Forget Bog Standard Tourist Snaps
We've all done it. You visit an incredible location, take 937 photos, come home, upload them to your computer and think:
"Hmm. It looked way better in real life."
The good news is that taking beautiful travel photos has very little to do with having the latest camera and everything to do with how you approach a scene.
Whether you're exploring Paris, Scotland, Port Macquarie or even just heading off on a family road trip, these simple travel photography tips will help you create images that tell a story rather than simply proving you were there.
Harry's Cafe London but shot on a different angle through the glass window capturing reflections.
1. Get Up Before Everyone Else
I know. This is not what you want to hear when you're on holiday. You're on holidays. You've earned that sleep in. The hotel breakfast buffet is calling your name!
But some of my favourite travel photographs have happened before most tourists have even located their coffee. Popular tourist destinations can quickly become crowded with people, tour buses and bloody selfie sticks. By getting up early you'll often find quieter streets, emptier beaches and much better opportunities to capture the atmosphere of a place. You also get bonus points for avoiding crowds in your photos.
Sometimes there is no getting up earlier to beat the tourists...
2. Chase Golden Hour
If you've ever wondered why professional travel photography looks so beautiful, chances are the photographer wasn't shooting at midday. Golden hour is the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset when the light becomes softer, warmer and far more flattering. Buildings glow. Landscapes come alive. Wrinkles look less defined (women take note...).
Light is one of the most important elements of photography. Learning to recognise beautiful light can improve your photography more than any new camera ever will. I know when I first started out and all these whoo whoo photography teachers were talking about light I had no clue how I was ever going to be able to notice light. But then magically one day you see the light, and then trust me you can't stop seeing the light. I notice now as soon as a cloud covers the sun or the light changes slightly it just becomes ingrained. Patience my friend.
One perfect lunch in Paris. Remember to photograph the food. Husbands love this.
3. Tell A Story, Not Just A Location
One of the biggest differences between a holiday snap and a great travel photograph is storytelling. Most tourists photograph what a place looks like. Photographers photograph what a place feels like.
Instead of taking one quick photo and moving on, spend some time observing.
Who is there and what are they doing?
What is the food like?
What makes this destination unique?
Maybe it's a fisherman repairing nets in a Scottish harbour. A Parisian market stall owner serving customers delicious cheese. A child chasing squirels through a European square. A crisp vino sitting on a tiny Parisian café table (it's always Paris!). The best travel photography captures real life moments, emotions and experiences—not just landmarks. We have all witnessed the couple with the camera on a tripod arguing about when to kiss in-front of the Eiffel Tower and then posting the magical romantic photo on Insta. I call bullshit.
My daughter looking at the beautiful Christmas window displays in London.
4. Start Wide, Then Move In Closer
This is one of the easiest travel photography tips to put into practice. When you arrive somewhere new, start by taking a wide shot capturing the overall scene. Show the landscape. Show the city. Show the building. Then start looking for details. Photograph the old door. The weathered sign. The colourful window boxes. The worn cobblestones. The pastries you absolutely didn't need but bought anyway.
A collection of images showing both the big picture and the small details creates a much richer travel story than fifty identical wide-angle shots. While you're creating your travel story, don't be afraid to get creative with your camera settings too. Learning how to control aperture and shutter speed can take your travel photography to a whole new level.
Imagine a couple dancing on a Paris street with the movement beautifully blurred around them. Or a bustling market where the crowd becomes a wash of motion while your subject remains sharp. Those are the kinds of images that make people stop scrolling and take notice of your art.
Buckingham Palace I could have just photographed the building.
Paris does everything better.
5. Photograph The Little Moments
Years from now, the photos you treasure most probably won't be the postcard views. They'll be the moments. Your child feeding seagulls. Your partner getting lost while insisting they know exactly where they're going (anyone else have this conundrum?). The tiny bakery you found by accident. Being lost in the 6th arrondissement (it's always Paris!)
Travel photography isn't just about documenting places. It's about preserving memories. The little moments are often the ones that transport you straight back to that exact day.
We stumbled upon the sweetest bakery in Paris. I'm still kicking myself I didn't try one of these black buns. Next time Paris. Next time.
Great Travel Photography Isn't About The Camera
The best travel photographs aren't necessarily taken with the most expensive cameras. They're created by photographers who understand light, tell stories, notice details and know how to use their camera creatively.
So next time you're travelling, get up early, chase golden hour, photograph the details and think about the story you're trying to tell. And if you're wondering how photographers create those dreamy blurry backgrounds, freeze action, or capture beautiful motion blur, that's where learning to control your camera really starts to pay off.
The hint of the boat I was on out of focus in the foreground. Not everything needs to be in focus to tell a story.
Want To Improve Your Photography?
If you're a woman who loves photography, come and join The Shutter Sisterhood. We don't identify as a women's camera club we are way to gangster for that. We are The Hood.
The Hood is a free photography community where women can learn photography, share images, ask questions, join photography challenges and attend workshops and events with like-minded women. It's a great place to do something just for yourself and meet new shutterbug friends.
And yes, membership is completely free.
Don't forget to be a tourist in your own town. Port Macquarie NSW.
What's Coming up in The Hood?
From photography workshops, retreats and photography weekends away, there's always something happening in The Hood.
👉 Click here to see upcoming events.
Ready to finally work out what all those buttons and dials on your camera actually do?
👉 Click here to see upcoming photography courses and workshops.
More Photography Tips
You might also enjoy:
👉 3 Simple Photography Tips That Will Instantly Improve Your Photos
👉 What Camera Should I Buy As A Beginner Photographer?
👉 Why I'd Ditch Nikon And Buy Canon If I Was Starting Photography Today
About Kristen Shaw Photography
Kristen Shaw is a Port Macquarie photographer, photography educator and founder of The Shutter Sisterhood. Based on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Kris specialises in commercial photography, personal branding photography, Airbnb and boutique accommodation photography, property photography, food photography and product photography. Through photography workshops, events and The Shutter Sisterhood community, she helps women build confidence behind the camera and create photographs they are proud of.
Because it would be remiss of me not to include a photo of Lapland at Christmas time. My favourite family holiday.
Also Lapland. I can't remember what this was called but I look at this image and the cinnamon lingers on my tongue.