Travelling is awesome. Especially for photographers. Not as much for a photographer’s spouse. Check out these great tips we came up with that have really helped us.
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TRAVEL LIGHT
Leave some of that camera gear behind to help with the rest of the luggage.
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DON’T LIMIT YOUR PLANNING TO PHOTOGRAPHY SITES
Make sure you plan to photograph sites that offer activities to keep your family entertained while they wait on you.
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GET UP EARLY OR GO OUT LATE
Sacrifice some sleep to shoot the sunrise or night sky while the rest of your family sleeps.
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NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED
Really think about whether you are going to make a great image before you decided to hold everyone up so you can make a mediocre image.
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DON’T FORGET TO GET IMAGES OF YOUR FAMILY
Images of your family will mean more to you (and your family!) than your other images and your spouse will enjoy you having the camera more if she gets great family photographs.
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KNOW YOUR CAMERA SETTINGS
Take time to get efficient with your camera so nobody is waiting on you to fidget with settings.
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BE WILLING TO SHOOT IN AUTO
If you are going to be passing your camera around or taking images in changing light, put some of your settings on auto to make it easy for anyone to use your camera without help.
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SHOOT IN RAW + JPEG
Your spouse will appreciate being able to post images on social media or send them to others before you get time to edit them.
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GET YOUR SHOT QUICKLY
If you still want to make an image that won’t be epic, at least be quick about it.
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GIVE YOUR SPOUSE A BREAK TOO
If your spouse gives you photography time during your vacation, repay the favor.
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ORGANIZE YOUR IMAGES
You can see my editing system on the full article, but whatever system you use, make sure your spouse understands it.
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SPEND TIME WITH YOUR SPOUSE
Make memories that go beyond your camera lens.
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DON’T COMPLAIN
You may not be having the best photography luck, don’t let that ruin everyone’s vacation.
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SIMPLIFY YOUR GEAR
Think about bumping up your ISO instead of pulling out the tripod or try sticking to one lens to save time.
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DON’T FORGET ABOUT ACTIVITIES
Do something fun that requires you to put the camera down.
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BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPECTATIONS
Your spouse will be a lot more accommodating if they have mentally prepared for what you intending.
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HAVE A PHOTOGRAPHY OUTLET BESIDES FAMILY VACATIONS
If you know you will get other photography opportunities during the year, you won’t be so stressed about making thousands of images on vacation.
To see our favorite travel accessories, check out our Recommended Gear.