{"id":100523,"date":"2018-07-01T22:43:18","date_gmt":"2018-07-02T05:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=100523"},"modified":"2018-07-02T02:31:19","modified_gmt":"2018-07-02T09:31:19","slug":"travel-photography-project-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2018\/07\/01\/travel-photography-project-ideas\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel Photography Project Ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear friend, when you’re traveling on the road and shooting photos I recommend trying to shoot a photography project. Why? It will give you a focus during your trip, and also yield you something tangible by the end of your trip!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, TRAVEL NOTES<\/a>. Subscribe to ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER <\/a>to be notified once the book is available!<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Here are some project ideas:<\/p>\n

1. Shoot your whole trip only on 35mm film (one type of film)<\/h2>\n
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Before your trip, load up on some 35mm film! If you want to shoot color I recommend Kodak Portra 400. For black and white film, I recommend Kodak Trix 400 film.<\/p>\n

Generally my suggestion is to budget 3 rolls of 35mm film for each day of your travels. So if you’re traveling for 7 days, buy 21 rolls of 35mm film. For two weeks, 40 rolls of 35mm film. Realistically you’re probably only going to shoot 1-2 rolls a day, but when you’re traveling it’s always to have more film than less film.<\/p>\n

\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div>
\"eric <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2013 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2013 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2013 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai-10\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2013 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2013 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2012 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2012 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2012 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2012 <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mumbai, <\/a>
Mumbai, 2012 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

The benefit of shooting only film while traveling: fewer distractions! You don’t need to worry about looking at your photos until the very end of your trip. Also surprisingly, traveling with film is actually better than digital because you’re not paranoid about hard drives crashing. And it’s okay to xray ISO 400 film at the airport scanners, it won’t damage or ruin your film (trust me, I’ve done this in India, Philipines, Vietnam, etc with no problems).<\/p>\n

2. Stick to one neighborhood<\/h2>\n
\"Provincetown-The-Old-Colony-1\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Provincetown, <\/a>
Provincetown, 2014 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Provincetown-The-Old-Colony-3\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Provincetown-The-Old-Colony-6\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Provincetown-The-Old-Colony-4\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"Provincetown, <\/a>
Provincetown, 2014 <\/div> <\/div>
\"Provincetown-The-Old-Colony-8\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Provincetown, <\/a>
Provincetown, 2014 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

For this project, only photograph one neighborhood you find interesting while abroad!<\/p>\n

Generally I think it’s better to get to know one area or neighborhood very well instead of knowing many areas superficially. The benefit of sticking to one neighborhood is you’ll get to become a “local” at certain coffee shops, restaurants, and folks in the neighborhood will probably recognize you!<\/p>\n

\"Woman <\/a>
Woman with cross neck tattoo. Berlin, 2017 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Flash. <\/a>
Flash. Berlin, 2017 <\/div> <\/div>
\"Berlin <\/a>
Berlin coat in window. 2017 <\/div> <\/div>
\"Cindy <\/a>
Cindy walking with purple lights. Berlin, 2017 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"ERIC <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Do a project of that neighborhood and title the project the name of the neighborhood. Present a little mini photo essay or story on the neighborhood, and make it 15-20 photos long.<\/p>\n

3. Transportation project<\/h2>\n
\"subway\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Leica <\/a>
Suit in Paris Subway. <\/div> <\/div>
\"Woman <\/a>
Woman with face mask in Tokyo subway. 2018 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Subway <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Man <\/a>
Man in subway, shot with video camera technique. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Woman <\/a> <\/div>
\"Learn <\/a>
Learn From the Masters: Mobile Edition <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

I’ve found some of the best places to shoot while traveling is on public transportation; the subway, the bus, and even at the airport, or anywhere in transit. Even while inside a taxi or uber!<\/p>\n

\"Bus <\/a>
Bus stop. Marseille, 2017 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Man <\/a>
Man in green shirt in wheelchair, and pink buses. Istanbul, 2013 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Kyoto <\/a>
Kyoto urban landscape and bus. 2017 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

You can do the entire photo project on “transit”. Photograph local commuters, urban landscapes, and portraits of people who you meet!<\/p>\n

4. Document something personal to you<\/h2>\n

Ultimately I think the purpose of traveling should be for us to reflect on ourselves, our life, and to also better understand the rest of the world. But I feel the final goal is that travel can give us the space, quiet, and meditative reflective time to reflect on the following things:<\/p>\n