Have you ever noticed how most people’s travel photographs are imitation snaps of postcards? They don’t really offer anything you haven’t seen before, and can be quite boring to look through if there’s more than ten or so. If you tend to take the iconic photo shots that most people take but want to liven up your travel photography portfolio, keep reading for a list of tips that will help take your photos from bland to entertaining.
Create a Photo Story
Instead of just taking one photo of an iconic attraction, why not take a dozen? You can then use Photoshop or a photo editing app to combine all of these into one picture which embodies the essence of the place that you are visiting. One of my favorite photography blogs, FujiUser, does this a lot. If you take a look at his travel photographs, you’ll see that he tells a story through his work. Plus, when you take more than one photo, they can make an interesting montage when added to a frame and hung on your wall back home.
Avoid Family Landmark Shots
Most people try to herd their family in front of a landmark, tell them to smile and snap a photo. But this is usually a forced picture, and disinteresting. Instead, take photos of your family when they are acting naturally. Maybe they’re enjoying an afternoon on the beach or playing football with the locals. These are the photos that will bring back happy memories and remind you of your trip.
Practice Your Food Photography
Everyone with an iPhone takes photos of their food these days, and there’s no reason why you can’t do this on vacation. However, there are ways to make your food stand out. Instead of accepting a table inside the restaurant, ask for a table near the window, or on the veranda if there is one. This way, you won’t need to use the flash and can take a gorgeous food photograph before you tuck in.
Don’t Carry All Your Gear
The last thing you want to be doing when on holiday is traipsing all your camera gear around. Not only will it hurt your back after a while, but you’ll also miss out on some great snapshots if you’re constantly changing your lenses. Instead, stick to one camera and a 50mm lens. With this, you can zoom in if you need to take a closeup, and you won’t be restricted if you’ve seen a great landscape you want to record.
Include People in Your Frames
Try to include local people in your frames. Some of the best pictures are those that include local people enjoying a coffee at a café, people shopping in markets, and people chatting in the park. Street photography has been popular since the 60s and 70s, and this is because the human element can really add interest to your images, especially if they are natural.
So, the next time you take a trip abroad with your camera, keep these tips in mind.
Have you ever noticed how most people’s travel photographs are imitation snaps of postcards? They don’t really offer anything you haven’t seen before, and can be quite boring to look through if there’s more than ten or so. If you tend to take the iconic photo shots that most people take but want to liven up your travel photography portfolio, keep reading for a list of tips that will help take your photos from bland to entertaining.
Create a Photo Story
Instead of just taking one photo of an iconic attraction, why not take a dozen? You can then use Photoshop or a photo editing app to combine all of these into one picture which embodies the essence of the place that you are visiting. One of my favorite photography blogs, FujiUser, does this a lot. If you take a look at his travel photographs, you’ll see that he tells a story through his work. Plus, when you take more than one photo, they can make an interesting montage when added to a frame and hung on your wall back home.
Avoid Family Landmark Shots
Most people try to herd their family in front of a landmark, tell them to smile and snap a photo. But this is usually a forced picture, and disinteresting. Instead, take photos of your family when they are acting naturally. Maybe they’re enjoying an afternoon on the beach or playing football with the locals. These are the photos that will bring back happy memories and remind you of your trip.
Practice Your Food Photography
Everyone with an iPhone takes photos of their food these days, and there’s no reason why you can’t do this on vacation. However, there are ways to make your food stand out. Instead of accepting a table inside the restaurant, ask for a table near the window, or on the veranda if there is one. This way, you won’t need to use the flash and can take a gorgeous food photograph before you tuck in.
Don’t Carry All Your Gear
The last thing you want to be doing when on holiday is traipsing all your camera gear around. Not only will it hurt your back after a while, but you’ll also miss out on some great snapshots if you’re constantly changing your lenses. Instead, stick to one camera and a 50mm lens. With this, you can zoom in if you need to take a closeup, and you won’t be restricted if you’ve seen a great landscape you want to record.
Include People in Your Frames
Try to include local people in your frames. Some of the best pictures are those that include local people enjoying a coffee at a café, people shopping in markets, and people chatting in the park. Street photography has been popular since the 60s and 70s, and this is because the human element can really add interest to your images, especially if they are natural.
So, the next time you take a trip abroad with your camera, keep these tips in mind.
