Kindle
Amazon's New
Wireless Reading Device
My book will get you started.
How To Europe
The Complete
Travelers Handbook
by John Bermont
The best travel guide to all of Europe.
Europe on a Shoestring
Lonely Planet
Shopping easy at
The links in this green field take you directly to a page at Amazon.com.
That page details the item, and in some cases includes candid and critical comments
from others who have bought the item.
Amazon.com pays my site a
small commission when you click and order an item, if you put it in your shopping
cart within 24 hours based on the cookie they set on your computer. If you don't
want to make a quick decision just put it in your shopping cart, think it over,
and come back later. You benefit when buying here because Amazon.com
has a 20% to 30% discount on many items plus a free shipping
deal. The third bonus is that there is no sales tax on internet purchases in
most states. Delivery is fast
even when it is free, and returns are easy if you are not happy with the product.
You win we win. Thanks for your support!!
Have a good trip in life,
John Bermont
Note: Italicized notations by the author.
Bring home the memories.
Olympus FE370 8MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom (Blue)
Canon Rebel XTi 10.1MP
Digital SLR Camera with
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens
Olympus Evolt E500 8MP
Digital SLR with
14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 & 40-150mm f/3.5-4.5
Zuiko Lenses
CLAMP-POD
Adorama SMALL 4001
35mm SLR Camera
Deluxe Kit with 28-90mm Lens
Canon EOS Rebel 2000 Silver Date
Sony DCR-DVD108 DVD
Handycam Camcorder
with 40x Optical Zoom
JVC Everio GZMG255 2MP
30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder
with 10x Optical Zoom
(Includes Docking Station)
Energizer
AA Lithium Batteries
4 Pack
OLYMPUS XD
PICTURE CARD 1GB
128 MB Memory Stick
Sony MSH-128
SanDisk ULTRA II 4GB
Kodak Ultra Color 400UC
ISO 400 film, 35mm
36 Exposure, Pack of 5
Sima FSU Film Shield
Maximum Strength
Sony Worldwide Battery Charger
with 4 AA NiMH Batteries
You will need one or more of these plug adapters for your appliances and chargers.
Electrical Plug Adapter
USA to Continental Europe
SIMRAN PLUG ADAPTER
Converts grounded USA plugs to European plug
Grounded Adapter
USA to England & newer buildings in Ireland
Grounded Adapter
Europe to Switzerland
Grounded Transformer
USA to Continental Europe
50 Watts, 220v to 110v
Sony Worldwide Battery Charger
with 4 AA NiMH Batteries
This handy and secure wallet slips under your shirt or blouse.
Victorinox Boarding Pouch
by Swiss Army (TR316)
An ideal combo analog and digital watch for travelers.
Casio G-Shock Watch
G100-1BV
It works well for civilian tourists also.
Lensatic Military Marching Compass
Tune in to local radio to absorb more of the culture as you travel.
FM/AM Radio Walkman
with MDR Headphones
Sony SRF-59
This will come in handy more often that you would imagine.
Swiss Army
LED Flashlight
This is an industrial grade tool you will love, but it cannot be brought in carry-on luggage.
Leatherman 830039
New Wave Multitool
with Leather Sheath
The essential timetable for rail travelers.
European Rail Timetable
Winter/Spring 2009
Thomas Cook
A comprehensive hotel and restaurant guide to scores of major cities throughout Europe.
Main Cities of Europe 2008
Michelin Guide
Wash in your room basin and save time, trouble, and money.
Woolite Laundry Soap
20 packs, ¼ oz. each
The two gallon size is excellent for packing your clothes, but it is hard to find in Europe.
2 gal. clear plastic bags
ZipLoc by SC Johnson
Quart clear plastic bags
One-Zip by Hefty
Much stronger than duct tape.
Strapping Tape
1" x 60 yards
3M Company #8957-1
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
It rains. Be prepared.
Totes Clip Case
Auto Open Auto Close
Umbrella
A great lightweight water repellent windbreaker.
The Stormbreaker
by Turfer Sport
Mine is a black/gray herringbone pattern. It travels well without showing wrinkles.
Traditional Lambswool Sportcoat
by Lands' End
Look sharp and be comfortable.
Women's Long Sleeve Cotton Turtleneck
by Land's End
Stay warm and dry.
Women's Wool
Walking Coat
by Lands' End
To relax and sleep on the plane. This is a natural herb, not a drug.
Organic Valerian Root 515mg - 100 - Capsule
Rolling luggage sure beats lugging a pack on your back.
Skyway Sigma 2 22"
Vertical Expandable
Carry-On Case
Available in 4 colors
Samsonite 3 Piece
Ballistic Luggage Set
For your walkabout.
Gusset Tote with Zipper
by Augusta Sportswear
Walk on cork all day without pain.
Women's Teva
Ventura Cork 2
Birkenstock
Arizona Two Strap
Sandal
Just as comfortable as tennies and they look sharp.
Men's Riva
Comfortech Slip-on
by Florsheim
Stay trimmed and neat.
Gillette Mach3
Turbo Shaving System
Royce Leather Ladies
Travel Kit with Shaver
Make sure that your electrical appliances are dual voltage so they will work in Europe.
Dual Voltage Hair Dryer
Micro Turbo 1600W
Andis 33805
Travel Hair Setter
Dual Voltage
Remington H-1015
Compact Travel Iron
Dual Voltage for Travel
Rowenta DA-35 Latitude 35
|
Save money on
auto, SUV, and RV
rentals.
Belvilla
Holiday homes and apartments throughout Europe.
|
|
Chapter 12 of
HOW TO EUROPE
The Complete Travelers Handbook
Internet edition.
All photographs by the author.
A page from
enjoy-europe.com
by
John Bermont
American and Japanese travelers have at least one thing in
common — a camera on a neck strap.
This chapter provides some elementary information on cameras,
lenses, film, digital cameras, flash units, and other accessories, and taking pictures
when in Europe. Key points are: know your equipment and
practice, practice, practice.
Out in the Dutch
countryside a pair of windmills stand still in the mist of early morn.
[1220]
EQUIPMENT
What kind of camera, lens, and
accessories should you use, if any? The bottom line is
that your pictures please you. If they don't, all else is for
naught. Of course, others might not think that you are the world's
greatest photographer, but what do they know? They weren't
there.
Do not neglect
the rule of pack light. Be comfortable with your equipment. In my
early travels, I lugged around entirely too much stuff, cameras and
lenses being the heaviest single items in a traveler's bag. Based
on years of traveling and personal photography, a suggested photo
kit is listed at the end of this chapter.
Camera
The digital revolution has come. Wherever you go nowadays you see people
holding up their point-and-shoot digitals or their cell phones to take a picture.
A few people, including me, have gone the digital SLR (single lens reflex) route.
Those are the big cameras with big lenses.
Meanwhile film cameras are still used by some people. My film cameras, which lasted me
over 30 years, now languish in a drawer. They are like an old pair of jeans. I just
can't let them go. But digital technology has passed them by in many ways.
If you don't already have a
camera, buy a camera buyer's guide and study up on the subject. It
will be time well spent for many years to come. Select a camera of a quality brand name.
If you have plenty of cash or want to make a lifetime investment, go for
a top brand SLR camera. You can do a lot more with these and
they are less susceptible to breakdown with the rough treatment
that travel gives them. Mine fell off chairs three times during a one week trip to Paris.
Which reminds me that you should definitely send in the warranty card as soon
as you buy your camera.
A big selling point in digital cameras is the number of pixels in each photo. Camera
standards have gone from 3 to 6 to 10 megapixels and beyond. This is the product of
the number of pixels wide and pixels high of your photos. It is also directly related to
the file size of each photo. It is not hard to take photos these days that use 10
megabytes of chip and disk space. Ask yourself why you need such a detailed photo and if
you want to spend all that chip and disk space. I normally shoot at a setting that yields
a photo of about 1 megabyte. This allows cropping and enlargement to suit my needs. But
if the camera shakes or is out of focus no amoount of pixels will help.
Before leaving, make sure
that you are familiar with the camera and that it is in good
working order. Read the entire instruction book. You almost need to be a PhD to know how
to operate the high end cameras.
Change or charge the batteries, and bring extras. Shoot a batch of photos to
make sure that you and it are seeing things the same way. If
anything is wrong, take it back to your camera shop for a checkup.
I keep my point and shoot digital camera handy whenever I travel. It
fits in my pocket.
Lens
An important consideration
when buying a camera is the focal length of the lens. Focal length
is a number expressed in millimeters (mm) which gives an indication
of the field of view. A small focal length, e.g. 21mm, gives a very
wide view. A high focal length lens, e.g. 200mm, is a telephoto
lens. Both of these focal lengths are suitable only for special
purposes and are rarely used.
Single lens reflex cameras have a significant feature
in that the lens can be changed. Most SLR film cameras are sold with a
50mm lens, also known as the "standard" lens. Skip this lens and
select a zoom lens that brackets 50mm. There are a number of lenses
available which zoom from wide angle to telescope. One of these
lenses will allow you to take pictures of almost anything. I used a
35/105 zoom lens for most of the film pictures in my book. I scanned
some of these photos for this website. I started using a digital camera
in 2002. At that time it was a little "point and shoot" with built in
zoom. It is very handy because of its size. In 2008 I graduated to a
digital SLR. Wow. The features are astounding. If you are thinking of
getting serious about photography this is the way to go. Unfortunately
the feature are so immense that you almost need to be a PhD to figure
them out. You might want to take a series of classes to jump start your
learning curve.
f-stop
Besides focal length, lenses
are sized by aperture, normally talked about as "f-stop." Larger
diameter lenses let more light into the camera and are termed
"faster." The faster the lens, the lower the f-stop, and the higher
the price. Standard lenses can be f/1.2, f/1.4 or f/1.8. Zoom
lenses may be as fast as f/2.8, but most are f/3.5 or f/4.0
depending on the brand name.
A fast lens is very nice to have in Europe because the sun is
relatively low in the sky for much of the day.
However, accurate focusing is important at low f-stops. At correct
focus, all lenses produce the sharpest pictures at about f/5.6. But
if you want to make sure that everything from one foot to infinity
is in focus, stop it down to f/22, and hope that nothing moves
while the shutter is open.
A feature on some of the better lenses is called "image stabilization"
or "vibration reduction." This is the monicer for a process that reduces
shake when taking pictures. For long range telephoto pictures it is a real benefit.
I was in Praha, Czech Republic, and so were a dozen bands from Leichtenstein. Dressed in all manner of crazy costumes and drinking plenty of beverage from the local brewery, they played old tunes like "Louie, Louie," "Born in the USA," "I Will Survive," and etc. Mostly brass, they sounded great with echos off the ancient buildings surrounding the central square. What a beautiful night of free music.
[a12060102]
Filters
The most important camera accessory is a lens filter.
The primary purpose of a filter is to keep some
unwanted light out of the camera, giving you better pictures. The
1A or UV filters are the most common and practical for outdoor
photography. A polarizing filter can give you strikingly
improved shots in many situations. It is my favorite. The polarizing filter reduces
most reflections, producing more saturated colors, and it blues up
the sky when aimed at right angles to the sun.
Another critical purpose of a lens filter is that it protects your lens
from dirt and damage. Would you rather spend $50 replacing a filter or $500 and more
to replace a lens. On the third drop from a chair (mentioned above), my filter
was ruined but my lens survived well enough. I bought a new filter and I was on my way.
Lens Hood
A lens hood reduces the amount of
stray light that lands on your lens or filter. This stray light
tends to fog your pictures. If direct sunlight hits your lens,
you'll have a series of distracting hexagons in your picture. The
flexible rubber style that screws into the filter mounting threads
is convenient. On the downside, they are all bulky and tend to get in your way.
Your camera probably won't fit in its case with the lens hood in
place.
Flash Unit
A flash unit is not especially
well-suited to travel photography. Most are useless at over 40 feet. For
Eiffel Tower pictures at night, you can't use one to reach even the
first landing. No museum, public monument, or national cathedral
will allow the use of flash inside. Some of these places even
charge extra to enter with a camera. And some museums have prohibited cameras in
parts of the facility or even the whole building.
But, for pictures of yourself feasting
on the Noix de Veau Riviera a flash unit is handy. Most digital cameras
have a built-in automatic flash. You need to give the
unit enough time to recharge after each shot. Make sure you turn off your
flash before shooting in those places which prohibit flash photography.
This puppet master had a skeleton dancing like crazy to the American rock n' roll from his boom box in Barcelona, Spain.
I wasn't the only one there taking pictures. I threw a coin in his upturned hat.
[p1060286.jpg]
Tripod
Leave your standard tripod at
home. These are verboten in virtually every museum and they are
bulky. For long exposures, press your camera against a wall, or
balance it on a chair, window ledge, railing, automobile, or
parking meter with the aid of a handkerchief or small bean-bag.
Then use the automatic self-timer to trip the shutter so you don't
move the camera at the critical moment.
An alternative is a miniature tripod
which is about the size of a jumbo felt tip marker. One end screws
off revealing the legs which you fold out. Then screw the end back
in for a 6" high camera stand. A great device I first found in a Swiss
camera shop is a camera mount attached to a miniature tripod and 2"
C-clamp. The C-clamp holds your camera steady on railings and parking
meters. There is a similar item in my Amazon.com adverts in the left column.
Camera Batteries
Bring extra batteries for your film camera. Those small button
batteries can be several times as expensive in Europe as in the
United States. Some cameras require two or more batteries. Know
your camera well since many sales clerks know little about it.
Finding batteries for digital cameras can also be a chore.
My point-and-shoot digital camera uses AA batteries, probably the most common battery made.
They are available nearly everywhere, but there are several diferent types.
The standard AA battery is an alkaline type. These do not last long in a digital camera.
Another battery claiming to be "ideal for digital cameras" is the
nickel zinc type. My experience with these batteries
is that they are rubbish. Panasonic makes an oxyride type battery which
is not bad. But the five star battery for digital cameras is the lithium AA. In
Europe this can be hard to find except in well stocked camera stores. In the USA
K-Mart stocks it, so stock up if that is the one your camera uses. The best brand I
have found is Energizer.
Some point-and-shoot digital cameras use special or proprietary battery designs. One of
the reasons that I bought an Olympus digital camera is that it uses standard AA size batteries.
You never know if you will be able to buy those special batteries as you travel. So if
you decide to buy a camera which requires proprietary batteries also bring along
a sock full of extras.
Another feature of having a camera which uses standard batteries is that
you can use rechargeable batteries. These are expensive but they will pay for
themselves in a few weeks of travel. Buy the charger in Europe so it will work
without voltage or frequency problems, or the need for a plug adapter. See chapter 11,
Electricity in Europe:
Travel Voltage Fundamentals, for more information on this topic.
Batteries for digital SLR cameras are almost always proprietary design rechargeable batteries.
The cameras come with chargers. Most, but not all, chargers work on both European
(220v/50Hz) and American (110v/60Hz) electricity. Look at the microscopic specifications on
the bottom of the charger brick. All cameras purchased in the USA come with the American flat
prong plugs. You will need a plug adapter(s) as mentioned in chapter 11 in
order to plug your charger into an outlet in Europe. Plug designs used in the UK, most of the Continent,
Switzerland, and some locations in Italy are different. See the Amazon adverts in the column
on the left.
Loupe
A loupe is a small magnifying
glass on a mount which is designed specifically for viewing slides
and negatives. If you are having your film processed as you travel,
a small 8x loupe is a good item to carry. You can review your
slides or proof sheets, and go back to reshoot the scene if
necessary. Use a fold-up loupe which is about a tenth of the size
of the plastic skirt type. Of course, with a digital camera you don't need this thing.
Keep your camera ready to shoot through the windshield as you drive in
Switzerland. Scenes like this will greet you as you enter
many villages. A family owned Gasthaus is invariably a great place to sleep
(unless you have a front room overlooking the road) and almost invariably
a great place to have your lunch or dinner. Note: this picture looks a bit
rough because it was scanned from the back cover of the second edition of
How To Europe: The Complete Travelers Handbook.
[1208]
DIGITAL CAMERAS
Digital cameras seem to be the wave of the future in photography.
They are getting better and better every year.
Point and Shoot, SLR
The most common digital
camera is the small "point and shoot" type. They have auto focus and
built-in flash. Most of the extra functions are intuitive and easy to
learn.
Single lens reflex (SLR) digital cameras are offered by the top camera makers. Like film SLRs,
digital SLRs have the feature of being able to change the lens. These cameras are
designed for serious amateurs with heavy wallets and for professional photographers.
Buying a Digital Camera
There are hundreds if not thousands of digital camera models on the market. You can buy
them on-line from hundreds of sellers, from your local camera store, or from a discount department store.
What is the best approach?
My Google.com search for 'digital camera' returned 113 million web pages! The top results include URLs for
a number of professional reviews of digital cameras. This is good if you are in the market for the latest
and greatest professional camera. But if you are looking for something to take vacation
pictures with you don't want the baggage of a professional camera outfit. A point and shoot camera
would do just fine in most situations. In that case you want to get user feedback on the
cameras available. A great source for user feedback is Amazon.com. It is also a great place
to buy your camera.
My first digital camera was an Olympus FE-100 point-and-shoot automatic several years ago. This
was a good starter camera and I still use it. It is very handy because it fits in my pocket. Then I
graduated to a Nikon D-60 with an 18-200 zoom lens. This is a VR lens with the Nikon image stabilization
feature which helps when taking zoomed pictures. Although it takes great pictures it is a
complicated machine requiring a good deal of study in the manual and a lot of practice.
Image Size
Before using a digital camera determine what you plan to do with the images.
These little cameras are capable of taking pictures that are much wider than most computer
screens and with file sizes way up in the mega bytes range. If you are using
the highest quality image settings on your camera it would be a good idea to
use a photo editing program to reduce the pixel width and the file size. This
makes it easier to email the photos and for your friends to view them on
screen. Or you can set the image size to 640 x 480 pixels to begin with. This will allow
you to get many more images on a card.
Time Delay
My low end Olympus FE-100 takes great pictures. But it takes its time doing so. After
I press the shutter release the camera does some stuff and then shoots about a second later.
If you are shooting at moving objects the object may have gotten away before the shutter opens.
For stationary objects you have to make sure that someone doesn't walk into the field
of view before the camera does its thing. Of course, you can always erase the image
and take the picture again. This action delay is one of the complaints that is mentioned by
Amazon.com customers for this particular camera. I knew that but I liked the camera and
the price so I bought it.
Time and Date
A nice feature of digital cameras is that each shot has the time and date imbedded with the image.
When you upload your images to your computer you can flip through them and re-experience your
trip. I use a free Google download software called Picasa2 to view my images. It is very handy. Also,
make sure that you set the camera date and time for your new surroundings in Europe. Time in Europe is
five to ten time zones ahead of your home in the USA. See chapter 28, "Time and Dates in Europe"
for details on time zones.
Touch Ups
My point-and-shoot digital camera came with a software named Adobe Photoshop Elements®.
This is an excelent program for enhancing, cropping, and resizing your digital images.
Pixels
There was a brief mention of pixels in a previous paragraph up the page. This section will provide
more details and help you picture a pixel, as it were.
A pixel can be thought of as an atom of data, the smallest individual part of an image. Each
electronic image as recorded by a digital camera or displayed on a monitor consists of
thousands or millions of pixels sitting side by side. They are like tiles in a mosaic.
Each tile has a single color. Because the tiles are microscopic the human eye sees them as
a contiguous image. If an image is zoomed in enough the individual pixels can be seen as small
squares. Editing a digital photo allows the color of individual pixels to be modified.
A major item in the specification describing digital cameras is the number of pixels
it produces with each image shot. Cameras nowadays can produce images of 3 to 15 and more
megapixels. A megapixel is a million pixels. The image is normally out in a
rectangle. Pixel is an area measurement and a linear measurement. Thus, an image that is
3,872 pixels wide and 2,592 pixels high has 10,036,224 pixels in it. This is normally
called a 10 megapixel, or 10 MP, camera. That is the max that my digital SLR can do, but
I don't use it to the max. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. My camera can
also shoot at two lower image quality settings. I use the "normal" setting which is 2,896
wide and 1,944 high, resulting in a 5.6 MP image. That is more than enough for my purpose,
publishing on the internet, but it allows me to crop and straighten pictures.
Memory
Some but not all digital cameras have built in memory. Virtually all have a slot for an extra
memory chip. You should probably have an extra memory card with you.
Different brands and models of cameras require different types of memory chips.
Many use the SD chip but there are several other types.
Check your camera specifications before buying a memory chip.
It stands to reason that the more pixels you have in your image the more memory capacity
you need to hold all those pixels. For example, the 5.6 MP image mentioned above
requires 1.44 MB of memory. A 2 gigabyte, GB, chip would hold about 1,300 photos
of 5.6 MP. At 100 photos per day that would last about 2 weeks.
Many people edit their photos every night. They throw away the losers and open up chip space.
Some people use photo or computer stores to burn a CD disk with their pictures and
then wipe the chip. If you are bringing a laptop you can transfer the photos to your
hard drive or a flash drive. And some people upload pictures to their email server or another
service and then wipe their chip. Before wiping your chip make sure that the images
were actually transferred. I don't want to slow down when I travel so I buy another chip when mine
is getting full. There are a number of possibilities.
Whatever you do, set up a file system so you can go back and find what you want later.
Cameras have a mind of their own when it comes to naming files. Stay organized.
This view of the De Adriaan windmill and the Grote Kerk welcomes you to Haarlem, The Netherlands when you take the train from Amsterdam.
[p1230440]
FILM CAMERAS
There are still millions of film cameras in the hands of people everywhere. There may be
times when you want to use your trusty old film camera, or you may find a great bargain
on a used camera. Film has a few advantages, especially if you want to archive your photos.
The image quality is much greater than with any digital camera because film operates
on the molecular level, much smaller than any pixel.
Film
There are three basic types of film:
black and white negative, color negative, and color slide. Prints
can be made from each type of film, though prints from slides are
not up to the quality of prints from negatives.
Speed
Each type of film is
available in several different speeds, ranging from ASA 25 to ASA
1000 for some films, and even higher. Film with higher ASA ratings
(termed "faster") requires less light, but the picture quality is
normally better from film having a lower ASA rating.
Quality
Film is made and marketed by
several companies in this country, and several more overseas. Kodak
is the world leader, and probably the best. Ilford, GAF, and Agfa
are also of excellent quality. Noticeably second rate in my opinion are the cheap
films, including Fuji which is everywhere. Think about the total cost of your travels and the relative cost of film and let your conscience be your guide.
Expiration Date
When buying any film, check
the expiration date on the package. Don't buy out of date film, or
even film within one year of the date, if you can help it. Faded or
dusty boxes in the souvenir shops should warn you that the film is
old and has been improperly stored. Do not buy it.
Prices
In general, film is most
expensive in souvenir shops, then camera stores, and the least
expensive in major department stores. There are some specialty
retail chains in central Europe which also offer good prices on
film. In Holland go to Capi-Lux; in Germany try Photo Porst; in
France shop FNAC. In many stores you'll get a nice discount if you
buy in quantity, which can be as little as three rolls. Negotiate.
It doesn't cost you anything and you'll usually end up a
winner.
Stock Up
Check your film
supply on Friday morning to make sure there's enough to get you
through the weekend. On Sunday, the only places where you can buy
film are the souvenir shops and maybe the train station. Also,
stock up before holidays and before trekking through the
countryside.
In many countries you'll have
trouble finding an English speaking person at the department store
film counter. Even in Holland, where almost everybody speaks better
English than most Americans, I have been met with blank stares at
film counters. Keep the end flap of a film box taped to the back of
your camera. When buying film, simply point to the flap to indicate
what you want, and poke up some fingers to tell the clerk how many
rolls.
It is getting more and more difficult to buy film in Europe. In the old
days every department store had a photo department selling almost every
type of film. The department stores still have their photo departments but now
they are selling almost every type and size of digital picture chip. Film is
going, going, and almost gone from retail stores.
My room with a view
of the Austrian Alps is in a cloister in Hall-in-Tyrol, a
picturesque village just east of Innsbruck. I was on another visit
here to see distant relatives on my maternal grandmother's side of
the family.
[1204]
Processing
Processing costs vary from cheaper
to more expensive than in the United States. Color film often comes
with a store coupon for free processing, but not free prints, if
you return it to the same store. The price of Kodachrome slide film
sold in Europe includes processing. The box includes a convenient
mailer, and the film can is marked to show that the processing cost
is included. Kodak Laboratories in the United States honor the
processing statement, even though the film may have been made and
sold in France.
One-hour processing shops are found throughout Europe.
Otherwise, normal processing time can be
as short as one day at some camera shops and department stores, but
can take weeks if mailed to a laboratory.
I came upon this movie shoot on the Champs-Élysées
in Paris so I decided to do a shoot of my
own. Patrons at Fouquet's got more than a busker that day. Busker
is the British word for street entertainer. There are plenty of
them in Europe.
[1203]
X-RAYS
Security
Since the dawn of aircraft
hijackings, professional and amateur photographers have been
concerned about the effects of airport security system X-rays on
film. The X-ray machines do not affect digital cameras.
Do It All Over There
If you are
concerned, a sure-fire way to avoid having your film harmed by
X-rays is to avoid carrying unprocessed film through airports. On
arrival in Europe, buy your film and have it developed before you
return home. X-rays have no effect on processed slides or
negatives.
Lead Lined Bags
Another way is to use the
lead lined film carrying bags which block X-rays and prevent damage
to film. I use the Sima brand "Film Shield Pouch" when carrying
undeveloped film. This comes with a warning notice, though, that
there is "no protection available against high-dose airport X-ray
units."
Your Need for Speed
The ASA
1000 speed films are a special case. Some airport security gates
are posted to the effect that high speed film is harmed by X-rays,
and the standard lead lined film bags do not protect it. You must
have this film hand inspected.
You would have a hard time out-running these cops on roller blades in Paris, France.
[a12060102]
PICTURE TIPS
Read
A book that will boost just
about anybody up the photography know-how curve is
The Complete
Photographer by Andreas Feininger. He is formerly a Life
magazine photographer. This is an excellent presentation on all
aspects of film photography.
To get up to speed on digital photography get a copy of
Digital Travel Photography, Digital Field Guide
by David D. Busch. David is a professional photographer with 25 years of
experience in the field.
While you are over there shooting away, using up film and filling chips, you
might want to think about selling some of your pictures. Heck, this can help
support your traveling habit. For a starter have a look at
Travel Photography: A Complete Guide to How to Shoot and Sell by Susan McCartney.
Have fun and make money — that's a deal.
Open Up
Taking pictures is a very personal
subject. Most likely if you are traveling with another person, you
will be taking pictures of each other posed in front of the
cathedral, arch, painting, etc. Good enough. If you are traveling
alone ask a stranger to take your picture with
your camera. You'll have no trouble getting someone to do this, and
you may open the door to an interesting conversation or
experience.
Turn Around
Don't forget to turn around.
Fifty percent of the scenery is behind you.
Up Close and In the Dark
Many people take pictures of
their friends who are standing in shadows or wearing a brimmed hat
to shield their eyes from the sun. Automatic exposure cameras use
all the light coming in to adjust the aperture. Consequently, the
faces of your friends will be rather underexposed. Take the hat off or get them out in
the light, or compensate with your backlight feature.
Also have them take off those
ridiculous sun glasses. If the light is too bright, find a
completely shaded place so that the camera's automatic exposure
will not be fooled by bright backgrounds. The absolute worst thing is to shoot
into the sun, unless you are trying to make a silhouette.
Another common photo mistake is to take a picture of your friend standing in
front of a famous monument or scene — while your friend is 40 feet away
from you! What are you going to see in your picture? Position your travel
companions up close so you can see the whites of their eyes, with the famous
scenery over their shoulder.
Time exposures at night make interesting
pictures. Place your automatic camera on a secure place, set the
shutter delay release timer, and stand back. This is the Volunteer Fire
Department in Faro, Portugal.
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Time Exposure
Shooting in available low
light will give you some of your best pictures. Try time exposures
inside restaurants, stores, taverns, hotels, and just after
sundown. This is especially easy to do with an automatic camera
which allows exposures of ten seconds or more.
Off Color
For indoor pictures
with incandescent lighting, use tungsten balanced color film.
Otherwise everything will look orange and warm. Conversely,
pictures taken outdoors with tungsten film will be steel
blue. Pictures taken inside buildings with fluorescent lighting will
have a green tinge.
Postcards
Don't count on your own camera for
all your photos of Europe. When buying postcards, buy a few extras
for yourself. The aerial views make especially good keepers. Gather
up free tourist pamphlets and literature whenever you're in a
tourist office. Even if you can't read Greek, some of it is worth
framing.
I.D. Shot
It has
happened only a few times that my film was lost by a lab. One way
to reduce the chance of having film lost is to make the first frame
on each roll a shot of your name and address. Print in heavy block
letters: "This film is the property of (your name, address,
telephone)" on a piece of paper or a handkerchief. Fold it up and
carry it with your camera.
An address page large enough
to fill out most of a frame at a reasonable focusing distance will
be needed. A more convenient alternative is to take a picture of
your business card at the start of each roll. The image will not be
as big, so shoot with a steady hand.
You might also write on your
I.D. card the date and the name of the place where you are. If you
take one of those tours whisking you through 10 countries in 15
days you won't have time for processing on the road, and
you'll be in such a fog that you won't know where you were by the
time your pictures come back.
Verboten
If you want to take a picture inside a store or
building, you might want to ask permission first. Outdoors I
usually shoot at anything I want, but one time the owner of a
German gas station came out to prevent me from taking a picture of
his station. My German companion was as surprised as I was.
Cameras are prohibited inside
casinos, and a guard in a Barcelona Metro stop prevented me from
taking pictures inside the station.
On my most recent trip to Europe I decided to try McDonalds in a train station.
While waiting in line I raised my little digital camera and snapped a picture
of the menu board above the counter. Just as I did so a store clerk waved her
hand and shouted "No picture!" It was already done. This was so ridiculous that
I took my business to another restaurant in the station. That would have been my
first Big Mac in decades.
Stephanie can't hold it in but
the mannequin must if he wants any coins in his upturned hat. You
see men and women all over France and Europe performing in the
street for donations.
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A TRAVELING CAMERA KIT
The List
This is a list of the photography gear I travel
with:
- Automatic SLR camera
- Zoom lens
- Wide angle lens
- Polarizing filters on the lenses
- Automatic miniature camera (optional)
- Point and shoot digital camera
- Flash unit if not built in the camera
- Film or
- Extra digital memory chip
- X-ray film shield bag
- Magnifying glass (loupe)
- Lens paper and brush
- Bean bag
- Miniature C-clamp/tripod
- Spare batteries
- Camera instruction books
Owners Manual
Are you one of those people who start
using gadgets before you read the directions? Part of every
manufacturer's job is to make things "idiot proof" to protect you
against yourself. Every camera comes with a couple of little
booklets, one of which is the operator's manual. The other is
promotion for more cameras and lenses. You probably threw both of
them in a drawer someplace and couldn't find them in two hours. Now
is a good time to dig out the manual and stuff it in a corner of
your carry-on bag. Thumb through it first. Your camera will go bad
at one time or another. I guarantee it. It might be a simple thing,
but you won't know if you don't have the operator's manual
handy.
Out on the beach a pair of Grolsch bier flags
wave the sun to its daily rest in Zandvoort, The Netherlands.
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