Most people want to shoot perfect travel photos when on vacation but this is not that easy. How many photos do you shoot until you get something that you would actually save?
The fact is, when we are on a vacation, we do not have much time available to shoot beautiful pictures unless we do this for a living. This is why you may want to read the following travel photography tips that will instantly make everything better.
Travel As Light As Possible
By its nature, travel photography is exciting and inspirational. However, it is also kind of addictive. You can easily end up being carried away and want to take absolutely everything with you. It is always great to take the entire kit with you on a trip but this is rarely practical.
Ideally, you have to travel light, which means one body, a few memory cards, a pocket-size compact, a lightweight small tripod, a good flash unit, a few suitable lenses, and a camera bag that is durable so that weight can be evenly distributed.
Use The Right Shooting Mode
When you take travel photos, especially when you want to see stunning landscapes in them, you have to shoot in JPEG Fine and RAW. This automatically means that you need to have high capacity memory cards with you.
Start a habit and download images to a photo storage device or a laptop every single night. This allows you to free up memory cards for the following day. Whenever you go out to take photos, have twice as much storage capacity with you than what you expect you need.
Take Notes
Every single night, after you had fun with the camera, it is time to write down things about the events of the day in your journal. This is important because you can write some descriptions and keywords regarding the people, activities, and people in the photographs. There are also some digital cameras that allow you to add some notes to every image. This can also help you reference pictures.
Pay Attention To The Lens You Use
When you travel, there are many photo genres that you can experiment with. Regardless of this though, the lens that you choose will either hinder you or help you when you are out taking photos. When your budget only allows you to buy one glass, use one that gives you a very fast zoom, like 18 to 200 mm.
In some situations, you will find a perfect focal point that is far off from you. In other cases, the focal point is right close to you. This is why the variable focal length lens is such a good option. When some extra options are possible as you have more money in your budget, consider:
- Portrait prime lens – 50 mm
- Wide angle lens – 10 mm
- Telephoto – 70 mm
Try To Scout Locations
When you find it difficult to gain inspiration, take a walk to the tourist information center. Ask the staff there for recommendations. They can tell you many great spots to visit.
You can explain what photography style you enjoy and you can ask about local guides. You can even get some contacts of fellow photographers who will show off some sights that are not known by tourists.
As an extra tip, you can look at the postcard stands. This helps you to find even more information. Also, you want to read through the guide books and you obviously want to look online to get ideas before you reach your destination. Write your own shot list and you will be more focused on what you do.
Safety First
Traveling is nowadays much safer than it used to be. However, this does not mean you can simply assume to be safe, no matter where you go.
Most destinations are safe and people tend to be friendly with tourists. This is not the case everywhere so it is a very good idea to be insured. Also, when you are insured, it is a very good idea to carefully check the policy. You want to see exactly what is covered and what is not covered.
Besides the travel insurance policy, you want to have really solid luggage locks. When you travel, you should use anti-theft bags since they are perfect for the traveling photographer. In addition, you should have some local currency on you, but only a small amount. The rest should be put in a very safe location.
Ask For Portrait Photographs
Confidence is a huge stumbling block for most travel photographers. Environmental portraits look great since they express character and culture. Even so, most photographers prefer shooting from a distance because of a fear of rejection.
Here’s the deal. The worst thing that could possibly happen if you ask for a portrait photo is to be answered with a NO. There is nothing wrong with that. At the same time, there is always the possibility that the local will agree.
When you are answered in a negative way, simply smile. Thank the person for your time and then move on. Show those that agree the camera’s LCD monitor. This might lead to more relaxed images.
Don’t Forget To Use The Shots After The Trip
After your trip is over, it is time to think what you should do with the images you have. The sky is always the limit. Many people just take photos for them and practically fear showing them. However, keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with entering a competition from time to time. You could even start doing some Bath wedding photography thanks to the travel picture portfolio you build.
Your Instagram is also a great option to share your images. Learn about how to edit your photos and look for opportunities.
