Before you leave home
Service your camera before leaving on a big adventure.
Familiarise yourself with the various camera functions. A new camera seems to have more controls than the dashboard of a 747. I read my manual page by page and
familiarise myself with all of the camera's functions so I can quickly change my settings to optimise image capture. For example know how to quickly bump your ISO
and change your focal points. Do not forget to pack your user manual, it may be your best friend in remote location where you cannot use the internet for instant
troubleshooting or advice.
Research your subject. Figure out what to expect and get ideas by surfing the web, browsing in bookstores and learning about the conditions in the field.
Practice makes perfect, particularly for moving objects. For example I know when I venture into the Southern Ocean I want to capture images of the magnificent
albatross so I practise on Silver Gulls at home. It also familiarises you with your subject. A good photographer is a keen observer and learns to anticipate animal and
human behaviours.
Waterproofing - this is mandatory for polar trips. I recommend a good dry bag to carry expensive gear in zodiacs. Elsewhere, think about where you are going, check
climate trends.
Batteries/memory/film - pack enough! Nothing worse than running out. I carry a laptop and external hard drive to catalogue, back up and edit files on a daily basis. I
find when I get home and out of the environment I have photographing in I am less motivated to revisit images and nearly always forget some of the details.
Filters (UV, polariser). All my lenses are protected by UV filters. I carry a polariser but do not use it very often. It is not a default filter.
Familiarise yourself with some of the "rules" of composition. They are of course tools, not rules. You'll find myriad pages on the web devoted to photographic
composition.
In the Field
Battery recharge - do it as regularly as possible. On long trips in cold regions where I am limited by what I can carry my batteries stay next to my body at al times to
avoid depletion from cold. Don't forget to pack an appropriate adaptor. I always carry a spare as they are easy to loose or leave and inevitably someone else will have
forgotten to pack one and will shout you a drink for a lend of your spare one.
Check you settings before you start shooting. You may have been shooting low light at ISO 1600 and are now heading out into bright sunshine but forget to switch to
ISO 100. You may have been overexposing and forget to change it back. The list goes on....
Back up files - do it! I lost the RAW File of my best shot from the 2007/2008 Antarctic season due to a poor back up routine.
Vibration reduction, especially in zodaics - very helpful, be careful not to unintentionally switch it off when using this function.
Camera straps - use them, I've seen too many folks drop cameras and break them because they didn't take the two seconds required to drape the strap around their
neck or wrist. I've done it!
Observation - don't just fire away unless a whale is breaching right in front of you. Take time to think about the different perspectives available, the direction of light,
behaviour of your subject and composition of the shot.
Anticipation - look for the signs that something compelling is about to happen. I have learned a great deal about penguins and albatross simply by observing. I can now
anticipate certain behaviours that make for more compelling images.
Exposure - a tricky one - check your histogram, if you do not know what a histogram is and you are using a digital camera, learn about the histogram, a simple google
search will reveal all. Bracket if unsure. Shoot in RAW to give greater scope for correction in processing.
Try new perspectives. Dont hesitate to get up high or to get down and dirty.
Think about what are you trying to convey... if anything.
ABOVE ALL - HAVE FUN. If you are not a professional photographer then you are not trying to sell your images, it is a hobby and its meant to be fun!