Kam is lives in Southern California and is the blogger behind Campfire Chic. She shares her story as a 9-5er looking for adventure and a handmade life. When she’s not blogging, Kam can be found on a trail, reading comic books, or hunting down the perfect breakfast burrito. The posts she shares encourage her readers to take risks and try new things, like camping, rock climbing, and yoga, while maintaining their current interests and responsibilities. Campfire Chic is about accepting challenges, setting achievable goals, and documenting the journey toward the finish line. Connect with Kam via Twitter and Google+.
ONE: A photo of where you lay your head.
I like to take a photo of each campsite or homebase we get to call home for a few nights, whether it be next to a lake, at a busy campground in a National Park, or in my backyard. I think it is fun to see what each spot looked like and what we brought each time. Capturing the scenery around your basecamp is fun to show just how far away from home you may be. Bonus if you can get a photo from a neat angle like the photo above, where my campmate scrambled some rocks to get a shot of my legs peeking out of our tent.
TWO: the scenery. I am surprised at how often I forget to take a shot of what is around me! When it comes to backpacking, you can tell when I get tired because there are no photos between my campsite and the trailhead, but plenty of shots at both the trailhead and the campsite. Take the time to take some photos that remind you of your trip…even if it isn’t the traditional iconic shot of Half Dome or of your family standing near the edge of a mountaintop. There is so much beauty all around, just take a shot (pun!).
THREE: At Signs/Trailheads. There are two reasons for this. 1) So you can show others you were actually at the locations you say you were, and 2) in case you drop your camera somewhere on the trail, other hikers/campers/adventurers can try and find you! It also helps when you get a giant order of photos in the mail and you say, “where the heck did we take this again?”
FOUR: Your food! I don’t have a solid reason other than it is fun to see what people eat. That, and some food really represent where you are in the world…Chicago? I bet you’re taking a photo of your deep dish pizza. Austin? There’s probably a photo of the barbeque platter you ordered. In the backcountry? Take a photo of the trail gourmet you created! Show off your snacks, mishaps with dinner, creative meals, and whatever else you have in store.
FIVE: A Self-Portrait/Couple/Group Shot. There may not always be a friendly traveler around to snap a photo of you and/or of you and your traveling partner. Practice taking shots alone and together so you can capture important moments without stressing about finding somebody to help me capture the moment. Play with shadows and reflections. In the photo above, I leaned over and took a photo of our feet as we sat on a low bridge. This photo, while doesn’t show our faces, shows that it was cold while we sat above the small stream in late fall. Get familiar with your camera (or phone, if that’s what you’re using) and experiment with different things that can be used as a tripod! I’ve used a car hood, tucked my camera into a statue, placed my phone on the floor, and even lashed my camera to a tree in order to get a good shot.
What other types of photos do you make sure to take while out in the world?