View Full Version : Europe looks tempting
So big news is that a publisher in LA wants me to write a book on HDR. They're going to give me a nice advance so I'm thinking I need material for the book outside of Liverpool. Its been on my mind for a long time now, travel Europe. My plan so far is simply to sell my Corsa and get something a bit comfier for the trip. Something with aircon. I'd like to visit Paris and Austria at least. Its tempting to get the train instead, to save driving all that way but in my heart I know its those little moments between places that can make the trip. Also its a fair lot of stuff to lug around with me. This is all I have so far on the idea. I just want to get in my car and go there. How realistic is that? Can I just drive off with little planning and wing it all? No hotels booked or anything. Just going where the road takes me. My Dad is being like "Where will you stay? You need this and that. What will you do for this? Its a very long way." Its getting me down. Its something I feel I should do. Its not often someone gives you the money to live a dream.
I don't think just spontaneously going off and doing it is a great plan... it'll be more expensive that way...
One request though - get a decent photo of the Millau viaduct :P
Del Lardo
24-04-2008, 00:30
I can't see a problem with just heading off. Plenty of small hotels in French villages that you can just turn up and get a room. Alternatively there are plenty of campsites that you can stay at for 10 euros a night. Just take a tent with you :)
I don't think camping will suit me. I'll be taking my laptop to backup images to and writing along the way so I'll need that hotel down time. Plus hotels are comfier :)
Del Lardo
24-04-2008, 00:36
It's really going to depend on your budget. Plenty of hotels available in Europe for 40-50 euros a night
You dont' need to over plan. Of course it's easy for me I can just be plonked in France and get on with it. Often I've just on a whim said let's go here/there. Europe's easy to get around, it doesn't have to be expensive and can be fun. Obviously this is coming from someone who's spent a lot of his life travelling all around the place.
I'd suggest a little bit of a plan just for your sake.
It's entirely doable as long as you're not the sort of person who frets about not having stuff booked. A friend of mine flew out to Boston last year with the intention of driving about that part of the US for a couple of weeks. He had nothing booked other than a motel for the first night but despite there being no shortage of motels there he worried so much that he'd have to sleep in the car that he ended up coming home early.
You would be best suited with a plan of some sorts, just so that you will see the places you want to see but if you've not idea what you want to see then jump in the car, pick a direction and drive. It's a great way to get to know a country.
I'd have thought it'd be a good idea to least worth make a shortlist of places you feel you must visit and then have a quick look on the map to determine which is the best order to do them in and if the duration of the trip is going to be limited (by finances, other commitments etc) then a loose timetable of when you intend to visit each main place just to help you pace the trip so you don't end up having to come home having not been able to visit all the places you wanted to.
I'm not saying you need a full day by day itinerary and obviously the plan can be flexible and changed on the fly but with no planning at all it'd be easy to find yourself drifting and not making the most of the trip.
Yeah I agree. A basic plan of places would be good otherwise I might miss out on something really amazing.
Matblack
24-04-2008, 10:45
I agree with some sentiments here, I'd make a list of places to go and see and then roam between them taking in things as you go. I would think that your style suits more dramatic pictures so make sure you have the must sees on your list. In most towns you can get a room somewhere unless there is a big event on, but if you would worry about not having somewhere to stay then by all means book ahead.
If you are concerned about getting trapped in your car with nowhere to stay then take a small compact tent with you and a sleeping bag just in case, the odd night camping would probably be fun.
As for the car I would look for something medium size and not too complicated, something like a 90s BMW without too much electrical trickery would go on for ever and would be fixable by just about any garage I would have thought :)
Sounds like a great adventure, I envy you :cool:
MB
leowyatt
24-04-2008, 10:48
something like a 90s BMW without too much electrical trickery would go on for ever and would be fixable by just about any garage I would have thought :)
Is Rotty still selling his 318? Might be worth a look, from what I read about it it is a sound motor and a decent price :)
Is Rotty still selling his 318? Might be worth a look, from what I read about it it is a sound motor and a decent price :)
Sold it to someone on OcUK I think, who's using it as a track car now.
As for the car I would look for something medium size and not too complicated, something like a 90s BMW without too much electrical trickery would go on for ever and would be fixable by just about any garage I would have thought :)
MB
I was thinking, as I know jack about cars, Mondeo. My Corsa is in good condition, low mileage of about 25k so I'm hoping I'd get £2500 - £3000 for it. Hopefully pick up a cheap Mondy for £2k with the rest to save for insurance & little details. The deadline for the book is Sept so basically I have to get my arse in gear and either do this or don't do it.
Matblack
24-04-2008, 11:58
Do it, and as long as you haven't got any other commitments at the moment do the research, pack your bags and go! Are they giving you a retainer up front to pay for some of this?
MB
That they are. Right now I don't have a huge list of commitments. My parents coped when I was in Toronto for 3 weeks so I'm sure they can cope with this. Other than that I just need money and I'm off.
Matblack
24-04-2008, 12:11
Just reading your first post again, is this book just about using HDR in archetecture and landscape (natural/ urban) or about the whole process and how it is achieved with tutorials or about having some beautiful pictures?
I only ask because you might want to spend some time working on other applications of HDR if there are any and the process description if thats also called for?
MB
Its basically a how to guide. So I want to try and cover all the main areas people might want to use it. I've got car shots, architecture, people, etc. The reason for Europe is to get new fresh material. I'm also looking at Iceland and New York. I want to show that HDR is a technique that can help you in many situations and have a list of case studies. Not just "This is how you do it it."
Matblack
24-04-2008, 12:45
Well from my uninformed point of view HDR would show off both of those places being able to bring out detail in the darker areas and add contrast the iceland and New York would seem like prime candidates. The potential problem as I see it of going round europe is the distance between shots. Hard call, you'd get some great material in NY though ;)
MB
Yeah thats my worry too. I'd love to tour Europe and they're giving me the money to do so, but there is the issue of time. They want the book done by Sept 8th. It might be better to go to places that are bankable. New York will produce shots at every turn. I could spend 4/5 days there and come back with a library. However with Europe I'd lose time to travelling. Iceland again would be shots in the bank. Maybe I should drop the Europe tour and do weekend breaks in a few spots. Paris, Hamsterdamn, etc. Then trips to NY & Iceland. Then I would have a selection from there plus London, Scotland, Toronto and Liverpool. I want the book to look varied. To show that HDR isn't just a one trick pony for "cheating" in Photoshop. I want people to go "**** me" and buy the book because they know it'll inspire them and help them.
Matblack
24-04-2008, 13:02
If you go to New York I'll carry your lenses for you ;) In exchange for the flights of course :D
MB
Matblack
24-04-2008, 13:42
SHOTGUN!
MB
Davey_Pitch
24-04-2008, 13:45
I love New York and would suggest there in a heartbeat. An amateur like me still managed to get great pictures there and no doubt yours would be 100x better than what I came up with.
If you do decide to do Europe though, I think it would be an idea to know roughly where you're going, and then perhaps have a small list of places to stay when you're there. That might save you some time trying to find somewhere when you get there :)
Dymetrie
24-04-2008, 13:53
Threatened him with hot chocolate and that was that ;D
Does Pete have a phobia to hot chocolate?
I'd suggest Prague, got some great shots just using my cameraphone so you'd prolly be able to do much better :)
Plus I went in October and it was a bit cold/overcast/rainy, so going in the spring/summer should be even better...
Thread with cameraphone piccies. (http://www.boat-drinks.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6148&highlight=prague)
Pete - Take me to NYCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Thou i plan to go in the fall anyway (prob a bit late for you), we could meet up there :D
I think you need to identify the places you want to photograph, places that "Sell".
Sure you can wack in a few unknown locations but regular joe likes to see places they know or been to, and if they recognise that place (NYC, Paris) and it is shown to them in a completely different and imaginative way then it would give them a new personal connection to your book. Where as a book of your journey in Europe would mean most to you and not your audience.
LeperousDust
24-04-2008, 14:04
Blag some cheapo youth hostels? Its all about the spontaneity, not sure it flying to a major place first then renting a car would be a lot cheaper, or just using trains to get from place to place, could make a diary too :)
PS I haven't read this thread yet so ignore if i've missed something :)
^^ OI, I'm his official assistant (when he goes to interesting places) ;D
Pete, why not do something with coasts/Waterfronts.
You've got Liverpool/Toronto, New York fits in perfectly and you could choose one European city with a fabulous waterfront and fly there instead of driving. Sure cuts down on your travel time.
Definitely.
http://www.vanilladays.com/ssp/finalday/finalday/images/CRW_1152-02.jpg
http://www.vanilladays.com/ssp/finalday/finalday/images/hdr-skyline-2.jpg
http://vanilladays.com/images/skylinehdr2.jpg
Larger (http://vanilladays.com/images/skylinehdr3.jpg)
Gotta be done. Yeah I'm really thinking driving around Europe isn't the best idea now. I'd love to do New York and then Vancouver too, or Japan. Ok going a bit crazy now :D
I think you need to identify the places you want to photograph, places that "Sell".
Sure you can wack in a few unknown locations but regular joe likes to see places they know or been to, and if they recognise that place (NYC, Paris) and it is shown to them in a completely different and imaginative way then it would give them a new personal connection to your book. Where as a book of your journey in Europe would mean most to you and not your audience.
Very true. Its more of a HDR guide than a "I went to Europe" book. Visiting these places is simply to expand the locations for images going into the book. Liverpool is great but I want to have some more locations.
Davey_Pitch
24-04-2008, 14:21
The New York skyline is one of the most recognisable in the world, I'd imagine a HDR version of that would be stunning :)
If it is a guide then you might want to think of different situations, not just cityscapes. Since by doing a guide you want to show the reader what HDR can do so in theory you need different situations.
Otherwise you'll end up a book of buildings and sky with clouds.
The New York skyline is one of the most recognisable in the world, I'd imagine a HDR version of that would be stunning :)
Oh yes :D
If it is a guide then you might want to think of different situations, not just cityscapes. Since by doing a guide you want to show the reader what HDR can do so in theory you need different situations.
Otherwise you'll end up a book of buildings and sky with clouds.
Totally agree. I"ll be showing people how they can use it for street photography, portraits, car shoots and such.
http://www.vanilladays.com/gallery/upload/2006/04/hdr-s2000-00.jpg
*honk honk* vrrrrooom :D I've had ideas in my head for a while now I have to get them out. Need a naked girl....
Matblack
24-04-2008, 15:44
Japan would be a wonderfull location, I love your picture of that Chinese Arch you did :)
MB
Yeah do it! It's not like you're heading into an uncharted jungle :p Go explore and have an awesome time :)
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