4 Tips For Starting Out With Travel Photography

The demand for unique travel experiences has risen at an incredible pace. A 2022 CNBC trend report showcases how over 50% of individuals sought to plan epic trips to Machu Picchu, for one. Meanwhile, others were interested in booking vacations at wonderful destinations like Tanzania.

Given that many are preparing to go on once-in-a-lifetime vacations, our post ‘10 Travel Tips to Save Money and Time in 2023’ demonstrates that one way to maximize your trip is by reserving a luxury car. Premium car rental services, such as the ones that offer Audi on Demand, enable you to kickstart your vacation in style. Of course, if you truly want to make the most out of your travel experience, then it’s important to capture all the thrilling activities and sights that you have planned.

So on that note, this article has rounded up four tips for those who want to get started with travel photography.

Bring the right camera

As the referenced CNBC trend report shared, international destinations like the Bahamas, Bora Bora, and the Maldives yielded the biggest search increases in the past year—and for a good reason. These renowned tourist spots offer travelers amazing seascape views and heart-pounding activities like diving, jet skiing, and sailing. If you foresee yourself including said water sports in your itinerary, then you should consider buying a mirrorless camera that’s compact yet powerful. The X-H2S mirrorless camera by Fujifilm, in particular, is convenient to bring on your adventure-filled vacation. Luckily, with the X-H2S’s speedy autofocus system, you can generate sharp and crisp photos of fast-moving subjects—which is great if you want to look back on your experience surfing at Willawahs in the Bahamas or yachting across the unique volcanic caldera of Bora Bora.

Pack helpful tools and accessories

According to a 2022 Salt in Our Hair feature on traveling, different kinds of shots can highlight the many intricacies of your vacation. As such, you’ll need to bring the right tools and accessories, like a lens that can shoot details and portraits. In this case, it’s best to buy a camera lens that can produce breathtaking photos with both dream-like depth and realism. Take, for example, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2, which has beautiful bokeh, high-quality optics, and a premium weather-sealed build. Because of Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat and Extra-Low Dispersion, you can create dramatic shots that utilize natural backlighting—such as a portrait of you against the stunning sunset of, say, Machu Picchu. To ensure that you can protect your gear while on vacation, invest in a camera bag like Wandrd’s Everyday Sling, which provides soft padding and substantial space that can house your camera, lenses, and spare batteries during your travels.

Create a shot list

Creating a shot list or knowing what you want to document—which can either be wildlife, a monument, or a local dish—helps you capture pictures that hold significance for you. For starters, research the popular sights that are located in your desired destination. If you’re traveling to the Galapagos archipelago, for instance, then you may want to take a photo of the blue waters on San Cristobal Island. As a National Geographic feature recommends, this can be a wonderful opportunity to capture different degrees of splash brought about by crashing waves. Besides this, there are also other interesting shots that you can add to your shot list. For example, many places have a rich public art scene. Specifically, murals in Cartagena’s Getsemaní neighborhood can make for great conversation starters when you’re sharing photos about your trip with family and friends.

Experiment with perspective

Finally, experimenting with perspective lets you generate creative shots on your vacation. It can be as simple as squatting down and taking a photo of a travel companion from below to make them appear larger. Another example that can alter the viewer’s perception of a shot? Isolating the essential components of an image from the background noise. The referenced National Geographic feature recommends stepping back from a congested space, such as a bustling market in Ecuador, and searching for a location where you can get up high to fully capture the bright energy of the scene.

By following the above tips, you can produce wonderful outputs from your travels that you can remember fondly for years to come.