Composition Photo Workshop

Chapter 9. TRAVEL AND SCENIC PHOTOGRAPHY

PACKING YOUR CAMERA BAG

SCOPING OUT YOUR LOCATION

PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE ON LOCATION

Prior to the end of the Paleolithic period, prehistoric humans subsisted for more than two million years by organizing in hunter-gatherer societies, characterized chiefly by a nomadic existence. One might argue, then, that modern people's seemingly innate desire to travel is a remnant of these early ancestors' survival instincts. After all, who among us does not love travel? It is the rare individual indeed who would rather stay home than visit someplace new. This might explain why, although people represent the most common subjects for photographers, travel destinations — scenic landscapes, vibrant cityscapes, and the like — rank a close second (see 9-1).

There is nothing like landing in a fresh environment — whether it's the heretofore unexplored woods down the road from your home or a city in a country you've never visited before — to get the photographer's creative juices flowing. In this chapter, you learn how to capture dynamic and exciting scenic photographs, including skylines, monuments, buildings, marketplaces, signs, and landscapes, plus the people you meet along the way. The result: images that make your viewer want to hop the first flight to the scene you've photographed (see 9-2).

Figure 9-1. Try to sum up what's unique about a location. In this image ...