Travel and Street Photography
From Snapshots to Great Shots
John Batdorff
Travel and Street Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots
John Batdorff
Peachpit Press
www.peachpit.com
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Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson Education
Copyright 2015 by John Batdorff
Senior Editor: Susan Rimerman
Senior Production Editor: Lisa Brazieal
Development/Copyeditor: Emily Wolman
Proofreader: Suki Gear
Composition: Wolfson Design
Indexer: Karin Arrigoni
Cover Image: John Batdorff
Cover Design: Aren Straiger
Interior Design: Mimi Heft
Notice of Rights
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact .
Notice of Liability
The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.
Trademarks
From Snapshots to Great Shots is a trademark, in the U.S. and/or other countries, of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.
ISBN-13: 978-0-321-98823-2
ISBN-10: 0-321-98823-X
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed and bound in the United States of America
Acknowledgements
My travel partners
Staci and Anna, the world is so much more interesting with the two of you by my side. Staci, you are forever the love of my life. Youre the mortar that holds us all together. Anna, youre the brakes, slowing us down and making us enjoy every minute. We love you, were proud of you, and watching you grow up has been the best journey of my life.
Mom
I was thinking of you the other day, and while looking through old pictures I found your daily planner. I couldnt help but smile when I came across your 100 goals, and photographing Yosemite and Lake Louise were at the top of the list. Thank you for placing the first camera in my hand and telling me, We all need a hobby. I truly miss you and know somehow youve been with me for all my travels.
Dad
Thank you for your guidance and support. Your gift for storytelling and passion for writing have been an inspiration, and our trips together have meant the world to me.
The Peachpit crew
Thank you for your continued support. Ive always respected your dedication to working with authors and artists in creating superior products.
Susan Rimerman
You make this job enjoyable, even when youre cracking the whip. I truly do appreciate your honest feedback and your ability to make me laugh.
Emily Wolman
Thank you so much for challenging me to make this book as good as possible. Thanks for putting up with my messy copy, dangling modifiers, and poor formatting. You did it all with a newborn.... Youre the master multitasker!
Lisa Brazieal
Youre a rock star, and your crew always puts together a wonderful-looking book. Thank you and your team for all you do.
To you, the reader
I want to sincerely thank you for giving me the chance to share my insights with you. I hope you enjoy the book, and as always, feel free to contact me at www.johnbatdorff.com if you have any questions.
Contents
Introduction
Ive been taking photographs for as long as I can remember. My passion began when my mother handed me my first Kodak Instamatic in 1977. What started out as a way to keep a young boy out of mischief blossomed into a lifelong pursuit of personal expression. Ive always been fascinated by people and by their relationships with others and their environment. Its this natural curiosity that has fueled my addiction to travel and to observing through the lens.
The Goal of This Book
The number-one goal of this book is to help you take your street and travel photography to the next level, and help you get the images you envision. Photography can be confusing at times, but the technical aspects of exposure and composition should never hold you back from getting the photograph you want. I made many mistakes early on with my photography, but through them I have learned a lot, and Im happy to say I discover something new every day.
This book isnt intended to be the gospel of travel and street photography. Rather its a guide that jump-starts your creative photographic endeavors while helping you avoid a few bumps and bruises along the way.
What You Will Accomplish
Well start off by discussing potential camera kits, tips for planning a journey, getting a good exposure, and creating better compositions. Its important to note that I can attest only to what I use and how I do things. Im not a fan of speculation or recommending techniques that I dont use every day. If you ask a group of 20 photographers how they would approach a photograph, youll get 20 different answers. Photography should challenge you, and it should also be something we can all enjoy regardless of skill level. Its my hope that I have distilled my experiences into an easy-to-understand methodology that you can duplicateand improve upon.
, you should have a stronger foundation in photography and be prepared to begin your journey.
Starting with , well discuss the pros and cons of observing and engaging your subject. Next well travel to the urban environment, where Ill share insights into getting the shots you want and using best practices, and give you some creative tips. Then were off to the countryside, where well shift our focus to capturing sweeping vistas, rural communities, and road trips. Ill provide detailed information on how to get a great landscape shot as well as interact with people in more rural settings. Finally, well wrap up by discussing the legalities of street and travel photography and how to organize your post-processing workflow.
Make sure to download bonus . After you register the book, a link to access bonus content will appear on your Account page in the Registered Products tab. NOTE: if you purchased an ebook, youre coveredthe chapter is already included.
This book is a journey we will make together, and I will be there along the way, giving guidance and tips. At any point if you get lost or stuck, you email and Ill answer. Feel free to contact me at www.johnbatdorff.com.