Some mind-bendingly good travel photography...

I think I am getting where your preferences lie, Ray. Much of the first set has been done with a fairly long tele lens, which has a certain perspective. It is also about the play of light and shape, as well as colour. More 'artistic', if that's the right word. Peter's work is often done with wide or normal lenses and has a very 'in the moment' documentary feel. It's a style that I really enjoy, although my own work doesn't bear much resemblance. I do know what you mean about 'incredibly good snapshots', though.

Ray, I'm not sure if I'm reading your tastes correctly, but I highly recommend watching a movie called Samsara. It's a nonverbal, non-narrative movie by the people who produced Baraka, along the lines of the Qatsi trilogy. I was fortunate to see it in a big digital projection theatre and it is just stunning.
I initially saw those photos because of a discussion about a "super zoom" lens that Nikon makes for it's full frame cameras, a 28-300 (which is the same equivalent focal length as the Olympus 14-150 I used to shoot with). But I don't think most of the stuff I liked was shot at a particularly long focal lengths. There were a few beautiful long shots (at the full 300mm I think) of a bridge and people on it against a gorgeous sunset, but most of the stuff I was really drawn to was shot at 135-150 or wider - the kind of things I'd be perfectly happy shooting with my less rangy 24-120 zoom. I think it was more about how well he saw his images more than the focal lengths at work. But I agree - Peter's work is definitely more direct sort of documentary photography. I got the feeling that's what he's going for and he captures it well, whereas I think this other guy was going more for an artistic impression and a nice image, although with no lack of documentary interest.

Thanks for the link to the movie trailer - I'll be checking it out for sure...

-Ray
 
Travel photography consists of all kinds so I don't think that there is a right or wrong approach, but personally I have always preferred to photograph by observing rather than influencing. While it is not always the case, in my experience as a comparatively rich tourist travelling in a less developed country it is not uncommon to be offered to take someone's portrait for a small fee. There is nothing sinister about this because it is a means of supplementary income, and in some cases it is offered for free as a friendly gesture or a chance for someone to see an image of themselves on the camera's screen (being the vain creatures that we humans are :)).
 
While I am in complete sympathy and understanding of the needs for some locals in many places feeling the need to ask for a small compensation to have their photos taken, it changes the whole photo experience from one of candid immersion to one of controlled portraiture
 
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