Photo Tips

A series by Tony Tidswell

Although film is more expensive in many countries, for color print film I only have 3 rolls with me and buy film locally. This saves the nuisance value of carrying a lot of film and the hassle with baggage checks and "safe" x-ray machines. You can buy your favorite make in all countries you will visit and the extra cost is very small.

Photo of Mary Gallagher
"Something's wrong when the skin is yellow and some of the head cut off."

I always wind the film right back into the camera so as not to mix up the exposed and unexposed rolls in my luggage.

Write the date and place on each used cassette of film with a felt marker pen as soon as you take it out of the camera, the indelible type of pens are best.

When you have used four or five cassettes of film, mail them back to yourself at home in a small padded "jiffy" envelope. This avoids extra x-ray exposure and reduces the risk of losing all your valuable vacation pictures if luggage gets lost. It also ensures that the films will be properly processed with your own favorite laboratory at home.

Make sure your travel insurance covers the cost of all your cameras and equipment.

Keep all your camera equipment to the minimum, remember cameras don't take photos, you do.

Most pocket cameras depend on batteries, make sure you have at least one spare battery, you can always buy extra film but sometimes it is difficult to find the right batteries for some cameras. I personally prefer cameras which do not need batteries to work and may only have a battery for the light meter. (bring back the Olympus "Trip", no batteries at all.

If you photograph the moon, it is always 1/500th at f4 (from the earth).

Make a note of the serial numbers of any cameras or lenses you have. If you lose your camera the police will not really be interested, but the insurance company may require this information for your claim if you lose anything.

I rarely use zoom lenses, they are often "slow" and heavy. I have a built in system, called feet. Just move towards or away from your subject.


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