From equipment to skills: a guide to tourism photography during the May 1 Golden Week

In the last two weeks, affected by the Golden Week, the domestic digital camera market has gradually warmed up, especially the low-end models, and our IT 168 market guide column has also reported this in a classified way. However, what we are going to talk about today is not the purchase of cameras, but the preparation of tourism equipment and the links that need attention in tourism shooting. Don't underestimate these details, there is really a lot of learning!

Equipment: camera bag

Start with the equipment. As digital SLR cameras become more and more popular, most consumers will carry larger photographic equipment when they go out, but this burden must be limited, otherwise it will become a burden and the fun of photography will be swept away. Usually, I suggest that consumers who carry digital SLR cameras adopt the configuration of one camera with one head and at most one camera with two heads. Among them, a wide-angle lens is essential, and a medium-focus lens can also be selected. As for the medium telephoto lenses such as Xiaobai and XZP bamboo cannon, although they have absolute advantages in image quality and color, they are rarely used in tourism, especially in group tours. As for consumer-grade digital cameras, there is no doubt that their size advantages are revealed at this time, especially Sony R 1 and Fuji S9600, which are all practical.

The importance of camera bag in tourism photography is self-evident. When traveling, we should not only fully consider the safety of the camera, but also consider the portability of the camera and whether there is enough space to store accessories, so that there will be no omissions during the trip. For consumer digital cameras with large volume but light weight, one-shoulder backpack may be the best choice. Saftu L200 and L300 are popular in the market at present, and their prices are relatively cheap, namely 130 yuan and 160 yuan. They are all made of professional waterproof cloth, which has excellent waterproof performance and is equipped with a rain cover, similar to a poncho, which can be realized after being covered.

For photographers who travel with digital SLR cameras, if there are a large number of lenses, it is recommended to use backpacks. On the one hand, they can completely liberate their hands, and on the other hand, backpacks will not hurt their shoulders if they are used for a long time. I used to have a backpack problem when climbing mountains. Because the weight of several lenses was not light, my neck was scraped by a belt for a long time, so I bought a backpack immediately after I came back. However, the choice of backpack is certain. The gap between the miscellaneous brands and international brands is not only in price, but also in materials and ergonomics. Some backpacks around 100 yuan don't use waterproof cloth, and the seismic capacity of the bottom is very poor. All the strength of the backpack is borne by the shoulders, which will be unbearable for a long time. The backpack with more than 300 yuan is exquisite in dosage, with a skeleton to protect the camera in the middle and even a zipper with waterproof function. In addition, the design of the strap is more reasonable, it will share the weight to the waist, cross, and it will not be difficult to carry for a long time. At present, the Mini Trekker AW backpacks in Le Shebao are very popular with the public, and the price is around 350-400 yuan, while the price of some backpacks taking the mass route is around 150 yuan.

For a photographer with one camera and one head, I suggest using a leather bag. I have my own mini photography pocket of Orion in Le Shebao, which is very convenient when I go out. The advantage of using the purse is that the waist and cross parts can bear loads, free hands and shoulders, and it is more convenient to take the camera. At the same time, you can also put some personal things in the purse, such as cigarettes, mobile phones and glasses. It is very convenient to travel. However, it should be reminded that only one machine can be installed at one end of the wallet. Although from the design point of view, two lenses can be placed, but after increasing the weight, the wallet will obviously sag, affecting the action. At present, the price of Le Shebao Orion mini photography pocket in the market is around 270 yuan, and there are old imitations for sale. The price of good workmanship is around 140 yuan, and the price of poor imitation is around 100 yuan. In addition, the pocket prices of Jennifer and saffron are around 130 yuan.

After talking about the camera bag, the next thing I want to talk about is the tripod. In the past, many articles discouraged people from taking tripods when traveling, but I think tripods are still useful in some situations, such as climbing mountains to shoot sunrise and dusk, or when traveling alone. Let me introduce it from two aspects. For consumer digital cameras, especially card machines, it is only recommended to carry an ultra-portable tripod. For example, the Weifeng WT202 travel portable copper tube multi-retractable tripod around 75 yuan can realize the most basic function of stabilizing the camera and facilitate self-photographing. For photographers with digital SLR cameras, the portable tripod mentioned above is not suitable for travel. If you are using a one-shoulder camera bag or purse, it is not recommended to bring a tripod. If you use a backpack, it is recommended to carry a carbon tripod or a monopod (you can hang the tripod on the backpack). Especially when climbing mountains, the monopod can also be used as a trekking pole. When shooting sunrise and sunset, as long as the exposure time is controlled within110 seconds, the camera can be stabilized with a monopod.

After talking about the camera bag, the next thing I want to talk about is the tripod. In the past, many articles discouraged people from taking tripods when traveling, but I think tripods are still useful in some situations, such as climbing mountains to shoot sunrise and dusk, or when traveling alone. Let me introduce it from two aspects. For consumer digital cameras, especially card machines, it is only recommended to carry an ultra-portable tripod. For example, the Weifeng WT202 travel portable copper tube multi-retractable tripod around 75 yuan can realize the most basic function of stabilizing the camera and facilitate self-photographing. For photographers with digital SLR cameras, the portable tripod mentioned above is not suitable for travel. If you are using a one-shoulder camera bag or purse, it is not recommended to bring a tripod. If you use a backpack, it is recommended to carry a carbon tripod or a monopod (you can hang the tripod on the backpack). Especially when climbing mountains, the monopod can also be used as a trekking pole. When shooting sunrise and sunset, as long as the exposure time is controlled within110 seconds, the camera can be stabilized with a monopod.

As for batteries, at least one spare lithium battery should be prepared. Considering the economy, you can choose to buy this kind of lithium battery from the subsidiary factory, such as Scud and Pinsheng. The price of lithium batteries is usually around 80 yuan. If your camera uses AA batteries, you'd better prepare two sets of spare batteries, and the brands of batteries are preferably well-known brands such as GP, Sanyo and Pinsheng. As for the charger, it's best to put it in the trunk, just in case.

Finally, talk about some scattered accessories and equipment. First of all, plastic bags, although small plastic bags are inconspicuous, can often save the camera's life when going to the beach to play, especially when going out by speedboat. Followed by lens cloth (digital SLR cameras are best blown with leather). When going out, it is impossible to ensure that your hands are always clean, and the use of the camera will be more casual, not as cherished as at home, so there will inevitably be stains on the lens, fuselage, LCD screen and other places. When you check the battery every night, clean the machine by the way. In addition, it is best to bring data lines and AV lines. Now there is a TV in the standard room of the hotel. You can connect the camera to the TV and play it in slide mode, which can delete some unnecessary, duplicate or blurred photos and reduce the storage pressure. If you want to go abroad, you'd better take a universal plug converter with you. The market price is around 20-30 yuan, otherwise you will encounter great trouble when charging.

Tip: Mountain peaks and the sea

If you choose to travel with a group, the first thing to consider when climbing is safety. There must be a lot of people in the major scenic spots during the Golden Week, so we must keep up with the team, walk evenly and not in a hurry, walk hard and not downhill, walk hard and not weaken, tighten first and then loosen, go quickly and return slowly, and remember in particular when shooting: don't look at the scenery, don't look at the scenery.

When shooting, it is best to choose a relatively gentle high position, because if you choose a lower position, the steep mountain peak will become neither steep nor high due to the perspective deformation, and the majestic momentum cannot be highlighted. In the choice of focal length, you can use the wide-angle end of the lens to shoot, and try to use vertical composition to enhance the sense of depth. Of course, if you use horizontal composition, you can also use a broad vision to show the rolling mountains to the fullest. If you think the wide-angle end of the lens is not wide enough, you can change the frame mode to 16: 9, which will often produce a completely different feeling. In terms of exposure, we can not only use the sky as the exposure standard, but also use the central focus to measure the mountain forest, and correct it through exposure compensation, reflecting the ghost and layering of the mountain. But if there are clouds on the mountain, the metering point should be transferred to the sea of clouds, so as to reflect the momentum of the sea of clouds. When the contrast is too large, the exposure compensation should be reduced to achieve balance.

It is also a blessing to choose to travel to Hainan during the May Day Golden Week. However, when facing the sea, we should fully consider the rationality of composition, fully combine the sea and seascape, and cooperate with reefs, coconut trees and beach chairs on the shore. In terms of color, try to be as rich as possible, and the color system should be bright, so that the picture can be dynamic. Before, I saw that many netizens could not grasp the proportion when shooting sea level, and some even used the method of average composition. The pictures they took felt monotonous and lacked originality. My personal experience is 3: 7. In terms of lighting, if you choose to shoot the sea in the morning, it is basically a backlight environment. At this time, what you want to show is the change of the color of the whole environment by the sun. If you choose to measure the sun, the brightness of the sea in the picture will be darker, highlighting the warm feeling at sunrise. If you measure the clouds in the sky, the color of the sun will be yellow and the brightness of the picture will be balanced. If the sea surface is measured, the brightness of the sun will weaken and the sea surface will emit starlight. When we have a bad grasp of the backlight environment, don't forget to adjust it with exposure compensation.

Besides going to the seaside for a holiday, you can also use the Golden Week holiday to visit places of interest and enrich your knowledge. When shooting places of interest, you must never have the idea of pursuing big and comprehensive. After all, time is limited. It's best to know some information about scenic spots online in advance, which will provide great convenience for shooting. When choosing a scene, we should choose some typical details or parts to express its artistic charm, and we can use the depth of field to highlight a certain position. It should be said that there is no technical difficulty in shooting places of interest, but it should be noted that using flash as little as possible can improve the ISO sensitivity in dark light. In addition, in some cases or with warning signs, you can't take out your camera to shoot.

Finally, talk about the shooting skills of urban scenery. Different cities often have different customs and architectural features, which is the theme of our shooting. High-rise buildings, bustling intersections, criss-crossing overpasses and so on are all manifestations of urban evolution, but we still have to find the other side of the city. In composition, factors such as light, tone, line and tone should be fully considered, and a change should be highlighted. If you want to shoot a work that makes people shine at the moment and avoid aesthetic fatigue, you must work hard on the choice of angles. In addition, don't limit yourself to using wide-angle lenses, which will make your shooting very monotonous, the technical content will be greatly reduced, and the attraction will be reduced. The medium telephoto lens can broaden your horizons and make you pay more attention to details, which is the urban culture and urban characteristics we are looking for.