Resources For The Traveling Photographer : Some Quick Links

Web: www.fishfoto.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com

1/05/2008 - Resources For The Traveling Photographer : Some Quick Links

This post is not really about one topic, but quite a few. I wanted to put some of my frequently used resources into one place. When I work on the road I and I need certain things, be it information, repairs or last minute equipment I don't have time to start looking around. I like quick, reliable, and effective to make my life easier.

So, without dragging this on any further here are a few of my most used resources. Some I have mentioned before, some I have not, but they all make my life easier.

- For quick travel references, when I need to know where an airlines flies, or how I'll be able to use my preferred airlines, or airline alliance I use Airline Route Maps at www.airlineroutemaps.com

- When planning my logistics on a tight schedule there is only one place to find out the first flight in and the last flight out (as well as all non-stop flights into a specific airport), the OAG Guide. The OAG Guide has long since been The Bible of frequent international business travelers. Some of the site is a paid subscription site, other areas of the site, the parts of the site I find most important to my needs are free. Who doesn't like free? You can visit the OAG Guide at www.oag.org

- Want a fun way to keep a detailed log of your travel? Know your exact flights, miles, hours flown, even most common type of aircraft you've flown in? Then visit My Flight Memory, part of the site is paid, but the most important parts of the site is free. You can start your detailed travel log at http://my.flightmemory.com

- Have you damaged your equipment on the road? There is only one repair shop I trust and frequent, Midstate Camera Repair, in Warwick, Rhode Island. Midstate Camera Repair is run by brother's Keith and Mark, they are certified by Nikon, Canon to work on their gear (as well as by quite a few other manufacturers). While I live an hour from Midstate Camera Repair, I have shipped them bodies and lenses from all over the place, and in turn Mark & Keith have shipped my repairs gear back to me all over the map. I have never found a better repair shop, they are quicker than both Nikon and Canon, more competitively priced than Nikon and Canon and they seem to find ways to fix gear that manufacturers have determined to be beyond-repair and or no longer make parts for. On the road, or at home, this is the place to send your gear in need of service. You can visit Midstate Camera Repair at www.midstatecamerarepair.com

- I prefer to keep my business with a person rather than with a particular shop. I find service and information is better served with an individual than a shop. For years much of my business has been with with Jeff Snyder. Jeff used to be with a pro-shop outside Washington DC and after 20 years moved to a position with Adorama in New York (he is still based outside DC). Jeff is knowledgeable, not pushy and us an excellent source or information. From purchasing an entire remote lighting kit and multiple bodies to simply needing a replacement eye piece for a camera his level of service remains the same. Jeff has managed to save me in a pinch a few times, even when what I needed wasn't in stock at his shop. You can e-mail Jeff at jsnyder@adorama.com or find him on AOL's AIM at: jsnyderadorama

Happy Flying!