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Photo ops galore
WHAT-TO-DO - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - JULY 2007
Photo ops galore
Nassau is shutterbug heaven
No longer do photographers have to carry light meters and worry about aperture settings, shutter speeds and film sensitivity. Thanks to digital technology, all of these calibrations are now done by the camera itself, with the result that even first-time shutterbugs are taking great photos today.
And you don?t need to pack rolls of film then worry about airport X-rays ruining them or finding a local lab to make prints.
?Seeing your photo on the LCD screen on the back of digital cameras allows you to save your good shots and delete the junk,? says photojournalist Jim Leggett.
Where better to satisfy your photographic creativity than in the sun-splashed Bahamas? Nassau, with its ancient streets, distinguished old homes and architectural treasures, is a photographer?s delight.
Tips from a pro
Leggett says there are thousands of photo opportunities around Nassau, from straw plaiters and wood carvers at the Straw Market, to fishermen bringing in their catch at Potter?s Cay (under the exit bridge from Paradise Island), to street musicians giving impromptu concerts in the plazas off Bay Street.
?Bahamians make great subjects,? says Leggett, and while most are happy to pose for photographs, he advises visitors to ?be polite and ask permission first.?
Just as with film cameras, ?a steady hand is the key to sharp pictures.? In fact, a tripod is essential equipment for serious photographers, ?but who wants to lug these about on holiday?? asks Leggett.
?Instead, learn to keep both elbows pulled tight into your sides. Hold the camera firmly, cupping one hand below the lens or camera body, the other on the side. Try to find a wall, lamppost, or use the roof of your car to steady yourself.
?Once you have composed your picture, gently press the shutter button, taking care not to move the camera as you do.
?You don?t need a bag crammed with gadgets,? says the photographer. ?Keep your equipment simple. But it is useful to carry a UV (ultraviolet) filter to protect your lens,? he says.
?A polarizing filter cuts down on glare from seascapes, windows, water and other reflective surfaces and increases contrast,? says Leggett.
?Batteries, whether for film or digital cameras, are essential and you should keep spares handy. Also, get into the habit of recharging your batteries every night as soon as you download the images. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a prize-winning subject slip away because you forgot to charge or change a battery.
?Light is the all-powerful prerequisite to good photography. An old rule of thumb says the best time to shoot travel, landscape, cityscape and seascape images is during the three hours after sunrise and/or three hours before sunset, when sunlight can be magical, throwing long shadows, highlighting some old cottage wall or bathing the scene in dramatic beauty.
?On the other hand, high-noon sunlight is harsh, extremely bright and can often leave you with pictures that are pretty unremarkable.?
As for film speed, Leggett says the rule for film cameras was ?the lower the ASA speed (now called ISO in digital cameras), the less grainy the negative, or colour reversal (slide transparency film).?
The same applies to digital cameras, with the advantage of being able to adjust the ISO in high- or low-light situations. In most digital cameras, the ISO can be set very high, allowing photographers to shoot images by candlelight.
?Avoid using flash in these cases else the scene will lose its charm,? says Leggett. ?Again, a tripod or camera support will help you get sharp pictures in low-light situations.?
Following are some of the most popular photo subjects and places to take prize-winning shots around Nassau. To locate them, get yourself a copy of Bahamas Trailblazer Maps, distributed free throughout the city.
? Fort Fincastle, the Queen?s Staircase, and the Water Tower, all in one place up the hill on Elizabeth Avenue off Shirley Street.
? Other ancient fortifications include Fort Charlotte, on the hill overlooking Arawak Cay off West Bay Street, and Fort Montagu, on East Bay Street overlooking the eastern approaches to Nassau Harbour.
? Villa Doyle, a restored 19th century mansion at the corner of West and West Hill Streets, not far from Bay Street, now home to The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas. This building was once considered the most beautiful building in Nassau.
? Statue of Captain Woodes Rogers, who was sent by the King of England in 1718 to rid Nassau of pirates who infested the old town, at the main entrance to the British Colonial Hilton hotel on Marlborough Street.
? Balcony House, a much-photographed 18th-century wooden home painted coral and restored as a museum; on Market Street, not far from Bay Street.
? Statue of Queen Victoria and the Bust of Sir Milo Butler, the first Bahamian-born Governor General of The Bahamas, which are located at Parliament Square and Rawson Square, respectively, facing each other across Bay Street.
? Public Library, a pink, eight-sided building on Shirley Street behind the Parliament Buildings, was once a gaol, or prison. Photos are not allowed inside the building but the exterior provides many interesting shots.
With so many dazzling sites around New Providence, finding a good spot for photography is easy. The rest is up to you.
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