Travel Photography Tips for Beginners

Travel photography tips for beginners are not easy to come by, but everyone has to start somewhere, right? Whether you prefer to shoot with your smartphone or DSLR camera, these tips will help improve your photographs.

Like it or not, we live in an era of excessive memory-making, what with so many tools at our disposal to cater to our self-obsession with one click. Then again, photography is a wonderful thing, and today, nearly every member of the populace has access to this art form.

As frequent travellers, we’ve observed as well as participated in the mass craze to get perfect photos at beautiful locations. For us though, capturing the place itself takes precedence over inserting ourselves in those frames, because we’re usually at work when we’re travelling! Canvas printing those stunning photos often result in perfect wall elements. While the fast pace of our travels rarely lets us go beyond the “auto” mode on our cameras, here are a few quick tips we’ve picked up to get good travel pictures:

Travel Photography Tips for Beginners

1. Dress well

Dowdy clothes and a dull face do not a great photo make. Wear clothes that suit you, and preferably in colours that offer a good contrast with the background. So if you’re visiting lush green mountains, something in red would look really striking. Flowy fabrics and dresses look great against the beach, as do a pair of chic sunglasses in sunny locales.

We recommend: Nikon DSLR D3500, the perfect entry-level DSLR camera for beginners

2. Note how the light falls

It’s not easy to get great pictures when the sun is at its brightest point in the sky. Mornings and evenings offer mellower light but even when it’s sunny, standing in the shadows might help. Ensure that there’s always enough illumination on your face – shift around until you find the right spot.

We recommend: Canon EOS Rebel T6, another great entry-level DSLR camera for beginners

3. Be reflective

The best photos rarely have the subject looking right at the camera. We aren’t talking about staged candid photography (that looks unfortunately un-candid) – admire the view or indulge in contemplation while your partner in crime or a timer clicks away. A smile is lovely but allow the camera to capture other shades of your countenance as well.

We recommend: Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Camera, the best digital camera for beginners

4. Pose with the locals

It’s not always about beautiful locations – it’s also about the people who dwell in those locations. Of course, no one’s going to be willing to pose with you if you don’t befriend them first. Locals are often friendly when you take a genuine interest and ask relevant questions. If they ask for a copy of the picture, make the effort to mail it to them later.

5. Experiment with your phone’s HDR mode

Phone photography is increasingly yielding results that even make it to print media. But apart from a high-end phone that offers a great camera, the HDR mode can transform even humbler cameras into masterful capturers. Note that photos take a tad longer to generate under this mode.

6. Use sunrises and sunsets

The gamut of colours that tinge the sky during these two times of the day will offer the most dramatic background you can get. We are particularly in love with the post-sunset “blue light” that occurs around 7 PM in most parts of India. The saffron and pink hued skies of a gorgeous sunrise are also worth photographing.

7. Always be ready

You never know when you might chance upon an exotic animal or a particularly beguiling break in the clouds. Have your phone or camera handy so you don’t miss out, for it isn’t always possible to turn back time.

8. Get a tripod for low light photography

Yes, tripods can be unwieldy but you simply can’t get good photos in the night and other low-light conditions without the aid of one. Even the slightest tremor, which is bound to occur by the human hand, can ruin the focus. The steadiness a tripod provides will ensure you get dreamy night photos and videos.

We recommend this affordable tripod for cameras as well as smartphones

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