Tips for Analogue Travelers

12

Are you presently planning any trips, whether a quick adventure or a long-term journey? Is that a yes? Well, I thought of whipping up a tipster for all you fellow analogue travelers out there. Read on and see if you find them useful!

Sometime last year, I shared with everyone a few of my reasons why I find joy in traveling with my film cameras and lomography cameras. Now, I wish to share with you some travel tips I have thought of, given that I’m preparing for a week-long trip myself!

Credits: plasticpopsicle

1. Check your film stash first, then decide which camera/s to bring.

This has been a habit of mine since I began shooting with film during my travels. Instead of deciding right away which cameras to bring, I rummage through my film stash first to see what kind I have on hand. From there, I try to figure out which camera/s would best work with the films that I have, based on the spots I will be going to for the trip.

As an example, let’s say I have some 100 ISO 35mm slide films and 400 ISO 35mm color negative films. I can bring my Lomo LC-A+ or La Sardina to shoot daytime landscapes with the 100 ISO slide films, then my Nikon FE2 to shoot portraits, food, and indoors using the 400 ISO color negative.

However, I always make it a point to bring a wide angle camera with me, regardless of what film I have!

2. Pack films and cameras first.

This is perhaps one of the analogue traveler dilemmas: which one to pack first? I say films and cameras before everything else. Why? To make sure you can bring along every film/camera/accessory that you want and need to shoot with, without going overboard with the baggage weight limit. The rest of the space in your luggage should then contain only the necessities: light clothes, travel-sized toiletries, medicines, a paperback book to read if you need to kill time in the airport, and the Lomographer’s Survival Kit (we’ll talk about this in a bit).

3. Bring The Lomographer's Survival Kit.

Remember the basic stuff that, when put together, help you avoid unwanted accidents and have more control over your photos? Well, you will need The Lomographer’s Survival Kit more than ever on your travels. You don’t want those unwanted light leaks, accidental doubles, and other potential problems ruining your prized travel photos, don’t you?

4. Put your films along with your hand-carry luggage.

Many of us lomographers are wary of baggage scanners that could destroy our precious films. While most baggage scanners are now film-safe, we could always carry our films in our hand-carry luggage and ask the airport officers to hand-search them. Just to be sure!

Credits: plasticpopsicle

5. Always pick the window seat.

Ask my travel companions about my seat preference and they will tell you that I always, always pick and get the window seats. What else would they be for, but to take lovely on-the-road (or up-in-the-clouds) photos!

Credits: plasticpopsicle

6. Shoot with a tripod at night.

During my trip to Singapore early this year, I decided to take some photos of the Marina Bay Sands and the skyline. I had my Nikon FE2 loaded with Fuji Superia 400, but I had no tripod with me. I was forced to rest my camera against some railing and try my best to stay still. The results are still good, but if you look closely, it’s a wee bit blurred. A tripod could have prevented the shake and made these photos postcard-perfect.

Credits: plasticpopsicle

7. Be fast.

There will always be a time when you’ll be forced to take your travel snaps as quickly as you can. Are you shooting on a busy marketplace? Looking into taking a photo of that intriguing stranger? What about an interesting scene out in the streets? All of these and more will often need you to be fast.

I took the photo above while inside the bus in Singapore. Some of the passengers alighted, making the old lady an interesting subject for a “lone passenger” snapshot. I took my LC-A+, held it to my chest, and pressed the shutter while she was not looking. A second longer and she could have snapped at me instead.

I’m sure you guys have some useful tips as well, so why don’t you share them with us with a comment below?

written by plasticpopsicle on 2012-10-08 #gear #tutorials #travel #tips #tipster #lomography #traveler #analogue-travelers

12 Comments

  1. adi_totp
    adi_totp ·

    agree! :D

  2. hakimbo05
    hakimbo05 ·

    I live by those words & tips! And i travel alot! :)

  3. 0live
    0live ·

    there's nothing better than a great bag!

  4. lostlittlekid
    lostlittlekid ·

    Great tips and I totally agree with you too @0live!

  5. tzeching
    tzeching ·

    Great tips! Thanks :) i din know those baggage scanners can destroy films

  6. hummingbirdinme
    hummingbirdinme ·

    Best tip : Always pick a window seat, b e f a s t !
    :)

  7. julia_adele
    julia_adele ·

    be fast. i am always second guessing myself. thanks for the tips :) lomo love

  8. nuo2x2
    nuo2x2 ·

    totally agreed, especially with that 'always seat near windows' tips!

    Personally, I bring two different hand carry bags: one multipurpose rucksack type with a smaller camera bag put inside. I always tag along with this smaller bag during my stay, even when the bigger rucksack is resting in the hotel or inn which I stayed. Work quite nicely for rummaging on some of those overcrowded and 'dangerous' tourist spots ;)

  9. khemchem
    khemchem ·

    Nice writing and well arranged.
    Also the photo along really give the good explanation to the article.
    I like the step by step style

  10. plasticpopsicle
    plasticpopsicle ·

    @all Thank you so much for your kind comments, I'm happy you found these tips useful! :)

  11. poppyprongs
    poppyprongs ·

    window seat :D

  12. naomac
    naomac ·

    I found don't leave film in the camera when going through the xrays ok out of the camera in your bag but my films inside the camera got ruined.

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