If you want to take, edit, and share incredible travel photos, you have come to the right spot. We’ll share some of the best travel photography tips to get that great Instagram-worthy aesthetic snaps.
The best part of taking a vacation, aside from seeing new and amazing places, is capturing some amazing photos to serve as a reminder of all the amazing experiences you had. However, what is the best way to take pictures when traveling? And do you need a ton of equipment to get those jealous-inducing Instagram-worthy photos?
1. Conduct Research
Sorry, but following meme pages and pets is not going to help you take great travel photos. Instead, you should fill your feed with accounts that post excellent travel photos. This will not only introduce you to some of the world’s most photogenic locations, but it will also serve as a mood board for various photography styles.
Take your time scrolling through Instagram to see what filters, compositions, and color schemes your favorite influencer, magazine, or that annoying friend who is always on the road is using to stay up to date on the newest trends.
2. Edit With Creativity
Your post-worthy photo will look great after editing all that research. Naturally, you do not want to mimic someone else’s signature look simply, so use your imagination. First of all, post your pictures exclusively on Instagram. Lightroom (iOS and Google Play), VSCO (iOS and Google Play), and Snapseed (iOS and Google Play) are the apps of choice for all your editing needs.
These user-friendly apps offer much more functionality than what is available on the ‘Gram. For example, you can make or download professional-looking presets in Lightroom that far surpass the quality of Instagram’s filters. Remember that when experimenting with texture, temperature, and tint in photo editing, sometimes less really is more.
3. Establish Your Signature Look
Perfectly editing one photo will not get you an A+ profile if that is your goal. Choose a consistent, easily recognizable style for your entire grid before you begin posting. We discuss subjects, presets, dimensions, color schemes, and much more.
Are you adjusting the grain to create a nostalgic feel? or giving up color in favor of a modern noir profile? How about enclosing your photos with a border? Oh, the decisions! While you should never stray too far from a few trusted presets, you can always switch up the settings and subjects as long as they work with your newly chosen color scheme!
Use an app like Preview (available on Google Play and iOS) to preview your photo before posting it. This allows you to make changes to the grid’s layout privately.
4. Wait For The Perfect Lighting
Research, editing, and mood setting have all been discussed. It is time to get specific about how to take amazing pictures while traveling. First things first: the lighting needs to be perfect, regardless of how many cameras Apple puts on their newest iPhone.
If your picture is too bright, it will appear washed out; if it is too dark, your magnificent composition will appear hazy. It all comes down to snapping as many travel photos as possible during the coveted golden hour.
Whether you are relaxing on Australia’s idyllic beaches or exploring Austria’s mountains, the golden hour—the hour just before dusk—is ideal for photography. Because the sun is low, there are no awkward shadows, which makes it ideal for creative backlit and side-lit shots in addition to portraiture.
This is also the best time to take pictures of landscapes, besides portraits. Even the most camera-shy of locations are given a hint of golden magic by the warm colors. Who does not love a sunset photo, too?
5. Get Knowledgeable About Composition
Even if you are an expert editor, a picture’s composition frequently determines whether it succeeds or fails. Turn on your camera’s grid function before you take any pictures. It will help you follow the venerable rule of thirds by dividing your image into horizontal and vertical thirds.
Additionally, you should aim to have a single, eye-catching focal point in your picture. Try experimenting with different angles and perspectives to make sure your topic receives the attention it deserves. A small tilt of your phone can sometimes make a big difference. Aim to utilize the zoom feature as little as possible as well.
6. Replace Your Smartphone With a DSLR
There is only so much you can do with an Instagram photo from a smartphone. You will need to bring a DSLR camera with you on your travels if you truly want to step it up. Although posting while on the go is sacrificed, the quality of the photos more than makes up for it.
You can use fantastic desktop editing programs like Lightroom, Photoshop, and Luminar when you get home, then transfer the files to your phone and post them on Instagram. In addition to a digital camera, a tripod is an essential tool for taking amazing pictures, particularly when traveling alone.
7. Wherever You Go, Take Part in a Photo Tour
Vacationing and discovering new places is one of the best things to do. If you want to post amazing content on your feed, it can be not very pleasant to not know where the best places to take pictures are. Thankfully, photography tours exist to save you a great deal of pointless exploring.
