Learning Center Photojournalism

This past January I was asked to go to Singapore by one of the publications I contribute to, Nirvana magazine, based out of the San Francisco area. I was delighted when I accepted this assignment because as a world traveler, I had yet to visit the Far East. My job was to write and photograph a piece for the magazine on the country of Singapore, vividly describing its people, its scenic places, its flavor, feasts and festivities. Having taken photographs in over 23 countries, this was right up my alley. As a photographer traveling to such a far exotic country only 60 miles above the equator with incredibly high humidity, I needed to pack as little photo gear as possible, but still have the right equipment to get all my shots. My camera was the Canon 1Ds and lens, the Tamron 28-300. I knew this lens weighed less than my hotshoe flash, yet would allow me to get every shot I needed without changing lenses.

Usually when covering a city or small country for a lifestyle publication, I try to cover as many aspects of the area as possible, however I attempt to focus on four major categories; 1. Scenery and landscapes, 2. hotels, restaurants and food, 3. activities and 4. shopping.

I was fortunate enough to be supplied with a wonderful guide for my 6 days in Singapore. Two of my first trips were to both the stunning Singapore Zoo, and the Singapore Botanical Gardens. Of course here is where I utilized the long 300mm focal length of the Tamron 28-300. When photographing animals and birds, it is crucial that I get in as tight as possible to the animals to capture their incredible colors and personalities. Yet in an instant, I can zoom down to 50mm or 28mm to capture a lush landscape. The long focal length with its macro capabilities also allows me to capture some incredible close-ups of orchids.

At night my photography flourishes with my Tamron zoom. One of my evenings brings me to the lively Clarke Quay (pronounced key) a long waterside stretch filled with the city's most colorful and vibrant restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Here the focal length of choice is 28mm, and once the camera is mounted on my tripod, I shoot away at about f/11 at shutter speeds varying from 2 seconds to 15 seconds. Where the architecture and lighting is so magnificent, a travel photographer equipped with a great lens is only limited by the time he or she wants to spend taking shots.

Another day brings me to some of the hottest new boutique hotels in Singapore; The Scarlet and 1929. Within only an hour in each of these hotels, I can take all my interior shots (between 28mm and 100mm focal lengths) and move on to my close-up food macro shots, all without changing lenses, which would have been unheard of 5 or 10 years ago. The Tamron's macro capabilities are stunning, and as a food and still life photographer, it is crucial that my images make the food and beverages I'm shooting as mouthwatering as possible.

In addition to the architectural and food images, I also need to get what I refer to as atmosphere shots; images of people with the environment I'm shooting to show the life and energy of the space. Once again, the Tamron 28-300 on my Canon on a tripod mount gets the job done with the ease I seek.

The other wonderful aspect of this lens is the weight. When hiking around all day in a tropical climate with temperatures above 80 and humidity levels above 95%, a photojournalist should not be burdened by the extra weight of carrying several heavy 5 pound lenses.

I was delighted with my photographs of Singapore and truly feel I captured the visual gamut of this picturesque country with ease, thanks to my handy Tamron 28-300 lens which produced stunning crisp colorful images for me and the magazine.