The time for annual vacations is rapidly approaching. Wise shoppers are beating the crowds by shopping early. The camera trade is no exception to this.
Now is the time to come in and get the summer vacation camera. Because you'll have enough time to read the instructions, take some photos, and discover exactly how to set the thing before you head out. The deadliest mistake we all made in the dear old days was to buy a camera, unpack it on our lap in the airplane, and try to learn photography between Perth Airport and the first lap of the drinks trolley. Our vacation pictures showed us that we should have done it different, and this was just with 35mm film.
Nowadays what was the simple pathway of a roll of Kodachrome and a Pentax Spotmatic has been enormously complicated with all the digital controls available. Even setting a new device to Automatic and pointing it away from you*- normally a good thing - might be complicated by not knowing which button to press or where to hold it. You really should get this sorted before you board the Boeing.
Fortunately the chaos that used to be Duty-Free has settled somewhat - you need not cart your photo goods to the plane in a sealed bag and you can wait until you actually arrive back at the terminal before loading up your shopping trolley with litre bottles of gin**. You can get your GST back at the airport if you meet certain criteria and can certainly learn, practise, and use the gear before you fly. Your pictures should be vastly better.
You won't be saddened by spending a little time with learning while here in Perth, either. The Shoot Photography Workshop just next door has classes that help all sorts of photographers do all sorts of things and you might be just the one to benefit with a short travel shooting course before you shoot off. Shoot, they helped me with my computer work...
Lovin? Pillsbury used to say it was something from the oven, but we think it is learnin' that makes for success.
* At least it said that in the Heckler and Koch instruction book....
** Have you seen some of the strange grog they sell in Duty Free shops? Who drinks that stuff? And who drinks it in 1 Litre bottles?
