Shared by my friends from International Expeditions

We’re sharing veteran wildlife and nature photographer George Ritchey’s tips for getting the most out of your equipment and experience. With over 35 years of wildlife photography experience and credits including Robb
Report, Atlanta Journal Constitution andBirmingham Magazine, Ritchey offers travelers tips on how to capture, preserve and enhance their memories while traveling.

• 
  Equipment
  
  I don’t recommend that you bring a tripod unless it is a very light and mobile.
  Many of us will have cameras as well as binoculars. More equipment will become
  cumbersome and difficult to use. I am bringing a combination of walking stick
  and monopod. Often if your subject is an animal you will not have a lot of time
  to capture the image before the animal flees thus a tripod is of little use in
  these situations.
• 
  Wildlife
  
  When approaching animals in the wild begin taking images during the approach
  process since you never know at what distance the animal will flee. Take lots
  of images. It is easy to delete unwanted ones. It is always better to capture a
  shot approaching the animal rather than the animal fleeing. Zoom in as close as
  possible. Have your camera ready and accessible at all times. Most animals will
  not wait for you –Sloth excluded.
• 
  Composition
  
  Include reflections in your composition. Often the reflection itself will make
  a good photo. If your composition is in the sun or bright light a neutral
  density filter or circular polarizing filter should be considered but in darker
  situations such as the rain forest you will not need to use a filter.
• 
  How to pack
  
  If your equipment includes many individual parts bring a small day bag or small
  backpack to house all the pieces that are not in use. Remember travel as light
  as possible. You will have a much more enjoyable trip. I would rather have the
  basic equipment than too much equipment.
• 
  Before leaving home review and study
  your camera manual. You
  should know how to operate it and that all functions are working. This is very
  important if you have a new camera or it’s been awhile since you used your
  camera. Remember we will have very limited access to any stores after we arrive
  in Lima. Once a
  participant in my seminar brought a five year old camera that she did not
  check, and after driving four hours she was disappointed to find that the
  camera did not work.
• 
  Make sure that you pack your camera
  manual. Many
  of the new cameras do not come with the manual and if you want one you need to
  download the manual from the manufacturer. Many strange and unusual
  malfunctions have occurred in the field and the manual often will supply
  instruction that can correct the problem. It may mean the difference of lots of
  images or going home with a disappointing number. Remember most of us will not
  travel the Amazon again!
• 
  Bring some type of rain protection for
  your camera equipment. There
  are specialty waterproof systems such as Aqua Tech or Kata, Inc. camera covers
  or you can use something as inexpensive as Ziplock bags. These bags come in
  sizes from 1 to 3 gallons. I once failed to use an adequate water protector in Alaska, and I spent many
  hours trying to dry my equipment and praying that it would work. I was
  successful but many photographers have not been so lucky.
• 
  Bring some type of security to attach
  your camera to you. I
  know that we all want to go home with all the equipment that we started out
  with. A neck strap or chest harness is acceptable. Gear Keeper offers a
  retractable device for smaller cameras. Cotton Carrier offer several chest
  strap carrying systems. I do not think a wrist strap is adequate. One
  inexpensive solution is to tie a string or small cord to your camera and to the
  button hole of your shirt. Don’t think it can’t happen to you! My last trip to
  the Galapagos claimed one unsecured camera.

Contributed by Jim DeLillo:

http://jimdelillo.viewbook.com

http://jim-delillo.artistwebsites.com/

http://istockphoto.com/jimd_stock