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From: hagerman@friday.DEC
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: re: what to take to Europe
Message-ID: <1086@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Date: Wed, 12-Feb-86 10:58:13 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1086
Posted: Wed Feb 12 10:58:13 1986
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x

I think that before going on a vacation, you need to decide
whether it is to be a "photography" vacation or a "vacation" vacation.
If you are going to Europe (or anywhere else) with the idea of
primarily taking pictures, then you can justify the effort of
taking all your lenses, tripods, bodies, etc.  But for a regular
vacation where you just want to come back with some good pictures,
I agree with the idea of taking just one lens.

I would choose a fast normal lens instead of a zoom, because I want
to take existing light pictures in museums, but that is a personal
prejudice.  On my last trip to France I took two lenses, a normal
and a medium telephoto, but almost never used the telephoto and spent
a lot of time worrying about whether it was being stolen while I was
out of the hotel room.

For film, I would buy all my film here.  Take lots and bring the extra
back--you can always use it later.  Decide in advance on one film
and stick to it.  I would say either Kodachrome 64 or Kodacolor 100.
I was in an airplane once with a guy who was taking
pictures out the window (which is usually a waste of time anyway),
and doing the "rewind the film when you're only half done and change
to another speed for some unknown reason" routine.  It was pitiful.

Although the original question was in reference to Spain where this
doesn't apply so much, if you're from the Western U.S. you probably
don't have much experience in shooting in the rain.  In Europe
(and in the Eastern U.S.) it rains a lot.  Take pictures anyway--
they will turn out better than you expect. (I guess because the contrast
is lower?) Don't let a rainy European vacation stop you from
coming back with pictures.