In this blog post, I will share my tips on how I improved as a photographer.
I often hear from my clients and fellow creators that they usually get stuck with what gear to start with, choosing the correct gear and sometimes get asked if they should invest in a piece of expensive equipment to take clear, sharp images.
My answer is always this: before investing in expensive gear, start small or use the gear you own (phone or camera) but enhance your skills as a photographer.
So here are my tips that will help you as a travel photographer.
Research the place you visit
If you are like me, you have probably picked your destination because of the picturesque landscape, extraordinary food or a vibrant colourful culture and you want to capture all of that as photos. So before you head to the location, read and research on Google, Instagram, Flickr or Travel Blogs to know where to go and what to capture. See how other photographers have captured the same, note down your creative thought process on what emotions come to your mind when you look at that must-visit, must-to-shoot places. That helps you carve your path and creativity.
Before I visited Berlin, I read about the beautiful forest behind the Brandenburg Gate and how the trees helped me capture an image with a beautiful foreground and contrast.
Look for details
This would help if you are visiting touristy, crowded places where you are bound to see tons of people, construction around landmarks, and other roadblocks. During such situations, zoom in and capture details. Look for contrast, and striking features of the landscapes or landmarks.
For example: How do you say you visited a very crowded street market in Thailand? Capture the unusual food that is sold there.
Look for colors and Patterns
Places and landscapes are represented by colors and patterns. Look for these hints and capture them.
Here, I have captured porticos and the colour red to represent the city of Bologna.
And, I have captured spices in a traditional Moroccan market as spices are vital in Moroccan cuisine
Shoot movements to capture big-city life
The slow shutter speed on your camera and long exposure setting on your smartphone will help you capture movements essential for showing city life. This will add a lot of character to your travel storytelling.
Capture the local food
There is no better representation of a place than by showing the food it offers. Food provides a powerful medium to understand the rich tapestry of culture, traditions, history and the influence a place, or landscape has had.
Then there are some photography non-negotiables.
Always shoot in RAW format - It retains the meta data and all the information of the image. Must for post-processesing process.
Know the device you shoot - take time, learn your device! It can do more you think it can. For example, It can be annoying and frustrating if you want to take the picture a certain way and you dont know how to set your camera for that.
Pack light but dont compromise on essentials - Make sure your camera battery is charged, SD cards are working, Sensor and lenses are clean, you are carrying cables for charging. These might seem trivial but are extremely important and necessary.
Understand light and composition - Take time before your travel and research on how you can shoot, what you shoot. Learn about the weather and light for that day if possible.
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE - There is no better way to improve photography other than to draw inspiration around you and practice!
In the end, enjoy the process of photographing beautiful places on this amazing planet. This will soothe your heart and creativity.
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