 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Quite simply, it is a pursuit designed for people who have time and patience … and who are lucky enough to spend their days in spectacular countryside surrounded by an incredible variety of amazing wildlife. Does that sound like somebody you know? Even if you are not at the stage where you want to start entering photography competitions, acquiring some basic camera skills will help you to better capture some of those many magical moments you are going to enjoy. It’s better to remember that special night around the campfire in the Bungle Bungles by looking at a clear, sharp photo of a happy group of campers, rather than a blurry image of unidentifiable faces around an orange glow. There are, of course, photography courses you can take and camera clubs you can join. If you are still in the planning stage of your big trip this can certainly be a very worthwhile thing to do. Other than that it could be time for a good old-fashioned read of the instruction manual and then some serious trial and error. Happily, the onset of the digital age means that trial and error is no longer as horrifically expensive as it once was. Ross from the New South Wales Mid North Coast embraced digital cameras when they first came on the market, and has been fine-tuning his photographic skills ever since. The results have been quite spectacular. Having just returned from a six-month trip to Western Australia in his beloved old Millard, nicknamed Gertie, Ross is slowly sorting through his thousand-plus photographs and plans to enter some of them in wildlife photographic competitions. Click here to see some of Ross’s favourites. “I don’t spend hours waiting to get the perfect picture,” Ross says. “I just have my camera with me and take a few shots when something catches my eye ... it may be the way an animal is standing or the way the light is reflecting off the water or anything really.” As well as getting up close and personal with everything from snakes and crocodiles to possums and wombats, Ross loves to take pictures of Australia’s ever changing landscape. He names the Bungle Bungles and the Painted Desert as two of his favourite places to take pictures. “It’s a great hobby and it keeps me from getting into trouble when I’m travelling,” he laughs. “Lynne loves lizards and is always getting me to pull over so she can pick one up and I can take a photo of her … and my daughter also loves me to e-mail her photos of the various old ruins we come across … and, of course, it’s something I love doing.” Although there are those people who still swear by film photography, the way prices have come down for digital cameras and the quality results you can now achieve using them makes them a commonsense choice for grey nomads. If you have a film camera and are thinking of switching to digital, the following are just a few things to consider: Pixel count: While the pixel counts in digital cameras available these days are increasing all the time, it may not be necessary to opt for the highest (and most expensive) number. A higher pixel count stores more data about an image. This allows you to either crop a small portion of a photo you have taken, enlarge it and print it out or perhaps to simply enlarge and print a high quality version of the entire image. In general, the higher the pixel count, the more you will pay for your camera, so it’s important to think about what you might like to do with your photos after the trip. Memory card: One of the best thing about digital cameras is the scope it gives you to take heaps of shots and then simply delete the ones that you don’t like without having to develop any film. Opting for a large memory card (at least 256mb) gives you the capacity to take and store lots of photos (at least 200 for a 256mb card) before downloading them onto a CD or laptop. The lens: No amount of pixel capacity or other features in a digital camera can substitute the need for a good lens. Although it’s difficult to tell what a lens is like by physically examining the camera, try to ask the supplier if they have had any industry reports about the camera or any feedback from other customers. Batteries: Digital cameras can be power hungry especially if you use the LCD display to have a look at previously taken shots. Rechargeable batteries are a great way of keeping battery costs down – just ensure you have a spare set in case the batteries die out just as that elusive wombat waddles through your camp. Have you got a favourite trip picture you would like to share? here. |
 |
Have you read?
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taking up photography - or even just taking photography more seriously - has enriched the trips of more grey nomads than you could shake a tripod at.
Following the seasons on the Big Lap
The journey is more than 
What to
think