Wilderness and nature shooter Michael Snedic outlines how you can plan and undertake a bushwalk and also come back with some great images.
One of the great things about photography is that your camera is portable and you can take photos almost anywhere. Here I want to explain the best way to prepare for and execute a photo trek into the bush. Australia is a lucky country in many ways, not least of all because it has so much great bush terrain. It’s fantastic to be able to get photographs of it, but to hike deep into the wilderness can be a real challenge. It is achievable though, if you plan and prepare for your trip properly. I describe a photo trek as an expedition where you hike for a period of days or sometimes even a week, camp overnight at various spots, and take with you all the provisions you need. As you walk you can take photos along the way, as well as venturing on shorter side trips from where you set up camp each night.
You might ask whether it’s worth all that trouble and effort, when you can drive to a spot, take your pictures and leave, or even camp in one spot and take photos around the area you’re based in. These options are quite feasible and certainly easier, but sometimes the best wilderness locations for photography can be difficult to access unless you hike and camp along the way. As well, the most photographed Australian natural 'icons' are usually those easiest to access. By planning a photo trek, you can be rewarded with great shots of locations and subjects which are seldom seen and photographed. Not only that, the actual 'journey' can be well worth the experience.
One photo trek I completed recently was a hike along the breathtakingly beautiful Overland Track in Tasmania. I started the walk at Cradle Mountain and finished it a week later at Lake St Clair. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Not only was I overwhelmed by the incredible natural beauty of the area and the wonderful people I met along the way, but I came back with a great selection of shots. I’ll be using this experience to outline the basics of how you can go about a similar expedition...
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Reviews on the latest multi-purpose zoom lenses; Christmas Gift Guide; How to do a quality test on your lens; Locations: Northern Grampians, Vic; Panasonic Lumix G3.