T
here are a lot of ways to improve
your chances of creating crisp,
vibrant and stunning travel photos.
These are some of the techniques I teach my
guests on my photography tours to places
like Japan, Italy, Jordan and Myanmar.
A passion for making and editing photos
is essential for improving your photography.
The key to keeping that passion in your soul
is to continue to have fun with all aspects of
the craft. So don’t fret too much if, at first,
you’re not getting the results you’re looking
for. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.Planning Your Shots
“Plans are nothing; planning is every-
thing.” –Dwight D. EisenhowerWhether you’re close to home or half-
way around the world, nothing is more
important than proper planning of your
shoot if you expect to achieve any high
standard of quality with your travel pho-
tography. That being said, oftentimes even
the best thought-out plans can fall apart.
This is why the act of planning is far more
important than your actual plans. Planning
properly makes you do the research for
your locations and allows you to quickly
come up with contingencies in case some-
thing goes awry once on site.
Things to research:- Sunrise, sunset, “blue hour” times and
sun position. There are great apps avail-
able for this. My favorite is PhotoPills.- Climate. Dressing for the temperature
and weather conditions will allow you to
be in top form when shooting. Remem-
ber, the temperature will drop while
you’re standing around waiting for that
big blue hour shot. Staying warm and dry
in cold locations, or cool and shielded
from the sun in tropical destinations, is
going to make you feel better and allow
you to photograph in comfort. - Opening and closing times of national
parks, historic sites and other inspiring
locations. - Season. Is your location undergoing
renovation and beneath layers of scaf-
folding? Are there any seasonal or tem-
porary obstructions, like Christmas trees,
- Climate. Dressing for the temperature
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