Taxi Driver's Waiting (1/320th at f/2.8 ISO 250)
Coba Taxi Loaded (1/60th f2.8 70mm at ISO 125)
Off They Go (1/50th f/2.8 70mm ISO 200)
Holding hands (1/200 f/2.8 70mm at ISO 200)
Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is well known for its many Mayan ruins and thousands of tourists flock there each year. I visited Tulum’s ruins overlooking the Gulf of Mexico as well as Coba’s ruins which are located slightly inland. Both ruins were heavily populated with visitors, although the ruins at Cobá were spread out in a dense forest, so it didn’t seem nearly as busy. Whenever I visit an area with a ton of tourists I try to step back from the crowd and just observe. I think we miss a lot of photographic opportunities when we just follow along and get lost in the herd. I think stepping back and taking note and looking for those opportunities is every bit as important as photographing the attraction itself. Today’s photos are of the many bicycle taxis that were waiting to cart tourists around the ruins. Many people chose to use their services, while some chose to walk. I imagine it must have been a very different experience for those who zipped by on a bicycle taxi, compared to those who walked the 1-2 kilometers to see the ruins. A process I think I would have failed to document if I hadn’t stepped back and simply observed.
Two comments from fellow tourists:
The wife says, “Honey, I want to take a photo of you over here.” Her husband’s response, “But, I’m not over there!”
A gentleman commenting on the ruins, “These weren’t built very well.”
Both comments put a smile on my face.
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Love these behind-the-scenes shots that we don't often get a pov of… plus, the overheard comments are priceless!! Thanks for sharing
I found that out the hard way when taking pics in the smokeys first day went where everyone else went and i couldn't even enjoy the beauty day 2 let them go past i went slow and what i missed the first time amazed me
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by John Batdorff II, Daniel Kreger. Daniel Kreger said: RT @Johnbatdorff: Here's my approach to photographing tourist attractions http://batdorffphotography.net/wordpress/?p=1512 [...]
I hear you….
Sad is No cash in budget for smokeys this year
But keep thinking theres got to be more of wisconsin i havent seen maybe try and plan a 3 day spring flower shoot I know lots of back country up in northern wisconsin ive never seen in spring so might be cool inclueding some seriously deep dark cedar swamps i bet bring some flowers not seen alot