Miss Sommer shares the tips and tricks a traveling photographer files away in the books over the years.
Preparing to travel abroad can be a daunting task in itself. International travel while toting the baggage necessary for camera equipment and a client's agenda can total up to something overwhelming. This past summer I went to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania with Michigan State University’s International Studies & Programs to take photos. It’s been a few years since I grabbed my camera for a client and hopped a flight, so I Googled “international working photographer” and a few more combinations of the like to brush up and be current.
While quite a few travel photography articles can be found, a comprehensive list for international client photography jobs is rather a rare commodity. So, here’s a few tips on what I've picked up in my nomadic ventures that you may find helpful for roaming the world with a camera, working as a photographer, or a combination of the two.
Establish a Plan
It is extremely important to sit down with the client and iron out a plan. As you’re travelling a few thousand miles from home on a limited budget and set amount of time, you’ll prevent a lot of headaches by outlining the logistics, allotments, and communication avenues you will have available to you.
Logistics: The schedules and expectations that fit into that schedule should be well thought out. Things to keep in mind:
Travel distance between location spots
Total time of the trip
Festivities occurring while you are there
Drivers, directions, and location contacts
Allotments: It’s good to talk allotments and reimbursements before a trip. Is it going to be better to have a predetermined daily allotment or reimbursement for your accrued expenses? You are not always going to be able to get a receipt with your roadside meal. How about how much cash you may need on you? How widely accepted is your bank card? And how many ATM’s will you encounter on a hiking trail, island coast, or jungle excursion?
Communication: While in a foreign country, AT&T is sure to charge criminally by the minute, so you will want to find alternative methods to keep in contact. How accessible will wifi be? Are SIM cards available at the airport when you arrive?
Equipment and Packing
If you have ever toted around a 30 pound bag and only used a third of it, you’ll know how important this pre-planning step is. Overpacking is not wise. You want to be as light as possible when you travel. I spend time making this list, checking it and fretting over any possible missed items. When you pack, think about each day’s events: are you hiking and camping, shooting at a farm, and then dining at a 5 star rooftop restaurant? If you’re taking photos on a trail, it’s even more important to take into account every ounce. I once rigged my trekking pole to also be a monopod; one less thing on my back.
Before setting foot out my own front door, I like to double check I have all the equipment I’m going to need and that it is in a condition ready to perform. Before my trip to Tanzania this summer, I got my Canon professionally cleaned. My Creative Director, John, sent me off with extra batteries and memory cards to ensure I had ample resources to capture every moment. Though extras of anything can come in handy, it is important to take only what you really need. My biggest recommendation is my battery charger and adapter for traveling abroad. It has multiple outlet converters and a USB port, so I can charge my phone and computer without having to buy any other adapter. I go with my 18-75mm lens. It’s versatile and not too heavy, but a second lens is not a bad idea. I have a 50mm and a 75-200mm that I always consider taking, too. I have decided to always carry an extra body and lens just in case my “go to” camera gets broken. I thought through what my first few days would entail and then threw in a roll of duct tape. (Because when is it ever a bad idea to have that handy little adhesive?)
The Ideal vs. The Real
This is the real thing. You’re in a foreign country, thousands of miles from home and possibly the client, encountering unfamiliar weathers, cultures, and daily occurrences. Whole agendas can be altered by weather or political unrest or even just the whim of a client. Sometimes, you only get two days to get everything or excursions are canceled. I have missed some opportunities because of heavy rain and even once because of a bomb explosion in the Philippines. The important thing to keep in mind, no matter what goes wrong, is that you are there to tell a story with photographs. You will want to prepare to hit the ground running to make the best of your time and keep in regular contact with the client: give updates, send photos, and let them know how the day went. While you might not be able to plan for the unforeseeable, you can communicate to the client how the plan was altered and the situation was adapted. Things happen; not everything you plan for will be accessible, so you engage in the stories that are around you, and beautiful stories they will be.
Telling the Story
Take names, notes, and pictures of signs to help document. Do this right away so you won’t forget. Get up early, so you can get those sunrise shots and morning routines of the everyday people in that culture. Don’t be afraid to ask someone for their portrait and try to get that candid moment. Sometimes, that moment comes just after you pull the camera away and they give a genuine look, so have your trigger finger ready, but be sensitive to them. They are not just a subject, but a person allowing you to capture a moment of their life. Engage with your surroundings and if you have the time to really get to know the people you encounter, do so. Opportunities arise when you make friends and you are able to tell a more detailed account of your experience. To really scoop the story, it’s not just about a beautiful photograph, but the knowledge of the life behind it.
