Getting Even More Out Of Your Love For Travel Photography

If you like to travel a lot, there is more than a slim chance that you also love to capture images of the mesmerizing and inspiring sights that you see on your way around. A love of photography can enhance your travels a lot. However, there are ways to enhance that love of travel photography, too. Here, we’re going to look at some of the tools and tips that can help you get more gorgeous photos and even help you explore your subject matter in brand new ways.

Scout your locations to get ideas on how you can shoot it

Being caught off guard by a location that is jaw-dropping and inspires that creative side of you is fantastic. However, it’s not the only way to shoot a location. If there’s somewhere that you’re eager to get to your lens on, then you should scout it ahead of time. You can look specifically for photography of that location using Pinterest, Google, Instagram, and more. You can see the various angles and lighting that it has been photographed in, allowing you to get inspiration and ideas of what you might do without having to stand around the same location all day waiting to see something special.

Don’t just go for the wide shots of impressive vistas

There’s no denying that the right architecture and natural beauty spots look their best when you catch them in all of their jaw-dropping glory. However, that shouldn’t be the entirety of your travel photography. When people imagine being in another place, they imagine being steeped in the local flavor and culture, which includes lots of little details. Find those little details that look every day, but different enough from the everyday back home, and use the technique that’s called “pillow shots” in film. This means using a good ultra-zoom lens as shown at https://www.ephotozine.com/article/top-16-best-superzoom-lenses-2020-29159 and taking pictures of things in an up-close and personal manner. Sometimes, a close view of something really specific about a given location or scene can paint a whole picture about the location.

Play with your vantage point

Scouting a location can help you get interesting ideas about where to take shots from, what time of day to do it, and so on. However, when you’re physically there, take a look around and think about every angle the subject might be visible from. Sometimes, the most interesting shots might be from angles you haven’t considered yet, whether it means crossing a river, shooting through the window of a cafe, or otherwise. There are some great gadgets that can help you get even more interesting angles, too, like the Gorillapod. Sites like https://nofilmschool.com/2017/10/get-more-out-your-gorillapod-these-creative-tricks are full of advice on how to use a range of tools to get the most interesting shots possible, which can include taking from angles that might not feel natural in your own hands.

Take to the skies

Drones aren’t some new mysterious technology anymore. They are widespread, which means there is also a much greater diversity of them, and many of them are much more specialized for those that want to take photos. Getting aerial shots of locations can show a whole new dimension and side of some of even the most famous landmarks. With the help of sites like https://www.drdrone.ca/blogs/drone-news-drone-help-blog/drone-buying-guide-2021, it’s a lot easier to find the drones that will help you meet your specific photography needs, as well. It can take a little more effort to travel with a drone, but it can be worth it for some of the amazing shots you can get.

Make sure you know your local laws

Most public sites are not going to have any laws against photography. There might be some locations that have signs explicitly forbidding photography due to the photosensitive nature of objects and materials there, but these are usually pretty visibly displayed and not hard to see. However, where you want to do your research ahead of time is to see laws on drone flying and drone photography locally. Not all local governments are as tolerant of drones flying over towns, cities, and populations. These are location-specific, so you need to get specific in your research, as well.

Get permission (and do it smoothly)

There is a huge problem amongst travel photographers of taking photos of people without their permission. The ethics of candid shots are murky, at best, and you may be inclined to use your own judgment. However, if you’re looking to take portrait shots, you should ask. You can use language sites like https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/english-travel-phrases/ to learn how to ask “can I take your photograph.” However, it can make things feel more natural and smooth if you take a moment to say hello, ask for directions or about a nearby location, and to break the ice before you dive right in. Some are going to say no, but it’s better than starting to take a photo only to find an angry local that didn’t expect.

Don’t be afraid of the edit

There’s a lot of pressure to preserve the natural and real look of a location as best as possible. However, most travel photographers use some kind of effects during the editing process to help bring out the most engaging and invigorating image possible. Take a look at some of the best online photo editors as shown at https://zapier.com/blog/photoshop-alternatives-best-free-photo-editors/ to see which might help you elevate your final product to a whole new level. The absolute top-tier photo editors are typically premium, paid downloadable software that offers a much wider range of tools. However, even the more basic free editors can give you a taste of the many ways you can enhance your photography.

If you’re a lover of travel photography, then you should be eager to explore methods of capturing images that go beyond the simple “point and shoot.” The tips above can help you explore some truly fantastic options for adding whole new ranges of imagery to your repertoire.

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.