Going abroad can be a fantastic experience and its something that I really truly enjoy. Travel is one of my passions in life and I love that if I work hard, focus my energy and save up, then I can travel more or less anywhere in the world that I want to and when I do, I get to meet new people, find out about different cultures and the history of an area, try out the local food and more. By pushing myself to travel as much as possible in my adult life, it has made me realise that the world is my oyster; it becomes addictive and I want to see more and more.
I love to live in the moment, especially when I’m away but I also like to try to document my time and experiences by taking some great pictures. I’m sure you’d all agree that its so lovely to be able to share those memories with your loved ones when you get back from a trip! In today’s post, I’m going to share with you some of my tips on how to take better travel photos when you are abroad. Keep in mind that I’m by no means a photographer but I think that if I’m taking a photo then I might as well make the best image that I am capable of taking at the time!
BE RESPECTFUL
When you’re away its often nice to take photographs of the locals as they’re going about their daily business but always ask first. Even gesturing to your camera first with a smile can be so much more courteous and respectful than just shoving a camera in someones face. Some people love the idea of getting their picture taken. Others however, may prefer not to. It’s super important that you are able to respect the choice of the individuals you come across. If their body language makes their wishes clear that they do not want to have their photo taken, then get up and move on. When I took the photograph above of the guys bringing the boat in to the shore on Gili Meno island, I shouted over to ask them first. If someone was wanting to take a picture of me, I’d feel it would be polite to be asked and so I’d over that respect to someone else.
DON’T JUST RECORD THE EXOTIC
It can be convenient to just take photos of the exotic features you see around the world or to snap selfies in front of landmarks or a pretty backdrop. However be sure sure to take photos of day to day life and the things that aren’t as instagrammable as well. This is so that you’re left with a much better depiction of what the place you’ve visited is actually rather than just the highlights that you could have Googled (and found a far better picture of, let’s be honest!). When you take photos of general life, such as supermarkets, cars and even businesses, you can then get a clear idea of what that country is like, how things work and even the people who live there. This can be just as important as the exotic features that help it to stand out, so don’t overlook the small things.
ANGLES
It’s said that the best photos are always inconvenient to take. If you want to get the best shot then you have to be willing to move around a bit. For example, if you see someone carving meat on a stone slab when travelling to a more rural area abroad, don’t just take a picture of the meat. Instead, take a picture of the person carving it, with their permission, along with the tools they are using and even the background. You may need to get on the ground, stand back or change positions in order to do this, but when you do, you will take photos that are way more interesting.
PICTURE YOURSELF
It can be so easy for you to focus on everything around you, especially if you’re travelling on your own like I did when I went to Bali. Don’t let it get to the point where you forget to capture a photograph of yourself though. Sometimes it helps to ask someone to take a picture of you but if all else fails, you could even take a selfie. When I was travelling around Bali, I took my little tripod with me and while I didn’t always get the best photographs, I was really pleased that I managed to take some of myself in the places that I went to with it.
HAVE THEM PRINTED
When you get home, make sure you do something with the photographs that you’ve taken. All too often in life do we go to the effort of taking these awesome photographs but then we leave them sat on our laptops, memory cards or phones. Go through them, relive the memories and then pick your favourites. When you’re ready, use a print and frame online service who will work with you to print your favourite images and mount them professionally so that they can be displayed in your home with confidence.
Of course, travelling the world can be a life-changing experience, it certainly was for me when I went to Bali on my own! I found that I was always on the lookout for something new and that there was so many things for me to take in that were enriching and powerful but its important to remember to stop and take a snap every now and again so that you can look back on them in months and years to come and relive the memories.
I’m all about living in the moment but its amazing to capture a moment in time too isn’t it?
How often do you take photographs when you’re on holiday?
