photographer's favorite--old doors.



Back on our ship for sail-away we head out to the next island and my next planned shore excursions…

See Part 2 next week for more of my favorite images in paradise.  As usual, should you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Author:  Jerry W Venz, Master Photographer, CPP
Training site: http://www.LightAtTheEdge.com