Photo of the Day (05.31.10)

by Mike Barish on

I’m not one to spend my tourist dollars on street performers and schlock like grains of rice with my name printed on them. But I’ve always kind of been amused by the street artists who draw portraits of eager travelers looking for a customized souvenir to take home. I was always partial to caricatures. Maybe it’s because the genre really seemed to peak in the 1980s (which would explain why 88% of all caricatures involve rollerblading or extraneous headbands). Flickr user Flavio@Flickr perfectly captured the moment when this artist imperfectly captured this man’s image.

Have a picture a perfectly artistic moment? Or even an imperfect moment? Submit your best travel images to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.

Through the Gadling Lens: Photography tips I learned on my summer vacation

by Karen Walrond on

I just got back from a long weekend in Oregon. This was the second year that I joined 13 friends in a beautiful coastal town, where we rented this huge rustic beach house, and spent the entire time resting, relaxing, and generally making art. As it happens, all of us make all or most of our living being creative, and many of us are professional photographers. And even though we all pretty much know our way around a camera, having all of us together resulted in us learning and sharing various tips and tricks to creating cool images. And so, since the experience is particularly fresh in my mind, I thought I’d share with you my very favourite vacation photography ideas that I picked up this week.

On with the show.
1. Wake up early.

Because Oregon’s time zone is two hours earlier than mine here in Houston, while on vacation I found myself waking up earlier than most of the women with whom I was staying at the house. Since I didn’t particularly want to lie still in bed for fear of waking up the other houseguests, I found that the better option was to just go ahead and get up, pull on my wellies and go for a long walk on the beach. And naturally, I took my camera with me.

And this is how I learned my first lesson: every location has a much different personality early in the mornings, before its inhabitants have woken and began their day. In the case of this particular beach, the morning often brought a considerable mist or fog rising off of the ocean, and the light was invariably quite blue and grey. The beach was littered with the ashes of the evening’s bonfires and the remains of sandcastles from the day before, and save for the occasional morning jogger or yoga practitioner, I was the only person on the beach. It was a far cry from the bustle of the kite surfers and horseback riders of the middle of the day, and I relished the solitude and the calm, peaceful, vibe.

So on your next holiday, while it is tempting to sleep in, I’d strongly recommend taking at least one morning and waking up early, just to experience your vacation spot at the start of the day.


2. Use the ground or the sky as a backdrop.

I learned this trick sort of by accident: I was sitting on the ground taking a picture of a baby, when suddenly I noticed a friend of mine watching what was going on above me. The sky was amazingly blue and absolutely clear, and I realized that it made a perfect backdrop for my very fair, blonde friend. So I took the shot.

In the second instance, I was about to take the portrait of a different friend, and she stopped me: “Would you mind taking the shot from above?” she said, sitting on the grass. “I always prefer pictures of myself from that angle.” Since I’m always thrilled to take portraits of someone who have great body self-awareness, I was happy to oblige — and she was right: shooting from above is a great way to get a lovely, doe-eyed look from your subject.

It works particularly well with women and children.

3. Speaking of backdrops, don’t be afraid to get creative.

I was sitting in the house, when through the window I noticed a few of my friends standing on the lawn holding up a giant white sheet. Curious, I got up and went outside.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Prom pictures,” came the response.

The sheet was held so that the low light from the afternoon sun was shining right through it, diffusing the light and creating a lightbox effect. The result was this amazing glow around each subject:

I learned such a valuable lesson here: just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t spend some time capturing creative portraits of your travel companions. Let’s face it: vacations tend to make people relax. What better time to capture their best sides? It was an inspired idea.

4. In addition to shooting in the early morning, shoot during the Golden Hour.

During every sunny day, there comes the time as late afternoon turns into early evening, when the light becomes shockingly golden, making everything and everyone it falls on glow beautifully. The actual time of the Golden Hour obviously varies depending on the time of year; nonetheless, It is really a lovely time to shoot, so be sure to keep an eye out for the changing light, and save some space on that memory card to capture a few images during that time.

5. Finally, break all the rules and shoot into the sun.

I know, I know — they say you should never shoot into the sun. I can’t help it, though: the fact is that you can get some amazing silhouetted shots by shooting into the sun. However, if what you’re looking for are just some great back-lit shots, but you want your subject’s face to be clear, the best thing to do is to again wait until the sun is lower in the sky (but not too low so that it’s dark), and then set your ISO exposure for the light reflecting from your subject’s face (rather than the actual sun). The result is that the light from the sun will be “blown out” (read: almost white) but your subject’s face will be well lit.

So those are my lessons from the weekend: some of which I sort of knew already (like the shooting into the sun, or shooting during the Golden Hour) but I needed to be reminded; others which I had never considered (the fabulous sheet trick comes immediately to mind). I’m definitely taking these tips with me on my next trip. And of course, thanks much to my friends Alex, Ali, Andrea, Jen, Jen, Jen, Tracey and little Anna for letting me take their amazing portraits you see above, as well as sharing their fantastic photography tips with me, since they’re all profe
ssional photographers themselves.

Well, all except little Anna. She’s just sort of a supermodel rockstar, wrapped up in a sweet 6-month-old package.

As always, if you have any questions (or would like to comment on the tips you see here), you can always contact me directly at karenDOTwalrondATweblogsincDOTcom – and I’m happy to address them in upcoming Through the Gadling Lens posts.

Karen is a writer and photographer in Houston, Texas. You can see more of her work at her site, Chookooloonks.
Through the Gadling Lens can be found every Thursday right here, at 11 a.m. To read more Through the Gadling Lens, click here.

Blickling Hall: a living British comedy

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There are two ways to experience Blickling Hall in Norfolk, England: straightforward or quirky. The former is intended, with a veritable army of committed volunteers on hand to explain every detail of the Jacobean house. Soak in the tapestry, portraits and antique furniture. Learn the history associated with each of the many rooms in the major … or, look just below the surface to see how crazy this place can be (unintentionally, of course). As you move from room to room, you can see the oddity that has crept into this National Trust property.

In nearly every room, you’ll be introduced to the ceiling. Except in a few cases, what covers your head dates back 400 years. You’ll hear this a lot. The expression “17th century ceiling” is spoken in nearly every room in Blickling Hall by the cadre of zealous volunteers who are quite proud of their overhead cover. It looks about the same in every room – except at the entry, where one of my fellow journos explained a tad condescendingly that the ceiling dates back only to the 18th century (silly me for not catching it). Once you get passed the obviously impressive stuff above, most rooms are packed with furniture and paintings that reach back centuries – they are certainly worth a close look.

None of this matters, however, when you get to the mysterious “17th century cabinet.” On its own, this classic piece is rather plain. Sure, it’s an antique – just like everything else in Blickling Hall. The volunteer staffing the room was great about talking up the cabinet, revealing that the inner artwork was a sight to behold. So, I asked that he throw open the doors for all to enjoy. Instead, he showed me photos of the inside, because the doors are only once a year. “I’m told the pictures don’t do it justice,” the volunteer said.

I’m told?

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Alas, he has not been in the house the past several years the cabinet was opened and has not been able to enjoy the experience. But, he’s hopeful for 2009. The doors will be opened sometime in September or October. There is no pomp. There is no ceremony. Hell, there’s no warning! Apparently, the much discussed cabinet is opened sans publicity and sans any sort of planning. So, if you want to peer into the hidden treat at Blickling Hall, it would be smart to call ahead (though you may not get much in reply). Lean on the dedicated volunteers of Blickling Hall, and you may even be able to influence the schedule.

Lobby the volunteers for answers.

If you think a closed cabinet is fun, you’ll be blown away by the rooms downstairs. Before descending to the kitchen where the staff works, take a look at the staff organization chart provided by Blickling Hall. The two positions that stand out are the “footman” and the “odd man.” The former tended to be selected for his “physical attributes,” as the footman traditionally ran behind the carriage to make sure journeys proceeded smoothly. In the modern era, the footman’s duties included schlepping dishes up and down several flights of stairs.

Up until World War II, that was good for a mere £1 a week, though occasional generosity in the form of tips could bump a week’s take to £5. It’s hardly surprising that the last man to have the job didn’t return after serving a hitch in the war.

The odd man’s role at Blickling Hall remains a mystery, as the footman appears to steal the spotlight. I assume he did odd jobs – as the title implies – around the manor, but it’s unclear. Odd man out, perhaps?

When the footman took off for the war, did the odd man get promoted? Or, did he become the mildly strange man? One can only speculate.

Among the last rooms you’ll see is a stunning library containing 10,000 volumes, which Blickling Hall received in the middle of the 18th century. Before that, it was the exercise room. On many days, the children were set loose in the oversized chamber. But, what about the adults? When asked how adults exercised in 1745, the room’s volunteer offered a perplexed look before offering, “I guess they walked … and gossiped.” Dishing burns calories!

One can only assume that the footman and the odd man didn’t use the exercise room much, as they were kept busy enough.

A walk through Blickling Hall is a step back in time, and you can explore the world through lenses that are four centuries old. At the same time, it’s a contemporary comedy, in which volunteer retirees wax in serious tones that can’t help but make you chuckle. It almost seems like a British comedy written by an American.

Either before or after you tour the house, do check out the adjacent gardens. There’s no hint of quirk in this carefully manicured landscape. Wander the trails and hedges … and take a minute to chill (unlike the odd man, who I doubt ever had that luxury).

Whether you see Blickling Hall as a taste of classic England or a bunch of crazy Brits obsessed with ceilings and odd men, the experience is well worth the trek out to Norfolk. Time your stay to correspond to the grand cabinet unveiling – whenever hit may be – and you’ll pick up the rare experience that some on the staff have yet to enjoy!

Disclosure: Visit Britain shelled out some cash for this experience, and British Airways supplied the flights. Any questions about my objectivity? Read the article again. This is far from what they wanted from me.

Life imitates art at Mardi Gras

by Jeremy Kressmann on

We’ve been taking a look recently at some of the fun that went down this past week in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, and many of our fellow travel bloggers have been doing the same. National Geographic’s Janelle Nanos found herself in New Orleans for the festivities, and in the midst of all the good times stumbled upon some partiers who just might be her magazine’s biggest fans.

As Janelle tells it on her personal blog, she was enjoying the parade when she came upon Danielle King, a fellow reveler who had chosen to dress up as an “Irrational Geographic” photographer in honor of Mardi Gras. How does one accomplish such a costume? Danielle and friend had dressed themselves up in full expedition gear, complete with pith helmets, exploration vests and SLR cameras and were making their way through the crowd, snapping pictures of the local “menagerie” using National Geographic’s iconic yellow framed border as a photo prop.

Not only is Danielle’s idea quite clever, she also took some amazing portraits. They are at once warm and friendly, filled with the vibrant colors and fun energy you would expect from a Mardi Gras celebration. I think this guy is perhaps my favorite. Make sure to click on the gallery above to play the full slideshow of all the local “party animals” as framed by the famous National Geographic cover. And head over to Janelle’s blog and Intelligent Travel for the full story.

Through the Gadling Lens: taking a great portrait

by Karen Walrond on

In a recent post, I described the types of photographs that I like to take while I’m traveling. I thought for upcoming posts, we could talk some specifics about each one of them, starting with taking portraits.

Now, obviously, taking portraits isn’t necessarily an intrepid-traveler thing; however, in my experience, nothing adds more colour and interest to a travel album than the images of the faces you encountered — either your travel companions, or the locals doing their thing. And so, the following is a short guide on how to take a good portrait. If you’re not currently traveling (or don’t have any immediate trips planned), then feel free to try them out on accommodating friends and family so you’re prepared for when you do take off for faraway lands.
For posed shots:

Get in close. One of the biggest mistakes I see when trying to take a portrait is that the photographer takes the image from too far away. Remember, you’re taking a portrait — this isn’t the time to figure out how to get the entire Grand Canyon, or the complete Statue of Liberty into the frame. The point of the portrait should be to capture the essence of the person you’re capturing on film.

So remember that the ideal lens focal length for taking a portrait is around 100-120mm (and that your point-and-shoot, if that’s what you’re using, probably has the capability to do this). And then make sure that your subject’s face and neck take up a majority of the frame. If your goal is to capture an image which will ensure that the viewer’s attention is on the person you’re shooting, then don’t leave any room for doubt.



Find the right place to shoot. In my opinion, natural light is always the most … well, natural lighting to use when shooting a portrait — the trick is to find the right kind of light. Too little light, and your pictures may not result in very sharp images; too much light, and your run the risk of having odd shadows annoyingly appear — or worse, the dreaded Squint Face. The truth is that overcast skies, while disappointing when making your day’s plans, often create ideal conditions for taking portraits, providing sufficient light without shadows. Regardless, whether you choose a shaded area, or a spot next to a sunny window, once you’ve picked a location, don’t forget to adjust your ISO settings accordingly — remember, the brighter the area, the lower the ISO setting (i.e., the fewer the number of “light catchers”) that you’ll need, and vice versa.



Make sure your subject feels comfortable. I don’t know about you, but more often than not, when I’m about to take a photograph of someone, the response is, “oh no! don’t take a picture of me!” or “I look horrible in photos!” or just a general “AUUUUGH!” I find that often getting the subject to cooperate is the hardest part of taking a photograph!

In my experience, the best thing that you can do to help your subject to feel comfortable, is to actually refrain from forcing him to pose. If he wants to make a face, let them — you may end up loving the resulting shot. Joke and talk with him, and when he laughs in response, quickly snap the image — the result will likely be a natural photograph. And finally, If he’s just woken up, his hair is disheveled, there’s sleep in his eyes, and he vociferously protests, then respect his wishes and don’t take the picture. By showing deference to his concerns, you’ll likely get more cooperation from him later, when he’s feeling more photogenic.



Once the subject is in place, before you take the shot, check out what you see. Take a look through the camera, and see if anything looks wrong. If there’s a weird shadow, then adjust your subject to minimize accordingly. If there’s something weird in the background, ditto. Look for stray hairs, lint, spaghetti stains — whatever you think might ruin the shot.

Understand, of course, that sometimes imperfections actually enhance the image. For example, taking the shot of my mother-in-law, above, with her hair in her face, sort of defies convention — but I thought her windblown hair (and her wry smile through the strands) beautifully capture the feeling of that cold, windy November day on that beach in Cornwall. It remains one of my favourite portraits from that trip.

Don’t be afraid of putting the subject off-center in your shot. This is called the “Rule of Thirds” — it’s sort of technical, but basically, it means that your eye finds images that are slightly off-center a bit more interesting. There’s obviously nothing wrong with perfectly centered image, but just to add a bit of visual interest, experiment with placing your subject just slightly left or slightly right.

Take lots and lots and lots of shots. I’m not talking about posing your subject over and over again — I’m saying once you’ve taken one shot, take many immediately after. In my experience, some of the best shots happen after the subject relaxes.

Here’s what I mean: say, for example, you’ve asked your daughter and her friend to sit together and smile for a shot. They do — that strained, clenched smile of young children being forced to pose. You take the shot, they hear the shutter release, and they figure the shot is over. KEEP THE CAMERA AIMED AT THEIR FACES. Invariably, one of them will say something that cracks the other up — she’ll say “booger” or “poop” or some other 4-year-old witticism, causing the two of them to collapse in giggles. That’s when you click that shutter like your life depends on it. I guarantee you’ll love one of the follow-up shots (and it’s astounding how well this technique works on adults, too).

For candid shots, images of locals (who you don’t know), and so on:

For candid shots of friends and family members while on vacation, pretty much all the rules above apply — the trick, of course, is tapping into your inner photojournalist. You’re still want to get in close, but now you’re probably going to want that 200 mm lens (or max out the zoom on your point-and-shoot) so as not to interrupt the action that is going on. You’ll still want to check out the light conditions, etc., to adjust your ISO; however if there are weird shadows in th
e way, it’s probably going to be hard for you to adjust the subject, so you may have to forego the shot (or take it anyway, and hope for the best). But now, more than ever, you’re really going to want to take lots of shots, so click away — that way you’ll have tons of images from which to choose the very best.

And finally, one word about shooting strangers: in general, the safest thing you can do is to politely ask the subject if you can take her photograph, before taking the shot. While in the United States, if you’re out in a public place and take the photograph, you’re probably fine, privacy laws vary from country to country, so your safest bet is to ask for permission first.

If you’re not brave enough to ask a total stranger to take his photograph, then do what I do — take the photographs of buskers or other street performers. Usually it’s a great way to capture local flavour, and you can pay for the privilege for taking the photograph for a nominal fee. I’ve been able to snag some of my favourite vacation shots this way as a result.

Hopefully the tips in this post will help you improve your portraiture skills — as I said at the top, keep practicing with amenable friends and family, and I guarantee you’ll see improvement. And as always, if you have any questions, please send them directly to karen DOT walrond AT weblogsinc DOT com, and I’ll address them in upcoming posts!

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