Some people collect souvenirs when they travel, I prefer to collect beautiful images with my camera.
I’ve slowly learned the techniques of travel photography over years of reading books, watching online tutorials, and regular practice to improve. You can learn this way too — if you put in the effort!
If you are looking to improve your travel photography, and be on top on Instagram, here are my favorite travel photography tips, to help you improve your images during your next vacation! (this is for beginners)
Wake Up Early, Stay Out Late
The early bird gets
the worm. I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase. Well, it’s also very true for
travel photography. Light is the most important ingredient for great
photography — and soft, warm, morning light creates amazing images.
Waking up early also
means you’ll have to deal with fewer tourists and other photographers.
Want an epic postcard
shot of a famous landmark? Just get there early, right when it opens and you’ll
pretty much have the place to yourself!
Sunrise isn’t the only time to catch good light. Sunsets are also great (I’ll be posting some shots on my IG feed soon this week ). The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset are nicknamed “golden hours” because of their soft, warm tones and eye-pleasing shadows.
RESEARCH a little bit ahead of time
Read travel guidebooks about your destination. Scour the internet for articles and blog posts to help give you ideas for photos. Talk to friends who have been there. Reach out to other photographers. Become more knowledgeable about which images will capture the essence of a place.
Some of my favorite
tools for travel photography research are Instagram and Google Image Search. I
use them to learn where iconic locations are or just explore and find new
places to see!
Once I know the names
of potential photo locations, I’ll do more research. Which time of day has the
best light? What time does an attraction open? What will the weather be like?
Always Bring A Camera
There is a saying in
photography that “the best camera is the one you have with you”. Be ready for
anything, and always carry some kind of travel camera around, because luck
plays a pretty key role in travel photography.
The difference between
an amateur photographer and a pro is that the pro is planning in advance for
this luck, ready to take advantage of these special serendipitous moments that
will happen from time to time.
You never know what
kind of incredible photo opportunity might present itself while you’re
traveling. Maybe while out walking you happen to stumble upon a brilliant pink
sunset, a rare animal, or some random street performance.
Keep your camera on
you, charged up, and ready for action at all times.
Be patient
Photography is about
really seeing what’s in front of you. Not just with your eyes, but with your
heart & mind too. This requires dedicated time and attention. Slow down and
make a conscious effort at becoming aware of your surroundings before pressing
the shutter.
Pay attention to
details. Sit at a photogenic street corner and wait for a photogenic subject to
pass by. If you don’t have the patience to try, you might miss a fantastic
photo opportunity!
When shooting the
Northern Lights in Iceland, you may have to spend all night camping in the cold
at a location, simply waiting for the magical aurora borealis to appear.
Good photography takes
time. Are you willing to spend a few hours waiting for the perfect shot?
Pack A Lightweight Travel Tripod
I think more people
should be using lightweight travel tripods. A tripod allows you to set your
camera position and keep it there. With the camera fixed, you can then take
your time arranging the perfect composition.
You can also adjust
exposure settings, focus points, and really spend time paying attention to the
image you want to create. Or use advanced techniques like HDR, focus stacking,
and panoramas.
Tripods give you the
ability to shoot much slower shutter speeds (waterfalls, low-light, stars, etc)
without worrying about hand-held camera shake. You can keep your ISO low (for
less sensor noise) and use smaller apertures, so more of the image is in focus.
Experiment with Composition
You can almost always
come up with a better photo composition after some experimentation. Sure, take
that first shot standing up straight. But then try laying on the ground for a
low angle. Maybe climb up something nearby and shoot from a higher angle.
Along with different
angles, try shooting from different distances too. Start with a wide shot, then
a mid-range version, and finally, get up-close and personal. Never be satisfied
with your first idea for an image!
Try to include
powerful foreground, midground, and background elements too. If your subject is
a mountain range — find a flower, river, animal, or interesting rock to include
in the foreground. This gives images a 3-dimensional feel and helps convey
scale, drawing a viewer’s eye into the rest of the photo.
One of the most basic
and classic of photography tips, understanding the Rule of Thirds will help you
create more balanced compositions.
The goal is to place
important parts of the photo into those sections and help frame the overall
image in a way that’s pleasing to the eye.
Composing using the
Rule of Thirds is easily done by turning on your camera’s “grid” feature, which
displays a rule of thirds grid directly on your LCD screen specifically for
this purpose.
Now, before you
compose a travel photo, you should be asking yourself: What are the key points
of interest in this shot? Where should I intentionally place them on the grid?
Paying attention to these details will improve the look of your images.
Shoot Travel Photos In Manual Mode
You’d think that
modern cameras are smart enough to take incredible pictures on their own, in
AUTO mode. Well, that’s just not the case. While they do a pretty good job, if
you want truly stunning images, you need to learn how to manually control your
camera’s settings yourself.
If you’re new to photography, you may not realize all the camera settings that need to be adjusted. These include ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. If you want the best images possible, you need to know the relationship between them, and how to adjust these settings on your own.
Get Better At Post Processing
There is a myth out
there that editing your photos using software is “cheating”. Let’s clear that
up right now. All professional photographers edit their digital images using
software like Lightroom, Photoshop, or GIMP.
Some do it more than
others, but basically, everyone does it.
Post-processing is an integral part of any travel photographer’s workflow. Learning how to process your images after they’re taken is FAR more important than what camera you use.
Spend time learning how to use your current camera’s settings
A super expensive camera
won’t improve your photography skills. Why? Because the gear you use is not
what makes a great photographer. Just like the type of brush a painter uses
doesn’t make them a great painter. It’s knowledge, experience, and creativity
that makes a great photographer.
Instead of buying new equipment, spend time learning how to use your current camera’s settings. It’s a far better investment, and cheaper too!
Never Stop Learning
Enroll in some online
photography classes. Invest in a travel photography workshop. Go out and
practice on a regular basis. This is how you get better – not because you have
the latest gear or use popular Instagram filters.
There’s always
something new to learn. I regularly invest in online courses and books about
photography to improve my craft. You should too.
You’ll become a more
skilled and resourceful travel photographer when you take the time to learn new
techniques and skills from other genres of photography.
Bon voyage!
