Why I Travel (retitled)

What amazing photos! You've got a great eye. And isn't Italy just ridiculously photogenic?

Excellent photos, Robert. I was also there last May, and your photos REALLY make me want to return! I'm back to France next, but your photos really make me think about it!

Wow! After seeing your photos, I cannot wait to go to Italy next week! One question, what time of day did you take your photos? I ask this because there are no people in them! Or, did you edit the people out? :) Thanks for sharing!

Ann, I get that question quite often. First, I get up very early and get moving. Many of my best photos are taken in the early morning hours. I find most tourists tend to relax and enjoy their vacations (i.e. sleep in); for me, travel is a lot of work. Also, patience is important. People do eventually move on. Nothing wrong with people, but we have them here in Seattle. Thanks for your comments.

Very nice...

Robert, Your photos are great, and I really enjoyed going through the book. I'm also a Photographer, so can very much appreciate your passion for photography while travelling. Your presentation provided some good ideas. I'd be interested to know what type of post-processing you used? At least some of the shots appeared to be "HDR". Thanks for posting.

Ken: HDR is indeed involved. Ninety-five percent are three exposures (in RAW), processed with Photomatix, and adjusted in Lightroom. Nothing too fancy for equipment: Canon T1i and some with the Canon G10. Restraint using the HDR has been the key for me – just enough to balance high-contrast shots. But, I do like to bring out lots of color. Can you tell? :)

Brilliant pictures, Richard.

Robert, I LOVE your pix & your use of HDR. My husband & I were in Italy in '09 & we weren't into HDR then so we're going back this year & re-tracing many of our steps so that we can capture more with HDR. We're both avid photographers. Like you, I have to use a lot of restraint in terms of going too far with the HDR but I love the surreal & stylized look that HDR adds to a photo. Can I ask what lenses you shot with? I'd particularly like to know if you shot that wide scene in Piazza Navona (Rome) with a wide angle lens & if so, what lens?

Sheron, the lens is Canon's EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS, a decent piece of glass for the money. I believe I straightened out the perspective a bit in post production with that Piazza Navona photo. I do understand the need to return - I just upgraded both camera and lens, and I'd like to reshoot some of these.

Very nice, Robert. I looked at them all. A wonderful memory, and a nice exhibition of aristry as well. I don't consider myself a photographer, exactly, but my 1000 or so photos I take are my only souvenirs and I value them greatly. Seeing your photos makes me want to work harder at taking better photos - and it REALLY makes me look forward to our upcoming trip to Italy in June. Thank you for sharing (and it makes me wish yet again, that there was a more standard way for us to share trip experiences here on the helpline).

Robert, thanks for the link to your beautiful photos. I hope you don't mind answering more questions... I'll be in Venice this summer and would like to know what time of day you would suggest taking photos from the Campanile San Giorgio? Also, how did you manage to get into the Vasari Corridor in Florence?! Thanks!

Robert, "I just upgraded both camera and lens, and I'd like to reshoot some of these." What Camera and Lens did you upgrade to? I haven't tried HDR photography yet, but it's something I'd like to start working with in the near future. I believe that with the right software, it's possible to obtain the HDR effect with only one image, so that's probably the method I'll use first.

I would like to thank you for sharing this. Its inspiring.
regards

Well, first, thank you all. Your comments really help to justify the work and expense of travel. Now . . . Susan: The best time for photos, for me, was early AM, or in the case of Campanile San Giorgio, as early as it opens. My photo with the Vasari Corridor is at street level, underneath the corridor. One can gain entrance to the passage (I forget how), but I didn't think the paintings there justified the time or expense. Ken: The new rig is Canon 5D MkII with 24-105mm L IS USM. There were some good discounts recently, and I caved. BTW, I have a similar photo book from 2009 with Amsterdam, Bruges and Paris.

Robert: Wow! We have been to Italy many times and are going again on October 2. However, we have never taken any pictures that are the quality of these. Your photos of Vernazza are to be treasured as I don't think the view will be exactly the same for many years.

Robert, I think you'll be really pleased with the 24-105mm L IS USM. It's an awesome Lens, and the one that's usually attached to my 7D. I tend to use that along with a EF-S 10-22 wide angle when travelling, and that covers the majority of shots. I often have a 70-300 DO available if needed, but it doesn't get used too often. Cheers!

I have been to virtually every place shown in these photos, but have never seen them photographed so beautifully. Really inspirational. I loved the cat picture too. One area where my photos may compete with yours are of Italian cats!
Thank you.