If there’s one thing that has stayed constant with me every time I’ve stood looking at a breathtaking view, is my brain going “Oh damn! What I wouldn’t give to take a picture of this EXACTLY like my eyes are viewing it right now!” But I have been disappointed every 9 out of 10 times with the outcome of my photos just because I thought I’m no professional photographer with fancy skills or equipment who can wow people with stunning images.
And I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Meet the photography wizards who have been creating poetry with their Instagram pictures and whose insta feeds I have been stalking extensively for the longest period of time (#noregrets). Their beautiful images and a keen eye for aesthetics prompted me to dive a little deeper into their images and their thought process, bringing you the best photography hacks you should know, to become a travel photography pro!
1. It’s all about the perspective
An Instagram Grand Prize Winner and a foodie at heart, Swapnil Junjare’s 43k+ followers speaks volumes for a photographer who picked up the camera as a mere hobby and now, travels the world with his beloved gear, one frame at a time.
“Stop and think – what’s your purpose of capturing this photo?”, he says. “Is the photo about the location, and if so, what part? And if not, would including more elements in the frame be helpful? What can you change about it? Take a step back and show the scale. A waterfall alone might not look as daunting but if you go far and have a human below it in composition, the waterfall would look way bigger and intimidating. Nature compliments man compliments nature!”
2. Lights, symmetry, and the human touch
“Perspective is a massive factor”, says 25-year-old Suraj Warrier, who works as a photographer on Celebrity Cruise Ship. “Alongside perspective, what I look for is symmetry because I love a perfectly symmetrical picture, as well as the availability of natural more than artificial lights to shoot a picture. My phone works well for me when it comes to travel pictures. A major rule that I follow is to not have an empty frame. I always include a human element in my pictures and rarely click one without a person in it. It brings a big difference to the picture and the way people look at it”.
3. Research, gear, and the artist’s vision
“Travel photography is all about telling YOUR version of a story about the place, it’s people, the food, the activities, etc, through pictures” says Tulika Bhattacharya, 24-year-old Proofreader at Economic & Political Weekly, “Prior research about the destination is the key in showcasing the place’s strengths and uniqueness through your personal sense of photography. The perfect way to go about capturing the beauty of the location(s) is to get out there”, she adds.
“On the technical front, using the right gear plays a huge role in capturing the essence of the place. Eg: a prime lens for portraits, wide-angle lens for landscapes, action cameras for underwater shots, etc. If travelling solo, a tripod is a must-have!”
4. Editing – just as important as capturing images!
Because your picture-perfect image requires the capable skills of a photo editor to highlight and enhance your vision and perspective! Award-winning travel photographer Pete DeMarco suggests Adobe Lightroom CC as a go-to software for editing images, which he uses to process all his images and manage his photo library.
5. Make light your best friend
Lisa, a professional photographer from Australia shares her photo hacks and tips on her site The Wandering Lens, and is a big believer in playing with your white balance. It controls the tone of your image and based on your preference, you can go ahead and make those lovely snowscapes a cooler shade of blue, or those sunsets the perfect warm hue, as per your liking!
So what are you waiting for, guys? Pick up your camera, and start creating magic!
