1. In many parts of the world, the sky may be bright and people's complexions can be dark. This is particularly the case in most parts of Africa. This is for those who may be a little more advanced with their photography or have more advanced equipment. If your camera can use an external flash, (one that mounts to the top of your camera) get one. Get one where the flash head can tilt up and down and sideways. If possible, get one that you can turn the power up and down. Here is why:

1. Direct flash is very flat and unflattering. If your flash head can tilt, you can bounce the light off a ceiling or wall and get a softer and more pleasing lighting effect. Just remember that whatever color the wall or ceiling is, that is what color your light will reflect. White walls and ceilings work best for this. The ceilings also need to be normal height, about 8 feet.

2. For the fill flash effects. If you have a flash where you can turn the power down on it, that is a bonus. Then you can adjust your flash to just add a touch of light and not a bunch of light. I tend to turn them down one to one and a half stops.

3. For the more adventurous photographer, turn your camera on manual. (Oh my god, I have to turn off the automatic?!!!!! Yep!) Most flashes sync with the camera at a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second. In a dark situation that allows very little ambient light to show. (You get the people standing in a dark cave look) What a lot of people don't realize is that your flash will still fire at lower shutter speeds if you set it to do so. For example, set it at 1/30th of a second or 1/20th of a second. Your flash will still fire but with these slower shutter speeds, you are allowing more ambient light to enter the picture. That's a good thing.

2. You will want your pictures to tell a story of your trip. Take a wide variety of shots. Shoot some scene setters, overall scenics. Move in closer to your particular subject and shoot what they are doing, candidly. Move in closer and shoot a nice portrait. Move in even closer and shoot details of what they are working on, their hands, their tools, etc. This will all help illustrate the mood and feel of your trip. A lot of people are afraid of getting too close and all of their pictures are shot from the same distance. Get up close and personal.

3. Try different vantage points. Shoot down low, lay on the ground if you have too. Shoot up high, stand on a wall or fence or hill to get a different angle.

4. Yes you will have to take a group shot. Yes they tend to be the most boring photos in existence. Some tips to keep them more interesting. Please, don't line them up against a wall firing squad style. Move them out into the open or middle of a room. Have some people standing, some kneeling and some sitting. This creates different levels instead of one straight line and allows you to see more faces. You the photographer could stand on something that brings you up higher and makes the people look up at you. Try also to keep the background simple.

5. Take a lot of film or a lot of memory cards. You can never shoot too much. DO NOT CHECK YOUR CAMERA GEAR WITH YOUR LUGGAGE!  All camera gear should be in your carry on luggage. The security line x‑rays won't ruin your film, but the checked baggage x‑rays will. X‑rays will not ruin memory cards but you should still carry your camera gear with you, it's too expensive to lose.

6. One photographer had a clever idea for remembering names of people for captions. He would take their pictures, get their names, write their names on a piece of paper, hand them the paper to hold and took another picture of them holding their name. Instant IDs.

Mike Watson is art director for The Lutheran magazine