Photography is something that might seem easy to many of us but can be a tough skill to perfect. Plenty of us enjoy getting out and seeing the world, and it can be great to come back and show off all the new sights you’ve seen.
What if you’re not sure where to begin? Taking the best photo might not be as easy as pointing your camera and pressing a button. However, here are four top tips for amateurs on how to perfect travel photography to show off all your adventures.
1. Think about lighting
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Finding something to photograph is great, but what if it’s so dark you can’t see the focus? Perhaps there’s so much sunlight it causes your picture to become overexposed? Sometimes we need to think about the natural lighting and how to use it to the best of our advantage.
The Northern Lights are a great example. Planning a visit between December and January will give you the best chance to see them along with the darkest nights skies. These are ideal conditions for getting those jealousy-inducing snaps to show off back at home. Just be sure to practice with the exposure on your camera first before trying to fiddle with it in the pitch black.
2. Keep yourself covered
One of the most important tips for any photographer, regardless of their level, is to make sure you’re always covered. There are all types of travel insurance that cover everything from adventure holidays to staycations, but you’ll want to find one that has gadget cover included. The last thing many of us need is to get to our dream destination only to find our camera has walked off.
Plus, with so many other people around, there is always the chance someone might help themselves to our things, or bump into us knocking our cameras to the ground. Having travel insurance might not bring it back, but it will at least help cover the replacement.
3. Choose the right camera for you
Choosing the right camera is like trying to choose the right car — there are so many different options that it all depends on what you want to use your new gadget for. There are a whole host of cameras on the market that range from beginner-friendly all the way up to professional use.
So how does someone decide? Ease of use, being able to connect to our phones, and the quality of the photos are just some of the many things that people look for. Thankfully, the decision doesn’t have to be so hard anymore thanks to the host of reviews and product testing articles in the world.
4. Move around
You’ve chosen your destination, arrived, and you’re ready to take your very own snaps of the most iconic places to photograph — what could be next?
Although many of us have seen the standard Machu Picchu or Taj Mahal photos, there is something about them that just makes them pop. These photographers didn’t get their iconic shot from standing in one place. No, they needed to move around and try shooting from all different angles before they got the final piece. Travel photography is all about experimenting and trying all kinds of angles until you find what works best in the frame and what is best to avoid.
These are just four of the top tips for amateurs looking to start out their travel photography journey, but perhaps you have some ideas of your own? If you do, be sure to leave them down below to help the next generation of happy snappers.
About Peter C.
Peter is a digital nomad who largely writes from Asia, Europe, and South America. Always following the "vibe," he sets up shop in hostels and AirBNB's and continues to entertain us with wild stories from life abroad.
