Page 55 - Australian Photography - September 2017

PHOTO TIPS: TA K E YOUR STR E E T PHOTOGR A PH Y ABROAD

f you want to rekindle your creativity and satisfy Nón lá Series, Hoi An, Vietnam. On a
your cravings for new streetscapes, characters photography trip remember to reflect on
and stories, travel is the way to go. It’ll give you the pure joy of putting aside your routine to
indulge in your craft. Savour the feeling and
Ia chance to reflect on your life and values, rein-
let it reflect in your photography. Pentax K5,
vigorate your creativity and your love for your craft. But Sigma lens 17-70mm. 1/125s @ f4.5, ISO 400.
with a seemingly endless number of places to go and
ways to get there, where should you start?

THE ORGANISED TOUR
An organised tour is the ideal way to begin your street
photography adventures abroad. Travelling with a pho-
tographer guide on a tried and tested itinerary means
you can relax and really indulge in your photography.
Get to know the work of the photographer you’d be
travelling with. If their style resonates with you, their
mentoring and choice of itinerary probably will too.
Read through the itineraries carefully and use
Google images to give you a visual insight into where
you would be going. You should feel confident that
there will be plenty of street photography opportuni-
ties, remembering that street photography is not just
limited to urban areas.
You should also decide what it is you want out of the
experience. For example if it’s photography mentoring
you want, is there enough time allocated for this? Or
if relaxation and free-time is needed, is the pace of the
itinerary too rushed or regimented? If you are planning
to go on your own, are solo travellers well catered for?
Most photography tours run an information session
before you sign up. This is an opportunity to ask ques-
tions, meet the organiser and your potential travelling
companions. If everything seems great but you de-
cide you’d rather travel with people you know, ask the
organiser about the possibility of arranging a private tour
if you can get a small group together.

CREATE YOUR OWN
The other option is to create your own trip, which has
the added benefit of saving on cost.
I like to stay in one place if I can. It gives you time
to really get to know the area, it’s characters and hid-
den gems. Build in some half-day and full-day excur-
sions to add interest and variety and, if you can, or-
ganise an outing with a local photographer. Choose
a well located hotel as comfortable as your budget
will allow and introduce yourself to the manager who
could become a useful contact.
If you want to visit multiple places or get off the beat-
en track, enlist the help of a travel agent with experi-

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