How to Take the Perfect Travel Photo

Following some tips can help your photos sparkle.

When you’ve booked the perfect vacation, you may want to make sure every moment counts by capturing as much as possible. But if you’re not a photographer, you probably don’t know how to capture these moments. Luckily, following some tips can help your photos sparkle.

Use the Right Camera

While you can take decent photos with your phone camera, nothing beats the quality of a real camera with lenses. Many photographers use DSLRs and change lenses as needed. Although they may be expensive, they will help you get the photos you’ve always dreamed of. One option is to consider getting a personal loan. They can be used to pay for purchases and help you achieve your goals without using your own savings. It can be helpful to know a few things before you buy, so you can check out the guide with more information.

Do It at the Right Time of Day

Shooting photographers know that light is one of the most common travel photography techniques and can make or break a photo, so it’s important to use light instead of backlighting. You may have heard of the golden hour in photography, the last 30 to 60 minutes before sunset, when the sinking daylight bathes everything in a warmer light than the harsh light of midday. Even as the sun sets below the horizon, the sky still glows deep blue, which is also a great time to take photos. Noon is a better time to look for possible locations while keeping in mind where the light comes from at sunset. You can also take photos of the interior of the building or take street photos.

Plan Ahead

Before you arrive at your destination, it’s a good idea to make a list of shots so you’re ready to start shooting right away. You can check magazines, guidebooks, and social media accounts for inspiration. Jot down those photos that stand out to you so you can get something similar. Having a list of photos will give you more guidance so that you can make the most of your time on the road. This will also help you plan every stop along the way.

Self-taught compositionSelf-Taught Composition

The right composition can be the difference between a good photo and a stunning one. There are many rules that can make your photos look better, but one of the simplest rules is the rule of thirds, which essentially means that if you are going to place a 3×3 grid on an image, then the area of interest should follow the intersections and lines. This results in a better composition than simply placing the subject in the middle of the screen.

Manual Shooting

Shooting forces you to understand your setup and understand how the light works. Learning how to use manual does take more time, but knowing how to set shutter speed, ISO, and aperture are all valuable knowledge that every photographer needs to have. When you first learn about each setting, you can use shutter speed or aperture priority mode, which allows you to control the setting. The camera then adjusts the other two so that your photo isn’t overexposed or underexposed. These modes can help you bridge the gap between automatic and manual setup.

Shot in RAW Format

When you take a photo, the camera sensor converts the image to JPEG or RAW format. JPEG locks all information in a photo, including white balance. However, the RAW format preserves all the data, which will give you more possibilities for editing later. Note that RAW files tend to be about twice the size of JPEG images, so you need to have enough storage on hand so you don’t have to start deleting images on the go.