How to take better travel photos
It may not be the best time of year to bring up the topic of travel or vacation photography, but since I recently published a post with a few tips on how to plan a budget-friendly winter getaway, let this text be its continuation.
Whether you’re an aspiring travel photographer or simply someone who enjoys traveling, you probably also like coming back home with some nice photos, images worth revisiting later.
Reality, however, can be harsh, especially if you’re just starting out. Often, after returning from a trip, instead of guidebook-worthy photos, you find your SD card full of shots that are… well, not particularly interesting. Maybe even boring.
Been there, done that.
With a bit of effort and an understanding of some basic principles, you can come back from your trips with photos that not only you’ll want to look at again, but that you’ll proudly share with others.
1. To capture the spirit of a place, you have to get to know it a little
Don’t run around with your camera like a headless chicken the moment you get off the plane or out of the car.
Give yourself a moment, even just a few hours, to breathe in the local air and look around before you start shooting everything.
Once you have a sense of where you are and what kind of vibe the place has, it’ll be much easier to convey that feeling in your photos.
2. Always have your camera with you
Sounds obvious, but think about how many times you’ve had your camera in your backpack and didn’t bother to take it out.
That’s why I’m a big fan of a minimalist setup - meaning, small camera around my neck all the time. When it’s within reach, there’s no excuse not to use it when you see an interesting scene.
Bring gear that you won’t feel relieved to leave behind in the hotel room.
3. Light is everything
Personally, I’m a huge fan of morning light - roughly the first 2–3 hours after sunrise. In my opinion, nothing compares to it.
Of course, the evening golden hour can work similarly, but the morning has one extra advantage: it’s free of crowds, who are usually still asleep (sunset is the opposite).
If you want beautiful, noise-free shots of landmarks, it’s worth waking up early and getting there before sunrise.
Read more about light in photography here.
4. Three types of shots tell a fuller story
Just like in video, it’s easier to capture the essence of a place when you photograph it in three ways - wide, medium, and close-up.
Beginners often struggle to get closer and shoot tighter frames. As a result, they end up with a bunch of photos that show a lot, yet somehow say nothing.
Details hold the nuances of a place - and those are easy to miss when you only focus on wide scenes.
5. Learn to compose your shots
You don’t need to know all the rules of composition. Master the rule of thirds, and your photos will already improve a lot.
But the real trick is to shoot intuitively. Your sense of balance will help with that.
Imagine every element in the frame has a certain “weight.” Does the photo feel pulled too much to one side because something is too heavy visually? Move the camera slightly left, right, up, or down, balance it out.
6. Less is more
If you’re standing in the middle of a Roman square, don’t try to fit everything into one photo - the buildings, people, horses, statues, sun, and side streets.
Instead, create a sequence of shots using different framings - wide, medium, and tight.
Less truly means more - in this case, more photos, but less clutter in each one, if that makes sense.
7. Every story has a beginning, middle, and end
Think of a photo like writing a short story: the foreground is the introduction, the subject is the main plot, and the background is the ending.
Use anything that partially “obscures” your subject - like plants, people, architectural elements - as a foreground. The main subject will stand out more, which is exactly what you want.
8. Photograph what excites you
If what you love most about travel is local food - then photograph it.
But don’t limit yourself to just pictures of your plate.
Step into the kitchen (with permission, of course) and photograph those who prepare the meals. Visit local markets and shoot the vendors and their products. Capture people eating on the street (it can be without faces), or ask for permission and make portraits.
Specialize in what truly interests you - your passion will show in your photos and bring the spirit of the place to life.
9. Try doing it differently
How many photos of the Eiffel Tower have you seen? Do you know anyone who hasn’t seen one?
But is Paris only the Eiffel Tower? Exactly.
Paris is a mosaic of countless places, buildings, people, food, fashion, details, sounds of the streets and music. It’s a whole web of metro lines, historical architecture, and private houses’ facades. It’s people of all colors and religions, food from around the world.
Every city is an endless sea of opportunities to capture the mood and character of a place - and, above all, to tell the story of your journey.
10. Tell your travel story
Unless you’re a photojournalist on assignment, you’re probably taking pictures for yourself. So tell your story of the trip through your photos.
Document it day by day: where you stayed, what you ate, who you met, where you went, what you saw, where you got lost. Whether you got soaked by rain or sunburnt. Capture it all.
Because memory isn’t perfect, it loves to play tricks. Thanks to your photos, your journeys will stay with you forever.
Photographers! I created a guide (well, a mini-course is a better word), which will help you make more compelling, clean pictures.
It includes a little bit of theory, example images and practical tips/exercises.
Do you want to start making minimalistic, clean images that stand out? That guide is for you. And yes, it’s FREE.