Just returned from three weeks overseas, lastly in Japan, but all in high summer and HOT. Perhaps we need a “Life’s little (summer travel photo) lessons”, but I suspect there is much in common with the current topic … In any event, after a similar experience in Japan in September 2023 with high heat and humidity, here are a few observations for travel photography in hot weather from my experience …
1. Since you will be walking a lot, sweating, and generally suffering for the experience, everything you are carrying will get heavier and more uncomfortable throughout the day. Carrying those two bodies and lenses that were no issue in any other season will be a very big issue when it’s 32 degrees Celsius and 90% humidity.
2. A current generation iPhone Pro with its three lenses (or equivalent) is light, easy to carry in a pocket, and is more than capable of capturing the moment when it counts (which is at least 75% of the time when travelling). If you are self conscious or just need/want to be inconspicuous, nobody considers taking photos with an iPhone “photography” for the purpose of most rules or regulations. This is illogical but generally applicable.
3. For more considered, serious photography on the move, a compact zoom camera (e.g., Canon G7X MkII in my case) might be all you need, or could be bothered carrying. Just pack an extra battery or two (they are tiny).
4. When travelling you can’t always ‘get closer’ easily or at all. A telephoto lens (90mm+) will likely be as useful as your favourite wide/normal (28-50mm). I was surprised at how many photos I took at the long end of my compact camera/iPhone zoom range.
5. If it catches your eye, photograph it. You might (will very likely) never come back to the same spot or see an equivalent scene.
6. If you are travelling with family, put AirTags in their shoulder bags so you can find them again after they leave you behind when taking your time photographing a scene…….
7. Keeping your camera in a backpack is pointless as it’s too slow to access for anything, not to mention it just get very uncomfortable as you sweat profusely around your back and armpits. Use a small shoulder bag across your body with easy access that you can just ‘drop’ your camera back into after use, or just a camera strap (although you might wish for more protection or to keep your camera out of sight in some circumstances).
8. You will resent bringing that Leica SL(X) with 24-90 zoom that generates amazing IQ after nearly dropping it out of your sweaty hands for the umpteenth time and just generally managing the excess bulk and weight while you are frying under a burning sun with no shade. At least you will be wearing a wide brim hat (unlike any other tourist who must have UV proof skin) to keep your head/face/neck a little cooler and unburnt.
9. Once you get home and are enjoying your images with family, you won’t care which camera or lens you used to shoot them. The images endure longer than the photographic experience.
10. If you are not travelling in high summer, and don’t mind carrying a little more weight, items 1, 7, 8 and to a lesser extent 9, no longer apply. Knock yourself out carrying and using whatever you fancy. However regardless of weather, item 1 will always apply eventually.
11. Enjoy.
32C? That's cool compared to where I am now in Malaysia. 34C-35C yesterday at 9 AM with humidity in the 90s. After a few minutes' walking I was sweating, with about 5 kilometres to go. Two or even three destinations in mind for look-seeing and picture-taking, fortunately the distances between the sites are quite short and there were many trees to linger under and cool down in the shade.
I had my Xpro2 and the Fujinon 18/2.0. A lens hood and a UV filter.
In my backpack, a spare battery (which I used) and the lens cap. TWO bottles of water. The Fujinon 18-55 (which I never used, so therein lies one lesson, in future take only the lens I need). Two hand towels. Two bananas for my mid morning snack.
In the Chinese cemetery there were many trees with welcome shade. I sat under several and enjoyed the views and the plentiful local wildlife, especially the birds. My goal here was to look for close-ups which I found in profusion - stone dogs, religious statues, odd historical monuments, big rocks, massive graves and mausoleums.
What I'll do with these is a moot point. I hesitate to not post images of the cemeteries I visit (and I've seen many in my time) as my Chinese friends are deeply superstitious and believe looking at cemeteries and graves brings misfortune to the living. So these are for my own use. I did a mix of color - Fuji Pro Neg Hi, color at +2, highlights -1, shadows +1 - and B&W - Across with red filter. The colors are super good, the monochrome not quite what I intended as maybe I should have set the Xpro on Acros with yellow filter. But those images will do with some post processing.
Then on to a lovely Lake Garden, created in the 1880s by the wife of the English Resident of the town and one of the most charming botanical gardens in SE Asia. I've photographed this lake several times in the past, so I walked around - again keeping to the shadows of the tall trees - I ended up with about a dozen photos, I hope a few keepers.
On the return trek I revisited a few old colonial buildings to note the deterioration - sadly, in the smaller places if a building isn't in use for something or other it isn't worth spending money to keep it in good order. Two of the buildings I passsawed date to the 1880s-1890s and are in an advanced derelict stage. All are boarded up and fenced off with no sign of any restoration or even basic maintenance. Eventually these will be at risk of collapsing and the inevitable with happen - demolition. At least I have images of them. In a decade of many visits here I've not seen any other photographer bothering to photograph them.
I was back at my hotel before noon for a wash-up and half a litter of bottled water to rehydrate. Then a pleasant Chinese vegetarian lunch at a nearby food court. For me a good day, about 100 images. Maybe 20-30 keepers, but being me I believe everything I photograph is be kept. Western Digital hard disks are my best friends.
Okay, lessons. What tips did I learn from all this?
Take only the gear I intend to use. My Xpro2 and one lens, the 18. The 18-55 wasn't needed. Not a heavy lens to cart about, 'tho. My XE2 would have been almost as good, but not this time.
Take a sun hat and sunglasses, lots of water and a few hand towels. You will need all four.
When in doubt about an image, take it anyway. At my age I may never return. Knowing me, I will be here again in the next 12 months, but who knows?
This time I learned to not float to-fro between color and B&W. The Acros + red film simulation is ideal for certain images, but for me a cemetery in the blazing midday sun wasn't one. Many of my B&Ws are too light, especially the close-ups The distance shots look okay. I'll decide on those when I post process them. But for now, for me it's best to do either color of B&W, not both.
Of course the key rule of thumb here is YMMD.
My few stray thoughts, long-winded as usual. Poster's tip #11 is by far the best one...
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