1. Colors
are best in the morning and evening. The strong sun of
midday washes out photos, and creates harsh shadows. 2. Put people in your photos--landscape and monument shots become monumentally boring. 3. Get close to your subject and take shots from their eye-level--bend your knees for children. 4. Place the subject off-center to create interest. 5. Hold the camera steady and gently squeeze the button--don't jerk it. 6. Try not to grow a broccoli from your subject's head! |
1. The standard backpacker camera is an automatic 35mm which weighs ten ounces and fits in a pocket. Any 35mm camera will take superior photos than smaller 110 and disc cameras, due to the larger size of the 35mm negative.
2. Lithium camera batteries are hard to find in developing economies. Put in a new one before you go. They usually last for dozens of rolls (check your camera spec sheet), but fail suddenly, not gradually.
3. Standard 35mm film is available almost everywhere, but is usually more expensive than in the U.S. (Inexpensive films sold under Walmart and other discount store labels are made by 3M, Konica, and AGFA. A recent photography magazine said they are excellent for general use.) The new Advanced Photo System film is hard to find and expensive in developing economies.
4. 400 and 1000 speed films are useful in the low-light of jungles, dense forests, and in museums and cathedrals where flash photography is forbudt. These speeds are usually unavailable in developing economies.
5. The danger of airport X-ray machines to film is overblown. You can, however, place your film in a bag to be inspected by hand. You don't need lead.
6. While slide film is more sensitive than print film, it still works okay in automatics. 200 speed is recommended.
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7. Thirty-six exposure rolls save weight and volume.
8. A good miniature tripod is the Ultrapod (2 oz., $8). It also has a Velcro strap for attaching to poles, limbs, or monkey foreheads. Available from Campmoor and outdoor shops.
Travelers' Tips
Prepaid film mailers are a great way to lighten your load and have your pictures waiting when you finally darken the doorstep of your place of permanent residence (or storage, as the case may be.) You won't have to worry about all your exposed film getting lost, stolen, fogged, etc., and mailing from developed countries is trustworthy. Carl N., Nashville, Tennessee
They're extra-great if you can find a noble benefactor to take care of the prepaid part. Ed.