5 Common Mistakes When Doing Travel Photography
After dealing with common mistakes in landscape photography in a previous article, we will discuss, in this article, common mistakes in another popular type of photography; travel photography. Many people photograph the places they travel to and some even travel only to take photos. But if you want to make your travel photos better and more interesting for the viewers, then you should avoid the following mistakes:
1. Not researching the place you are visiting in advance. It is always better to know what characterizes the place you are traveling to, and what are the best things to photograph, before you get there. Knowing these things will help you save time and you will find yourself prepared once you start shooting. Sometimes the most interesting things to photograph are not very obvious. So doing a little research beforehand will help you find more opportunities.
2. Not using the automatic settings of your camera. Although it is usually better to prepare your shot using manual settings, sometimes you may find yourself in situations where you don’t have time for adjusting the different settings. While travelling, unplanned opportunities may occur in front in your lens, and having your camera prepared will help you capture those moments. It is better to use the automatic setting than to miss a great shot. Sometimes it is better to trust your camera.
Photo by hongryu
3. Placing your subject always in the middle of the frame. This is a common mistake many people do when photographing, because they feel their subject should be in the center of the image. Although the subject is the most important part of the picture, the context of the image is also important. Even if sometimes landmarks like the Eiffel Tower tend to take all the frame, it is a good idea to find different angles and also to use the rule of thirds for your shot in order to achieve more interesting pictures. Usually people tend to photograph landmarks in a way we see on postcards. Although those images are very well composed, making something in a similar manner will not result in interesting images.
4. Not asking people’s permission before taking photos of them. Sometimes you will see interesting people when traveling to a foreign country and you will want to photograph them. However, it would be a good idea to be polite and ask for their permission first, especially if you want to take close-ups. Different countries have different cultures and not everyone is happy to have their picture taken, and in some places asking first will help you stay out of trouble.
Photo by Emo-Ralu
5. Losing the point of interest. Sometimes when arriving in a new place you tend to photograph just about anything, because everything is new to you. But, you should keep in mind that your photographs should have a main point of interest, something that other viewers will also find interesting. The key element around which the composition is based is what will make your images successful.
Photo by StyGiaNArtS
You may want to take a look at the following related posts:
1- Gorgeous Travel photos by Daniel Cheong
About Author
Valentin Gavan
Valentin Gavan is a self-taught photographer who is passionate about photography. He also does concert photography for an online metal magazine. You can see some of his works via his profile
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“4. Not asking people’s permission before taking photos of them.” – this is quite true as in the case of Sweden. When I visited Stockholm a while ago I was warned by my host not to immediately take pictures of children. He told me that the government is protecting the children from unscrupulous persons who post pictures of children in some illegal websites. He advised me to ask permission first from the accompanying adults.
Nice article with some really solid advice about Travel photography. Big point about asking permission to photograph people. Difficult to do but really worth while. It can lead onto other discussions and the person that you ask may be able to help in other situations. Often has been the situation where I have asked someone if I can take their picture and they have not only agreed but have suggested other people to shoot have taken me to places of interest and I have ended up with some really interesting shots.