10 Tips For Taking Photos While Traveling

Everyone loves taking photos while traveling. During a family vacation or while you are exploring amazing places, you want to capture the moments to remember forever. Many photographers love to travel around finding amazing locations, landscapes and people to photograph during their trip. Some people prefer to simply take photos of their own vacation, ones they love and activities they do to keep a beautiful reminder of the great times you have had during your travels.

You can really awesome photos when traveling if you take a little time and prepare for the shots you take. Whether you are a professional photographer trying to take amazing photos of everything interesting you can find, or you are taking the photos just for yourself, here are some great tips for taking photos while traveling that are a must-read. 

1. Remember to think about the people, places and things. 

When you travel, you want to capture the location and specific places you visit, the people you are traveling with (or even capture the locals if you find them interesting) and the various things you do. Whether you eat delicious dinners and want to capture each colorful plate, you visit interesting museums or see great world history along the way, capturing those moments can make for great travel photos. 

Photo credit:&nbsp; Larissa Olenicoff

Photo credit: Larissa Olenicoff

2. Get Involved

Do not just stand on the sideline taking photos, get close and personal with whatever it is you are shooting - even if it means participating in the activity. You will find that be involved could create some awesome shots! 

3. Get Closer To Your Subject

Many times when traveling, you tend to take photos from a distance. Try to get closer to whatever it is you are shooting. Whether it is getting a closer angle of a person you are photographing, or unique architecture by being right beside the object or building, getting closer can give you a unique perspective you may not have found otherwise. 

4. Remember The Sun

If you are taking photos outdoors, make sure to remember where the sun is shining because that can make a huge difference with the photos you are taking. If you want your subjects faces to shine, have them stand so the sun is shining on their faces. If you are trying to get a shot with the sun setting over the water, be sure to do so at a time when the sun is setting and in the best spot for what you are trying to accomplish in your photo. You must always consider the sun when photographing anything.

Photo credit: Jodi Cobb via National Geographic

Photo credit: Jodi Cobb via National Geographic

5. Take Vertical Shots 

When traveling, there are often times objects - whether they be tall buildings or a huge tree - that would be amazing if you took the shot vertically. Capturing the entire span of the building, or the tree from the ground all the way to the tip top of the leaves, it can truly be stunning. 

6. Frame Your Subject In Different Ways

Whatever it is that you are shooting, try and frame the object in different ways. If you are taking a photo of your children standing in front of a gorgeous building, your first instinct would be to center them in the middle of the frame. Why not try to move the camera so they are at the side of the frame, showcasing more of the unique building they are standing next to? It could make for something very unique. 

7. Use Your Zoom

Make sure you take the time to look at the shot you are about to take, and use your zoom to make sure you are in the best spot possible to take that photo. You may think you have a perfect photograph, but if you try zooming in just a little bit, it may make it that much more clear. 

8. Think Before You Shoot

Line up your shot and then take a moment to really look at everything that is going on around you in that frame. You may find that there are more interesting things going on that you want to make sure ends up in the photo. Planning your shot is always best, so you do not just get a bunch of random shots of everything you have seen and experienced. 

9. Include Signage In Your Photos

Including signage is always a cool thing to incorporate in any photo, especially when traveling. If you are taking a photo of a line of street vendors, there may be a street sign that you could incorporate into it. Or, if you happen to be photographing at a local farmers market, it would be neat to include the signs of the produce that they have around the market. Even if the sign happens to be in another language, don't you think it would make the photo a bit more unique? It is just this little touch that gives a little something extra to showcase your memories. 

Photo credit: Elia Locardi via blamethemonkey.com

Photo credit: Elia Locardi via blamethemonkey.com

10. Don't Just Take Boring Family Group Shots

Sure, everyone wants that one photo of the family in front of their hotel, or on the beach, or wherever you may be visiting. And those shots are okay, and it is always good to have a few but try not to make every photo posed that way. If you do, that can make for some really boring shots. Instead, try to capture your family in the moment. Your children eating ice cream as it drips and melts all over the place. Your spouse as he does a canon ball into the pool while your children are laughing hysterically in the background. Or even your friend who is enjoying a conversation with a local that they have met while exploring the local town. Capturing those "in the moment" shots will be really fun when you are looking back and sharing those memories with others. 

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Do you have any other great tips to taking awesome photos while traveling? Tell us below!