By Simon Clark
Asia is quite simply a photographer’s paradise…the energy, beauty and the wonderful people mean that you can’t fail to take some incredible photos during your travels.
Equipment
Plan your equipment list carefully. Take what you will need, not what you might need, especially if you plan to be active. It’s amazing how frustrating the weight of your equipment will become in the heat of a country like Cambodia whilst climbing the temples of Anchor.
A good wide angle lens is imperative. My widest lens is a 35mm. Most photographers prefer wider lenses, I guess it down to personal preference, however I love shooting this focal length and have chosen not to use super wide lenses. Whatever width you chose I would suggest that this lens will spend the majority of the time on your camera.
The other lens I would definatley include is a small to medium telephoto. Something like a 70-200mm zoom is perfect and is the second lens I use all of the time. I rarely take anything bigger unless I know I will need it for something specific such as shooting wildlife. I have always found that if my lens is a little short I can always move closer. Remember that if you are shooting a digital camera, most of them will magnify a 200mm to the equivalent of around 300mm.
I am not as keen for the do everything zoom, wide angle through telephoto, as they are generally limited in their range and speed and in some cases quality. Obviously your budget is an issue and I have to suggest that I would prefer to spend my money on the travel experience rather than more equipment if I think I can make do.
A good flash is always included in my kit, although I rarely use it.
To me, a tripod is a waste of space. I treat it as I would big lenses. If I know I will definitely need one then I’ll pack it, however I won’t take one for the just-in-case scenario. You are better to use one of those mini giveaway ones on a rock… or just a rock.
You bag is important. I have a small daypack that takes everything that is not continually needed and a belt with a number of small bags on it to carry my lenses, batteries, spare body (if you have one), flash, and important documents. This spreads the weight.
A single, large camera bag that hangs on one shoulder is bearable for very short trips of a couple of days; however it will soon destroy your back.
Caring for your camera in the field
I travel with a small cleaning kit consisting of a cotton cloth for cleaning my lens, cleaning fluid, Digital sensor cleaners, a blower brush, a medium paint brush for dusting off the exterior of my gear, and a small “spotting” paint brush for picking of small specks of dust from the digital sensor. This saves doing a full sensor clean in the field most of the time.
A couple of wraps or sheets of cloth can be very helpful if you find yourself in dusty conditions. This could be as simple as an old tee shirt, something big enough to cover you camera but small enough that you don’t notice it in your bag.
Try and keep your gear dry and clean. If you do get it wet make sure you dry it down immediately.
Digital Film
I carry the equivalent of around twenty 36 exposure films worth of storage in memory cards. I would expect on an average day to shoot between 8-12 rolls of film, however, there is nothing worse than running out of cards right when something fantastic is unfolding in front of you.
For the same reason, I try to download and back up your images as often as possible. Do it daily even if you have only shot a small number of images. If you can, backup your images in two places, and keep each back up separate to minimise risk. There are a number of companies that sell “digital wallets” that are small enough to carry but with enough storage to last you weeks in the field.
Conventional Film
Film is cheap, and it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Take different speeds. These days colour negative film is excellent. I would tend to choose 400asa as my standard stock as I tend to shoot more like a photojournalist, although many prefer 100asa. I see little point in shooting 200asa colour negative as I think that modern 400asa is just as good. Try taking a number of high speed rolls 800asa or1600asa as you sometimes find yourself in low light conditions where the use of flash is prohibited or inappropriate.
Transparency film is a little different. I don’t like to shoot anything faster than Kodak E200 pushed one stop to 400asa.
The bottom line is, if you know and like a film them use it as your main stock, as it is not the time to test a new type of film.
Light
Most people have heard of the term “magic hour”. It’s the hours before and after sunset and sun rise. The sun is low, warm, and creates beautiful textures. If you can, only shoot in these conditions… Of course most people don’t have this luxury. Do try and get out before sunrise as often as you can, or as often your partner will let you, as it is a magical time to be shooting and Asia tends to start early.
The first rule that most people learn when they get their first camera is “keep the sun behind you”. I think that if you are shooting the magic hour it’s hard to go wrong wherever the sun is.
The difficult time to shoot is in the daylight when the sun is high and strong. I will always try and shoot into the direction of the sun. I find this creates a more dynamic energy in the light; however, this can create difficulties with exposure. I find you generally need to add a little exposure to keep the foreground from becoming to dark. Some photographers will add a little flash to help this problem as well. I guess it’s something for you to try, if you haven’t already.
Composition
This I believe is personal. A photograph that I enjoy will be disliked by others. There many books and websites that are dedicated to teaching photographers and I recommend reading as many as you feel.
These are a couple of pointers to try to remember:
Move
Too many people stand and look without moving. Walk around the entire space/subject. Look at the light and how it changes. Kneel down, lie down, climb to a high vantage point, or stand on a chair. Try to offer a point of view that you don’t normally see when you are “standing and looking”.
Get in close
Get over shyness. If you’ve been given the nod by the subject then explore it. There are obviously risks and you have to judge the situation, but if you have permission then push it. You will surprise yourself.
Watch the edges of the frame
The context surrounding your subject says as much about the subject as the subject itself. I like to scan the edge on the frame while shooting. You don’t always have to look at the subject. You know they’re still there and if they haven’t moved they will still be in focus so start looking around the edge of the frame to add interest to the composition.
Involving others/interacting with others
Many Asians do not like having their photo taken. It is considered very rude and intrusive to do so without asking (and lets be fair, you’d feel the same way, day after day).
However, a simple gesture with your camera, or better still, to ask them in their own language will often be greeted with a smile and a nod.
If you have a digital camera you will find you can quickly breakdown barriers by showing them your photo on the screen. Try and keep control of this as you will soon find everyone wants to see and before long you have a flat battery.
If you offer to send someone a copy, try and make sure that you do. There are many occurrences of people travelling back to a region several years after their first visit and finding their photo gracing the wall of a shop or a home!
We do not suggest that you reward people with money for a pose as this creates a demand for future visitors
Top tip
Remember to stop and take in the experience once in a while. It is easy to get carried away with trying to get the shot and forget to experience the moment.
The key do’s and don’ts
Do
- take every chance you get to recharge your camera batteries and carry a spare.
- carry plenty of memory card.
- ask before taking someone’s picture.
- KISS – keep it simple stupid.
- back up your camera disk/memory card. Alternatively you can email the images to a friend for safe keeping if they are not too big.
Don’t
- post film home as an alternative to carrying it. If you have to send film, use an international courier such as DHL or FEDEX and let them know it’s film.
- switch your camera off whilst in a good location. Those vital few seconds waiting for it to switch on could well miss you the image of the holiday.
- be afraid to experiment….follow the simple guidelines and try different options.
Simon Clark provided much of the imagery used within this website. To see more of his work or to contact him please visit www.eyebox.net