So you have finally got hold of tickets to your dream travel destination. You’ve packed, you are ready to go, your backpack is on your back, your sneakers on your feet, and wanderlust in your heart.
But wait a minute. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could share the amazing experiences you are about to have in the course of your travels? Did this question suddenly remind you to grab your camera? We are glad that it did.
Our Checklist for splendid Travel Photography on Your Next Trip
Clicking pictures of the wondrous locales you are soon to be immersed in is deeply recommended. But you don’t want newbie images filled with unwanted blurs, odd angles, and inadequate lighting. Relax, we have you covered.
This article will tell you exactly how to take pictures that stand apart from the riff-raff. So without further ado, here is a rundown for capturing incredible photos of your next travel adventure.
1. Carry small Bills
It is advisable to carry small bills while you travel. This would mean that not only do you have money for tips without having to fan out your entire cash stock, in case of anything untoward happening, you only lose a small portion of the money you are carrying. A traveling pro tip would be to divide the cash you are carrying into separate locations, i.e., you could carry some in your wallet, some in your bag, and like a true pro, some in your socks.
This would again help in mitigating the risk of losing all you are carrying. Also, make sure that you inform your bank that you happen to be traveling. This way, your cards won’t be cancelled. This point is especially relevant to travel photography as if you happen to break your camera; you still have enough to buy a new one.
2. Get to Know Your Camera
Regardless of the type of camera you happen to be using ( from a pro DSLR to your smartphone), our first tip is to get to know your camera, its capabilities as well as its limitations. You should know what feature is placed in its menu, and you also need to be conversant with features like auto stabilization, focusing options, and default camera settings. Play around as much as you can so that when the moment of truth arrives, destiny does not catch you trying to figure out where burst mode is.
3. Hiking Never Hurts
If you plan on going to the hills, a hike is a must-have experience. Now that you’ve walked a few miles and feel nimble enough to scale a mountain or two, remember that you can also move about for better angles for your shots while taking pictures.
The advent of technology has made point-and-shoot so easy that most novice photographers stay rooted at one point and swivel around a fixed axis to take pictures. We don’t condone being a human corkscrew. One of the most important tips for good travel photography is to move your feet. When you arrive at a scene, don’t just stand where you are and start clicking. Move around a bit and see if a different position or vantage point can offer you better composition/framing opportunities.
4. Take photos in the Golden and Blue Hour
Lighting plays a critical role when it comes to photography. You have probably heard about the Golden and Blue hours. If you haven’t, lend us an ear.
The Golden Hour is when the sun is low on the horizon ( sunsets and sunrises), one hour after the sun first peaks in the morning, and one hour before it completely sets. Shooting in the golden hour gives your image a lovely warm glow that will greatly enhance the appeal of the photos you take.
The Blue Hour is when the sun is below the horizon, and shooting during the morning Blue Hour can offer up some truly amazing imagery for your travel photo book.
5. Plan Your Travel Destination
Before arriving at your destination, make sure you have already planned what photographs you wish to take. Of course, there will be many clickable monuments in your journey that you didn’t account for, but having a list and then ticking off items from it with one awesome photograph after the other, is the best way to combine quality with quantity. (Pssst- There’s nothing wrong with approaching Instagram or Google for a little inspiration.)
6. Framing, Framing and More Framing
To add an extra level of detail and intrigue to your picture, you could create frames for your photos. No, we don’t mean physical frames that you will lug around for the rest of your travels. Framing is the process of creating clear borders around the subject of your photo. Suppose you wish to take a picture of a scene outside your hotel window. Framing gurus would ask you to include the window into the shot so that your viewers get a little more visual context regarding where the photographer was when he took the photo.
7. Ask People for Permission
Travel photography isn’t just about beautiful vistas and elements of nature. It is also about the cultures you experience and the people you meet in the course of your journey. Portraiture is an amazing addition to travel photography, but snapping a picture of people without their consent isn’t polite. Always remember to ask for a person’s permission before you take their photo.
Now you’ll probably say- I want candid shots. Well, there is a workaround. Once you have asked permission to click someone, take a picture, and then wait to get back to what they were doing. Not only will they now have a smile on their face, but you will also be able to get some truly amazing candid snaps.
8. Pick your Travel Photography Gear Smartly
Having the right photography gear is essential. Don’t worry; we will not ask you to shell out big bucks to buy a camera that you can send up to the stratosphere in a gas balloon or one that can survive in the depths of the Mariana trench.
You have a perfectly capable camera in your pocket, your phone.
If that doesn’t cut it, buy only what you can afford. As you grow in style, scope, and post-processing chops, you can invest in gear of a higher grade. For now, you, your camera, and your enthusiasm are more than enough.
9. Be Unique
Iconic shots are…well, iconic. So it doesn’t make sense to go overboard while snapping a picture of the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty. But make sure that after you capture those iconic shots you see everywhere, you change the game up with a few unique ones. You could try a different angle, or you could try over/underexposing the shot or even incorporate a motion blur with long exposures. Set your imagination free!
Wrapping up
One cannot master an art overnight. To become a great photographer, you will have to invest time and effort and practice your craft daily. That being said, the tips we have mentioned above should give you a good headstart on your travel photography.
To keep your travel memories fresh in your mind and have them only a page turned away, you can choose to create exquisite travel photo books. We hope that this article has been a fun read. Till next time, happy snapping!
