Beyond the Postcard

Presentation summary

Tom & Nancy Donahoe

 

 

There are two types of travel pictures, 1) photos which document the trip but are mostly snapshots or postcard-type pictures for personal memorabilia but not for sharing with others, and 2) photos which may be of interest to anyone interested in photography.  These images are not intended to document the trip but may capture the essence or spirit of place.  Those of us seriously interested in photography are probably trying to do both when we travel.

 

Postcard shots are generally of a well-recognized subject which is always there for the taking.  They usually do not have a distinctive, in the moment, one-of-kind quality – an element which makes the picture come alive.  In most cases that element will be the foreground.  Almost all landscapes or cityscapes benefit from something in the foreground.  The foreground can contribute a number of things to a picture – scale, perspective, framing, balance, energy, visual interest, and leading of the eye.

 

Beyond-the-postcard photography benefits greatly from pre-trip planning.  On our trip to Paris, Prague, and the Danube, it was very helpful to have a list of themes which we were looking for.  With themes in mind, our picture taking became more like an assignment in photojournalism.  From our various photography activities we had a pre-trip list of about 20 themes.  We discovered additional themes while we were there and even a couple more after we got home and looked at the photographs.  Here are themes we came home with: sunrise/early morning; street events; street art; ceilings; modern technology in an old world setting; everyone’s a photographer; relationship of viewer to art in museums; life mirrors art; public affection; children; fun-loving youth groups; and night. 

 

In addition to wonderful light, early morning photography has other advantages: isolated people; no people, no clutter; and morning activities – exercise, commuting, reading the paper, drinking coffee.  Night photography in European cities is an exciting subject because they are so beautifully illuminated, but a tripod is required for long exposures. To capture the star burst effect from street lamps, etc., a night photo should be shot at the highest possible f-stop.

 

We spent a day walking the streets of Paris with professional photographer David Henry.  He emphasized angle of view, what he calls the XYZ axis – where the camera should be horizontally (moving to left or right), vertically (getting low or trying to get higher), as well as distance from the subject. Determining the camera’s place on the axis is an exercise in envisioning the final photograph.  Not many photographs benefit from being shot at eye level. Most often in street photography the best angle is low and close.  A low angle can eliminate distracting backgrounds and make the subject stand out. It also makes the photographer less obtrusive.  Getting close to the subject with a wide-angle lens, while holding the camera low without looking through the viewfinder, is an effective way to take unobtrusive photographs.  But it helps a lot to have a level device on the camera.

 

A neat bubble-head level which fits into the camera’s hot shoe can be obtained from Kirk Enterprises for $33.00.  Its customary use is to level the camera on a tripod.

 

For really professional “beyond the postcard” photography, check out David Henry’s web site (www.davidphenry.com).  David did the Paris photographs for the Illustrated deVinci Code. On his homepage there is a link to his one-on-one Paris Workshops.