Plan to succeed
Tracy Calder
Tracy has more than 20 years of experience in the photo magazine industry and has written numerous photography books. In 2018 she co-founded Close-up Photographer of the Year – a competition celebrating close-up, macro and micro photography (www.cupoty. com). Visit Instagram: @tracy_calder_photo.
Don’t overdo it
It’s tempting to pack every lens you own for a photo trip but weighing yourself down will only result in more time thinking about equipment and less time focusing on what is actually in front of you. If you’re not sure what to take and what to leave, then let the past guide you. Take a sample of your favourite shots and look at the EXIF data. If you use a 24-70mm zoom most of the time, then there really is no need to pack that fisheye lens – even if you think it’s a good time to experiment.
Check permissions and permits
In the current climate, visitor numbers to many tourist sites are restricted. But even in the pre-Covid-19 days some locations, such as ‘the wave’ in Northern Arizona, had limits in place to control numbers (in this case it’s 20 and you need to enter a lottery to stand a chance of gaining access). Blakeney Point in Norfolk – a popular breeding site for seals – is another site where access is limited – to see the pups
