Travel Photography

Travel Photography

Traveling can provide you with the opportunity
to take some of your most interesting
photos. Foreign locations can be truly inspiring.
Filled with strange and wonderful people
and scenes they can fuel your creativity,
but don’t forget that there are many travel

Rue Damrémont, Paris, France. This is a perfect example of travel and streetphotography. This shot shows the Paris nightlife coming alive just after sunset. The ratherslow shutter speed blurs the people giving you a sense of motion while the rest of thescene is in sharp focus. Shot with a Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens zoomed to 18mm, ISO800 at f/3.5 for 1/25 second.

opportunities right in your own backyard.
Domestic travel can be just as compelling as
foreign travel.

Travel photography doesn’t just include
photo-taking. One of the most important
aspects about this type of photography
starts before you even leave for your trip

packing. Most people who have traveled
extensively know that packing light is a must.
Lugging around every piece of camera
equipment you have can be physically
exhausting. Take only what you need, but
don’t leave any essentials behind. Many
times you can cover all of your bases by
using smaller pieces of gear. If I’m going on
a short hike often I use the smaller
55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR lens rather than bringing
along a huge 70-200 f/2.8 VR. I may lose
a couple of stops of light, but I save myself
some space and weight. It’s the small things
that can make a big difference. If it’s in your
budget the 18-200mm VR lens makes an
excellent travel lens encompassing a wide
range of focal lengths in one compact lens.

Inspiration

Uncommon architecture, people, and landscape
features are just a few of the things
you may find on your ventures. Most of the
topics covered in this chapter can be related
to your travel photography, from abstracts to
landscapes to wildlife photos. The most
important part about travel photography is
to use your images to not only remember
what the place looked like, but also to convey
the feeling of the locale. For example,
when in a foreign place a few shots of the
local people can remind you of the cultural
differences that exist in some areas of the
world or even just regional differences.

View from Lafitte’s Blacksmith Bar, Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. With most
of the recent shots of New Orleans centering on the destruction from the hurricane, I
wanted to show New Orleans in a different light. This view just struck me as wholly “New
Orleanian.” Shot with a Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens zoomed to 55mm, ISO 100 at
f/5.6 for 1/800 second.

Taking Travel Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: is a shot of the statue honoring the
soldiers who fought for Texas independence. In the background is the
rotunda of the capitol building. Although I didn’t have to travel far to
take this picture, Austin is the capital of Texas and is a travel destination
for many people from here and abroad. My attempt was to show a little
bit about the spirit of Texas.

On Your Own: Try to capture the feeling and spirit that exists in
different places of the world. You can also take a series of images to tell
a story about your travels.

Lighting Practice Picture: This was shot just after sunset, using only the light
that was provided by the fading sun. I first metered on the rotunda of
the capitol to capture the color of it and the sky allowing the statue to
fall mostly in dark shadow for dramatic effect. I locked the exposure
then recomposed the shot-locking focus on the statue.

On Your Own: A lot of the time when traveling you don’t have the time
to wait for the ideal lighting conditions to come along so you may have
to make do with what you have. You can also try to plan your trip so
that you arrive at your destination when the lighting is likely to be ideal.

Lens Practice Picture: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 zoomed to 50mm. I used a
fairly long setting in order to create a close, frame-filling crop.

On Your Own: Use a wide-angle setting to capture vistas or you can
choose to zoom in to focus on smaller details. Having a zoom lens that
goes from a wide-angle to a short telephoto is almost a necessity when
traveling. This type of lens is very versatile and can be used to cover
almost any type of scene you encounter.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I used Aperture Priority mode to control the depth of field. The image was shot in RAW so I could be sure to adjust the white
balance to my preference later in post-processing.

On Your Own: Shooting in RAW can give you a little insurance in case
your camera doesn’t record the white balance or exposure exactly as
you want it.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 400 at f/2.8 for 1/50 second. I also set the
Exposure compensation to –0.7EV in order keep the statue looking
dark and giving the background colors more saturation. The aperture
was opened wider to give the capitol a softer appearance.

On Your Own: Underexposing a bit when photographing areas with
both light and dark areas can give your colors deeper saturation and
can give your image a more dramatic feel.

Travel photography tips

✦ Keep your gear close. When traveling,
especially abroad, keep a
close eye on your gear. Many
thieves target camera gear because
it’s fairly expensive and small
enough to grab and make a quick
getaway.

✦ Bring plenty of memory. There’s
nothing worse than missing a
once-in-a-lifetime shot because
you ran out of space on your SD
card. It’s also a good idea to bring
along a few memory cards. It can
be better to have four 2GB cards
as opposed to one 8GB card in
case your card fails or malfunctions.
It’s best not to have all of
your eggs in one basket.

✦ Do some research on your destination.
Knowing what type of
scenery to expect can help you to
decide what kind of equipment to
pack. For example, if you know
you’ll be shooting mostly landscapes,
a wide-angle lens will be
needed. If you’re going to be shooting
a lot of indoor subjects you may
need a fast lens or a tripod.

Sports Photography

Action and Sports
Photography

Action and sports photography is just what
it sounds like, although it doesn’t necessarily
mean your subject is engaging in some
type of sport. It can be any activity that
involves fast movement, such as your child
riding his bike down the street or someone
running across the beach. Shooting any type
of action can be tricky to even seasoned
pros because you need to be sure to shoot
at a fast-enough shutter speed to freeze the
movement of your subject.



Along with panning, I used Shutter Priority mode to control the shutter speed to freeze the motion of this car that was racing by at Memphis Motorsports Park while keeping the shutter speed slow enough to catch some motion blur. Shot on a monopod with a Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 lens zoomed to 200mm, ISO 100 at f/6.3 for 1/320 second.

Although the relatively speedy frame rate of
3 fps of the D60 comes in handy when
shooting action and sports, often the best
approach with shooting action is to get
familiar with the movement of the subject,
learn when the action is at its peak, and
then take your shot.

You can employ a number of different techniques
to decrease motion blur on your
subject. The most commonly used technique
is panning. Panning is following the
moving subject with your camera lens. With
this method, it is as if the subject is not
moving at all because your camera is moving
with it. When done correctly, the subject
should be in sharp focus while the motion
blurs the background. This effect is great for
creating the illusion of motion. While panning,
you can sometimes use a slower shutter
speed to exaggerate the effect of the
background blur. Panning can be a very difficult
technique to master and requires a lot
of practice, but the results are worth the
effort.

Using flash for action/sports photography is
not always necessary or advisable. Sometimes
you are so far away from the action
your flash won’t be effective or you may be
in a situation where flash is not allowed. In
these cases, just make sure you have a fastenough
shutter speed to freeze the motion.
You can either use a wider aperture or
higher ISO setting to be sure you get the
proper shutter speed.

Inspiration

When looking for action scenes to shoot, I
tend to gravitate toward the more exciting
and edgy events. You may find you favor
more low-key action events, but regardless
of what appeals to you, just keep your eyes
open. Nearly everywhere you look there is
some kind of action taking place.

Go to the local parks and sporting events.
Almost every weekend there is a soccer
tournament at the school across the street
from my studio. I often go there just to practice
getting action shots. Check your local
newspapers for sporting events. Often the
local skateboard shops and bike shops have
contests. I try to take pictures of people having
fun doing what they love to do.




King of Kombat Mixed Martial Arts tournament


Taking Action and Sports Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: was captured when I was photographing a
mixed martial arts tournament. I was always fascinated by the strength
and stamina of these fighters. I converted the shot to black and white
in Photoshop to give it a nostalgic feel similar to old boxing photos
from the 1950s.

On Your Own: Sporting events are a great place to find exciting action
shots. Securing an unobstructed view of the action is one of the hardest
parts when photographing sporting events. Try to show up early to
stake out the best spot.

Lighting Practice Picture: Because using flash was prohibited at this event, my
only source of light was the spotlights lighting up the ring.

On Your Own: When photographing an outdoor sporting event, if at all
possible, try to keep the sun at your back so that your subject is lit from
the front. When photographing indoors you may consider investing in a
lens with a wider aperture.

Lens Practice Picture: I used a Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 zoomed to 86mm.

On Your Own: Depending on how far you have to be from your
subject, you may want to use a telephoto lens in order to get closer to
the action. If you can get right up to the action, using a wide-angle lens
can also work.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: My camera was set to Aperture Priority mode. The
fights took place inside of a caged ring; I needed to be sure to use the
widest aperture possible to render the fence nearly invisible by having a
shallow depth of field.

On Your Own: When photographing action, setting your shutter speed
is usually the key to capturing the image properly. Whether you want to
stop motion by using a fast shutter speed or blur the background using
a slower shutter speed and panning with your subject, you want to be
able to control the shutter speed in Shutter Priority mode. In some
instances, such as this one it was necessary to switch to Aperture
Priority. Remember to be flexible because all shooting scenarios are not
equal.

Exposure Practice Picture: 1/500 at f/3.5, ISO 800. I used a relatively high ISO
to be sure to have a fast-enough shutter speed. I also set the camera to
Spot meter because the exposure on the fighters was all I was
concerned about.

On Your Own: Try to use the fastest shutter speed you can to stop
motion. If the light is dim, you may need to bump up your ISO in order
to achieve a fast shutter speed.
Accessories Using a monopod can help keep your images sharp when shooting
action shots.

Action and sports
photography tips

✦ Practice panning. Panning can be
a difficult technique to master, but
practice makes perfect. The more
time you spend practicing this, the
better you (and your images) will
get.

✦ Pay attention to your surroundings.
Often when concentrating on
getting the shot, you can forget
that there are things going on
around you. When photographing
sporting events, be sure to remember
that there may be balls flying
around or athletes on the move.
It’s better to miss a shot than to
get hurt in the process of trying to
get the shot.

✦ Know the sport. In order to be
able to effectively capture a definitive
shot, you need to be familiar
with the sport, its rules, and the
ebb and flow of the action. Being
able to predict where the action
will peak gets you better shots
than hoping that you will luck into
a shot.

142 Part II ✦ Capturing Great Images with the Nikon D60
Table 7.2 (continued)

Camera Settings Practice Picture: My camera was set to Aperture Priority mode. The
fights took place inside of a caged ring; I needed to be sure to use the
widest aperture possible to render the fence nearly invisible by having a
shallow depth of field.

On Your Own: When photographing action, setting your shutter speed
is usually the key to capturing the image properly. Whether you want to
stop motion by using a fast shutter speed or blur the background using
a slower shutter speed and panning with your subject, you want to be
able to control the shutter speed in Shutter Priority mode. In some
instances, such as this one it was necessary to switch to Aperture
Priority. Remember to be flexible because all shooting scenarios are not
equal.

Exposure Practice Picture: 1/500 at f/3.5, ISO 800. I used a relatively high ISO
to be sure to have a fast-enough shutter speed. I also set the camera to
Spot meter because the exposure on the fighters was all I was
concerned about.

On Your Own: Try to use the fastest shutter speed you can to stop
motion. If the light is dim, you may need to bump up your ISO in order
to achieve a fast shutter speed.
Accessories Using a monopod can help keep your images sharp when shooting
action shots.

Flower and Plant Photography

Flower and Plant
Photography

One of the great things about photographing
plants and flowers, as opposed to other
living things, is that you have almost unlimited
control with them. If they are potted or
cut, you can place them wherever you want,
trim off any excess foliage, sit them under a
hot lighting setup, and you never hear them
complain.



Poppy. Shot with a Nikkor 18-55mm VR lens zoomed to 55mm, ISO 100 at f/6.5 for 1/1000 second. Close-up DVP mode.

Some other great things about photographing
plants and flowers are the almost unlimited
variety of colors and textures you can
find them in. From reds and blues to purples
and yellows, the color combinations are
almost infinite. Plants and flowers are abundant,

whether purchased or wild, so there is
no shortage of subjects. Even in the dead of
winter, you can find plants to take photos of.
They don’t have to be in bloom to have an
interesting texture or tone. Sometimes the
best images of trees are taken after they
have shed all of their foliage.

Flower and plant photography also offers a
great way to show off your macro skills.
Flowers especially seem to look great when
photographed close up.

You don’t have to limit flower and plant
photography to the outdoors. You can easily
go to the local florist and pick up a bouquet
of flowers, set them up, and take photos of
them. After you’re done, you can give them
to someone special as an added bonus!



I was having breakfast at a local coffee shop one morning and decided that this vase full of flowers would make a nice shot. I positioned the vase and myself to eliminate distracting background features. The shot was lit by the ambient light in the room. Shot with a Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 lens set to 30mm, ISO 800 at f/4 for 1/15 second.

Inspiration

Walk around and look at the interesting colors
of the local flora. Pay close attention to
the way the light interacts with different
plants. A lot of the time, it is undesirable to
have a backlit subject, but the light coming
through a transparent flower petal can add
a different quality of beauty to an already
beautiful flower.

It can also be fun to make your own floral
arrangements, experimenting with different
color combinations and compositions.
Taking a trip and talking to a florist can give
you some ideas of which plants and flowers
work best together.



Succulent with complementary colors

Taking Flower and Plant Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: While having my morning tea I noticed the colors of
this succulent that I bought at a local roadside stand. I thought
complementary colors of the plant would work out well, but it wasn’t
until I previewed the image on the LCD that I noticed the additional
complementary colors of blue and orange in the background.

On Your Own: Using complementary colors such as green/purple and
blue/orange can add interest to your images.

Lighting Practice Picture: This picture was taken on the shady side of my
house in the morning. The shade provided a nice diffuse light to allow
the colors to come through without a lot of contrast.

On Your Own: Oftentimes, natural light is the best thing for lighting
plants and flowers. Even if it’s a house plant, you can take it outside
and set it in the sun.

Lens Practice Picture: Macro-Takumar 50mm f/4 with a Nikon F-mount
adaptor.

On Your Own: Macro lenses often work well with smaller plants.
Additionally a lens with a wide zoom range can offer you quite a bit of
compositional leeway, allowing you a wide-angle view or zoomed in to
isolate a specific detail.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: I set the camera to Manual because the lens I was
using was a manual focus lens. I had to estimate the exposure using
the Sunny 16 rule because this was a non-CPU lens and the camera’s
meter does not work with these types of lenses.

On Your Own: Be sure to pay attention to the differences between the
shadows and the highlights and expose the image so that everything
retains detail. You may want Aperture Priority to be able to control your
depth of field or use the Close-up DVP mode.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 200 at f/5.6 for 1/60 second. The lighting here
wasn’t very bright so I raised the ISO to 200 to get a fast-enough
shutter speed to eliminate any blur from camera shake.

On Your Own: Keep an eye on your camera exposure settings when
shooting and adjust your ISO accordingly if the shutter speed isn’t fast
enough to get the right exposure.

Accessories You may not always be shooting in bright sunlight so a tripod can come
in handy if the lighting is dim and your shutter speed drops below an
acceptable limit for handheld shooting.

Architectural Photography

Architectural Photography

Buildings and structures surround us, and
many architects pour their hearts and souls
into designing buildings that are interesting
to the casual observer. This may be why
architectural photography is so popular.



Austin City Hall, Austin, Texas. Because this building is new and modern looking, I used perspective distortion in my favor to accentuate the converging lines of the building. Using a tripod that sits just a few inches off the ground to shoot up at the building and a fairly wide angle of 18mm gave the image plenty of distortion, which makes it more interesting. A long shutter speed allowed the moving clouds to create a surreal blur in the sky. Shot with a Nikkor 18-55mm VR lens. ISO 200 at f/9 for 10 seconds.

Despite the fact that buildings are such familiar,
everyday sights, photographing them can
be technically challenging—especially when
you’re taking pictures of large or extremely
tall buildings. A number of different problems
can arise, the main one being perspective
distortion. Perspective distortion is when
the closest part of the subject appears irregularly
large and the farthest part of the subject
appears abnormally small. Think about
standing at the bottom of a skyscraper and
looking straight up to the top.

Professional architectural photographers
have special cameras that allow them to
correct for the distortion. Unfortunately, you
can’t make these types of adjustments in a
dSLR camera. You have to either fix the
image using software or work with the perspective
distortion to make a dynamic and
interesting image.



City of Austin Power Plant, Austin, Texas. I specifically chose a wide-angle setting to fit the building in the frame. I used a Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens set to 18mm, ISO 100 at f/9 for 1/250 second, Active D-Lighting ON. I used a small aperture to ensure that everything in the photo was sharp.

Inspiration

Because buildings and architecture are all
around us, there are limitless possibilities to
shoot. Try looking for buildings with architectural
features that you may enjoy, such as
art deco, Gothic, or modern. The building
doesn’t necessarily have to be in tip-top
condition. Sometimes photographing a
building in a state of disrepair can give you
an excellent image.

Taking Architectural Pictures

Setup Practice Picture: For figure 7.9, I photographed the Barsana Dham
Hindu temple located near Austin, Texas. I decided to photograph this
building because it is so dissimilar from other architecture in Austin.

On Your Own: Buildings are literally everywhere, but that doesn’t mean
you have to photograph a huge skyscraper or giant structure. Even a
small bungalow can make an interesting architectural photograph.

Lighting Practice Picture: This picture was shot in the afternoon so the building
was lit entirely by the sun.

On Your Own: When shooting during the day, be sure the sun is facing
the side of the building you’re photographing to ensure a good exposure.
Shooting a backlit building can cause the sky to blow out when the
building is properly exposed, or when the sky is properly exposed the
building will appear too dark. Night is also a fantastic time to take
architectural shots because architects and landscape designers often use
lighting to create an entirely different look to a building at night.
Lens Practice Picture: For this photo, I used the Nikkor 18-55mm VR kit
lens zoomed to 18mm to be able to fit this rather large building in the
frame.

On Your Own: Generally, a wide-angle lens setting is used for close-up
architectural shots; when you can put some distance between you and
the structure you can zoom in a bit. A good wide-to-short telephoto
lens like the 18-55mm is a good choice to cover most architectural
shots.

Camera Settings Practice Picture: My camera was set to Aperture Priority and Matrix
metering. I chose these settings because I knew the bright sky would
fool the meter into underexposing the shadow on the building. Matrix
metering takes the whole scene into account and adjusts the exposure
so that you have less of a chance for blown-out highlights in a bright
sky. I also had the Active D-Lighting on and set to high to reduce some
of the contrast caused by the bright midday sun.

On Your Own: Oftentimes when shooting static objects like buildings
you can set up your camera and use the built-in light meter to
determine your settings and adjust them as you see fit. Be sure to take
into consideration the light source, especially when photographing at
night.

Exposure Practice Picture: ISO 100 at f/5 for 1/800 second.
On Your Own: Achieving a good depth of field is important in
architectural photography so using a rather small aperture is usually
advisable. Keep your ISO low for the best image quality.

Accessories A tripod is one of the best tools you can use for architectural photography.
Even in fairly bright sunlight, using a small aperture can
sometimes make for slow shutter speeds. A tripod keeps your images
sharp.