How to become better at travel photography
Capturing your adventures on camera is a must if you’re a traveler. How else are you supposed to be able to show everyone the incredible spots you’ve discovered? How else are you supposed to hold on to the precious memories you’ve created? Being a good photographer doesn’t come naturally to most people though. Most of the time, it’s a skill that’s developed over time. Don’t panic though. We’ve gota a few tips up our sleeves to help you become better at travel photography.
Practice makes perfect
Let’s jump right into it: you won’t get better at travel photography unless you practice, practice, practice. I know, it’s not what you wanted to hear (especially if you’ve never picked up a camera in your life before!), but it’s just the way it is 😛. If you were born with a natural eye for photography, congratulations, you’re probably going to pick up some skills quicker than others, but that doesn’t let you off the hook – you’ve still got to practice if you don’t want your travel photography to come out blurry, or even worse, completely over or under exposed.
The best way to practice is to literally just take pictures. That’s how simple it can be. If you enjoy a more ‘academic’ approach, there are also plenty of books out there that’ll get you on the right path. Some of my personal favorites include this book if you want to snap pics of your loved ones, or people watch with your camera, and this one if you’re more into photographing scenes.
Photograph anything and everything and get inventive
It’s part of the practice – photograph anything and everything you can. If you think something looks cool, it’s worth photographing. And play around a little bit too. Try photographing the same things in different lighting, different heights, from different perspectives. Photography is an art form that can be expressed in any way you’d like. The point of a photo is to tell a story – your story, no less. Make it as interesting as you can.
Leave the delete button alone
Don’t delete your photos. Even the truly awful ones. Instead, use them as a learning curve. What wrong move did you make when you took the photo? Is the lighting wrong? Did you get yourself into the wrong position? Were you in a rush? Like we said, your photos always tell a story.
Don’t go straight for the most expensive equipment
I don’t know if you’ve noticed it too, but most travel influencers who take the best photographs on their adventures are always being asked the same question: what type of camera do you use? Let’s get it straight – you do not need the most expensive camera to take quality photographs. Sure, it would be nice to invest in a camera that gives you room to grow, but don’t let the price tag of today’s latest trend cameras get you down. Find the right camera for you. Do some research online. Best cameras for beginners is always a good place to start. Get yourself a nifty little gem that will get you through all those early practice days.
Read the instructions
Do spend some time getting to know your camera. It can be tricky at first, but actually, learning a little about shutter speed and ISO will help you in the long run. If you buy a digital camera, there will be lots of little knobs and buttons to press, and reading the instruction manual will definitely give you a headstart on where to start. You’ll discover why your photos look the way that they do when you shoot at certain speeds, and how you can find your own style.
Try different mediums
Recently, 35mm film cameras have been making a comeback. Call us 80s and 90s babies nostalgic, but it seems like we want to go back to the days when our photos weren’t brought to life in front of our eyes. If you’re not up for grabbing a digital camera because they look a little hardcore and there are too many buttons, grab yourself a film camera and go back to basics. If you’re planning on going this way though, don’t just buy disposable cameras – they’re terrible for the environment, plus the cheapest film cameras really won’t cost you an arm and a leg, so it won’t be a big investment.
It’s time to head out into the world and start snapping away. Don’t forget our golden rule of practice, practice, practice and you’ll be a star photographer in no time.
