Whether your summer adventures take you far from home or just across town, it’s time to grab your camera and capture all your summer memories! Travel photography is a great way to document these adventures and can help you slow down and really enjoy new cultures, landscapes, cities, and ways of life. There are photo opportunities all around you and by keeping a few tips in mind and having the right gear for the job, you can make sure you never miss them!
Research + Planning
It’s important to be a bit familiar with where you’re traveling to or photographing. This will take the uncertainty out of your process and help you get the shots you want faster so you can enjoy your time even more!
- Look at other photographer’s images of the location you are traveling to.
- Research history and important landmarks you may want to capture in your images, both natural and man-made.
- Learn a little about your location’s culture and social practices.
- Note when the sun rises and sets for prime natural lighting opportunities.
- Map out vantage points where you can get great views of your subject!
- Check the calendar for local events like festivals, parades, holidays, and more!
Another benefit to researching, is the ability to plan! Planning where, when, and what you’d like to shoot ensures that you don’t miss anything! Planning can also open you up to unexpected photo opportunities because you’ll be less stressed, have more time, and a basic structure to your photography outing that allows for spontaneity when it arises!
Focus on Authenticity + Details
Consider taking a more hands-off approach to your travel photography and pull some inspiration from street photography. Look for genuine, everyday moments happening around you and document them. Whether you’re capturing people, landmarks, or events capturing the culture, people, and emotions of your trip tells a genuine story and can really elevate your travel photography images. One tool that can be great for giving your images authenticity is focusing on details. Wide, landscapes shots can be great for establishing your location and can be really amazing images but don’t forgot about the little stuff. Capturing details like texture, facial expressions, color, patterns, and more can add a ton of depth to your images.
Be Respectful of Local Cultures
Make sure to respect local culture and customs when photographing your trip! Keep in mind social etiquette, especially when photographing people and religious or cultural sites. Respecting your subjects can go a long way and make your photography event better.
Travel Light
When photographing your travels you’ll want compact, versatile gear that is easy to carry and unobtrusive to your surroundings. You don’t want a heavy or awkward gear bag to hold you back in your adventures or get in the way of capturing authentic shots!