I have come back from vacations, downloaded all the pictures, gone through them and wondered…where was I and why? The photos are nice, the colors and light are great and the composition is just fine but nothing really tells a story of where I was. My reason for being there just doesn’t come out in the collection I brought home.

What is missing is the spirit of the place I photographed. What do I mean? You’d know if you’ve ever walked through a town and thought “I wonder what it’s like to live here” or looked at someone else’s vacation photos and thought “I’d like to visit that place one day”. In short, you’re seeing and feeling the essence, or spirit if you like, of a location.

In a previous blog, I talked about planning for the photographic aspects of your vacation and this is where capturing the essence of your vacation destination begins. You want to think about why you are going to a place--what is the draw?  Is it the history? The architecture? The landscape? The people? Any combination of these is why we travel to a particular spot on a map. We want to be able to capture those feelings and emotions with our camera.

With those thoughts worked out, now take some time to research. There are usually lots of sources about the history and culture of a place, both online and in written form. Most destinations have a travel bureau that will send you tons of information. If we’re going to Europe, we like to check in with Rick Steves’ site where a wealth of free information is waiting. As mentioned before, I also use Google Earth to get the lay of the land. I also check for cultural events that might be going on while we are there. These are a great way to connect with the people who live there and make great vacation photos.

As I go through all this material, I am creating a list of scenes, places and ideas of photographs that I think will allow me to capture the feel of a place. My shot list includes things that will capture the feel of whatever has drawn me there. Weather is a consideration. I have been to places in two or more seasons and the difference in light can dramatically change the feel. Summer lends bright contrasty light while the lower level of the sun in winter creates a much different mood.

On arriving at a destination, the first priority is having fun and getting the lay of the land. I will have worked out specific locations beforehand so I will visit them, hopefully at a time of day where the lighting is suitable. On bright days, outdoor shots are always going to look better in the morning or late afternoon/evening. That leaves mid-day for indoor photos. But equally important, make time to just wander and take it all in – be alert for the unexpected. These are often the best!

I’ll concentrate on those ideas I had for what drew me to the place. I recently spent a few days in the Badlands area of Alberta, Canada. As the name suggests, this is a dry, edgy area that varies from rolling prairie to multi-layered river valleys and coulees. It is famous for dinosaur fossils and a rich history of early ranchers and homesteaders. I wanted to capture that feeling in my photos.

Rugged and colourful!

When you think of Italy, you are almost overwhelmed with the spirit of the country. All the history, culture and beautiful landscape! A person actually has to narrow down a shot list into categories in order to have a collection that captures all that is Italy. I concentrated on people working, architecture and landscape on my shot list to create a cohesive album of all that we saw.

There is nothing like market day to get the feel of a place and its people!

To capture the spirit of the places you visit, think about the history, the people, the architecture and how these all fit together to generate an emotion for you and your viewers.

Some people find it easier to capture the feel of a place by collecting themes. By this I mean that they might concentrate on old doors or outdoor gardens or statues. Things that are distinctive about a location. They will then add other photos, of course, but their collection will be anchored by these theme shots. Imagine an album of a visit to Paris with bridges over the Seine as a common thread. Or old cars in Cuba, Rathauser (city halls) in small German towns, marinas on Vancouver Island. Basically whatever you find that is distinctive about the places you visit.  

Finally, some tips on the subject:

1)        Photograph signs. They are often interesting in themselves but also help you to remember where a group of photos were taken and they can be used to help people understand “where and when” as they look at your pictures back at home.

2)        Ask locals questions. Most are happy to tell you a bit about a place or to direct you to an interesting location that only the locals know about.

Most people are happy to engage with you. Often, they are as curious about where you live as you are about their home!

3)        If you are photographing buildings, leave room between the sides of the building and the edge of your image. This will allow you to adjust the image in software. When you take a photo of a building, the walls appear to “lean in” as you look higher. This is called keystoning and is an illusion relating to perspective (Like railroad tracks). If you ever want to fix this later, you’ll need some extra room around the building in the photo.

4)        I am not very comfortable photographing people. Just not my thing. However, when I want to get a photo of someone who is doing something interesting in a setting where they are not really expecting to be photographed, I ask permission. Most people will say yes. If they do, I get the picture quickly and say thank you and be on my way. As for children, again, if they are in a situation where they and their parents would expect them to be photographed such as a parade or a traditional dance performance, go ahead. Otherwise, don’t even point your camera at children without a parent’s ok. You don’t want an angry parent or the local police after you.

5)        Though maybe not to everyone’s interest or taste, but in an old city or town, I try to take a quick walk through the cemetery. These often offer insights into the history of the town as well as some pretty fascinating architectural testaments people who lived there long ago. Be respectful and nobody will mind you being there.

6)        Sam Abell was a career photographer for National Geographic. His advice was to find an interesting location and then wait for something interesting to happen there. Excellent idea.

7)        Photograph food. Few things capture the culture of a place better than food. Food photography is a great use of smart phone cameras because you can get close, or right overtop of your meal.

8)        Watch out for the everyday scene. People fishing off a pier. Food coming out of an oven. People coming off a bus. You get the idea. These can tell a story otherwise missed.

9) Composition counts. An Ansel Adams quote on the subject of composition…”There’s nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.” He was saying that in spite of all else, a photo that lacks at least some compositional strength will still not tell the story you wanted to tell. You can review my articles here and here. Better still, you should get a copy of Bryan Peterson’s excellent book on the subject of improving your compositional skills.