Samarkand is a photographer’s dream.
A visual challenge with its remarkable, breathtaking buildings, rich in history within a small confines of an ancient capital in the heart of Central Asia.
I have covered this remarkable city which is now part of Uzbekistan in another post here. This post will help understand why trip preparation of the right gear and equipment are worth the effort and time.
The challenge is the use of the right equipment and gear to capture the very soul of one of man’s best creations. Whether it is photography or videography, how does one prepare for it?
How do you get the best outcome possible? Knowing that it is once in a lifetime opportunity to make that long and costly journey
It is not only the remarkable and beautiful buildings of Samarkand, it is also the intricate details and colours that are visually engaging.
Samarkand sits on the fabled Silk Road of an ancient time. And the capital city of one of the great empires of history that spanned from Turkey to Delhi, taking much of Central Asia and Iran and Afghanistan. .
For a place like this make sure you get the seasons right. It will provide the best settings to create your images and videos. For Samarkand Spring and Autumn are the best times. Any other time would be difficult.
Planning
Do plan to bring as much camera equipment and supporting gear as possible. Stuff that an amateur enthusiast can handle. The professionals know what to do.
The first rule of thumb is more is better than less. It means more than just one camera that takes photos and videos.
I have no doubt in creative hands one of later iphone models with a selfie stick with a stand can do the job. If you have other equipment, do bring it along. You will be surprised how there is a sudden need for it when you are there.
Here is the list of cameras that I brought with me.
- Iphone 16 Pro – easy out to pull out of your pocket and shoot.
- Sony ZV1 – backup for day and night
- DJI Osmo Action – video as you walk, easy to handle
- Insta 360 – specific and more dramatic shoots
List of accessories
- Selfie stick cum stand for the Iphone
- Grip cum mini tripod for Sony ZV1 and the DJI Osmo Action
- 1.2m extendable invisible stick for the Insta 360
- Spare batteries for all 3 cameras as well as the selfie stick remote trigger
- Chargers and cables for all
- Spare SD memory storage cards
Recap on features and functions
This is to refresh your memory on the features and functions of your equipment. It is not often that we use all of them frequently. Most of the time I use the iPhone and leave the rest for months and sometimes more than a year.
Samarkand is a visual wonder and you want to keep all available options open. It also a time to update the firmware of all your equipment.
YouTube is helpful to recap on the capabilities of each equipment. Besides the features and functions, it is also important to learn creative way to capture images and videos. It’s also means getting your settings right. Remember settings for day and night are different.
The Insta 360 is a versatile camera that will give you the most creative and near impossible outcomes. Imagine taking it along and only doing the basic shots. Again, YouTube is helpful as there are numerous clips on how to take those special shots with great examples. The single most important feature is that you do not have to frame your shot. You can do that during editing as it takes a 360 view .
It is also important to do some test shots especially creative shots prior to your trip. It helps build confidence
Taking advantage of digital technology
Snapping multiple shots or videos does not cost anything. Just battery power. It does take up storage space which you can readily recover by deleting unwanted shorts and clips. Easily done when you return to your hotel room at the end of the day.
Micro SD cards now have ample capacity and fast so you do not have to be conservative with your shots. Spare cards however are necessary in case of card malfunction. Finding a replacement card with the right specs might not be easy in some places.
My habit is to take shots at various angles and compositions and pick the one that stands out. For an unexplainable reason, the one I thought would be the best at the time of the shoot is seldom the right one. So once again, take as many shots as possible.
Time of day is crucial
There are only two times during daylight that any form of day photography or videography works. Even with modern technology and all the compensating features.
First hour after sunrise and last hour before sunset are the best times. Called the golden or magic hour. These are when the light is soft, not harsh on the subject. There is also little contrast. If stretches up to 9 am, and after 4pm is fine. Overcast days help extend the hours.
Night shoots are always dicey. You need good technical knowledge to align a series of settings. You can also exploit any available light sources such as street lamps and lighted shop fronts. Some cameras are not at all good for night exposures.
Later model iPhones are good for night shots, but you will need a bit of practice to get good exposure.
The actual prep routine 2 days before the trip
First thing is to charge all the batteries including the spares. Next is to update the firmware for cameras that need it. Then to lay out everything on a table to see if you have everything that you need.
Camera setting especially the night settings comes next. This can be painstaking, particularly for the Sony V1 as it is a well designed camera with enough levers to customize your shots or videos.
Trial runs and testing are next. Few test shots will help.
The last is going thru YouTube clips on various tips and hacks on getting the best shots. This takes a while but worth the effort. I would also bookmark the good ones. I can refer to them when I am on location at the end of each day in the comfort of the hotel room.
What worked and what did not
iPhone 16 Pro worked very well for day and night shoots, and focus was very fast. Five years ago, if you asked me if a smartphone camera would be comparable to an upper range compact camera, I would have said no.
Bear in mind that iPhone 16 pro has 3 specific purpose lens that extends its ability to do more.
The iPhone became the work horse by the second day with the Insta 360 doing specific video shoots.
The DJI Osmo Action was to take video clips as I walked from point to point to capture street scenes and people as they went about their daily lives. More convenient and light to hold. The images in the day were sharp with image stabilisation in place. From my past experience, it struggled with low light and was not used at night.
Sony ZV1 was just too heavy and became a backup, to take low light shots at night. It was however excellent for details.
In Samarkand, many of the monuments came thru differently at night, but just as spectacular in their own right. It means visiting these places both in the day and at night, and spending twice in entry fees. It is worth it in terms of image capture and the night experience.
Always important to capture streets scenes and people on the move and not just the monuments. Especially if you not returning to the Samarkand. It speaks to culture and people of the land. I probably should have done more but the various monument took my attention, and I was excited to be in that part of the World.
I am sure I will treasure the photographic mementos of Samarkand.