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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,
accessories, and film 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 the chapter.
Camera
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 35mm SLR (single lens reflex) and/or a 35mm
range finder and/or a digital camera of a quality brand name.
Off-brand cameras from the discount department stores aren't worth your
trouble. A 35mm camera will give much better pictures than the
instamatic small film cameras. If you have plenty of cash, go for
a top brand automatic camera. You can do a lot more with these and
they are less susceptible to breakdown with the rough treatment
that travel gives them.
Before leaving, make sure
that you are familiar with the camera and that it is in good
working order. Change the batteries, and bring extras. Shoot a roll of film to
make sure that you and it are seeing things the same way. If
anything is wrong, take it to a nearby camera shop for a checkup.
Allow six weeks for estimates, shipping, repairs and return. A good
cleaning may be in order even if nothing is wrong.
If you are bringing a new
camera, take a few dozen shots well before you go to get used to
the black or silver box. Results from different cameras differ under some
circumstances.
Digital
cameras which connect to personal computers are becoming very common.
This new technology requires several high quality expensive
systems, i.e., a computer and a printer, in order to produce good
results. My point and shoot digital camera is very handy, but I'm still
using my trusty old film cameras also. Digital images can be made from prints or
negatives, or burned to a CD by the lab when they develop the film.
Most of the pictures in this book are fim photos which were scanned.
They're not gallery quality but they're good enough.
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 about 35mm to about 105mm. One of these
lenses will allow you to take pictures of almost anything. Most of
the photos you see in this book were shot with a 35/105
zoom. Digital cameras usually include a zoom lens as standard equipment.
35mm range finder cameras do
not have interchangeable lenses. The fixed lens on a 35mm range
finder is usually about 40mm. This gives you a wider view than the
"standard" lens and is fine for most travel photography. Some of
these also have a zoom feature, i.e. one tree instead of three
trees on the dummy-proof distance scale.
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 50mm 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.
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 immediate advantage of a filter is that it protects your lens
even though 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, but a polarizing filter can give you strikingly
improved shots in many situations. The polarizing filter reduces
most reflections, producing more saturated colors, and it blues up
the sky when aimed at right angles to the sun.
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. But 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
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 bring a flash unit. When using the
flash with an SLR, make sure that the camera is set at the correct
synchronization and the correct speed. Wrong settings can cause
half or all of the picture to be black. If you have a built-in
automatic flash you should have no problem as long as you give the
unit enough time to recharge after each shot. Grainy greeny
pictures indicate that you shot the next picture before your flash
unit was ready. Every digital camera that I have seen has a built-in
flash so you will need to turn it off 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 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.
Camera Batteries
Bring
extra batteries for your camera and flash unit. 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 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 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.
Some 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 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.
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
loaded and 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 my second edition.
[1208]
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 card. 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. I don't worry about it anymore since I've never noticed any
effects in my pictures when the film is in the camera.
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.
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.
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]
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.
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 anyway 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 digital camera came with a software named Adobe Photoshop Elements. This is an excelent program
for enhancing, cropping, and resizing your digital images.
You would have a hard time out-running 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.
[1205]
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.
[1210]
A TRAVELING CAMERA KIT
The List
This is a list of the photography gear I travel
with:
- 35 mm automatic SLR camera
- 35/105 mm zoom lens
- 21 mm wide angle lens
- Polarizing filters on the lenses
- 35mm automatic miniature camera
- Point and shoot 4 megapixel digital camera
- Flash unit
- Film
- X-ray film shield bag
- Magnifying glass (loupe)
- Lens paper and brush
- Bean bag
- Miniature C-clamp/tripod
- Spare batteries
- Spare digital picture card chip
- Camera instruction books
Most of these items were discussed
above but the 35 mm miniature automatic range finder camera was not.
There are several brands on the market which are about the size of
a cigarette pack and which use 35 mm film. This type of camera is
exceedingly convenient. I have my Olympus XA in my
pocket whenever I am on the road. It has survived 25 years and still
works like new, except for the flash unit which shattered on one of the drops.
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.
[1202]
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