How To Get Started In Travel Photography
Do your holiday pictures fall flat in comparison to the real thing? Does your photography not show why a place is amazing? It’s time to learn how to start taking better travel photography with our 5 key tips and cut down on editing time with our travel photography lightroom presets!
Download our free travel photography presets by filling in the form below!
What is ‘Travel Photography’?
Travel photography goes way beyond your typical holiday snaps. Travel photography is centred around the idea of capturing the world around you in the best possible way – emphasising the culture, landscape, architecture and people that make that place so great. Travel pictures encompass multiple disciplines such as portraiture, lifestyle, landscape, street photography and more. It’s about documenting your journey and destination and telling the story of the location. Travel photos are also an incredibly commercial avenue of photography. There’s a whole host of professional photographers who have turned their passion for taking travel pictures into a career by selling their images to publications, tours and holidays.
Vaida Tamosauskaite on Unsplash. Capture your adventures with travel photography
Yousef Alfugigi on Unsplash. Travel photography informed by photography foundations will turn out better.
Timo Stern on Unsplash. Use travel photography techniques to level up your travel photos.
The Principles of Travel Photography
You’re probably not looking to become a career travel photographer, but there’s some important points of the genre that will get you professional looking pictures rather than your average tourist snaps.
Keep in mind the three most important principles of travel photography:
1. Place
2. People
3. Experience
Taking these ideas and using them to inform your photographs will make for much better travel pictures that tell a story about the location.
These core ideas are fundamental travel photography techniques used by professional travel photographers to capture authentic moments and tell visual stories about a destination.
Oliver Sjostorm on Unsplash. Don't just capture a place, capture the experience and atmosphere in your travel photography.
Jeff Sheldon on Unsplash. Travel photography is all about capturing what makes a place special.
Jakob Owens on Unsplash. Don't be afraid to show off people interacting with a place in your travel photography.
Master the Photography Basics for Better Travel Photography
As with any genre of photography, you want to get the basics first. Understanding light, composition, camera settings and how to use them in different situations, is essential to travel photography. Remember the environment and needs of the scene can be changeable and varied depending on your location so having that control over your camera will ensure good results anywhere at any time.
Grab yourself a good beginner’s photography book or take an online course to get the basics nailed before you go travelling. That extra time spent on your learning will pay dividends in your photography and the knowledge gained will last forever.
Looking to start your photography journey? Join our beginner’s course to get the foundations down!
Neom on Unsplash. Want to know how to capture professional looking landscapes? Check out the course here.
Good post-processing for Travel Photography
The best travel photographs, the ones that you’ll see published in glossy magazines or books, are all edited on a computer in some way or another. There are lots of different apps you can use to post process your photography but if you are serious about photography then we recommend Photoshop or Lightroom. And to help you on your way we’ve created 10 Lightroom presets to elevate your travel photography. Download them above and apply them to your images with one click!
Want to learn all about editing your photos? Check out our Lightroom course.
Massimiliano Morosinotto on Unsplash. Get more out of your travel photography when you use editing software like Lightroom or Photoshop
Vinivius Eloy Bailo on Unsplash. Get creative with colouring in Photoshop.
Quino Al on Unsplash. Create an atmosphere with photo editing to take your travel photography to the next level.
5 Essential Travel Photography Tips for Capturing Better Travel Photos
Travel Photography Tip 1 – Shoot at Sunrise, Sunset and Blue Hour
You want to give yourself the best opportunity to get the best photos – so increasing your time shooting is always a good time. Early starts will enable you to capture blue hour and the sunrise and going to bed later will let you capture the sunset and the nightlife of a location – nowhere is the same after dark.
For landscape and city pictures, getting up and out before sunrise will also ensure these iconic landmarks are as empty as possible allowing you to photograph people-free scenes. If you are interested in photographing cities at night, click here.
Guiseppe Mondi on Unsplash. Places look completely different at different times of day, get up early to see the difference.
Dylan Chung on Unsplash. Get creative with the different lighting at each time of day. Learn how to capture cities at night in our full course here.
Get access to ALL our online courses - 1000’s of videos, worksheets, critiques of members work, personalised support and much more with our monthly membership.
Travel Photography Tip 2 – Research the Best Travel Photography Locations
Festivals, events, cultural celebrations? Learn when and where you need to be to capture the magic of your travels. Use this research to plan what you want to capture. Of course, there’s no way to guarantee the weather or the exact shots that you’ll get, but planning gives you a much better chance of getting the photographs you want. It’s also a good idea to talk to the locals, they’ll be able to tell you the best places to see things and let you know of any interesting events that may be taking place.
Jared Rice on Unsplash. Don't leave your travel photography up to chance. Research the best places to get beautiful pictures.
Akshansh Kumar on Unsplash. Don't miss out on festivals and seasonal celebrations - look into a location before you go to capture your travel photography.
Travel Photography Tip 3 – Pack Light Travel Photography Gear
If you’re going to be moving around busy streets or hiking up hills and mountains you aren’t going to want to be carrying all your heavy gear. Slim down on your kit and only take the essential gear in a bag that fits you well! It also helps you blend in with the crowd – someone who’s got a huge camera and tripod in tow will stand out like a sore thumb and you may struggle to get authentic pictures.
It’s ok to take an array of equipment with you on the trip as a whole but when it comes to going out on a shoot, only take what you need – the rest can stay in the hotel!
Alvian Hasby on Unsplash. You don't need super heavy equipment to capture beautiful travel photography. Pack light to get to those hard-to-get to places!
Travel Photography Tip 4 – Tell a Story Through Your Travel Photos
The most important part of your travel photography is to tell the story! One element of taking great travel pictures, that can sometimes be overlooked amongst the stunning pictures of expansive vistas and breathtaking landscapes, is the documentation of culture. Tell the story of the location – capture its people and its atmosphere - but always chat with people and ask permission before you take any photos!
This is a little bit like street photography – capturing those small moments that encapsulate the atmosphere on the ground.
If you’re looking for tips on taking better street photography, check out our blog.
Eddy Boom on Unsplash. Capture a single moment that can tell a story in your travel photography.
Finding Dan, Dan Grinwis on Unsplash. Use compositional techniques to help tell a story.
Travel Photography Tip 5 – Print and Share Your Travel Photography
You’ve just travelled thousands of miles to get that stunning shot of a beautiful sunrise over the mountains. Now you’re just going to leave it on your computer or let it get lost on your facebook page!
Print out your travel photographs. You can put it on the wall or pop all the shots from your journey into a beautifully printed book. You’ve put the work in, you should show it off, in print form!
Want to know how to format your own photobook? Click here to find out how!
Display your travel photography on the wall in framed prints.
Collate all of your travel photography together in a photobook.
Bonus Travel Photography Tip – Back up your photos
Don’t be the photographer that’s gone on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure only to find that they’ve lost the only camera card they had with them with all their shots on. The best rule to go by is the rule of three – one with you, one on a cloud (or at home) and another in a third location.
Take a laptop or tablet with you and back your images onto an external drive.
Eric Mclean on Unsplash. Don't forget to back up your travel photography!
Travel Photography FAQs
What is travel photography?
Travel photography is a genre of photography that captures the essence of a place, including its landscapes, people, culture, architecture, and everyday life. The goal is to tell a visual story about a destination and convey the feeling of being there.
What equipment do you need for travel photography?
The best travel photography gear is lightweight, versatile, and easy to carry. Most photographers travel with a compact camera or mirrorless camera, a versatile zoom lens, extra batteries, and memory cards. Portability and image quality are key when shooting while travelling.
What are the best compact cameras for travel photography?
Some of the most popular compact cameras for travel photography include the Fujifilm X100VI, Ricoh GR IV, and Sony RX100 VII. These cameras offer excellent image quality while remaining small enough to carry easily during long days of travel.
Can you do travel photography with a smartphone?
Yes, modern smartphones are capable of producing high-quality travel photos thanks to advanced sensors, computational photography, and editing apps. Many travellers rely on their phone for convenience and portability, especially when they want to travel light.
Smartphone Photography: How to Take Good Photos with a Phone (11 Killer Tips)
What are the best editing apps for travel photos on mobile devices?
Some of the best mobile editing apps for travel photography include:
Adobe Lightroom Mobile
Snapseed
VSCO
Darkroom
Afterlight
These apps allow photographers to adjust exposure, colour, contrast, and apply creative presets to enhance travel photos quickly.
Learn more on Lightroom here - Learn more on Photoshop here.
What camera settings are best for travel photography?
The best camera settings depend on the situation, but a good starting point is:
Aperture priority mode for quick control over depth of field
Low ISO (100–200) for bright daylight
Higher ISO for low-light scenes
Fast shutter speeds for moving subjects like street scenes
Learning to adapt settings quickly is important when photographing unpredictable travel environments.
To get more in-depth knowledge on photography click here.
What makes a great travel photograph?
A great travel photograph captures more than just a location. It tells a story about the culture, people, and atmosphere of a destination. Strong composition, interesting light, and authentic moments often make travel photos stand out.
How do you take better travel photos?
To improve your travel photography:
Shoot during golden hour for better light
Include people and local culture in your photos
Look for unique perspectives and compositions
Travel light so you can react quickly to moments
Learn basic editing to enhance your images
Is travel photography a good career?
Travel photography can be a career through work such as magazine assignments, tourism campaigns, stock photography, workshops, or social media collaborations. However, many photographers combine travel photography with other photography niches to build a sustainable income.
How do you plan a travel photography trip?
Planning helps you capture better photos. Research destinations, check sunrise and sunset times, scout photo locations online, and prepare the right lenses and gear. Being prepared allows you to maximise opportunities once you arrive.
What lenses are best for travel photography?
A 24–70mm equivalent zoom lens is one of the most versatile choices for travel photography. Many photographers also carry a wide-angle lens for landscapes and a fast prime lens for low-light street photography.
What should you photograph while travelling?
Travel photography can include many subjects such as:
Landscapes and cityscapes - Urban Landscape Photography - More Than Just a Cityscape
Street photography and local life - Tips for Street Photography
Architecture and landmarks - Architectural Photography – The Complete Guide
Food and markets
Cultural events and festivals
Travel photography aims to capture the character and atmosphere of a destination.
Conclusion
Travel photography is more than just snapping pictures; it's about capturing the essence of a place, its people, and your unique experiences. By mastering the basics, planning your shoots, and using the tips we've shared, you can elevate your travel photos from simple snapshots to captivating stories.
Using these travel photography tips and our presets (download via the form above) is only the tip of the iceberg of what you can achieve in travel photography. We hope that this has inspired you to go out and capture the magnificent world around you. Remember, the best camera is the one you have with you, so don't hesitate to start exploring and capturing the world around you. And most importantly, have fun with it!
Happy snapping!
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