There’s always so much to see when you travel, but with only a limited amount of time and so much to experience, there are only so many photos you can take. So how do should you approach photography when you’re travelling? Here are a few shots that should be on your list when you travel and little tips on how to be efficient when you’re on the road!
1) Food: More than one angle
Once your food comes, a natural reaction would be to take the photo on an angle from where you are sitting, but switch it up! Turning your plate clockwise or counterclockwise can show different aspects of your dish! Getting lower towards the table and being almost eye level to your dish can provide a very nice look. One of the most popular angles you’ll see for food photography would be from directly above the dish. Grab all the angles you can and enjoy your food!
Recommended Equipment: wide angle lens (focal length between 24mm – 35mm)
Photo by @vybwithme | GTA Photography Staff | Shot using Canon Rebel T4i w/ 24mm f/2.8
2) Cityscape: Grab a map & get high up!
Every city has a unique look and feel, so get high up to capture it all! There are usually different destinations you can go to so that people can overlook the city (tall buildings platforms, towers and even cable cars up to a mountain near the city)!
Recommended Equipment: tripod, wide angle lens (focal length between 24mm – 35mm)
Photo by @blogistiana
3) Urban Life: Know the peak hours of the location
Visit your nearest tourist booth, or your hotel lobby to find tourist hotspots. Many travel sites, and even Google, will tell you what the peak hours are for most destinations. If you want to capture a sculpture, landmark, or building, going at off-peak hours would be better with less people around disturbing your shot, but if you want to capture the life around you (the food, culture, entertainment), definitely go during a busier time.
Recommended Equipment: zoom lens (you’ll be moving around a lot when in the city, so zoom lens will give you more options with your shots!)
4) Landscapes & Nature: Focus with your eyes, not your camera!
That sounds crazy right? Not really! When you’re simply just walking with no other distractions, you’ll be able to know your surroundings better through your 5 senses; you’ll save on battery and SD card space! Once you flick the power button on your camera, you’ll find that you’ll be able to find the perfect photo quicker and easier!
Recommended Equipment: tripod, wide angle lens for landscapes (24mm – 35mm), macro lens (great for close ups of plants, animals etc.), telephoto lens is great for capturing photos of wildlife
Photo by @valencos89
5) Views from your room!
Snap a few shots in the place your staying! It brings a lot of intimacy to your photo album and helps tell the story of your trip more. Take a shot from your window looking onto the street, view from your bed (or camper van) and more!
Recommended Equipment: wide angle lens (24mm – 35mm) or standard kit lens
Photo by @lauraalycebell
6) Markets: Tons of culture
There are a number of different specialized markets in every city that sell everything from seafood to art! You’ll find a lot of unique characteristics at these markets unique to the culture at your destination. This creates the perfect opportunity for you to take photos!
Recommended Equipment: Zoom Lens, prime lens (50mm – great for close up of different products/crafts/decor etc.)
7) Travel Shots: lots to see on the plane, train, taxi, tram and subway
While you’re travelling from point A to B, there’s a lot to see while on the move. When you’re on the plane, taxi, subway or even camel, it’s a great opportunity for you to snap a few photos while you travel to your destination!
Recommended Equipment: wide angle lens (24mm – 35mm) or standard kit lens
Photo by @gtonge1
8) Capture artwork: street art is everywhere!
You can definitely head over to different museums and galleries to take in the art, but try to seek out areas with street art as well! Most cities and destinations have arts districts that usually have street art, public installations and more! In Toronto, we have the famous Graffiti Alley, but half way across the world, we can see unique artwork at the Ihwa Mural Village in Seoul, South Korea, and Hosier Lane in Melbourne, Australia.
Recommended Equipment: tripod, wide angle lens (24mm – 35mm)
Photo by @aanie_ace
9) Great shots at night!
Whether you want to stay in the city, or want to head out to a nature walk, you can capture some great images at night! When in the city, there are a number of areas at night with things to do and lighting is never really an issue at these places! If you’re headed out of the city for the night, bring a tripod and grab some long exposure shots of the night sky!
Recommended Equipment: tripod, wide angle lens (24mm – 35mm), low aperture lens will provide you with better lighting (recommend f/2.8 or lower)
Photo by @850driver
