Landmark Photo Tips
Avoid the Crowds
If your visiting landmarks and famous locations during your travels there simply will be a lot of people. Afterall, these are famous locations. It’s very difficult to get pictures of a famous cathedral or other buildings with hundreds, or even thousands of people clamoring to visit. Visit these landmarks early in the day to find a more quiet time to capture great pictures without throngs of people. As an added bonus, the early light of the day is one of the most beautiful times for pictures.
Include Items of Interest
Certainly a great landmark, monument, building or view is interesting in its own right. But add an interesting item in the foreground or background and your pictures will become even more memorable. An interesting person or an object such as a lamp post or statue can add a sense of depth and dimension to any photo. If you chose to include a person, be sure to ask their permission first. More on this in a future post.
Watch Your Lighting
Take care to be mindful of your lighting situation. Having the sun behind what you are photographing can make for a very challenging lighting situation. If you can, plan ahead to visit your favorite landmarks at a time of day when the sun lighting is favorable. Often, cloudy days make for some of the very best photographs. There are no dark shadows to worry about and, in the right conditions, you may just catch a very dramatic skyline.
Plan Ahead
Great pictures are not just taken, they are created. When planning your trip, do some research on the most interesting landmarks that you wish to visit. Think about the time of day that you want to arrive, the lighting conditions, what equipment you will need (camera, lenses, tripod, etc.), and the weather conditions as the day comes closer. Thoughtful preparation will really increase the likelihood that you will get those amazing photo’s you’re looking for.
Have Patience
Don’t expect to walk up to a landmark, snap a few pictures and walk away. While that might be possible, but even with the most careful planning, you will need to be patient and wait for the right picture. Crowds can come and go, lighting conditions can change, other obstacles can appear and disappear. Take your time, look for that great angle, and focus on your composition. Your patience will pay off, and you will have time to enjoy some of the most amazing sights that you will come across in your travels!
“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all of the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”
~ Ansel Adams
The Andes from the Inca Trail, Peru
Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence, Italy
With some planning and preparation along with some patience and a few common sense guidelines, anyone can take great travel photo’s. These become a timeless way to capture the memories and experiences that you accummulate as you wander the world, allowing you to revisit them, and giving you the ability to share them with your friends and family.
Kelila Tseng
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