This weekend I’m starting a week-long trip round central and south Taiwan by motorcycle. (The itinery for those who are interested is Taizhong-Tainan-Kending-Taidong-Ludao-Hualian-Tailuge-Hehuanshan-Taizhong).
I want to take lots of pictures and make a photojournal on the web for family, friends and students to see. Each pic will have minimum one sentence, maximum one paragraph of accompanying text.
I’d really appreciate any tips on making this look more professional; both from the point of view of which photos to take and from that of how to arrange them in the online ‘journal’.
I’ll do one of betel nut sellers if you like, accompanied with self portraits of the photographer with his head in a bandage after being thumped by their boyfriends/managers.
Sensible advice still welcomed. I’m thinking from a journalistic point of view - what pictures would best tell a story of a journey round half of Taiwan, and how should I organise them. As there are some journalists and authors here (Mapo, aren’t you one as well?) I’d appreciate any tips.
joesax, jeez, just go. do it your way. don’t ask for tips! just fly away, shoot away, do it your way. you don’t need any help from anyone. you are an artist!
Joesax, here’s a link to a bloke i’ve met a few times in Taipei. He is right now travelling across India on an Enfield (and regretting his choice of wheels!) He’s done an excellent site with a journal and superb photoes. Hope this gives you some ideas/inspiration. Good luck with the trip!
“Paul does remind me while I’m bitching about the ride from Recong Peo to Nako that no one enjoys traveling while it happens - its something you look forward to or look back on but while it is happening its never any fun.”
I suggest you have look at the ‘Picture This’ branch on Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree. People post links to travel photos and travel websites there, so you might find some good websites there to give you some ideas.
Thanks guys. I’ll check out those websites. Looking at how other people have done it should give me some ideas.
About that man on an Enfield, I wouldn’t fancy travelling anywhere too long on an old British bike. Bits tend to fall off. My brother did up a thirty-year old Triumph 250. It was a lovely looking bike; something a bit like a dirt oval racer (I saw a Harley like that once; only Harley I’ve ever really liked the looks of). It was in pieces on his bedroom floor for four months while he slowly got it together, ordering new parts from small specialist manufacturers.
Then he took it round Europe. It did fine for two months but in the third month it started having bad alternator problems. He had to stop every 100 miles to get a battery charge. I think other things had broken and deteriorated until it was only slightly better than it had been 8 months before. By that time he was a bit fed up, and didn’t seriously ride it again but bought a newer Japanese thing instead.
I’ve just bought a ten-year old Yamaha FZ. They’re beautiful bikes; like the modern FZR but with higher bars and a more comfortable saddle. A more practical bike all round really. It’s not in bad shape but it’s smoking a bit so it really does need a thorough check-up inside and out. My Yamaha specialist mechanic (Eric Lin; top guy and he’s really serious and professional- he’s done a five-year certificate- something your average hole-in-the wall scooter repair guy wouldn’t dream of - contact me for contact details) has forbidden me to take the FZ round the island and wants to take it in for a week of TLC instead so I’m doing the trip on the SR. Not a bad bike anyway but a bit slow and the vibration really gets to my hands after a couple of hours. Never mind - the beautiful scenery will more than make up for any physical discomfort.
Actually they’re still making Enfields in India, so you can buy a brand new one!!! If you fancy buying yourself a new Enfield Bullet 500 just head to India.
Hi Wix; I knew that; maybe I should have said ‘bikes based on old British designs’
It looks nice in the picture, but I’ve heard that the new Enfields aren’t any better than the old Brit bikes. I suppose I should be more patriotic, but even my dad agrees that Jap bikes are far more reliable.