You don’t have to be an aspiring Instagram star or have a fancy camera to want to learn how to take better travel photos. Nope. Not at all. Maybe you want to get some better shots to put up on your wall or to send in Christmas cards.
It seems in the world today if we’re out taking photos it must be for a bigger reason. I mean if it’s not on Instagram, did it even happen, right? Well, I think wrong. Not everyone wants a big expensive camera, to make it into a career or to even dive deep into the world of photography. Which, I’ve gotta tell you, is perfectly fine! And if you do, that’s cool too, you’re still in the right place. You may simply want to be able to take photos on your travels or weekend getaways and have beautiful images to look back on to relive and remember those moments. Which, let’s be honest, isn’t that what photography is really about!?
I have always been one to take photos, make scrapbooks and frame images for the wall. Photography runs in my family with my grandfather, my dad and even my brother but it wasn’t until a few years ago before I started to take it a lot more seriously. That was a choice though and before that I was happily snapping not thinking about the photos too much. I just wanted something to put in my books and up on the wall.
Over the last two years, I have put a lot of effort into practice and educating myself on how to take better photos. Like everything in life, there is still so much learning to do but I want to share some of the basics that I know to help guide and teach you how to take better travel photos.
Whether you’re a weekend wanderer and want to casually take some snaps or looking to explore the world of photography a little bit more, this post and ebook guide is for you.
You can have a DSLR, mirrorless or your smartphone, all of these tips can be applied to any kind of camera and ones you can put to practice right away! There are the basics of what every good photo is made up of. You can take it as seriously as you want but try and keep these things in mind next time you’re out and about. To make it easier, I’ve added a quick checklist that you keep on your phone or have with you to jog your memory before you start snapping. You can grab this along with the ebook in on my ‘free resource’ page.
Here we go.
1. Clean your lens
I know, so basic but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken photos with a dirty lens. Both on my camera and phone. This one is especially true if you’re using a smartphone. We fiddle around with our phones so much, taking it in and out of our pockets that the camera lens gets dirty and a lot of times we don’t even realize! We’ll take a few photos and later notice it doesn’t look quite clear or is a bit smudgy. Which I gotta tell you can be quite disappointing. Also true for cameras. Dust spots are very minuscule but certainly show up in post-processing and can be a pain to try and get rid of!
2.Straight horizons
I will be honest and say this one of my biggest pet peeves– when the horizon isn’t straight unless it’s intentionally tilted to create an interesting image.
Keeping horizons straight in a photo creates balance in the image and will make a huge difference. If the horizon of the ocean in the background, for example, is tilted, that’s all that your eye will focus on and it just won’t look quite right. It will also take away from the other parts of your image that are actually meant to be the focal point. Although you’ll want to try and get it straight in your camera first, it is very easy to fix in post-processing be on your phone or in computer software like lightroom.
What will help a lot is turning on the grid option in your phone or camera. This will make it way easier to line up your horizon and get it straight the first time.
3. Rule of thirds
This is a great place to start out in learning how to compose shots. It is not an easy thing to put an image together but the more you get out there to practice and learn to see things differently, the easier it becomes. Keeping it simple to start will help you place subjects in your photo and compose an image that will make sense and look pleasing to the eye.
That all sounds a bit daunting I know, so try not to overthink it and just start with the basics.
The idea of this rule is to divide your image into 9 equal parts. If you’re taking photos of landscapes with an interesting foreground like trees, rocks, sand etc, consider composing your shot with 2/3 of the shot filled with the foreground and 1/3 filled with sky. If the sky is really interesting though, try the opposite, 2/3 sky, 1/3 foreground. This is a great starting point especially if you’re taking photos of landscapes.
This rule also helps guide where your subjects go. When you look at the 9 square grid, where the lines intersect is where you want to place your subject or points of interest in the scene.
Again, to help, turn on the grid in the camera on your smartphone and camera and line up your subject with the intersections on the grid.
4. Different angles
Most people when taking a photo are standing up and holding their phones at eye level. There is nothing wrong with this, but I encourage you to move around a little bit — crouch down, shoot up, shoot down. Find different angles to photograph your scene or subject. This will help to tell the story of the photograph and just add more interest to the photo.
An example would be photographing children, wildlife or maybe someone sitting down in the street. You’ll want to get down at their eye level as this will evoke more emotion in the image.
If you want to practice a little bit, next time you take a photo of your friend by the lake or sitting on a rock on a mountain, take a handful of photos of the same thing but at different angles.
5. Movement
We are all guilty when we get in front of the camera of standing still. This is working on the premises that you are going to get in your photos. Which, I think you should. Not only do humans make great subjects in an image but don’t you want to be in your own photos on your travels and be able to go, ‘look! I was there!’. I know I do! The guide goes into more of why every photo needs a subject but when you do get in front of the camera, try adding some kind of movement rather than standing still. Maybe run down the road, or jump up and down. Sit on a rock with your feet kicking back and forth. Movement brings more emotion to an image– it’s fun! And I can promise you’ll have fun doing it!
5. Look around
This is so true when you’re traveling around at busy tourist spots. The best thing to do is take photographs where people are not! Even if you’re taking a photograph of the same thing, go back to tip #3 of different angles. If everyone is photographing right in front, maybe try to take the photo from up high or down below. You may even spot something behind you that others have even seen yet!
Another reason to look around is during golden hour! Shooting into the sun is great and a technique in itself but have you ever turned around at sunset to a sky FULL of colour?! I know I have and that’s exactly where my camera is pointed!
6. Show scale and create perspective
There is a reason why you see so many images with mountain backdrops and tiny little people or a tiny boat on a lake. These photos are showing the scale of the scenery and mostly how big and vast it is! It’s a technique I personally love because it shows perspective and gives viewers an idea of how large everything really is. Having a bright piece of clothing or something colourful really helps you stand out too and makes ya pop. This is what makes people go ‘WOW’ (insert heart eye emoji!)
Of course, this can work the other way too when you show how small something is! You can get creative here and configure an image to keep it interesting!
7. Finding ‘good’ light
Lighting is a subject in photography that takes years of practice and time to learn. Generally speaking, you want soft, indirect or natural light when taking photos. This helps reduce harsh shadows. Now I know for many, lighting may be the last thing that’s on your mind when you’re out exploring and snapping photos. Don’t worry because you can still get great shots that you love. I take a lot of photos in the middle of the day when I’m hiking and although they might not be show stoppers, I’m still able to capture that memory and the moment.
You’ll hear over and over, only take photos during golden hour, the time just after sunrise and before sunset. These are great times to take photos, especially at busy sites. The crowds more often than not die down especially in the early morning as the sun comes up so, bonus, you can have a busy spot all to yourself. The light during these times is generally the most flattering as it is soft and golden. These are also the times of day when you get those beautiful pastel skies full of colour as well!
Not always is it possible to be out at sunset or sunrise which is ok! Look for shade to create softer and indirect light, even during the middle of the day. Keep an eye out for umbrellas, big trees (without too many bright spots in the background) and if you’re inside, rooms with lots of windows to bring in natural light. Overcast days might look blah but are actually great for taking photos as it in a way filters out the sun!
These are just a few tips to help guide you improving on your travel photos. The best thing to do when starting out is keeping it simple and build upon the skills you’ve learned.
Along with these tips, I have created an ebook that brings the basics together in one place. Tips and guidelines that you can apply right away to your photos. Also a pocket guide that you can save to your phone to whip out as a quick reminder.
Don’t underestimate the basics as these really are the pillars when starting out. Keeping them in your head especially when you’re out exploring helps you to look at things with a different eye. A puddle no longer is just a random hole with water but instead and opportunity for a unique reflection composition. Knowing about straight lines or where the person in your subject should be will get you taking your time, thinking through your image and capturing an amazing shot!
Take it as seriously as you want to but just remember to enjoy and have fun!
