10 Travel Photography Tips for a Safe Trip
My first experience as a documentary journalist was for a non profit organization in Ecuador. The experience was breathtaking. Beautiful people. Gorgeous landscape. Diverse cities. The interest and variety seemed to take me by the hand and pull me along every single day of the assignment.
I spent three weeks all over the country; from dangerous suburbs to tourist towns. One day in particular I learned an interesting lesson about being a travel photographer.
I was hunting around the city for an authentic Ecuadorian journal to bring back home with me. One tourist and another photojournalist accompanied me. We hunted 3 hours and couldn’t find a journal. We did however, find out that there was a group of Ecuadorian men following us. A young girl had overheard them talking on a street corner. They had planned to follow us to a certain street, stop us, take our gear, and rob us.
The story sounds far more adventurous than it’s outcome. In the end, we simply went back up to the main square and met up with a few additional travelers. The tips I brought back did last me a lot longer than a journal:
- Travel with insurance on your equipment: You never know when your equipment might get stolen.
- Travel with a buddy: Especially in third world countries, there’s always chance of a photographer getting jumped.
- Watch your surroundings: it’s important to stay alert when traveling to third world foregin countries. Watch what is happening around you. Don’t get lost in your own thoughts. Be aware.
- Be confident and blend in: You can tell the difference between a well seasoned travelor and a neophite. The clothing they wear. The way they walk. Chances are, if you act like you know what’s going on and where you are headed, you’ll be left alone.
- If you notice someone following you, find a shop in a commons area: Put away your equipment and call the police.
- Have an emergency number: The embassy is always handy to have but even the hotel where you are staying.
- Take pictures of your receipts: Need to keep tabs on your expenses? Pictures of reciepts always come in handy. Review them, file them away later, and you have records without the mess.
- Have a journalists pad: Keep business cards of people you meet, important places, and other misc. items in your pad. This also is useful for when you want to send pictures back to the people you met. Simply write the date, take the picture, and viola! Your set!
- Keep records: There’s nothing worse than being unable to remember where your you took your best images. Locations aren’t always the easiest to remember off the top of your head. In the back of your jouranlists pad, keep a catologue for future reference. By date, write all of the locations you went to. Be sure that your camera is set to the correct date and time when you travel.
- Be smart: If you are traveling with thousands of dollars in equipment, don’t do anything stupid unless you want to replace it.
38 Responses to “10 Travel Photography Tips for a Safe Trip” - Add Yours
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:39 am
good tips, thank you
some people don’t have common sense or maybe just haven’t traveled much
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:40 am
Oh great advice! I’m going to Costa Rica in December and I would feel lost without bringing my dSLR and say my EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS lens. Definitely will be insuring all of my gear!
I’ll also be looking for a worn-looking bag to put my gear in while we walk around the towns. I plan on only taking the camera out when I need to take a photo. I’ve been told not to flaunt it around, it looks big and expensive.
If i don’t bring my camera I’ll be miserable during the whole trip.
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:01 am
Nice tips.
It’s good to be safe at first than sorry later. :)
To the above list, I would like to add;
1) While travelling keep your equipment close to you & not to catch a nap during the voyage.
2) If possible one must travel in a bunch.
3) It’s alway better not to take out your equipments in red alert areas.
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:05 am
One thing I did in Costa Rica was to bring my old, beat up camera bag. Although I also took my older film camera when I went (I didn’t have a DSLR at the time). Do bring your gear to CR though, you’ll be terribly sad without it!
I’ve seen other travel bloggers that have dirtied up their camera for such trips (masking tape covered in Sharpie seems to be popular). It covers up the shiny parts, and makes your camera look less expensive.
Personally, I’d like to see an article on how you get involved in doing things like this. Do you just approach a non-profit group and see if they’ll let you travel with and document them? What are the advantages, to them, of having you along?
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:17 am
This is good advice even if you’re travelin’ local, like I do. Going to unknown areas always has a risk.
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:39 am
Wow, very interesting the post, because I am Ecuadorian, and actually I work in the area of the picture that you put above.
Ecuador as other countries, have safe areas and little dangerous areas, of course if you are walking alone you have the risk to get robbed your gear not only in Ecuador, also in NY, or Madrid, but Darren I am very sorry that you had almost that bad incident in Ecuador, I am happy that nothing happened to you, but dont get a bad impression of my country.
As for my experience I travel around in some countries and I can say that not only in third world countries we have to be cautions with our gear, any place that we go we have to pay attention to our gear, even here in the city that I am living now Seoul, I try usually to go with some friend to take pictures, it is better if we can go between 2 of 3 people when taking pictures, even for some help for different reasons, at least they can takes us a good picture.
Darren or any other photographer that is planning to go to Ecuador in the next 3 months, let me know. I am will be more that happy to go around with you, and take some pictures, just send me an e-mail.
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:39 am
Viola! You need a spellchecker.
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:02 am
Definitely take your camera if you’re going to CR! I spent 4 months there studying, and it’s absolutely amazing! There are lots of local in San Jose that speak English and can tell you where the dangerous areas might be. Of course, that MAY be biased, as there is a lot of racism against black Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans (and they may tell you the areas where a lot of them live are the dangerous areas, which may not be true…). But there are certainly areas of the city that you shouldn’t go, and if you’re a female, NEVER walk around alone at night, no matter where you are. But the others are right–look like you know what you’re doing and where you’re going, and you should be good.
Overall CR is pretty safe, though, and the people are amazing! The main thing you have to watch out for are petty thieves and pickpockets. Carry your backpack on the front instead of the back. You might think it’s going to draw more attention, but if you’re a white person, you’re going to draw attention anyway just based on that fact alone, so what’s one more thing?
The bus system is fantastic, but very packed, so always keep your stuff in FRONT of you!
Anyway, I’m jealous…I love Central America. If you want people pictures, hopefully you know some spanish and can talk to people in the streets and at parks. Ask them about different topics that involve their country…how do they feel about not having an army? what do they think about Nicaraguans coming into their country to live and work? how much of an issue do they think racism is in their country? These kinds of questions will let you get into people’s lives, and most people in the street will be happy to talk! (We had to do these kinds of things for assignments when I was there)
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:32 am
As a photographer, it’s important not ONLY to take photos of the famous landmarks of the place you are at.
Go to the side allies, the not touristic parts of the city – There you’ll the real shots and spirit of the place. The “soul”.
Here is a frame I took in a side ally in Barcelona
http://www.ilanbresler.com/2009/05/what.html
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:19 am
Good advice for traveling photograpers. We’re traveling to Europoe in two months, and we’ll keep these pointes in mind.
Does anyone have any suggestions/comments for Switzerland? thanks…
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:23 am
peter where are you going?
I was born and lived most of my young life in Switzerland
what are you wanting to do?
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:43 am
Hi Layo, could you please send contact me at this DPS acct. name? Devlinjade. thx!
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:44 am
I am also interested in how one can get a job with a nonprofit, especially as their official photographer!
Also, just an FYI: the term “third world” refers to nations that were not allied with either the U.S. or the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Probably you were referring to countries that are more dangerous or impoverished than North America and Europe, rather than their political histories. It’s also best not to relegate those in the “third world” to simply be subjects of our photographs. They’re not just scenery. Perhaps you could say “countries you are unfamiliar with” instead, because really, that’s where you are most at risk. Even in wealthier countries, it is easy to be robbed if you are unaware of your surroundings.
/psa over
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Not sure how useful this is but I thought it was clever nonetheless…
http://photojojo.com/content/tips/theft-proof-uglified-camera/
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Wow.. that was not a nice situation to be in. Good that someone informed you and you could get to safety.
I write a weekly travel photography series on my blog, and often get asked by people about tricky situations. When I am at a strange location I am not very familiar with, one thing I recommend is to hire a local guide who knows his way and the customs around. In some places, the customs part is very important, especially in religious places.
Thanks for the tips.
May 24th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Great travel photography tips, Christina. I’d like to add one more tip – always ask permission before taking someone’s picture. It is an invasion of the subject’s privacy and it is polite and prudent to ask permission first. Consider how you would feel if you were going about your business in front of your home and a someone (tourist, journalist, photographer) pointed their camera at you and started snapping away. I don’t know about you, but I’d feel very uncomfortable. It marks the photographer as an outsider and tourist.
When my husband and I went to China several years ago we were the subject of many photographs. My husband is tall (6′5″) and has red hair. I have auburn/red hair too. We couldn’t walk down the street without several people running up to us and snapping our photo since redheads are so unique in China. Some asked for permission, most didn’t. On some days it ruined our travel experience. It made me much more sensitive to snapping the locals’ photos when we’re traveling.
May 24th, 2009 at 1:17 am
As many have said you are encouraging prejudice against developing (not third world) countries. One should be careful with safety in any major city. I didn’t feel confortable to walk around with a large DSLR in the outskirts of LA or late night at Geneva either.
May 24th, 2009 at 6:09 am
So Michelle, you’re saying that candid shots are out of the question with anyone you don’t know? Or do you ask them for permission and tell them to keep on doing what they were doing?
I’ve never cared when random people take pictures of me. I think it matters to some people and to others it doesn’t. I feel compelled to ask people sometimes if I feel that I might get a better response post-picture but I usually shoot away and hope for the best.
May 24th, 2009 at 6:43 am
Layo: I didn’t articulate it well but my comment was in response to Christina’s tip #4 about blending in. The fastest way to mark yourself as a tourist is to whip out a camera and insensitively invade the privacy of a “local”.
I feel it is important to be sensitive to your subject and their culture. Their right to privacy and comfort trump my “need” to photograph them.
May 24th, 2009 at 6:46 am
Oh ok ok ;)
gotcha
May 24th, 2009 at 7:39 am
estebandido – While I agree that there is the risk pretty much everywhere, Ecuador (Quito, particularly) is especially bad for theft, and it’s misleading to compare it to places like NYC. I was comfortable carrying my gear around Quito, but I’ve got a lot of experience and I didn’t let myself get into situations that were risky.
Nonetheless, Ecuador is a beautiful country and while theft is its worst problem, at least it isn’t murder, rape, or kidnapping.
From my time in Quito: http://mylostwords.blogspot.com/2009/03/quito-ecuador.html
cheers
Robin
San Cristobal Island, Ecuador
May 24th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Ok since my last comment got modded off I will be more careful this time. One advice I give all my friends traveling to India is to try finding a trustworthy local. Your travel guide may not necessarily have your best interest in mind. In my opinion finding someone through a personal contact is the best option as they probably won’t have an agenda of they own.
May 24th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Although my wife is the main photographer for our travels, I love photography as well, I enjoyed the notes and the comments, keep it up
May 26th, 2009 at 3:58 am
Mask your camera.
Nothing sells more from a distance then a brand name flashing. Use gaffer’s tape to cover brand names, logos, and other recognizable parts. Adding layers also adds ugliness and a layer of scratch prevention.
I do this even around my own city.
May 26th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Excellent list and further excellent tips in the comments.
May 26th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
To help with tip #9 I recommend carrying around a GPS unit. They’re so cheap now! Just sync up the time with your camera and when you get back home you can geo-tag your pictures and know EXACTLY where you were when you took it. I have the Garmin eTrex Legend Hcx which takes a microSD memory card. I bought a two gig card and I left the GPS unit on for nearly a whole weekend (not when I was asleep) the card didn’t even budge past 1% full. Then I used the freeware Geosetter program to match up the photos and now I know where I took each picture last weekend. That particular Garmin has an antenna strong enough to get a signal in the gym where a graduation was taking place and that I was able to keep it in my camera bag and (later in the weekend) in my pocket and it always got a good signal. I’m still working on uploading the over 300 photos I shot this weekend, but they start here….->
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericsbinaryworld/3561241893/
notice the “map” link on the bottom right.
May 29th, 2009 at 2:53 am
Another suggestion: instead of taking your expensive, heavy, bulky DSLR, get a $400 super-zoom like the Canon SX10 IS (or even a used S3 IS or S5 IS). Besides the obvious benefits of size and weight, consider these points:
- A small camera is less intrusive and will attract less attention.
- It’s easier to protect (inside a jacket, for example) and, if it is stolen, less financial damage. (An insurance company will pay only the replacement value–and they determine that value, which may be a lot less than it will really cost you.)
- The zoom range can cover most of your needs. The SX10 IS, for example, covers the 35mm equivalent of 28-560mm at f/2.8-5.7 (as fast or faster than most consumer SLR zooms with much smaller ranges). To get that on a DSLR, you’d probably have to carry at least 3 lenses and/or teleconverter, maybe more–and it wouldn’t be as fast.
- Some, like the SX10 IS, use AA batteries, which you can find almost anywhere. (Use NiMH rechargeables, if you can, but alkaline batteries work quite well.)
- The top-of-the-line super-zooms have considerable flexibility, including manual modes.
- You can take movies, as well as stills, often with a dedicated button–no fumbling with a mode switch.
- Some have excellent macro modes: the SX10 IS can focus as close as 1 cm.
- A light camera (the SX10 IS is under 20 oz) can use a lightweight tripod, like the Bogen-Manfrotto Modo series that do well for stills and video. The Modo Mini costs only $60 from B&H, weighs less than 2 lb and folds to only 14 inches. Manfrotto also makes a Modo monopod that weighs 10 oz and collapses to 15.4 inches, yet is quite adequate for a light camera. There are also monopods with deployable feet (e.g, the TrekPod Go) that work well with small cameras.
- No changing lenses means that the sensor doesn’t get dirty. (You may not be able to take your favorite liquid sensor cleaning system on an airplane.)
- Some super-zooms can use TTL strobes. For the SX10 IS, a Canon 430EX II weighs less than 12 oz without batteries. Add a cheap diffuser and a homemade bounce card for even more versatility.
- Some can use an adapter tube and add-on wide-angle and telephoto lenses and/or filters. (The SX10 IS can use filters with an adapter from Lensmate, who also make adapter for the S5 IS and S3 IS that can mount the add-on lenses. I have a Lensmate tube on my S3 IS.)
- The quality of the images from the latest super-zooms may suprise you, if you haven’t been following them.
There are downsides, of course, depending upon which super-zoom you choose. They may have more noise, chromatic aberation, etc., than DSLRs, poorer high-ISO performance, slower “drive” speeds (not so great if you’re shooting sports), and use electronic viewfinders. (The last can be a blessing, though, in low-light conditions, plus it can show you just what the exposure will look like in manual modes. They’re not good for manual focus, however.)
Do a Google search on “super zoom review” to get links to comparisons and individual reviews.
Remember that some of the greatest photographers used fixed-focal-length lenses on rangefinder cameras that were a fraction of the size of current DSLRs. It’s not the equipment that is the major factor in making a great image.
May 29th, 2009 at 5:30 am
if i do not ride my bike every day, it’s not my fault, it’s my lazy bike!
Now the question?
I live in Costa Rica and have hunted forever to secure insurance on my gear. I came here for the photography. I have yet to find insurance for one who has relocated rather than visiting. Help if you know an answer to this problem.
john
May 29th, 2009 at 10:27 am
George S., took the words right out of my mouth.
Depending on what your plans are a a fixed lens adanced point ‘n shoot like the Nikon P5100 or Cannon G series might fit your bill.
I have a tendancy to go where the wind takes me and my G10 did great for both the cities and Outback landscapes. Be sure to shoot in RAW in case you need to fix up any shots when you get back home.
May 29th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I have this bad experience in Shanghai City, China last April 2008. I was part of a group tour sponsored by my employer. While sitting in a square inside Yu Gardens bazaar area I was approached by four (4) men who were staring lustly at my DSLR ( Canon EOS 40D w grip & a 70-200 2.8L USM). Apparently they were attracted to my gear. I have another bag with a Bigma(Sigma 50-500 Ex Dg Hsm) and worse-comes- to- worst scenario was to strike them with this bag. Luckily two(2) policemen came and they ran away. Lesson learned- always have a buddy when you carry expensive equipment and try as much as possible not attract attention, by placing them in a convenient backpack or slingshot bag when not using.
May 29th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
These were really useful tips.. thanks for sharing them…
May 30th, 2009 at 1:39 am
I was the only idiot in Delhi, India going thru a busy marketplace wearing shorts! I had my point and shoot in my pocket bulging out while carrying my 9 month old daughter in my hands. Needless to say, I was bumped 3-4 time by a group of guys. After I realized the same guy bumped into me twice, my camera was gone! They all meshed back into the crowd and I had a tough time finding help to get these guys….So lesson learned is dress like them and don’t make things obvious. Be on guard. I would probably take my P and S to these dangerous places rather than my DSLR.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Excellent post, thanks so much you never know whats around the corner and like so many other photographers I carry a lot of very valuable equipment to most destinations. Thanks Again
June 11th, 2009 at 12:55 am
Hi Christina –
A great reminder, even for more experienced travelers. I’m actually about to leave for Ecuador. How did you insurance your camera — was it through renters insurance or a specific travel package? None of the travel insurance I’ve looked at includes gear…
Thanks!
Sharon
June 13th, 2009 at 7:31 am
About to keep records: Today, digital media offers facilities never knew, as its huge capacity of storage for free. I use my camera not only to make my photos but to recorder aditional information about the places and people I shot, like as street or road signs, restaurants menus, snapkids, visit cards of people, maps, etc. I did my camera a kind of a complementary travelling diary.
June 13th, 2009 at 7:51 am
The best and most useful advices are kind of obvious… but many troubles would be avoided if people had thought about them.
I used to ask the attendants of the hotel about the “do and don’t”s in the city. I ask them to draw in the city map the lines of the green, yellow and red areas in terms of risks. Of course, hotel personell is used to be very very conservative, you have to calculate the risks by yourself, after all.
June 21st, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I definitely agree with the point about making yourself look as local and knowledgeable as possible. Although as a blonde blue-eyed American it’s pretty obvious I’m not from around a lot of the places I travel to, I try never to appear lost. When in doubt, keep moving. Worst case scenario, you may not get to the place where you meant to go, but you will probably see something equally interesting along the way and if you have a good enough sense of direction you can always make your way back to where you started.
Bags are also a great point. I don’t even use a camera bag anymore. I just have a purse large enough to fit my DSLR. Market bags are great because the opening is just large enough to get out your camera, but small enough that when both straps are on your shoulder, they are practically impossible to reach into.
Having said all this, I am currently living in Japan, and when it comes to the safety of your camera, Japan is probably #1. Feel free to put your camera in a Luis Vuiton camera case and leave it on your table as you go grab your order. It’ll still be there when you get back.
October 15th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
#7-9 probably should be put in different post about travel photo tips as there nothing about safety. If don’t have GPS logger with you, take picture of plate with street name or if it some historical building most likely will be somewhere information written. Snap it. I am too lazy to write everything in to notebook :)
Regarding safety, I usually take two cameras with me on the trip. DSLR I using during the day and at night take small S&P.
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