Traveling and photography is what I spend most of my time doing. I’m by no means an expert, but over the years i’ve come up with some ideas that I use daily to improve my photography. These are pretty simple tips to remember and implement. And they allow you enjoy shooting more and you will end up with better images.
I’ve also made this blog post into a video. It covers the same set of tips so if you would rather watch than read then click the play button. Please Like, Share and Subscribe!
This article is for people planning to travel with the intent of making memorable photo. These tips are also great for everyday photography as well. You don’t have to be going on a vacation to benefit.
I’m not going to tell you what gear you need, what brand of camera you should use, or any specific camera operation techniques. There are many other people out there telling you what gear you need and how you should use it. Instead this article is a holistic overview of how to approach making photos.
1. Carry Your Camera Everywhere. Travel Light.
I’m sure you’ve heard this one a thousand times. Carry your camera all the time. It’s kind of a no brainer. How can you take a photo if you don’t have a camera. Fortunately we all have an amazing camera built right into our cell phones. So even if you aren’t carrying your main camera, for whatever reason, you can still make a quick photo with your cell.
When planning your travels keep in mind how much gear you want to bring along. Remember you will be carrying that gear around with you. So try to keep it as light as possible. It can be difficult to travel with a minimum kit, but it can also challenge you to shoot in ways your normally wouldn’t.
Ask yourself if you are willing to carry around your whole camera kit as you walk around and explore. Pack the kit that you are willing to carry on a daily basis and no more. It’s no use bringing all your lenses along if they end up sitting in your hostel or hotel room
If you use a DSLR or Mirrorless camera I suggest a bringing Normal zoom or Superzoom and one fast prime lens. This will cover 95% of the photo opportunities you come across. Other great travel options are point and shoot or mirrorless fixed lens cameras. I always find that limiting my lens choice encourages me to be more creative when I shoot. So I end up trying things I wouldn’t ordinarily do. When selecting your kit remember to include extra batteries, charger, cables, and maybe even a speedlight. This all adds weight.
Another great travel camera is your cell phone. A lot of people tend to think of cell phone photography as inferior to photos taken with more expensive gear. Yes there are drawbacks to using a camera with very small sensors found in phones. However if you are aware of your light, and work at keeping the phone stable you can get amazing images out of a phone. And it’s a camera that you already carry with you all the time. Also remember to clean your lens before shooting. It makes a huge difference in the final image.
If you have money in your budget for a new camera or phone to take on the trip then I encourage you to also look at models that offer moisture protection. This allows you to take the camera out in weather that may be a bit misty or even full on rain. Bad weather makes good photos.
2. Take the Photo Now.
Taking the photo now is always better than taking the photo later. You can always take a photo later because later keeps on happening. Now only happens once and you can’t go back. When you take the photo later it becomes a different now, and you have missed the now that made you want to take the photo to begin with.
Many of my favorite photos are ones where I just wanted to get home and rest. But I set my kit back up and took the shot. Sometimes you only one chance to make the shot. So take the shot now.
3. Shoot What’s Close to you.
Shoot your surroundings. The things that are both physically close to you and the things allow you to remember the feelings and experience of travel. Often that has nothing to do with monuments or fountains.
Photograph your travel companions, people you meet along the way, your hotels, restaurants, and bars. Look for the small details and at the things that surround you. What you see every day, and things you walk past all the time. These are memories you’ll have years later. Take photos of the hotel room, out the window, or in the lobby. Look at the architecture of the normal buildings that you walk by every day and capture the small details that catch your eye.
Find interesting textures like broken down brick walls, or the horrible wallpaper in your hostel bathroom. These are memories unique to your experience. These are the items you can tell stories about. And ultimately these are the experiences you will remember the most. I still recommend taking photos of landmarks because that’s part of the trip. But focus on your personal experience as this is what has more meaning in the long run.
Professional photographers are able to get exclusive access to monuments. Therefore they are able to make photos that us mere mortals will never get the opportunity to shoot. Generally they are also traveling with the intent of making serious travel photos so they bring along a lot of specialized gear in order to get those amazing shots.
4. Take a Different Path.
When I travel I walk a lot. Unless something is so far away I need to take transportation I walk everywhere. This is my way to connect to the cities and places I visit. One of the best ways i’ve found to optimize the amount of new things I see is to always return home on a different path.
I can only photograph what I can see. So doubling what I see by walking a different path doubles my chance of getting really unique images. For me it’s a great way to increase my exposure to new locations without any real cost.
However always keep in mind where you are and what the local neighbourhood looks like. Use your judgement when wandering around. Entering dangerous locations is always a risk, so ask yourself if the resuling images are worth the danger.
5. Listen, Smell, Feel, Look, and be Ready to Shoot!
Don’t rely on just your eyes when walking around. Use all your senses. Immerse yourself in your location. Not only will you enjoy your travels more you also open yourself up to many more great photo opportunities.
Often you can be alerted to upcoming opportunities just by paying attention to what’s happening around a corner or even behind you. And of course keep your camera ready to shoot. Have the camera settings ready for the current conditions around you. Keeping your camera on can kill the battery faster so carry an extra one.
Smell your surroundings. Feel vibrations in the ground, listen to vehicles and the noise of the surrounding crowds. Look into shadows, through windows, and between cars. Pay attention to where your light is and how it falls. Try to immerse yourself in the location and try to find the city behind the tourist attractions.
6. Bonus Tips!
Here is one more bonus tip. And it’s a super important one so i’m going to put it on an orange background.
Always respect the location and people you are visiting.
- If you take a photo of a person and they ask you to delete it then do it. Don’t argue and don’t be a dick about it. That one photo doesn’t matter in the long run. It won’t make you rich and famous, and it won’t be the iconic moment of your trip.
- Any place that has No Photography signs are to be respected! I can’t stress this one enough. This situation comes up in houses of worship. Regardless if it’s your faith or not, or if you are Atheist. They are letting you into their house and you should abide by their rules. Again, your cell phone photo of the interior of Sacré-Cœur is not important in the long run. Its never going to look as good as the post card you can buy for pennies.
- Respect monuments and other cultural items. You are a guest in a different land. Disrespecting monuments by climbing on them, damaging them, or defacing them shows the locals that you are a fool. It’s not cool, don’t do it.
Conclusion
Get out there and shoot. Reading blog posts and watching YouTube tutorials will never make you a better photographer. The only way to get good shoots is to get out and shoot. Over and over. Shoot, Edit, Publish.
If you have any great tips you use let me know in the comments below!!
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