Taking Travel Photos in South AmericaDon Mammoser packed the ultimate all-in-one travel lens-the Tamron 16-300mm VC PZD-on a journey to Argentina and Uruguay. |
Article by Jenn Gidman Images by Don Mammoser |
Don Mammoser and his wife are professional photographers who lead photo workshops and tours all around the world. But once a year, the couple tries to take a long trip overseas just for themselves. "We go with just a general idea of the things we want to see and keep things spontaneous so we can 'go with the flow' of being a traveler," he says. "We often rely on the locals or other visitors to tell us what they recommend. When we get somewhere, if we really like it, we'll stay; if we don't, we'll move on." |
For this type of photography, Don prefers selecting a lens from the all-in-one Tamron zoom family. "They're worth their weight in gold," he says. "They allow both of us to shoot anything and everything we come across, from wide-angle cityscapes to street scenes to friendly wildlife." |
Their recent trip to South America, which included stays in Uruguay and Argentina, allowed Don to put the new Tamron 16-300mm VC PZD through the paces. "We carry one cropped sensor camera body and one full-frame body with us, and for the cropped sensor body, the 16-300mm can't be beat," he says. "That lens is sharp at all zoom settings and very quick to use when spontaneity is key." |
The 16-300 is ideal for taking in the big picture, as well as for zooming in on a city's architectural details. "For a picture of the skyline in the Puerto Madero district of Buenos Aires, I wanted to capture the Presidente Sarmiento, an 1880s war vessel that's now a museum," he says. "I took this photo of it at the wider end of the 16-300mm because I wanted to show as much of the scene as possible. I used the same technique when photographing the Iglesia Nuestra baroque church in the San Telmo district. I was hemmed in by other buildings around the church and needed that wide angle to show as much as possible."
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In southwestern Uruguay lies the World Heritage site of Colonia del Sacramento. "This small arts town has cobblestone streets, a pretty waterfront area with a lighthouse, and lots of artisan shops and restaurants," Don says. "It was the perfect place to put the 16-300 to work. I was able to get the details of a sign advertising an art gallery there, as well as beautiful street scenes. I took this one photo of a really pretty doorway flanked by a pair of colorful trees in the midrange of the 16-300. I needed to compose the image carefully because the sky was an unappealing grey and white, and I wanted to just show the aesthetically appealing door and trees. The 16-300 helped me frame the shot just the way I wanted to."
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In fact, seeking out colors and patterns is one of the best ways Don likes to illustrate the local culture when he's on the road. "I love taking pictures of markets, for example," Don says. "They're always so colorful and have such wonderful displays-we look for them wherever we go. The locals are always so friendly and happy that we choose to focus our cameras on their display, because they're proud of their work. Plus you know you're going to leave with food that's fresh and delicious!" |
The patterns and lines of the items for sale, whether at a vegetable stand or a market stall selling scarves made of local wool, are a natural draw for Don. "The 16-300 allows me to adjust my composition, even in tight quarters like a crowded market," he says. "I can zoom into the exact detail of a scene I'm photographing to really show off the wares."
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Don also used the 16-300 to photograph wildlife on his South American sojourn. "Even when I'm traveling, I can never resist photographing wildlife when I come across it," he says. "With wildlife, if you find a friendly subject, you should always take advantage of it and get some images-the next bird or animal of the same species could end up being very shy." |
While photographing near a coastal lighthouse in Uruguay, Don spotted a southern lapwing (the national bird of Uruguay) and a chalk-browned mockingbird. "I used the long end of the 16-300mm and a wider aperture and tried to get down to my subjects' level for these photos," he says. "That perspective gives me a subject that stands out nicely from the background. Using the full power of the 16-300 allowed me to make the birds as big as I could in the frame." |
To see more of Don Mammoser's images, go to www.donmammoserphoto.com. |