Photographing Your Vacation
by Monte Nagler

Warm weather is here. Summer is just around the corner. Now is the time most of us begin planning for that upcoming vacation.

Part of the planning should be preparing for your photography while on the trip.

Listed here are some tips that will help you bring home those winning shots.
-Make sure you're thoroughly familiar with all the features and controls on your camera. Even reread the instruction manual. Practice with a roll of film before you leave and become an expert at changing lenses and film quickly.

-And speaking about film, take enough to get you through the trip, usually a roll per day. Decide in advance if you want slide or print film and select a medium speed that will enable you to cope with a variety of lighting situations. But also take along a few rolls of fast film for those low light shots you're bound to encounter. Important: if traveling by air, either request a visual inspection of your film at security stations or use a lead-lined film pouch.

-Travel light, but don't leave an important piece of equipment home. In addition to your camera and normal lens, a wide angle and moderate telephoto will cover most picture taking situations. You'll find zoom lenses very useful on a trip, too. A small flash unit and collapsible tripod will come in handy and a polarizer filter will add important impact to your scenic shots.

-Do some planning before you leave. If going abroad, study the people, locales and customs. If staying in the USA, read up on the national parks or other points of interest you'll be visiting to get some photographic ideas.
-Include people in some of your shots. People at work or play are an integral part of any environment especially when engaged in traditional crafts and events.

-Go beyond staged events. Real people and real places are far better subjects than staged events for the tourist's benefit. "Real" photographs will better help to understand a country and its people.

-Look for the unusual. An obscure street scene or other out of the way image should be part of your vacation portfolio. Try to show a familiar, frequently photographed subject from a different point of view, too.

-Don't pass up pictures on the way. Many good photographic opportunities are missed by ignoring interesting things en route because it's felt better pictures are waiting at the final destination. Taking pictures along the way also helps to make your trip coverage complete.