Neelima Vallangi is a travel photographer and blogger. (The Wandering Soul's Wander Tales..). She has trekked extensively across the mountain ranges in India, including the Himalayas. At a young age her photos have appeared in the Getty Collection. Neelima’s photography blog will feature twice a month on the Indiahikes website.

Most people who have been on a trek or two are quickly bitten by the shutterbug. And rightly so! We get to see such amazing scenes -- we want to come back and show the world what we’ve seen! While our eyes see the beautiful world the camera always doesn’t.
The few tips here can help you capture the essence of a trek.

1. Show the camera what you see
Camera can merely capture what you show it. Before clicking a photo, think what caught your attention in the first place. It could be the grasslands or a bird or a peak or a flower or any pattern. I know it can get tricky to isolate a subject but the point is to identify the objects of interest and then try framing a photo around it.

Before reaching out to the shutter button ask yourself this question “why am I taking this shot?”Once you have the answer, try including the aspects that appealed to you in the frame.

David DuChemin rightly said “Gear is good. Vision is better.”

 

Seeing the sunset colors and the settling clouds. This was taken one evening last November on Kodachadri Trek. Winters are the best time to witness such clouds below your feet!

2. The Mighty Mountain and the Tiny Human
Treks can be overwhelming in many ways. The vastness of the scenery sometimes leaves us feeling very insignificant and humble. Including a frame of reference in photos always helps the viewers comprehend the magnitude of things around. Adding a human element to the frame makes it all the more interesting because not only does the photo convey the scale of the scenery but it also manages to invoke a humbling sense of wonder.

Without the human, it would’ve been very hard to comprehend the vastness of the glacier and the mountains. This was taken during the Kugti Pass Trek, while descending the pass to the other side.

3. There’s a smaller world out there, the macro world
We get to see varied flora and fauna on treks. The macro world is an interesting place to venture. The colors are striking and so are the designs – be it the flowers or the insects. If you own a DSLR then increase the aperture and if you own a point and shoot, look for the macro mode. This blurs out the background.

Blurring the background in itself is not going to be enough. Make sure the background is clutter free as well. Look for contrasting colors between the subject and the background. A tip would be to carry a small black cloth and use it as a background for macro shots.


Choosing a green background creates good contrast. I moved my point of view to avoid the brown mud and find green in the background. This and many such colorful flowers we saw on Roopkund Trek.

4. Look for the magic, it’s all around you!
As I see it a big advantage of photography is the chance to look for something beyond ordinary. Before photography happened, light was just a necessity. Later, light became everything. Look for the magic of light. Sunlight streaming through branches, streams, clouds – all of them can provide excellent photo opportunities. Be on the lookout for anything eye catching, if it has caught your attention it is something different.



The sunshine sparkled through the drops of water creating a magical moment. The spider web only added to the scene. The light was gone minutes after clicking this photo. This was shot while exploring Shivasamudram Waterfalls.

5. Long Exposures have their charm
Waterfalls and the numerous brooks and streams we come across during a trek make for a pretty subject. Try capturing the motion of water to get the milky effect. This would require you to set up a tripod and shoot with a long exposure. Any camera which has a manual mode or Shutter Priority mode can do this. Try exposing for at least a second, depending on the light conditions.


The silken movement of water captured my attention while I was on a hunt for waterfalls and streams in Sikkim.

6. Patience is a virtue
And last but not the least, patience is essential if you want to capture the beauty that a trek can be. Let’s face it, lugging around a camera and a tripod, waiting, thinking and composing a photo while everyone else is hurrying can be a discomfort. Agreed it takes some effort but the effort is totally worth it when you come back and look through your captures. Memories fade, pictures don’t!

For any questions regarding photography, post your questions to Neelima on the comments box below.