Olympic National Park, Washington June 24–30, 2006

The law of first impressions applies as much to places as it does to people. My first impression of Providenciales, an island of the Turks and Caicos, was initially limited by fatigue and total darkness after my flight landed on a warm, humid night in late April of 2004. Not much could be gained through the tinted windows of the airport van as it weaved its way along the pothole-strewn roads to our hotel.

After a good night’s sleep, I felt prepared to begin my 5-day assignment to photograph the island’s natural beauty for both marketing materials and artwork for an expanding 5-star resort. (I know—sounds really rough!) That morning, my first impression was given a second chance in the full light of day. It wasn’t quite what I had expected.

Being a good photographer requires a person to be optimistic. The current state of the island was going to present some clear challenges, the first being to find that natural beauty I was supposed to capture on film. Decades of human activity on the island had taken a toll on its natural state, but fortunately there were solid signs of both economic and environmental progress. After all, my job there was directly linked to this progress.

After a few hours of touring and a resulting, yet temporary, bout of minor depression, I decided to take a more positive outlook. I resolved to use it as an opportunity to rethink my approach, test my creative skills and employ as many strategic tools as possible. Besides, I had come a long way and needed to deliver a good portfolio.

My first realization was to let go of preconceived ideas. I needed to become very selective and look for more intimate views where I could crop out undesirable subject material and focus more on texture, color and light. In a way, the local conditions forced me into the type of work that gets right to the point—to the essence of the place. Thankfully, I had done my homework in advance and had good sources of local information to start my search for subject material.

Traveling to a new location to photograph presents a set of variables beyond the routine issues of air travel and security. Topping the list, knowledge of your destination is the single most important asset of successful location photography. When the cards deal a less than favorable hand, a combination of planning and knowledge (and don’t forget optimism) will dramatically improve your chances of success.

The first thing to do when planning a trip of your own is simply to gather as much data as possible through the use of the Internet, travel guides, magazines and a good set of current maps. Another informative and motivating source, particularly for visual people like photographers, are travel videos. Many can be found through travel channel and public television websites and at major bookstores. Even more can be gained from travel agents, tourism offices and, especially, local residents. The better armed you are with information, the better you can deal with unforeseen conditions and the more creative options you’ll have.

Initial homework can reveal important information like seasonal climate and weather conditions, sunrise and sunset times, topography and the logistics of getting around. You’ll also have ample time to acquire any gear or clothing you might need (or want) that is invariably on back order. Planning trips is a great excuse for purchasing that new special something you’ve had your eye on ever since your last trip.

My most valuable tool of planning, both in a general and specific sense, is a good set of maps. It's often better to have more than one type of map, as each will show different characteristics: land classifications, boundaries, roads, topography, facilities such as campgrounds, picnic areas, gas stations, stores, visitor centers and points of interest. My maps get heavily marked up with notes, little arrows and other assorted scribble. You can find maps online, in specialty map stores and in travel books, but sometimes the best ones are found locally at hotels, tour operators and real estate offices.

Inherent to the use of maps is thorough scouting upon arrival and continuously thereafter as time permits. Once on the ground, it’s important to compare your maps with reality. Spend some time getting to know the roads, potential areas to visit and areas to avoid. Record the time it takes to get to particular spots, especially sunrise locations. A good example in this case was finding that the only road leading to the western coast of the island was impassable to all but the best 4WD vehicles. Since my cute Daihatsu Terrios wasn’t designed for such endeavors, I allowed extra time for walking the last half mile in time for sunset.

I usually have camera gear along on scouting trips just in case I come across something that looks really good (learn this mantra: Shoot It Now, Shoot It Now, Shoot It Now). It’s also useful to have a notebook, binoculars for spotting wildlife, tide tables and a compass for comparing sun and moon azimuths with natural landforms.

Scouting takes time, but will save you from the frustration of trying to find something interesting as magical light is slipping through your fingers. More importantly, it will enable you to anticipate and capture images more quickly and efficiently while under a tight schedule. Additional scouting can be incorporated into downtime between shoots or into sightseeing activities if traveling with your family—increasing your chances of sneaking out for a quick sunrise before meeting back at the hotel for breakfast.

For this assignment, I began by scouting locations on the island that I had identified earlier on my maps as having more photographic potential, and ignored other areas completely. Wanting to focus my efforts on the concepts and textures of water, sky and light, I gravitated toward beaches and coastlines that had good sunrise or sunset orientations, where I could shoot toward the water for reflections of color and light. Only by visiting each area in person was I able to see little details and interesting subjects to use as foregrounds later in optimum lighting.

Each location was marked as being appropriate for certain times of day, in specific directions and/or under particular weather conditions. I made sure to find not only “magic hour” locations, but also cloudy and midday sun locations (at only 22°N, the sun gets high enough in the sky to polarize ocean views in any direction). As each day presented its own weather scenario, I could pick and choose from a custom menu of locations I had mapped in detail while scouting. This preparation allowed me to work most hours of the following few days, resulting in a finished portfolio of 120 unique images (including some vertical and horizontal versions, etc.).

Having an informed, yet flexible plan is the foundation for successful location photography, particularly for unfamiliar places or environments. On the other hand, if you sign up for a Joseph Van Os Photo Safari, your leader will take care of all this stuff and you can just forget everything I’ve just said, sit back and enjoy the experience!

All images copyright © 2005 Todd Pierce