Here is some helpful information for anyone interested in Travel Photography. Thank you, Jo Reason, for sharing your experience:
Travel And Photography Go Hand In Hand ~ by: Jo Reason
Travel and photography go hand in hand. The downside is the amount of
gear you can take with you. Camera, lenses, flash, accessories, loads of
cables, this often includes a laptop. All this adds to the weight you
carry.
A camera can open up a world or close it depending on the religious
views of the locals. If a person doesn´t want you to take his/her photo then we
should respect that, whatever the reason may be. I once had tomatoes thrown at
me in a market in Ecuador back in 2004. The women were selling the tomatoes
sitting on the floor and here I was taking their photo. I didn´t ask so I gave
them no chance to say no. I took the shot, but it´s a little blurry due to the
movement of the camera as I was dodging flying tomatoes. This was back in the
time of me only having a film camera.
There is a huge difference between travel snapshots and travel
photography. I haven´t met anybody who is on a holiday, whether it be
backpacking, family holiday or extended trip without a camera. Everyone thinks
they are photographers just because we have digital cameras in their hands but
there is a huge difference between a snapshot and a photograph. A photograph
can often take time to set up, planning, being there at the right time, with
the right light, etc, that’s not to say that there are some great photos taken
by people with no or little knowledge of photography. One of my aims is to take
photos from different angles. There are many photos out there that all look the
same.
During your travels you get to see such a wide variety of places,
people, food, etc. much more than you would staying at home and it puts you
into unique and memorable circumstances that often will stay with you the rest
of your life. For most of us it´s important to record these moments and what a better
way than to take a photograph.
I have spent many years travelling all over the globe. I have learnt
many, many things from all this travelling. Mostly respect for other cultures,
patience and I have made many friends. The photographs I have taken home from
all of these trips have given me many memories.
Jo Reason is a British
photographer and web designer, who has lived in Spain, USA and Ecuador and of
course Britain. She has spent many years traveling and photographing the world
and also spent time working as a tour leader in South America. She now lives
with her husband in Ecuador.
If you enjoyed this article see more from Fotografia del Ecuador here:
www.fotografiadelecuador.com
(main site)
This has been such an exciting week! I was so thrilled to hear that the
photo I entered in our local zoo's photo contest made it into their top
ten! I don't know if he stands a chance to make it onto the cover of their calendar or not, but either way it's exciting to have made it this far. 
