Travel is one of my favorite things to do. I love shooting destination weddings and I love traveling with my family. Lately, I’ve been to Jamaica and St. Lucia, both exceptionally beautiful places with so much to see and do. If you have upcoming travel plans take some of my tips for travel photography.
Watch the video with these 6 tips to take better travel photos and watch the video to see what I use when I’m away. The video was shot at Runaway Bay in Jamaica a few weeks ago!
Travel light
I’ve been traveling really light and not bringing too much gear with me on my trips lately and I want to encourage you to do the same! It’s easier to keep track of your equipment when there’s less of it. Plain and simple. On my recent trip to Jamaica, I brought my GoPro Hero+LCD (Wifi enabled), my Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 lens, and my Canon EOS 5D Mark III. When I went to St. Lucia, I brought all those and my Canon 50 mm f/1.2, my Canon 24-70 f/2.8, and my Canon 100mm/2.8 Macro.
Oh and use your phone too! I use my iPhone all the time for travel photography, so I try to clear it of all photos before going on a trip.
Don’t forget the details
Capture your environment and the small details within your surroundings. In Jamaica there are beautiful beaches and there are tropical plants and gorgeous flowers that are worth capturing as well. For me, I’m all about the florals especially the palm trees, the bougainvillea florals, and the colorful architecture. Island vibes are my favorite thing ever.
Get in the photo
Use your travel buddies or a selfie stick and take photos of yourself while on your trip! Somehow looking at photos of myself in beautiful places is calming. They are a great reminder of how blessed I am to have seen such beautiful places.
Keep it low key
In order to blend in and stay safe, try to hide your expensive gear with an older camera strap. If you’re venturing out into crowded areas, it’s better to look less like a tourist by leaving some of your more expensive lenses in your room locked up in a safe.
Capture the food
If you’re traveling then you may be eating some different types of food. I know in Jamaica and St. Lucia I had some of the best pineapples, mangoes, and bananas EVER. When I look at my photos, I remember just how juicy and delicious they were. Really does bring back fond memories from my trip!
BONUS TIP: Don’t forget to print out your photos and make an album afterwards! I love Artifact Uprising and Pikto for their photo printing services!
Did I miss anything? Leave a comment below with your travel or general photography questions or comments! Also, subscribe to my YouTube channel for more helpful photography tips!
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