Many club members are world travelers, off to far-flung locations to explore and to capture images. Among that group of itchy-footed adventurers are Dave and Lynn Haggarty.
On November 11, the Haggartys generously shared some of the knowledge they have gained in traveling in such disparate locations as Indonesia, Namibia, China, and Iceland, among other destinations. They have traveled by cruise ship, by sailing ship, and overland in rental cars, local trains and buses.
Their presentation, “Travel Smarts”, addressed the perennial question “How do you get good travel pictures?” Their advice: start by being in the right place at the right time.
Of course, that is not always easy when one is constrained by other people’s schedules and expectations when on a cruise or organized tour, or even with family and friends. Interspersing their talk with several short slide shows, Dave and Lynn discussed realistic expectations and ways to minimize photographic disappointments when on the road.
In addition to personal research, the Haggartys stressed using travel agents who are photographers themselves, such as Unik Travel‘s Carole Gobeil, who arranged their Indonesia tour. Unik also specializes in Canadian Arctic small-ship adventure cruises. Agencies like Somerset Street’s Tinbo will arrange English-speaking guides and your own car and driver throughout China.
This kind of personalized travel doesn’t cost much more than group trips, and you’re assured of being in charge of your own itinerary and pace to make your shots count. Guides are particularly valuable in places like China or Russia, where language and even the ability to read the signs are issues.
On the topic of cruising, the Haggartys have found repositioning cruises provide good value, particularly to get to unusual locales such as Ghana or Senegal, their tip being to spend several extra days in departure/arrival cities at either end of the cruise.
By staying centrally and walking or using public transit, you can easily return at different times and for light conditions to really work areas and themes that entice, as Dave illustrated with slide shows of the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood in Capetown and Harpa conference centre in Reykjavik.
Taking small-group photo tours with experienced photographers, some of whom they’ve met at RA weekly presentations, was another key strategy. When it comes to cruising, their favorites have been under sail, in the Caribbean on the “Royal Clipper” and – their top choice – in BC’s coastal waters, on the Outer Shores cruise lines for intimate, casual sailing affording opportunities to photograph the rare Spirit Bear and other gems of BC’s nature and native culture. Adventure Canada now operates the cruise line the Haggartys used when they traveled in the Arctic.
Their slide show “Close Enough to Pet” included images of polar and spirit bears plus Africa’s “Big Five”, mostly taken in South Africa’s Kruger Park region at Kapama Game Reserve (booked at the Ottawa Travel Show through Oakville’s Go Touch Down).
Ending with several of their favorite shots from around the world, Dave and Lynn focused on using your equipment well, with the overall message of letting most of the work be done by today’s smart cameras (called by an earlier presenter this year “computers with a lens attached”) and using automatic settings to help capture those otherwise-elusive shots: for example, having your camera in Shutter Priority with ISO of 1200 or more to catch drive-bys from a moving car or bus; using in-camera HDR or Panorama modes; Aperture priority for landscape; and even having some fun using special effects such as posterization; and occasional video to catch charming moments. Their overall message: being out of your normal element when travelling is a trigger to creativity.
Other Tips
From Bill Woodley: Be sure to talk to hotel staff about what areas are safe to visit, both during the day and after dark.
From Gwen Williams: Take a private tour with a knowledgeable local person as your tour guide. Gwen recommends ToursByLocals, which employs over 1,600 local guides in 130 countries.
From Jim Robertson: Purchase local currencies before traveling. While many locations accept US cash, they usually charge a premium for doing so; you may want to determine how much local cash you need for particular activities, and then avail yourself of an automated teller to get the local currency. If you want to purchase foreign currency before traveling, Jim recommends Altaif Currency Exchange, at 1729 Bank Street, which charges less than the banks. Slightly more expensive, but still costing less than the banks, is the Ottawa Foreign Currency Exchange, at 1500 Bank Street.
From Heather Dawe: If you are going to be in a foreign country for an extended period of time (a month or more), open a bank account there, so you can get a debit card from that bank to use while you are traveling, to save on bank charges on your Canadian account. When I went to New Zealand, I set up a Bank of New Zealand account in Canada and transferred funds to it. You will have to go into the bank when you arrive to get your debit card and sign the appropriate documents. Your Canadian bank should be able to advise you on details of setting up an account in another country.
Other travel resources
Take advantage of others’ experience and knowledge by visiting the forums on travel advice sites. You can search the questions that have already been answered, or pose your own questions.
Advice from Other Travelers
- Tips for Traveling Light & Wisely
- Framed and Exposed: Tips for the Traveling Photographer
- Travel Photography Tips for the Minimalist Traveler
Advice from RAPC Members
Let’s make the most of all the knowledge you have gained in your adventures. Add your own travel tips to this thread on the General Discussion Forumon the RA Photo Club web site.
Thanks to Lynn Haggarty for the notes on which this article is based.
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