© Steven Slater

York, the county town of Yorkshire, Gods own county, although not part of any ridings. It is the birthplace of Guy Fawkes of 5th November and Bonfire Night fame, and if he had succeeded there would now be a Roman Catholic monarch instead of the head of the Church of England sitting on the English Throne. It is a city that crowned the Holy Roman Emperor Constantine who moved the Church in Rome east to found Constantinople, now called Istanbul. York goal is where that notorious highwayman Dick Turpin was hanged. It is the headquarters of the Rowntrees confectionary chain and that stalwart of Christmas in the UK (well in our house), the Terry’s Chocolate Orange (although they’re now made in Poland). It is home to the York racecourse, a prominent venue in the calendar of flat racing, and home to York Minster, the largest gothic Cathedral in northern Europe. And last but not least, York was awarded in 2007 the title of European City of Tourism, beating off 130 other rivals. I may be a little biased. After all, it is my home town.

The National Geographic/Lindblad cruise that my wife and I took in early January, 2012 wasn’t billed as a “Photo Expedition”. However, even though National Geographic offers two different trips, one entitled “Costa Rica and the Panama Canal Photography Expedition” and another simply called “Costa Rica and the Panama Canal”, both are similar. They visit the same places, cost the same, and the daily activities, at least as outlined in the brochure, are identical. While I gather there must be more emphasis on photography on the Photography Expedition, we were fortunate to have an celebrated travel photographer aboard. Christopher P. Baker offered suggestions, gave several presentations, and even critiqued my work. He was a font of information and tips. In fact, the very first day aboard, he gently suggested that I was holding my camera incorrectly – not supporting it properly from below. I’ve been taking pictures for 40 years, and in just one hour I had relearned a valuable lesson.

You have decided to embark on a new adventure and joined a photography workshop or tour. There are several preparations you can make in advance to make the most of it and maximize your experience. We compiled a list of suggestions for you. Read them carefully and try to apply them on your next journey.