i've always wanted to be a travel photographer

• How to Become a Professional Travel Photographer
• Career Tips
• By Lisa Michele Burns

Travel Photography: A Guide to Getting Started as a Travel Photographer

The title of ‘Travel Photographer’ is the pinnacle for many creatives with that ever enduring sense of wanderlust.

You would think all you need is a camera and a plane ticket to become a travel photographer, right?

In theory, yes. But in practice, you’re competing with a world filled of talented creatives all vying for the opportunity to be a full time travel photographer.

That said, there is so much room in the industry for skilled photographers as the need for quality content is at an all time high.

Social media and online publications are soaking up visual content like a sponge. The urge to publish engaging and unique imagery, viral videos and inspiring posts means photographers are in demand right now!

Are you ready to get involved?

I’m writing this guide from over 17+yrs in the industry as a travel photographer, you’ll find my personal portfolio here at lisamicheleburns.com  – there’s so much space in the industry if you can create photographs with a refreshing view of the world, and I hope this guide will help you discover how you can work as a travel photographer and join me in this exciting industry!

Read below to find information on the following steps to starting a career as a travel photographer:

– Setting Goals – Learn Photography – Create a Niche Style – Build a Portfolio – Create a Website – Finding Clients – Getting Published – Build Your Social Media Presence – Master the Art of Self Promotion

How to start a Career in Travel Photography

1. set goals.

Before you even look at your camera or think about the amazing places you’ll visit take a step back and look inside.

Write down exactly why you want to be a travel photographer. Is it to get your photo on the cover of National Geographic? To travel for free? To visit far away places and document them as a photojournalist? Or is it simply because you love taking photos and seeing new places?

Setting goals and thinking about the reason you want to be a travel photographer sounds like a pretty easy step to skip but believe me, you want those goals to look back at one day. When you’ve had a bad few months without work, when you’re knee deep in mud because you took the term ‘getting the shot’ a bit too far…you want to be reminded of why you’re doing it.

Writing a set of achievable goals will also give you a path to follow. Travel photography has no real set career path so be sure to write some short term goals and long term goals to work towards.

2. Learn Photography

So this step may seem obvious but you’ll be surprise how many fail to take it seriously. If you are really keen work in the travel photography industry and become a full-time travel photographer you need to know your camera inside out.

Having 500 people ‘like’ your photo on Instagram doesn’t cut it in the world of media and publishing if that photo doesn’t print sharp above 1000 pixels wide.

Knowing the right settings, image quality standards and having the eye to see and capture the world creatively will put you ahead of the pack.

I’m not a big believer in getting a formal education for a creative skill (different for everyone!) but if you prefer to learn from books there are a number of courses online that will help you out. There are various ways to learn photography and depending on your learning style, it’s usually best to find the method that suits you best as we’re all different! Take a peek at this quick guide I wrote about learning styles + 8 ways to learn photography.

Another way to learn photography is to take your camera out and use it until you know how it operates in various lighting conditions, landscapes, indoors, outdoors, upside down, underwater, looking up, looking down. You probably get my drift here.

Knowing how to use your camera is essential to success as a travel photographer because more often than not, it’s those spur of the moment shots that generate the goods. If you can quickly adapt to the surroundings and know what settings to change in a split-second in order to capture a moment, you’re in with a pretty good shot of becoming a professional photographer.

Practice taking photos of friends, pets, your local surroundings, basically anything and everything in order to expand your knowledge of photography.

LEARN MORE WITH THE WANDERING LENS

Creative Courses + Resources for Photographers: If you’re interested in discovering your creative vision and building a portfolio with the aim of finding work as a photographer, The Wandering Lens now offers self-study courses , eBooks and Workbook Bundles. The online courses and downloadable workbooks can be accessed at any time, from anywhere in the world – it’s about creating accessible resources to help you in your photography career. The bring together over 17+years of experience and lessons from working in the industry. I want to see others share their talents and get published, sell prints, find clients – to have the confidence to achieve whatever it is you want to within the field of photography.

Want to work as a travel photographer yourself?

To learn more about becoming a travel photographer, join me for an 8-week online course called The Freelance Travel Photographer Course , where I share anything and everything you need to know to succeed in the industry, based on my 17+yrs as a professional travel photographer. Alternatively, you can register to receive my free email series focused on travel photography as a career. Register for the free travel photography email series here.

Travel Photography Tips –

Some articles from my site that might help you out…all can be found in the Photo Tips section but here are some more specific posts – How To Creatively Compose Travel Images Landscape Photography: Tips for Wide Angle Landscape Photos Learn How to Take Underwater Split-Level Photographs

To develop a consistent style once you’ve got the hang of your camera, then you need to learn some editing skills to give your images a professional edge. Programs like Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop ( sign up for a free trial here ) work wonders in giving your images a little oomph. You can download my personal collection of presets here that allows you to do quick edits at the touch of a button.

I’m still learning 12 years after my first professional travel photography gig and that’s all part of the fun! Staying eager to learn means photography won’t ever get boring!

3. Create a Niche Style as a Travel Photographer

With the world of social media creating a never ending sea of content, standing out as a travel photographer is essential.

It’s not about risking your life in order to be the only one doing it, it’s about creating a consistent quality within your portfolio.

You want people to see a shot and say ‘I know who photographed that’, or at the very least to view your portfolio be wowed by your unique perspective of the world.

Creating a niche style is about developing a vision that portrays your view of the surroundings. Some people specialise in drone aerials, others underwater photography or travel portraits. Whatever your niche is, stick with it and find a way to stand out within the arena.

Putting together a list of things your interested in, then brainstorming a way to creatively capture them will kick things off. You’ll soon notice the way to capture them might blur together and become very similar, your niche style will then take on a mind of it’s own.

Developing a niche is a matter of trial and error. You want to be passionate about your niche and have a real desire to continue with it. The more effort you put into creating, the more results you’ll see appearing professionally.

Read more – ‘My current creative obsession’

4. Build a Portfolio

I’ve read before that it takes at least 10,000 photos before you can really start to call yourself a photographer. I don’t agree.

Building a professional portfolio is about compiling a collection of your best work, whether that was your first shot or 6,428th shot.

A portfolio is your go to link for sharing your work. You want it to highlight what you do and how good you do it.

It can be in the form of a PDF booklet that’s ready to email clients or publishers, an online gallery or you can use sites like Flickr or 500px.com

A few tips on creating a great portfolio: – Keep a folder of your best shots and curate regularly – Be your own worst critic – Sort images based on destination, colour or style

Having a folder of your best shots for each destination will allow you to quickly access them when you need to grab them for a client.

Personally I have a PDF booklet that contains just 20 of my best shots that I believe represents my style of photography. I find it’s quick for people to browse through and it gives them a good feel for what I shoot and what the results can be if we were to work together.

Online portfolios are also great as they can be nice and easy to link to in forums, social media and emails giving people fast access to your work. Just be sure to curate your online portfolio as much as possible, quality over quantity!

No matter how much we’d like to believe people get stuck spending hours gazing in awe through our portfolio, the reality is it takes a few seconds for someone to make a judgement. Make those few seconds count and wow them from the beginning.

Oh and don’t forget a logo.

Having an identifiable logo will help visitors to your portfolio relate with your work whenever that see the logo. Have you seen professional photographers sign the bottom of their printed images? Well to me that’s the perfect logo for a photographer and there’s a website that provides you with exactly that.

Photologo is a service that creates handwritten logos for photographers, meaning if your handwriting isn’t super fancy and calligraphic (is that a word!?), they’ll do the hard work for you and provide you with a set of files to use throughout your portfolio or to print on images!

You’ll find a gallery of sample logos on their website – Photologo

5. Creating a Website or Blog

Separate to having a portfolio, publishing your own content on a website or blog is a fantastic way to showcase your abilities.

By creating your own space online you can publish your content in the way you want it to be seen. Fancy becoming a photojournalist? Publish articles in that style on your own site!Having a collection of published articles, whether they are self published or not, is a great way to show editors and clients what you are capable of.

Even if you can’t write and only want to be a travel photographer, put together a photo feature article showcasing a particular destination or experience. Keep the words to a minimum and all eyes will be focused on your images.

With your own blog or website you have the ability to promote your unique photography style and perspectives to anyone, anywhere in the world. Tools like Google Analytics allow you to see who is checking out your site and where, giving you a great insight into how your photography is getting seen and what the most popular content is on your site!

To create your own website it’s simply a matter of registering a domain name, finding a host, signing up to a free site such as WordPress.org , deciding on a template and uploading your work. It sounds like a lot but you can get it going within a few hours.

Not a huge fan of fiddly code and want to create your portfolio NOW? Websites like wix.com or Squarespace.com actually do all the hard work for you and all you’ve got to do is supply the photos and select a layout style. I created my personal portfolio site using the Wix Premium plan which helps you obtain a domain name and they’re serves look after your site so you don’t have to pay and look after numerous subscriptions, it’s all in one. You can create a site with any layout style you like and Wix also has easy to use SEO, eCommerce and Blogging help so your site will be gracing the pages of Google in no time.

Squarespace is perhaps a little more artistic than Wix when it comes to layouts and available themes. I love the clean look of Squarespace and use it for my pri nt store , if it wasn’t so much work I’d probably transfer my entire site across to Squarespace! I currently use the Commerce plan which allows me to receive print orders and list products for sale but there are lower cost plans if you’re simply after a blog or portfolio site.

The sites I use and recommend are listed below if you’re keen to get started quickly –

All-in-One Web Design – Wix.com or Squarespace.com

Domain Registration – Crazy Domains (look for .com domains to rank better) Web Host – Bluehost (hosting from $3.95 per month) Wordpress Templates – Themeforest (look for themes with changeable features)

*Please note some links used are affiliate links to products I personally use and as such I will receive a small fee should you opt to use their services also. I’ll only ever share affiliate links to products I use for my own business and that I know work.

6. Finding Clients as a Travel Photographer

Once you’ve developed your photographic skills to the point where you believe it will benefit clients, it’s time to begin the approach.

Most travel photographers work on a freelance basis meaning they’ll have a variety of clients ranging from print media and stock libraries to local tour operators and businesses. There really is no limit to who your client can be because everyone needs images for visual marketing!

Think of all the hotel photos you browse through when choosing somewhere to stay. Someone has to take them and most of the time hotels are looking to update their image library, the same goes for tour operators and local tourism boards.

Approaching a new client can be a lot easier if you happen to be visiting that region, or if it’s where you are based. Start local and contact businesses who you regularly use or that have less than desirable images on their website…put together a proposal and they’ll more than likely say yes if it benefits them! If they’re just starting out on social media you can offer to create a library of social media images they can use over a 3-6month period to generate interest in their product/region.

Once you’ve got a client, be sure to over deliver and get creative in finding ways you can work together on an ongoing basis.

Travel Photography Stock Libraries

One way to generate a regular income as a photographer is via stock libraries. To be straight up, not all stock libraries will benefit you and are worth your time. Some pay out a teeny tiny 10cents per sale however others follow industry standards with professional pricing guidelines.

As an approved photographer on stock libraries, you can possibly get access to client briefs where you can submit your work direct to the client, meaning they’ll consider you for the project and see your profile. Otherwise there’s usually a marketplace type system for you to upload your images and have them added to collections based on themes, destinations and seasons.

Some stock libraries to check out include Getty Images , Adobe Stock , Shutterstock , Alamy and istockphoto, I haven’t had any person experience with these so can’t offer too much judgement on these.

7. Getting Published as a Travel Photographer

Now lets talk about the fun stuff. The part where you call your family and tell them to rush to the newsagent and buy every copy of the magazine because your photo is inside!

Having your photography published is one of the biggest achievements as a professional travel photographer. I think it’s a key sign that firstly, your work is worthy of publishing and secondly that you are being seen as a working professional.

Getting published isn’t actually as daunting or elusive as it sounds. It can be a matter of contacting an editor with a great story idea, self-publishing on sites like BoredPanda.com and having editors contact you to republish the article or you might find gigs on sites like freelancer.com.

Ever since I started out as a journalist 12years ago (yikes, old!), I dreamt of having my images published in Lonely Planet guidebooks. That was my goal and I was pretty narrow minded about it. I was so focused that I entered every competition, submitted author applications, photographer applications and compiled folders of my Lonely Planetesque images ready just incase they called me one day. Just to note, social media wasn’t around then…now you can totally just tag them or use a hashtag to get noticed, ha!

It took one competition entry to change my life one year after starting out as a journalist, a series of my photographs from Marrakech were published on lonelyplanet.com and the rest as they say is history. If I can do it, anyone can!

To start out, put together a list of the publications you want your work in. Take a note of the style of photography they publish, the amount of images per editorial and even go as far as checking out the photographers who get published in those magazines.

Most photographers who are published in travel magazines are regulars, they will have built up a reputation with the editor or a journalist and are someone they can call on for great shots. You want to be one of those people they call!

Contacting editors via email can be the best way to have your work seen. Be sure to know the publication before you approach them, and then send through an email with a story/photo feature idea that you believe will fit their publication perfectly. Make sure your pitch is relevant, straight to the point and time sensitive; most print publications will have issues ready months in advance so it’s worth checking their advertising cut-off dates in order to work out what type of content they’ll be after at what time of year. Pitching a summer photo feature when they’re working on winter destinations won’t get you very far!

I really can’t stress enough the importance of researching a publication BEFORE contacting them. You don’t want to be seen as unprofessional in your first email, you want to wow them and make them wonder why they’ve never heard of you before.

If you want to build a portfolio of published work before contacting the bigger publications, look at sites like Matador Network that allow you to submit stories or respond to requested articles. Or as noted above, create your own website and self-publish.

8. Build your Social Media Presence as a Travel Photographer

When I first started out in photography and journalism, social media didn’t exist. I know, crazy.

Now though, social media is actually an essential element to becoming a travel photographer and having your work seen.

It can be as simple as creating an Instagram account, sharing your work and tagging a tourism board so they can see what you’ve been photographing in the region. Simple little social media techniques will lead to future work and if you do it right, you might even find the work comes to you.

Social Media Tips:

– Curate your work, don’t publish every single photo ( read my guide to curating your own work here ) – Research destination relevant hashtags (#seeaustralia, #NZMustDo, #TravelFrance, #inspiredbyiceland) – Tag relevant brands, tourism boards or tour operators – Focus on building relationships with destinations or brands you want to work with (comment, like and share their content) – Build your social following by engaging with your audience. Ask questions in the caption, reply to every single comment you receive, follow other photographers!

Social Media Don’ts:

– Don’t obsessively tag brands and tourism boards if your work isn’t up to scratch yet. Wait until your content is professional enough to wow them. – Don’t ask for freebies if you don’t have an audience to benefit the brand, always think of how you can add value – Don’t get cocky because people start following, be humble, grateful and professional 🙂

Take a look at my post The Best 6 Social Platforms for Photographers , here you’ll find links to social platforms that work best to showcase your work.

Personally, Instagram and Steller are my favourites because they are all about the visuals and you’ll find a great community of creatives.

9. Master the Art of Self Promotion

This little section may be the most important part of all. It’s something I never realised was necessary when I had dreams of being a travel photographer and I wish someone had told me this so I’m sharing it with you all now…

You need to sell yourself.

I’m not talking about being a sell out, I mean you need to be confident in sharing your work, getting it seen and knowing who to show it to. No one is going to do it for you (unless you pay an agent!), mastering the art of self promotion will shape your career.

By using social media, your website, your portfolio, connections you meet, people you know through your mothers friend’s daughter…being confident to promote your work to anyone you meet is essential. You can even get crafty and make promotional products or postcards via sites like moo.com which allows you to print packs with multiple designs, perfect for sending out your portfolio in a fun and unique way!

A little tough love…if you aren’t confident that your work is good, why should anyone else be?

Own it. Be proud of the work you are creating and it will shine through.

Throughout your career you’ll find some people don’t take a liking to your work, and that’s totally fine. Photography is a subjective medium so not everyone is going to love every photo you take and I’m pretty sure you don’t like every photo you see on your Instagram feed either!

Knowing how to sell yourself and your photography portfolio is about finding how YOU can create the best content for a brand. How YOU can photograph the best shot of a hotel room. Whatever job you’re applying for, own your style and be confident in showing the client why they should hire you, try not to compare yourself to others too much.

Side note – I still get those anxious butterflies before a meeting, I still stumble my words when meeting a client for the first time and I still have doubts that maybe my work isn’t good enough. But masking those doubts has become easier over time and I can now put on a professional outside appearance, even if on the inside I’m shaking like a polaroid picture.

Read more – Self Promotion and Marketing for Photographers

Travel Photographer.

Just putting those two words out there so they’re really etched in your thoughts. You can do it!

So there you have it. If you’re serious about becoming a travel photographer I really think there’s nothing stopping you.

Set your goals, get studying on how to use your camera then begin creating your online portfolio to showcase your photography to the world!

While 1 in 1million may get catapulted to instant globe trotting glory, the road to becoming a full time travel photographer is long and at times frustrating. Success isn’t determined by how many likes you get or your follower count, it’s in whether or not you achieve your individual goals as a photographer.

Celebrating the small things will go a long way to creating happiness and the feeling of success in a creative industry!

Keen to learn more with The Wandering Lens?

If you’re eager to improve your photography, explore your creative talents and even perhaps work in the industry, you’ll find self-study courses and a library of eBooks and Workbooks via The Wandering Lens Store . I’ve developed online resources for photographers, creatives, dreamers, adventurers, travellers and freelancers. If that sounds like you, maybe we should connect and chat about your photography goals! These creative courses and resources bring together my 17+years of experience and lessons from working in the industry. I want to see others share their talents and get published, sell prints, find clients – to have the confidence to achieve whatever it is you want to within the field of photography. Get in touch via [email protected] if you’d like to chat about your photography!

JOIN THE FREE MINI COURSE VIA EMAIL – 3 DAYS X 3 EMAILS

Get Involved + Share Your Work!

Because social media is one of the important steps listed above, be sure to share your work using the hashtag #thewanderinglens so I can follow along on your journey! Join The Wandering Lens Facebook Group and share ideas, your work or ask questions amongst like-minded photographers! You’re welcome to leave a link in the comments section below to share your photography story and include a link to your portfolio…

– Please note there are Affiliate Links to my preferred websites/brands/editing programs in the above article. All links are for programs and sites I personally use and recommend!

Hello! I’m the founder and photographer behind The Wandering Lens. With 17+yrs experience as a professional travel and landscape photographer, all advice found on this site is from my personal experience on the road. I hope it’s useful for your own travels and would love to hear in the comments about your trips and experiences around the world.

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• 40 Comments

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Blog comments.

November 30, 2016 at 11:14 pm

Thank you for sharing this, I have a wordpress site already but maybe this will help make me actually do something with it! Love your site by the way 🙂

thewanderinglens

December 1, 2016 at 11:28 am

So lovely to hear Lindsay, definitely keep going with the WordPress site, once the hard work is done it’s so easy to add content and make your work visible!

December 1, 2016 at 12:44 am

This is a great resource! It’s packed with so much info. Thanks for sharing!!!!

December 1, 2016 at 11:27 am

Great to hear Jess! Good luck with your photography 🙂

Thekiwifrog

December 1, 2016 at 4:58 am

Great article Lisa. Super informative and with a great progression.

Just a note on the side. There is a tiny typo for steller that you spelt stellar. I wouldn’t mention it normally but in that case people might get confused if they look for it.

Let me know if you are still around the South Island. We could go for a shoot or coffee.

Cheers Nico

December 1, 2016 at 11:24 am

Thanks Nico, just fixed that up…I always confuse myself into thinking it’s with an ‘a’ 🙂 I won’t be back in NZ until later in 2017, I’ll definitely let you know once I’m heading that way though, can’t go a year without photographing the beautiful South Island! Cheers, Lisa

December 8, 2016 at 8:28 pm

Wow, thanks for the Tips! These are incredibly useful to know and I have already started some of these!

After spending the last 6 years fiddling and learning photography, my wife and I are about to move to Cambridge, UK from Melbourne. We are planning to post and write about our European trips in a capacity that is more than just telling our family what we are doing with the goal of allowing our work to eventually pay for our travel. Our first real post will be up soon, looking at our short weekend trip into the Wimmera/Mallee to visit the new Silo Art in the region. My Wife is a much better writer than I am and is currently editing!

I guess the hardest thing is getting a consistent style in your photos but we’ll just keep at it!

Thanks again for the advice and the inspiration

Nick Zupancich

January 14, 2017 at 7:06 pm

Nice write-up! I’m in the middle of this journey myself. It has had it’s fair share of bumps in the road and every day is an adventure. You were spot on when you mentioned that there is no predetermined set path to follow in becoming a travel photographer. Maybe that’s why this career choice is so interesting 🙂

My work can be found on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/nazpicture/ and also here: NAZpicture.com

January 14, 2017 at 7:18 pm

Hi Nick, thanks for sharing, I absolutely agree, it’s definitely what makes it so interesting! Great to hear you’re on the same path, I just had a peek at your work and love the landscapes! Where are you based? Also…Mikko is adorable!!

January 15, 2017 at 10:47 am

Thank you! I’m currently based out of Colorado but will be moving into a custom sprinter van with my girlfriend in July. We will be living nomadically throughout the US and Canada after that! Should be a very exciting transition. Glad you love MIkko too! We just can’t get enough of him.

Jan Miřacký

February 24, 2017 at 9:14 pm

Another useful and very good content. This self-publishing on websites like Bored Panda is my greatest take-away from your article. Can you perhaps share how to manage your social media / business sites (like imagebrief.com) on a daily and weekly basis? What you do every day, what you check just let’s say once a week, etc. If you use any automation tools like Buffer or Later… That would be a great read without any doubts 😉

Cheers, Jan

March 1, 2017 at 3:57 am

Hi Jan, so happy to hear this article was useful. I’ll be sharing more on how I manage my photography business over the coming weeks in various articles…typically for Instagram I try to post once daily and for ImageBrief I simply respond to relevant briefs that suit images I already have on file. Keep an eye out for new posts weekly and hopefully I’ll cover something of interest to you 🙂

May 3, 2017 at 1:31 am

Hi, thanks for all the good information. For us beginners in social media, you fail to mention that it is not possible to upload photos from one’s computer to Instagram. That would be good information to know. I generally do not store my good images on my phone. Perhaps I should re-think the process.

May 3, 2017 at 1:56 am

Hi Claire, thanks for your message. That’s correct, it’s not possible to upload photos from your computer to Instagram however it’s quite popular to get around this by emailing the photos to yourself, then opening the email on your phone and storing the attached image in your phone’s library. This then allows you to post to Instagram. Alternatively there are a number of apps or plugins that allow you to upload to Instagram, most however will require payment. This is one I suggest looking at ‘ LR/Instagram ‘ but I can’t promise anything as I don’t personally use this method.

July 13, 2017 at 5:06 am

Hi Lisa, Great summary! It shows you that we travel photographers actually have to be jacks of all trades: sales agents, web designers, marketing and PR people, … and besides that we should find time to be photographers 😉 But in my opinion, this is what makes it so fun and interesting. Everyday is full of new challenges, and life doesn’t get boring. Keep up your great work, and maybe you are interested in following me along on my journey around the world as well: http://www.michaelaurban.com (you can find links to my facebook and instagram account in the top left corner of my homepage – can’t post them here as it’s considered spam 😉 ) Cheers, Michaela

July 19, 2017 at 6:40 am

Hi Michaela, Thanks for your comment! Photographers definitely have to be a jack of all trades, so much goes into each shoot before it’s even time to click the shutter! Your work is absolutely beautiful, I just had a peek at your website and Instagram. Really impressive! Where are you travelling to next?

July 24, 2017 at 8:03 am

I read in the comments that you will be on the south island of NZ later this year? I live in Alaska and will be moving there in just a couple months! Are you conducting any workshops while there? I am trying to take the next step in photography and currently enjoy shooting landscapes. It would be wonderful if our paths crossed! Cheers 🙂

Shirley Chio

June 17, 2018 at 6:49 pm

I am still learning photography using my phone camera. I am literally a beginner. Any tips for phone camera tricks?

Lisa Michele Burns

June 21, 2018 at 1:30 pm

Hi Shirley, if you’re starting out using your phone I’d definitely recommend thinking about creative composition instead of settings. Learning to see different angles and perspectives is a great way to take a step toward improving your photography.

Erin Douglas

February 6, 2018 at 3:41 am

This is a wonderful write-up. My wheels are turning and although you’ve told me just where to start, I feel overewhelmed already. I’ve been shooting for a while now, self taught, but have realzed the several areas I need to streghten, from techincal, to the business side of things. I have so many questions. Ultimately, i feel in love with travel photography when I took my first international and solo trip to the Philippines about 5 years ago. I love to just capture whats happening around me, the people, the culture, the food. And I absolutely love to talk to people about travel, inspire them to try it themselves. I just started taking myself seriously as a photographer 3 years ago. However, I feel lost on how to get the type of clients I want and the type of work I want. In the mean time I just shoot for me. who to reach out to, how to find them, what to say. And putting together that PDF portfolio. Are my best my best? and so on. This one page has already helped and Ill be reaching out to you via email. in the meantime here are some links to my work.

@aphotochick (IG): https://www.instagram.com/aphotochick/

http://www.erin-sha.com

Thanks again

David C. Hintz

February 10, 2018 at 2:11 pm

You have provided a great deal of information on a subject I am really interested in. I will be researching the websites on this list. I have started my own website at http://www.davidhintzphotography.com , I have sold some of my photos on microstock websites and now looking to sell directly from my own website. Thanks for all your work on this topic. I would be interested in your comments on my site if you had the time to look at it.

June 17, 2018 at 2:36 pm

This is a brilliant article on how to become a travel photographer and probably the most complete guide out there. I have read a lot of guides on how to take better pictures but there are very few that actually teach you how to go beyond that.

To be honest, I do not think I will ever make it as a travel photographer. I love travelling and I love capturing my adventures in pictures. And I know that I have some decent ones, but selling them seems like a daunting task. I think I might be better off as a travel journalist, to be honest, if only because that’s an area where I am more confident (and in a way, this article applies to becoming a travel journalist as well). I have, however, tried selling pictures through microstock sites. Getty Images, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock are the ones I have uploaded the highest number of images to. From my experience, these websites require you to spend a long time creating hashtags and correctly labeling your photos for very little reward. It is great because once the work is done, you can earn money forever. But chances are high that you will only get a few cents, if any at all. I think if you are serious about being a photographer, this one is not an option to consider.

June 26, 2018 at 2:24 pm

I am grateful to have the tips from Wanderinglens, the guide really helpful and give me lots of inspiration to get started become a travel photographer

Balamurugan.M.G

November 8, 2018 at 6:30 pm

Iam really impressed with the knowledge that you shared through your experience. Your guidance is awesome. Thanks a lot for your valuable information.

Michael Wahl

December 1, 2018 at 10:30 am

Love your site! How do you go about not needing work visas to do photography for tourism boards, hotels etc? I see a lot of travel photography in foreign places, but in most countries its illegal to work there and next to impossible to get a work visa as a photographer. Any advice on reaching out to brands/hotels/tourism boards etc overseas without finding myself being deported for working in their country?

Andrea Prunty

January 30, 2019 at 5:20 pm

After reading your article, it gotten me even more inspired to take up photograph again and back to actually using my degree for once (digital arts) and become a traveling photographer. Thanks, for getting me motivated and remember why I’ve became a art major in the first place.

January 30, 2019 at 5:21 pm

Oh my gosh Andrea this is the most amazing comment! I’m so happy my article inspired you back into the world of photography. Best of luck with your adventures, if you’re on Instagram or have a portfolio, feel free to leave a link so people can follow along! x

September 26, 2019 at 7:51 am

Hello Lisa,I’m so thankful for the break down on becoming a travel photographer.Your insight touch my soul.I will follow all steps on becoming the best photographer within meI’ll ,follow your daily blogs and FaceBook groups.I sometimes get caught in photo-block(something like a writer get when writing a book).I just created my first ever webpage,please stop by and leave a feedback.

Marco Joe Fazio

October 21, 2019 at 9:42 pm

I love photography and I captured lots of pictures while traveling in my life. You can also check my work by clicking on the link.

January 14, 2020 at 1:08 am

This is amazing blog, I learnt a lot about how to click mesmerizing pics while on travel.

Sara Sangalli

February 7, 2020 at 4:52 am

Thanks for the valuable informations, as a travel photographer wannabe myself I’ll try my best to use those suggestions in my path to “become a travel photographer”. Great article, thanks!

Emet Martinez

February 18, 2020 at 4:04 pm

Just wanted to thank you for this very informative guide and the inspiring images you’ve created. I’ve been following you in IG for about 2 yrs now. Wishing you all the best and hope to bump into you in Kyoto one of these days. Cheers!

March 26, 2020 at 11:37 am

Hi Emet, thanks so much for your lovely comment! Apologies for only seeing it just now, do you live in Kyoto? If so, you’re very lucky, it’s one of my favourite cities!

Talia shakespeare

April 24, 2020 at 11:07 pm

I’m 16 and i am trying to figure out what to do in college in September, i honestly love photography and travelling so i was doing research on if i could do both and this was the first and best website i came across. i hope i can become a successful photographer. I’m so proud that you have been able to inspire loads of people to follow their dreams.

Ranjay Mitra

May 26, 2020 at 12:33 pm

Very nicely written. It has to be a passion to keep doing, Ive seen many people who take up “travel photography” have this idea that once you get a camera, you have people flooding you with money to travel and get caught up in the dreams of becoming popular overnight. Selecting the right project, imho, is very essential to succeed in travel photography.

photographer

July 5, 2020 at 10:58 pm

Have been struggling to start my travel photography journey. I made a plan recently but with the COVID-19 situation all that planning is of no use anymore. What are your tips for travel photographers post the pandemic? How do you think this will affect them

July 6, 2020 at 7:32 pm

Thanks for your comment, Covid-19 has definitely made it difficult for those of us working in the tourism industry whether it’s in photography or hospitality. Now is definitely a time to assess your skills and try to create a plan for diversifying your income as a photographer. Who knows when travel will be possible again like it was before so it’s important to work on new ways of not only fulfilling your potential but for developing creative ideas and planning for the future. I definitely don’t think it’s all doom and gloom, challenges will always present themselves and it’s those who can adapt who will succeed. I wouldn’t throw that plan away just yet 🙂

Traveltourists

January 27, 2021 at 5:24 pm

That’s exactly what I was looking for, saving me a few hours of research, Thanks for sharing this for travelers.

Love Photography

June 26, 2021 at 9:51 pm

Very nice post and well explained, the main reason why i became a photographer is because i love it. i enjoy every single day at work, polishing my skills and learning about human nature

June 1, 2024 at 5:43 pm

thanks for sharing

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10 great travel photography tips from a professional photographer

Want to be a travel photographer? We asked a pro photographer about the tips and secrets behind taking great travel shots

Getting paid to travel the world and capture incredible images of people, animals and landscapes is many people’s dream job, but it’s also one of the most competitive and challenging. 

• The best cameras for Instagram: take your gram game to the next level!

• The best travel tripods you can get right now

Professional travel photographer Graeme Green gives his practical advice and insider knowledge for improving your photos and getting ahead.

1. Go the extra mile

Life as a travel photographer often means getting out of bed (if there is a bed) when it’s dark and cold. I’ve gone out taking photos while wiped out by illness or after getting no sleep on the wooden floor of a hut. There have been long trudges through snow, sand and swamp, and exhausting journeys on dusty tracks. The unexpected or disastrous often happens. Life on the road is hard to predict, but you still have to get the photos you need. 

A big part of the lifestyle’s appeal is getting to travel to remote, often wild and fascinating locations, meeting new people and having experiences you just can’t get at home – but it takes effort and time. Early starts, tough journeys, and long, hard days in difficult environments are all part of the job. There might be times when you don’t feel like taking photos, when you just want to rest, but missed opportunities always come back to haunt you. You never know what you might miss.

2. Make a plan 

One of my favourite ways to photograph is just to walk, to explore a city or a location without an idea of what I’m looking for or where I’m heading to. You never know what scenes wait just around the next corner for spontaneous photographs. 

But sometimes it really pays to plan, especially if you need to get specific shots for an assignment. Think about what you’re trying to achieve, whether it's a close-up or a wider picture of a whole scene. If you’re photographing a festival or event, you need to take into account what time it will all kick off. If you have one, ask your guide or fixer for details on where exactly things will happen, then plan ahead to make sure you’re in the best possible location. 

It’s especially worth looking around at where the light is coming from. It’d be frustrating to be present at a dramatic moment only to realise you should be on the other side of the room.

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3. Always be ready 

Whether photographing people or wildlife, great photographic moments often pass by once and then they’re gone. You need to always be ready and alert to the action. That particularly means spending time getting to know your camera, experimenting with elements such as shutter speed. 

With some photos, you’ll want what you’re photographing to be sharp and clear, whereas others might look good with a blurry suggestion of movement. Also consider focal points and depth of field; what you want to draw the eye to, and whether you want a person or animal to stand out or to be part of it’s environment. 

You want to get familiar enough with your camera so that you can make changes quickly, almost instinctively. The last thing you want to be doing when something unmissable happens is struggling to find the right settings. 

I usually test my camera in a location ahead of time, while there’s nothing happening, to make sure I have something close to the right settings if and when something does occur. 

4. Take your time 

Time and patience are often the key elements that make the difference between a good photo and a great one. 

You can come across a building that’s going to look brilliant in few hours, when the light hits it right, or you might find a composition you like but it takes a while for all the key features, including people, to line up in just the right way. As tempting as it can be to take the photo as it is and move on, it pays not to accept compromise and to wait for the best possible picture.

Working in Morocco, I found plenty of compositions that I liked a lot, but it sometimes took an hour or more of waiting to get the photos I was really happy with, with people passing by at just the right moment.

5. Get in the thick of the action 

Great photographs really give the viewer a sense of a place or people. They trigger their curiosity and make them want to know more. 

With adventure travel photography, you need to capture the action and take people there. Whether it’s biking in Vietnam, snowshoeing in Japan or trekking in Mexico, people looking at your pictures have to feel that sense of adventure and excitement. You need to get in the thick of it. 

If you’re spending time with local cultures, you need to communicate a sense of local character, how people live and the surrounding environment. If photographing a sombre religious event or a chaotic carnival, your photos need to capture that atmosphere. 

6. Let people see the real world

For me, it’s a real turn-off when I see photos online that bear almost no relation to the real world. I don’t, of course, see anything wrong with post-production work to bring out the best in a photo, but I see pictures everyday in which photographers have clearly got carried away with Photoshop or Lightroom ’s settings. 

Our eyes are pretty clever and detect when something doesn't add up. An over-manipulated photo instantly loses credibility, whether that’s intensely oversaturated colours, a lack of shadows, or oddly manipulated pictures with dark, cloudy skies but scenery bathed in sunlight. Pictures like that might get Likes on Instagram but they're likely to be rejected by newspapers and magazine editors. 

For me, it’s more satisfying to capture something real. There are so many remarkable sights in the world without sprinkling digital magic all over them. 

7. Think about the impact of your pictures

Wherever you go, always treat people with respect. I’ve been shocked by tourists swarming locals with cameras and iPads, treating them like an exotic curiosity, not a person. Whether I’m working with a person or a group for several days or just photographing someone I see on a street, I always check first. Quickly pointing at the camera and asking “OK?” usually does the trick. 

You should also always stop and consider what you’re photographing from an ethical position. Photos can do a lot of good, communicating important stories, but they can also have a negative impact, especially if you become part of cruel or harmful practices. In parts of Asia, some tribal women wear heavy metal chains to give them unnaturally long necks, causing painful physical deformities. What was once a local tradition is now more about someone extracting money from tourists who come to take photos. 

The same goes for wildlife too, whether it's drugged tigers, dancing bears or performing elephants. I don’t want pictures on my memory cards that helped cause any kind of suffering. 

8. Think outside the box 

It’s possible to get so focused on photographing one thing, the main event, that you miss what else is happening, including other details that tell a story or make for interesting photos. Remember to look away from the viewfinder; often, it’s small details that others might miss or walk by, rather than the obvious main attraction, that bring a story to life. 

Looking around, you can often find interesting juxtapositions between the person or animal you’re photographing and features of the landscape, or perhaps a tower or tree, or even the moon. For one of my favourite wildlife photos from the Falklands, instead of coming in tight on a group of penguins, I zoomed out to show a tiny little cluster of the birds facing an approaching storm, which gave a completely different, and, in my view, more interesting result.

A travel story often requires variety, which means looking around at smaller details, and not just the big, key elements (people, landscapes, animals, buildings, and so on). Details, such as a funny street sign or a unique statue, can add layers to a set of photos and give a fuller idea of a place. 

9. Challenge yourself to find new approaches

Photography should always be exciting. You never want to get stuck in a rut, repeating the kind of pictures you’ve taken before, or to be satisfied with pictures that are less than your best.  

The more time you spend taking photos, the more rewarding it is to be creative and find your own way of doing things. Working for other people, especially demanding editors, is one way to push yourself further. But you should always be challenging yourself to produce photographs that excite you to look at. Study what other photographers do, including what you like and what you don’t like about their work. 

Most of all, study and critique your work. How could it be improved? Try to push your photography in new directions, whether framing things differently, seeking out interesting light, or just getting yourself into more interesting situations. 

10. Get paid

Given the sheer volume of photos produced each day, there’s a culture in the media of asking photographers to give away their photos for free. At some point, unless your landlord and local supermarket accept payment in smiles, you need to get paid for your work. 

Getting a job or freelancing for newspapers, magazines and websites means competing against many other would-be professional photographers, so you need to work hard and your photos need to stand out. Build up a portfolio, improve your photography, and work for smaller publications, all of which puts you nearer the front of the line. Having a good social media following and a reputation for being enthusiastic, hardworking and reliable helps. 

You can also work for advertising companies, or sell your pictures via online galleries such as Alamy and Flickr. Many photographers sell prints, give talks, teach photography classes, or lead photography tours and workshops. 

You need to put a value on your work and your time. In every situation, ask: what am I getting out of this? Is it worth my time and expertise? Travel photography is a tough business but an incredibly rewarding one if you can navigate your way.

Read more: The 10 best travel cameras you can buy right now Best travel tripods in 2019 10 ultimate locations for wildlife photographers How to prepare for a safari or wildlife photography trip

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Travel Photography Tips, Ideas, Examples & Jobs

Have a passion for travel photography but not sure how to take it further? This post covers careers, what gear is best, and tips for improving!

Learn | Photography Guides | By Ashley Darrow

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Travel photography is one of the most exciting styles of photography, but it can also be one of the most intimidating to get started with.

I’m at my most inspired as a photographer when I’m on the road.

Even when I’m not headed to an exciting new location, I’ve started to think about all of my photography from the standpoint of travel.

This guide is going to give you everything you need to know to get started with travel photography.

I’ll be covering everything from the basics, to the equipment you need, to 20 travel photography tips that will improve how you approach taking photos.

When you’re ready to hit the road, we’ll start our adventure with some travel photography 101.

Table of Contents

What Is Travel Photography?

Defining travel photography can be a little bit challenging as this is one of the most open and free categories of photography.

In general, travel photography involves documenting people, landscapes, and cultures anywhere in the world.

Your travel photography counts whether you have to hike for thousands of miles or you took a 10-minute bus ride from your home.

Travel photography can be done by career professionals working for major magazines like National Geographic or it can be done as part-time freelance work.

Many travel photographers make their money by taking contract work from tourism departments or brands looking for product photography shot on location.

Travel photographers often find themselves working in challenging conditions. There’s a good chance that you’re going to be snapping pics in low light conditions , rough weather, or even half a world away from the comfort of your own bed.

•  Related: 77 useful travel tips for photographers

What Does Travel Photography Include?

Image Credit: Sam Forson

Travel photography incorporates countless different styles.

Travel photographers often take landscape photographs, architectural photographs , as well as street photography. It’s also common to see food photography and documentary work being done by travel photographers.

As a travel photographer, your goal is to capture and express the story of a particular time and place. You’ll be giving people a taste of what’s happening in the moment while you’re in a particular location.

How Much Do Travel Photographers Make?

Travel photography is made up of a wide range of styles, but it’s also made up of a wide range of pay rates.

If you’re lucky enough to land a staff photography job with a major magazine, you could wind up with a six-figure salary. However, freelance travel photographers can make as little as around $18,000 a year.

Beginner travel photographers often make even less than that as they start to piece together their career.

Part of your pay as a travel photographer will come in the form of comped travel expenses. It’s pretty common for travel photographers to take a job with a tourism department that includes free transportation and lodging as part of their payment.

Is travel photography in demand?

Travel photography is in high demand.

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This demand is being driven by tourism departments, brands looking for more engaged lifestyle photography , and the rise of social media making travel photography a viable path for a content creator.

There are more people taking travel photos than ever before which means that you’re also going to have a lot more competition despite there being more job openings.

How Do I Become a Travel Photographer?

Image Credit: Kamaji Ogino

Becoming a travel photographer is pretty similar to how you would start up almost any photography career.

If you’re a total beginner, you want to start by mastering the craft of working behind the camera. This means learning how to stay in control of your exposure, frame captivating shots, and just get comfortable taking pictures wherever you go.

Here’s a basic outline of the steps you’ll take to start your travel photography career.

• Learn your photography basics
• Identify your travel photography niches
• Build your portfolio
• Grow a social media presence
• Begin reaching out to clients
• Publish your photography
• Grow your business by reaching out to bigger clients
• Continue to promote your work
• Have fun traveling!

I should note that plenty of travel photographers also crowdfund parts of their career.

Building a presence on social media sites like YouTube and connecting that to your crowdfunding platform of choice is a great way to bring in some additional money.

What Equipment is Needed for Travel Photography?

Image Credit: Hiren Lad

In all my years of photography, the one thing I’ve learned is that if there’s anything photographers love nearly as much as taking pictures, it’s talking about their gear.

Whether you see this equipment as the tools of your trade or the raw materials of your art, you’re going to need some equipment to get started with travel photography.

I’m going to cover the standard gear that most travel photographers will gravitate towards, but I’ll also be talking about different setups for film photographers and mobile photography.

I’m going to kick things off with the absolute must: a camera.

You’re not going to get very far in your career as a Travel Photographer without a camera. I’m being a little silly here, but it’s not just as simple as picking up any random mirrorless camera for travel blogging .

So, what camera is best for travel photography?

The absolute best cameras for travel photography are going to be, no surprises here, the latest mirrorless releases from the big-name brands like Sony, Camera, and Nikon.

Those cameras are packed full of the latest features and offer some of the best image quality.

You can also get amazing results, and save money, by picking up older cameras. My Sony a7s II is still my main camera body and my Canon 5D Classic, which was released way back in 2005, still takes pictures that get people asking me “How did you do that?”

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on your travel photography camera. A skilled photographer will be able to take amazing pictures using a point and shoot digital camera from the 90s. It’s craft that makes the photographer, not gear.

Travel photography can also be done with your smartphone. There are plenty of professional photographers out there primarily shooting on smartphones.

I also want to highlight film cameras. Film is the historic origin of our art form. Any film camera from a toy lomography camera to a professional large format camera can help us see our travels in a new way.

With all of that said, there are a few important features that you should look for in a travel photography camera.

• Weather sealed designs are much more important when you’re trekking through unknown territory than when you’re at home in the studio
• Your camera should also be ready for the road. Just like your car, you should take your camera in for a tune-up before a long trip
• Double-check for the specs that matter most to you. For me, that’s low-light performance and color science

Your camera is only half the equation which means we need to take a look at the lenses that will be going on this journey with you.

• Related: How to choose a camera and what is the best camera for travel photography?

I bet you’re wondering which lens is best for travel photography? You don’t need to worry, I’ll walk you through my top pics for a travel lens whether you’re shooting on a brand-new Sony mirrorless camera or you plan on taking a Canon 5D Classic on the road.

The first place you need to start is by asking yourself the most essential question in photography: What types of pictures do I plan on taking?

Here’s a quick breakdown of my recommendations for travel photography lenses based on my experience for a variety of photographic styles and budgets.

• Standard Zoom Lens —A standard zoom lens like the classic 24 to 70mm is the go-to travel lens for so many photographers I know. This lens easily handles street photographs, landscapes, and portraits. Pick this to make a flexible one-lens kit
• Wide Angle Zoom Lens —Wide angle zooms are better suited for photographers who know they’ll be shooting landscapes and architecture. If your wide angle zoom goes up to 35mm, then you can even get away with using that as your every-day lens
• Wide to Telephoto —These lenses have focal length ranges like 24 to 105mm. They are usually affordable alternatives to pro-level lenses that can still capture stunning images. You’ll want this lens if your main concerns are budget and stylistic flexibility
• Telephoto Zoom Lenses —These massive lenses typically top out at 200mm or 400mm focal lengths and are ideal for wildlife, bird, and sports photography. Their size, weight, and cost make them less flexible than other options, but these lenses are a must-have for photographers interested in the styles I just mentioned
• Pancakes and Nifty Fifties —Pancakes lenses have such a small profile they double as a body cap while the iconic Nifty Fifty is a budget 50mm with a huge fanbase. These lenses are perfect for photogs who want to stay ultralight or for anyone who wants an emergency backup lens.
• THAT lens —We all have a lens that, despite never getting much use, we just can’t seem to leave at home. Mine is the Helios 44-2. I take that lens on pretty much every trip even if it doesn’t get much use. Allow yourself a little room for that “fun” lens and you might be surprised by how much use it gets over time

I always have at least two lenses on me when I’m traveling—just in case.

I once dropped an expensive prime lens and watched it roll off the edge of a mountain in the desert. Luckily, I had a pancake lens in my bag so the photography trip wasn’t a total loss.

Ever since then, not only do I treat each of my lenses with the utmost care, but I also make sure but I’ve got backup options on hand.

• Related: How to choose a camera lens and best lenses for travel photography .

Travel Photography Bag

Just like with lenses and camera bodies, you have a few options to consider when it comes to picking the right travel bag for your next adventure.

Before I get too far into talking about camera bags, here’s the five things I always consider when I’m packing a bag for my next trip.

• Camera Bag Size —Size is one of the most important things to look at when shopping for a new travel photography bag. You want to find a bag that’s going to comfortably fit all of your equipment without causing too much strain on your back. Sling bags are great for days out in the city with light gear, but you should look for a comfortable backpack if you plan on covering some serious distance with your gear
• Pack Weight —Here’s a quick piece of advice I picked up from hiking. Your maximum pack weight should only ever be 20% of your total body weight. This means that if you weigh 200 lb, the heaviest your camera bag should ever be is 40 lb. The lighter, the better
• Features —There are some features that I consider an absolute must have in any of my travel camera bags including rugged build quality, plenty of padding and protection for my gear, and easy access to at least my main camera body and lens so I can shoot on the fly
• Style —You could buy the most technically perfect travel camera bag, but if you don’t actually like the way it looks you’re never going to take it on a trip. I definitely believe that form should be second to function when it comes to camera bags, but I’d also be lying if I said it wasn’t a huge factor in my camera bag purchasing decisions
• Your Gear —Your gear is actually going to dictate the type of bag that you’ll be looking for. A travel photographer shooting on a Leica Q2 can get away with a much smaller bag than a photographer shooting with a Canon 1DX

I also typically bring a packable backpack with me as part of my kit. This could be a really lightweight sling bag or something like the Lowepro Runabout.

This lets me leave the bulk of my gear at my hotel when I just want to have a quick trip around a new city taking pictures.

• Related: How to choose a camera bag

Tripods for Travel Photography 

Tripods are an interesting—and somewhat contested—piece of the travel photography puzzle. I never used to take a tripod with me while traveling and that’s because most of my photography was shot street style which means lightweight and handheld.

However, the more I get into film photography and more interesting exposures, the more I find myself relying on my travel tripod.

My absolute number one pick for an adventure tripod would have to be the Peak Design Travel Tripod . It’s fairly lightweight, intelligently designed, and packs down small enough to fit in most of my bags.

Depending on the type of photography you’re looking to capture, you can also use tripods like a gorilla pod or even just take the tripod you have—even though it might be a little larger and heavier than would be ideal for travel.

This roundup of the 7 best travel tripods is a great place to get started if you’re shopping for something designed for the road.

Do I Need a Tripod for Travel Photography?

I’m going to dig into this mild controversy for just a moment. The question of whether or not you need a travel tripod to begin with is the source of some debate for photographers.

Honestly, the answer is maybe. It really depends on the type of pictures that you’re hoping to capture and your personal style as a photographer.

If you like to run and gun while capturing slices of life on busy city streets, you probably don’t need to bring a tripod with you.

Styles of photography that are highly mobile and rely on fast composition changes typically ditch the added stabilization that a tripod brings because it just slows them down too much.

Tripods might also not work for certain events and organizations. Trying to set up a tripod during a rock concert is a recipe for disaster and some museums won’t even let you bring in a tripod unless you pay their professional photography fees.

Then again, there are a few types of photography that absolutely need a tripod in order to work. Long exposures, shooting in dimly lit situations, and using some telephoto zoom lenses pretty much mandate shooting on a tripod.

The long and short of this is that owning a tripod and learning how to use it will make you a better photographer, but it’s not quite a mandatory piece of your travel photography kit.

The Camera Accessories I Always Forget for Travel Photography!

There are so many small accessories that are vital for digital photography that I find myself constantly forgetting. Far from being little odds and ends, these are essential parts of my kit that I’ve started to just leave in my travel bag so I never have to worry about packing them.

I’m talking about SD cards , microfiber cloths, sensor cleaning kits, and all those other little things that you might not miss until you’re in the field and you’ve got a speck of sand on your sensor ruining your shots.

I’ve started making a checklist that contains all these little items before I pack out. There’s nothing more defeating than being in some beautiful destination and realizing you only have enough space on your memory card for a few dozen more shots.

This is the checklist that I use for your average trip. Feel free to adjust things based on the gear that you use.

• Sensor cleaning swab x 2
• Lens cleaning Spray
• Microfiber cloth
• Spare camera batteries for each camera
• Memory cards—one in each camera, extra in the bag
• External SSD if I’ll need to backup files while traveling
• iPad for editing, emailing, and posting pics on socials
• Camera strap
• Camera body cap and rear lens cap
• Remote shutter release
• Chargers and cables

Lighting for Travel Photography 

Lighting is a bit of an interesting topic when it comes to travel photography. We don’t often associate this incredibly mobile genre of photography with the piece of equipment that defines studio work, but there’s some great reasons to take some lights with you on your next trip.

Photographers like Briscoe Park are doing incredible work mixing bold, almost giallo, lighting styles with travel photography. There’s also a wealth of photographers using the dark nights of remote locations as canvases for their light paintings.

I started taking a few small lights with me when I hit the road and it’s definitely pushing my abilities behind the camera.

Lights like the Aputure MC and MC Pro are great for adding lights to portraits, throwing splashes of color into images, or creating other-worldly scenes. The Infinibar or MT Pro, also from Aputure, are solid choices for light painting .

Even something small like the Lume Cube can help gain control over lighting while away from the studio. Just don’t try to haul around your old tungsten lights on your next trip!

Mobile Travel Photography Gear

Before you start thinking travel photography requires a mountain of expensive equipment, you might be reading this article on the only device you need to get started with travel photography.

That’s right, smartphone cameras have come a long way and they are perfectly capable of being your main camera body for traveling adventure photography .

Even though your smartphone is essentially a pocket camera that can surf the internet and make phone calls, you still might want to add some extra gear to make the most out of being a mobile travel photographer.

My biggest recommendation would be to pick up a Moment smartphone case and a few Moment lenses.

These lenses will dramatically change your composition and help make your images look a bit more professional and a bit less like a quick shot on a smartphone.

A lightweight Gorillapod, a photo editing app like Lightroom mobile, and a power bank to keep you charged are a few must-haves.

This might sound a little unconventional, but my smartphone is one of the cameras I use the most. It’s lightweight, can take high quality pictures, and it can be a great budget alternative to expensive cameras because you probably already own one.

I almost never leave the house without throwing one or two Moment lenses in my bag. This is true whether I’m going on a 10-minute walk to the store or I’m about to hop on a 10-hour flight.

Travel Film Photography Gear

Is there any sound more relaxing than the shutter of a film camera when you’re deep in the woods or on top of a mountain ridgeline?

I don’t think so and that’s one of the reasons why I tend to travel with film photography equipment.

Film photography is almost a completely different animal than digital photography. You have to be much more engaged with your subject, composition, and exposure since you only have a few frames before your roll is spent.

Here’s a quick list of the film photography gear that I travel with. Just as a quick note, I’m leaving out things like tripods and camera bags that overlap with digital photography.

• Gallon zip-top bag to store film
• Permanent marker to jot notes on the side of a film canister
• Light meter
• Film (I always try to bring one more roll than I think I’ll need—just in case)

Read our guide to film photography for more tips.

20 Tips to Help You Improve Your Travel Photography

Want to improve your travel photography? I’ve put together 20 travel photography tips to help you up your game the next time you take your camera on vacation.

These tips are going to cover everything from advice for total beginners to some really interesting things that caught me by surprise while I’ve been on tour with my camera.

Tip 1—Get Comfortable With Your Gear Before You Travel 

Image Credit: Amar Preciado

This is my number one tip for travel photography because it applies to experienced photographers as well as beginners. Before you head out on your big trip, take some time to get comfortable with your equipment.

This means packing your camera bag just like you’re going to for your travel photography trip and wearing it around your home city or just walking around your neighborhood.

There’s nothing worse than being hundreds, or thousands, of miles from home only to find out that you actually don’t like that brand new camera bag you bought.

Giving all of your gear a comfortable trial run ahead of time ensures that you don’t run into any sudden surprises while you’re traveling.

I’ve started doing this with all of my travel photography gear and it’s hard to express just how much it’s helped me. Most of the time I’m just adjusting my backpack to make sure it’s got a comfortable fit for a long day of hiking, but there have also been times where I realized that piece of my equipment just wasn’t right for me.

This will also help make things easier when you’re out there taking pictures.

It can be a little stressful to try and line up the right composition in a busy downtown neighborhood of a foreign city. Knowing your gear inside and out will give you a huge confidence boost when you need it the most.

Tip 2—Set Your Travel Photography Intentions 

This might seem like a silly question to ask, but why do you want to do travel photography?

Setting some intentions and being aware of your goals ahead of time is going to help improve your career as a photographer.

If you need some inspiration for your goals, here’s a few that I’ve used in the past.

• Have at least 5 new pictures that I can turn into prints once I’m home
• Spend two days on location, day one focuses on lifestyle photography while day two is all about landscapes
• Get out of my comfort zone and network with other travel photographers shooting the same location

Remember that goals are a lot like onions. They have layers.

Your ultimate goal might be to become a world famous travel photographer with National Geographic calling you every day, but you’ve got to start somewhere.

Let’s say that your goal is to start getting freelance travel photography contracts with tourism departments. You can start from scratch by pretending that you’re on contract to take photos of a particular location.

This will help you with your future goals as well as allow you to build your portfolio in the now.

Tip 3—Always Bring (Your) Camera 

Image Credit: Ketut Subiyanto

Everything starts with the ABCs and for travel photographers this means to Always Bring (your) Camera and always be taking pictures.

You really never know when the right moment is going to strike for your photography. There have been countless moments where I wish I would have had a camera on me to capture a moment that was either beautiful or could have even been historic.

Whether you’re carrying your main camera body, a pocket camera, or even your smartphone, you should always have a camera on you when you’re traveling. Be ready to start snapping pics at a moment’s notice if you spot something that catches your eye.

Worst case scenario, you’ve got another few hundred pictures to sort through when you get home. Best case scenario, you’ve caught the once-in-a-lifetime shot that you might have otherwise missed.

Tip 4—Be Patient with Your Shots

Here’s something that’s happened to me nearly every single time I’ve gone on a travel photography trip.

I’ll be at a historic ruin or in a national park with the perfect shot framed only for there to be dozens of other tourists cluttering up my shot.

When I first started with photography, I didn’t have enough patience just to wait it out. I thought that I would have to spend hours standing at a particular spot waiting for people to disperse.

As it turns out, the longest I’ve really ever had to wait for a shot to clear up has been about a half hour. If you’ve got someone to talk to or a book to read, that’s no time at all.

Don’t pass up on the shots that you want to capture just because there’s something cluttering your frame. Patients will reward photographers every single time.

Pro travel photography tip: Using an ND filter on your camera can let you lower your shutter speed which will cause fast-moving cars and people to “vanish” from your shots!

Tip 5—Learn How to Photograph People 

This travel photography tip can be one of the most challenging to incorporate. Getting comfortable cold approaching strangers takes a lot of social energy.

I know extroverted photographers that have a dozen model release forms printed and ready to go in their backpack. They have no problem chatting up strangers, but it took me some time to build up that confidence.

Here’s a quick template that you can use for approaching strangers for portraits.

Be cheerful and open about being a photographer. You can say something like “I’m a photographer taking portraits today in [Location] and I’d love to take your picture.”

If you’re on a freelance contract or working for a client, feel free to name drop them to give yourself some added credibility.

After snapping their pic, I like to give people my business card, email, or Instagram handle so they can contact me later if they’d like a copy of their photo.

If they say no photos, that’s just business.

It also really helps if you can speak just a little bit of the local language. You’ll be shocked how much more accommodating people can be if you can handle a few lines of the local tongue.

Tip 6—Study Local Laws and Customs 

Photography laws and customs are different the world over. As a travel photographer, you’re going to need to familiarize yourself with local laws and customs—especially when you’re traveling abroad.

Remember that the letter of the law and the local customs might not necessarily be a one-to-one match.

I’m based in the United States and here it’s perfectly legal to take pictures of strangers as long as you’re in a public location. However, social customs dictate that it’s considered rude to take someone’s picture without asking their permission first.

When in doubt, always default to asking permission first. This means asking someone’s permission before taking their portrait or asking permission before taking pictures at a historic site or museum.

Tip 7—Get in Frame 

Image Credit: Dominika Roseclay

This is something I’m still working on becoming more comfortable with.

When I’m in the studio, I’ve got no problem hopping in front of the lens and doing some self-portraiture. However, once I’m out in the field I’m a little bit reluctant to stand in as my own model.

Travel photography is about telling your story. This means that you’re going to need to get in frame for some of your photographs.

Even if it’s just a few shots of you setting up, traveling to your destination, or getting dinner after a long day of shooting, people want to see the photographer behind the camera.

If you’re traveling with other photographers, why not consider making this a game? Challenge each other to see who can take the most interesting photos of your fellow photographers.

You can even take some quick selfies on location to contrast your professional photography. This will make your self-portraiture a little more intimate and warm while your travel photos show off your full talent.

Tip 8—Scout Travel Photography Locations with Your Smartphone

A great way to dramatically improve your travel photography is to scout your locations ahead of time. Before you haul all of your gear on a quest for the perfect photo, go out there with just a day pack and walk around soaking up the scenery.

Location scouting gives you a strong understanding of what speaks to you as a photographer about this location before you even start pressing the shutter button.

I recommend carrying your smartphone or a point-and-shoot camera when you’re out scouting locations.

This lets you take some test shots of a travel location before bringing all your gear out.

Tip 9—How to Always Pack the Right Lenses

I used to be so worried about not bringing the right lenses on a trip, but it’s been years since I’ve felt like I picked the wrong lens for the job.

Part of this is knowing your lenses inside and out. You should learn the basics of your lenses like aperture, how their focal length compresses an image, and which focal lengths are ideal for different styles of photography.

Lenses like the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8  make a great choice for travel. The focal length options on that lens easily handle majestic landscape panoramas and street photography portraiture.

I also recommend taking at least two lenses with you for most travel photography trips. I’ll take one primary lens with me that I plan on doing most of my shooting with and a secondary lens for those “just in case” moments.

Tip 10—Staying Safe While Traveling with Camera Gear 

Being a tourist always carries some risk when it comes to crime. Being a tourist that happens to be carrying $3,000 in photography equipment carries a little bit more risk.

Here’s a few tips that I stick with when it comes to staying safe while shooting with expensive camera equipment.

If you can, try to do your travel photography with a group. Even if you have one other person traveling with you, that company is usually more than enough to deter most would-be thieves.

This might seem a little obvious, but you always want to keep your gear in sight. Unless I know I’m alone in the wilderness, my camera bag is never further than an arm’s reach away.

I’ve got a tip for you that I don’t see a lot of people talking about when it comes to traveling safely with your camera equipment. I like to stay discreet when I’m traveling with my camera gear.

This means I leave the branded Sony strap at home and opt for a much more neutral Peak Design strap . I also throw a velcro patch over things like the LowePro logo on my backpack that might otherwise announce that there’s some expensive camera equipment in there.

If you stay smart and aware of your surroundings, your odds of having an unfortunate encounter while carrying camera equipment will be greatly reduced.

Tip 11—Shoot Some Short Format Video  

We’re all photographers here. This means I can be a little honest with you about shooting short form video.

It might not be your main stay, but social media platforms are putting a lot of emphasis on TikTok style videos. If you can incorporate a little short form videography into your travel photography routine, you’ll have that much better performance online.

There are countless ways that you can build short form video production into your photography routine. You could record a 60 second video demonstrating your setup for the shot or even just an interesting voice over on top of a still image.

Shooting short videos can also be fun. Building this into your photography routine is a great way to improve your skill set while you’re also increasing your social media following.

Tip 12—Find Your Voice by Getting Lost 

Some of the best travel photography stories happen because you get lost. Getting turned around is a great way to change your perspective on things and improve you or travel photography.

This is easily one of the most underrated travel photography tips. Best of all, you can do this from the comfort of your hometown.

Try getting lost on purpose by walking through a neighborhood you don’t usually go to or checking out a city that you might have otherwise overlooked.

While all the other travel photographers are gathered at the tourist traps we’ve all seen a thousand times on Instagram, you’ll be exploring something new while catching refreshing pictures of your travels.

Tip 13—How to Fly With Film 

If you plan on doing some film photography while you’re traveling, you’re going to need to know how to transport your film while traversing through airports safely.

The x-rays used in airport security scanners can damage undeveloped photographic film. The more x-rays undeveloped film is exposed to, the more haze and distortion starts to pop up on the final image.

Film with an ISO 800 and above can be damaged by any airport X-ray machine. Expired and experimental films can also be damaged by x-ray equipment.

Some airports now use more powerful CT scanners. These are often used for checked baggage, but they can also be used for carry-on as well.

CT scanners put out enough x-ray radiation to damage film of any ISO. You should always bring your film with your carry-on luggage in its own zip-top bag.

When you’re traveling through security at an airport, you can ask the security personnel for a hand examination of your photographic film. In my experience, they almost always say yes no matter how busy the airport is.

However, it is at the discretion of airport security and I have had them turn down a hand examination of my film. One trip through an X-ray scanner won’t damage your film, but multiple trips will.

This is why I recommend buying film on location if possible. You can also have film mailed to your hotel or to a friend’s address who lives near where you’re traveling.

Tip 14—Become a Traveler at Home 

Traveling is expensive and it’s not always available for us. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to stop your travel photography plans.

If you’re looking for the true zero-budget way of starting a travel photography career, you have to start in your home city.

While this might not seem exciting at first, keep in mind that the city that you live in is an exotic travel destination for someone else.

Try using all of the  travel photography tips and tricks I’ve talked about in this article while taking pictures of your home city. Even if you live in a sleepy little town, there are compelling stories that you can tell by documenting the life and history of the place you live.

Tip 15—How to Find Travel Photography Inspiration 

No matter what style of photography you’re in, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. What should you do if you’re running out of inspiration before your next big travel photography trip?

Here are five quick ways I stay inspired and motivated as a photographer.

• Start following more photographers on social media to see what other people are doing
• Research historic photographers and get inspired by how they were shooting when our medium was still new
• Check out international photographers to see how people are shooting across the world
• Get experimental by looking into the weirder side of photography with things like film soup or databending
• When I’m heading to a new location, I like to look at the history, upcoming events, and what photographers are shooting for that local

Tip 16—Turn Regular Trips into Travel Photography Trips 

If you’ve always got your camera with you, and you’re always shooting, every trip you go on is a travel photography trip.

A great way to stay active as a travel photographer who has yet to break into the full-time business is to transform every trip you go on into an opportunity for travel photography.

Whether you’re heading across town for a family dinner or going on a work trip, you’ve got an opportunity to do some trouble photography.

Not everything has to be a grand adventure. You could use that trip across town as an excuse to work on catching shots of yourself in transit, for example.

Tip 17—Becoming a Better Photographer 

Every photographer has an area that they can improve on. Whether you’ve always wanted to be one of those photographers who only ever shoots on full manual mode or you’ve been hoping to add sports photography to your travel routine, now’s the time to start working on those skills.

Skills building exercises can be a great activity during your travel photography downtime. You’re not always going to be on the road to an exotic destination and that time in between trips is vital to your success.

Even if you’ve been a professional photographer for decades, there’s still countless things about this art form that you can learn.

Tip 18—Get Your Photos Seen

Now that you’ve got a portfolio of travel photography images, how do you get people to see them?

As with most freelancing gigs, the name of the game is networking. Here’s a few tips for getting your pics in front of more eyes.

• Be more consistent with social media by posting regularly and using hashtags strategically
• Enter into photography competitions
• Ask local shops if you can display your work
• Get your photos published
• Reach out to travel agencies, tourism boards, and parks departments for freelance work or partnerships
• Network with other photographers

As the old saying goes: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Tip 19— Travel Photographer Tips for The Business Side of Things 

Making it as a working travel photographer has gotten harder in recent years, but it’s not out of reach. Here’s a few business tips to help you stay on top of your budding photography career.

Always try reaching out to new clients. Keep in mind that bigger clients are harder to land, but there are plenty of smaller travel destinations that are ideal for a beginner photographer.

You should create a budget for your travel photography work. If you’re just starting out, you don’t need a fancy app. A simple spreadsheet is more than enough for you to stay on top of your money.

You can also try becoming a content creator while you’re working on landing clients. Building up a social media following and generating some income through a site like Patreon can help you stay on the road longer.

Tip 20—How to Tell Your Travel Photography Story 

Image Credit: Ena Marinkovic

You’ve reached the end of my travel photography tips. The last tip, and the most important one, that I’m going to give you is some advice on how you can tell your story.

Travel photography is all about storytelling. This means documenting your journey, engaging your audience, and finding your voice.

Taking captivating pictures without context isn’t enough. Your travel photography needs to speak to people on a deeper level and communicate something yet untold about the experiences behind your journeys.

It’s going to take time to figure out how you want to represent your adventures. The best thing you can do is get started today.

Even if you’re just taking travel photos a few blocks from your home, you’ll be breaking the ice and taking those important steps in finding your voice as a storyteller.

What is the purpose of travel photography?

The purpose of travel photography is to share your journey with the world. Travel photographers help to tell the story of not only their adventures, but also the people and places they encounter whether they are traveling around the world or within a few miles of where they grew up.

Is travel photography a good career?

Travel photography can be an amazing career that is rewarding and potentially very lucrative. It can be challenging to get started, but there are countless photographers who do travel photography as both their main job as well as a side gig.

What is the single best lens for travel photography?

The single best lens for travel photography is the wide angle to telephoto zoom like the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens. This lens allows you to capture everything from sweeping landscape panoramas to sports and wildlife photography .

Is travel photography a job?

Travel photography can absolutely be a job. You can make money as a travel photographer by freelancing for clients, photographing destination weddings , or working as a photojournalist.

Is GoPro good for travel photography?

A GoPro can be great for travel photography especially if you’re interested in capturing video and using stills from that footage for your photography.

Even though a GoPro is a good choice for travel photography, you’re probably going to be better served by a dedicated camera if your main goal is photo rather than video.

Final Words

I hope this guide gives you everything you need to hit the ground running with travel photography. If you’re an experienced travel photographer, I hope you’ve picked up a few new tricks that can help improve your next adventure.

I’ve tried to cover travel photography from nose to tail in this blog, but I’m sure I left a few things out.

I want to hear your travel photography tips, tricks, and experiences in the comments. If you like this article, make sure to check out my other photography blogs .

Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.

Includes limited-time discounts.

Ashley is a photographer, writer, and film critic. When Ashley’s not writing essays on photography, cinema, and theory, he’s out taking pictures with retro film cameras.

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A Sincere Guide on How to Be a Travel Photographer

• By Nicholas Tinelli
• July 14, 2020
• Last Updated: May 19, 2023

How to Be a Travel Photographer and live off your passion?

This idea fascinated me since I was young, when I dreamt among the pages of National Geographic with the images and stories that led me to live exciting imaginary adventures in faraway places.

I’m sure that, If you’re reading this article, you probably feel the same emotions and want to develop your passion and go one step further as a Professional Travel Photographer .

I’ll tell you a secret: it’s not as simple as many people think, but it’s not impossible either. It is absolutely worth it and in this guide I will explain step by step how to get results and improve over time , with dedication and patience.

My photography journey began a long time ago, first as an amateur, in my spare time, and now as a professional.

It is a process of personal discovery, still in progress, that keeps generating emotions and changing my life, allowing me to combine my greatest passions.

After this brief introduction, we are ready to dive into the first part of this guide on How to Be a Travel Photographer . If you are not interested in reading the entire guide, use the table of contents below to move between topics. 

What is Travel Photography?

Travel Photography is a very broad genre, including landscapes, portraits, wildlife,culture, food, architecture, documentary/reportage, events, and advertising related to the tourism industry.

From a more human point of view, we can consider it as a means to share moments, stories that tell the essence of a place , of a culture , that transmit emotions and take us on an imaginary journey.

Can you make a living from Travel Photography?

Of course, even if competence is higher than in the past and there are already many images in circulation, there is always a need for new material and creative people in the world.

The possibilities are two:

• Work for someone (for example a magazine or an agency);
• Start as a freelancer, independently.

In my case, I decided to opt for the second choice and build my own space.

For some time now I have been dedicating myself to travel stock photography, as a contributor for AWL Images , obtaining good results and publications.

I also began to propose myself with Photoshoot Buenos Aires , a portrait service for travelers, and started teaching through courses and tailor-made experiences in the capital with Photo Tours in Buenos Aires .

In addition, I offer Editorial & Commercial Photography services for hotels, resorts, personalities and tourism institutions. 

All this with the warm support of my students and people close to me, which is fundamental on a mental plane and important to receive constructive feedback and continue to improve.

The key to growing your business and become a Professional Travel Photographer is first of all to diversify your services (staying in the same niche), without expecting everything to work at the beginning and setting yourself short term goals .

Slowly you will understand what works best and what doesn’t. The important thing is that what you do reflects you and your personality.

At first it is never easy, there is a lot to learn and some expenses to take into account, but if you stick to the guidelines that I will show you next, result of my personal experience, you can live this change with more awareness.

How much does a Travel Photographer make?

It is not easy to define the Travel Photographer’s salary in numbers. It really depends on the type of service you offer, the connections you manage to generate, how you promote your work, and who supports what you do.

If a great name like National Geographic sponsors your work, the results are guaranteed.

The Characteristics of a Travel Photographer

Usually, a Travel Photographer has certain characteristics that serve to deal with situations that can be very different from those in which one is accustomed to the everyday environment and help to relate to others.

Respect and Humility

The journey often involves meeting with situations of extreme poverty and people willing to offer us the few things they have to show hospitality.

As well as cultures and societies that live differently from us, with aspects that we may not agree.

The Travel Photographer must be able to approach these realities with humility and respect , not only because it is the right way to relate to others, but also because this attitude will open up many more possibilities.

It is a sign of great nobility and you will get the gratitude of the people you meet along the way.

Mental and Physical Strength

The Travel Photographer must get used to moving for hours and hours with different means of transport, on planes, trains, or a nice Tuk Tuk!

You will often have to complete the work in a limited time, without being able to take any breaks. In addition, you will have to deal with long queues, temperature changes, language barriers, health problems, etc..

All of which can be stressful in the long run.

For this reason you need a good physical and mental preparation , which will help you to live your profession with serenity.

Good Language Skills

A minimum knowledge of languages helps you move around better.

For sure, You could always rely on a translator, but many times the budget doesn’t allow it, so it’s convenient to be able to ” arrange ” in some other way.

Already with English, Spanish and French you will cover a good part of the world and on occasion you can rely on a local guide, which in any case, especially when it comes to ethnic photography, is always an ideal choice to approach another culture.

See also: Ethnic portrait in Travel Photography

Flexibility and Reliability

Get ready to cover a traveling event, a documentary assignment from a magazine, or any other task with a last-minute change.

In real life you get as organized as possible, but the unexpected is always around the corner.

Especially if you work as a freelancer , it won’t be enough to be a good photographer, you’ll also have to show flexibility in your schedule, reliability in the field and in the delivery of work.

It’s a quality that every photographer should have, not just a travel one. I’ll never get tired of repeating it, try to be creative.

There is always a high demand for original content and creativity is the most important skill , which also depends on your preparation and inspiration.

See also: 6 Helpful Exercises to Improve Your Photographic Eye

Get Up Early!

It’s not a quality, it’s a suggestion. Local life starts before dawn and you don’t know how many things you’re missing by staying under the blankets. Get used to getting up early and taking advantage of the best light hours .

See also: 10 mistakes that a travel photographer should not make

Below you will find a list of 16 steps , consider it as a “checklist”. Print it out and review it over time, keeping track of your progress.

There are many paths you can follow to Become a Travel Photographer and each one will add something extra to your experience.

Behind the success there is above all a great effort, dictated by passion, study, practice and experience .

A trial and error that depends on you, as well as other factors: your geographical location and the working relationships that you will develop along your career.

Step 1 - Ask Yourself Some Questions

What do I like? What kind of Travel Photographer do I want to be?

To understand How to Be a Travel Photographer and answer to these key questions it is important to move towards a choice that is a result of your personality, of what you really like.

Maybe you want to work as a Humanitarian Photographer or Photojournalist and cover events in difficult areas of the planet to tell a story.

Or maybe you want to photograph for large hotel chains or tourism-related businesses, be a Wedding Destination Photographer or even just share your passion with others.

There is an important difference between one case and the other, and you will have to take it into account from the beginning.

See also: Inspiring Interview with Gavin Gough, Humanitarian Photographer

Don’t You Have a Clear Idea?

Start working on what you’re most passionate about and gradually, with experience, you’ll understand what is the right path for you .

Step 2 - The Travel Photographer Gear

The weight of the equipment is a key element for the travel photographer. Less weight, less effort, and easier mobility when travelling.

The difficulty lies in maintaining a good balance between weight and quality, since in general, especially in optics, “weight” is also a synonym for quality .

Where do we store the equipment? What is the ideal bag for a Travel Photographer?

In my case, I’ve been traveling for a long time with a “Think Thank” photo trolley, custom-designed to be carried as hand luggage and indispensable to transport all the equipment I need.

Once at destination I choose only part of the necessary gear according to the type of activity I am going to do , placing everything in a Lowepro backpack, well-padded and with rain protection.

The type of equipment clearly depends on what photos you want to do.

If you’re into documentary photography, for example, you might want to go for a Mirrorless camera with a short focal length lens (like 50mm), a combination that’s not invasive when approaching people.

If you’re focused on landscapes and sell prints instead, you’ll probably need a camera with a large sensor to maintain high quality, a carbon tripod, solid and lightweight for travel, at least a wide-angle lens and a good set of ND filters.

Study your equipment and get to know it well to get the most out of it on journey.

If you’ve just dived into the world of travel photography, check the article below about the essential equipment to get started .

See also: Essential equipment for getting started with Travel Photography

Are you worried about safety during the trip with expensive equipment?

You’re right to think so.

In a place you don’t know you’ll have to be even more careful, ask the local people for advice before you go and perhaps insure your equipment .

I’ve been relying on World Nomads for a long time, which offers good coverage for photographers.

Step 3 - Learn Travel Photography

This point is often overlooked. The truth is that you never stop learning and even the best photographers always need to study and update in order to remain active in an ever-changing market.

Personally, I started training myself with photography manuals, on my own, by reading. Then, over time, I realized courses with other photographers, even those not related to travel photography, to have a wider vision of the topic.

I especially like to imagine, looking at a picture, what the photographer did to get it and I don’t give up until I understand it.

To date I continue to study, learn and teach through my courses, to try to convey my personal experience . From travel photography, to color theory, post-production, composition, portrait, the study of light. etc.

Study takes time, but it is fundamental, as well as practice . If you can’t travel that much, start photographing locally , maybe some festivals, portraits and landscapes around home.

You will be able to put what you have learned into practice and get to know your equipment better.

TIP : Taking part in a Travel Photography Workshop will exponentially increase your skills, with the practice, experience and support of a professional photographer. An amazing experience to learn photography.

Step 4 - Get Inspired By Other Travel Photographers

See also: 8 travel photography books to get inspired.

This will also help you realize what kind of travel photography you are looking for.

The Travel Photographer Job requires commitment and sacrifice, but first of all passion and inspiration for what you do.

The photos will speak for you!

Step 5 - Develop Your Own Style

To learn How to Become a Travel Photographer you will first have to understand what you like. That’s why it is important to study the work of other professionals.

Gradually decide how you want to show yourself to your audience : through the use of color or black & white, or maybe you want to make your portraits known only through the use of natural light, or on the contrary, with studio lights.

Whatever the case, this choice will help others to recognize your photos more easily, thanks to a Unique and Particular Style .

See also: Black and White vs Color Photography

Therefore, the study of technique and post-production is fundamental, in order to maintain a homogeneous work.

TIP : don’t worry so much about trends, they come and go. Do what you like, follow your own style.

Step 6 - Produce Content, Build An Effective Portfolio

To generate interest in a client and start earning money you will first have to produce content related to what you want to do and then organize it into a portfolio .

Consider it your business card. You will often need it and it will demonstrate, at least at first glance, your experience and professionalism as a photographer.

The portfolio represents the best of your work , choose a few images, but powerful. Try to be critical and improve it over time. Personally, I decided to divide it into themed galleries , but you can present it in different forms, depending on your style.

Nowadays it should be enough for you to present your portfolio in digital format, through a website or Instagram . If necessary, in any case, you can always create a physical copy, printed on paper.

In order to be able to improve your travel photography portfolio over time, try to keep your photos organized , as the number of images has increased considerably with digital photography and you may find it difficult to retrieve what you need when you need it.

TIP: when travelling, take a wide selection of your portfolio with you on an external drive or in the cloud.

It’s possible that a client will get in touch with you and need a quick response, and it’s convenient to have more material with you to show them before they look for another photographer.

See also: How to Build a Photography Portfolio

Step 7 - participate in travel photography internships.

You need to produce new content. You already photographed a lot around home and now, you feel ready to expand your vision.

You’re on your way!!

An interesting idea to grow your portfolio and at the same time live a wonderful experience abroad is to participate in a Travel Photography Internship .

In this way, you will be able to participate in different projects worldwide, ranging from community volunteering and conservation of flora, fauna, and environment, to teaching, human rights, and photojournalism.

Here are some example of companies that organize this kind of activity:

• Global Nomadic
• African Impact
• Global Leadership Adventures
• Intern Abroad HQ
• Frontier Gap
• Projects Abroad

You will be part of a team, meet new people, acquire new skills and make a great contribution to the community.

There are many projects and destinations available. Check carefully what best suits your needs and interests . You will approach situations that were previously just a distant dream.

It will be the beginning of a new adventure and an important step in your career as a professional travel photographer.

Once you have collected the material you will have a more solid portfolio and more chances to be accepted in large multimedia content agencies.

Step 8 - Create a Logo

A beautiful logo identifies your business , has an impact on the public and helps to show your professionalism .

Try to be creative and if you can’t design it yourself, rely on an experienced freelancer and not on a generic logo design service.

Step 9 - Build a Website

A simple and clear website, not only improves your presence as a professional , but is also the ideal way to show your portfolio .

Try to take care of the aesthetics, says a lot about you as a photographer .

Depending on the commitment you want to put into it and your interest in getting results, you will be faced with important choices:

What system do I use to build it?

Personally I chose WordPress (the .org version, be careful!   wordpress.com is not the same thing), a development ecosystem that allows me a good dose of freedom .

I can do most of the “routine” work on my own and rely on a developer if I need to do something more complex.

Other platforms, like Wix , Squarespace or Weebly allow, through a “drag and drop” system, to build a website easily, but in reality the limitations are many and at a certain point you find yourself forced to a change.

Perhaps with the need to implement a function that is not yet available or continuous problems with the layout.

The third option is to rely on a web developer to build it directly in code and possibly a designer , two fundamental figures if you decide to take this path.

It may be a bit more expansive, but you will certainly get a completely customized job.

Where do I buy the domain?

Choosing the hosting for your website

Think about SEO

SEO (“Search Engine Optimization”) is an important factor if you want your customers to find you in organic form by entering keywords related to your business on Google or other search engines.

The choice of platform you use to build your site will also affect SEO. The advantage of WordPress.org is that you can optimize your OnPage SEO easily using plugins like Yoast or RankMath .

TIP: Search “Travel Photographer Website” on Google to find inspiration from the work of other professionals in your own niche.

Step 10 - Improve Your SEO

Now that you’ve got yourself in the game with a website, you’ll have to think about improving your SEO .

You can do this for example by creating valuable content for your blog or developing your social networks .

There’s a lot to learn on the subject and you’ll find interesting articles to start with in Yoast and RankMath’s blog.

Step 11 - Develop your presence in Social Media

Never before have social networks been so important. Don’t exaggerate trying to run many social profiles .

I recommend you to invest your efforts on Instagram and YouTube as a professional photographer. They’re two channels that can give you more results.

Remember that achieving success on social media is not easy, but it’s worth a try.

Instagram Tips:

• Don’t rely on services that promise paid followers, it’s an unfair and useless technique that doesn’t produce results. Instead, try to get them to follow you for who you are. You’ll have fewer followers, but obtained organically, of greater value .
• Search among your “Competitors” and find relevant “Hashtags” with your niche that can better position you with the Instagram algorithm.
• Reply to comments and engage with people related to your niche to build relationships.
• Tag travel and photography brands , as well as tourism agencies.
• Use the “Geo-Tag” in posts and stories.
• In addition to images, using quality video content in the feed and stories can increase your chances of success.
• Take care of your “Feed” style and optimize your “Bio” and “Highlight Stories”.

Don’t get obsessed!

Social Media requires great effort, just try to do your best and, if you really want to do things properly seek the advice of an experienced freelancer who can give you useful tips to organize your social strategy .

Step 12 - Promote Yourself, Search for New Clients

Now that you have everything in order and can present yourself professionally, it’s time to make yourself even more known and go looking for new customers.

Try to promote your work first among family and friends, and then with small local businesses.

Especially these days, with social networks, everyone is looking for a better way to introduce themselves to their audience and the need to renew their image.

Have a look at my commercial service for companies and individuals to get an idea.

Tip: Get a certification on Google My Business (you can do it even without having a physical direction).

Optimize your account properly to improve your local SEO , allowing more customers to discover your business. In addition to this, you can also register in some photographers’ directories.

Work on your website, SEO and social networks should already give you results and visibility.

If in any case you feel that this is not enough, you can promote your business through advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube or Google Ads .

Tip: At least at the beginning you should rely on the advice of an expert in Digital Marketing . This way you will avoid throwing money away.

Optimizing a campaign without the necessary knowledge is not easy.

Step 13 - Enter a Travel Photography Contest

It takes time and concentration, but participating and achieving results in a travel photography contest can increase your visibility exponentially , with all the benefits that follow.

Photo Contest Insider is a source where you can stay up to date with the latest news from the competition front.

Tip: Read the rules well and make sure that the contest organizers respect the rights of the photographer and that by giving your consent you do not allow a perpetual and free use of your images.

Step 14 - Get Your Work Published

I remember the first time one of my pictures was published in National Geographic . As soon as I heard about it, I exploded with happiness.

As a photographer, there is no better recognition and it means that your work is considered professional .

Getting a publication is a great achievement and possibly the first of many.

Unless you work directly for a magazine or an agency, as a freelancer you will have two paths to follow to increase your chances of being published :

1. Contribute to Stock Agencies

Participating actively with your images in stock agencies will take up your time, you’ll need to make sure you offer quality images and “tag” them correctly.

Over time you will get important publications that will help you promote your business .

There are many image stock libraries on the market.

Generally divided into:

• Premium Stock  

2. Pitch a Story to a Magazine

This is another effective method to obtain publications, although it takes a lot of time and preparation. In this case you will need to create a direct contact with a journalist or editor . So try to be prepared, friendly and professional.

Also keep in mind that a publisher receives a lot of emails a day and yours may get lost for some reason. Insist without exaggeration, let some time pass in the case and send it again. If at the second chance you don’t get a reply, forget it.

You’ll have to put together a sellable story , that includes text and photos. If writing is not your strong point, get help from a professional copywriter , you’ll find plenty on Fiverr.

Tip: Do an accurate research . This means reading other articles published by the magazine carefully, analyzing its style and the audience it addresses.

Take a look at Wanderlust Magazine’s guidelines to better understand how to move and create important and lasting working relationships.

Step 15 - Sell Prints

There’s nothing like seeing your artwork printed . Selling prints can help you earn more money and make your work more popular.

You can do it in different ways. Start by offering this service to family and friends, and then you can do it through your website and social networks. Have a look at my Fine Art prints page to get an idea.

Another option is to offer your work to local galleries , it will help you to create an important space as a photographer and artist .

Step 16 - Teach and Organize Travel Photography Workshops

Once you have reached maturity as a Travel Photographer , you will also be ready to pass on your knowledge and passion to others.

You will be able to teach and organize courses in person and online, and form a group that will grow over time.

You can also provide  Photography Workshops.

I personally offer Travel Photography Workshops in Argentina . This allows me to travel even more, produce more content and give a unique experience to other enthusiasts like me.

TIP: There are already many groups of photographers who organize this kind of activity on the market, try to propose yourself showing them your solid experience , they might be interested in expanding their proposal.

See also: Travel Photography Workshops: Guide to the Best Choice

Step 17 - the importance of storytelling.

You have reached the final step of this guide on How to Be a Travel Photographer . You almost made it!

Last but not least: the importance of visual storytelling. A travel photographer must be able to convey emotion , through the use of composition, light, colors, and telling a story, involving the public .

It is the soul of this work and gives meaning to what we do.

Take example from photographers who dominate storytelling and capture the attention of their audience, such as GMB K Akash , who tells with extraordinary images the harsh street reality of Bangladesh or Ami Vitale , who has long been dedicated to the conservation of rhinos in Africa.

If you can communicate with your audience not only with images, but also through your experience and use of words, you will have achieved the greatest of results .

How to Be a Travel Photographer - Final Notes

Finally, I must say that I enjoyed writing this guide on How to Be a Travel Photographer , which I hope you found useful.

The references to external sites and photographers have no commercial purpose, they are the result of my personal experience and if I have included them is because I believe they are really valuable .

The Travel Photographer’s career is very attractive but certainly not easy to pursue. Think of it this way: you’re following your passion and it’s not a waste of time .

Don’t be in a hurry, try to understand what you want, put into practice the points I have described gradually and above all: Have fun on the way!

On my side, I will continue to keep this guide updated over time, so that I can always share relevant information and hopefully add a few more travel photography tips.

If you have any comments I’d love to read them.

Stay up to date with the latest articles and news from the blog.

• guide , travel , travel photographer , travel photography

Nicholas Tinelli

2 thoughts on “a sincere guide on how to be a travel photographer”.

I’ve been following your blog content with interest for a while. Until now, I have always been photographing as an amateur, but I would like to be able to pursue a professional career. Thank you for providing this guide and your experience. I was wondering, what camera and lenses do you use?

Thank you, Thomas, for taking the time to read it and leaving a comment. I really hope the guide will be helpful. Actually, I’m photographing with a Canon 5DSR, a great camera body. As for the lenses, I don’t separate myself from the 24-70 mm and the 70-200 mm, two optics that I always carry with me on travel.

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How to Become a Travel Photographer – the Blueprint

If you want to learn how to become a travel photographer , you in the right place.

It was a beautiful day in Montreal. I was on a regular afternoon jog listening to a popular photography podcast. The topic of the episode was travel photography. The guests of the show were two professional photographers with the years of experience.

At the end of the podcast during the listeners’ question and answer session, the first question immediately grabbed my attention. Why? Because I’ve been asked the same, or nearly identical, question many times before.

So what’s the question?

“I want to start traveling more specifically for photography, but I do not know where to start. Do you have any idea where I should go or how to plan my trip? Should I edit photos while I am there or should I wait until I return home? What cameras, lenses and other equipment do I take? Help! I am suffering from analysis paralysis“.

Ok, so perhaps the question has multiple parts but it still rang true to my experience. I was curious to hear the answers because I knew it was a loaded question and definitely not an easy one.

The photographers’ answers surprised me.

Here are some of them:

“South Asia is a good place to go.”“Do not go to Bangkok.”“If you do not know, choose a place randomly.”“Europe, maybe.”

Instead of addressing the complex subject of travel photography, the photographers only concentrated on a single aspect: the location. Their answers disappointed me because I do not consider the location to be an essential part of travel photography. You do not need to travel to a remote and exotic destination to enjoy travel photography.

A simple 4-step process on how to become a travel photographer

I decided to put together a blueprint or guide to help people who want to get involved in travel photography but do not know where to start. I used a similar approach when I first started and it has proven successful over the years.

First and foremost, please do not start your travel photography journey with a trip to South Asia. It will be a waste of time and money, not to mention it will be full of disappointments.

Start smaller and grow from there.

Step 1: Testing Ground

Find a local park in your neighborhood, preferably within walking distance or a short drive. Make this your testing ground for your equipment and photography routines.

Any urban park has all the essential elements of travel photography: landscapes, cityscapes, people, etc….

Plan your visits during different times of the day. Learn how to deal with the harsh midday light, overcast, rain, sunsets and sunrises. In doing so, you will figure out what minimum equipment you need to cover different scenarios of travel photography.

For example, I realized pretty early that a minimalistic approach to photography suits me the best and all I need is a camera with a walk around lens. For years, I used a combination of a Canon 60D + Sigma 17-70mm and now I have a similar setup of a Sony a6000 + Sony 16-70mm.

Admittedly, I have more equipment in my possession including a wide angle lens (Sony 10-18mm), tripod, filters and remote triggers. But, if necessary, I can go on an extensive trip and only take a camera and one lens with me.

I am lucky enough to have a beautiful park in only short walking distance from where I live. Even now, when I have a new piece of equipment, I always test it there. When I switched from a Canon to a Sony, it was a steep learning curve and the local park was the ideal place for learning and testing my new equipment.

Now that it is winter, I ordered new photo gloves and, when I receive them, I will go to the park for a few hours to see if I like them or not.

Step 2: Mini Simulation

The next step is to go on a day-long trip at a location within a 1-2-hour driving range. In my case, I know all the national and provincial parks around Montreal and most of them make perfect destinations for short photo trips.

This trip will take you away from the comfort of your home for the entire day and will allow you to start micro planning and testing your skills.

Make sure you plan in advance what spot to visit at sunset or sunrise. It is not always easy to do both during a short trip, so choose only one and make sure you visit the best spot. Use Google search, Google maps, and 500px to pinpoint the perfect location for your sunrise or sunset shoot.

Also, you have to decide how many camera batteries to bring with you, if you need spare memory cards, and so on. If your trip involves challenging hiking, it also might be a good idea to leave the tripod at home.

These trips are designed for photographers to make mistakes and to learn from them. With every new trip, you will learn more about planning, your equipment, and your habits.

When you comfortable with the short trips, it is time to graduate to multi-day trips.

Step 3: Multi-Day Driving Trips

This is how real travel photography started for me.

Montreal is located within a 5-7 hour driving distance from New York, Boston and Toronto with Niagara Falls. My trips dedicated exclusively to photography started with 2-3 day driving trips to those destinations.

Multi-days trips require much more planning where you should always do your research first and then plan all your sunrises, sunsets and everything in between.

Another new challenge you have to face on these trips is to figure out how to deal with editing and backups.

I am not giving you a specific scenario to follow because, based on my experience, travel routines are always changing and evolving.

For example, in the beginning, I always did some basic edits of my new photos by the end of every day of the trip. Now, I only concentrate on my shooting and I start the editing process when I am back at home. But, I always have the option to edit photos simply by connecting my tablet to camera using Wi-Fi, grabbing a few photos, editing them with Snapseed and posting them to social media.

At the same time, my backup routine has not changed a lot. By the end of the day, I backup all new photos to two external hard drives and always make sure to keep them in two separate places. I have one with me at all times in my bag and the second I keep in the safe in the hotel or in the trunk of my car.

Also, I do not rush to format my memory cards. I keep photos on the cards until I run out of space on all four of them and only then do I start formatting.

The beauty of driving trips is that you do not have to be too selective about the equipment you bring with you. You can load your trunk with everything you own and later figure out what pieces are essential for your style of photography.

Step 4: Hacking Family Vacation

The next step is to hack your family vacation.

You have to be careful with this one so as to ensure you do not agitate your loved ones or ruin the vacation for them.

A family trip can serve as the perfect opportunity for testing your air travel routines. It requires additional research to figure out carry on allowances on every leg of your trip and to decide what equipment to bring.

After I brought all my equipment on one of my first family trips to Cuba and hardly used any of it, I started to pack differently by bringing only the necessities along. Also, after I switched from DSLR to Mirrorless, I can pack everything (almost everything) in my carry on without worrying about lost luggage.

So how do you start planning?

Begin by planning your vacation as you normally would and concentrate on family activities first. When these are done and everybody is happy, you can enhance your trip with photography adventures.

During the vacation, the only time when you can be 100% dedicated to your photography is when everybody is sleeping. On each day of vacation you will have a few hours between sunrise and breakfast to concentrate on your photography. And, not only will your family be in bed at 5 am, about 99.9% of tourists will be in their beds as well. In fact, you would be surprised how beautiful Venice looks at sunrise – it is completely different and calm without the chaos of crowds.

Last year, my wife and I went to Niagara Falls in the middle of summer on a weekend getaway. It was so crowded during the day that I had no chance of using a tripod. It was even difficult to take any pictures without having people in the frame. But, when I went to the Falls the next morning just before sunrise, I had the entire place to myself. The only person I met there was another photographer who had the same idea.

The goal of successfully combining a family vacation with photography and to be able to enjoy them both is to plan every single sunrise in advance. The rest of the days will be dedicated to family activities and are much more difficult to plan. You can enjoy your family while trying to be as opportunistic as possible with your photography.

After you have completed dozens of one-day local trips, half a dozen of short driving trips and at least a couple of family vacations, you will be ready to go on extensive trips dedicated exclusively to photography. You will acquire the necessary skills and establish personal routines that will help you be comfortable, confident and safe during your travels.

Learning any new complex process requires breaking it down into smaller digestible chunks that you can then start to tackle one at a time. Travel photography is no different. You cannot learn everything in one shot. By starting small, you will gradually accumulate knowledge, experience and establish your unique routines.

I hope my simple blueprint will help you fulfill your dream of becoming a travel photographer and accelerate the learning process.

by Viktor Elizarov

19 thoughts on “how to become a travel photographer – the blueprint”.

Great advice, my friend!

thanks Ugo, I am glad you liked it

Thanks Viktor for very interesting and useful tips!

you are very welcome

Great tips! I love the idea of waiting to edit until back home and using the tablet and apps for a few social media shots. However, it appears that you still carry a laptop for using the back up external drives, right? I’d love to travel without the laptop but using the backup drives is one reason I take it. I’ve not found another option. ‘ideas?

until now I always travel with a laptop but now I am testing travel workflow where I only take a tablet with me. I will let you know how it goes.

Can you back up onto an iPad?

you need to backup on multiple locations. Plus, there is not enough room on iPad when you shoot RAW.

‘look forward to hearing about it! I looked up the wifi drive you show in your bag and comments (on Amazon) say it’s slow and may not take every image off the card; are you finding that to be true? I suppose if you have enough cards, it’s not a factor. So, you take 2 of these drives? The travel workflow is a continual source of study!

it is not fast but so far no missing files, still testing

Thanks, very interesting, I will tray to follow you advice

Great advice! I especially liked the one about family vacations. The only problem being that you need just as much sleep as the others, so when you get up that early you’ll be tired during the day.

photographers do not need any sleep 🙂

Thanks Viktor. I recently added a monopod to my camera bag, easier to carry than the tripod. It enabled me to shoot some panoramas at sunset while on vacations in Spain. Not as powerfull as the tripod but sometimes a good compromise !

I absolutely agree, monopod is better than nothing. I wish I could transform my tripod into monopod.

This was a great article. I had come to a very similar conclusion about starting close to home and working up to bigger trips. We do travel extensively but I find that I need significant practice in order to efficiently interject serious photography on these trips. I set the goal for 2016 to travel somewhere specifically for photographing every month. This will force me to be creative about finding parks and events closer to home. For instance I found a festival this weekend for eagle watching about an hour from home(Milwaukee, WI). I have a new camera and can’t wait to head out tomorrow.

wow, eagle watching festival. It should be exciting. Good luck.

Great tips. I use a bean bag a lot of time because can rest on the front of my control panel on my mobility scooter .

OK, thanks for teaching us the basic steps of how to capture good images. But now that I have the images, now-what do I need to do with them?

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The Masterclasses 2023: 10 practical tips to help you succeed as a travel photographer

From packing the right kit to picking the right guide, the autumn series of The Masterclasses saw our panellists reveal their top tips for making it as a professional travel photographer.

In September 2023, The Masterclasses by   National Geographic Traveller (UK) returned with a brand-new series of expert-led online sessions for aspiring travel writers and travel photographers.  

Each hour-long session saw an expert panel of   National Geographic Traveller contributors focus on a different aspect of the modern travel photographer’s toolkit, with the likes of Teagen Cunnife, Matt Dutile and Holly-Marie Cato sharing practical advice on everything from picking the right gear to photographing animals in their natural habitats.  

These 10 pieces of advice can help you improve your travel photography, from building your portfolio to using your gear optimally and connecting with your subjects.

1. Plan ahead

“Do your research and get familiar with your own equipment before you travel…Get ahead of the game, pre-visualise and make a plan. When I go to a place that I’m not familiar with, I can start recycling and adapting those ideas to suit the environment.” — Renato Granieri, The art of wildlife photography in travel

2. Maximise your time on a shoot  

“There’s never ever enough time on a shoot. Mostly, though, we only have a day or two, or sometimes just a few hours, to capture animals for a story. Regardless of the weather conditions, I’ll head out and see what surprises me. Getting out and seeing what’s happening around you is the only way to guarantee you’re going to get images. Don’t talk yourself out of shooting just because the weather isn’t perfect.” — Teagen Cunnife, The art of wildlife photography in travel

3. Use local guides to your advantage

“Choose experienced safari guards — they know where the animals will be and can predict behaviour. When you’re choosing a safari operator, pay specific attention to what’s written about the guides on the websites and look for places that have mentioned that their guides are highly awarded or extensively trained. There’s a really big difference between a guide and a guide with photographic knowledge; communicating to a guide who understands composition and lighting is so much easier.” — Teagen Cunnife, The art of wildlife photography in travel

4. Use kit to connect with your subjects  

“I bring a little Fuji Instax camera with me. And that’s for when I’m going into more remote regions so that I can not only ask for a photo but give one back as well. For me, I’ve found that this opens doors to getting people to sit for portraits. Because, if you’re always just showing up and you’re this guy with this big camera coming up in front of them, there’s a little bit of shyness and reticence. But if you can sit with them and open up a little bit of a dialogue, even if you can’t exchange in the same language, that’s a really great way to get them involved.” — Matt Dutile, Picking the perfect kit for your assignment  

5. Stay safe as a lone traveller  

"I always dress to blend in. For example, what I’m wearing to photograph a high-end restaurant and what I’m wearing to go and photograph agave fields is going to be different. I want to blend in so that I feel comfortable and so that the people around me feel comfortable. There are certain places that you’re going to stand out, but just try to be aware of what’s going on around you.” — Lindsay Lauckner Gundlock, Picking the perfect kit for your assignment  

6. Stay inspired  

"I’ve been doing this for 15 years now, but every week I seem to discover a new photographer that I’ve never heard of. As long as someone’s out there creating amazing images, I’ll always be inspired by that. Another part is looking at art, or a place itself. We are storytellers, so I think you can be inspired by the story of a place, a people, an idea, all on its own.” — Matt Dutile, Picking the perfect kit for your assignment  

7.   Use social media to find contacts

"Go on social media. Often, when people get hired, they might thank the person who gave them the job. So, follow other photographers and look in their captions and actually read who’s hiring them, who did they work with, and then follow those commissioners.” — Holly-Marie Cato, How to go professional  

8. Present your work to photo editors  

“Something that I’ve always done is to create a PDF or something that sort of has a layout that looks like the [finished] article so that the photo editor can kind of get an idea of what your story is. When you do that, you might realise that you don’t have the right photos for a story — and that really teaches you what storytelling is.” — Nori Jemil, How to go professional  

9. Know your destination

I think if you’re especially interested in [photographing] some region of world, it really helps to be there. Spend time there and get to know the local traditions, the language or local culture. That can definitely help when presenting a story.” — Ulf Svane, How to go professional  

10. Shoot with passion

"I’m really strong on finding your niche and making sure you’re passionate about it. I could say “build a portfolio”, but often, and I think especially with Instagram, you could build a portfolio of work that you don’t even like. If you want your work to last, if you want to be able to sell that work and really make people believe in it, then be passionate about what you photograph.” — H olly-Marie Cato, How to go professional

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Home » Blog » Tips for Making a Living as a Travel Photographer with Pro Laura Grier

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Tips for Making a Living as a Travel Photographer with Pro Laura Grier

Laura Grier has spent the past 22 years working as a photojournalist on all seven continents and made a life out of exploring the world, capturing and writing about her experiences. We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with this inspiring photographer and long-time Zenfolio Ambassador to discuss her tips for how to get started in travel photography. From researching the most interesting destinations to gear to how to find paid work, Laura held nothing back. 

Laura: Thank you. I’m an adventure travel photojournalist. I shoot for the National Geographic Artisan Catalog. I also started a hat company working with the same artisans I’ve been photographing for the last 20 years. Now we’re in business and partnership with each other, exporting artisan goods. 

I’ve had lots of different experiences through working with National Geographic . And also I do a lot of travel tourism. I’ll shoot for hotels or cruise lines tourism boards, which are essentially the PR companies of every state and country.

Another part of my business is providing supplementary photography for different writers that I work with a lot. I also still shoot weddings and events.

How can someone who doesn’t have any experience get into travel photography? 

There are a couple things I would suggest. I did an internship with National Geographic in DC when I was in college, and I think internships are a great way to begin. There’s a lot of different travel publications and blogs, such as Thrillist or Matador Network . They’re constantly looking for contributors, and a lot of their contributors are writers so they’re not really good at photography. You can always partner up with existing writers that you find and say, “Hey, I’d love to supplement your articles with my imagery.” 

Another way is to build up an online portfolio and have your own blog. It is really helpful because a lot of travel photography involves writing as well. A lot of publications want you to be able to do both and be an actual photojournalist. So I think showing and self-publishing your work with a story attached is really helpful. If you already have a library of imagery on your website or blog , you can market that to tourism boards and say “Hey, I shot amazing images from Mexico (or here or there.) Would you like to use them?” 

There’s a website I recommend called TravMedia , where you can create a profile as a journalist or a photographer. They also have a show every year. The biggest one is called International Media Marketplace , and it’s in January, usually in New York. That’s a great marketplace to go to because it’s all editors; all the tourism boards go there, and journalists and writers. It’s a great way to network. Basically it’s speed dating between travel media people and editors, because everyone gets their budget in January for the year. 

Based on the people you meet and network with, you can either be invited on a trip with their budget, or you can just go out and shoot the locations you want to visit and submit it to them. For me, that event was a really helpful place to meet other travel media people. 

I still feel like I’m learning as I go and I’ve been doing it for years. If you’re not a writer, remember that writers get invited on trips, and the tourism board doesn’t always think about photographers. My boyfriend is a travel writer and I’ve provided photography for a lot of his articles. I’ve pitched to the PR people or the tourism boards being like, “Hey, could I come as the photographer on your trip, and I could stay in my boyfriend’s room. It wouldn’t cost you an extra hotel room.” And a lot of times they reply “Oh yeah, we didn’t even think about that.”

Then they’ll bring you on a trip or hire you. A lot of times, even just partnering with a writer and supplementing them can turn into a lot of jobs, too. Even though I’ve been doing it for a long time, I’m still pitching ideas. Nat Geo hires me five or six times a year, but they’re not my main form of income. There is still a bit of a hustle involved.

Basically, the best advice is to either partner up with a writer or reach out to tourism boards and seriously, everyone should join TRAVMedia. It’s a great travel media resource. 

At this point in your career, are you choosing destinations yourself or are you being sent by publications to go places? 

I’m mostly choosing them. So for instance, at the show I was just talking about, I went and said “I really want to go to Japan. I really want to go to this region of the world, over to Uzbekistan.” I chose regions I either hadn’t been to or that I’m very interested in going to. And then a few regions that I’m very familiar with, like California. I spend a lot of time in California and sometimes I forget about my own backyard.

I was very specific about who I talked to and who I reached out to. It doesn’t have to be a giant net that you throw out there hoping to get something. I think everyone can be a little bit more intentional about where they want to shoot and what they want to do. It doesn’t make sense to go somewhere that you don’t really feel connected to or you’re not familiar with, unless you really want to go there.

I also feel that way about wedding photography and really any type of photography. I go to hotels that I really want to work with for a wedding, and I make meetings with their marketing director or specifically do a styled shoot there. This way I would have images from the location to blog with and promote so I could attract weddings from there.

I think we can all cast a smaller net and be very specific about where we want to be. 

How do you plan and research so you know where the best places are and opportunities for photography are, especially if you’ve never been there before?  

This is another reason why reaching out to the tourism board is really important. You can find a lot of the tourism boards through Instagram, or Google it; tourism board of Australia , or whatever location. There’s probably 15 different ones for different regions, but they will work for you for free, almost like a fixer, because their job is to get beautiful stories and imagery and people to come to their locations.

So if you reach out to the tourism board and say “Hey, I’m a photographer. I’d really like to do a styled shoot here. I’ve been dying to go here, and I’d like to write a story about what adventures there are to do in South Australia.” They will be more than happy to help; These are the restaurants you should go to, these are the hotels, this is where you should stay, this is our person that can help you organize this and that. 

I use them as a fixer because their job is to show their location in the best light. So they go out of their way to help any journalist or photographer with any type of questions like that, at least in my experience. So even if you’re not getting hired by them to go somewhere, they are still a really good resource to help you or to answer questions. You can also research online for the best weather times to visit, and whether there are any festivals.

You can do a lot of your own research, but I like asking the tourism board because they always know what most people don’t know and can’t find online yet. They’ll know the new things that are about to open, the best spots to visit. 

What about your stylized shoots in places that most people have never been before? How do you find those places?  

My stylized shoots, for instance Sri Lanka; I did a workshop in Sri Lanka, I had 12 women and we wanted to go to iconic places all across Sri Lanka.

I had a Sri Lankan coordinator that helped me a little bit, but I also did a lot of the research finding insta-famous places and famous images that people have shot for National Geographic and Sri Lanka for inspiration. Then I found out how to get to those places.

Once we were there, I would talk to local people to find out what was the best time of day, and how should we do this? It was crazy because a lot of these places that were insta-famous, the Instagrammer went to the parking lot or the entrance way of a place, but never actually hiked it or explored it.

Our whole vibe was to debunk the Insta-famous places and show you what it really takes to get there and what it’s really like. I found that these places were even more beautiful and cool than Instagram let on. Usually the place that becomes famous in the image is not the coolest part about that location.

I found this one image from National Geographic of the stilt fishermen in Sri Lanka . The men stand on these stilts in the ocean and they fish. I asked locals for help with that; sometimes you’re showing a picture and asking “How do I find this place?” A lot of times an entire trip I’ve done, or a workshop has been planned around and inspired by one image I saw somewhere. 

Is communicating with the locals and getting to know the culture a big part of your photography? 

In the beginning when I first was traveling in my twenties and shooting pictures, I would just kind of walk around and think “Oh, that’s cool, the woman with really wrinkled skin, I want to photograph her.” I would shoot everything with a long lens and I felt almost like I was stealing images here and there of whatever I was attracted to. 

I also found that style of shooting didn’t really help me later on when I was trying to write an article or to do any type of travel writing because the images didn’t really go together. They didn’t tell a story, they were just sort of disjointed images of random people that I didn’t really get permission to photograph. 

In order to get images sold or published, you have to have a release and get their permission. Some of the best pictures come from when you actually spent the day with somebody and they know you’re there. They’ve invited you into their house and you’ve had a meal with their family and you’re shooting with a 50 millimeter lens, right near their face. 

There’s a really easy app, it’s literally called easy release app , on your cell phone that you can download and have anybody sign a photography release; model release, location release, things like that. Whenever I’m traveling, I don’t need to have a piece of paper or pen, you can just have someone do it on your cell phone. That’s super handy. 

How do you get the confidence to go up to someone that you don’t know, especially in another culture or a language that you don’t speak, to make that connection?

My work with National Geographic helped me a lot with that, because we would already have the relationships with a lot of these artisans and have the permission to go into their villages and photograph them and meet them. I’ve been able to call upon them a lot of times saying “Hey, I’m going to Thailand, I’d love to meet these kind of artisans. Could you help me find a person?” I find that you can’t just walk into a random village and start photographing; a lot of villages don’t even accept tourists.

Beside Nat Geo, there’s always local tour guides or companies that work with villages and artisans. Let’s say that you want to meet artisans that work in Guatemala; you could reach out to a clothing company or someone that’s maybe working with those artisans and ask them if they will help get you permission to visit for the day.

One example is Intrepid Travel . They have trips to go meet up with artisans and stuff all over, so you can get that experience, and have a translator with you and permission.

Who do you bring with you to assist on a trip, and what is your essential gear?

A lot of times I’m doing things by myself, which is crazy. Then I’m finding people that help me on the ground, on location. I think the most I’ve ever traveled with was three other photographers or assistants.

I have to keep it pretty minimal. Not only is it kind of just a lot to bring a lot of people in gear and I think, you know, even just my own gear, I keep very minimal. So everything I have has to be portable and carried. 

I carry all my own stuff. All my photo gear is always my carry-on when I’m traveling. If it doesn’t fit in the carry-on, I’m not bringing it. I have a tiny drone, my Mavic Pro Air . I have a tiny portable Lowel softbox . I use my Canon external flashes with a little slave on top of the Canon, so I can just put the little flash in the portable softbox and create a studio, all battery powered.

I always have extra batteries and a charger for my phone. I use my cell phone and a little DJI Osmo gimbal for video. I only really use the main video in my camera if I have a tripod and I’m already sitting there doing something on the tripod. I also bring maybe three lenses, a couple camera backs, and my laptop; it all fits in my backpack. 

I use a Peak Design backpack , which I think is the greatest photo backpack ever. This thing has gone through hell and back and it’s still in perfect condition and it just holds so much. It’s a smaller backpack, but it holds everything; my laptop, my lenses, this and that. Then I’ll have a side side second bag, either a roller bag or backpack, depending on where I’m going, with all my other gear in it.

So I just have a backpack and a smaller bag. And that’s all my photo gear that I bring, because there’s things like, hiking Kilimanjaro or hiking to some of the villages I’ve had to go to, where there are no power outlets. There’s no way to roll anything. You just have to carry everything.

You just have to figure it out and be portable; that’s my best advice on that. 

Do you have a recommendation for a good travel tripod?  

There was one that I bought years ago and I now don’t have it, but for years it would go everywhere with me. I think I got it at WPPI and it was one of the best little portable travel tripods; it was only a couple pounds.

I have a little one that folds up really small from Manfrotto , but it’s a full tripod. If I was shooting with a 7,200 lens on it, I wouldn’t want to just leave it by itself. I feel like that would be a little topheavy. But other than that it’s been pretty stable. 

Cheryl: I have done quite a bit of photography while hiking, and settled on one from 3 Legged Thing . They’re out of the UK and they have some really great tripods and heads; good for video and still photography. So that’s another one to check out. 

What three lenses are your go-to for travel photography?  

My favorite three to go on assignment are my 50 prime, f 1.2, my 16 to 35 wide angle, and my 70 to 200. I love my 24 -70 as well; that would be my next choice. Honestly, you have to have a telephoto, you have to have a wide lens, and then you have to have a very, very fast portrait lens.

A lot of times you’re in super low light situations and you just want to have that super low depth of field. Or out in a landscape, you want a high depth of field. So I would say those are my go-to lenses, but I can’t tell you how much I use my 16 to 35. There’s something about, for all my landscape stuff, to get those epic clouds and that sort of distortion and everything. It’s just a magical lens.

What other useful gear would we find in your camera bag on a trip?

Portable chargers for everything that you can actually plug into your regular outlet, as well as USB’s for using with the computer. I think my biggest thing is having power, especially since my drone has to be flown using my cell phone? I use my cell phone as my video. I use it for social media. I also use it as my navigation and everything. So it’s constantly draining. Having a portable charging device is really, really important.

Also having the little mini LED panels that are portable that you don’t need to plug in have been really helpful, whether you’re interviewing somebody on camera or you just need an extra pop of light in a dark place. That’s been really great when you don’t want to use on camera flash for portraits and things like that.

Honestly, having a little mini steady cam/gimbal for my cell phone has been a game changer. You can shoot so much cinematic stuff with that; I use it all the time, and it’s tiny. They range from around $200 down; you can find cheaper ones. The Osmo is the one that I love. 

Lastly, having my GoPro and being able to shoot underwater; it has been really easy to use. I just went canyoning the other day in Dominica Island and I wanted to bring my big camera, but you’re jumping off cliffs into the water. I don’t want to do all that with my big waterproof casing, so having a waterproof underwater camera is really helpful. 

What is the most invaluable but inexpensive piece of gear you bring on a trip?

My universal adapter; I get so geeked out over having power.

The cheapest, tiny little thing that’s in my bag; zip ties, bare bands, the little carabiners. Having the little plastic sleeve for your cell phone, the waterproof thing that you can put around your neck. Those things have come in handy so many times. 

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How do you take care of your gear while you’re traveling? You go places where there’s water, sand, and humidity.  

I have to get my stuff overhauled and cleaned a lot. When I come back, I go to Canon, I’m a Canon Pro Service (CPS) member. You can ship your camera off and within two days they have it back to you. In general, I calibrate and clean my stuff once in a while cause it gets banged up. 

I photographed a wedding this past year at Burning Man : Let me talk to you about destroying your photo equipment. You do everything, tape it, do all the things; it doesn’t matter. That dust gets everywhere. That experience was crazy. 

I’m really good about keeping my lens caps on; and the other thing that just sounds like a no-brainer, but I always turn my camera off before switching my lenses. While it is turned on, your camera is an electromagnetic vacuum and if you take your lens off, it just sucks in everything. So you get a lot of dust spots and stuff in your camera if you don’t turn your camera off when you switch lenses.

I’m also really good about having clear filters on all my lenses to protect the glass while shooting.

Do you ever use other lens filters?  

I do it all in post. I used to have filters. I think it’s such a pain to be switching filters all the time, and then you’re getting stuff trapped in them. I’d rather keep one filter on that protects the lens and then do everything in post production for polarizing and stuff like that. 

Have you ever thought about creating your own line of camera straps?  

That’s really funny that you should say that. We just asked our artisans if they could make guitar straps and things like that. And I guess it would be intention straps, because you can choose which one. So the answer is yes. It’s going to happen soon.

What’s your current favorite camera strap or harness? 

I’m not a multi-camera carrier; I’m not a harness person. I don’t like things being strapped to me all the time, so I’m definitely a one camera, maybe I’ll have a side bag with some lenses kind of person. I like the freedom of being able to move around and through places quickly, and I don’t like having a lot of stuff on me.

I did get a new camera strap from Custom SLR , it has the two straps where it splits so it’s better on your shoulder. It’s not just all the weight on one, it separates it into two, because I get really tight neck and shoulders all the time. So there is a camera strap that can be easier on your neck and shoulders.

Do you still enjoy your trips or do they feel like work?

I always enjoy everything. There is no separation for me between work and play, and even when I’m sitting here spending time with my family in Virginia, I’m ironing hats for a hat show, and then I’m doing a photo shoot tomorrow. Everything blends all together all the time. 

I use my photography all the time in my hat business and met the artisans through my photography and these artisans also are helping me with a nonprofit I’m forming. You never know what your connections are going to be, but I love what I do. I really, really love shooting photos. I think the only time where I’m not having a good time is when I’m not sleeping enough.

In general, if I plan my life well enough and I can get rest, I’m enjoying all the things I’m doing and all the travel I’m doing. I think it is important to make sure that there is rest built in. Even now with certain clients I’ve had, I make sure they fly me in a day early and I make sure that I have time to edit and downtime because it’s really important to build that in. It’s going to make you a happier, better photographer. 

I finally realized that you have to have a level of self care, whether it’s yoga or some sort of massage, that needs to happen. I build that in, it’s included in the pricing of my packages because it’s part of the deal, and it’s not that much. 

I do enjoy all of it. I wish I could clone myself and have more hours in a day. 

Do you also travel just for fun, without your camera?  

Sometimes I’m going to new, beautiful places I haven’t been, and then those images I can license to my stock agency. If I didn’t have my camera, I would want my camera. So even as a tourist, I would have my camera. I don’t consider that work, but I could never just travel without my camera, you know?

Especially if I’m going somewhere new, because I would want to document it and it could be something that could make money later on. It’s still fun, but I’m always thinking of ways I can repurpose things and multitask .

It’s also my gift that I give to a lot of my friends and family, this photography. Or I’ll [be traveling and] will want to do a styled shoot somewhere. I’m always blending it. Even with the hats, I’ll wear a hat and I’m going on a trip and of course I’m going to want to shoot pictures of me in a cool place wearing the hat for the hat company.

There’s always things that I’m thinking about when I’m on a trip, even if it’s just a vacation that ends up being kind of a blend of work. And same thing with work; when I’m on a work trip, I’ll extend it a few days and make it a vacation, too. It’s all blended together.

How can photographers learn from you in person?

We had a couple trips that were planned earlier and we had to push them just for various reasons. But in the fall there are going to be a few trips. One is to Iceland. It’s going to be a goddess session trip; a women’s trip where we’re going to be shooting Fashion Goddess portraits along the way in epic locations, similar to the Kilimanjaro series . It’s going to be an amazing journey. We’re going to be going to places in Iceland I’ve never even been to, either. 

As for teaching, a lot of my trips I’m there to help you out with your own thing. In some ways, a lot of it is adventure and I’m just a tour leader. Then we set up photo shoots along the way. For the Iceland trip, I’ll facilitate setting up the photo shoots and help people with their settings. Each person’s going to be modeling and having their own pictures taken during that time. It’s a fun, empowering trip that involves photography; I won’t be teaching every day about the basics of photography, but I’ll be there to help with any type of need. 

Another trip that we’ll be doing is a visit to our artisans for the hat company ; the next one is in November 2023 centered around Cusco and the Sacred Valley. This is one of our origin trips, where everybody on the trip gets a hat and you get to meet all the indigenous artisans and learn about their cultural practices. We will have permission to go into the villages; we’ll do portraits with them. 

All of my trips create amazing opportunities to come back with an incredible portfolio from [the location]. It’s not hardcore where every day there’s photo instruction. We’ll usually do photo shoots during the day, then at night we can have a discussion over dinner, cover questions people have or exchange thoughts. 

I’ll usually do one evening where I’m talking about editing tips and things like that. It’s very relaxed: It’s like going on an epic trip during the day where you’re taking incredible images and having an adventure, then at night having a fireside chat about photography.

Do you require participants in your trips to have a certain level of photography experience or type of equipment? 

I always tell people, bring your professional camera or bring your iPhone.

We can teach on anything; I don’t want people to feel like they’re not good enough, or don’t have good enough equipment to come. I think you can do amazing imagery on any camera that you have, and I want people to be able to enjoy it no matter what level they are.

How many people do you allow each trip?  

The most I ever bring on these trips are 12. It’s usually eight to 12, they’re pretty small. 

I will be doing more trips to Africa next year. Our Madagascar trip will probably be in the spring of 2024. 

Then there is a potential North Pole adventure; Greenland and Northern Arctic Adventure. That will be later in the year, probably wintertime. It seems counterintuitive to go in the winter, but that’s actually the best time to go. We don’t have the dates on it yet, they are TBD, but we have the actual trip planned. That will be on a cruise ship that makes different stops, and we will Zodiac boat to different places. 

The upcoming ones will be fall; Guatemala, Peru, and then Iceland will be also probably October, November. Madagascar would most likely be February or March of 2024. 

When we post the dates, everything will be found on lauragrier.com . You can follow me on Instagram or join the newsletter on the site. We’ll be announcing them and posting them on the trip section as soon as we have all the dates.

Are there any places still on your bucket list?

My bucket list: I swear it keeps getting longer and longer as I’ve gone places, because you hear about new places you’ve never been. Papua New Guinea is high on my list. Believe it or not, I have not been to Turkey. I’ve flown through the airport, but I haven’t spent a lot of time in Turkey, so I really, really want to head over there.

My main thing is to do an Eastern European road trip. There’s 15 countries I could visit in one road trip, and a lot of them I just don’t know that much about: Albania, Estonia, and Moldova. There’s so many different places out there.

I’m at 88 countries right now, so I’m like, “Hmm, I could probably hit a hundred if I did an Eastern European road trip,” but that isn’t the main reason why I want to do it. I think it would be so cool to just explore on a road trip, learn a lot on the ground and understand the geography because I’m driving. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do. 

My jam is going to places where there’s vanishing cultures and indigenous people. I would love to see the Eagle Festival in Mongolia or Siberia and visit the tribes in Papua New Guinea.

I’m also an advanced diver, so I’m trying to hit as many reefs as I can before some of those disappear. I just went and swam with the sperm whales in Dominica Island, it was amazing. I want to go to Tonga, there’s Raja Ampat in the Indonesian islands that’s supposed to be the most spectacular reef on the planet, and it’s really hard to get to. 

Find Laura’s top tips for composition and editing in part two of this blog series, and visit her Facebook , Instagram feed , and website to see what exciting things she’ll do next.

Watch our full interview with Laura Grier for more of her professional tips on travel photography. 

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Contributors

Laura Grier of Beautiful Day Photography has spent the past 22 years working as a photojournalist on all 7 continents and has made a life out of exploring the world, capturing, and writing about her experiences. She has been a platform speaker for WPPI, WIPA, Canon, Zenfolio, Step Up Women’s Network, and the Wedding MBA Conference. Presently, she is a Los Angeles and Miami based Photojournalist, Travel Writer, and owner of both Beautiful Day Photography (specializing in Destination Weddings) and Laura Grier Travel, featuring her Fine Art Prints, travel workshops, and behind-the-scenes of her jet setting around the world. Laura’s ability to combine her love of travel, adventure, weddings, and art into a chic, colorful perspective, has made her a renowned International photographer. (Author Profile)

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Cheryl is the Director of Content Strategy at Zenfolio and the Owner/Photographer at Portraits by Cheryl and Seniors by Cheryl in Raleigh, NC. Cheryl has mentored countless new photographers looking to build successful photography businesses.

Amanda is the Content Marketing Specialist at Zenfolio and the Owner/Photographer of Wild Orchard Studios photography. A BFA graduate from Maine College of Art and Design and professional Portrait, Family, and Branding photographer for nearly 20 years, she thoroughly enjoys drawing from her experiences to guide new photographers as they are starting out. Amanda lives in the wilds of Maine with her husband and two imaginative daughters. If there’s such a thing as too much dark chocolate, she hasn’t heard about it.

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10 tips to help you take better travel photos

From looking for ‘stories’ and respecting your subjects to going that extra mile for a special shot, Graeme Green reveals the ‘tricks of the trade’ that set great travel photographers apart

1: What’s the story?

Snowshoeing in Hokkaido’s Daisetsuzan NP, Japan (Graeme Green)

A great photo opens up the world to people. With adventure travel photography, you need to capture the action and take people there. Whether it’s paragliding in Nepal or snowshoeing across Japan’s frozen north, people looking at your pictures have to feel that sense of adventure.

If you’re spending time with local cultures, you need to communicate a sense of character and how people live.

Whatever it is you’re looking at, you need to figure out what the story is and who the main characters (and supporting cast) are – whether that’s people, wildlife, buildings, food… What aspects of a place do you need to capture to bring this particular story to life?

2: Give a little respect

Rang-sri Prasopturm of the Red Lahu tribe in northern Thailand (Graeme Green)

I’ve seen shocking examples around the world of tourists treating local people like any other curiosity, including a group in Bhutan crowding around a girl at a monastery who was too shy, polite or scared to push away the iPads and cameras in her face.

I sometimes take candid photos of people from a distance, using a zoom lens – an unobtrusive way to get an authentic sense of local cultures, without any posing.

More often, I’ll ask someone if they mind me taking a photo (if language is a barrier, just pointing at the camera and asking “ok?” is usually enough). People around the world are friendly and, certain cultures aside, surprisingly open to having their photo taken – even up for a bit of direction, moving into positions or reproducing an action to help you get the photo you want.

When possible, I like to spend a day or several days with a person or a group, checking they’re happy to be photographed, then just asking them to “pretend I’m not here”, so I can take authentic, natural shots as we go about our time together.

3: Be a decent human being

Ashaninka in Amazonian Peru, threatened with loss of land (Graeme Green)

It’s worth thinking about what you’re photographing from an ethical position, especially if money is changing hands in order to get a picture.

Travelling in Burma, I heard that the heavy layers of metal chains worn around the neck by women in remote tribes painfully deform the women – not so much a local tradition anymore, but a way to collect money from tourists who come to take their picture. Likewise, it’s reported that using cormorants for fishing in China actually chokes the birds – again, less a tradition, more a pose for photographers. Neither are photos I need on my memory card. The same goes for drugged tigers, de-toothed snakes or chained monkeys

Photos tell stories, good or bad, and even have an impact on the outcome of those stories, from violence and human rights to wildlife conservation. Taking pictures that continue any kind of suffering to humans, animals or the environment isn’t something I want to be involved in.

4: Show something real

Maasai warrior and ranger in Olmoti volcano, Tanzania (Graeme Green)

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of post-production to bring out the best in a photo. I see pictures online everyday, though, where photographers have obviously got carried away with Photoshop’s settings, editing their pictures to the point where they bear no relation to what they saw or to scenes that are even physically possible.

The eyes are pretty clever, and detect when something doesn’t add up. Photos with intensely oversaturated colours, or weirdly manipulated pictures where skies are dark and stormy but, somehow, magically, the rest of the scene is bathed in warm, colourful sunlight might get Likes on Instagram but they’re likely to be rejected by editors at newspapers and magazines.

Instead, capture something real. There are plenty of incredible sights in the real world, without adding magic effects.

5: Have a little patience

Cyclist passing entrance to Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakech, Morocco (Graeme Green)

The difference between an ok shot and a great shot is often time. It’s hard to be patient when there’s often so much to see and do – especially when you’re on assignment, with places to be, people to meet, things to photograph.

Often, you can see a building is going to look fantastic in half an hour or later in the day, when the light hits it right. Waiting, or leaving and returning later, is better than a sub-standard photo.

At Ben Youssef Madrasa in Morocco, I found a shot of the entrance that looked pretty good as it was, with just the ornate doorway and the street outside. But the picture I wanted was someone walking or cycling by. I waited, perhaps for half an hour, taking various photos of people speeding by, until I got the one I wanted.

6: Look around

Local woman crossing fields near Colca Canyon, Peru (Graeme Green)

To take great pictures, you need to keep your eyes peeled. Often, it’s small details that others might miss or walk by, rather than the obvious main attraction, that’s the detail that brings your story to life. Sometimes, it’s the spectators at an event, rather than the event itself, that make the standout photo.

When I’m on assignment, I’m always looking around. It pays to take your eye away from the viewfinder and away from the main focus. Working in Peru, my focus was the condors of Colca Canyon. Looking around, though, I spotted a woman in colourful skirts walking through the surrounding fields, a picture that gave a sense of local life and the scale of the landscape. Those kind of photos, easily missed, help make a story.

7: Think big, think small

Vodou-influenced artworks in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Graeme Green)

A series of epic landscape photos, one after another, doesn’t really sum up a place – and nor does a collection of portraits. What a story often requires is variety, not just the big, key elements (people, landscapes, animals, buildings…) but also smaller details.

Piles of colourful fruit or shining fish in local markets can give a real flavour of a place. Road signs or shop signs often show the local sense of humour. I like to keep an eye out for artworks, statues, murals and other details that add an extra dimension and say something about a place.

8: Go the distance

Sunset on the remote Ton Le Sap Lake, Cambodia (Graeme Green)

The ‘glamourous’ life of a travel photographer often means getting out of bed (if there is a bed) when it’s still dark. I’ve completed assignments while wiped out by illness. There have been tough journeys on jarring dirt tracks, long trudges through thick snow or desert heat, and endless waits in dawn’s early light with nothing happening. You need to deal with disappointment, the unexpected, the impossible-to-predict and the failed-to-appear.

Early starts, sleepless nights, long days blurring into each other, dodgy vehicles and difficult journeys are all part of life as a travel photographer. There might be times when you don’t feel like taking photos, but missed opportunities always come back to haunt you. Few people know regret like a photographer who didn’t get their shot.

9: Be original

Burmese girl applying Thanakha in motorbike wing mirror (Graeme Green)

With billions of images online and in newspapers, magazines and books, it takes something original to stand out and make people look.

The world probably doesn’t need another photo of the Holi paint festival or sunrise over Angkor Wat. I prefer to seek out subjects that I haven’t already seen elsewhere 1,000 times. If you are going to photograph a well-covered subject, you need to find your own fresh take.

10: Seek out interesting places and situations

Silver miner walking through Mexico’s Copper Canyon (Graeme Green)

One of the great pleasures of travel photography is the travel itself. It’s a job that can take you around the world, meeting people you’d rarely meet in any other walk of life, witnessing scenes and having adventures that are unforgettable.

It pays to go to unfamiliar and remote places, even if that means difficult journeys. The extra effort is usually rewarded with fascinating cultures, wildlife, buildings and other new sights. Keep an ear out for local festivals or find out about local practices, from religion to art, farming to celebrations, all of which can make for original pictures.

Exploring and finding something unique that you’re interested in – as a person, a traveller and a photographer – is the big motivation for many travel photographers.

Graeme Green is an award-winning travel photographer and journalist, whose work has appeared in The Sunday Times, Wanderlust, National Geographic, The Guardian and others. For more on Graeme’s photography, see graeme-green.com .

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How to Become a Travel Photographer: Types, Pay, and Skills

What photographer hasn’t dreamed of traveling the world, visiting exotic destinations, and capturing inspiring images? Imagine the sights you would see, the stories you would have to tell.

But how practical is a career path as a travel photographer? Is there really a need? Can you actually make a living? What do you have to do to break into the business?

Is it really viable to live your dream?  Read on to find out.

It’s a big topic, and i’ll be honest, there isn’t a single right way of doing things. There are many paths to becoming a successful travel photographer. However, it is possible to make your dream come true. Keep reading to learn the ins and outs of how to become a travel photographer and get paid to travel the world.

Types of Travel Photographers

One of the appealing things about travel photography is that there are a lot of ways to approach it. Many travel photographers work for themselves or do freelance work contracting with companies and rustling up their own clients. Others work for a specific company.

Many types of photography are also involved. Even if you work primarily as a portrait photographer, when you travel for it the destination also becomes part of the shoot, meaning you’ll need to be good at landscape photography also.

To give you a better idea of your options, let’s look at a few common types of travel photographers.

Resort Photographer

This can be a great gig for travel photographers who still like a bit of stability. World-class resorts around the world hire resort photographers as a service for their guests. You might photograph people participating in activities and adventure tours, offer family portrait sessions, or help staff the on-site photography store.

This work tends to be seasonal, giving you the opportunity to spend a few months at a ski resort followed by a few months at a beach destination. The resorts often offer accommodations at a reduced rate so you won’t have to worry about finding a place to live or transportation.

Cruise Ship Photographer

Another way to enjoy a stable job is to work as a cruise ship photographer. You’ll mostly be working on the cruise ship, offering portrait sessions and photographing events. But you may get a chance to get off the ship and visit some of the amazing ports of call your ship will be visiting!

You’ll have to be okay with a little monotony in exchange for stability in this role as life on board the ship can be a little boring. You’ll also have to be okay with living in only a tiny little cabin for personal space. The plus side is that you have virtually no living expenses!

Photojournalist

Both the previous positions are great for travel photographers who are just getting started. Photojournalist positions, however, are highly sought-after and you’ll have to have already developed sharp skills to land one of these jobs. And be prepared for stiff competition.

This type of photography often involves photographing events, issues, or a particular subject or location. You’ll also need strong writing skills as you may be required to write the story that your photos will be accompanying.

Wildlife Photographer

Hello National Geographic! If you love photographing nature and wildlife, this could be a good role for you. It won’t be easy, however. Getting those epic images of animals in the wild requires a lot of patience and expensive equipment (i.e. super long lenses). It’s doubtful that this photo was taken with a nifty-fifty !

Destination Wedding Photographer

There are two ways you can approach destination wedding photography. First, you can move to an exotic location that attracts destination wedding couples. Second, you can travel with your clients to whatever epic destination they’re visiting. You can also do both, nothing is stopping you!

This is a great way to combine a love of portrait photography with landscape photography. Not only will you be focusing on photographing their event, but also showcasing the location.

Travel Photographer/Blogger

These days many people are striking out on their own and leveraging the Internet to their advantage. If you can make your site stand out among the crowd, this can be a great way to “be your own boss” and fund your travels.

It can also be nerve-wracking for those who prefer a steady paycheck. Travel photographers often have more than one income stream to provide more stability and this is a good egg to have in your basket.

Freelance Travel Photographer

Many travel bloggers might also work as freelance photographers. These are photographers who run their own business and take on clients looking for specific content. At times they may work for various clients at once. Other times they may score a more stable gig working with a big client for a regular monthly income.

Social Media Influencer

Social media influencer is a relatively new way to be a travel photographer. You have to be savvy with social media and have already developed a strong following before you can begin.

Once you’re in a position to offer your services you can start reaching out for sponsorships and marketing partnerships. Companies will pay big money for images featuring their products in exotic locations and being marketed to your (substantial) following.

Photowalk Guide/Photography Teacher

Once you get a few years of experience behind you, becoming a photo walk guide or teacher is a great next step. You could live in a coveted photography destination and offer photo walks in your area. People will love to have a local photography guide to ensure they are at their destination at the right time of day as well as offer pointers based on experience shooting a particular location.

You can also arrange workshops and photo walks to take groups to other locations. You’ll need a good level of experience as well as the ability to visit and scout the locations ahead of time. After all, people are paying you to know what’s going on, not figure it out on the fly.

Is Travel Photography a Good Career?

I’ve talked about the various career paths that you can take as a travel photographer. But how do you know if travel photography is right for you?

On paper, it sounds exotic and glamorous. Who wouldn’t want to visit some of the most gorgeous destinations in the world and create jaw-dropping images? But in reality, working as a travel photographer is quite demanding.

You’ll spend many hours riding in planes, trains, and automobiles, and waiting around in airports. A lot of that time you’ll spend alone, or with people you don’t know. You’ll be away from home a lot and that can be difficult if you have a family.

You’ll have to be able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and think on your feet. You are a slave to the light so, even if you’re jet-lagged and exhausted, you might have to drag yourself out of bed to get those epic images in that soft just-after-sunrise light. Then, you might have to stay up to catch it at the other end of the day.

Your finances can also be rather uncertain. A few lucky travel photographers work for a company and can depend on a steady income. Many work as freelancers or work for themselves, meaning they are responsible for finding new clients and operating their own business.

So, is travel photography a good career? The answer is not straightforward and largely depends on whether what you just read sounds exciting to you.

How Do I Get a Job as a Travel Photographer?

There is no one way to get a job as a travel photographer. How you get started will depend largely on the career path you take. For example, becoming a resort or cruise ship photographer will require scouring the Internet for and applying to job openings. Becoming a photojournalist is going to require more experience and a more refined skill set.

However, there are a few things you can do to start the process and strengthen your chances of being hired when you find the opportunities you’re looking for.

Build a Portfolio

No matter whether you’re applying to an open job position or looking for your own clients, everybody’s going to want to see what you can do. To that end, crafting a rock-solid portfolio, and updating it often, is key.

There are a few different ways that you can build a portfolio. You might create a PDF booklet that you can easily email to potential clients or publishers. You can create an online gallery on your own site or even use sites like 500px to host it.

Regardless of the form it takes, your portfolio should be a concise gallery of images showing what you do and how good you do it.

Concise is the key word there. Though we would love to think this, people don’t actually want to spend hours browsing through our portfolios. They want to glance at a few images to get an idea, make their decision, and be done within a few seconds.

Make those seconds count!

Keep in mind that you might want to create different portfolios for different types of clients.

Develop Your Niche

Photography is a big world and while you can dabble in everything, you won’t become amazing unless you specialize. There are so many types of photography you can choose from — macro, landscape, portrait, wedding, astrophotography, and so much more.

Plus, you can develop your own unique approach to your favorite type, creating a recognizable look that is all your own. When someone familiar with your work can see one of your photos and know you took it without being told, you’ve mastered your niche well.

How do you figure out your niche?

Start with your portfolio. These (should be) your best work, and the type of work you’re looking to attract more of. Also, don’t be afraid to look at your favorite work, the photos that make your heart sing. You might not have included them in your portfolio because you don’t think they’d sell, but this is still a good clue about what your niche should be.

Getting Clients

Once you’ve honed your skills and built your portfolio, you’re ready to search for clients. Whether you build your own business or go the freelance route, you’ll need to know how to find the right types of clients.

Start with local travel clients. Talk to hotels and tour operators in your area. These types of businesses are constantly looking for new content to post on their website and social media. Someone has to take all those pictures and by working with a local operator you can more easily develop relationships with repeat clients.

Don’t be afraid to reach out. Research companies you’d like to work with and build a proposal that shows them what you can do for them. Once you’ve wowed them with your service, keep it up by finding creative ways you can continue working together.

Tips for Success

Without a doubt, there are legions of photographers out there who would love to make travel photography their career. However, it’s likely that most of them will fail. It takes a certain type of determined person with a strong internal motivation to be successful as a travel photographer — or pure luck, perhaps. But because travel photographers tend to work with so many different clients, getting lucky often enough to make a living is unlikely.

So, what can you do to make your venture as a travel photographer succeed? Let’s look at our top tips for success.

Learn Your Craft Well

A basic knowledge of photography is not going to get you where you want to go as a travel photographer. You might be able to land a job as a resort or cruise ship photographer with basic skills, but if you want to advance, you’re going to have to get good.

You have to develop your eye for taking pictures by studying composition rules — and understanding when you can break them. In order to adjust quickly for changing lighting conditions, you’ll need to understand the relationship between ISO, shutter speed, and aperture . You will adjust these differently depending on the circumstances to create a well-exposed image.

Furthermore, you’ll need to know how to pick locations, choose angles, and find good lighting. As you’ve already discovered, you can take a snapshot with the click of a smartphone button. However, if you want to create a masterpiece image that someone will pay $1000 for, you’ve got to understand all the work that builds up to clicking the shutter.

You also have to know what you can do with editing software after clicking that button. In this day and age of digital photography, editing skills are a necessary part of taking pictures. This is especially true if you want to take pictures that sell.

Don’t Give Up

I’ll be honest, it can be downright discouraging getting started as a travel photographer. Even seasoned professionals go through dry spells that make them question their skills and relevance as a photographer.

You’ll probably apply to a lot of positions or send your portfolio to a lot of clients only to receive no response or an unfavorable one.

Keep your chin up. Don’t be afraid to accept constructive criticism on your work and understand that maybe your work won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a fine line to walk, accepting criticism without feeling devastated by it. If you manage it right, you can learn from it and improve your images.

Be Creative

Let your creativity flow. Be the photographer that arrives at an often photographed destination, but takes the photo that stands out. That means you’re going to have to find a new angle or come at an odd time of day when everyone is occupied with something else.

Proven techniques might not work with every site you photograph. Come up with new ones to make your images unique.

Have a Plan

Every once in a great while you get a “lucky” shot that “just happens.” But you can’t build a career on that. Most amazing travel images have hours of planning behind them.

The photographer doesn’t often just “happen” to be in the right spot at the right moment. They spend hours on the Internet and in-person scouting locations. They choose the right time of day, they scout the location looking for the best angle or a unique perspective on a popular landmark, they carefully choose the settings they’ll need. Then, they wait for that one instant when it’s time to press the shutter and capture that magical moment.

Watch and Wander

That being said, there are also times that you might stumble upon something that wasn’t a part of your plan. When you visit a new location, set aside a bit of time for exploring. Wander through the local marketplace, talk to the locals and ask about landmarks or scenic locations in the area that might not necessarily appear in the guidebooks.

You might not stumble across these locations at the best time of day, but now that you know they’re there, you can come back when the light will be amazing.

Choose Your Gear Carefully

Your most important asset as a photographer is you and the understanding of photography that you carry around in your head. However, what’s in your bag also has an impact on the quality of the images that you shoot.

When you’re traveling around, it isn’t practical to bring along loads of gear. On the flip side, you don’t want to be in the right place at the right time without the right gear to get the shot.

To that end, you’ll need to choose your gear carefully. Mirrorless cameras are generally smaller and lighter than DSLRs and can be a good choice for travel photographers. The Canon EOS RP or the Sony Alpha A7 II are both good choices for full-frame cameras.

As far as lenses, you’ll probably want at least a wide-angle or mid-range lens and a telephoto lens. You can use primes, but zoom lenses and the versatility they offer are definitely a travel photographer’s friend. Here’s a more in-depth look at one travel photographer’s gear bag to give you a better idea.

How Much Money Do Traveling Photographers Make?

As you might have guessed by now, there is no one answer to this question. There isn’t even a range we can give you. How much you can make as a travel photographer largely depends on the type of travel photographer you choose to be. Furthermore, it will depend on your success getting clients and the budget range they tend to be in.

According to the website ZipRecruiter.com, the very top tier of travel photographers based in the US makes between $114,500 and $136,500 . However, this is only the top 5% of jobs. The national average is $61,760 with most people earning somewhere between $30,500 and $89,500.

A career as a travel photographer for most people will be a direct result of how much effort they put into their craft. You can do well for yourself, but expect to put in a lot of hard work to get there.

Is it worth it? Only you can decide if the perks of the job outweigh the challenges. To help you decide, let’s look next at some of the pros and cons of being a travel photographer.

Pros and Cons of Travel Photography

There are a lot of amazing pros to working as a travel photographer. Let’s start with the pros.

• You get to travel to and photograph amazing destinations all over the world, there’s always new visual information to work with
• You get to experience so many things in person (wildlife, places, cultures, etc.) that most people will only see in photographs — or never see at all
• You get to meet interesting people and work with/learn from other amazing photographers and creatives
• You get to hear and tell Incredible stories
• You get to learn about other cultures
• You have a flexible work schedule that is not boxed into Monday through Friday
• You get to try exotic cuisines
• You might find that you start becoming the most interesting person at parties

Of course, there are some hefty downsides to all that glitz and glamour.

• You spend a lot of agonizing hours on planes and in airports
• You are jet-lagged a lot (and maybe have to work when exhausted)
• It may be uncertain when or where you’ll find new work
• You may not have a home (or won’t spend much time there)
• Maintaining relationships is difficult, you’ll know a lot of people, but have few truly meaningful relationships
• You spend a lot of time away from your family
• You live out of a suitcase
• You might visit sketchy areas of the world while hauling around expensive equipment (always have insurance and remember that your life is worth more than your camera)

The type of travel photographer you choose to become will change the pros and cons of your particular experience. But this list gives you a basic idea of what to expect.

Do You Need a Degree to Be a Travel Photographer?

In general, a degree is helpful, but not required to be a travel photographer.

You’ll need to learn photography, but formal education is not necessary for this. With the wealth of resources available online, many amazing photographers are self-taught or have benefited from courses here and there. You can also study photography at vocational schools, community colleges, or art schools.

Some career paths may require a degree for other skills. For example, to land a job as a photojournalist a Bachelor’s in journalism may be required by certain employers. If you’re planning to be running your own business a degree in business administration may be helpful.

What Skills Do You Need to Be a Travel Photographer?

Photography is a big world, which is why many photographers specialize in a certain area such as landscape photography or portraiture. Travel photographers, however, tend to shoot a wide variety of subjects using different types of photography. You’ll need to be at least a little bit good at a variety of photography types to succeed.

Other skills that will be necessary/extremely helpful include:

• Marketing skills
• People and communication skills
• Ability to spend time alone
• Attention to detail
• Planning and organization
• Adaptability
• An optimistic outlook
• Quick reflexes
• Editing skills
• An insatiable curiosity to explore more of the world

How Do I Get Paid to Travel?

To get to the point where companies are willing to pay to send you to exotic destinations, you’re going to have to work hard. Become an amazing photographer with a unique view of the world. Build a portfolio that makes people go “wow!” Pound that pavement searching for new opportunities and clients.

Below is a good video on travel photography:

Most of all, don’t give up. Your dream of being a travel photographer can come true, but the person on whom your success depends is… you.

To read about how one travel photographer made his dream come true, check out this article !

By Nicholas

Nicholas is a staff writer at Photodoto. His interests include photography, collecting cameras old and new, video editing, and all things 3d. If a new gadget comes out on the market, he's sure to be the first to try it. He enjoys experimenting with low light photography, very long exposures and high speed filming.

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Photography Explained Podcast

Do you want to know what skills you need to be a travel photographer.

Hi and welcome to Episode 82 of the Photography Explained podcast.

I’m your host Rick, and in each episode I will try to explain one photographic thing to you in plain English in less than 10 minutes (ish) without the irrelevant details. What I tell you is based on my lifetime of photographic experience. And not Google.

Before I go on if you have a question you would like me to answer just go to photographyexplainedpodcast.com/start

Here is the answery bit

You need the following skills to be a travel photographer

• Adventurous
• Interested in travel
• Understand local cultures
• Respect local traditions
• A great communicator
• Good at planning
• Good at preparation
• Good at research
• Even better at wandering around
• Happy on your own
• Technically excellent at taking photos
• Be the king of composition
• See the wider picture
• But also the details
• Ready at all times
• Equipped with the right gear
• And know how to use it
• Have great workflows

OK, that’s the list. Blimey! Let’s look at each one quickly. And before I do you might not have expected this list. Photography is so much more than taking photos, it is much more about how you get to the point of taking the photo.

You can listen to the episode here

Or keep on reading. or do both. entirely up to you, 1 adventurous.

Travel photography is an aspirational genre of photography. People who look at travel photography often aspire to be there. So you need to be adventurous, not a stick in the mud. There is a mindset that you need for travel photography which I call adventurous.

2 Interested in travel

I always say that you take better photos of things if you are interested in them. I love taking photos of buildings, nice places, and buildings in nice places. This is what I love to do, and this is what I am best at doing. And this is no coincidence.

3 Understand local cultures

You need to understand the local cultures, and be aware of and respect their beliefs, traditions, standards, and values which might not be the same as yours (or mine).

4 Respect local traditions

A very simple example. Check the dress requirements before you go into that temple. Don’t turn up in shorts if that is not acceptable. And if you do and have got it wrong calmly walk away, sort out the issues and humbly return.

5 A great communicator

You need to be able to talk to people from different walks of life, social standing, and positions of authority. And you have to treat them all as equals and with respect.

6 Good at planning

You need to know what you are going to photograph, which needs some planning skills. Now I have learnt this through bitter experience, turning up at locations just after the sun has risen, and once arriving to shoot a location to find a large cruiser discharging several thousand humans right in front of my very eyes!

7 Good at preparation

Not only do you need to plan, but you need to be ready to go at any time, and always be well prepared. This is a skill all of its own. Don’t let those batteries all run down before charging them, keep on top of them! That kind of thing.

8 Good at research

I am rubbish at this. I have only recently learned that it is better to research a location than to just turn up there and see what I can find. See the next item.

9 Even better at wandering around

This is my specialist skill. Wandering around. I have an endless, limitless enquiring mind and am always wondering what is around the next corner, over the next hill, in the next room.

And this is my excuse for not researching or planning.

But I love wandering and am exceptionally good at it.

I have endless patience when it comes to travel photography, endless. I do not have endless patience at other times in my life, to be honest, but when I am out and about with my camera I am in a happy place.

11 Confident

You need to be confident in yourself, and in what you are doing, the places you are putting yourself and also that you can get the photos that you need.

You have to be confident that you are going to be awesome at travel photography. Tell yourself that – there is no reason why not is there? You can do this. I can do this. We can do this!

12 Happy on your own

Photography can be a lonely existence. Now I love people, especially my wife, family, and friends (good job I know), but I am happy out in the middle of nowhere on my own exploring and taking photos.

If this is not for you you might want to think of something else to become awesome at.

13 Technically excellent at taking photos

A sort of given really. And see how far down my list actually taking photos is. Taking photos is a long way down the line in the work of a commercial photographer believe me.

If you are doing any kind of photography professionally getting technically correct images is a must.

14 Be the king of composition

Composition is king. This is what you include in a photo. This is what anyone looking at your photos will be looking at. A rubbish composition = a rubbish photo. A great composition gives you a great starting point. A chance of a great photo.

15 See the wider picture

Look around take it all in, and capture those epic views.

16 But also the details

And get in close on the small stuff. Details can make great subject matter that not everyone is looking at or taking photos of.

17 Ready at all times

When my camera is not on my tripod it is in my hand. I do not use a neck strap, I have a wrist strap so I am always ready to get something should it appear in front of me.

18 Equipped with the right gear

I use Micro Four Thirds gear for my travel photography, which is smaller and lighter. And I love it. Less weight to carry, less volume and more room in my camera bag for normal day-to-day travel stuff. My camera bag is my hand luggage, with just my tripod going in a case.

19 And know how to use it

Yep no point having the gear and not knowing how to use it properly. Buy a book for your camera and learn it.

20 Have great workflows

Workflows for image capture, processing, and data management. These will help you massively, mine have evolved over many years of practice.

The talky bit

I have covered most of what I want to talk about here, so I will restrict myself here to this. This has been quite a talky episode.

You need to love adventure, travel, and exploring new places. You need an inquiring mind and a sense of adventure.

And you also need to practise. I keep saying this, the number one way for you and me to improve our photography is to practise taking photos.

These are the skills that you need to become excellent at travel photography, which has to be yours and my aim – I don’t plan to become anything other than excellent at anything that I embark on.

One line summary

You need a certain set of skills for travel photography, including loving travel and photography!

Next episode

Photography Explained Podcast Episode 83 – Is Travel Photography A Good Career? Sounds Lovely But What Is The Reality?

This episode shout-out is to @mrasquith, that British Podcast guy, whose excellent, practical, actionable advice has helped me so much over the last year. Thanks, Mark, even if you are from the wrong side of the Pennines! (just a bit of Lancashire/ Yorkshire banter don’t worry). Check out the Podcast Accelerator if you are interested in this good stuff.

Thanks for listening to my small but perfectly formed podcast. To find out more about my podcast and do stuff to help me check out Photographyexplainedpodcast.com/start .

Brought to you by

This episode was brought to you by a very nice ham sandwich (slot still awaiting sponsor………)

I’ve been Rick McEvoy, thanks again very much for listening to me and for giving me 10 (ish) minutes of your valuable time, and I will see you on the next episode.

Cheers from me Rick

OK – that was the podcast episode.

Want to know more?

Head over to the Start page on the Photography Explained Podcast website to find out more.

And here is the list of episodes published to date – you can listen to any episode straight from this page which is nice.

Let me know if there is a photography thing that you want me to explain and I will add it to my list. Just head over to the This is my list of things to explain page of this website to see what is on there already.

Let me send you stuff

I send out a weekly email to my subscribers. It is my take on one photography thing, plus what I have been writing and talking about. Just fill in the box and you can get my weekly photographic musings straight to your inbox. Which is nice.

And finally a little bit about me

Finally, yes this paragraph is all about me – check out my Rick McEvoy Photography website to find out more about me and my architectural, construction, real estate and travel photography work. I also write about general photography stuff, all in plain English without the irrelevant detail.

Thanks for listening to my podcast (if you did) and reading this blog post (which I assume you have done as you are reading this).

Rick McEvoy

I am the creator of the Photography Explained podcast. I am a photographer, podcaster and blogger. I am professionally qualified in both photography and construction. I have over 30 years of photography expereience and specialise in architectural photography and construction photography.

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How to Take Travel Photos: A Complete Guide

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Travel photography is one of the most exciting types of photography you can pursue. Combining two of life’s great pleasures—exploring new lands and taking photographs—is a thrill any photographer would enjoy. 

While travel photography is open to anyone with the drive to get up and hit the road, there are a few things you need to learn. That’s why we’ve compiled this in-depth article containing everything you need to know about travel photography. We cover everything from camera settings to the best travel gear, so keep reading to find out more. 

What Is Travel Photography

Travel photography is simply taking pictures of different places around the world. But good travel photos are not mere holiday snaps. Travel images should show a location in a new light so they’re interesting even for people who have already been there.

Travel photography involves many different styles and techniques. You can incorporate landscapes and portraits into your travel photography. You can even use more advanced techniques like time-lapse and long exposures.

A travel photographer needs to show more than the obvious. They need to explore each location at a deeper level and look for elements that make that place unique and interesting. It isn’t enough to take pictures of the famous landmarks. A travel photographer needs to look deeper and go beyond. 

Far-flung exotic locations often hold the most romance for travelers, but you don’t have to go far to practice travel photography. Venturing to new locations is always exciting, but you can also photograph places you’re familiar with. Using your familiarity to your advantage, you can give viewers a deeper view of these locations.

Anyone can shoot travel photography. The first thing you need is a desire to explore the world, which is something you probably already have. But continue reading for everything else you need to know about travel photography, from techniques to gear.

Mastering Travel Photography

While travel photography is open to anyone with an adventurous spirit, mastering the art does require practice, knowledge, and skill.

Firstly, you need to understand your camera and its settings. You might be tempted to take the easy road and shoot in Auto mode. But you’ll get far better results and more interesting and unique images when shooting with semi or fully manual settings. 

You should also experiment with composition, and you can try both color and black-and-white photography. These are stylistic choices that’ll give your travel photography a personal touch. You also have to consider specific types of travel photography so you’re ready for anything when you’re on the move. 

The following sections cover mastering the art of travel photography. Click the links in the text for more information on each topic. 

Camera Settings

When it comes to camera settings for travel photography, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, make sure your camera is set to the right aperture and shutter speed for the type of photo you want to take. You’ll also need to adjust your white balance and ISO as you move through different locations.

To learn more about camera settings for travel photography, check out camera settings for travel photography .

A travel photography shot list helps you plan and capture the best photos on your trip. Research the location thoroughly, including famous sights, experiences, geography, and lighting conditions. Look at existing travel photos for inspiration, but aim to create something unique.

Use a spreadsheet to organize your shots by day and time, considering factors like sunrise, sunset, and harsh midday light. Include a mix of portraits, environmental portraits, cityscapes, daily life moments, religious sites, festivals, food, transportation, landscapes, close-ups, architecture, night scenes, and wildlife.

Remember to be adaptable and respectful of local customs. With careful planning and a detailed shot list, you’ll be well-prepared to capture stunning travel photos that transport viewers to your destination. To learn more about creating a travel photography shot list , check out this in-depth guide.

Composition

Good travel photography composition captures the beauty and essence of a destination. Use the rule of thirds by placing important parts of your photo on the intersecting points of the grid. Or take advantage of symmetry by centering the axis of symmetry in one direction.

Direct attention with leading lines, using elements like paths or fences to guide the viewer’s eye to your subject. Frame spectacular views with windows or arches to provide context. You can also use bold colors to lead the eyes or balance the composition.

Change your perspective by moving around, kneeling, or shooting from a rooftop. Get close to fill the frame with your subject or step back to include surrounding context. Play with scale by including familiar elements like people to convey the impressive size of large spaces.

To learn more about travel photography composition , check out this in-depth guide.

Black & White

Black-and-white travel photography can be a powerful way to capture the essence of a place. By removing color, you can focus on the light, shapes, and textures that make a scene unique.

Pay attention to contrast and tone in your black-and-white photos. Look for strong shadows and highlights that create depth and drama. Texture is also important in black-and-white photography, so seek out interesting surfaces like rough stone or smooth water.

Most importantly, use black-and-white photography to connect with your subject and tell a story. Whether it’s a portrait of a local person or a landscape that captures the mood of a place, aim to convey emotion in your images.

By developing your own style and vision, you can create compelling black-and-white travel photos that stand out. To learn more about black-and-white travel photography , check out this in-depth guide.

Unique Perspectives

Taking unique photos of famous places can be challenging, but with some creativity and planning, you can capture stunning images. Start by researching the location and scouting out potential spots for your shots. Arrive early to avoid crowds and take advantage of the soft, golden light.

Look for elevated views or unusual angles to create a different perspective. Use composition techniques like the rule of thirds to emphasize the landmark in an interesting way. Including people in your shots can add a sense of atmosphere and tell a story.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques like light trails or time-lapse photography . If you encounter photography restrictions, think outside the box and find creative solutions. To learn more about capturing unique photos of famous places , check out this in-depth guide.

Documentary Photography

Documentary photography captures real-life events as they happen. It’s a form of visual storytelling that depicts the world around us. Documentary photographers often work on long-term projects to tell new stories through their images.

You don’t need to travel far to find good documentary photography ideas. Look for interesting subjects in your family or community. Focus on the people involved to help viewers connect with the story. You can also tackle big topics by photographing small, local stories related to them.

Visit and scout your locations before the shoot. Get comfortable with the basics of photography, like camera settings and composition. Keep your story personal and critique your work as you go.

If you want to learn more about documentary photography ideas , we have a detailed guide to help you get started.

Train Photography

Train photography offers a diverse range of subjects, from historic steam engines to modern bullet trains. To capture excellent locomotive photos, research train routes and schedules to find the best locations and times. Use natural light to your advantage, with side or backlighting to highlight steam and texture.

Longer focal lengths can compress the scene and show the train in its surroundings. At stations, photograph details like wheels and logos to create atmosphere. Adjust shutter speed for sharp images or creative motion blur, and slightly overexpose for more detail.

For more insights on capturing stunning train photography , check out our full-length article.

Backing Up Photos

It is important to back up photos while traveling, and an external hard drive is a great option. They are compact, durable, and have large storage capacities.

Smartphones and tablets can also be used to manage photos on the go. With the right accessories, they can connect to external storage devices. This allows you to back up and edit your photos without a laptop.

For the best results, use multiple backup methods. This could include an external hard drive, a USB thumb drive, and cloud storage. By having multiple copies of your photos, you reduce the risk of losing them. If you want to learn how to back up photos , check out our in-depth article.

Making Money from Travel Photography

Becoming a travel photographer takes hard work and dedication. You need to learn a wide range of photography skills for shooting everything from landscapes to portraits. Building a strong portfolio of your best travel images is key to attracting clients.

To get your name out there, create a travel website or blog to showcase your work. You can also sell your images on digital platforms like stock photography websites. Selling physical prints of your photos is another great option.

As you travel, look for photography work with local businesses, such as hostels or tourism boards. Capture great travel content and consider offering tours or workshops for extra income.

To learn more about how to become a travel photographer , check out this in-depth guide.

Travel Photography Jobs

Travel photography jobs can be an exciting and rewarding career path for those with a passion for photography and adventure. However, it’s important to understand the challenges that come with the job. You’ll need to have exceptional photography skills, business savvy, and the ability to handle tough physical conditions.

To succeed, you’ll need a strong online presence, including a professional website and active social media accounts. You’ll also need reliable gear that can withstand the demands of travel.

There are many ways to make money as a travel photographer, such as selling prints, licensing stock photos, writing for publications, and teaching. The key is diversifying your income streams and constantly looking for new opportunities. With hard work and creativity, finding paid travel photography jobs can be both fulfilling and profitable.

Get Paid to Travel

Getting paid to travel and take photos is a dream for many photographers. There are several ways to make this a reality. Selling prints of your travel photos through print-on-demand websites is one option. You can also upload your best images to stock photography agencies and earn passive income from sales.

Entering travel photography competitions is another way to earn money and gain prestige. Winning contests can help you promote your work and attract potential clients.

Building relationships with travel magazine editors can lead to regular paid assignments. Learn what they want and deliver high-quality photos to make their jobs easier. To further your success, get paid to travel and take photos by marketing your photography services to people who have the budget to hire you.

Sell Travel Photos

Selling your travel photos can be a great way to make money with your photography. To get started, ensure you have high-quality, well-lit, and properly composed images. They should also be free of technical errors like chromatic aberration and noise.

There are many ways to sell your travel photos. You can sell them through stock photography agencies, directly to clients, or as prints. Each option has its own requirements and markets, so consider your goals before deciding which path to take.

Actively promoting your work is key to maximizing sales. Use social media, email lists, and other marketing strategies to reach potential buyers. If you’re working with a stock agency, ask them what types of images are in demand so you can plan your shoots accordingly.

Learning how to sell travel photos takes time and effort, but with persistence and a willingness to adapt, you can turn your passion into a profitable venture.

Gear for Travel Photography

When packing for a travel photography trip, it’s important to bring the right gear. A lightweight and compact camera body is essential, along with one or two versatile lenses like a wide-angle and a medium telephoto lens.

Don’t forget a sturdy tripod that fits in your luggage for sharp shots in low light. Filters like a circular polarizer and strong ND filter are small but open up creative options when traveling.

Cleaning supplies, extra batteries, memory cards, and rain protection round out the must-haves. With the right travel photography gear , you’ll be ready to capture amazing images anywhere your adventures take you.

Traveling with Camera Gear

Traveling with camera gear can be challenging, but there are ways to make it easier and safer. Use padded cases to protect your equipment from bumps and knocks. A shoulder bag is a good option for keeping your camera close and secure while walking through busy areas.

Always carry your gear in your hand luggage when flying. Most airlines understand the importance of this and are lenient about the weight of your carry-on bag. To deter thieves, hide or remove any camera branding using black duct tape.

Insuring your gear is crucial in case of theft or damage. Take down all the serial numbers and make sure your equipment is fully covered. By following these tips for traveling with camera gear , you can have peace of mind and focus on capturing great photos during your travels.

External Hard Drives

An external hard drive is an essential accessory for travel photographers. Memory cards fill up fast when you’re traveling, and you don’t want to carry a bunch of them around with you. It’s best to take an external hard drive to keep all your photo files in one place.

You’ll need something durable yet compact, which is why we recommend the LaCie Rugged Mini for travelers. It’s an easy fit for any travel camera bag. You have storage options up to 5 TB, and it’s the most durable external hard drive on the market. 

See more of the best external hard drives in our full-length article.

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Cameras for Travel Photography

The Canon EOS RP is a great mirrorless camera for travel photography. It’s lightweight, easy to handle, and has a 26 MP full-frame sensor that captures high-quality images in any situation.

The camera’s autofocus system is fast and accurate, even in low light. It also offers eye-detection AF for portraits. The EOS RP can shoot 4K video and has convenient Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

This camera is ideal for most travel photography needs. If you want to learn more about the best travel cameras , check out our detailed guide.

Mirrorless Cameras

The best mirrorless cameras for travel are compact and lightweight, but still capture stunning photos and videos. Our top pick is the Nikon Z50 . It has a compact body that fits easily in any camera bag. The 20.9 MP sensor produces bright, vibrant images with excellent low-light performance.

The Z50 is also great for travel vlogging. It records 4K video at 30 fps and has an articulating screen for easy self-recording. Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth make it simple to share your adventures with friends and family back home.

If you want to learn more about the best mirrorless cameras for travel , check out our in-depth guide. We cover a range of cameras for every type of traveler, from beginners to professionals.

Compact Cameras

The Sony ZV-1 II is a pocket-sized camera packed with features for modern travelers. It has a high-resolution 20 MP sensor and a versatile 18-50mm zoom lens. The f/1.8-4 aperture provides solid low-light performance.

Vloggers love the ZV-1 II’s 4K video at 30 fps and the special Cinematic Vlog Setting. A built-in mic and wind muffler make capturing audio easy. Real-time AF with face and eye detection keeps subjects sharp.

The Sony ZV-1 II is the ideal compact camera for travel vlogging. It’s a worthwhile investment for creating exciting content abroad. But we have more options in the link above. 

Lenses for Travel Photography

The best travel lenses give you a wide focal range in a compact size. Zoom lenses like the Nikon AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 are very popular. It has vibration reduction to reduce camera shake and improve low-light performance.

Prime lenses are another good option. They are usually smaller and lighter than zooms. The Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM is a great example. This pancake lens is ultra-compact but still gives you a versatile focal length.

When choosing the best travel lens , think about the size, weight, and focal length. You want a lens that is easy to carry but still gives you plenty of options. The lenses on this list are all fantastic choices for your next adventure.

Canon Lenses

The best Canon lenses for travel photography are lightweight, versatile, and capture stunning images. Our top picks are the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM and Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM . These nifty-fifty lenses are compact, affordable, and great in low light.

Other top choices include the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM for its wide zoom range and the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM for landscapes. The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM is a popular all-in-one zoom for DSLR users. It has a constant f/4 aperture and weather sealing.

No matter your camera type, there’s a perfect travel lens for you. Look for a lens that’s light, has a useful focal range, and fits your budget. Canon lenses for travel photography help you capture amazing images around the world.

Nikon Lenses

The Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S and Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G are the best Nikon lenses for travel photography. The Z 50mm f/1.8 S offers sharp images and a durable build. It’s great for low light with its f/1.8 aperture.

The AF-S 50mm f/1.8G is compact and lightweight. It also performs well in low light. The 50mm focal length is perfect for street scenes and portraits.

Both lenses are very popular with travel photographers. If you want to learn more about Nikon lenses for travel photography , we have a detailed guide that covers the best options for Nikon mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

Sony Lenses

When choosing the best Sony lenses for travel photography, consider weight, versatility, and image quality. Our top pick is the Sony E 18-105mm f/4 G OSS PZ , offering a wide zoom range, constant f/4 aperture, and effective optical stabilization in a compact design.

For APS-C cameras, the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS is a great low-light prime lens. Its wide f/1.8 aperture and built-in stabilization help capture sharp images in dim settings. The Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 is an affordable and versatile prime for full-frame cameras, ideal for portraits and everyday shots.

Other notable lenses include the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS for its all-in-one zoom capabilities and the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | C for its fast aperture and compact size. To learn more about the best Sony lenses for travel photography , check out our in-depth guide.

Travel Tripods

A travel tripod is a must-have for any photographer on the go. The best travel tripods are lightweight, compact, and easy to set up. They also need to be sturdy enough to support your camera gear.

Our top pick is the K&F Concept Lightweight Travel Tripod . It weighs only 2.4 lb but can hold up to 17.6 lb of gear. The aluminum ball head gives you great flexibility for positioning your camera. And the included carry case makes it easy to take with you anywhere.

If you want to learn more about choosing the right travel tripod , check out our detailed guide. It covers everything from key features to look for to our top recommendations in different price ranges.

Travel Camera Backpacks

When choosing a camera backpack for travel, protection and comfort are key. The best bags are well-designed, roomy, and easy to carry.

Our top pick is the Manfrotto PRO Light Multiloader . It’s sturdy, spacious, and versatile. You can use it as a backpack, duffel, or sling. And it has access from the front and both sides.

The Wandrd Duo Daypack is another great option. It’s made from quality materials that protect your gear from the weather. It has ample storage and the main zipper allows quick access to your camera.

If you want to learn more about the best camera backpack for travel , check out our detailed reviews. We’ll help you find the perfect bag for your next adventure.

Manfrotto PRO Light Multiloader

The Manfrotto PRO Light Multiloader Camera Backpack is a top choice for photographers. It has a sturdy design and plenty of space for your gear.

The backpack is comfortable to wear, even when fully loaded. You can easily adjust it to fit your body.

This bag is perfect for any photography adventure. It’s a worthwhile investment for serious photographers looking for a reliable way to carry their equipment. To learn more about the Manfrotto Pro Light Multiloader, check out our full review .

Think Tank Airport Essentials

The Think Tank Airport Essentials is a camera backpack specifically designed for air travel. It has a smart design, useful features, and fits as carry-on luggage.

This backpack offers secure storage with an efficient use of space and a special lock. The lifetime warranty makes it a one-time investment for years of use.

While it lacks some versatility found in other bags, the Airport Essentials excels at storage capacity, protection, and style. Photographers who want a Think Tank Airport Essentials for their travels will find this bag a great choice.

Weatherproof Backpacks

Protecting your camera gear from the elements is essential. Weatherproof camera bags offer peace of mind when shooting in unpredictable conditions. They feature robust materials and coatings that keep water out, even in sudden downpours.

Our top picks, the Wandrd Prvke , Wandrd Duo , and Lowepro Freeline , have impressive exterior materials that don’t need a separate rain cover. The Prvke’s roll-top design is commonly used in waterproof bags, while the Duo and Freeline include waterproof zippers to secure even the weakest points.

When choosing a weatherproof camera bag , consider not only its water-resistant abilities but also its functionality for your photography style. Look for features like easy access points, ample storage, and comfortable carrying options that suit your needs.

A camera hard case is the best way to protect your photography gear while traveling. The Pelican Air 1525 is our top choice, with its tough exterior and foam-padded interior that keeps your equipment safe and secure. It’s spacious enough for your camera and accessories without being too bulky.

The Vanguard Supreme 46F is another excellent option, especially for adventure travel. It’s waterproof down to 16.5 ft (5 m) and can withstand temperatures as low as -40 C. The customizable Pick ‘n’ Pluck foam interior ensures a snug fit for each item.

For convenience, the Nanuk 935 is hard to beat. Its retractable handle and wheels make transportation a breeze, while the padded dividers keep your gear organized and protected. If you’re looking for a camera hard case that combines durability and ease of use, the Nanuk 935 is a great choice.

Travel Apps

Travel apps can make your photography adventures easier and more enjoyable. Snapseed is a powerful photo editor with a wide range of tools, from basic adjustments to creative effects. It’s free and available on both iOS and Android.

VSCO is another popular editing app that offers a simple, streamlined experience. Its presets are based on real film stocks, giving your photos an authentic vintage look. You can also use sliders to fine-tune the exposure and add fade or grain effects.

When you’re ready to share your travel photos, consider using Spot. This app helps you find picturesque locations and share your own discoveries with other photographers. With detailed maps and tips, it’s one of the best apps for travel photography .

Editing Travel Photos

Editing your travel photos can take them to the next level. There are many techniques you can use to improve your images, from simple adjustments to more advanced processes.

Cropping is a quick way to remove unwanted elements or zoom in on important parts of the photo. Sharpening will make details pop, while noise reduction can clean up high ISO shots. Straightening the horizon line is also important for a polished look.

Other useful techniques include adding a vignette to draw the eye, adjusting saturation and contrast, balancing highlights and shadows, and using digital blending for challenging lighting. For an extra level of refinement, you can even remove unwanted objects.

With practice, you’ll learn which editing steps work best for your travel images. Check out our in-depth guide if you’d like to dive deeper into editing travel photos .

Location Guides

Whenever you’re heading off somewhere new, it’s always best to do some research before you go. Your preparations will be more thorough and more specialized when you have a better idea of what to expect. That means you can hit the ground running when you arrive, and you’ll get better results. 

We have a collection of location guides for some travel photography hot spots. These posts give you a head start when taking pictures in these locations, helping you get unique shots in popular places. 

Let’s drop in on a few of the hottest locations in Europe, Asia, and the US. 

European Cities

Europe is a photographer’s dream, with its stunning architecture, charming villages, and beautiful countryside. From the centuries-old buildings to the cobblestone streets, there’s no shortage of photo opportunities.

Some of the best European cities for photography include Amalfi, Italy, with its medieval stories and dainty houses; Venice, Italy, known for its canals and seafood; and Dubrovnik, Croatia, a seaside location with picturesque houses and Game of Thrones filming locations.

Other notable cities include Prague, Czech Republic, with its historic buildings and Gothic churches; Oia, Greece, with its stunning white buildings and sunsets; and Amsterdam, Netherlands, full of incredible art and historical monuments.

Whether you’re interested in architecture, landscapes, or street photography, these European cities offer endless inspiration. To learn more about the European cities for photography , check out this in-depth guide.

Paris is a photographer’s dream, offering countless opportunities to capture stunning images. From the iconic Eiffel Tower to the charming streets of Montmartre, there’s no shortage of beautiful subjects to photograph.

One of the best spots for photography in Paris is the Trocadero, which offers a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. The Champs Elysee and Arc de Triomphe are also must-see locations, with the latter providing a great vantage point for capturing the city’s skyline.

Other notable photo locations include the Louvre, with its striking glass pyramid, and Notre Dame Cathedral, which offers both interior and exterior photo opportunities. It’s still striking even after the fire damage. 

For a taste of modern Paris, head to La Defense, the city’s business district filled with skyscrapers and unique architecture.

To learn more about Paris photography , check out this in-depth guide that covers the best locations, tips, and techniques for capturing the city’s beauty.

London offers plenty of photography opportunities, from cityscapes to street photography and architecture. Some of the best locations include the Palace of Westminster, where you can capture iconic photos from Westminster Bridge or the south bank of the Thames. Tower Bridge is another well-known site, offering great angles for traffic light trails and sunrise photos.

The London Eye is a newer addition to the skyline, perfect for creative shots like zoom bursts or portraits inside the capsules. Don’t miss the photogenic wrought iron roof at Borough Market or the beautiful exterior of St Paul’s Cathedral.

For stunning views, head to The Shard, the highest skyscraper in the European Union. Buckingham Palace is a must-see, especially during the Changing of the Guard ceremony. If you’re interested in photography in London , these locations are sure to inspire you.

Rome is a photographer’s dream, with stunning architecture, rich history, and vibrant culture around every corner. From the iconic Colosseum to the beautiful Trevi Fountain, there are countless opportunities to capture breathtaking images.

Don’t miss the Vatican Museum, where you can photograph the famous spiral staircase. The Pantheon’s exterior and interior are equally impressive, especially during the blue hour. St. Peter’s Basilica offers great views of the city and a chance to capture the Pope if you’re lucky.

The Tiber River provides picturesque views, particularly from Ponte Sant’Angelo towards St. Peter’s Basilica. Piazza Navona and Piazza del Popolo are perfect for street photography and capturing traditional Roman scenes. To learn more about the best spots for Rome photography , check out this in-depth guide.

Venice is a photographer’s dream, offering endless opportunities to capture its unique beauty. The best time to avoid crowds and oppressive heat is during the low season or early morning. Sunrise at Academia Bridge provides a stunning view of the Grand Canal, while Piazza San Marco is best photographed before tourists arrive.

Don’t miss the iconic gondolas along the waterfront near Piazza San Marco, especially during sunset and blue hour. For a different perspective, head to San Giorgio Maggiore island to photograph the church and Venice’s skyline at golden hour.

Explore the backstreets of San Polo and Dorsoduro districts for charming piazzas, decaying architecture, and canal scenes. Murano and Burano islands offer colorful buildings and glassmaking demonstrations perfect for photography. To learn more about Venice photography , check out this in-depth guide.

Budapest is another fantastic city for photographers, offering endless opportunities to capture stunning images. From the grand architecture of the Hungarian Parliament Building to the thermal baths of Széchenyi, there’s no shortage of photogenic spots in this beautiful city.

One of the best places to start is the Fisherman’s Bastion, a neo-Gothic terrace with breathtaking views of the Danube River and the Pest side of the city. Nearby, you’ll find Matthias Church, a stunning example of neo-Gothic architecture that’s perfect for capturing intricate details and beautiful stained glass windows.

For panoramic views of the city, head to Gellért Hill, where you can capture the entire skyline from the Citadella fortress. And don’t miss the iconic Chain Bridge, which looks particularly stunning at night when it’s lit up against the dark sky. To learn more about the best spots for Budapest photography , check out this in-depth guide.

Japan is a brilliant destination for a photography trip. From stunning landscapes to interesting architecture and fascinating culture, there’s no shortage of inspiration for your travel photography.

Capture the vibrant cityscape of Minato, one of Tokyo’s special wards. Improve your food photography skills at Japan’s many cafés and restaurants, where every dish looks like a work of art. Take adorable photos of tame deer in Nara Park or sharpen your landscape photography in Hakone, with its hot springs, views of Mount Fuji, and gorgeous lake.

Don’t miss the breathtaking cherry blossoms in Japan’s parks during the Sakura season, usually from January to April. Visit the magical Blue Pond in Biei, go on an adventure in Kyoto’s Bamboo Grove, or document the commercial side of Japan in Shinjuku. For more inspiration on Japan photography , check out our in-depth guide.

Tokyo is one of the world’s most vibrant locations, offering a diverse range of subjects to capture. From the bustling streets of Shinjuku and Shibuya to the traditional temples of Asakusa, there’s no shortage of incredible hot spots to explore.

For those seeking modern architecture and vibrant city life, the Tokyo Skytree and Roppongi Hills Mori Tower provide stunning views of the skyline. Harajuku, the heart of Tokyo’s youth culture, is perfect for street photography and capturing unique fashion trends.

If you’re interested in learning more about Tokyo photography , check out our in-depth article to help you plan your trip and find the best spots to shoot. With its mix of old and new, Tokyo is a city that will inspire and challenge you as a photographer.

Etiquette in Japan

When taking photos in Japan, it’s important to be respectful and follow proper etiquette. Always ask for permission before taking someone’s photo, especially if you plan to share it publicly. If you can’t get permission, blur the person’s face to protect their privacy.

Be prepared to show your photos to the police if asked, and avoid using selfie sticks in crowded areas to prevent injuries. In cafés and restaurants, ask the staff for permission before taking photos of your meal.

At night, skip the flash and use a higher ISO and tripod to capture vibrant neon lights. Avoid taking photos in no-photo areas, of children without parental consent, geishas, people on public transport, and those in the middle of prayer. For more tips on photography in Japan , check out this in-depth guide.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a street photographer’s paradise. From the colorful Venice Beach boardwalk to the iconic Griffith Observatory, there are endless opportunities to capture the city’s unique character.

The Santa Monica Pier is a must-visit spot, especially in the evening when the lights come on. Echo Park offers stunning views of the skyline, particularly at sunrise or sunset.

Downtown LA is full of hidden gems like the Bradbury Building with its intricate architecture and the bustling Grand Central Market. For a taste of old Hollywood glamor, head to Union Station or the Hollywood Bowl Overlook. Places for street photography in Los Angeles are as diverse as the city itself, so grab your camera and start exploring.

New York City remains one of the most popular locations for photographers, with countless iconic locations to capture. Central Park offers a variety of scenes, from the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain to the Alice in Wonderland statue. The Brooklyn Bridge is another must-see, with its stunning suspension cables and brick towers.

Grand Central Station and the Chelsea Market are great for street photography and architectural details. Rockefeller Center provides both street-level interest and panoramic views from its observation deck.

Of course, no trip to New York would be complete without photographing the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. For breathtaking cityscapes, head to Brooklyn Bridge Park or find a unique vantage point to capture the Manhattan skyline. Don’t miss the Flatiron Building and the vibrant energy of Times Square.

To learn more about the best spots for New York photography , check out our in-depth guide.

Photography Road Trip

Planning a road trip for photography involves choosing the right vehicle, deciding on accommodation, and mapping out your route. Your vehicle should be safe, comfortable, and suitable for the terrain you’ll encounter. Living out of your vehicle, like an RV or camper van, allows you to stay closer to photo locations and immerse yourself in nature.

When planning your route, prioritize the locations you want to photograph. Research potential spots using apps and websites like Pinterest, 500px, Flickr, and Google’s My Maps. Plot your route, campgrounds, points of interest, and photo locations to make the most of your trip.

Electricity is essential for photographers on the road. Ensure you have reliable power sources, such as a dual battery system, solar panels, or a 12v inverter. Always carry a power bank as a backup. To stay connected, use local SIM cards with data or take advantage of Wi-Fi at cafes and fast food outlets.

By planning your shots in advance and considering factors like lighting, crowds, and unique perspectives, you can capture stunning images that tell the story of your road trip photography adventure.

Inspiration from the Best Travel Photographers

Travel photography captures the adventures and locations you visit during your journeys. It involves many genres like landscape, architecture, street, and environmental photography. Travel photographers often tell stories through their images, focusing on special moments and atmospheres.

There are many approaches to travel photography. You can focus on people, take self-portraits, emphasize landscapes, or try aerial photography. Mixing these approaches can result in a unique style and help you gain recognition as a travel photographer.

If you’d like to learn more about travel photographers , we have an article that goes into greater depth on the topic.

Travel Blogs

Travel photography blogs are a great source of inspiration for your next adventure. They feature stunning images from around the world and provide useful tips for capturing your own travel photos.

Some of the best travel photography blogs cover a wide range of topics, from destination guides to photography tutorials. They showcase the work of talented photographers who have explored every corner of the globe.

Whether you’re planning your next trip or simply looking for some armchair travel, these blogs are sure to inspire you. To discover some of the best travel photography blogs to follow in 2024, check out this list of top picks.

• Tìm kiếm thành viên Tìm kiếm thành viên và những người bạn đang theo dõi
• Tìm kiếm câu trả lời Tìm kiếm câu trả lời cho câu hỏi của bạn
• Giáo dục công dân
• Tiếng anh thí điểm
• Tự nhiên và xã hội
• Lịch sử và Địa lý
• Khoa học tự nhiên
• Hoạt động trải nghiệm, hướng nghiệp
• Hoạt động trải nghiệm sáng tạo

Chủ đề / Chương

FINAL TEST 1

• trắc nghiệm
• bài tập sgk

• Cù Thị Bích Ngọc

1. I have always wanted to be a travel..................and take pictures of exotic places. (photograph).

2. None of us were sure which.............to go in, so we got out the map. (direct)

3.Since I was 5 years ago, Delhi has changed so much that it's practically............... (recognize)

4. Once we got to the station, I quickly looked through the...............to see when the next train was. (time)

• ✿✿❑ĐạT̐®ŋɢย❐✿✿

1.I’ve always wanted to be a travel photographer and take pictures of exotic places.

2.None of us were sure which direction to go in, so we got out the map.

3.Since I was here five years ago. Delhi has changed so much that it’s practically unrecognizable .

4.Once we got to the station, I quickly looked through the timetable to see when the next train was.

• Vũ Minh Tuấn

1. I have always wanted to be a travel....... photographer ...........and take pictures of exotic places. (photograph).

2. None of us were sure which...... direction .......to go in, so we got out the map. (direct)

3.Since I was 5 years ago, Delhi has changed so much that it's practically...... unrecognizable ......... (recognize)

4. Once we got to the station, I quickly looked through the...... timetable .........to see when the next train was. (time)

Chúc bạn học tốt!

• Titania Angela

1.I’ve always wanted to be a travel photographe r and take pictures of exotic places.

• Việt Anh Đậu

I. Chia đúng thì

1. There are many ways ( lead) to Rome.

2.I am reading this novel. By the time you come bacj fron work I ( finish)

3. When we got home. Dinner ( prepare), so we had a drink first.

4. Before Nam leaves New York, he ( have) several talks.

5. We had just got out of car when it ( begin) to set fire.

6. He was told that ( knock) out in the first round.

7. Since the appearance of karaoke machines, they widely ( use).

8. In 1996, my brother ( study) at Havard University.

9. Are you learning your lessons? - No, I ( finish) it

10. Lan ( appear) on TV forba long time.

11. We ( wait) for her half an hour before she came.

12. We saw the criminal ( arrest) by the police this morning.

13. In one year's time, I ( work) in this school for 15 years.

14. They( finish) this course by next june.

15. After I ( have) luch, I looked for my bag.

16. The man got out of the car, ( walk) round to the back and opened the boot.

17. For several years his ambition ( be) to he a pilot.

18.He ( go) into the restaurant when the writer was having dinner.

19. Before you asked me the letter ( write).

20. I shall be glad when he ( go)

21. When he returned home, he found the door ( unlock).

22. I could not cut the grass because the machine ( break) down a few days previously

Tối mình học rồi các bạn ạ. GIÚP MÌNH VỚI

• Đinh Quang Minh

1,combine each pair of sentences , using so that ; in order (not) to ; so as (not) to

1, He always drives carefully. He doesn't want to cause accidents. 2, Please arrive early. We want to be able to start the meeting on time 3, I went to the colege . I wanted to see Professor Taylor. 4 ,she wore warm clothes , She didn't want to get cold . 5, I clothes window . I didn't want to waste electricity. 5, We turned out the lights. We didn't want waste electricity

• pham tien hung

• Khánh huyền Nguyễn

Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or the present perfect

Hi! How are you? I'm having such a great time here in Singapore. The city is so clean and the people are very kind and helful!

We(1).........(be) here for three days now and we(2)........(do) something different each day. On Monday, we(3)........(go) to the shops in Singapore's Chinatown. I(4).......(buy) souvenirs for my friends and some CDs for me. On Tuesday, we(5).........(go)on a riverboat tour on the Singapor River. It(6).......( be) fantastic! Yesterday, we (7).....( visit) Singapore Botanic Gardens. We (8)..........(see) many beautiful,exotic flower and plants

There are still a couple of things we(9) .........( not/ do) yet. We (10).........(not/visit) the Jurong Bird Park yet and we(11)......(not/go) to the Singapore Zoo. We're going there tomorrow. I can't wait to see the white Bengal tiger!

Singapore is a beautiful city! I(12)........ ( already/take) so many lovely photographys and I can't wait for you see them when I get back

See you next week!

Lots of love

Complete the second sentence so that it has similar meaning to the first sentence

1.Tom started recycling rubbish two year ago.

Tom has ......................................................

2.We have donated books and clothes for ten years.

We began ......................................................

3.The last time we saw her was on Christmas Day.

We haven't .......................................................

4.I haven't eaten this kind of food here.

This is .......................................................

5.It started raining an hour ago.

It has...........................................................

6.I have studied English for 5 years.

I began.....................................................

7.I last saw him when I was a student.

I haven't...................................................

8.I haven't talked to him for 8 days.

The last.........................................................

1) We often (go).......................................to the library three times aweek. 2) I (buy)..........................................this book yesterday. 3) Lan anWd Nga (live).............................here since they were young. 4) You ought to (study)...................................harder. 5) She usually (finish)...................................her work at 5:30. 6) I (drink)................................a coffee with my friends last saturday. 7) The workers (build) ...................................this school for ten years. 8) You must (eat)...................................more fruit and vegetable. 9) The sun always …………………(rise) in the East. 10) Nam (visit) …………………..his aunt five years ago. 11) The students (study)_________ lesson seven for two hours. 12) I need (buy) __________some notebooks. 13) Hoa always (do)...................................the homework after school. 14) My mother (teach)................................me how to cook when I was 14. 15) He (participate) ...................................in social work for 2 years. 16) Would you like (listen)...................................to music? 17) The sea (cover)...................................two-thirds of the world. 18) They (start)................................playing soccer an hour ago. 19) She (learn) ...................................this guitar since she was 12. 20) We are looking forward to (spend)...................................our free time relaxing on the beach.

• ĐĂNG NGUYỄN HỮU HẢI

Write the word

1 the ship radioed to say that it was in .......

2 Smoking should be .......in public places

3 living conditions have been i........ in many parts of the world

4 An organization which collect money to help those in need incalled a c.......

5 the thing that makes you cool in summer (and warm in winter) is an a..........

6 when women and girls go on holiday on the beaches they always bring some beautiful s....... with them

7 when some one has an accident you should call an a....... immediately

8 Sally is very s....... she cannot put up with being looked at

9 Harry is actually k....... on classical music

10 it is a good idea to u......... important parts of the lessons

Khoá học trên OLM (olm.vn)

• Toán lớp 7 (Kết nối tri thức với cuộc sống)
• Toán lớp 7 (Cánh Diều)
• Toán lớp 7 (Chân trời sáng tạo)
• Ngữ văn lớp 7 (Kết nối tri thức với cuộc sống)
• Ngữ văn lớp 7 (Cánh Diều)
• Ngữ văn lớp 7 (Chân trời sáng tạo)
• Tiếng Anh lớp 7 (i-Learn Smart World)
• Tiếng Anh lớp 7 (Global Success)
• Khoa học tự nhiên lớp 7 (Kết nối tri thức với cuộc sống)
• Khoa học tự nhiên lớp 7 (Cánh diều)
• Khoa học tự nhiên lớp 7 (Chân trời sáng tạo)
• Lịch sử và địa lý lớp 7 (Kết nối tri thức với cuộc sống)
• Lịch sử và địa lý lớp 7 (Cánh diều)
• Lịch sử và địa lý lớp 7 (Chân trời sáng tạo)
• Giáo dục công dân lớp 7 (Kết nối tri thức với cuộc sống)
• Giáo dục công dân lớp 7 (Cánh diều)
• Giáo dục công dân lớp 7 (Chân trời sáng tạo)

Travel Photography Advice From 7 Pro Travel Photographers

Table of Contents

Here are 7 pieces of travel photography advice from people who have achieved their dream.

Here at WTP, we like to show people how they can lose the 9-5 and achieve their dream of becoming location independent through travel photography.

We are always saying how it’s not impossible to find travel photography jobs ; it’s hard work, but not impossible.

Sometimes you need a little inspiration to motivate yourself to push through the hard times, the hard work and the downright terrifying thought of putting yourself and your work out there in front of the whole world to see.

Well, we contacted 7 of the most inspiring photographers and video makers we can think of and asked them what their one piece of travel photography advice would be for anyone brave enough to go after what they really want out of life.

These were their answers.

Thomas Heaton

Thomas Heaton is without a doubt one of the most successful landscape photographers on Youtube . His passion and methodical approach are infectious, and his videos are both inspiring and educational in equal measures.

Here’s what he said:

“Look closer. The world’s most magnificent vistas are awe-inspiring, but they can also distract from hidden beauty.”

“After you have captured the ‘Hero’ shot, take time to observe and look closer at the landscape around you as it is these hidden gems that often tell the real story of an Instagram location and what it is like to be there and experience it.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Thomas Heaton (@heatonthomas)

You can also find Thomas on Twitter ,  Facebook  & his website .

Fel and Wes (Feather and the Wind)

Fel and Wes are a couple from Canada who travel the world making travel videos for both their own Youtube channel and as freelance videographers/video editors.

“Finished is better than perfect. Whether it’s a photo or video, you’re not giving yourself a chance to make progress until you complete the edit and hit that publish button.”

“A lot of the time we get in our own way because we’re afraid to fail, but once you really strive to improve with every single upload, you’re bound to be successful. And even the most expensive setup can’t help you get there until you know how to use it.”

Don’t forget to check out their Twitter ,  Facebook  & blog .

Jeven Dovey

Jeven is another travelling filmmaker. He travels with his wife Rachel Dovey  creating cinematic masterpieces and showing you how to do the same through his Youtube channel.

His travel photography advice is:

One of the biggest things I’ve learned through traveling the world and building a following on social media is to put the camera down. As travel photographers, we always get so caught up with trying to always get the best photo possible.”

“However, I’ve found that you need to experience a culture and be present to genuinely capture the moment. Once you’ve been able to step away from the camera you’ll be able to see a place with new eyes and from this, you’ll be able to take some amazing photos.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jeven Dovey (@jevendovey)

Jeven’s Twitter & website .

Andy Mumford

Andy is a Fujifilm brand ambassador and a passionate teacher of photography. He runs various workshops in countries around the globe as well as teaching through his channel.

This is what Andy told us:

“Whenever we travel to a new destination to take images it’s impossible to arrive without some form of expectation of what kind of shots we’ll get there. Sometimes you may have a particular shot in mind, or a particular feel for what you want to capture, but it’s important to not let this influence the way that you see a new place .”

“It’s easy to be so busy looking for the image that we’d planned to take before arriving there that we miss other, maybe even better, opportunities for images that happen right in front of us. While it is important to plan, it has to be balanced with an awareness that arriving in a place with strong pre-conceptions can actually influence the way we see it and prevent us from seeing all the different possibilities and opportunities for photography that exist outside of the expectations we had before we got there.”

“Over the years I’ve been travelling I’ve come to the conclusion that my favourite images from a trip are never the ones that I expected or planned to shoot before going there.”

For more info about Andy and his workshops visit his website or Facebook Page .

Chris Eyre-Walker

Born in Belgium, but often based in Sydney when he’s not travelling, Chris is a travel and adventure photographer with a passion for the outdoors. He is an Olympus ambassador and a finalist of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

“My main advice would be to not forget to enjoy the trip too. I know it’s not exactly a photography tip, but I’ve gone on trips where entire chunks are just a very blurred memory because I was constantly holding a camera to my face.”

“Sometimes it’s also good to put the camera down, sit back, relax and enjoy the unique place you’ve travelled to and create a real memory.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chris Eyre-Walker (@chriseyrewalker)

Say hi to him from us on Twitter ,  Facebook  & his website .

Nigel Danson

Nigel is a landscape photographer from the UK who has a passion for the outdoors and in his own words “aims is to inspire with landscape photography tips and techniques”. Watch one of his down-to-earth tutorials that are bound to inspire you below.

His advice is directed at people who are looking to turn photography into a way of making a living:

“The most important thing in making a living from photography is to develop a style and stick to it, then work hard to promote your beliefs. The harder you work the more chance of success you have.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nigel Danson (@nigel.danson)

You can also find him on Facebook , Twitter and of course his website .

Mitchell Kanashkevich

Mitchell is a professional travel/documentary photographer and also a Panasonic Lumix Ambassador. He has a unique style and a great ability to document people’s daily lives, which you can get a taste of by scrolling through his Instagram page.

His advice is:

“One of the most important qualities for a travel/documentary photographer is an insatiable sense of curiosity.”

“Show that you’re genuinely interested in people and they will let you into their lives. Your camera and your sense of curiosity become your passport to countless worlds.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mitchell Kanashkevich (@mitchellkphotos)

Also, check out his Facebook page and website .

There you have it, travel photography advice from 7 pros

The overall tone is that becoming a successful travel photographer isn’t always done behind the camera. It’s about keeping an opening mind, taking a step back sometimes and seeing things that you would have otherwise missed.

Taking the first step, working hard and not being afraid to put yourself out there are all qualities you should aim to have if you want to achieve the dream of becoming location independent through travel photography. If you want to know more about becoming a professional travel photographer, check out this post about a typical travel photographer’s salary .

It’s within everyone, it’s within you, you just have to find it.

I’m a professional travel photographer, and I’ve been living the digital nomad lifestyle since 2016. I make money by working on client assignments, selling stock photography and helping other photographers by sharing my experiences on this website. I move around at my own pace (I hate fast-paced travel) and like to spend a few months getting to know each place I base myself in.

My writing and photos have been featured on industry leading websites such as Digital Photography School , Atlas Obscura and the world’s leading underwater photography resource The Underwater Photography Guide . I authored an eBook called “ Breaking Into Travel Photography: The complete guide to carving out a career in travel photography ” that has been published on Amazon. My stock images have also appeared in ads promoting destinations and companies that sometimes has been a surprise, even to me. But I guess that’s the nature of stock photography, you never know who will license them!

I’m always happy to connect, so feel free to reach out!

How to Hire a Travel Photographer to Take Your Vacation Pics—and Why You Should

In top destinations around the globe, travelers are turning to professional photographers to help make lasting memories.

By Pauline Frommer

November 7, 2023

We were in France on a summer vacation and everything was going wrong—really, really wrong.

One of my daughters, who had broken her ankle just before the trip, was using a rental wheelchair that had fallen into a canal (long story) and sunk to the bottom, never to be seen again, along with our €600 deposit. I was squabbling with my other daughter. And the taxi company that was supposed to take us to our vacation photo shoot in 15 minutes had called to report that our driver was running late by more than an hour.

This was the only taxi company in town, by the way, and the region didn't have Uber or Lyft. And oh yeah, it was 106 degrees Fahrenheit.

I was sure we’d have to cancel the long-scheduled photo shoot. But when I called our photographer, Camila Garcia, she solved all our problems.

Well, okay, she wasn’t able to retrieve the wheelchair from the depths. But she did drive her own car to pick up all six people in my party and get us to the medieval fortified city where we’d be shooting, roughly a mile and a half away.

Garcia made the shoot so much fun, the argument I was having with my eldest evaporated. The photographer even found shady places for us to rest in between poses so that the unprecedented heat wave of August 2023 remained endurable.  

Garcia also managed to remove the doubts I’d been having about this vacation activity—currently one of the top new trends in travel. Visit any travel website that sells attractions and tours, and you’ll find dozens of listings for "travel photographers," local pros who do one- or two-hour sessions with visitors in front of noteworthy sights: lavender fields in France, the Grand Canyon, the Great Wall of China, you name it.

As a result, vacationers end up with frame-worthy portraits. Garcia took the photo at the top of this page in Carcassonne, France , capturing the family and friends with whom I shared a recent barging vacation . I will cherish the photo forever, along with the other superb images Garcia shot of our group and of us individually.

Why hire a travel photographer?

As I mentioned, I was initially skeptical about this whole thing. After all, every smartphone has a built-in camera, many of which have gotten pretty high-tech. Most travelers seem to have no trouble getting vacation pics for free, as evidenced by the hordes of selfie snappers blocking views of tourist attractions in every corner of the globe. 

But unless you want to rely on those long-armed selfie shots for every photo or are fine with repeatedly bugging strangers to take pics of your crew (always a gamble), someone in your travel entourage will inevitably get left out of the snap.

"Our largest audience is moms," Nicole Smith, the founder of the longest-established travel photography marketplace site, Flytographer , told me. “Some 40% of our bookings are families and it's mostly moms who book because they're the ones always chronicling the memories but never get to be in the photos.”

With a pro taking the shots, everyone gets to share the spotlight.

A photo shoot can also be a fun way to get to know a local. Valerie Lopez, of rival photography site Angle Platform , thinks it’s this person-to-person touch that makes the experience special.

"Connecting with a local who’s going to share what’s the best coffee shop or what it’s like to live in Paris or why there’s a protest going on—that’s gold for the traveler," Lopez told me. "That human connection is what makes people want to [hire a travel photographer] over and over in every place they go. Right now, 50% of our business is repeat customers."

How to find the right photographer

Of course, not every photographer will be worth the session cost—as many a disappointed bride and groom have discovered after their wedding day. So how do you find the right photog?

There are dozens of online platforms advertising the service, including Airbnb Experiences , Viator , and Tiqets . At these general travel sites, though, it's not clear how or whether photographers have been vetted.

But with Flytographer (where we found Garcia), Angle, Local Lens , and TravelShoot —four major marketplaces for this type of service—all of the photographers go through an extensive vetting process before being allowed to advertise on these sites.

"We only accept 2%–3% of the photographers who apply to work with us,” according to Flygotgrapher's Smith. “They have to be a seasoned photographer with at least 2 years in the business. We look at their portfolios and we do a Zoom interview, so we not only assess how they work, but what their personality is like. We try to find people who truly love hosting visitors in their hometown, who will share tips, who have pride in their home city. We made some mistakes early on, but after 10 years of doing this we now have the process down.”

Looking through portfolios on these sites, you should be able to get a feel for the different vibes of each photographer and what kind of pics you can expect.

“I have some photographers who are more focused on style and fashion, others more oriented to families, others who are great for solo travelers,” said Lopez of Angle.

Many of those who specialize in family photography will bring toys to the shoot and have other methods of guaranteeing smiles from kids.

"I don't want to give all of the tricks away, but sometimes a photographer will put a small stuffed animal on top of the camera," Smith explained. "Or she’ll pull the child aside and give him a secret to whisper in his father’s ear—a secret sure to lead to giggles. If people want a holiday card photo with everyone smiling and looking forward, the photographer will try to get that out of the way first, before moving on to more spontaneous photos."

Picking the date and place

It’s possible to get appointments with photographers within 24 hours of a shoot, but to guarantee you get the artist whose portfolio you like best—or to get a shoot at all in smaller cities—booking several weeks in advance is the smarter strategy.

Of course, the earlier you book the less you'll know what the weather has in store. But all of the organizations featured here will do what they can to reschedule the shoot or give you a refund if storms or other kinds of inclement weather disrupt your plans. Photo shoots can cost between $90 and $450, depending on the destination and the amount of time requested.

Most visitors want photographs at iconic sites, so the four online platforms I've highlighed have each put together strolls that place visitors in front of the marquee attractions—but in a way designed to leave the customer with unique photos that don't have randos crowding the frame. 

“[Photographers] try to stay away from the most crowded and touristy locations,” Lopez said. “If you wanted a great Paris shot, you wouldn’t go to Trocadéro for the photos but to another place that only the locals know about where you can see the Eiffel Tower but won’t have 10,000 people around.”

If the traveler wants to shoot somewhere other than one of the usual spots, that can be done too, as I know from personal experience. Because I was unable to find travel photographers available in the small city of Carcassonne, Garcia graciously agreed to come in from nearby Toulouse.

Ultimately, what surprised me about our photo shoot was how meaningful it felt to be saving memories of this trip in an intentional way.

Smith of Flytographer told me a story that goes to the heart of what this experience can be.

“We worked with Melanie, who was a 57-year-old widow,” Smith recounted. “She'd been widowed for 5 years and was tired of waiting for someone to be ready and free to go travel with her. So she decided to go alone, and she went to Amsterdam and had the best holiday of her life. She couldn't stop smiling, looking at the windmills and the tulips, and she was captured doing many of those things by a Flytographer.

"[Melanie] wrote to us afterwards and said, ‘When I'm an old woman in a nursing home I'll look back at these photos and I'll remember my bliss.’”

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