Behind the Lens: Photography Tips for Travel
Taking photos when I travel is something that really connects me to the places I go. Every photographer can relate to someone telling them to “put the camera down & live in the moment”, but I would argue that having my camera connects me more to the present & allows me to see things I would normally miss. My grandparents travelled the world in the early 70s & 80s and I spent my childhood buried in meticulously organized photo books every time we ventured to their house. I attribute that to being a big reason I became a photographer. Just the ability to capture something whether that be a landmark, a favourite place or just to bring people into your “world” so to speak and make them feel like they were there.
When I first arrive at a new place, I spend a few hours just wandering. For me, it isn’t about researching the spot as much as it is about understanding what kind of story you are trying to tell. They don’t always reveal themselves right away and that’s ok.
If it’s a busy city full of people and traffic, using a low shutter speed is a cool effect to show motion. If there are some tall buildings, using a low-angle shot to give things a different perspective can really have a ton of impact.
The thing I love about travel and street photography is the freedom of creativity. Perfection is unattainable and to be honest a bit uninspiring.
For example, unless you want to be the 100 millionth person to take a boring photo of the Eiffel Tower, don’t just post up with your tripod in the middle of the park and snap away. Look at it from a new angle.
It takes a bit of trial and error to find out what style of photos you most enjoy taking. Photography also has a ton of rules - composition, rule of thirds, depth of field, and leading lines to name a few. Add shooting on manual (which I highly recommend), and all of this can be pretty daunting when you’re just starting out.
My advice for shooting impactful travel and street photography may be different from yours or others you have read, but that’s why I think it's such an exciting side of photography. Of course, the rules that I mentioned are important but make sure you play around with them and find out best what works for you.
Here are my top tips:
Know your camera, Spend some time going through the settings on your camera, even shooting in your house, changing the settings to better understand how Aperture - Shutter speed - and ISO affect your photos. Being quick with these setting changes will assure that you get every shot no matter what.
Remember to charge your battery and put a memory card in your camera before you head out. More than a few times I have gotten all excited to head out on an adventure and left a memory card sitting on my desk or my battery dead. Rookie moves, it happens.
When shooting street/travel photography, I like to spend some time walking through the streets before pulling my camera out. Remember to take a breath. There’s no rush. Having a list of shots of places you must see will only stress you out and you will most likely get home with a bunch of shots that don't really capture the place you were. I am not always that good at this one but I find my photos get better as the day goes on. Just settle in, have a coffee or 3 and let the photo inspiration come to you rather than writing a hit list of photos you must get.
You don’t have to be all complicated with your settings or have the newest camera to take great photos. I am definitely on the less tech side of photography. Understanding the basic rules and composition techniques will give you a better idea of your style & what looks best to you; saying that, break some rules and learn as you go! Blur some photos with a slow shutter speed, find some cool leading lines or some cool shadows and put your own touch on it. That's the awesome part, It’s your interpretation.
Don’t be too quick to critique your photos. If you can hold up on the edit and make sure you don’t delete anything remotely usable, you will be surprised at how many more photos you will like if you give it a day or so, even a week. People have deadlines and want to share. I get that but don’t be too hyper-critical. You’re too close to your own work. Give it time.
My last tip would be to get a bag where it is easy to get your camera out. I’m not a huge fan of always having it out just around my neck or in my hand. It’s sometimes better to be able to slip it away after capturing the shot so it’s safer from the “elements” and doesn’t draw any unnecessary attention. Having a bag where you can easily access your camera is great; makes it easier to grab and not overthink if it’s worthy of taking your backpack off. Run and gun photos are usually my favourite.
