Hiking in a Tour Group with your Camera - Part 1
I recently returned from a week of hiking in Hawaii on a
tour created by Timberline Adventures.
One of our guides was Nola the host of this Blog. During the trip it was hard for Nola not to
notice all of the camera gear I was lugging around most of the time. After the trip, Nola asked if I wanted to
write an article for her Blog about taking pictures while hiking with a group. That was all of the encouragement I needed.
We ended up with a two part article. In Part 1 I am going to focus on taking
pictures on a guided hike similar to the one in Hawaii. Here you have a group of say 5-10 hikers, and
one or more guides. The hikers will have
different interests and hiking abilities.
However, one thing is for certain, none of them will want to spend very
much time waiting for you to take pictures.
If you want to come home with some great shots and some new friends, you
need to do some preparation and keep some thoughts in mind during the hikes.
Before the Trip
Begins Let’s assume you will be using something
between a cell phone and digital single lens reflex camera to record your
trip. The approach is the same, the
complexity and flexibility increases as you move up the spectrum of
cameras. For starters, make sure you
have the camera well before the trip. Do
not run out and buy a fancy new camera on the way to the airport. You need to be familiar with your equipment,
and not trying to learn how to use it on the flight. Even if you have read the camera’s manual
before, it is a good idea to read it again with a focus on how various features
may come in handy during this trip.
Being familiar with your camera will not only help you take better
pictures, it will allow you to take those pictures faster.
Now let’s think about what you are going to do with these
pictures. Do you want: 4"x6"
prints; pictures to upload to the web; or to create a photo-book? What do you want to capture in your photos:
the spectacular scenery that made you chose this trip; the group experience
afforded by your fellow hikers; the local flowers; all of the above? Thinking about this in advance is better than
getting home and wishing you had taken more pictures of people, flowers, or the
views. Pictures with digital cameras are
almost free once you own the equipment.
When in doubt, shoot, think, and shoot again. However, remember you are going to be with a
group most of the time and therefore, you are not going to have the flexibility
to set up a tripod and experiment with a lot of different camera settings or
view points.
On the Trail
Okay, it is day one and you are ready to start hiking. Look at your camera and make sure all of the
settings are correct. Do this at the
start of each hike. Be sure your camera
is easy to get to before you hit the trail.
Don’t put it away in a backpack or some other hard to reach
location. If you get to a tricky part of
the trail, like a river crossing or steep descent, store the camera in such a
way that it won’t get damaged and your hands are free.
You already created a picture plan before the trip, now take
shots that match that plan. Composing
your pictures properly can make the difference between an okay shot and a great
shot. If you have to wait for people to
move out of frame, be thinking about how to improve the shot while you
wait. But you can’t wait too long, your
fellow hikers will be ready to move on.
Besides, sometimes people in a shot help show scale and interest. Take other candid pictures of your fellow hikers if that fits your plan. A few group shots are nice, but catching people in action is more fun.
(Picture 1, Sleeping Giant, Kauai, demonstrates
how including people shows the
difficulty of the trail.)
Keep an eye on your fellow hikers. When possible hike near the front of the
group. People in the front are most
likely to see and photograph any wildlife. Being in the front also allows you
more time to compose your pictures. When
everyone stops to regroup, be sure to be one of the first to restart. If you find yourself near the end of the
group move faster. Watch to see what the
others are photographing. Are you
missing something or some unique perspective?
When you see someone with a fancy camera lying on the ground looking up
or in some other unusual position, try to figure out what is going on. Don’t be afraid to ask what they were doing
after they finish the shot. Most
photographers like to share their ideas.
If you like, have people take pictures of you with your camera. Don’t assume they know what you want in the
frame. Set up the camera, compose the
picture, and then once you step into the picture, they just need to press the
button. Explain which button, if it is
not extremely obvious.
On most trips you will have some free time in the mornings
and evenings other than meals. At the
end of the day, be sure to consider taking some night sky pictures. If you are from the east coast, you may have
never seen the Milky Way. In many of the
parks in the southwest it is often visible.
Your camera may have a night sky setting. Remember reading that in the
manual? Give it a try. A tripod is almost a necessity. A small one will work in this situation. Get as far away from lights as possible and
wait for a clear night. Try to avoid the
moon, it obscures the stars. You are on
your own time and you can experiment.
(Picture 2, Big Bend National Park, Texas, taken with a tripod, shows
the night sky, with the mountain in the foreground.)
Even before the night sky pictures, don’t
miss the opportunity to shoot the sunset.
This is often a problem when traveling with a tour. Most tours like to eat dinner around
sunset. Nothing says you have to eat
dinner. If giving up a dinner you
already paid for doesn’t work for you, try for sunrises. That just means getting up early and maybe
missing breakfast. Again a tripod helps.
Be sure to experiment with items in the foreground with night sky and
sunrise/sunset pictures. Review your
pictures and try again tomorrow if necessary.
I joked about missing meals, but this is a somewhat serious
concern. Most professional photographers
believe that the best time, perhaps the only time, to take pictures is about an
hour before until an hour after sunrise and sunset. The light during the day is less than
ideal. This is a price you have to pay
when traveling with a hiking group. If
you like the place you can return on your next trip to capture those pictures.
Before the trip ends, I like to exchange email address with
the members of the group, including the guides.
That way you can share your pictures and see theirs. Posting your pictures on the web is very easy
and you can send individual shot to your fellow hikers. Have fun and start planning your next hiking
trip. Keep an eye on Nola’s Blog for ideas
about places to visit.
Bernie
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