Travel Photography Tips

Dave Shafer

Travel photos can be taken almost anywhere.

As you travel more, you lose some of your original naivete

“Not so loud, sweetie. We’re in Europe.”

With time the traveler will lose an awe of famous foreign places

You may travel by bike

Or by off-road vehicles

By plane

Or your favorite 3-wheeler

You might take a cruise

You may witness camel pick-up attempts in Arabia

Or learn how to go swimming in Australia

If your idea of fun is just hanging out at home you are missing some of life’s great experiences.

Got milk?

If you travel far from home, be sure to bring some key supplies, like extra camera batteries.

Wherever you go and whatever you do it is good to think first about how to get the best travel photos.

There are several aspects of your travel photos that should be considered.

• Perspective• Context• Street life• People• Water reflections• Unusual or quirky sights• Time of day and night photos

PerspectiveIn travel photography, as well as close up, the taking angle can add interest to a shot

An unusual perspective can enhance the interest of a scene. A view from above is often effective.

You can climb up to high levels in a church for a good view. This is Nordlingen, Germany.

Roof tops in slanting sunlight can be interesting.

Heidelberg bridge taken from opposite hilltop. Note the diagonal composition, which is always a good idea. You need to make some effort for the best photos. This one required a steep climb up a hill to get a good view.

A ground level photo of a building like this one …….

… is not as interesting as a picture from a different elevation, Schwangau, Germany.

Landscape detail almost requires a shot from above in many situations. Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh, Scotland – elevated view of park

Prague garden – it would have been better if I could have gotten up a little higher for this shot.

Lucerne, (Luzern in German) Switzerland, taken from opposite high-up hotel room.

Elevated perspective adds a lot of interest. Czech Republic

Elevated perspective adds interest. Czech Republic

Elevated perspective can show patterns that can’t be easily fit into a ground level photo. Czech Republic

Elevated view of town square, Meersberg, Germany

Ground level view of Linderhof castle, Germany

Elevated view of Linderhof castle, Germany

Edinburgh, Scotland - National Art Gallery, looking down

Perspective leads you into the picture - Mainau, Germany

More perspective – night café scene, winter in Paris.

Unusual perspective adds interest. New York City

Context – shows the larger setting of a scene.

Take pairs of photos to show context. Bridge closeup makes a nice pair with more distant shot.

Terrifying (was to me) bridge at Neuschwanstien Castle, Germany

Photo pairs give close up detail plus larger context.Lucerne, Switzerland. Note sheer drop off from church.

Photo on right shows hotel better but photo on left shows context - the very steep and long tram track shows how high up the hotel is. Use both pictures to make a pair, for a slide show. Lucerne, Switzerland

More context - in a slide show, like this one, it is a good idea to include some maps to show how you went from A to B to C and where they are relative to each other.

I went from Prague to Karlovy Vary to Cesky Krumlov to Telc and then back to Prague

Street life - serendipitous random sights while walking in a city. Prague, Czech Republic. This is car is easy to find in a parking lot.

Beer delivery truck, Prague

Weird street life photo from the internet, unknown location.

Street life photo from the internet, unknown location.

Odd but charming street scene, Nuremberg, Germany

Puzzling holiday ritual – Nuremburg, Germany

Street life scenes include what you see while driving.

Music critic, NurembergGermany

In some countries, like Germany, people do not want their picture taken by strangers. But there are always performers, where it is OK. Top of Mt. Pilatus, Switzerland.

Prague, Czech Republic.

A scene with people in it is more interesting, even if they are not the main subject. Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

People in foreground can lead you into a picture – Czech Republic.

People in foreground can lead you into a picture – Zurich, Switzerland.

Flower bridge - Lucerne, Switzerland. Boy in front pulls us in.

People in background add life to an otherwise static picture

People show the scale of a statue. Seoul, Korea

People show the scale of Linderhof castle grounds, Germany

A picture from the internet. Without the person in it, this photo would give no idea of the size of the pyramid.

A photo from the internet. People in a picture can add humor, like this couple studying the art in the Louvre.

Or this view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Taliban warriors goofing off.

Candid people photos can make for memorable photos. This has to be one of the 100 best photos of all time.

Water reflections can add interest to a scene. Telc, Czech Republic.

Amsterdam canal

The diagonal line adds interest, Fairfield beach, Connecticut.

Fairfield beach, Connecticut

“Ghost Armada” – water reflection photo

Foreign objects, like this German mailbox, show unusual design and color ideas.

Another German mailbox.

Czech fire hydrant

Playhouse, Dinklesbuhl, Germany

Gazebo - Bayreuth, Germany

Playhouse - Telc, Czech Republic

Czech doorway

Prague window, Czech Republic

Unusual color combinations on ice cream sign. Telc, Czech Republic

“Mr. and Mrs.” - German houses

Roof top closeup - Germany

Rooftop closeup – Munich, Germany

Artistic design, Amsterdam

Artistic design, Amsterdam

Door handle, with reflection in glass, Brussels, Belgium

English as a second language

Czech bus schedule

Time of day photos/ night photos

As the lighting or temperature of a scene changes, during the day, the interest in the scene may change dramatically. Very early morning lighting or early mists or fog are gone by mid-morning. Night photos are a whole separate genre of images – often much more charming than the same scene in daylight.

6:00 A.M. early morning mists on lake at Lakeville, Connecticut

6:00 A.M. early morning mists and fog, Lakeville, Connecticut.

Night photos are a special category. Lighting at night can add a lot of interest to a scene. Munich, Germany near dusk.

Prague in day, same scene at night

Prague, early evening

Prague, Charles Bridge, early evening

Charles Bridge, Prague, is usually thronged with tourists. Here it is about 6:00 AM, when the only people you see are other photographers.

Prague scene with water reflections, early evening

Lucerne, Switzerland

Mid-day photo

Lucerne, early evening photo

Lucerne, late evening photo

Lucerne, middle of night photo

Moon above is paired with window light

Lucerne night scene, with water reflections

Opposite hotel window at night, Munich

Munich, Germany – wet pavement reflections

Basel, Switzerland - Christmas scene

Basel, Switzerland – Christmas scene

Paris, Christmas scene

Paris – Christmas scene with Eiffel Tower

Notre Dame at night, Christmas in Paris

Paris at night, Christmas season

Heidelberg, Germany – castle at night

Heidelberg, Germany at night

Frankfurt, Germany – trees in photo frame the castle

Frankfurt, Germany – dramatic trees at night

Cologne Hotel, since year 1234 – evening photo

Same scene, late at night

Cologne, Germany – bridge scene

Cologne, Germany – night train whizzes by

“Night Birds” – camera motion in Cologne, Germany

Cologne Philharmonic roofs in front of Cologne Cathedral

Candles at Munich Christmas Fair

Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic – daytime scene

Color negative of same scene = faux “night” scene

“Swiss Miss” – at sweet shop, Basel, Switzerland