7 Tips for Taking Travel Photos on Overseas Vacations

If you have an overseas vacation planned, you need the best photos for remembering your adventures. Here are tips for taking travel photos of your adventures.

In 2018, 41.8 million Americans flew overseas. That number was an increase of 9% from 2017, which means for 2019, that number probably increased as well.

Whether you’re a regular who flocks to Europe for the summer or it’s your first time taking the plunge, it’s always useful to get some tips on taking travel photos. That way, you ensure you have clear and beautiful photos to treasure for a lifetime.

Are you interested in hearing more? Then here are 7 tips for taking photos whether you’re exploring the outdoors or some amazing architecture.

1. Bring Your Camera Everywhere

You might think where you’re going will be extremely boring and ordinary, so you leave your camera at home. Surely your smartphone’s camera will suffice if you happen to see anything?

That may just be the biggest mistake you can make. While smartphones do have great capabilities, they’re usually still lacking when compared to actual digital cameras, especially DSLRs.

Considering the majority of modern cameras are sleek and slim, it won’t be too much of a hassle to bring along, especially if you have a backpack. So make sure you bring your camera everywhere, even if you’re just headed out to dinner. You never know what you’ll spot on the way there and back!

Of course, you should take the proper precautions to protect your camera from being lost, stolen, or damaged. Never leave your bag unattended and invest in a good case for it so if it does fall out, it won’t get damaged as much in the process.

 

2. Do Research Beforehand

To make the most of your overseas trip, you should do some research before going. You don’t necessarily have to plan every hour of your day, but you should still have a general idea of what you want to do every day in the morning, afternoon, and night.

Not only will this help you take advantage of everything the destination has to offer, but it’ll also help you figure out when and where to be to get the best travel photos.

For instance, the Charles Bridge in Prague is breathtakingly beautiful. Understandably, it gets flooded with tourists during the day, which ruins any good picture you’re trying to take.

If you plan to arrive at the bridge right at or after sunrise, you’ll probably be one of the only people there. This will enable you to take multiple pictures without fear of clueless tourists walking into the frame. Plus, the light from the sunrise will look amazing!

 

3. Try to Take Most Pictures in the Morning

Speaking of sunrise, you should try to take the majority of your pictures in the morning. The main reason is like we said above: there will be far fewer people around, which will let you take photos that appear as if you were the only person there.

Also, the lighting in the first part of the day is almost guaranteed to be perfect. All the sun’s rays will hit in just the right ways so taking amazing images will be effortless.

Another good reason to take pictures in the morning? This is when you and your party are still perky and energetic. If you’re taking pictures of one another, you’ll look the best during this time since you’re not all worn out from sightseeing all day.

 

4. Use the Rule of Thirds

If you’re not sure how to frame your pictures so they turn out better, always fall back on the rule of thirds.

This rule is exactly as it sounds: the subject(s) of your photo shouldn’t be smack dab in the middle. Instead, divide your frame into 9 equal squares or rectangles. The subject(s) should fall onto these lines or where the lines intersect.

 

5. Experiment With Different Angles

When you see something interesting, your first instinct is to just take a picture of it straight on. But don’t afraid to think outside of the box!

Try playing around with the angles: shoot from the left and right of the object, as well as from the bottom-up or top-down if possible. The beauty of having digital devices in this day and age is you can snap multiple pictures in an instant and not waste film space. So get to experimenting to see if you end up with something interesting and unique!

 

6. Don’t Be Afraid to Edit Your Photos

Not all photos will look true to life. A view of the beach may have looked stunning in person, but when you snapped a photo and looked at it later, perhaps you were disappointed with how gray the ocean looked.

Don’t be afraid to edit your photos either on your own or with the help of some filters. If you do it right and tastefully, these edits won’t detract from the images and will enhance them instead.

 

7. Don’t Forget to Back Everything Up

Chances are, you brought your laptop with you on vacation. That can be a lifesaver, as you can back up all your photos every night before you head out.

You never know what will happen during the day.

Your camera could seriously malfunction to the point of no recovery. Or you might accidentally drop it just right for it to never turn on again. Or someone might swipe it while you’re in the middle of taking a photo.

So make sure to back up all your photos on a nightly basis if possible. That way, you won’t lose much if anything happens.

You might need to clear up some space on your laptop before you leave. It’s easy to clean up Mac and Windows laptops, so make it a priority to do before you even leave for the trip.

 

Taking Travel Photos While Overseas Is Easy

Now that you’ve read this article, taking travel photos while you’re overseas will be simple to do. Remember to bring your camera everywhere, take advantage of good lighting, and always back up all your photos.

By keeping all the above tips in mind, you’ll have a better time on your vacation and even better pictures to show for it!

Did you like this article on how to take pictures while traveling in Europe and beyond? Then get more travel tips by reading more of our blog posts now!