10 Essential Photo Tips for Beginners Exploring the World
Traveling with a camera for the first time is pretty exciting! Even though the cameras on smartphones have gotten significantly better over time, whenever I compare photos taken on my Sony A7III to my iPhone 15, honestly, the Sony wins every time. While I don’t always feel like lugging around a camera while traveling, I’m always grateful for the higher quality photos - and memories! - captured with one.
Especially if I am creating travel content for the blog, or professional content for a marketing client while traveling as a digital nomad, the higher quality makes a big difference. I’ve also sought out professional photo studios while traveling and working with a local photographer for specific shots (like I did on my most recent trip to Mexico City!). Overseas studios can be different based on the language or the culture. For instance, if you search the words “fotostudiomieten” online with the intent of renting a studio in Germany, different expectations may apply - so working with a local and/or understanding the photography basics can be helpful.
Here are my favorite tips to help you level up your travel photography game:
1) Pay Attention to Backgrounds and Backdrops
The colorful “papel” with the mural and the vintage-looking car were begging for my camera to capture a photo!
The setting of a photo can completely change its mood. I like to wander around, and if I see a cool wall, mural, building, or street that is interesting, I’ll likely stop for a quick shot. When you’re at home, buildings and streets are typical and are nothing special. But when you’re traveling, everything is different - and is a potential photo opportunity.
Sometimes I plan the photos I want to take ahead of time when traveling - if there are some really cool areas or landmarks I’ve seen epic shots of on Instagram or Pinterest that I’d like to do my own take on, I note the location in my Google Maps before I leave for the day, keeping in mind the shots I want to take. This allows me to set aside an hour or two to get the photos I want all in one swoop, plan some other food or activities around it, and then I can keep the rest of the trip schedule more loose.
2) Get to Know Your Camera Before Your Trip
Days after unboxing my new Sony A7III camera!
Even entry-level cameras these days can deliver incredible results, but the magic comes from understanding how to use them. The more familiar you are with your camera’s settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), the more confident you’ll feel - especially if you’re short on time and need to get the shot quickly. Even using auto mode and understanding how to autofocus and snap a photo is all you really need - and while it sounds basic (it is!) it’s nice to figure this out before your trip.
I switched from a Nikon D3200 I’d had for ages to my Sony A7III literally hours before a flight to Costa Rica in 2021, and made sure to take about 20 minutes to unbox the camera, set up the memory card, and familiarize myself with the settings before I set off on my jungle adventure. That way, when I had an early morning wakeup call to go to a waterfall, I didn’t have to spend time setting up the camera or knowing how to work it.
3) Use Natural Light to Your Advantage
Sunset in Paris - with some Lightroom editing for color
Light varies so much depending on what time of day it is and if you are inside or outisde, and it’s one of my favorite aspects of travel photography. “Golden hour” is my favorite time of day to take photos if I can (during sunrise or sunset), though working with natural light - as in, outside vs. inside - in general is one of the easiest hacks to a photo that looks good. If you are traveling to a bunch of different places and are not shooting in a studio (say, a hotel or at a museum), you are dealing with artificial light. My least favorite light is a yellow, fluorescent tone - it’s the worst! It’s often not flattering on people or objects, and is a pain to deal with in Lightroom or post-production editing. This is my a majority of my photos, traveling or otherwise, are shot outside simply for the ease of natural light.
4) Shoot in RAW Format
My photographer in Mexico City shot in RAW, which turned out beautiful for these colors at night
If you’re serious about photography, shooting in RAW is the next level up. Yes, the files are larger, but they preserve so much detail - making it easier to edit later without losing quality. Typically, I’ll shoot in JPEG or PNG, though when I work with photographers who use RAW, I notice more preservation in quality in the editing process, especially with night photos.
5) Nail Your Composition with the Rule of Thirds
Notice how myself and the beach shape (the subjects) are off to the side inside - it’s a different “look” than having the subject straight on in the middle or standing/looking straight on at the camera
The rule of thirds is a simple trick that works wonders for photo composition and once this rule “clicks” for you, you’ll notice it in every photo you take. Picture the rule of thirds grid on your frame and position your subject along the lines or at their intersections (corners). Having a person or subject straight on in the center can work, but if they are off to the side, or the eyes are lined up right on that corner intersection, it can make the shot look more professional. In my opinion, it helps “tell the story” of the photo - like if the eyes of the person are looking toward something interesting, you’re suggesting that the viewer lead their own eyes in that direction.
6) Don’t Overpack Your Gear, or keep it simple at the start
With my Nikon, I had the standard kit lens, a zoom lens, and a macro lens. All great lenses, but realistically, I didn’t feel like swapping them out - or carrying them all around. Especially in touristy parts of the world, I feel safer with one camera compared to having a bunch of expensive lenses tempting pickpocketers. Now I travel with the Sony A7III, and honestly only use the kit lens, and I am very impressed with the quality. If I need a wide angle shot, I’ll use my iPhone on the 0.5 setting, though the one lens does the work.
7) Try Unique Angles and Perspectives
Pretty much every photo you see on Instagram of a girl at the Kastro Oia Houses in Santorini is shot from the street above, with her walking on the path. While I loved the orange color of the houses, I switched it up and asked someone to take the photo on the same path of me, leaning against the side with the ocean in the background - an angle that is far less common!
When I’m photographing a spot that’s been captured a million times, I like to challenge myself to see it differently. Is there a different angle I can take that isn’t the same photo every travel chick is posting on Instagram? Maybe I can do a different crop or editing style? See how you can get creative by finding inspiration from popular photo spots instead of taking the same photo everyone else does.
8) Practice Shooting in Manual Mode
It’s tempting to rely on auto mode, but shooting in manual gives you full creative control over your images. Once I started adjusting my exposure, focus, and white balance myself, I felt more like a professional! You can also use the P for programmed auto to have the camera prioritize the aperture but let it adjust the other settings. Still, I often find myself resorting to auto for the ease ;) but, especially if you’re dealing with funky light, learning the settings in manual can really help you craft the shot you want.
9) Be Patient for the Perfect Shot
I had a few photos from this view atop the Arc de Triomphe in Paris - my favorite being this one, with the person driving the scooter across the street
Some of my best travel photos happened because I waited for the right moment - whether it was for someone to walk into the frame or the lighting to hit just right. Rushing can lead to missed opportunities, so give yourself time to get it just right. Also, snapping a few photos in a row can allow for something to happen, like a car to drive by and you getting it perfectly in the center of a road - same with birds flying by, a palm tree swaying and creating a cool shadow, or someone laughing.
10) Safety First
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment while shooting, but I always remind myself to stay aware of my surroundings. While I love my camera, nothing is worth risking my safety to get a shot! Like I mentioned above, I am cautious in touristy areas and if I have my camera with me, it’s always inside my zipped tote bag. If I am trying to get a unique shot on a cliff or mountain or tall building, I always keep safety in mind, follow local rules, and don’t get too close to edges. It’s not worth it!
Bonus Tip: Practice!
Just like with anything creative, practice is everything. The more you explore and take photos, the better your photos will become. It’s a fact of photography! I look back at some of my early photography days and impressed with some, and cringe at others - haha. With every shot, you improve. Enjoy the process and have fun with it!