iPhoto '08: The Missing Manual

50 iphoto ’08: the missing manual

Some compact cameras include an Underwater scene mode that improves the color

balance and exposure when shooting beneath the surface. It’s worth checking before

you take the plunge.

Oh, and don’t try to change the batteries while you’re down there.

Travel Photography

Digital cameras are perfect vacation companions. Memory cards are easy to pack,

there’s no film for airport X-rays to wash out, and when the day is done, you can

review all of your images on the camera’s LCD screen, on your laptop, or on the

hotel room TV.

Shooting on the road presents unique photo opportunities that simply aren’t available

at home—like museums, fjords, and Cinderella’s Castle. Here’s how to master those

moments and add a little spice to your vacation slideshow.

Packing Up

Digital cameras may be small and compact, but they’re often accompanied by just as

much accessory junk as film cameras. Here’s a packing checklist (Figure 3-12):

 •Batteries.The laws of photography dictate that you’ll run out of juice at the precise

moment the perfect shot appears. If your camera comes with its own proprietary,

rechargeable battery, consider buying a second one. Charge both batteries every

night, and take them both with you during the day. (Pack the charger, too.)

Underwater

Photography

Figure 3-11:

You can buy an underwater

housing for your digital cam-

era for as little as $100. Olym-

pus and Canon make housings

for nearly all of their compact

cameras. Other manufacturers

offer underwater gear, too.

chapter 3: beyond the simple snapshot 51

If your camera accepts AA-type batteries instead, you have much more flexibility.

Bring your set of NiMH rechargeables, as described on page 15, and their charger.

Also pack an emergency set of disposables, like alkaline AAs or Duracell CRV3

lithium disposables, if your camera accepts them.

 •Memorycards.Nobody ever said, “Oh, I wish I’d bought a smaller memory card.”

In general, figure that you’ll wind up keeping 50 shots a day (not including the

ones that you delete right off the camera). If you have a 6-megapixel camera, a 512

MB card might be enough for one day of shooting. If you brought a laptop on the

trip, you can rush back to the hotel room each night and offload the pictures into

iPhoto, freeing up the card for the next day’s shooting.

If you don’t plan to take a laptop along, buy a much bigger memory card (or sev-

eral). It’s generally cheaper to buy two 1 GB cards than one 2 GB card, but shop

around to get the best deal possible (www.shopper.com, for example).

And if you plan to use the movie mode to capture video snippets of your adven-

tures, then add one or two 2 GB cards to your kit. Memory-card prices are well

below nosebleed territory these days; you can buy 2 GB cards for less than $50.

 •Camerabag.If your camera didn’t come with a case, get one for it. Not only will

it protect your camera, but it will keep your batteries, cards, and cables together.

Tip: If you can find a camera bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag, it’s less likely to be ripped off. An

insulated beverage bag does nicely, for example.

 •Tripod. Nobody likes to lug a tripod across Europe—or across town, for that matter.

But if you’re a serious photographer, or aspire to be one, you’ll occasionally need

a way to steady your camera.

Travel

Photography

Figure 3-12:

Being prepared for travel

means packing extra memory

and batteries. And don’t for-

get the charger!