Finally, someone who doesn't say "shoot only in the golden hours" but instead, use any available light to your advantage. You forgot to mention, including the night 😉
Yes, I didn‘t really touch on night photography on purpose, since that‘s a topic I need to explore more myself first. Doing more of it lately, but still need to learn a few things before I feel comfortable giving tips on it 😊
Nice advice, think in sets I was doing unconsciously but not curating my images right because I wasn't consciously thinking like that. The light is the light because you often can't dictate when you're out and about, so it's as well to think about the kind of shots you can do in the light you have - good vid.
I think it just really helps to diversify your images if you have the categories in mind. And yes, people often limit themselves to specific conditions or light or subject, but the beauty of photography is that you can take great pictures everywhere.
I bought my first DSLR back in 2019 and sice then I see myself as a photographer, but with very irregular shooting possibilites and sometimes I still lack that creative direction I want to go while on my city trips. I think your video finally gave me an idea on how to get that feel of what's worth to capture and more important: How I wanna capture it. Do you have any more tips on what makes an interesting subject and what to look out for?
That's great to hear. The most important thing in my experience is to shoot as much as possible, since that will ultimately increase the number of compositions you see. Finding subjects is a big topic for sure. Personally I often simply look for interesting light. I love shooting small scenes and everyday details, simply when the light is nice. I think there is a lot of beauty in finding the extraordinary in the mundane. So look for good light and work from there. Quite literal trash can be a pretty subject if colors and lights are good imo. Also I've learned that things that catch your eye (even if you can't really say why) often are also nice subjects. In the end there was something about them that made you double check. Hope that helps and happy photography!
Great tips. I don't think I "thought in sets" enough before watching this. Your video has me thinking a lot about this: your first tip, capture establishing (wide), ambient (medium), and details (long) to build a set and storytell feels conflicting with your third tip: "pack light". I know it doesn't have to be, if you choose small lightweight primes. But you're still having to switch them out to capture all three types of shots. And the act of faffing with lenses could get in the way of your flow. But I get that for some, it doesn't. And if you want to reach that "set", you do what you gotta do. I suppose you can pick one prime lens and achieve all three perspectives (wide/medium/long) by "zooming with your feet" (oh the effort! :P) Thanks for sharing Leander, I can tell this video was a labour of love. I'm hoping other folks who are about to go on a trip see this video and take away some good tips :)
Good point, I thought a long time about if I want to link the idea behind the shots to focal lengths but in the end there are too many exceptions. So an establishing shot can very well be taken with a long lens and vice versa. So yes, in theory you could do everything with a single prime - but I really like the flexibility and variety different focal lengths give me. Of course, if you want to keep things really minimal a standard zoom perfectly covers the wide-medium-long range, so would make for a good one lens solution. But I much prefer to shoot with primes. And I never feel it‘s holding me back, quite the contrary. I am so used to think in those categories that I often know exactly which lens to use and don‘t have to second guess (like I would with a zoom). But it can also be a great exercise to stick to the telephoto lens for a few hours and see what comes out of it!
As for packing light, my preference is the Sigma 18-50 f2.8. It's small, light, has a fairly wide zoom range and most importantly a constant aperture so I can zoom in without feeling like I'm compromising on light gathering. I prefer primes when actually shooting, but I can't easily justify bringing multiple primes when a single tiny zoom can do 95% of the same job.
Definitely a good pick. The 24-70mm range would also be everything I need for my photography. But my brain just thinks in primes, I simple don‘t get the same shots with a zoom. A bit more of a hassle but worth it for my photography!
the shots in the alleyway when the subjects were backlit were so good! i’ve seen people say “expose for the highlights” to create sharper contrast in photos like that. what do they mean when they say “expose for the highlights”? does it mean just focusing your camera on the light? is there something technical i’m missing?
When exposing for the highlights you want to make sure that no part of the image is blown out (so nothing is pure white). So you make sure that the brightest parts are properly exposed which will often lead to the dark areas getting almost black. This can often create a really nice contrasty look.
All good advice but I don't understand the penchant for carrying multiple primes and having to change them in the field or having to decide in advance which one to bring for the day, when versatile, high-quality zooms are readily available. Steve McCurry, perhaps the greatest living "travel" photographer, shoots with a 24-70 zoom. I throw my mirrorless camera with a similar zoom , cleaning cloth, spare battery, and polarizer in a small sling and I am good to go. Also some of my best city photos were taken during morning and evening blue hour when the lights are on and the tourists aren't around, so I suggest adding a small travel tripod to your kit. Mine fits easily in my carryon bag and has proven invaluable.
Absolutely, I‘d also say a 24-70mm is probably the best one lens solution. Bringing 3 primes (a wide, standard and telephoto) is just a personal preference of mine. I work much better with primes and can‘t accustom to using a zoom. About the tripod - I don‘t see the need for one tbh. Image stabilization is so good in mirrorless cameras that even second long exposures are doable hand held. And high ISOs are also a non-issue. So I much rather safe the weight.
Great video and very well produced. I really like your edits. Can you share how much grain you add in post and how you have edited that shot of the nets? The colors are amazing. Cheers
Oh that‘s not the Leica I was testing. I bought the M11 last year and it‘s my favorite camera to date. Then I borrowed the SL3 from Leica for a week, but sadly had to return it.
Really like the video but... One question I have is how do you handle taking pictures of people? Do you ask, how do you handle it of people confront you? This is something I personally struggle with. Eg. The picture of the bag at 2:50 do you just take it, as I would be too scared to take a picture this close of someone. I would begin to wonder what they would think... So yeah how do you handle capturing shots of people?
Of course it can be hard sometimes to photograph strangers. But tbh most people don‘t even notice it. And I never had a bad encounter with someone. If someone confronts me I simply explain them what I do and stay friendly. That always does the trick. But as with anything you get more „daring“ the more you practice.
If you use a medium range zoom you don't have to get into someone's face to photograph their hand. Shoot at 50-70mm and crop if needed. However, the environmental portrait is the holy grail of travel photography IMO, but they can be challenging, especially if you are introverted or if the local culture is not receptive. On the other hand, in a place like India, many people enjoy having their photos taken and often invite you to take their picture.
Indeed, started to use my phone a lot for B-Roll shots for these videos. It‘s really powerful after all and much easier to bring than a second body+lens
Very informative, like your approach and video.
Awesome video mate. Stellar tips in all three categories, beautiful examples of your work and a well produced video. 👏🏼
Thanks so much for the feedback, highly appreciate it!
Really good video. Practical and to the point. Not any fluff, wasted time or overly long exposition. Lots of UA-camrs could learn from this.
Oh thanks! Really dislike if videos are overly long with little information. So I try to keep everything as compact as possible
Finally, someone who doesn't say "shoot only in the golden hours" but instead, use any available light to your advantage. You forgot to mention, including the night 😉
Yes, I didn‘t really touch on night photography on purpose, since that‘s a topic I need to explore more myself first.
Doing more of it lately, but still need to learn a few things before I feel comfortable giving tips on it 😊
You're really nice and it is so easy, natural listening to your videos!
Love your style. Thanks Leander!
Oh thanks so much! Really glad you like it, I‘m always unsure if my presentation is good, since english is not my native language
Excellent advice! The advice to 'think in sets' including establishing / intro shots, life of the place, and details was particularly helpful.
Thanks! Yes, this also really put a new perspective on how I approach my travel photography
These tips are golden, Leander! So helpful, great explanations and shots 👏
Thank so much for the feedback, appreciate it!
Thank you! I just returned from Naples. The sets is great and helps me a lot with my travel photography.
Awesome, Naples is wonderful!
Nice advice, think in sets I was doing unconsciously but not curating my images right because I wasn't consciously thinking like that. The light is the light because you often can't dictate when you're out and about, so it's as well to think about the kind of shots you can do in the light you have - good vid.
I think it just really helps to diversify your images if you have the categories in mind.
And yes, people often limit themselves to specific conditions or light or subject, but the beauty of photography is that you can take great pictures everywhere.
I bought my first DSLR back in 2019 and sice then I see myself as a photographer, but with very irregular shooting possibilites and sometimes I still lack that creative direction I want to go while on my city trips. I think your video finally gave me an idea on how to get that feel of what's worth to capture and more important: How I wanna capture it.
Do you have any more tips on what makes an interesting subject and what to look out for?
That's great to hear. The most important thing in my experience is to shoot as much as possible, since that will ultimately increase the number of compositions you see.
Finding subjects is a big topic for sure. Personally I often simply look for interesting light. I love shooting small scenes and everyday details, simply when the light is nice. I think there is a lot of beauty in finding the extraordinary in the mundane. So look for good light and work from there. Quite literal trash can be a pretty subject if colors and lights are good imo.
Also I've learned that things that catch your eye (even if you can't really say why) often are also nice subjects. In the end there was something about them that made you double check.
Hope that helps and happy photography!
Great tips. I don't think I "thought in sets" enough before watching this.
Your video has me thinking a lot about this: your first tip, capture establishing (wide), ambient (medium), and details (long) to build a set and storytell feels conflicting with your third tip: "pack light". I know it doesn't have to be, if you choose small lightweight primes. But you're still having to switch them out to capture all three types of shots. And the act of faffing with lenses could get in the way of your flow. But I get that for some, it doesn't. And if you want to reach that "set", you do what you gotta do.
I suppose you can pick one prime lens and achieve all three perspectives (wide/medium/long) by "zooming with your feet" (oh the effort! :P)
Thanks for sharing Leander, I can tell this video was a labour of love. I'm hoping other folks who are about to go on a trip see this video and take away some good tips :)
Good point, I thought a long time about if I want to link the idea behind the shots to focal lengths but in the end there are too many exceptions. So an establishing shot can very well be taken with a long lens and vice versa. So yes, in theory you could do everything with a single prime - but I really like the flexibility and variety different focal lengths give me.
Of course, if you want to keep things really minimal a standard zoom perfectly covers the wide-medium-long range, so would make for a good one lens solution. But I much prefer to shoot with primes.
And I never feel it‘s holding me back, quite the contrary. I am so used to think in those categories that I often know exactly which lens to use and don‘t have to second guess (like I would with a zoom).
But it can also be a great exercise to stick to the telephoto lens for a few hours and see what comes out of it!
Love the tips, will definitely use them. Also do you share how you edit your photos or your presets? the color and grain are just perfect!
My next video (coming in 2 weeks) will be all about color and how I use it. I will then also make my presets available for purchase.
As for packing light, my preference is the Sigma 18-50 f2.8. It's small, light, has a fairly wide zoom range and most importantly a constant aperture so I can zoom in without feeling like I'm compromising on light gathering. I prefer primes when actually shooting, but I can't easily justify bringing multiple primes when a single tiny zoom can do 95% of the same job.
Definitely a good pick. The 24-70mm range would also be everything I need for my photography. But my brain just thinks in primes, I simple don‘t get the same shots with a zoom. A bit more of a hassle but worth it for my photography!
Really practical advices. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the feedback, glad you liked it!
Real practical tips! Thanks a lot.
BTW I am the 2000th subscriber! :)
Glad you found them to be helpful!
Haha awesome, round number!
Great tips 😁 totally agree, not all of us even have the time to only shoot in golden hour. Especially on a trip with limited number of days.
Yes, would be a lot of wasted time between sunrise and sunset otherwise haha
Great stuff here. Subscribed your channel and pls keep them coming … Thanks ❤
Thanks so much! 🙏🏻
Great city to showcase your thoughts.
Oh yes, loved Naples. Very high on my re-travel list!
There's so much to see. Even for me as a local, still finding hidden gems
the shots in the alleyway when the subjects were backlit were so good! i’ve seen people say “expose for the highlights” to create sharper contrast in photos like that. what do they mean when they say “expose for the highlights”? does it mean just focusing your camera on the light? is there something technical i’m missing?
When exposing for the highlights you want to make sure that no part of the image is blown out (so nothing is pure white). So you make sure that the brightest parts are properly exposed which will often lead to the dark areas getting almost black.
This can often create a really nice contrasty look.
All good advice but I don't understand the penchant for carrying multiple primes and having to change them in the field or having to decide in advance which one to bring for the day, when versatile, high-quality zooms are readily available. Steve McCurry, perhaps the greatest living "travel" photographer, shoots with a 24-70 zoom. I throw my mirrorless camera with a similar zoom , cleaning cloth, spare battery, and polarizer in a small sling and I am good to go. Also some of my best city photos were taken during morning and evening blue hour when the lights are on and the tourists aren't around, so I suggest adding a small travel tripod to your kit. Mine fits easily in my carryon bag and has proven invaluable.
Absolutely, I‘d also say a 24-70mm is probably the best one lens solution. Bringing 3 primes (a wide, standard and telephoto) is just a personal preference of mine. I work much better with primes and can‘t accustom to using a zoom.
About the tripod - I don‘t see the need for one tbh. Image stabilization is so good in mirrorless cameras that even second long exposures are doable hand held. And high ISOs are also a non-issue. So I much rather safe the weight.
Great video 🙂👍
Thanks! 🙏🏻
Great video and very well produced. I really like your edits. Can you share how much grain you add in post and how you have edited that shot of the nets? The colors are amazing. Cheers
In Lightroom I use grain settings of 30-30-80, sometimes stronger.
But my next video will be all about color and how I work with it!
@leanderhoefler looking forward to it. Cheers
Thank you Leander, those are some welcome tips. I think you are still using the new Leica they sent you. Will you ever be able to part with it?
Oh that‘s not the Leica I was testing. I bought the M11 last year and it‘s my favorite camera to date.
Then I borrowed the SL3 from Leica for a week, but sadly had to return it.
Really like the video but...
One question I have is how do you handle taking pictures of people? Do you ask, how do you handle it of people confront you? This is something I personally struggle with. Eg. The picture of the bag at 2:50 do you just take it, as I would be too scared to take a picture this close of someone. I would begin to wonder what they would think...
So yeah how do you handle capturing shots of people?
Of course it can be hard sometimes to photograph strangers. But tbh most people don‘t even notice it. And I never had a bad encounter with someone. If someone confronts me I simply explain them what I do and stay friendly. That always does the trick.
But as with anything you get more „daring“ the more you practice.
If you use a medium range zoom you don't have to get into someone's face to photograph their hand. Shoot at 50-70mm and crop if needed. However, the environmental portrait is the holy grail of travel photography IMO, but they can be challenging, especially if you are introverted or if the local culture is not receptive. On the other hand, in a place like India, many people enjoy having their photos taken and often invite you to take their picture.
And of course, your phone is part of packing light.
Indeed, started to use my phone a lot for B-Roll shots for these videos. It‘s really powerful after all and much easier to bring than a second body+lens
@@leanderhoeflerwould you ever do a video specifically about phone photography id love to see it