While most people rely on postcards and other people’s Instagram accounts for their travel pictures, we recommend building these memories through self taken camera pictures. When one revisits their travel photography it brings back memories and one can relive their entire travel vicariously via those pictures. Whether you have attended a full-fledged photography school or even a basic photography workshop such as the one Canon Edge has for its members, a few travel photography tips can benefit anyone.
Credit: Veera Thiruppal
Tip 1: Wake up early and be out till late
Light is very important to get some great pictures. The warm and soft morning light creates great photos. To get epic shots and avoid tourists and crowds, waking up early is a great idea. Imagine being able to get a shot of the Eiffel tower or Taj Mahal with no one around. Just like the sunrise, even sunsets are great lighting options for pictures. Golden hour is a popular term which is used to describe the hour before sunset and the hour after sunrise due to the warm and soft hues. The hour before sunrise and after sunset is called the blue hour as the sky is blue and the city lights are on.
Tip 2: Scout the location before the trip
Be well versed with the region you plan to visit; go through some travel guidebooks and follow some Instagram & Pinterest accounts such as Canon India’s official account to get ideas for photos. Reach out to friends, photographers and family who have visited the place and get some awareness about the iconic places you need to visit to capture the essence of the trip. Once you have made a list of photo locations that have potential, figure out what days of the week they are shut, what is the best time to visit those for the best light, how will you reach the vantage points and other such important considerations that will impact your images. A little research will help you go a long way in getting some great images.
Tip 3: Take permission from locals to be clicked
If you are into taking portraits of locals and shooting faces, you need to find a non-invasive way to broach the topic with them. Foreign countries can be tough on photographers as you don’t know what will offend people? Are they comfortable with you clicking them? How do you ask someone? The language and cultural differences are bound to make you nervous. It takes some time before you ease into shooting portraits of the local people. The key is to always take permission and not to jump right in – start a conversation, give a compliment, chat for a bit and then ask. Once you have been rejected a couple of times you will get the hang of it and approaching people will become easier.
Tip 4: Always remain eager to learn
No matter how great a photographer you think you are, it is always advisable to keep brushing up your skills, if it is a hobby, join a basic photography workshop or enrol in an online photography school and learn a new form of photography. Go out and practice and upgrade your skills, save and invest in some good gear and invest in the hobby as a profession. Take up challenging genres, move out of your comfort zone and soon you will become a more skilled travel photographer.
Apart from freezing travel memories for yourself to look back on, the pictures you take will also inspire people. Each place you visit will have its distinct culture, vibe, history, people and a unique story to tell. When you capture these emotions via your pictures, you can convey your emotion of the place to viewers. This can inspire people to want to venture out and explore new lands.