Travel and photography go hand in hand. When you visit new places and experience new things, your natural inclination is to capture the memories through photographs, allowing you to reflect and reminisce for years to come. 

If you are just starting your travel photography journey or simply want to get more out of your photos, don’t hesitate to seek advice from the experts at companies like C.R Kennedy Photo Imaging, who can guide you in choosing the best camera and lens to perfectly capture your favourite memories and images. 

Think Before You Click

Before taking any photo, it may be worthwhile asking yourself what you are trying to document. If you understand the intention behind the picture, you are more likely to create an image that will last a lifetime and elicit the meaning and significance you want. 

Having a ‘why’ when deciding what to shoot helps you focus on what part of the photo will help you remember this particular memory or experience in years to come. This reason can be as simple or complex as you choose, from a funny interaction with wildlife to a sunset that reminds you of a loved one. 

Build a Checklist

Many professional photographers create ‘shot lists’, which is a detailed checklist of the photos they hope to capture, along with the style and composition they think will make the best effect. While your checklist doesn’t need to be as specific or detailed, it may be useful to think in advance about the types of photographs you want to capture while travelling. 

It is a simple and effective way to ensure you end your trip with the photos you most wanted and allows you to avoid wasting your time trying to capture scenes you don’t necessarily want to have. Remember, this checklist is merely a guide, not a strict set of rules. Should an unexpected opportunity present itself, take full advantage of the picturesque scenery on offer. 

Employ the Rule of Thirds

One of the simplest yet most powerful techniques to instantly enhance the visual appeal of your photos is the Rule of Thirds. Imagine a grid overlaid on your photograph, dividing it into thirds both horizontally and vertically. This grid, which some camera models can display on their LCDs, guides you to position your points of interest at the four points where the grid lines meet. 

The four points where each of these lines intersect are where you should attempt to place your points of interest, such as the main focus of your photo, an element you want to highlight, or the eyes of the person you photograph. 

If you are taking a picture of the horizon, avoid placing it in the centre of the photo. Instead, position it to align with the top or bottom line of horizontal blocks in your grid. Asymmetry adds visual interest to any photo with minimal effort but maximum impact. 

Embrace Golden Hour

For those interested in photography, ‘golden hour’ is a term they have likely heard before. It describes the first hour of light at sunrise and the final hour of light at sunset. During these short windows, the soft and warm lighting on offer is ideal for outdoor photography. 

It beautifully illuminates the sprawling landscape below it in a way that is largely more favourable compared to the harsh rays of the midday sun. To make the most of these periods of the day, you will need to specifically plan an early wake-up call with your equipment ready to go. As an additional bonus, most places are typically far less crowded or potentially empty during the early morning, making it a worthwhile adventure. 

Always Pack a Tripod

Whether you are just starting out with taking photos on your smartphone or pursuing your dream with a modern digital camera, never underestimate the value of tripods in travel photography. This convenient ‘extra pair of hands’ allows you to focus more attention on the smaller details, like shutter speed, blur-lens effect, aperture and other manual settings that can be adjusted to capture the perfect image. 

Invest in a high-quality but compact tripod made from sturdy aluminium that can easily fold down to be stored in carry-on luggage or in your backpack. Tripods allow you to capture beautiful timelapse videos of setting suns and the ever-changing night sky or snap the perfect self-images to capture the holiday of a lifetime. 

Personalise the Details

A simple Google search will quickly show you that there is no shortage of beautiful travel photographs available online. While your intention behind your photography may not be to capture images for other people, it is important to ask yourself how you can add a personal touch or signature to your photos, especially if you hope to pursue a career in the industry. 

You may appreciate the simplicity and drama of a stand-alone tree atop a mountain or in the middle of the field or enjoy capturing the finer details of ancient architecture. Alternatively, you can tap into your senses, like the feeling of wind blowing through your hair or the smell of a forest after a rainstorm, to inspire images that can capture those experiences.

Know Your Camera

It may seem pretty obvious, but the best way to get the most out of your camera is to properly understand how all the functions work. Read the manual cover to cover, watch a few informative videos online, and experiment with taking photos at home before you set off. 

If you want to capture the most beautiful images, you will have to take your camera out of its automatic mode and fully understand how the controls operate with aperture, shutter speed, and other manual modes. 

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.