I’ve put together a list of 17 travel photography tips that will help you make better travel photos and – maybe even more importantly, encourage you to have fun making them.
“If we were meant to stay in one place, we would have roots instead of feet,” – says Rachel Wolchin’s famous quote. We’re explorers in our hearts and souls, driven by this intangible force to travel the world, see places, experience what the world has to offer, and bring home photos of these unforgettable moments. But being a travel photographer is more than just photographing while traveling. It’s about how we see the world; it’s about finding details, observing, going with the flow, letting go, being creative and respectful, finding beauty in the most unusual places, and seeing the world differently. Read the tips, learn the rules and then forget about them. Go out there and make that special shot in your own unique way.
1. Start at home
A weird first travel tip, right? But it makes sense. You don’t need the best camera, and you don’t need to travel to the other side of the world for that great shot. Start small; use what you have. If you don’t have a camera, use your phone. It’s not in the equipment; it’s in the eye, in the moment, in understanding the place, the feeling, the story, the emotions – and in being able to translate all that into the picture. Think about this and try to capture the moment. You can start in your hometown. Go out and find things you’ve never cared to see before. Then start taking photos.
2. Express yourself
There are many ways to express yourself as a photographer. There’s nothing wrong with learning from great photographers – just don’t forget about your own expression. Find your way of seeing things, telling a story, placing the objects, communicating with whatever surrounds you, and editing your work. Have your voice, and explore your creativity. Learn the rules and then break them in a sensible, informed way with a purpose that serves your story.
3. Think about framing
Don’t get overwhelmed with taking photos that you forget to put everything in the frame! It might be the tip of a mountain, someone’s legs, or a part of a building. You can always crop the images later in the editing process; just make sure that the original shots have it all!
4. Rules of third
You’ve probably heard of this one before. It’s such a popular (and valuable) rule that most cameras (even mobile phones) have already integrated the grid to help you apply it. But what is it about? We’re often attracted to placing our objects right in the middle. There is nothing wrong with that; sometimes, it looks great, but using this same composition repeatedly makes photos look a bit boring and less appealing. The composition also has its rules, so try using the rule of third. Start picturing a 3×3 grid in your mind or use the one in the camera. Place your object of attention somewhere along those intersection points – there are four in every photo. If you’re making a horizontal photo, try to place the object somewhere in the right or left third of the photo while leaving the rest empty. You’ll see how the image will become alive and more interesting and dynamic than the photos where the object is placed in a standard, central position. Also, it’s been scientifically proven that this composition is what our eyes find naturally pleasing.
Photo: @tjasa.maticic
5. Change perspective
This may sound inconvenient and can get even messier in practice, but it is mandatory if you wish to make something new, different, fresh, and not yet seen. Change perspective! Try to see objects from different angles – lie down on the ground, get on higher ground, and shoot them from different angles. Compare the shots and check how the same scene can appear very differently from different angles!
6. Ask for help
It’s not all about the selfies, and even selfie sticks have limited powers and length! However, a helping hand never hurts. Don’t hesitate to ask people to take a shot of you. You might regret not asking, but you will never regret asking!
Photo: @tina_holistica
7. Don’t stage; capture real moments
In our ‘selfie world,’ staging a photo has become common. However, capturing authentic, raw emotions that aren’t staged will make your photos feel more natural, powerful, original, organic, and relatable. Remember – you’re capturing not only the image but also the emotions of that particular moment. So try to capture natural, organic moments and see how lively they will feel.
8. Make friends with clouds
Although we usually prefer sunnier days, clouds can help us get some exciting, artistic photos. They soften the light and let us create incredible moody, breathtaking dramatic effects. The clouds from the photo were captured above Lajares.
9. Wake up early, stay up late
Some of the best photos are taken at the ‘golden hour’ – one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. Ensure you know the exact time of these events (there are free apps you can use to help you), go to the scene at least 30 minutes earlier, and get everything ready. Don’t forget to bring the tripod! And again, be patient. The sky often wears its best colors after the sun has already set, just before the night strikes, when it’s still blue, and the city lights start to turn on (‘blue hour’). Another benefit of waking up early or staying there late is that not many do so, and you may be there alone. Night photography on Fuerteventura can be extra rewarding because in 2015, it was recognized as a ‘UNESCO Starlight Reserve’ due to its dark skies, full of stars, and some of the most beautiful Milky Way observation options.
10. Jump in your photo!
Sometimes we have to jump into our image ourselves to explain the perspective, increase the feeling of authenticity, and communicate some additional information – like the weather conditions, our feelings, and emotions. Let’s take a look at this photo: without me, we would see a cliff coast without much additional information. After adding myself, holding my hair not to be blown away by the strong Fuerteventura wind, the photo is now telling us a broader story. We now have a better perspective about the scene size; from my clothes, we can tell it looks like a summer day, and we also understand it was very windy. Typical Fuerte, that is 🙂
Photo: @tjasa.maticic
11. Prepare and be patient
As usual in life, also in photography, not every moment is the right one for every photo. Not every light is the best for a particular scene. Sometimes the sun should come from the east, and for other locations, from the west. The most beautiful natural pool might only reveal itself at the lowest tide, while the same spot would look unattractive in any other conditions. The most incredible shot of a busy street might be in its moment of emptiness. Do your homework:
1. Gather information, check other people’s photos of the place you’d like the shoot, think about your image and how you picture it – and then decide on the best moment.
2. Think about the story you wish to tell with your photo and once you have the answer, think about the best way of describing it.
3. Have patience.
4. Improvise. You’ll be surprised by just how creative you can be.
12. Be a rebel, searching for beauty
Have an explorer’s eye; beauty is not always perfect as a white sandy beach (although I can’t deny some of the sandy beaches on Fuerteventura are quite special). It can hide in ruins, roaring oceans, and details we can easily miss. So keep your eyes and minds open and find the beauty where no one else does. Remember, just as every person has their own opinion, everyone has their definition of beauty. Explore yours! Don’t settle for the standards of others.
13. Carry a small tripod
A tripod is a travel photographer’s best friend. It allows us to take great shots in low light and help expand creativity. With a tripod, you’ll be able to take long exposure photos and pictures of yourself with amazing landscapes from new angles, and even when there’s no one around that you can ask for help. When natural lighting is reduced – at sunrises, sunsets, and during the night – we need to get more light into the lens – meaning using a slower shutter speed. Without a tripod, we’re risking shaking the camera, which generally results in unwanted blurring. A tripod prevents/reduces camera movement and improves picture quality, helping us take that perfect sunrise or sunset shot.
Some tiny and light tripods are available for travel photographers, especially if you wish to travel light. When using mobiles or action cameras, you can also use the pocket flexible ones that can be conveniently attached to what the surrounding provides, like the one in the photo.
14. Use Burst mode
This mode is very helpful, especially when you want to take photos of a moving object. Burst mode, also known as ‘continuous shooting mode,’ ‘sports mode,’ or ‘continuous high-speed mode,’ is a shooting mode when several photographs are captured quickly by pressing the shutter button or holding it down. This mode lets you take several images in just a single click to select the best frame of the bunch. You can also use this mode when asking a stranger to take a photo of you – and you want to make sure you get a nice picture without having to annoy them with a couple more.
15. Edit your photos
Browsing the web, especially social media, we see so many great photos of places we visited and made photos of ourselves – only to discover that our photos don’t look as stunning. Relax. The most probable answer is that the particular image has just been edited. If we had a chance to see it before editing, we might be surprised how similar to ours it would look.
The raw, original look has its charm for sure, but post-processing is an important (and legit) part of making a travel photo look great. And honestly, I haven’t heard of a professional photographer who wouldn’t edit their work. It’s part of the creative process, as working on the photos in the darkrooms was (is) when shooting on the film. To improve the quality of your photos, consider investing in editing programs like Photoshop or Lightroom and in the tutorials to master them instead of investing in better equipment – you’ll be amazed by the before-after result, and it’s cheaper, too. You might start watching YT videos about different editing tools and how to use them to get a better idea about endless editing possibilities. I’m using a free Lightroom app on my phone, which works well enough for social media publishing. The above photo was edited there, too. You can also make and save your own presets there, making editing even faster and simpler. Besides Lightroom, you’ll find many other editing apps online, such as Canva, Snapseed, Pixlr, Picsart, and others.
16. Share your photos
We’re often too critical of our work. So don’t feel uncomfortable about sharing your photos. Through their likes and comments, your audience can be your best teacher. The more your share, the more you will learn, the more confident you will get, and the more engaging your audience will become. You’ll very soon understand what your audience likes and dislikes, what triggers their emotions, and how they relate to the stories you capture. There’s one thing you should never forget – you’re also taking photos for yourself. You need to like them in the first place, even though no one else does.
Now that we’ve come to an end, I only have one more tip to share.
17. Put the camera down and enjoy the moment
Not everything must be saved in a photo. Some moments should only be lived, enjoyed, get carried away with… You know what they say – “like all great travelers, I’ve seen more than I can remember and remember more than I have seen.”* In the end, it’s all about enjoying the moment – and being all there!
PS. Take a moment after reading these tips. Don’t force yourself into applying everything at once. Take it slowly – try, experiment, and enjoy the ride!
*A quote by Benjamin Disraeli.
All photos: Jakica Jesih, except the photos that are credited to other authors.
All photos were taken on Fuerteventura.
