I’m often asked for advice about how to take memorable travel photographs, so I thought I’d share my top tips.
Put a different spin on famous landmarks
There are hundreds of thousands of photos of famous sights, so make your pictures stand out by looking for an unusual angle or showing the landmark in its wider context, perhaps by including foliage or photographing it from a distance. Monte Carlo casino, for example, would have looked quite boring on its own, but taking the below image through the water of a nearby fountain added interest. It’s also worth trying diagonal images as with the picture of Florence’s Duomo.
Don’t be afraid to look silly
Sometimes you have to be prepared to attract some strange glances from passersby in order to get an interesting image. I’ve been known to crouch in undergrowth or lie down on the ground in the middle of crowds to find an unusual angle – often to the embarrassment of whoever I’m travelling with.
Look for the hidden detail
Sometimes the smallest detail can reveal an enormous amount about the place you’re visiting, providing an interesting glimpse of the culture or the architecture. When visiting Po Lin Monastery in Hong Kong, for example, I found that a close-up shot of burning incense was far more evocative of the spiritual atmosphere than a wider picture of the monastery complex.
Include people in the shot
When taking pictures of landscapes or buildings try including a person or two in the frame to create a focal point and highlight the scale. I waited for a group of school children to appear before taking the below shot of the Olympic Village in Athens, as I wanted the sheer enormity of the structure to come across in the picture.
Consider black and white
Monochrome images often have far more impact than colour pictures, as they create drama and focus attention on the main subject. The picture of Florence’s Duomo below looked too busy in colour as the red and green of the building clashed with the deep blue of the sky. In black and white, however, the detail of the architecture stands out.
Don’t use flash
Don’t automatically turn on your flash when taking pictures in low light as it is often too harsh and can mask atmosphere. Try using slower shutter speeds to compensate for the lack of light while creating a softer effect, but bear in mind you will need to stay very still in order to avoid blur. If you don’t have a tripod then look for a stable surface (I often resort to walls, benches or even car roofs) and use the self timer to prevent accidentally shaking the camera when you click the shutter.
Show movement in your images
Showing motion can add excitement to your pictures by depicting the life and pace of your destination. If you have a DLSR then play around with shutter speeds to freeze movement or show blur. If you have a compact camera try moving the camera itself to create interesting effects.
Don’t delete anything!
Most importantly, don’t discard any shots until you’ve had chance to view them on a computer screen. Some of the best pictures I’ve ever taken actually looked mediocre on the camera’s small screen – in fact I almost erased the lion shot below to free up space on my memory card as I thought it was too blurred at the time!
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- Monte Carlo casino
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- Florence’s Duomo
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- The Olympic Village, Athens
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- Po Lin, Hong Kong
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- A black-maned lion in the Karoo
