Photowalk Top Tips
#TravelTuesday sure does come around quick! That means that I, Dave Williams, have a slot for the day to spread cheer and joy. What a responsibility! Well, today is no different, and I have some killer info for you right here, right now!
This weekend sees the annual Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk land in a town near you, and I certainly hope you’re signed up for one! Today, I want to lay down a few top tips to help you enjoy yourself and make some great images while you’re at it. The accompanying images, by the way, are from my previous walks. Largely selfies. Deal with it. Ready? Go!
Be comfortable
I’ve run photo walks where there’s been a lot of moving around, and if you’re going to be doing that, you must be comfortable! Check the weather ahead of time and dress for it, and please make sure you have the right footwear on. Nothing ever goes to plan, and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but if your walk is scheduled for 2 hours, it’ll likely be about 3. On top of that, if you’re carrying gear around, you want to be comfortable while you’re doing it.
Be all over your settings
If you’re doing a walk which involves a different type of photography than you’re used to, make sure you check and double-check your settings so that you have tack sharp, well-exposed images at the end of the walk.
Make friends
The Worldwide Photowalk is a fantastic way to meet photographers near you, and I’ve met many this way. It’s a great opportunity to see who else in your area is shooting. On that note, forget about having competition! In fact, forget that altogether – we should all be learning from each other. If there’s a secret to share, share it! There are a lot of photographers out there who keep things to themselves because they fear a competitor will “steal” their tricks, however, when you really think about it, there isn’t truly any direct competition. Everybody shoots different genres, and even those who shoot the same genre have a different style, and further to that, those who shoot the same style and genre as you are likely to work a different area anyway. So, nobody’s going to steal your clients if you share some secrets. It’s how we learn and develop.
Think composition
It’s easy to see a shot waiting to be captured and simply raise the camera and click, especially on a fast-paced photo walk. Take a moment to be conscious of your composition, perspective, timing, and then go ahead and shoot. There are prizes – win one!
Slim your profile
Sounds cool, right? What I’m saying is, simply, go light. If you’re going to be moving around a lot, both in terms of walking and body movements, you want to make it as easy as possible. If you can get away with it, take just one lens. If you need to take a camera bag, don’t cram it full of heavy gear that you won’t use.
Know the rules and be aware
As a big group of photographers, you’re going to stand out, most notably to thieves and security guards. Make sure you know what’s happening around you all the time and keep a close eye on your important gear, as well as other things like traffic and other people. As well as this, be aware of the rules – perhaps you’re going to a place that doesn’t allow tripods, for example. Platypod… just saying. If you’re confronted about any photos you’ve taken, don’t make it worse. Not today. ;)
I hope you all have a great walk! If you haven’t found one yet, you can find one here.
I’m not running a walk this year, but you can keep an eye on my Instagram Story to see the walk I end up on. ;)
Much love
Dave