How to improve your travel photography and give your images some originality

In today’s crowded digital world, it’s all about adding a unique touch to your travel photos to really stand out. Just switching up your shooting angle might not cut it!

Here are some tips to help your audience feel like they’re right there with you. By sharing interesting stories and capturing scenes that draw them in, you will create a memorable experience for your viewers.

Don’t stick strictly to the plan

Having a plan is helpful, but it can also hold you back from exploring and staying curious. Sure, there are plenty of iconic spots to snap pictures of – but if you really want to discover the area's hidden gems, go with your gut instincts.

Take a stroll down side streets or through alleyways, and you might just find some unexpected and amazing photo ops. This kind of wandering makes for a more laid-back photography experience, which is something you want to allow for sometimes.

Frame travel atmospheres

As a traveler, you immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and scents of the destination – but don't forget that your audience is missing out on those sensations. To ensure your travel photos truly stand out, communicate a sense of feeling and place through your work.

Capturing your impressions is what sets a pro apart from an amateur. Even with just a little gear, you can show off the mood of your trip – like experimenting with exposure to highlight the beauty of a waterfall. The secret is to use photographic techniques to really capture what makes any scene special.

To give your images extra impact, learn about the traditions and cultural interactions of the places you’re visiting. Do your research and include events and celebrations to enrich the story with a sense of adventure, context, and a deeper meaning.

Watch the background

This is a classic tip that portrait photographers know well. If you want to draw attention to certain elements or subjects in your photo, isolating the subject with a shallow depth of field is key to making it pop against a busy background.

To melt a background into a blur of bokeh, open up your aperture to its maximum (the smallest f-number), which lets in a lot of light. Just remember that, in bright conditions, you'll want to keep your ISO low and shutter speed high to balance the exposure.

Pro tip: Analyze the light

Figuring out outdoor lighting can be tricky, especially when you’re in new places. But if you want high-quality travel photos, don't forget to consider the light so you can really capture the atmosphere and showcase your subject in the best way. Apps like Best Photo Times can help you know how the light will hit the scene. It even provides a visual layout on a map to show what lighting effects to expect.

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Make sure to check out the best travel cameras and the best lenses for travel photography to maximize your shooting.