AYP’s Tips for Hiking Photography and Video

We’ve all been there. After a week-long vacation with family or friends our digital camera card reads “Full.” Full of all the priceless memories you made that week. Full of all the people you cherish. So now what? If you’re like most of us, we upload the card full of photos onto our computer. Import. Album Name: Family Vacation 2016. The end. And there the pictures sit, for weeks, months, years. For no one to see. Ever. But no more! Marc has your inspiration for a fun, creative, quick way to share your memories, vacation photos, with everyone. Watch the latest episode, “Tips for Hiking Photography and Video in Tetons,”  for inspiration about how you can edit together your images and video along with some kick ass music. Now in 3-5 minutes you have the whole story that you can share with family and friends.

The Hiking Trip

Grand Teton National Park _Photo Credit: Marc Silber

For the last two weeks, Advancing Your Photography Show host, Marc Silber, his wife and friends have been on a “vacation” of sorts. But don’t worry, Marc brought his camera with him, so you wouldn’t miss out on the magnificent, jaw-dropping wonders that are Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. (*Special thanks to B&H for the Sony A7II)

Day One: The group headed out on their 4-day backpacking trip through the Grand Teton National Park. If you’re not familiar with the park, watch the video. The first day started off normal enough. The weather was fine. The group hiked roughly 8 miles, to approximately 9,300 feet with serious elevation change from where they started. They pitched a tent and settled in for the night, just as the rain started to fall.

Day Two: Overnight, the rain turned into sleet, then into snow. Marc unzipped the tent in the morning to find three inches of snow on the ground. The group’s trusty trail had disappeared under the freshly fallen snow. The group’s only two choices were to stay put, or hike eight miles back from where they came. Thanks to Marc’s mountaineer training, he instructed the group to stay in the same location another day, until the snow melted and the trail became visible.

Day Three: The group headed out to continue hiking. There was major winds once they came around the mountain with snow blowing sideways! In the distance, the group witnessed an avalanche. Rocks and snow tumbling down the mountain for a solid two minutes straight. And of course, if rain, sleet, snow and an avalanche weren’t enough; the group heard a snarling bear in the woods.

Day Four: The adventures continued through the Grand Teton National Park. Marc used his Sony A7II to capture the vast mountain views, the spacious blue skies, towering trees, trickling creeks and rolling rivers. The compact size of the camera was a big plus.

Grand Teton National Park _Photo Credit: Marc Silber

Hiking Photography Tips

Marc Silber in Grand Teton National Park (September 2016)

Traveling and hiking photography is often a strenuous test of your strength and ability not only for you, but for your equipment. It’s important to keep your equipment dry, protected and shielded from the elements. If you’re backpacking, you’ll obviously be caring a backpack, which can be cumbersome. Still, make sure your camera is easily accessible, but also secure. Marc used a nylon stuff sack to keep dirt off his lens while hiking the Tetons. Marc says remember “less is more” otherwise you’ll miss the shots.

• Shoot to remember: Mix shots of landscapes, natural shots, small details, recording events with people
• Let yourself become more intune with your surroundings
• Shoot variety of stills and videos
• Use editing software to piece together motion and stills to create compact memory of trip that you can share
• Don’t pack your camera away, keep equipment close by and easily accessible

Post-Editing Tip

Grand Teton National Park _Photo Credit: Marc Silber

Google has a software called Nik Collection. In it, there is a black and white conversion tool called Silver Efex Pro. It has all sorts of different templates for black and white conversions.  Unlike Photoshop and Lightroom, the software is made specifically for conversion to black and white. The technology is very robust and you can dial it in to some of your favorite B/W films, as Marc did with Panatomic -X.

Once again, special thanks to B&H for lending Marc the Sony A7II.

Be sure to check out Advancing Your Photography Show’s Youtube Channel.

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Now go out and capture your own images of life! _Marc Silber