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10 Photography tips for when your travelling on holidays

Taking photographs when your travelling can often be very different to when your at home or work. For example, if you take a bus tour then you often have very little time between stops to really think about composition. I guess thats why you'll find everyone on a bus trip has exactly the same photograph from exactly the same position. However, with a little pre planning it is possible to get some amazing shots while travelling.

1. Instantly look for a different location to shoot from. If you're on a bus tour, instead of following the crowd, walk up the road a little more or go higher than the rest. Look for a chair to stand on, or walk down the stairs to the beach instead of photographing from above.

2. Two must have lenses when travelling are wide angle lens and a zoom lens. A wide angle lens is good for sceneries and portraiture. By wide angle, I am referring one that can take photographs in at least 17mm focal length. My favorite lens to use while taking travelling photographs is Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 lens.

A zoom lens will let you get right in close on the subject your photographing. For example, if you find yourself in an Indian market place, zoom in on food items. My favorite in this case is the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Telephoto Zoom Lens.

Don't be afraid to zoom in when photographing people as well. Sometimes a simple head shot can make a larger impact than one that captures the whole body and its surroundings.

Photo "Look no eyes" found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/phitar/10059281/

3. Photograph with both horizontal and vertical formats. By vertical I am referring to using your wide angle lens and turning your camera on its side as though you're taking a portrait. You will be amazed how this can create interesting photo compositions.

Sunset photographed by Mark Maclean.

4. Don't forget to photograph signs. Be creative. Photographing signs can help add humour to your travel album. Signs that include the local language can also help tell the story of your trip.

DogSignGifu found on flickr and photographed by Linkwise.

5. Photograph people as well as sceneries. Photographing local people or those your travelling with can help tell the story of your adventure as much as the landscapes and buildings. It's important to ask for permission of course before taking a photograph of a person. You don't want to get on anyone's bad side, especially those your travelling with.

4 Curious Kids photographed by Phitar.

6. Photograph the small things. Instead of trying to fit in as much as possible in one shot, try breaking it up into 2 or 3 closer ones. Small details can often tell a story about the region your visiting. For example, the texture in a building or the details in a statue can often be lost if the photograph is taken from a distance too far away.

The Door found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/haidery/571347080/

7. When photographing people, posed shots can lack authenticity. Try and aim for natural unposed shots. Be ready to take candid photographs of people between shots. I find this is when you get the most natural smiles and laughter.

8. Think about backgrounds. Before taking a photograph ask yourself, is this the best background available. Sometimes it's just a matter of rotating around. For example, it's amazing what difference a mountain can make as a background in comparison to a roadway.

Image found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/phitar/41522118/

9. While taking holiday photographs, keep in mind questions your friends and family might have when you return. For example, what did you see, who did you meet, what did you eat, what was the hotel like etc.

Image found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/phitar/287899202/

10. In addition to your camera body and lenses, must have equipment when travelling includes 2 extra batteries, 4 gig of memory cards in the least, tripod, filters, recharger, power adapter, cleaning gear and a water proof camera bag in case you get caught in a downfall. I also recommend taking along a point and shoot camera for times when you just want to enjoy the walk, yet have something small to carry for taking quick snapshots of the unexpected.

Remember, every photograph should tell the story of your travels.

UPDATE: Our tutorials for photographers are now being continued over at SLR Photography Guide.