Travel photography is fun as we can have memories of a place in the form of photographs. All the travel destinations have a story to tell through their history, people, culture, places, monuments, nature places etc. By photographing these things, you pass on the essence of the place to others creating a desire to visit the place.
Travel photography solely depends on how you see the world with your eyes. Our eyes are the most precious camera lens that captures all the beautiful scenarios. If we can capture exactly what we see, then we can say we have mastered our travel photography skills. Having the urge to get outside and start shooting are both important aspects of photography. You do not have to be a pro or a technology stud or should have many instruments to click the best photos. Just following some basic or simple tips will help you to develop a narrative through your pictures.
Basic tips and tricks that will improve your travel photography:
- Research and decide the location – Before deciding upon any destination, do some research on it. If possible, take inspiration from other photographers to learn about classic shots or use Google maps to discover the lesser-known spots. It’s best to do some homework and research about the place you are planning to visit, its surroundings, its weather, lights, angles, etc. to save your time.
- Know your camera – It is important to know the ins and outs of your camera before leaving for a trip. Different camera models have different functions and sometimes using a new setup can be a bit confusing. A camera is an essential item for photography and a photographer should know his tool very well.
- Plan travel photography time – While enjoying your trip, take out some time for travel photography and make it a priority, as good photography requires a solid time commitment. Taking hasty images as you rush from one place to the next will result in the same dull photos that everyone else has. If possible, you can also rent a car to travel on your own so that you can stop whenever you want to take pictures. Nothing is more exasperating than being delayed on a bus when passing an incredible photo opportunity and being unable to stop and take it!
- Get early and stay late – Shooting in the golden hour i.e., during the time of sunrise or sunset, always brings out the best photos. The most fundamental component of great photography is light and soft, warm morning light gives stunning photos. Similarly, taking the photos in the blue hour i.e., the hour after sunset when the sky is still blue but the city lights are turned ON offers the perfect shots with eye-pleasing shadows. You can also try Night photography in some places which are known for their night beauty.
- Composition is most important – Experiment and tries different compositions for a better travel photo. In your composition, attempt to include the strong foreground, midground and background elements. You can sometimes acquire a photo that communicates a more dramatic message by just recomposing your shot differently.
- Use the ‘Rule of Thirds’ – This rule is the classic rule of photography and is used to create a balanced composition. You can use the grid from your camera settings to apply this rule. The purpose of this rule is to help beautifully frame the overall image by putting significant portions of the photo into certain sections. Pay attention to the details of the shot, decide the key points of interest and then place them on the grid.
- Frame your photos – Framing your photos is important so that you do not cut down any important elements in the picture. It takes time to master the art of photograph framing. Do not simply concentrate only on the subject; take a quick look around the rest of the frame to double-check that you are about to capture a terrific shot!
- Look for leading lines – Make the use of leading lines to frame your image and draw the viewer’s eye to the frame. Use the land, objects or other elements of your photo to draw viewers deeper into your image and lead them to the major subjects. Roads, rivers, mountain ridges, alleyways, hiking trails, etc. can be used as leading lines in travel photography.
- Be patient – Travel photography is all about dedication, time and attention. You might have to wait for the street to get empty for clicking an aesthetic image or for the clouds to be in an eye-pleasing spot or to capture the bright colours. Good photography takes time and in the long run, the more patience you have, the better your travel photography will be. You can miss out on an enormous photo opportunity if you do not have the patience to try new things.
- Create travel illustrations – If you are a fan of drawings or animations, you can create your own travel illustrations by hand sketching or in a digital form using various apps. You can invest in a travel journal and create travel illustrations in it. Travel journals are a great way to remember your favourite trips because they are colourful, creative and cathartic.
Other extra things to take care of while travelling and photographing:
- Shoot in manual mode
- Do not stop shooting if the weather slightly changes
- Select the right lenses
- Include people or objects as an element in landscape photography.
- Look for different angles to create a perspective
- Look for colours and details for interesting images
- Step out of your comfort zone and take extraordinary photos
- Backup your photos
- Learn to perfectly edit your photos
- Keep your travel bag light while travelling, pack limited photography equipment.
- Carry a tripod
- Remember to keep extra batteries
- Keep learning new things
- Be respectful to others while travelling, ask for permission from locals while taking photos, try to learn a little bit of the local language and hire a translator or a guide if required.
Finishing Up:
So these are some basic travel photography tricks that will take your photography skills to the next level. Travel photography is like a time machine, freezing memories from a trip so you can relive them for years to come. Just remember to be nice and have fun while shooting. If you are a professional travel photographer, then enjoy and live the moments also while photographing and get along with other photographers nicely while sharing the space with them. Never stop exploring, learning and practising as the more you do, the better you get at it.
