Are you an adventurous traveler who loves taking great pictures of your journeys? Do you want to learn how to take even better photos that capture the beauty of your travels and make them look like a postcard? Get ready to become a master of travel photography with these useful tips!
Before we start, I just want to clarify that I am not a professional travel photographer. All of the tips that I'm about to give you, I've learned through doing my own research and by putting these guidelines into practice. With that being said, all of the images featured in this blog post are original. If you like our work, then continue reading along.
In the age of digital photography, there are endless possibilities when it comes to taking stunning traveling photos. And while there are many tips and tricks that can help you take better photographs, editing your photos is equally important. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, learning how to properly edit your travel photos will help them stand out from the rest.
Before we get into all that detail and give you tips on how to capture and edit great shots, we have to start from the beginning. It's important to be well prepared before you photograph for three main reasons:
You'll get great quality photos that you are truly proud of
You'll avoid missed opportunities because your equipment won't run out of battery
You'll save time; Spending less time taking photos and actually enjoying your trip
Now that you know why preparation is key, we'll talk a bit more about how you should plan ahead. We'll focus on tips for having all your gear ready and talk about why you should think about choosing a time-window for getting your shots. Lastly, we'll share some crucial information on where and how you can find photo ideas and inspiration.
Travel Photography Gear
Most people think that to take amazing photos you need the most expensive gear on the market and that's actually not true. Today, we have some of the world's best cameras right at our fingertips. That's right! The quality of phone cameras has improved so drastically, that you don't need a fancy camera to take professional looking photos anymore.
As long as you have your equipment of choice handy and charged, you can make use of it anywhere. So let's dive into what you'll need depending on what kind of gear you choose to use. Remember, sometimes bringing less equipment will ensure that you have a better time on your trip.
Cell Phone Camera - iPhone or Android
Like we mentioned before, the first step towards taking the perfect travel photo is making sure your equipment is ready. If your cellphone is you primary tool, make sure it's fully charged before you walk out the door. I always bring a portable battery and charge my phone as I go - since I always use it often and drain the battery before the day is over.
Another thing to make sure you have is enough memory in your phone. The absolute worst thing during a trip is having to delete old photos to make up space for new ones. This can also be extremely inconvenient if you only have a short window to capture a photo. The last time I traveled to Paris, my cousin joined me from Brazil.
Our first day in, his phone ran out of storage. Needless to say, this was not fun. He was so upset that we ended up having to take all of his pictures on my phone. I then had to wait for him to clear up some storage space before I could send him the thousands of photos that he took on my device. Please don't be that person and just make sure you have enough space on your phone before you travel.
Thankfully, I buy extra storage for my phone and always carry extra batteries with me so I don't miss once in a lifetime photo opportunities — like capturing our actual first look of the Moulin Rouge (shown in the photo above).
Professional Camera - DSLR or Other
I just want to stress that you don't need expensive equipment to take great photos. However, if you really want to invest in a camera, you should also be willing to invest time into learning how to use it. You could have the best equipment on the market, but if you don't know how to use it, your photos still won't come out good. Consider this before you go out and spend thousands of dollars on cameras and accessories.
"The best camera is the one that's with you " – Chase Jarvis
Professional cameras are great if you know how to use them. The photo above is one of my favorite shots that I captured at Stone Henge with my camera. If you're curious about which camera I used, check it out here.
If you already have a DSLR camera or other type of professional camera, check that you've packed all of its necessary components in the bag. Don't forget the charger and the battery. Make sure that the battery is fully charged and that it's actually inside the camera - I've forgotten this once before. It's always good to have extra batteries packed because most camera batteries don't last all day - especially newer models with high-tech features.
If you have extra lenses, I'd pick your two favorites and only bring those. Bringing too many can be heavy and take up too much room in your bag. Also, make sure you have enough memory cards or storage space for all your photos, and if necessary, check that any adapters you may need are compatible with your camera. To help you remember, below is a list of travel photography gear to consider bringing with you:
Equipment bag
Portable battery
Tripod
Extra memory cards
Phone and or camera
Adapters
Chargers
Camera lenses
A Tripod
If you're serious about creating amazing travel photography, one of the best investments that you can make is buying a tripod. Not only can it help you take stunning shots even in low-light settings, but it will also prove invaluable for solo travelers who want to be featured in their own pictures. I found this incredibly useful for filming reels while on my travels without having to turn to family members or strangers for help.
My top choices for tripods are the ones that have attachments for both cameras and cell phones. If you're worried about another item taking up space in your bag, don't worry! Amazon offers a range of portable tripods that make it easy to travel light. Below are my top picks:
Sensyne 62" Phone Tripod & Selfie Stick (basic & lightweight)
74" Tripod for Camera & Cell Phone (heavy duty)
Once all of your gear is taken care of, it’s time to think about what type of shots you want to get during your travels.
Where To Find Travel Photography Inspiration
Aspiring photographers of all skill levels should look to travel or photography websites for inspiration. Perusing other professionals' photos is the best way to expand your understanding, and stories can be just as informative!
Reading these posts will help you plan out any upcoming shootings; you'll have a whole world before your eyes through quality blogging alone. One of my favorite platforms to find inspiration for travel photos is Pinterest.
All you have to do is go on the platform and type in "Instagrammable spots in (any location)". Most of the results that will show up are of travel bloggers or professional travel photographers that have already visited a specific location and captured fantastic shots. You don't need to copy their poses and styles, but it will at least get your creative juices flowing.
From there, I'll either create tourism boards for each new location and save those pins to the boards, or just screenshot the picture. Keep in mind that professionals are not the only source of inspiration for travel photography. Thousands of people on social media take awesome photos every day, and it's not hard to find their work on other platforms such as Instagram or VSCO.
Use creators' work as inspiration and draft up a shot list before you go on you trip. This will help you get all of the shots that you want in much less time. Trust me, creating a shot list will save you a few hours on your trip - which you can then use to see or do more.
Creative Travel Photography Ideas
Travel photography is about capturing the beauty of traveling, whether it's wildlife photography, landscape photography or just registering unique experiences. To really stand out from the crowd, you need to think outside the box and develop your own creative shots. Think of unconventional angles that other photographers may not have thought of, such as getting up high to capture a panoramic shot of a mountain range.
Experiment with different lenses and camera angles and look for ways in which you can catch the essence of life in a particular region through your travel photos. If you're feeling adventurous, even try shooting with a drone for an amazing bird's eye view!
Take your time to explore different ideas and spots — you never know what beautiful scenery awaits you next. Over time, you'll develop your own photography style and learn what works best for you. I found that I really like to act silly when taking photos — somehow I get some of my best shots this way.
If you're traveling alone, capturing the perfect photo of yourself at tourist destinations and across the world doesn't need to be a struggle. Just use a tripod! Make it fun by taking pictures that capture you in action—maybe you're jumping, raising your arms or simply smiling. Don't feel obligated to stay still for long periods of time as this can often yield disappointing results.
Instead, move around, experiment with different angles and compression, try distinct backgrounds, and go for shots enhanced with interesting perspectives. After taking some snaps, you should be able to review them and easily pick out those special few photos that came out the best. Sometimes the lighting might just be the deciding factor between the good and the not-so-great ones.
Wake Up Early, Stay Out Late
Have you heard the phrase "the early bird gets the worm"? This is just as applicable when it comes to travel photography! Light plays a crucial role in taking quality pictures, which is one of the reasons why it's beneficial to plan out a time-window to get most of your photography done.
Take advantage of that early morning light for your best shots. You won't regret it.
By waking up before the sun rises, you can also avoid large crowds and capture stunning images of some of the world's most iconic monuments without the tourists; like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. This tip is crucial if you want to get a perfect shot in the most notoriously crowded areas.
Sunrise is mystical in its own right while sunset provides an entirely different experience – but either way, it's free! Golden hour is another time slot to consider photographing, if you're looking to add more of a "warm glow" to your pictures. The photo above was taken at golden hour in the Dubai desert.
The lighting actually made the sand look way more yellow than it is — adding a natural filter to the photo. Keep in mind that almost everyone knows about golden hour and will most likely be having the same idea as you. However, if you're in a less-crowded location, a later window might be the best choice for you.
Besides lighting, the other reason why it may be in your best interest to plan out a time-window to get all your photography done is so you can also enjoy your trip. If you're traveling with other people, like a partner or friends, be mindful of their wants and needs. Maybe your partner isn't fond of pictures, and stopping at every tourist landmark to pose for hours will absolutely ruin the experience for them.
My partner and I started incorporating "shooting content" windows into our travel itineraries. These are specific time-slots that we put into our schedule just for taking photos and filming videos. Before we actually go out and shoot, we have everything planned from what types of pictures we want and where. This has helped us be way more efficient with our time and get more quality content.
Quality Is Key - Travel Photography Tips
Once you have all your equipment ready and a basic idea of the shots you want to take as well as when to take them, focus on the quality of the image. You can have all the best camera equipment in the world, but if you don’t know how to use it correctly, your shots won’t turn out as well as they could. Here are some quick tips for ensuring good quality in your travel images:
Use natural light whenever possible—it creates a much softer effect than artificial lighting. (Not using natural light to your advantage is probably the biggest mistake I see people make, and then they complain that their images are blurry)
If you have a DSLR camera, experiment with different lenses for different effects. Try zoom lenses for landscape or wildlife photography. (Although professional cameras are great, the photo quality of cellphones nowadays can be equally as good as some DSLR cameras)
Try using manual mode instead of auto for more control over focus and depth of field. This is also helpful for taking photos in low-light settings.
Avoid shooting directly into the sun unless you want an intentional silhouette effect. You can capture some incredible images if you learn how to do this properly.
Be aware of any distractions in the background—sometimes less is more!
Finally - pay attention to composition—make sure there’s something interesting in the foreground and background as well as in the middle distance—to create more dynamic images. We'll go into more detail about this one later on.
These are just some basic tips that anyone can use — even beginners with zero experience. If you want to get more in-depth and really develop your skills, consider these guidelines used by professional photographers.
Rule Of Thirds In Traveling Photos
To capture the most visually pleasing images, mastering the rule of thirds is essential. Picture your image divided in three sections both horizontally and vertically so that you have nine panels. The photographer can then intentionally place key elements within each section to shape the overall photograph - such as people situated at the center rather than along a gridline on their left side, etc.
When it comes to where to position your horizon line, remember not to split it into two halves; instead, keep this line above or below one of these thirds! Keeping everything aligned correctly helps create incredible photographs every time.
You don't need to be a professional to do this. Most cell phones nowadays have a grid feature already built into the camera app. Go to the camera settings on your phone and make sure that this feature is turned on.
Look For Leading Lines
Taking great photos when traveling can take some time to get used to while you learn about the different strategies that professional photographers use. One of the key components in capturing better pictures while on your journey is using leading lines - strong visual elements that draw the viewer's eye into the photo.
Take photos with a solid horizon line, winding roads, or rows of trees (among other objects) that act as a great way to set up leading lines that create interesting compositions and provide a sense of motion for any photo.
They also help focus the viewer’s eye on whatever you want them to see, making it a great tool for telling stories through pictures. So if you're looking for great travel photos, remember to look for great leading lines!
Framing Your Photos
Occasionally, I ask strangers if they can photograph me during my travels. More often than not, I end up regretting it when I see the pictures that they take. I found that the biggest issue that comes with asking strangers to take your picture is not always the quality of the image, but the composition.
Some common composition mistakes that people make are: cropping arms or legs out of the picture, making the subject look too small or too large in the picture, and my personal favorite - cropping the tip of someone's head off.
Mastering composition and framing photographs perfectly take lots and lots of practice. Eventually, you'll get a better sense of what looks best and it'll become second nature to you. In the meantime, here are some tips:
Do not remove people's feet and arms from their photos
Don't make the subject appear too large or too small in the frame
Do make use of foreground, but make sure it's not too distracting from the subject
Don't always shoot from a standing position or straight-on
Look at the photo above as an example. I'm clearly the subject in the picture. But if I had been standing just a few feet further than where I was, I would've blended in with the background. In that case, I'd no longer be the focal point of the photo.
If you use even a few of these useful tips during your next trip, you're sure to capture some of the best shots you've ever taken. Now that you have all the tools to upgrade you travel photos, let's discuss the next important task: backing them up.
Backup Your Travel Photos
Nothing is worse than losing your images after all the thought and work that you put into them. Trust me, it's one of the most gut-wrenching feeling ever. I cannot stress how important e-copy and backups are for traveling photographs.
For all the photos that I take on my phone, I make sure to add them to iCloud once I return to my hotel room and have WIFI connection. For pictures taken on my travel camera, I take the SD card and save all of the photos and videos to my laptop. Then I transfer the ones I really liked to iCloud (in case my computer is lost or gets stolen). This also makes it easier if I need to edit the photos on my phone later or post them on social media.
If you make a practice of backing up your photos daily, then even when the worst happens — like you get your camera stolen — at least you won't lose the entire trip's worth of content!
Editing Your Photos For Maximum Impact
Before After
Post-processing is an integral part of creating amazing travel photographs. Sometimes the only difference between a mediocre photo versus a great one is the editing. The two photos above are the exact same, except that one on the right was edited and the one on the left is the original.
A good photo editor can help enhance colors and contrast while removing distractions like people in the background or unsightly objects in the frame. Some apps also have features like digital filters which can give your photos an extra layer of polish by adding stylized effects without detracting from their original beauty. Here are some things to keep in mind when editing your photos:
Start off by cropping your photo so that only the most interesting elements remain visible. This will draw attention to what matters most in the picture.
Bring out colors and details by adjusting contrast, brightness, shadows/highlights, hue/saturation levels etc., but be careful not to go overboard with these settings or else your photo may start looking unnatural or “over-edited”.
Experiment with various filters and presets until you find one that works best for the image you’re trying to create; this will also help make sure each photo has its own unique feel and look.
Editing Apps and Presets
Although most phones and social media apps have their own editing features, they often make photos look "over-edited." If you're serious about upgrading your travel photography, I highly recommend that you get an editing app. Personally, I use Lightroom Lightroom is an Adobe photo editing software similar to Photoshop.
Since I previously had access to Adobe products for school and work, I decided to stick with Lightroom because it was a more professional option. It's free to download, but it costs about $4.99 per month for premium features. If you don't want to pay to have full access to Lightroom, here are some other free editing applications available for Android and iPhone:
PhotoDirector
Pixlr
VSCO
For beginners, I do recommend getting an editing app that incorporates presets. A preset is a photo template that was already edited by a professional, which you can then copy the image settings and paste onto your own picture. Don't worry, you won't be stealing anyone's work. The photo below was edited using a preset.
Editors who upload their work to preset platforms do so willingly and with the intention of having their presets copied by others. Since I'm not a professional photographer and never learned how to professionally edit photos, I rely heavily on presets and have been using them for a while now. It's quick and requires minimal effort or skill on your part.
I love browsing through the different options and seeing what works on my own photos. My go-to application for presets is FLTR. Some of their presets are available for free, while access to their entire library costs $9.99 / year. If you haven't hopped onto the preset-trend, what are you waiting for? Using presets is the easiest way to edit your photos and make them look like it was done by a professional.
Taking incredible travel photos doesn't have to be hard work
With some practice and patience anyone can master it! With these tips on taking great shots and effective post-processing techniques, you'll be able to capture stunning images that will take people's breath away! So get out there and start shooting – happy travels!
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