How to level up the photos you take on your trips

I’ve always loved photography and through my period of writing on Inside Laura’s Head, I’ve really developed my photography skills. If I have time to play with my camera, and a pretty city to wander round, I can take some shots I’m really proud of. Am I the best travel photographer there is? No, of course not. You don’t need to be, to get decent trip photos you love.

I must be doing something right because friends have asked why I don’t have my own work on my walls at home, and in my last job I was asked to run a workshop on how to take better travel photos. I did so, and the feedback I received was really good, so I thought I’d share some of those tips here.

I wanted a cute photo of myself for this post and realised that in this window, I’d be reflected. I love this!

Take your time

I’m experienced enough with my cameras that I can snap a semi decent photo of something quickly, if I’m passing on a bus/tram/train, but the better photos are ones where I’ve taken a moment to look properly before I take it. Waiting a few seconds gives you chance to take a clear shot, and often if you wait a few minutes you can get a shot of whatever you’re shooting without people in it! I really needed some photos of the trams in Wroclaw so, after not managing on a couple of journeys, I got the shot on my third, when the carriage emptied. (I don’t feel like taking photos with people in on public transport, for this blog, is very fair!)

A bit of patience gave me the useable shot I wanted (in my case for the blog post)

Be creative with your framing

In Wroclaw, whilst taking a photo from the Bridge of Penitents, I could take a generic photo of the top of the buildings (which I did!) but I could also move myself so that I got the witches and their cat dwarves in my shot. It elevated the shot massively, even if it took some time to get myself into position due to the amount of people on the bridge!

The first shot is a good photo, but it’s not obvious which city this is if you’ve never been…

…the second is very recognisibly Wroclaw

Look for a new angle

Sometimes there’s a different way to take the shot that may look better, or just different. Most readers won’t be taking photos of trams but the same point goes for the building, the beautiful garden etc.

Try getting your camera lower for a different perspective, or standing on a wall or bench to get the shot above peoples heads. I also like shooting a photo up a building rather than straight on, for a different sort of shot.