Best 20 photography tips for travellers

Share your best photography tips for travellers on your blog, upload them to Instagram or tease your stay-at-home friends by posting to FaceBook and Twitter.  Here’s 20 of our best photography tips for travellers to get the most out of their travels.

When it comes to travelling, making sure you get great travel photos requires a certain amount of planning.  Be impulsive,  add a few random tourist snapshots in amongst the planned travel shots and post them on social. 

Make sure you have some fun catching all the elements of your trip. Just be out there and have some fun doing it!

Up up and away

Take that last selfie of you at the airport, walking down the boarding ramp or settling into your seat on the plane, bus or train as you’re leaving.  Quickly post it to Social Media before you to turn your phone off!  Nothing says “I’m off on an adventure”, better.  I love taking a photo of my luggage (for some reason I always seem to have so much of it)!

Capture the finer details

It’s easy to get lost with the scenery so focus on the details.  Zoom in on the decoration pieces – the gargoyle at the front of the church, those gorgeous ornate doors or just one flower in the field of flowers.  It’s one of the best ways to capture some of the amazing things you will encounter on your journey.

Share stunning sunsets

You really can’t have too many sunsets!  Taking sunset photos is one of my great loves – every single sunset is different!  The colours change every day, they can be rich vibrant colours or soft pastels, but there is always an opportunity for a gorgeous photo.

Read next:  Shoot the Golden Hour

Get your own hashtag

A great way to keep tract of your travels is to develop and use your own hashtag.  I use #AussiemobOnTour when I’m travelling so that all my holiday snaps become a collection.  The biggest challenge is trying to remember to put it into every post!  Its a bit of fun but it sends a clear message to your followers that you’re on yet another trip and to look out for some awesome photos.

Shoot the local animals

One of the things I love is taking photos of native birds and animals.  Kookaburras who sit pretty just waiting for you to take the photo.  Capture that crocodile in the wild, or snap the monkey’s getting up to mischief.  There’s often a good shot to be captured when you photograph a tourist trying to get his perfect holiday shot.  Take many, don’t miss an opportunity.

Read next:  Sacred Monkey Forest

Capture an amazing landscape

Often landscapes are considered boring.  Have you tried to get a different angle, or perhaps a different time of day to ramp it up a bit?  Wait until the tourists are out of the way to depict a shot that says “I’m here all by myself”.  Step into the shot yourself as we did when we walked down to the lighthouse at Cape Reinga.   Take a tripod or ask another traveller to take the photo for you.

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Enjoy the flavours of your Visit

Explore the local food specialties.  Every country has their own local food delights so make sure you try new flavours.   Food is is a part of your travel experience and it’s great to sample some of it as part of your journey.

Shoot the road signs

Photos of cool street signs a one of my favourite things to take home from any trip.  I have tons of them from simple “kangaroos crossing”, “beware of crocodiles” to my favourite above.  They are guaranteed conversation starters when you’re back home.

Vehicle-mania

Are you using a new mode of transport to get around?  Make sure you take a photo!  A Scooter, a Tuk Tuk or bicycle?  Get the shot!  It’s about recording every part of your journey and if it was an experience, make sure you add it to your travel album.

Typical roadways and streets

Its a great idea to photograph the streets up close and personal.  In Bali, the broken sidewalks always challenge pedestrians, photograph them.  Cobblestone streets and alleyways of Europe tell the story of days gone by, photograph them.  A photo depicting streets choked with heavy traffic will tell the story.  Think about the message you want and create the photo to tell your story.

Read next:  Crazy Bali Traffic – the spiritual traffic rules

Daily life

Taking a candid photo should be done with dignity and respect.  Enjoy the country you’re visiting and note the local lifestyle.  Photograph the workers in the rice paddies, but do it with consideration and respect.  If you take a close up photo, ask permission.  Often people are happy to have their photo taken and it’s a nice gesture to tip them for their generosity.

Street food

Street stalls in every country are a source of interest.   What are they selling?  Ask if you can take a photo of the vendor and his food – make sure you buy some too as a show of good faith.  Street food in New York City is about hotdogs and pretzels!  In Asia, you can find some extraordinary delicacies, so make sure you explore it all.

Memorable moments

What was the highlight of your trip?  Did you go white-water rafting?  Walk through the Kauri Forest?  Interact with the street art?  Did you see a spectacular temple in Cambodia or hang out with the monkeys in the Sacred Monkey Forest in Bali?  Don’t forget to take a visual memory for your collection.

Read this:  Explore the world-famous street art in Georgetown, Penang

City skylines

For me there’s nothing more exciting than finding a great vantage point.  Get that skyline.  It’s often an opportunity to step into the photo yourself so if you can, do it!  Ask a fellow tourist to take a happy snap of you in sync with the skyline – and do the same for them!

The markets are full of inspiration

Markets are a constant source of colour and activity.  Whether they’re selling food or trinkets make sure you stroll through and enjoy a great day of people watching.  Take a momento home, buy a beautiful handmade scarf or a small trinket to take home with you.  Make sure your photos capture the essence of the hustle and bustle of a traditional market.

Famous Landmarks

We often come home with the typical landmark photos.  The Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Eiffel Tower, London Bridge, an old red phone box in London, The Colosseum and Times Square — no travel album would be complete without them.  Try to capture a point of difference with your ‘anticipated’ shots and think outside the square!

Festivals & events

If you’re lucky enough to come across a festival, procession or parade whilst you’re away you will most likely see a range of colour and locals in their traditional dress.  Make sure you capture some candid photos that tell the story.  Find out all you can about the event and enjoy the unexpected adventure.

Read next:  Did you Santa Con in San Francisco?

Love the architecture

Look up!  When travelling some of the most amazing experiences include the architecture of the place, or country that you’re visiting.  One of the most photographed buildings in New York City is the Flat Iron Building.  In Sydney, it’s the Sydney Opera House.  But don’t limit yourself to only the famous buildings – there are plenty of others that are extraordinary.  Photograph them!

Welcome signs

I must admit, I often forget to photograph the welcome signs.  I can’t believe I went all the way to Las Vegas (one of the worlds photo showcase cities), and missed that opportunity totally!  What was I thinking!  It would have been perfect to use as a great lead into my photo story about the best photography tips for travellers.

Get social

Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at the main social interfaces.  It’s a great opportunity to multi-share your photos through each platform.  Share the love – your followers will love the variety of your posts and hit that much treasured ‘like’ button.

Read next:  Instagram – the Social Media obsession

Have fun with your photos

Think outside the square.  Don’t be too structured with your photos and show the world you’re having fun.  Make sure you feature some ‘memory moments’ that will bring a smile to your face.

Have you seen our 20 Best Photography Tips for Travellers … pin it to Pinterest.

Here’s 20 of our best photography tips for travellers.

Perhaps there is something you do with your holiday snaps that you want to share?  Let me know in the comments below and lets get out there and have some photo fun!