How to take amazing travel photos

Last updated on 5th January, 2024 at 12:45 pm

Whether you’ve hopped on a 12-hour flight to discover new lands or are on an impromptu road trip to explore a neighbouring province or country, you probably want to capture every moment. But what sets a frameable or ’grammable photo apart from ‘just another pic of someone in front of the Eiffel Tower’? And do you really need an entire arsenal of camera gear? Here’s how to take amazing travel photos from the experts: South African travel journalist Jared Ruttenberg from JaredInCPT and travel content creator Gophari.

Make your way towards the light

Lighting is so important,” says Gophari. It’s an essential raw ingredient that, when used correctly, could create visually appealing images. While you cannot control the harsh light of the midday sun, you can harness the power of ‘the golden hour’.

Aim to shoot during the first hour after sunrise or the first hour before sunset – where the sun casts a golden glow over your surroundings, making the light soft and warm. “I shoot most of my content either during sunrise or sunset. That’s when the light is soft,” shares Gophari. “Plus, I love that golden hour glow!”

Finding the most unique angle

What sets your travel photos apart? It’s not the camera. Nor is it the location – though spectacular. It’s the fact that you are documenting your travels the way you see experience them – from your perspective. “I always feel that the most emotive photographs capture a location not only through the lens of your camera, but the lens of your particular interest or passion,” says Ruttenberg.

He suggests asking yourself: “What is the unique angle that highlights something of interest to me?” It may not be taking a picture of the entire landscape, but instead focusing on one individual tree because of the shape you noticed. Or in a restaurant, placing your drink on the floor and taking a picture because of the unique tile pattern, he adds.

Explore the rules of composition

A critical part of taking a good photo is knowing how to carefully arrange the elements in the frame. By adopting composition principles like the rule of thirds, playing with contrasting colours, and filling or simplifying your frame before hitting the shutter button, you will draw attention to a specific element, detail or part of the image. This ultimately creates a more visually interesting image.

“When shooting travel content that I am featured in, I like to make my surroundings the hero of the image. For me, that means allowing the location to take up most of the frame instead of the focus being on me,” says Gophari.

Do your research

Get to know the area you’re visiting before your trip, suggests Ruttenberg. “I use social media or Google to research a location.” This not only allows you to spot tourist hotspots (and get there early), but also allows you to identify what you want to shoot.

Travel light

The last thing you want to do when travelling is schlep around a hefty bag of camera gear. “Most modern phone cameras have exceptional quality,” says Ruttenberg. So, your greatest work could come from just a smartphone camera and a tripod.

If you do have space in your suitcase to fit a gadget, both Gophari and Ruttenberg suggest investing in a gimbal. “These handheld devices allow you to get some really slick-looking footage – whether it be photography or video,” says Ruttenberg. “For around R60-100 you can also get a small clamp to screw onto the top of an ordinary tripod and fix your phone to it. This has been a saving grace for me countless times,” he adds.

Gophari finds that as a solo traveller, her most useful accessory is her tripod. “It allows me to take photos of myself in the destinations I visit without needing to ask for help,” she says.

Ensure your valuables are covered before boarding your next flight by asking these travel insurance questions.

3 Tips for snapping travel photos with your phone

Keep the lens clean

“Giving your lens a good wipe before you shoot content can make a huge difference to the clarity of your images,” says Gophari.

Always shoot without a filter

“It gives you the option to make any changes after you’ve taken the image,” says Ruttenberg.

Download free editing tools

“Use Snapseed for making final touches – it’s free, and a powerful option,” recommends Ruttenberg. “For a great video-editing programme that will have you churning out slick videos in no time, check out the GoPro Quik: Video Editor app.”