How can I make my travel photos more compelling and memorable?

Question

I usually photograph a wide mix of travel subjects—streets, architecture, waterways, events, people, landscapes, transport, nightlife, and snapshots of me and my wife. Most of the time I’m not planning shots in advance; I’m just trying to make the best image I can in the moment.

I understand basics like composition and using good light, but I want to go beyond simple record shots. What approaches help turn ordinary travel photos into images that feel more engaging or distinctive? Are there principles that apply especially well to travel photography, such as finding unique local details, avoiding clichés, or exploring beyond the obvious tourist viewpoint? Also, do you have any practical advice for increasing the chances of capturing something special while traveling, and for handling large numbers of varied travel images afterward?

user1192 · Accepted Answer

The thing about travel is, you are someplace unique. The thing to do is figure out just what is unique about where you are, and try to capture some aspect of it that means something to you. For instance, in Amsterdam I saw bikes everywhere so I tried to get interesting shots involving bikes:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kigiphoto/4165886056/in/set-72157622827849667/ alt text

The other thing to think about is that other people generally have an idea about what a place is. So you can either try to show something similar to what everyone knows a place is about, but with little twists - like this shot of the many buildings of Hong Kong across the water plus the famous sort of boat they have, I bought a flower from a street vendor and carried it around taking pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kigiphoto/5197306319/in/set-72157625391550866/ alt text

Which is a great way to meet people by the way. People love anyone with a flower!

Or, you can just try to go for the most nicely done canonical shot of the place you are at, so people are just excited to see a really good example of what they are expecting. For me Venice is canals and boats and I tried to find a nice atmospheric shot that would instantly say Venice to anyone viewing:

http://www.pbase.com/kgelner/image/80167194

alt text

I think it's also a good idea not to review too many images from the place you are about to travel to, so you don't get too stuck into thinking about getting a few particular kinds of photographs from a place.

How can I make my travel photos more compelling and memorable?

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