You have booked this amazing vacation and cannot wait to get there. You already know all the fun adventures you will have, the places you will see, and the relaxation you will get. And most importantly, you know that you will be taking pictures and videos all along the way. Imagine if you could travel with a photographer!
You are the Travel Photographer!
You. Yes, you! The person reading this right now. You are a travel photographer! You don’t have to have published work of travel images to validate you as a travel photographer. Rather you simply want good photographs or to become a paid travel photographer, start right where you are.
You are a Travel Photographer
The moment you take your first photo during your trip you have begun your travel photography journey. Let me dispel any doubts you have right now. You don’t have to be a professional travel photographer to be a successful travel photographer. You have it within you to take most of the photos that you want to get. Photography, like any art, is subjective. And it is also opportunistic. The best way to become what you want is to just do it. With a small amount of guidance, you can be your own travel photographer and get quality images that you love. Besides, who is better at capturing your life than you?
If you are wanting to get into travel photography and/or begin a photography career, this is still the right place to start. Right here, just start. Once you begin, you can continue to further your skills. Find out what you are interested in, shoot that, and begin to take notice of your photography style. Once you have a photography portfolio, even if it is small, you can spring board your skills by knowing what things made sense and where you need to get better. And pro tip, it probably isn’t a better camera the moment you start.
You can turn your Travel Partner into Your Photographer
With a small amount of guidance, you can turn your travel partner into your photographer. I will often hand my husband my camera or phone and tell him that I want a particular building or scene. Since he is taller, he can often place my phone in a position to get a shot without all the people clutter. I will pass off my camera to my kids as well. With a small amount of instruction, they have never minded getting what I have asked. And I get the photograph that I want.
Why is Travel Photography so Important
When we travel, most of us have saved up and planned for many months leading up to our travel adventures. It is very natural to want digital images, travel photos, great shots, a beautiful image, or some creative representation of our travels. This is why so many people would love to travel with photographer.
Taking pictures gives you lasting reminders about your Travels
In a basic sense, having photos allows us to remember what happened. You don’t have to have a professional travel photography career to want great shots! Because at the heart of it, most of us just want beautiful images to mark our journey. The biggest reason we want these amazing images is so that we can see them later, share them on social media, or display them in some way for our own enjoyment.
When we took our trip to Hawaii in 2022. It was very memorable for so many reasons, but the biggest was it was our first trip since the beginning of coronavirus. So, I want to always remember each and every part of that trip. I want to always remember how it felt and who I got to be there with. I am so glad I have those photos to give me lasting images.
When you see this, you just see the ocean and the beach. You might notice my son in the bottom right corner. When I see this photo, I see 18 months of patients, of faith, and of hope. I feel the sun and the breeze. I know what a blessing it was that I was standing right here. It goes deeper than just the photo itself.
Careful Observation of your Surroundings Intensifies the Moment
When you know that you want to capture your travels, you are more interested in all of the details of the destination and landscapes around you. I was standing in Sainte Chapelle marveling at the glass before me. Everyone, including me, was taking pictures of the amazing upper chapel.
It was super tricky to get a good shot with all the light from the windows and the dim interior. I turned around and look at what I saw.
Because I was taking my time to try and find a way to capture this magnificent marvel, I saw an often missed gem. Almost the entire room was looking forward which is certainly gorgeous on its own. But only a handful of us were turned around. And all of us had a camera in our hand. Looking at things purposefully brought more to the moment.
Prepare to be a Travel Photographer
You can set yourself up before you leave to become a travel photographer. Most of these tasks are super easy and extremely reachable for the average person.
Learn to Use Your Camera
Point blank, most people will be using their phone to take pictures. And most people already know how to take a picture with their phone. But learning a few pro tips will really elevate your shots. On our trip to New York City, we visited the Statue of Liberty. My son and I both took photos. Here is the photo he took:
Now look at the photo I took.
My son takes something like 8,424 pictures every hour and posts to Snap Chat. Ok, not really. But he takes a ton of photos and knows how to use his iPhone camera. If he would spend the time to learn his phone camera, he could have quickly tapped the screen on the statue and the blurry picture would have never existed. Imagine if that was the only opportunity for that one shot. It wasn’t a difficult fix, but it was necessary.
Our phones are these amazing devices that even blow my photographer mind some days. Especially so if you have a newer phone released in the last year or two. But even some of the older iPhones take really good pictures. (I am sure the Androids do too, but I do not have much experience with them.) They really make all of us look like better photographers than we really are. But even with all the auto magic they offer, there are still some things that will really make our photos stand out.
If you happen to be taking pictures with a DSLR or other type of camera. This is even more important. Auto will only take you so far. They aren’t designed like the iPhone to overcome photographer error and still get good shots. You have to know how to use the different settings.
Do some House Keeping on your Camera
Before you begin your trip, take some time to do a few needed tasks. One, backup your phone. You can use iCloud if you have an iPhone or Google if you have an Android. Both phones can also be backed up to your computer. Two, make sure you have plenty of space on your phone to take all the travel photographs that you want. Most of the phones sold today come with a generous amount of storage and this doesn’t tend to be a problem as much anymore. You don’t want to be staring down the most amazing thing and you cannot take any photos because you phone is out of storage.
The same is true of cameras. Make sure you have saved all the photos from your camera cards. And like with phones, you need to make sure that you have plenty of storage. This may mean bringing extra cards to use with your camera. I will often reformat my cards after removing all photos and prior to a big trip. This ensures that they are ready to roll.
What Camera Equipment do you need?
You can go crazy with all the gear, gadgets, and gizmos that will aid in your photographic skills. However, I like to be a realist. If I am just using my phone, I don’t want and often don’t need much. So, I am recommending two things. One is a phone battery. Make sure you bring any necessary cords to ensure you will be able to recharge if your phone battery begins to run low. The second recommended item is a tripod or similar device. Many photos can be got with just the self timer and a way for your camera to set up on its own. (Note: If you are using a traditional camera, I still recommend the same things: extra batteries and some type of tripod to hold your camera steady.)
4 Travel Photography Tips to help you feel like you are Traveling with a Photographer
#1 – Turn Your Phone
This one simple thing will set you apart. Turn your phone to landscape instead of portrait.
I wanted a photo of the ceiling inside the Louvre. I took this one in landscape and it is just how I remember it. I also took it in portrait and it doesn’t have the same quality to me. I wasn’t able to capture it as well. I much prefer the photo in landscape.
Professional travel photographers shoot most of their photos in landscape. While it is good to go portrait when necessary, we have become accustomed to this because of phones. And our travel photography suffers. If you will do this one thing, you will be well on your way to becoming a travel photographer.
#2 – Clean your lens
I know it sounds so simple. Before you take a photo, turn your phone around and wipe the lens clean. I keep a cover on my phone lenses, so I just wipe them with a smooth piece of my shirt or pants. If yours are bare, you might want to carry a pocket lens cloth. But to be honest, I would wipe it with the softest fabric I could find before I started using the lens covers. I didn’t have a problem. Bottom line: clean them, and clean them often.
#3 – Hold Your Camera as Still as You Can
You will be surprised how easy it is to just use one hand a snap a photo. Your phone has to overcome this. If you can hold your phone perfectly still, you will get the best photographs.
#4 – Turn on the grid and check your Angles
Turn on the grid so that you can easily line up your angles, horizon, or make it even. Look at this photo I was able to get at the Louvre. Notice how it seems to be perfectly straight. I didn’t do that on my own. I used the grid to make sure everything was lined up.
When you turn on your grid, you can see the hard lines easier. And it makes your photograph look much more professional without having to do a single edit.
I took this photo and wanted to make sure it was lined up with the hard line of the building on the right of the photo. The grid allows me to get this photo aligned easily and without any post processing.
You can also use the grid to experiment with different angles. This is where you begin to develop creative ideas.
Show the World that You Travel with a Photographer
After you take your images, put them up for others to see. Print a photo book. Make a photo album. Do something with your images and begin to validate yourself for all your hard work. You many not have a picture in National Geographic today. But who knows, maybe your big break is just another photograph away. Or maybe you just want pictures that look like they were shot by a professional photographer. Whichever describes you, show off your travel photography passion.
Post to Instagram
If you have an Instagram account, post your travel photos. Feel free to tag me on Instagram so I can enjoy your journey. I would love to cheer you on as you travel with a photographer, you!
https://www.instagram.com/everydaylifestory/
You should always Travel with a Photographer
It would be nice if a we could hire a professional travel photographer to follow us around. However, the truth is you can be the one that takes all the amazing travel photos. With a Phone in your pocket and some thought, you can take the travel images and be happy with the results.
