First Cameras and Learning Travel Photography

By Alan Murray,
Uncharted Staff

I still have my very first camera. It hangs on my office door, a reminder of when cameras didn’t automatically focus, set exposure and advance frames. Covered with a thin layer of dust, its once shiny metallic body is now stained with rust and engraved with scratches. There are smudges on the lens and its battery door is ajar, exposing an old six-volt lithium that once powered the camera’s only electronic function – the light meter.

That was the camera I used in high school while working for the school paper. It was the camera I used when I went to college. It was the camera I used at my first job.

With it I documented the life of Catholic Cistercian monks in a small western town. I used it to cover professional and collegiate sports, accidents, fires and severe storms. And despite the absence of sophisticated electronics and automatic functions, I somehow won several state and national awards with it.

Eventually, I reached a point in my photography where I needed to upgrade my equipment, but the things I learned using that very first camera still help me today as I use the latest digital photographic technology to document the world’s people, cultures and hidden places for Uncharted.

I love photography and I love exploring the world, so it’s great when I get a chance to bring my two passions together. That’s why I’m excited to offer personalized travel photography instruction through Uncharted. If you’re a beginner with your very first digital camera, I can help you figure it out. If you’re an advanced amateur or somewhere in between, I can help you polish your skills. If you need help picking out your first camera, I can give you some advice.

To get started, sign up for a free online consultation. I’ll talk with you about your personal goals and skill level and come up with a training plan just for you or your group. I’ll also keep you informed about upcoming photo workshops and other learning opportunities in your area. Speaking of other opportunities, our resident geographer and orienteering athlete is offering instruction in both land navigation and map reading. These are helpful skills for avoiding getting lost on your way to capture a cool photo.

At Uncharted, we love exploring the world and sharing our adventures with everyone. We’re excited to offer these learning opportunities and hope they will be helpful as you create your own adventures.

Alan Murray is President and a co-founder of Uncharted. He likes scuba diving and snowshoeing. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has lived and traveled extensively in South and Central America. Alan resides in the Philadelphia, Pa. area. To learn more about Alan and see some of his photography, take a look at his personal photography site.