Take Better Travel Photos

Snap a city scene without getting bogged down in trai c and tourists, says Antony Zacharias, by using a long exposure…Take Better Travel Photos

Photographing cities can be challenging for travellers. Crowds and trai c clutter your image, and trying to capture something unique and compelling can prove dii cult with all these distractions. However, there are some tricks to get around this. A long exposure, where you set the camera shutter to a much slower speed, recording the scene for longer, is one such technique. This helps to remove noisier elements from the shot, as moving people almost disappear and vehicles become streaks of light. It can also add a dynamic layer to your photograph. I shot this image of Amsterdam (right) in the evening. Low light is essential for long exposures (unless you’re using a fi lter), and it is much easier to shoot when the sun sets and the streetlamps come on; remaining light in the sky allows for extra detail to be captured. Here, the movement of the cars and canal boat are recorded as trails, and the clouds as streaks. The people have even disappeared, making it look as if I had it all to myself.

1. Timing is everything 

Setting up a tripod or using your camera at a popular spot in the middle of the day will be dii cult. Try to visit early in the morning or later on, when there are fewer people and, usually, better light. The midday sun can often lead to harsh light with strong shadows, which makes it more dii cult to capture a good image.

2. Water works 

Water always photographs well with longer exposures, especially at dusk, so try and include it. Water can capture the streaks of colour from urban lights and if there is no wind it can act like a giant mirror, refl ecting parts of the scenery.

3. Stray of main street 

Often there are spectacular images to be had in areas slightly of the beaten path. Look for scenes that capture the essence of where you are visiting, such as distinctive architecture or other subjects. You never know what you may stumble upon by wandering around, and you will usually fi nd something unique.

4. Look out for light 

Light is vital for all photography. Cities have a multitude of dif erent-coloured lights and these, mixed with the evening light, can help to make compelling additions to an image. If your camera has an ‘aperture mode’, then try taking the image at a high f-stop number (eg f16), to add ‘spikes’ of dif racted light for an added special ef ect.

5. Keep it steady 

Keeping the camera still is essential for long exposures; the image will blur if the camera shakes or moves. A tripod is helpful, though choose a lightweight carbon-fi bre version to keep weight and size down to a minimum for ease. Small, light travel tripods are a good option, or even a wall will do at a pinch.

sources: Wanderlust UK , July 2018

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