Travel photography was not part of my repertoire in the early family years. I had a small taste of it when I hitchhiked around Europe in 1977 but for some years after that I did not have the funds to travel much. However, in 1989 my brother announced that he was getting married in Sydney, where he lived. Family members who lived in Western Australia decided to go to the wedding – and then the airline pilots went on strike.
So we drove. Mum, my youngest brother and I set off to drive from Albany to Sydney and back. Another brother was unable to make it due to work commitments and the flight disruptions. It was a long haul, but it gave me the opportunity to take some travel pics and some wedding pics.
Looking back, it strikes me that some travel pics seem to frame themselves. Almost all visitors will take a similar photo from the same viewing spot on the Great Australian Bight, or at Govett’s Leap in the Blue Mountains – or from the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Photographers always want their own shot, though. We would never buy a postcard as a substitute, even if the postcard was taken in perfect conditions with the very best equipment, while ours is taken on a miserable day with starter kit. When you take the photo, it connects you to the place forever. Postcards can be bought online without leaving home.
However, even at a popular tourist spot that is being constantly photographed, you can look for the detail that few other people focus on. An obscure part of the overall scene can end up becoming your defining photograph of the location. Unfortunately for me, driving instead of flying put us on a tight schedule, and there was no time for diversions into photographic details.
The wedding itself offered some new photo opportunities. It was a Greek Orthodox wedding, and the afternoon sun flooded in through stained glass windows, giving a magnificent glow to the interior of the building. At the reception, the professional photographer tolerated the amateurs gathering around for a short while, then politely asked everyone to leave him to create his signature photos of the event. Fair enough. There should be no obligation on a professional to share his trade secrets with onlookers. I was lucky enough to jag a couple of good photos anyway. I remained quite happy to leave the special day photography to the pro.