better travel photography•COM
about our tours
photo tours with steve davey
Website, Images and text © Steve Davey/stevedavey.com 1990 - 2019
One of the benefits of booking on a Better Travel Photography tour is that they are all designed and led to fit with Steve Davey's unique vision on travel photography, travel and life in general.
Even the best larger travel company can loose its vision when it is diluted by the numbers of people that are employed there. These tours are very much the vision of Steve Davey and this has been honed with his experience of leading tours, and as a professional photographer. You can read about this vision, and what Steve is trying to achieve with his tours here.
At Better Travel Photography we select the best company to provide the land arrangements, but our tours are a completely separate product to anything that they offer.
What we are able to do is to take the best of what they have to offer; often drawing on a number of styles and products, and create something unique that is far better and more angled towards travel photography. This might be visiting the highlights in the best light, spending an extra day at a key place or using more private transport, to allow us the freedom and flexibility to stop when we need to take pictures. Sometimes it will involve timing our trip to attend a festival or a key event.
The result is that we can create a totally unique product - calling on the experience and organisation of some of the best names in the travel industry and combining it with the drive, knowledge and flexibility of a professional travel photographer. Some of the main differences between our tours and the competition can be found here.
I realise that booking a tour for anyone is a big decision. More than just being a case of money, the most precious resource for most of us is time.
I am very keen to ensure that people do not book on the wrong tour: whether this is someone booking on another tour when they should come with me, or indeed someone booking with me when another tour would be better for them. In part this is a moral decision, in part it is because unlike the vast majority of people running travel companies I actually lead the tours myself. There is nowhere to hide for me on a trip and so wanting to get the right people doing the right things on the right tour is not just a matter of personal pride! If you are not happy about booking the trip, we are both going to have a miserable time!
The most important thing about any photography tour is the photographer leading the tour. No matter how good the itinerary, if the photographer isn't up to the job, the tour won't go very well. Here I have outlined some of the questions that you should ask yourself about the person who will be leading any photography tour that you might be considering, and also the answers that I would give to these questions. I hope that this helps you to make the right decision - even if you decide not to come along on one of my trips.
What to look for in a tour
1). Who is going to be leading the tour?
You will pay extra to have a photographer on a tour - you might as well make sure that they are good, and that you will learn something from them. Beware any tour that doesn't name the photographer(s)... Are they ashamed, or just undecided? If they are ashamed, that says it all, if they are undecided, then how can the photographer have had any input in the design of the tour?
With Steve's tours you very much know the photographer who will be leading your tour. Steve has conceived and designed all of the itineraries and is happy to discuss the tours in advance.
2). Check out their work!
Check out their website. If they don't have any good pictures, or they work in a style that you don't like, then don't do the tour. People use their websites for their best work. If you are unimpressed, then just imagine what their day-to-day work will be like!
Steve's professional website can be found at www.stevedavey.com This has a range of images and published work on it. You could also check out his books! There is a pdf preview of Travel Photography here and more information about his other books on his profile here.
3). Make sure that they are a working travel photographer.
Anyone who travels will come away with a few good shots. Shove these on a website and they might look good. A working travel photographer will be used to short shoots and unpredictable conditions. They will be able to give you tips on coming back with great pictures when you have a couple of days in a location, the weather is bad and there is scaffolding everywhere! If they aren't a working travel photographer then do you really want a studio or wedding photographer who just takes one foreign holiday a year, or even a journalist with a camera to be teaching you about travel photography?
Steve has been commissioned by a number of magazine and book publishers, which has given him a great experience in working with limited time and budget - a situation that mirrors the experience of the amateur travel photographer on holiday!
The best example of this was when shooting his two books for the BBC. The shooting schedule for Unforgettable Islands involved catch 99 different flights in 11 months and travelling the equivalent of 7.5 times around the world. With little or no time for re-shoots or ability to wait until the sun shines, this was an object lesson in bringing back great pictures irrespective of the weather. Steve will teach you how to approach a location, plan your photography and come back with great pictures, no matter how much time you have and how unlucky you might be with the weather!
4). Checkout their footprint!
Any decent photographer will have built a name for themselves. Look at their website and see where they have had work published and who they have worked for. A few agency sales of existing work is no real indicator. See who has commissioned them to go off on trips. This shows they have a proven ability to head off and take a range of shots in a short period of time. It is this specialised knowledge that will help you to improve your skills on the road. If no one in the industry will trust them with a commission, will you trust them with your valuable holiday?
Steve Davey studied a degree in photography, and has worked as a professional travel photographer ever since. His work has been published in books and magazine all over the world and he is the author and principle photographer of Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die and Unforgettable Islands to Escape to Before You Die. Between them, these two books have sold over 350,000 copies of the UK edition alone, and been translated into almost 30 language editions. .
Steve has just written two editions book on Travel Photography – probably the most exhaustive manual on the subject.
If this is not enough for you, then his words and pictures can be found in magazines and books all over the world.
5). What is their approach to photography?
Email them and ask! Some people just stick everything on auto and concentrate on the image, others will teach you about shooting in RAW, manual exposure and fill-in flash, as well as thinking visually. If their approach is different to what you are looking for, then you probably won't learn as much and won't have as much fun!
Steve is a great believer in the craft of photography, and believes that a good technical grounding is vital. He advocates shooting in RAW and understanding your own exposure - not letting the camera do everything for you. He is able to explain the technical aspects of photography in a patient way that people can understand, and relate them in practical terms to real life situations and to whatever equipment you might use. If you have a greater technical knowledge, he can also wax lyrical on hyperfocal distance and reciprocity failure!
In parallel to his deep technical understanding of photography, Steve also advocates that the greatest asset to any photographer is their creativity. Many of the hints and techniques that Steve will teach can be carried out irrespective of the camera that you are using. For instance, Steve is an accomplished and prolific portrait photographer and will teach you how to approach people and give a lot of practical hints about good portraiture.
Lastly, Steve advocates that Travel Photography is the perfect motivator to encourage you to enjoy your photography. Photography can be you excuse and incentive to approach people on your travels, climb hills and mountains and get up for a number of perfect sunrises. Steve firmly believes that the drive for taking good pictures should not stop you enjoying your travels or experiencing the country you are travelling in.
6). Check on feedback!
Make sure that any feedback from previous tour refers to the photographer who will lead your tour! Kind of obvious really but an easy point to miss in the heat of the moment.
You can see some of the feedback from Steve's tours here, or please do contact us if you would like to speak to a previous traveller directly.
7). How many tours have they run?
For most of us, time and money are in short supply: do you really want to be a guinea pig for someone who hasn't run tours before?
The inaugural Better Travel Photography tours, Impressions of Morocco and Impressions of India, ran successfully in 2009. Since then Steve has run many tours to Laos, Vietnam, India, Morocco Cambodia and Jordan. This has given him a wealth of experience as to what constitutes a good tour, how to run a tour and also about teaching a diverse group of people and bringing out their own individual skills.
How are Steve's tours different?
Some of the main differences with standard groups tours are:
a). Tour specifically designed for photo opportunities and to be in the right place at the right time as much as possible.
b). Presence of Steve Davey on the tour, supplying tuition and encouragement based on his years as a professional photographer.
c). Ability to speak to Steve about equipment and other matters before the start of the tour.
d). Opportunity to join an (optional) discussion forum with Steve and other members of the tour before (and after) departure to discuss equipment, and also arrange to meet up with any of the members of the group before the tour starts if you arrive early!
e). Critiques are an important part of every trip. We aim to have rolling critiques every night after the illustrated talk. Obviously it won't be possible to show everyone's work every night, and it does depend on people putting their own pictures forward. These can be a great way fr people to have instant feedback on their work. Steve is also always happy to look at pictures throughout the day on an individual basis, and offer encouragement and suggestions for improvement.
f). Steve will be giving a number of illustrated talks throughout the tour, covering aspects of travel photography. This might be techniques, or practical suggestions for upcoming picture-taking scenarios. To make these illustrations easier to see, Steve will be using a small digital projector.
There are other photo tours on the market but they don't have the advantages of the tours that Steve runs.
Some of the differences with other photography tours are:
1). Steve's tours draw on the skill and experience of carefully selected travel companies to provide the land arrangements for his tours.
2). These tours only have a maximum group size of twelve, meaning that you won't be swamped, and you will have plenty of access to ask Steve questions. This also means that you won't swamp places that you visit, meaning that you will find it easier to interact with the locals and come away with great, sympathetic and individual photographs.
3). These tours are led by a working professional photographer. In truth, anyone can make an impressive gallery of images if they shoot enough pictures, have a bit of luck with the conditions and edit out few good ones. A working professional travel photographer will be used to being commissioned to takes pictures by publications and publishers. This means that they are used to working with limited time and to a limited budget – conditions that are similar to those experienced by the amateur photographer.
A professional travel photographer will be able to teach you how to shoot in difficult conditions, when the light is coming from the wrong direction or the weather is less than perfect.
4). A leader with a proven track record: Steve has recently published a major book on travel photography, and has been leading photography tours since 2006.
5). The professional photographer leading the tour is the one who has designed and marketed the tour: you can speak to him in advance and see examples of his work and style of photography. This is not just a job for Steve Davey, but a business he is proud of, and has a major vested interest in making sure that everything is perfect.
Steve's vision for these tours?
The primary thing that Steve is intending with his tours if for you to improve your travel photography. But he is also mindful that this is a holiday as well as a photographic tour. Whilst people are encouraged to take advantage of as many photographic opportunities as possible, you are also able to relax, shop, sight-see and fully experience the country that you are travelling in.
As these tours are a completely separate product to Intrepid trips, Steve has the freedom to pick and mix from the various Intrepid styles to give you a totally unique experience. Sometimes we will stay in more comfortable-style hotels, other times more basic accommodation will give us better access or a better experience!
The travel arrangements are organised to give you the best experience and also the best possible photo-opportunities. Most of the time we will be travelling in our own private vehicle, which means that we have the freedom to stop for pictures and travel at times to suit us. Occasionally we will use public transport when it is more convenient or adds to the experience.
Steve believes that his tours should be as rich an experience as possible and so has tried to include as much as possible in the tour price. A list of what is included is set out on the itinerary page of each tour.
Steve passionately believes that travel photography shouldn't be a chore, and that done correctly, travel photography can help you to get more out of your destination and can be the perfect excuse and motivation to engage with the world and the people you will meet in a more profound and active way. Quite simply, if you follow Steve's vision,you will get more out of your trip by being a photographer, than you ever would if you were travelling without a camera - and will come away with some great pictures as well!
Although Steve has an idea as to what he is planning to teach on the tour he is very flexible and always willing to change the plan. He starts the tour by asking what techniques and picture scenarios people are hoping to learn on the tour and incorporates these into the schedule.
Tuition on the tours is a mixture of practical on the spot demonstrations for things such as night photography or portraiture, mixed with short illustrated talks on various technical and practical considerations, which will take place most nights. The talks are illustrated with images that Steve has taken over the years.
Steve also encourages people to ask questions and will patiently deal with any matters that arise. If a question is relevant to the group as a whole, Steve will incorporate it into the teaching schedule.
Steve's tours don't just concentrate on the technical aspects of photography. Steve will teach you how to plan your coverage of a place, assess a scene and decide how you are going to photograph it, how to previsualise how your picture will come out and then how to achieve this. He will cover how to approach people to ask to take their portraits and how to decide on your composition when you are looking at a subject. This information will be useful to you no matter what camera you are using.
As well as the photographic side of travel photography, Steve is keen to encourage group members to enjoy the inspirational side of travel photography.
Travel photography is a fantastic motivator, and can galvanise people to see more sunrises, climb more mountains and probably most importantly, approach and interact with more people than if they were just travelling. In Steve's life, travel photography has been a catalyst, an inspiration and an excuse to get out and see and experience more of the world.
A bespoke range of photographic tours, designed and led by travel photographer Steve Davey. These tours draw on Steve's years of experience and intimate knowledge of some of the most fascinating and evocative parts of the planet.
More than a holiday, you will benefit from many picture taking opportunities as well as tailored photographic tuition & encouragement.