When travelling, we want to not only have a good time but also to capture the special places and moment so we can remember them in the future. A photo is the best way to take home part of the place you have visited.
If quality is as important to you as the content of the image, read our tips below which will help beginners and amateur photographers take photos like the professionals.
Before we get started, you don’t need to be a professional to earn money from photography, view our guide how to make money from your travel photos and start earning today – even if you are a total beginner.
Now, if you are a keen to get started or capture better shots, check out our top recommended travel photography tips for beginners.
1. Get the Right Gear
Nowadays too, a lot of phones have amazing quality cameras if you are just starting out you really don’t need to invest in an expensive professional camera.
But if you do want to invest, professional photographer John Milleker recommends sticking with either Nikon or Canon when it comes to making your first big camera purchase.
Both products that have proven themselves to the pros, and their attachments will get you by from camera to camera over the years, saving money and purchasing time.
He also recommends the manual as the best free source of training you can get your hands on. Spending time with your equipment and its features will help you know what to do when a money shot presents itself.
2. Watch YouTube Videos
There are so many famous photographers on YouTube with lots of helpful videos. Some offer tutorials and others advice about cameras, techniques and amazing locations to visit. This is an easy free way to improve your skills.
3. Practice
Practice makes perfect and try to use every moment you have to improve your knowledge and skills. Go to a place near where you live in advance to experiment with angles and prepare camera settings.
When choosing a photo format, select the maximum NEF or RAW. Never be greedy for the quality of the picture for the sake of quantity. HQ photographs are taken for better editing and a good finishing shot.
4. Research Before Departing
Before you go to a new country or location, explore the main attractive places in the city where you are traveling online.
Speak online with locals, contact friends or relatives who have visited the place where you want to travel or even just use Google street view or Instagram.
5. Get Lost on Arrival
Having settled into your accommodation, take time to walk around and visit the sights that you have in mind. Most likely you will find that they are full of tourists because you aren’t the only one who has this idea.
Be curious and don’t hesitate to ask about unusual and little-known city locations. Wherever you go, be sure to seek out local places too, depending on what type of photopgrahy you are interested in.
Trying to capture places off the beaten track can create more unique and different pictures than other photographers. For example, everyone has photographed the Eiffel Tower, but how many people have actually explored local neighbourhoods.
If you like art, visit not only large galleries like the Louvre in Paris or the Hermitage in St. Petersburg but also small exhibitions. Here you can get acquainted with local talents and immerse yourself in the artistic life of the city.
6. Consider the Timing
Think about the best time to photograph the place you have chosen. Early in the morning to avoid tourists, in the middle of the day when the locals actively entertain tourists, or at night in the dark?
Also, think over the concept. You can just concentrate on an attractive location or add creativity and theatricality.
For popular tourist destinations, early in the morning is usually best. This way you will capture shots without the huge tourist crowds. Although waking up early on holiday can be a pain, it will be worth it when you get somewhere at opening and you have the place to yourself!
This goes for even some of the most famous attractions in the world like the Taj Mahal which is one of the most unmissable places to see in India!
7. Be Patient
When out photographing, be sure to be patient especially as you are unlikely to capture the perfect shot straight away. Especially if you go on a safari tour, you will need to be prepared to wait to see some of the majestic wildlife.
8. Get Closer
Robert Capa was a Hungarian-born American war photographer and photojournalist who is considered by some to be the greatest combat and adventure photographer in history.
Robert Capa famously said, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” So the the closer you get to your shot, the better the photo will be due to being able to see more detail.
9. Get Comfortable with Closer Shots
The greater your proximity to your subject, the more intimate your pictures will feel.
This strategy also leaves no room for doubt as to the main subject of each shot. In short, proximity makes your images pop, which is necessary both for selling your work and for becoming a successful travel blogger.
Some of my favourite zoom shots are photographs of indigenous populations in places like Otavalo and Misahualli, Ecuador.
10. Don’t Forget the Foreground
I’m a big fan of including strong details in the foreground when possible. It adds depth and interest to the finished images.
Over the years, my husband and I have used tree branches, bush leaves and other plant parts to frame Khmer temples in Cambodia, cathedrals and archaeological tourist sites in Peru, and European castles in Bolzano, Italy.
If you’re going for a pastoral animal image, use a bit of rustic fencing for your foreground. This same strategy can be used elsewhere as well. During a visit to Jerusalem, my husband got a great shot of the Dome of the Rock photographed through some razor wire.
11. Keep it Simple
There’s beauty in simplicity. Sure, you’ll occasionally want to take a panoramic nature picture or cityscape. Otherwise, you’re better off to avoid wide shots that are filled up with too many objects.
Another way you can streamline the photography process is by using a digital camera. It will give you the freedom to delete experimental pictures and try them a second time if necessary.
Without the extra film and printing costs.
12. Buy a Tripod
No one to photograph you with a friend? It often happens that you went on a trip with someone, but you don’t have a group photo as one takes and the other poses. The first way to fix this is to take a tripod.
Set up the camera so that it captures the necessary background, your friend, and leave room for yourself. Use the auto start mode.
If you don’t have a tripod, feel free to ask a passerby to take a picture. You don’t need to know the local language or hope that a person knows English, just give him a camera and he will understand what you want. The disadvantage of this method is that you can’t hold a photographer for a long time.
One couple of travellers said they needed a few strangers to get a good shot.
13. Build Your Portfolio
You can find lots of unique places to take amazing photos, two being theme park venues and wildlife sanctuaries which are virtual smorgasbords of travel photo opportunities.
If you like in the USA, Disneyworld, Six Flags and even Tampa’s Busch Gardens offer loads of costumed image fodder, ride shots and of course animal close-ups.
14. Charitable Causes Can Pay Off
Rescue projects and volunteer programs also provide photo opportunities. If you like the idea of taking photos of animals there are lots of rescue centres around the world offering private photography opportunities in addition to regular tours.
Lisa Chavis and Cheryl MacDonald of What Boundaries Travel volunteered with Global Vision International in South Africa, getting up close and personal with the local Masai people, expanding cheetah families, elephants, lions and more.
You could also book a safari to Southern Africa to see exotic wildlife in person which is a dream trip. This will provide the chance to photograph bald eagles, elephants, lions, rhinos and more.
15. The Devil’s in the Details
Professional photographer John Milleker’s top tip for framing your travel shots? Look for eyesores before you shoot and remove them. It will save you loads of Photoshop time later on. The most common problem, according to Milleker, is tree branches that look like they are sticking out of the subject’s head.
Travel writer and nature photographer Carol Coffey, author of the book Out of My Comfort Zone, has her own way of dealing with the details. She doesn’t fight Mother Nature. Preferring the light of morning and early evening, Coffey says her favorite times to shoot are before 10:00 and after 2:00.
She also doesn’t stress about clouds and fog, believing they add beauty and drama to her finished work, which is available for viewing on her web site.
A black umbrella – held open in one hand – cuts down on reflections when shooting things inside large glass windows. Three-packs of specialty lens filters – available for cheap – deal with glare, florescent lighting and less than ideal outdoor lighting.
16. Don’t Forget Festivals
If you’re in the market for great cultural photos, around the world, carnivals and cultural festivals allow low-cost and often free photo opportunities.
The colors from various traditional costumes make for dramatic imagery that is sure to draw in your readers and generate image and article sales.
The annual carnival in Venice, Amsterdam’s tulip festival and even the annual Burning Man event in the States are all sources of unusual travel pics that are sure to rave reviews.
17. Indigenous Markets Provide an Inside Peek to Local Culture
Some of the coolest travel photos I’ve ever taken are from indigenous markets around the world. They are also some of my favorite travel memories.
Souk shopping in Kuwait, searching for souvenirs in Cairo’s Khan el Khalili, and bulk grocery shopping for pantry staples in Saquisili, Ecuador have all provided great photo fodder.
18. A little Cultural Sensitivity Goes a Long Way
While the local women of Petra are usually comfortable having their photo taken, there are other parts of the region where it is certainly not appreciated. Be sure to research the norms of where you are traveling too and you might like to view these beginners tips for learning a new language.
Another way to be a bit more sensitive is with a zoom lens. It’s one thing to be OK with an image or two being taken. It’s another to feel like someone is there photographing your every move. Sometimes you are better off to be a bit out of the way with a good-quality zoom lens.
Chances are you’ll get better candid shots that way as well.
19. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Basic Black and White
If the outdoor lighting is bad on a particular day, consider switching your color digital photos over to black and white or sepia.
You’ll get a fun vintage look to your imagery that looks great framed against a colored wall. I especially like to try this with photos I take from world heritage sites where there is a great deal of ancient architecture. Purchase inexpensive black thrift frames for an affordable polished look.
20. Pack the Essentials
Apart from a camera, it is important you take other things too. Other things to consider include a lightweight bag, a lock, extra lenses, a laptop, wifi dongle, a physical hard drive, straps and more.
Be sure to buy travel insurance before departing on any trip aswell, and get cover for your belongings just incase you are the victim of theft or an accident.
21. Set Up Online Cloud Storage
Google Drive and iCloud are two of the best online cloud storage websites where you can upload your photos and store them.
22. Use Photo Editing Apps and Software
Any photographer will tell you that all the magic of a perfect photo happens at the editing stage. Adjusting light, color, contrast, getting rid of the noise, removing unnecessary details like a group of people in the background, etc. are the key to success.
The first advice is don’t think that it’s possible to fix or even perfect any frame. Filter potential good images during a photoshoot and don’t leave the place until you get a dozen options.
Photoshop is the most appropriate service for editors. But don’t expect that you will create a masterpiece the same day you purchase the program as it requires skills. You will find many resources including YouTube tutorials, thematic blogs, and forums for exploring Photoshop on the Internet.
23. Join a Photography Course
There are online and also in-person courses available to take all around the world. Some companies and people also offer photo tours which are a great way to visit amazing places, meet like-minded people and also get tips from experiences pros.
Start Your Photography Journey Today
Taking photos can be one of the highlights of travelling, especially as you will get to capture moments you can look back on for the rest of your life.
Travel photography isn’t just big business in its own right, it’s a great way to collect free souvenirs, embrace the travel decorating scheme at home and possibly begin to attract even more visitors to your blog if you have one.
It’s also true that travel pictures can help you sell quite a bit more of your work if you’re a travel writer.
Hopefully our travel photography tips has given you some ideas for how to get started. More pro tips will be added as contributed.
Always keep your camera ready, because a beautiful shot can be waiting for you nearby. Happy trails, everyone!
Are you a keen photographer? Do you have any recommendations we have missed off our list? Let us know in the comments section below.