Whether you are using a digital camera or your phone for your travel photography, try these basic photography tips for travel blogs.
When I started my travel blog I was lucky that I was able to ask for basic photography tips from professionals I had worked with. As a professional makeup artist, I often work with A-list photographers such as Joe Edelman. I’ve learned a lot about photography by paying attention while on the job, asking questions, practicing a lot, and trying new ideas.
If you have a travel blog, then you know good photographs are a must. Whether you shoot landscapes, food, or people, the photos should tell the story. Once you’ve got the basics down and you want to get more creative, you can use software for more advanced editing, like combining two photos into one or adding an element of one photo into another.

Does this photograph make you want a coffee?
Here, I will share some tips with you that I’ve learned along the way primarily by trial and error.
I created the photos for this article using a Nikon DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera. No matter which camera you choose, I think you’ll find a tip or two that will save you some time and some tears.
Contents
- 1 Tell A Story With Photographs
- 2 Practice. A lot!
- 3 Take photos from a different perspectives
- 4 Do Some Pre-Travel Research
- 5 Details work great on travel blogs
- 6 Timing is everything
- 7 Preparation is key to success in travel photography
- 8 Chose a theme
- 9 Photography is light
- 10 Get Physical!
- 11 Aim for perfection in the camera
Tell A Story With Photographs
Travel photography should tell a story. Of course, you’re going to write some text to go along with the photographs but the photos should be a visual illustration of the text. In other words, you can communicate that you had a delicious cappuccino simply by taking a nicely composed photograph. It can make the story more interesting if you also have some shots of the café, (interior and exterior) and maybe even a shot of a waiter or the barista, at work.
Barista at work in Rome.
Practice. A lot!
Take a lot of photographs. That’s the beauty of digital cameras. If your memory card is full you can always download images to your laptop or another storage device. Or you can just delete the images that are a total bust and start again.
Take photos from a different perspectives
Look at your subject in new ways. Try different angles. Look at it from all sides. Try shooting with your camera angled up, or get low. Make something normal and common look unique and different. Sometimes that means you have to take a lot of photographs until you begin to see things in a new way.
A different perspective
Do Some Pre-Travel Research
The internet makes it easy to research anything. Just as a writer writes an outline for a book or a director has a storyboard for a film, your photography will benefit from a plan.
For example, if you’re going to Rome and you want to photograph the Colosseum, your research may include mapping the quickest way to get there from your hotel. Do you want to go inside the Colosseum? You’ll need to take into account crowds, hours of operation, and fees, for starters. It can also be useful to look at other people’s photographs to study the different angles and lighting.
Details work great on travel blogs
Get close. A photographer once told me, don’t be afraid to get right next to your subject. Try shooting buildings and architectural details up close too. These kinds of images work well on blogs and in photo collages.
Closeup of the Duomo in Orvieto, Italy
Timing is everything
Get out of bed! I’ve taken some of my favorite photos in the early morning hours before everyone else is up and about. This is crucial if you want to take photographs in areas around popular monuments. It’s also a great time to photograph interiors without people in the way.
Preparation is key to success in travel photography
Be prepared. Carry a quart-size plastic Ziploc bag or two with you. If it rains you can use it to shield your camera. They are also handy waterproof storage for extra batteries, lenses, memory cards, and anything else you need to carry with you.
Chose a theme
Choose a theme or subject. Food, colors, churches, people, and markets, all make great subjects to build a photo story.
Food is always a good topic
Photography is light
Are you a golden hour person or a blue hour person? In other words, are you are sunrise or a sunset person? Think about what you want to shoot and the best time of day to do so. Either way, early morning and sunset provide the best available light for landscape and outdoor photography. And bonus, if you get up really early you can reward yourself with a break midday when the light outside is high and too harsh.
Timing is everything. Dallas Arboretum
Get Physical!
No, I’m not talking about Oliva Newton John. Work out! Photography can be athletic. The best way to see an area is to walk it. I go to Italy frequently and there are lots of hills, cobblestone streets, and stairs. It’s aerobic! I also know a guy who likes to ride his bike while shooting in urban areas – it’s easier than driving and parking.
Aim for perfection in the camera
Compose in the camera. Check the edges of the frame. Sometimes we don’t notice small things creeping into the shot because we are so focused on the subject. Don’t rely on editing software. Aim for perfection before editing.
No cropping needed
In conclusion
Finally, join photo groups online. Read. Go on photo walks. Most important of all, go out and shoot.
What do you like to photograph? Leave a comment below.
24 comments
Hi Penny!
These tips are fantastic, I particularly love the advice about getting close to your subject and experimenting with different perspectives. It’s amazing how a change in angle or a close-up can transform a photo. Do you have any specific techniques for choosing the right perspective, especially in crowded or busy locations?
Thanks in advance!
Hey thanks for the nice comment.
Thanks for sharing wonderful tips related to potography..
You really dug for that article, written in 2012. 🙂 Thanks so much!
nice post….i love your article ..keep sharing these amazing tips ..
Penny, your photos are lovely. I’m not a photographer. My posts are full of other peoples flckr contributions. But I can appreciate good stuff when I see it.
Hi Jenny
Thanks so much! I am creating a site /gallery for my photos. I will also have a gallery of images that bloggers like you can use and share for posts.( don’t know if it will be flickr) In the meantime if there’s something you need let me know. I’d be happy to share images as long as they are credited and linked to my blog.
Btw, I love your blog and read it often.
Fantastic tips for budding travellers. I take a lot of photos when I travel but ALWAYS wish I had taken more once I start editing them when I get home. Very few are perfect! And what is even more annoying is usually the ones I snap on the fly are better than ones I have spent 10 minutes setting up haha.
Perfect? What’s that? ha! Taking a lot of photographs can be misunderstood. Take a lot of thoughtful photographs. I am looking forward to seeing the photographs you’ll be taking whilst walking the El Camino. 🙂
#5 is dead on…I do all my best photography early in the morning, before the birds are even awake:)
It’s really my favorite time of day. Especially in a big city.
If we ever end up in the same place we should do an early morning photo walk. At least no one will be complaining about getting out of bed too early. LOL
Great tips Penny. My goal this year is to move to a DSLR camera and take better photos for my blog so this is handy.
Thanks! I’m glad to hear it. Of course you don’t need a DSLR to take great photos. Try some of these ideas with whatever camera you are using and see what happens! Let me know.
I love these — especially compose in the camera. What a cool way of seeing the world.
Hello Penny, I saw you on another blog site’s comments and felt the need to drop by and say “Hi Penny”. Nice post btw and blog! ~ Penny 🙂
Hey Penny, thanks for introducing yourself here.
My pleasure Penny! Absolutely!
Thanks for sharing your tips! I love to take photos where ever I am, be it traveling or at a kids’ event. And I take lots of photos! Gives me options to find a decent one. Though recently my photos, especially my indoor shots, are not coming out as clean and crisp as they used to. Perhaps my older DSLR is just that – older. I am thinking about purchasing a new DSLR, but when traveling, a full size one is just too bulky. Do you have any camera suggestions to consider?
Hi Carol,
I am using a Nikon D5000. Nothing fancy. It’s about 3 years old now. I work with professional photographers so I always new I wanted a DSLR. How I chose that camera was simply economics.
I like it because it’s light weight and travels well. The kit lens is showing some wear now but it’s very inexpensive to replace. It may be that you simply need a new lens and not a new camera at all?
Full format cameras are expensive and yes, bigger and heavier. If you are seriously considering buying one, my best advice is to rent it first. I rented lots of lenses in the beginning. It’s a great way to try new things without making a huge investment. You can even rent on line at sites like Borrowlenses.com or KEH.com They also sell used equipment which is perfectly good to buy. I recently bought a used lens and am very happy with it. Hope this helps. I can’t recommend a particular brand or camera but I can tell you that I’ve been pretty happy with my Nikon D5000.
I prefer to shoot with a lens other than the kit lens but I use it plenty for travel. I hope this helps.
Thanks Penny! I’ve been looking at Nikon, and will give the D5000 a little test run. I’ve been using an Olympus, and yes, I do think part of the issue is the lens, but overall I just haven’t been happy with it. I’ll look into lens rental too. I’ve got a trip coming up in 3 weeks I’d like to have a new camera for.
Great tips – I really like number 5, especially at places where there are lots of visitors!
Thanks Meg. It helps that I’m kind of a morning person anyway. Depends how much wine I drank the night before. 🙂
There are some good tips here that I need to remember – notably the story telling and alternate angles. I rely too much on taking too many photos and finding a few gems amongst all the rough.
Hi Steve. Thank you for reading. I know what you mean, That’s my default mode. I’ve tried it both ways and I’m always happier with my images if I take the time to compose them in the camera.