Travel Photography

“Travel photography is a genre of photography that may involve the documentation of an area’s landscape, people, cultures, customs and history.” – Wikipedia

Travel photography is the most open in terms of type of subjects that can be photographed. From landscapes to wildlife photography, from food to street photography, or portraiture to night-time photography.  Travel Photography involves capturing a wide variety of subjects under varying and different conditions.  But wait, all I want to know is how to take travel photos.

How to take travel photos?

Surfers Paradise,  Australia

Before I get onto How To Take Travel Photos, I first want to discus what I mean by travel.  For me travel means anything from an afternoon trip to the Beach to an overseas holiday in Asia.  As I said in the introduction travel photography includes the widest range of subjects.  It does not so much matter about where you are going or why, Travel Photography is all about recognising the opportunities to capture a memorable photograph.

We now have a trip in mind, the second question which comes up is what camera do I need to use to take travel photos?

What Camera should I use?

“The best camera is the one that’s with you.” – Chase Jarvis

It does not matter whether you are using a point n shoot camera, a smart phone or a DSLR! It is the camera you have in your hand, that you are comfortable using, which is the best camera to capture what is in front of you.  There will be times that you can capture a picture of a moment with your smart phone, which would be long gone and missed by the time you get your DSLR out.  And if you don’t even know what a DSLR is we have a post on that too.

The main point with travel photography is to capture that interesting moment, that memorable picture.  More important that what camera you use is to recognise those moments which are worth capturing.

How to capture memorable moments?

Travel photography is about just having your camera with you, you may have no intention of using it, but when you make a connection with your subject being able to snap away. Being able to do this doesn’t happen overnight, but over time you can develop so that you are thinking about how the photograph will look before you take it.  In this way you find something unique when a “holiday-maker” will find the usual backdrop.

Within my website you will see articles on how to develop this connection with your subject, tips and tricks that you can use, but this will only show you the path.  In the end the only way to develop the ability to notice and capture those memorable moments is to get out there and take photos.

Now that doesn’t mean you have to go on holidays or take a long trip somewhere, if you want to develop your ability to capture wildlife head off for an afternoon at the zoo.  If you want to improve at capturing the locals at their day to day tasks head down town for a day and wander the streets.  There are so many ways you learn how to take travel photos without leaving home.

Brisbane River, Australia

If you have any questions about how to take travel photos, travel photography or would like to offer your view on Travel Photography, please leave a comment below.  I would love to hear all about it!