Download - Travel photography advice
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