Flipbac – a mega useful camera accessory for spies and tourists alike

by Annie Scott on

Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the Flipbac.

The “Flipbac Angle Viewfinder and LCD Screen Protector for Digital Cameras” is a little mirror on a hinge that attaches easily to any digital camera to make it possible to “shoot from the hip,” as they say. Snapped shut, it looks nice and tidy, and protects your LCD screen from scratches, smudging, and lipstick from your purse.

This reminds me of the kinds of toys I had for playing “spy” as a kid, only it’s for grownups, it’s useful, and it’s totally respectable-looking. You can use the FlipBac to take photos from the ground or around a corner, and if you hold your camera upside down, the Flipbac enables you to take photos from high overhead! Useful in airport bathrooms. Wait … no. Forget that.

You could get this for your next vacation to Banff or your next trip to the pub. It would also make a good gift, especially for someone who’s about to travel somewhere (and has an LCD display camera – most are compatible, list here). It’s only $19.99 and $5 shipping to anywhere in the US. Get one for me here.

Through the Gadling Lens: How to pack like a photographer for your trip

by Karen Walrond on

I mentioned last week that I was getting ready for a trip to England — and I was a bit panicky about the fact that I hadn’t finished packing. The truth is, whenever I pack for an international trip, I pack with two “me”‘s in mind: Me The Tourist (who, at all costs, needs adequate underwear and hair products) and Me The Photographer (whose head would explode if she forgot her camera charger or, God forbid, her camera). So since I’ve already written about what I pack on any trip abroad, today, I’d thought I’d talk about how I prepare from a photographer’s standpoint.
My husband is English, so this trip is a bit different than if I were leaving for a country I’d never visited — I actually met my husband while I was living in England, and have returned to visit his family many times. Still, I generally follow the same procedure for my trips back to Ol’ Blighty as I do when I visit any other country. It goes something like this:

1. Research the location. On this particular trip, we’ll be spending 6 days in Gloucester, 6 days in Cornwall, and 2 days in London. Now, if I didn’t know better (and without doing a bit of research), I could blithely fly into England expecting to just take shots of Big Ben and the Tower of London, but obviously, there’s so much more to England that that; furthermore, each region has its own sights and cultural differences. In fact, if I just Google each location or pick up a guide book or two, I’d find that each of these locations are known for at least the following:

Gloucester: a port town on the Severn Estuary, famous for the Gloucester Cathedral (where certain scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed). It is surrounded by the Cotswalds and the Forest of Dean. Also, my father-in-law is an avid archer, so maybe I’ll get the opportunity to view a competition? And because of my photoblog, I’ve made the acquaintance of another photographer and photoblogger who lives in Bath, about 1 hour’s drive away. She’s offered to take me around on a day trip for a shoot. I’ve actually never been to Bath, but I do know that it’s on the River Avon, near hot springs from which the Romans built a temple and baths (hence the name, I suppose). According to Wikipedia, Bath was “the leading centre of fashionable life in England in the 1800’s,” with some stunning architecture in support. I’m really looking forward to this trip.

Cornwall: the most southwesterly region of England, and where my husband calls home. It has beautiful wild countryside, with amazing cliffs into the ocean, quaint villages (“As I was going to St. Ives…”) and those “moors” that English authors always seem to put in their books.

London: Seriously, can you say enough about what London is known for? In addition to Big Ben and the Tower of London, there are open-air markets, amazing architecture, Westminster Cathedral, black cabs, high-end shopping, the theatre district, the financial district, Hyde Park, the Thames, the punk scene … seriously, the list goes on ad infinitem.

Also, obviously, there are the stereotypical things that England is known for: cups of tea, scones and clotted cream, pubs, pints, double decker buses, The Tube, and so on. The point is, you really can’t over-research a trip destination: Google it, buy guide books, search for bloggers who live there, whatever. Information is power.

Finally, a quick look at weather.com shows that the forecast calls for 50 degree temperatures, rain and fog in all places. Lovely.

2. Get an idea of what you’re going to want to shoot. Note that this is a bit different than “get an idea of what you want to see.” The point is to start thinking about the various locations from a photographer’s eye. For example, of course you could just walk up to a pub and capture an image of it (and frankly, I do recommend doing that when in England, some of the pubs are just beautiful). But the truth is that the pub isn’t what makes pubs cool, so much as the pub culture. It’s the whole atmosphere of the pub that makes it great: the laughter and banter among the regulars, the darkness inside (for some reason, all pubs are dark inside, regardless of the time of day), the low overhead beams requiring you to duck as you walk in, the sloshing of the foamy beers over the pint glasses, the flirting of the bartenders with the patrons, and so on. A photograph of you in front of a pub will record the fact that you were there — think of images that will record what you experienced. If this concept is new to you, feel free to jot down some ideas prior to your trip: “When in London, I want to get a shot that shows how focused the guards are at Buckingham Palace.” “When in Bath, I want a shot that shows the detail of the architecture of Bath Abbey.” You won’t need to your notes with you and tick off the items as you grab the shots; but a quick glance before you head out for your day trip might help you remember what it is that you want to capture to remember once you return home.

3. Pack your photography equipment accordingly. Given all the information above (sprinkled with a bit of previous experience), here’s what I packed:

  • My Nikon D300 camera body. Obviously, I was going to bring a camera body, but I have two. In this case, I brought my better one, but I don’t always. If I’m traveling to a place where it is generally unsafe, or if I’m traveling somewhere where it could get dirty (like a beach vacation, for example), I take my older camera — it still takes great shots, and I won’t be (as) devastated if something happens to it.
  • My 24-85mm Nikkor zoom lens. This is sort of my standard, dependable capture-pretty-much-everything lens. I will likely use this lens more than any other lens I bring. It will take nice clear shots of architecture, details of architecture (I’m thinking about Bath, here), and a pretty decent portrait in a pinch.
  • My 70-200mm Nikkor zoom lens. I really struggled with whether or not I wanted to bring this one: on one hand, it’s so damned unwieldy. On the other, it takes such beautiful shots. In the end, I decided to take it, because one of the things I love about England are the amazing faces, and this allows me to take tight shots without people knowing I’m taking their photograph. Also, as I mentioned above, I was hoping that my father-in-law would show off his bow-and-arrow for me, and this way I can frame a nice tight image without worrying that I’m going to be in the way of an errant shot. This will be a great lens if we go to an open-air market in London, or to Hyde Park — in London, no one will bat an eye at the large lens, and I’ll be able to get some great shots.
  • My 100mm Nikon telephoto lens. This lens is actually manual, so it can be a bit tricky to use; but oh how I love the results — it takes some of the most amazing portraits. Since it’s not very big, I went ahead and stuck it in the bag — I’m thinking of doing family portraits for Christmas presents this year, so while I won’t take it out on daytrips, I’m hoping to do a few sittings while I’m there.
  • My 2GB memory card. This baby holds 2,100 hundred shots. Because I shoot so much, this actually wouldn’t be enough for a two-week trip, but it’s certainly more than enough for a day’s shoot, and I download my photographs every evening anyway. Which brings me to…
  • My MacBook. I know, I know — my sister laughs at me that I take my laptop everywhere, even on vacation, but the truth is that I love nothing more than winding down each night with a glass of wine and processing my photos. It ends a day perfectly for me.
  • My Nikon Coolpix. I never go anywhere without my point-and-shoot — it’s sort of a throw-it-in-my-daypack-and-forget-about-it camera. Also, it has a wider angle than any of the other lenses I’m taking with me, so when we get to the top of those Cornish cliffs and I want a true panoramic view, this camera will definitely come in handy. And of course, it’s great for those “party-pic”-type snapshots that are always so great on holidays.
  • Chargers and power cords for everything above.

For those of you who have point-and-shoots: obviously, your packing list will be much smaller than the above. In your case, I would definitely pack (a) an extra memory card (or a really, really large one) if you don’t want to take your laptop and download every day, (b) your charger, and (c) your manual, so you make sure you know exactly how to play with your aperture, ISO and shutter speed settings, in order to maximize the kinds of shots you want to get. Trust me, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be surprised to find that some of your shots rival those that can be taken with an SLR camera.

On your next trip, I challenge you to try to put a little forethought into your trip from a photographic standpoint. Also, I’ve been getting some great questions over the last few weeks — if you have any questions, or would like me to cover something specifically, feel free to send them to me at karen.walrond@weblogsinc.com. At some point, I’ll feature some questions and answers here on the site. And of course, in coming posts, I’ll share some of the shots I’ve captured on this trip.

In the meantime, keep clicking those cameras!

Karen is a writer and photographer in Houston, Texas. You can see more of her work at her site, Chookooloonks.
And for more Through the Gadling Lens, click here.

Top 10 things you must pack first before going abroad

by Karen Walrond on

In two days, my husband, 4-year-old daughter and I are going to be leaving for a two-week trip to visit my in-laws in England. And I am panicking: not because I don’t like my in-laws (I do) or because I don’t like the cold (I don’t, but I’ll deal) …

… I’m panicking because I haven’t finished packing.

I know some of you are thinking, “Dude, you have TWO DAYS. What’s the rush?” And, in fact, you do have a point — two days should be more than enough time to pack for a two-week trip. But the thing is, with a four-year-old little girl and a 39-year-old husband, who, if “Being Forgetful” were an Olympic sport he’d handily take gold, all of the “remembering what to pack” rests on my shoulders. Luckily, (1) I’m a list-maker, and (b) I like to share. So as I make my packing list right now, as I type, I thought I’d share with you the Top 10 Things I Pack First Before Going Abroad:
10. A book/magazine/or any other type of riveting reading material. The thing about travel? There’s a lot of sitting. And waiting. And sitting while waiting. It seems like a minor thing to pack right now, but trust me: when you’ve got hours to kill on the plane or in the train, and the too-friendly greaseball sitting next to you wants to talk (and talk and talk), you’re going to want that book to tune him out. And good luck buying any reading material in your native language when you’re in a country where no one speaks it.

9. A universal plug adapter. Nothing is more annoying than arriving at your destination and realizing that you’re not going to be able to plug in your laptop, phone, or blow dryer because your plugs won’t fit into the wall sockets. I’m a big fan of this one. But also, remember — before you use this, it’s not only the plugs that might be different, the power supply might be different too. Be sure your appliance has a transformer on the power cord before you plug it in, even with the adapter. If it doesn’t, then you might be better off asking your hotel if they have a blow dryer you can borrow.

8. Medicine. Okay, if you’re on prescription medicine, hopefully I don’t have to remind you to take this with you, right? But the same is true for over-the-counter medicine: I always take at least a pain reliever and an anti-diarrheal (in case I get more adventurous with local cuisine than my stomach is ready for). Of course, you can probably get over-the-counter medicine wherever you’re going; however, often dosages in different countries differ. And don’t forget the pediatric versions if you’re traveling with a child.

7. Camera and related accessories. Okay, so I’m a photographer, and related accessories for me include my laptop with Adobe Photoshop installed (since I like to download images every day), a few camera bodies, a few lenses … but I realize that for most, this might be a bit of overkill. If you’re not like me, at least remember to take an extra memory card, if you’re not planning on downloading images while you’re on holiday. Just don’t lose it. And while we’re talking about it …

6. Chargers. There is nothing more disappointing than arriving at your destination, ready to get out there and see the sights, and realizing that your camera is dead, and you forgot your charger at home. Or you want to send a text message to your friends back home telling them what a great time you’re having, and you forgot your charger at home. Or you want to send an e-mail to your friend who is picking you up at the airport that you’ve met someone and you’ve decided to stay in Kuala Lumpur another week, but your laptop is dead, and you forgot your power cord — which charges your laptop — at home. Moral of the story: don’t forget any of your chargers at home.

5. Guidebooks/phrase books/maps. Yes, of course, you could probably pick up a mediocre map at the front desk of your hotel or at the rental car kiosk, but why, when you’ve been so excited about your trip? Do yourself a favour and grab a couple of guidebooks (or download some maps and other local information from your favourite online source), and tuck them into your carry on. I’ve found some of the best restaurants, scuba diving spots, and places to watch the sun go down in the world primarily because I’m fastidious about taking some research with me. And by the way, this goes for phrase books to help teach you a few idiomatic expressions of the local language, too — in my experience, nothing opens doors like showing an effort to learn the local tongue.

4. Travel documents, and photocopies of travel documents. If you’re going to travel overseas, you’re going to need a passport. Without exception. If you’ve never applied for a passport, be sure to give yourself plenty of time ahead of your trip to apply for one. And then once you have it, hold on to it like Grim Death: this is your way in and out of foreign lands. Also, be sure to check if you are also required to have a visa to visit your vacation destination — in some countries, such visas are mandatory. Check with your country’s state department to see what countries require a visa (often this information is available on the web).

What if, however, you lose your passport? That’s where your photocopies come in: Make copies of your passports and keep them in some back other than the one you’re keeping your passports. A friend of mine is careful about doing this, and when, one day, he was robbed, he was able to contact his local embassy and get a temporary passport issued relatively quickly, primarily because he was able to show proof of citizenship (albeit a copy).

3. Cell phone. It might seem a bit staid to carry a cellphone on vacation — after all! you’re immersing yourself in a whole new land! a whole new culture! — but even if you never plan to turn your phone on while you’re vacationing, it’s good to have it, if only to make sure your ride will be pick you up when you return, or you plan on meeting someone locally, and they need to contact you, or, God forbid, you find yourself traveling during a state of emergency (I was traveling both during the chaos during September 11, 2001 and when Hurricane Ike hit Houston a few months ago — it was good to be able to stay in touch).

2. Small travel bag. This is something that I never leave home without. I’m not talking about carry-on luggage; I’m talking about a small bag that holds nothing more than my wallet, my cell phone, my travel documents and my passport. With the number of times you have to whip one or all of these out just in the airport alone, I find a small, accessible bag is much better than trying to rummage through the bottom of my backpack looking for my wallet. And when it’s time to go through security, and I get a glowering look from a TSA officer, presto-change-o, I shove the small bag into my backpack, and I’m down to the number of carry-ons I’m permitted on the plane.

And finally, the Number 1 thing you must pack first before going abroad
:

1. An open mind. Remember, you’re traveling because you want to experience a whole new culture — and sometimes, that whole new culture doesn’t include things like a fast New-York pace, or McDonalds, or even Starbucks. Relax, and soak it all in. Plan your travel agenda with contingencies (delayed flights, unreliable rental cards, etc.), so that if things go wrong (and they just might), the result isn’t catastrophic. And when all else fails, just remember: the experiences will all make great stories in the future.

Incidentally, I asked several friends what they would add to this list, and some items were so good, I think they deserve an honourable mention:

  • Lip balm and moisturizer. It was startling how many people, men and women, said that they would die without their lip balm and hand moisturizer. “It’s the airplane air,” was the common statement. “It dries me out.”
  • Earplugs and/or MP3 player. If you’re a light sleeper, these can be invaluable. If you’re a person with an uncanny ability to sit next to boorish greaseballs (see #10, above), ditto.
  • Journals. There’s something about travel that brings out the Ernest Hemmingway in everyone. Even if you’re not much of a journal writer, go ahead and toss a small one in your bag — you never know when inspiration might hit. In fact, check out these from Moleskine — not only does it provide a place for you to capture your memories on your trip, they include maps and space for other information about your city destination, before and after your journey, rendering it a great keepsake of your trip, and resource for a return visit.

Hot towel? Sure, in my pocket.

by Annie Scott on

In these tough economic times, we can’t always afford to fly first class, or on those airlines that bring everyone hot towels. And we want those hot towels. We want them hard.

Well, now you can bring your own, and in pill form! These crazy pills from Japan work just like those little foam dinosaurs you used to “hatch” as a kid. Submerge them in warm water and they become 11″ x 9″ hand towels.

The pills, or “towel seeds,” as they are called, are harvested every year from the Towel Tree Plantation just outside of Tokyo.*

Know what else becomes a hot hand towel if you submerge it in hot water? A hand towel. But that wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.

You can get a vial of 10 pills on ThinkGeek.com for just $7.99. It’ll be the most fun you’ve had in the airplane bathroom since you joined the mile high club! Seriously, these would also come in super handy for camping and backpacking.

*false

How to pack for a 5-day trip in a carry-on bag (laptop and video camera included)

by Jamie Rhein on


How to take as much as you like in your hand luggage from Matador Network on Vimeo.

Packing is a one of the subjects we watch closely here at Gadling. This time last year we posted a series “What’s in Your Pack?” dedicated to the art of carrying belongings from the people who know a thing or two about schlepping goods.

Every once in awhile, someone drops us a comment about a packing tip we haven’t thought of before. That’s what happened when Benny Lewis’s video “How to Get as Much as You Want into Your Carry-on Bag” posted at Traveler’s Notebook captured our attention–at least it did mine.

Lewis, “an Irish polygot and a freelance translator” demonstrates his packing techniques, a couple that I’ve used to keep down luggage weight. Wear your heavier clothing, for example. Heck, wear most of your clothing. As he points out, body weight does not count as extra weight, so go for it.

My most favorite tip is the one Lewis presents at the end of his video. He has a creative, although a kind of weird way to bring your towel along. It has something to do with superheroes.

On second thought, Lewis’s method could come in handy for doubling up as a blanket since it’s becoming harder to find one of those on an airplane.