What can you do about the haze? I don't mean long-term and countrywide, which I have discussed in previous posts. I mean when you travel to a country with a haze and your photographs are grey and your sunny mood has gone?
The first thing you can do is take a photo of haze. To sell it, show your friends, and remind yourself which season to travel. In the haze, the distant hill, Bukit Timah, is hardly visible. Indoors is affected, too, by the lack of light creating shadows and gloom. In Singapore I found you need the lights on in the day time.
I could take a photo of the blue sky and frame it to cheer me on a hazy day. Isn't that the purpose of every blue sky postcard? Photos of blue skies are cheerful. They lift your mood. They remind you or summer, when it's winter, of holidays when you are working, of better times, in bad times.
I looked at photos which appeared in newspapers. Several pictures of well known landmarks in haze. Somebody had sent, or researched from stock photos, contrasting pictures of the same scene in sun and haze.
You need a before and after picture. A contrast. A picture of the place in sunshine might be unremarkable. I picture of a place in haze might be unremarkable. But the two pictures placed alongside are attention-getting.
When I arrive at a hotel I photograph the bedroom.
"What's the hurry?" say my companions. "You can do it later."
"No, I can't. On a dozen of occasions I've delayed and found obstructions everywhere spoiling the photo. I need to take photos before I've covered the beds and basins with clutter.
I photograph the view from the balcony, the entire hotel, with the enthusiasm of the first time visitor. Yes, I can do it tomorrow, but by tomorrow I may have distracting plans and urgent appointments.
My camera could be on low battery or lost or left behind. My companions could be saying 'No more photos!'
The weather could have changed. Every city in the world has rain which they haven't seen for fifteen years on the one day I'm taking a tour. I should sell my services as rain maker.
Back in London from the haze I see the sky with fresh eyes. Blue skies in London. Road with potholes repaired. Improved weather and repaired roads. They lift your mood and give you something positive to say.
Hatch End
In Singapore the haze affects outdoor eating. Every time a restaurant owner or waiter asked whether we wanted to sit outdoors or inside, we chose inside. Not just because of mosquitos. Because of the haze.
In London people say, "Go for a walk. Blows away the cobwebs. It's gorgeous out there."
Walking around Hatch End I saw the owners of Sea Pebbles fish and chip shop and restaurant, sitting in the sunshine at a table in front of their other restaurant, Mosfilo, which is Greek.
I commented on the lovely appearance of the repaired road. They said another benefit for travellers was that the traffic was quieter as it passed diners sitting at pavement tables outside their restaurants.
The first thing you can do is take a photo of haze. To sell it, show your friends, and remind yourself which season to travel. In the haze, the distant hill, Bukit Timah, is hardly visible. Indoors is affected, too, by the lack of light creating shadows and gloom. In Singapore I found you need the lights on in the day time.
I could take a photo of the blue sky and frame it to cheer me on a hazy day. Isn't that the purpose of every blue sky postcard? Photos of blue skies are cheerful. They lift your mood. They remind you or summer, when it's winter, of holidays when you are working, of better times, in bad times.
I looked at photos which appeared in newspapers. Several pictures of well known landmarks in haze. Somebody had sent, or researched from stock photos, contrasting pictures of the same scene in sun and haze.
You need a before and after picture. A contrast. A picture of the place in sunshine might be unremarkable. I picture of a place in haze might be unremarkable. But the two pictures placed alongside are attention-getting.
When I arrive at a hotel I photograph the bedroom.
"What's the hurry?" say my companions. "You can do it later."
"No, I can't. On a dozen of occasions I've delayed and found obstructions everywhere spoiling the photo. I need to take photos before I've covered the beds and basins with clutter.
I photograph the view from the balcony, the entire hotel, with the enthusiasm of the first time visitor. Yes, I can do it tomorrow, but by tomorrow I may have distracting plans and urgent appointments.
My camera could be on low battery or lost or left behind. My companions could be saying 'No more photos!'
The weather could have changed. Every city in the world has rain which they haven't seen for fifteen years on the one day I'm taking a tour. I should sell my services as rain maker.
Back in London from the haze I see the sky with fresh eyes. Blue skies in London. Road with potholes repaired. Improved weather and repaired roads. They lift your mood and give you something positive to say.
Hatch End
In Singapore the haze affects outdoor eating. Every time a restaurant owner or waiter asked whether we wanted to sit outdoors or inside, we chose inside. Not just because of mosquitos. Because of the haze.
In London people say, "Go for a walk. Blows away the cobwebs. It's gorgeous out there."
Walking around Hatch End I saw the owners of Sea Pebbles fish and chip shop and restaurant, sitting in the sunshine at a table in front of their other restaurant, Mosfilo, which is Greek.
I commented on the lovely appearance of the repaired road. They said another benefit for travellers was that the traffic was quieter as it passed diners sitting at pavement tables outside their restaurants.
I should have taken a picture of them.
A few minutes later I saw the blue skies as the sun came out. I remembered a table topic at Toastmasters in Singapore on: 'Do It Now'. So I took a picture of the blue sky. 
I remember a travel press trip to Nottingham. Our coach or minibus passed the statue of Robin Hood on the way to the hotel. Opportunity!
I asked the PR lady, "May I take a picture. I'll only be less than a minute."
She replied, "You can do it later."
Later the sky was overcast. We took different routes through the city, avoiding traffic, going to other destinations.
When we were on our way back to the station at the end of the trip, I said, "I never got my photo of the Robin Hood statue."
"You can do it now," she said.
But drizzle started to drip ominously. I put my camera in my pocket to protect it. Rain was pouring with rain by the time we reached the statue. Besides, we were late for our train because of traffic.
The moral is, when it comes to photography, always do it now. When you see a blue sky, take the photo. Whether it's for your own entertainment, or others. Do it now.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, speaker.
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