Film Still Photography
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Vintage Cameras
    • Argus 75
    • Brownie Flash II
    • Contax G2
    • Ensign Selfix 820
    • FED-1 (PE0320)
    • Graflex Crown Graphic
    • Ihagee Exa
    • Leica M6
    • Nikon S2
    • Nikon F
    • Nikon F2
    • Nikon F3
    • Nikon FA
    • Olympus OM-1
    • Olympus OM-2 SPOT
    • Olympus Stylus
    • Pentacon Six
    • Pentax Spotmatic IIa
    • Rollei 35
    • Voigtlander 15mm ver III
    • Yashica C
    • Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2
  • Learning Composition
    • The Monochrome Diaries
    • Single & Multi Elements
    • Symmetry
    • Keep the Right Strong
    • Framing
    • Color in Composition
    • Deep Dive Bubble Man
    • Photo Assignments
  • Darkroom Lessons
    • Building a Sink
    • Air Ventilation
    • Analyser Pro
    • Development Hints
    • Primer for Film Photography
    • Bulk Loading Film
    • Pushing & Pulling Film
    • Color Development
    • Digital Contact Sheets
    • Stick to One Film Stock?
    • HP5+ Shot at 200 ISO
    • HP5 Shot at 1600 ISO
    • HP5 Shot at 3200 ISO
    • Medium Format
    • Washing Film
    • Split Grade Printing
    • Using Distilled Water in Film Development
    • Darkroom Paper
    • Foma100 EI 400
  • Photography Books & Films
    • Colin O'Brien
    • Lartigue Life in Color
    • Magnum Contact Sheets
    • Top Photography Movies
    • William Eggleston's Guide
    • Helen Levitt
    • Sally Mann Immediate Family
    • Saul Leiter Early B&W
    • Leica 100 yrs
    • Calendar Days of Asaya Hamaya
    • The Decisive Moment
    • Regarding Women
    • Robert Capa in Love and War
  • Single Image Deep Dive
    • Sergio Larrain "A Man After Dark"
    • Colin O'Brien 'Comings & Goings"
    • Erwitt Mother & Child
    • Man Running
    • Samuel Becket
    • Koudelka Wristwatch
    • Dovima with Elephants
Salzburg, Austria

"No place is boring if you've had a good night's sleep and a pocket full of film." - Robert Adams
​
"Tea first, then photography..." - Philip Lee Harvey

From an Article written by Philip Lee Harvey

Travel Photography is about People

5/22/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
The difference between good travel photography and poor is the people that are photographed. For most of us taking pictures of people on the street is not easy. We feel that we are invading their privacy and fear an angry or hurt response. We do not want our hobby to cause any fear in others. So we take pictures of objects, architecture and vehicles that hint at the culture we are visiting.

While all of this is fine, it limits our photographic results. The most fascinating part of visiting new lands is getting to know new people. Here are a few of the images I have captured during my travels that tell the story of the people of the region.

The first one up top, is of a little girl on a class trip to the Forbidden City. She was shy, looking through a fence with this amazing hat on. The picture had to be taken!
Picture
Here was a shot in China of a man "painting" with water on the floor. The animal would evaporate shortly after being finished and he would start another one.

​The things he did with a simple water bottle and a sponge were amazing, and the temporary nature of his art made it even more memorable. 
Here we were in Xi'an walking through a crowded street. Sitting in the middle of it all were these two ladies selling fruit. I love her smile as she saw me taking her picture.

The bike, the writing on the wall and her expression tell a bit more of the story of the place.
Picture
Picture
Here was a group of men in China, playing music near a temple. They did not ask for money of any sort, just wanted to play for the people visiting the temple. 

I took several memorable pictures of this event and this is one of them. The odd instrument, something that you do not see back home, help tell of the cultural differences. The well dressed gentlemen and the old wall behind him help give the image a sense of time and place.

​
In Bali there are a great many temples that are amazing to enter and walk around. This one had a pre-prayer bath at the entrance. 

People would dress down, and jump into the cool water. They would make an offering and wash up for prayer. The site itself is wonderful but the people getting ready to pray help tell the story of the place.
Picture
Picture
Upon leaving the temple I found these friendly children eating a late lunch. Normally I do not take pictures of kids but the parents were nearby and seemed fine with it.

The expression on kids faces tell a story of welcome, happiness and honesty. Something I could never capture in a building or flower.
Here is another image of the China street music. You can see the crowds, happy faces while the musicians do their magic. 

When I look at this image I can hear the music again. It is a wonderful memory of an amazing place.
Picture
Picture
How do you explain to a person from Houston who jumps into their car every morning to drive into down town for their 9-5 job that in Indonesia things work differently? Sure a 10,000 word essay may convey the message, but a picture of people working the rice fields tells it better.

Again the rice fields are wonderful to photograph but without the human element they fall flat. Travel photography should be about people.
All these images are from Asia, however I can look at all my travel images and point to the people I have photographed. Every place has a story and it is written by its people. To travel to a place and not photograph the people is to only tell part of the story.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Patrick...confirmed film & digital photography addict.

    Archives

    March 2023
    January 2023
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from left-hand, Ant Jackson, Skley, mikecogh, Helen.Yang, TheeErin, Dean Hochman, CJS*64, DaveR1988, FootMassagez, Loco Steve, dmytrok, Christiaan Colen
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Vintage Cameras
    • Argus 75
    • Brownie Flash II
    • Contax G2
    • Ensign Selfix 820
    • FED-1 (PE0320)
    • Graflex Crown Graphic
    • Ihagee Exa
    • Leica M6
    • Nikon S2
    • Nikon F
    • Nikon F2
    • Nikon F3
    • Nikon FA
    • Olympus OM-1
    • Olympus OM-2 SPOT
    • Olympus Stylus
    • Pentacon Six
    • Pentax Spotmatic IIa
    • Rollei 35
    • Voigtlander 15mm ver III
    • Yashica C
    • Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2
  • Learning Composition
    • The Monochrome Diaries
    • Single & Multi Elements
    • Symmetry
    • Keep the Right Strong
    • Framing
    • Color in Composition
    • Deep Dive Bubble Man
    • Photo Assignments
  • Darkroom Lessons
    • Building a Sink
    • Air Ventilation
    • Analyser Pro
    • Development Hints
    • Primer for Film Photography
    • Bulk Loading Film
    • Pushing & Pulling Film
    • Color Development
    • Digital Contact Sheets
    • Stick to One Film Stock?
    • HP5+ Shot at 200 ISO
    • HP5 Shot at 1600 ISO
    • HP5 Shot at 3200 ISO
    • Medium Format
    • Washing Film
    • Split Grade Printing
    • Using Distilled Water in Film Development
    • Darkroom Paper
    • Foma100 EI 400
  • Photography Books & Films
    • Colin O'Brien
    • Lartigue Life in Color
    • Magnum Contact Sheets
    • Top Photography Movies
    • William Eggleston's Guide
    • Helen Levitt
    • Sally Mann Immediate Family
    • Saul Leiter Early B&W
    • Leica 100 yrs
    • Calendar Days of Asaya Hamaya
    • The Decisive Moment
    • Regarding Women
    • Robert Capa in Love and War
  • Single Image Deep Dive
    • Sergio Larrain "A Man After Dark"
    • Colin O'Brien 'Comings & Goings"
    • Erwitt Mother & Child
    • Man Running
    • Samuel Becket
    • Koudelka Wristwatch
    • Dovima with Elephants