{"id":19669,"date":"2014-11-14T19:10:15","date_gmt":"2014-11-15T00:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.raphotoclub.ca\/wp\/?p=19669"},"modified":"2014-11-14T20:51:35","modified_gmt":"2014-11-15T01:51:35","slug":"travel-smarts-presentation-by-dave-and-lynn-haggarty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raphotoclub.ca\/wp\/?p=19669","title":{"rendered":"Travel Smarts \u2013 Presentation by Dave and Lynn Haggarty"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many club members are world travelers, off to far-flung locations to explore and to capture images. Among that group of itchy-footed adventurers\u00a0are Dave and Lynn Haggarty.<\/p>\n

On November 11, the\u00a0Haggartys generously shared \u00a0some 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.<\/p>\n

Their presentation, \u201cTravel Smarts\u201d, addressed the perennial question “How do you get good travel pictures?” Their advice: start by being in the right place at the right time.<\/p>\n

\"Gemsbok<\/a>
Gemsbok in Namibia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Of course, that is not always easy when one is constrained\u00a0by other people\u2019s schedules and expectations when on a cruise or organized tour, or even with family and friends. \u00a0Interspersing their talk with several short slide shows, Dave and Lynn\u00a0discussed realistic expectations and ways to minimize photographic disappointments when on the road.<\/p>\n

In addition to personal research, the Haggartys stressed using travel agents who are photographers themselves, such as Unik Travel<\/a>‘s Carole Gobeil,\u00a0who arranged their Indonesia tour. \u00a0Unik also specializes in Canadian Arctic small-ship adventure cruises.\u00a0Agencies like Somerset Street\u2019s Tinbo<\/a>\u00a0will arrange English-speaking guides and your\u00a0own car and driver throughout China.<\/p>\n

\"Ijen<\/a>
Ijen Crater In East Java<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sulfur<\/a>
Sulfur Miner in Ijen Crater In East Java<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This kind of personalized travel doesn’t cost much more than group trips, and you\u2019re 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\u00a0are\u00a0issues.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Royal<\/a>
Royal Clipper in Caribbean (Star Clipper Line)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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 \u201cRoyal Clipper\u201d and \u2013 their top choice \u2013 in BC\u2019s coastal waters, on the Outer Shores<\/a>\u00a0cruise lines\u00a0for intimate, casual sailing affording opportunities to photograph the rare Spirit Bear and other gems of BC\u2019s nature and native culture. Adventure Canada<\/a> now operates the cruise line the Haggartys used when they traveled in the Arctic.<\/p>\n

\"Arctic<\/a>
Arctic Walruses off Baffin Island<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Their slide show \u201cClose Enough to Pet\u201d included images of polar and spirit bears plus Africa\u2019s \u201cBig Five\u201d, mostly taken in South Africa\u2019s Kruger Park region at Kapama Game Reserve<\/a> (booked at the Ottawa Travel Show through Oakville\u2019s Go Touch Down<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Ending with several of their favorite shots from around the world, Dave and Lynn\u00a0focused on using your equipment well, with the overall message of letting most of the work be done by today\u2019s smart cameras (called by an earlier presenter this year \u201ccomputers with a lens attached\u201d) 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.<\/p>\n

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Other Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n

From Bill Woodley: \u00a0Be sure to talk to hotel staff about what areas are safe to visit, both during the day and after dark.<\/p>\n

From Gwen Williams: Take a private tour with a knowledgeable local person as your tour guide. Gwen recommends ToursByLocals<\/a>, which employs over 1,600 local guides in 130 countries.<\/p>\n

From Jim Robertson: Purchase\u00a0local 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\u00a0an automated teller to get the local currency. If you want to\u00a0purchase foreign currency before traveling, Jim recommends\u00a0Altaif Currency Exchange<\/a>, 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<\/a>, at 1500 Bank Street.<\/p>\n

From Heather Dawe:\u00a0\u00a0If 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\u00a0get 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\u00a0Bank of New Zealand\u00a0account in Canada and transferred funds to it. You will have to go into the bank when you arrive to get your\u00a0debit 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.<\/p>\n

Other travel resources<\/strong><\/p>\n

Take advantage of others’ experience and knowledge by visiting the\u00a0forums on \u00a0travel advice sites. You can search the questions that have already been answered, or pose your own questions.<\/p>\n