ethanz said:
Hi Ben. I like the images. How do you plan your trips? When I travel, I try to fill my schedule to get the most of my time there to see things, which unfortunately tends to rush picture taking. But if I only have a week to travel, I want to make sure I see a lot.
Hi!
I suppose i could write a whole article about this question.
Basically, for me there are two kinds of trips:
1. I go somewhere because of some reason and decide to bring a camera
2. I go somewhere to take pictures
On the trips of the first kind I'm happy if I manage to get one or two decent shots but I do not expect to get any. I do not usually publish these either, maybe sometimes in my "recent images" section.
All the photos in the travel articles I publish on my website were created during trips of the second kind.
Traveling to do photography is very different to traveling just to "see" things. You can easily visit five places every day so that you can say "I've been there", but if you want to take real pictures you need to spend much more time on each location.
Usually I scout a place before I even think of taking a picture - for example in the middle of the day where photography is not an option anyways, due to boring light. I take "mental" images and make a desicion where exactly I want to get what picture. Then I come back in the evening or next morning to take the shot, very often only to find out that low hanging clouds are blocking the sun and no light means no photo.
So I have to come back the day after in the hope of having better conditions.
Sometimes an opportunity presents itself on the first try, other times I have to go back to a place multiple times. Especially if you visit destinations with a humid, finnicky climate you should account for at least two, better three tries.
As others already said in this thread it is important to plan enough time (multiple days) for each
main location so that you have a reasonable chance to get the pictures you want. Apart from that you should of course get a good shot every time an opportunity presents itself by chance where you just happen to be at the moment.
Hope that helps!