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How to Become a Travel Photographer (And Get Paid)

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If you have a passion for photography and dream of one day becoming a travel photographer, there are certain things you need to do in order to make that dream a reality. In this article, we will outline some steps on how you can become a travel photographer.

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How to Become A Travel Photographer and Get Paid Professionally

Travel photography is an all-encompassing field. It incorporates all sorts of photography styles and career paths within it. But what does professional travel photography look like? It’s incredible shots of rolling landscapes , captivating portraits , and exciting food!

And how do you get started? Like almost every unique photography style, you begin by creating! It might not make sense, but you need to get out there and start taking travel images.

Step 1: Determine if It’s the Right Photography Style For You

First, do you like to travel? How do you feel about long flights, stuffy airports, and unpacking and repacking your gear ? What about living out of a suitcase?

Travel photography is not for the faint of heart. Many see it as an easy career path, yet that is not the case. A freelance travel photographer has to deal with many demanding situations. Poor , aggressive locals, or long journeys are common difficulties. Traveling can suck away all your energy. And it makes it all the more difficult if you have limited time to capture the images you need. You may think, Oh, great… I get to go to Paris!  But you may only have 36 hours to capture four different locations, leaving you little time to enjoy the area you are in.

There is a lot of stress involved… Not everyone speaks a language you know or understands your dietary constraints. It is a job like any other photography career and not always as glamorous as Instagram feeds portray it to be.

Travel photographers must be tolerant, flexible, and patient. And, of course, they must know how to work with a camera.

Step 2: Learn a Wide Range of Skills

Knowing how to use your camera is essential. Learning a wider variety of photographic skills is vital. And understanding how to capture landscapes, take portraits, or take a street scene with a long exposure will go a long way.

The more techniques you have under your belt, the better. Photography is a visual art and very hands-on, so you must show you can do it by showing you can do it.

Travel photographer education requirements vary. A photography course can help you learn photo basics and editing skills if you are starting from scratch.

But you do not need a degree to become a travel photographer. Some might find it easier to find work with a certificate or qualification, and having one might help open up some opportunities. Still, it is not a prerequisite if your images are strong and captivating.

Step 3: Define Your Travel Photography Niche

Becoming a freelance travel photographer requires a lot of hard work. Unfortunately, the photography business is highly competitive. Part of this hard work is finding a way to stand out.

Your work will reflect your vision of the world, which is unique for every travel photographer. It would help to find a way to show your viewpoint in your travel photographs. Create a signature style that stands out from your competitors.

To become a freelance travel photographer, you must define your niche. You can focus on a specific technique or subject within your travel photography journey. Ask yourself what you like to photograph the most or are good at taking pictures of, and stick to that.

Step 4: Build a Portfolio of Your Best Travel Images

A portfolio is a series of images that you have captured. It can be an online portfolio or a print version, letting clients see the kind of travel photos you take and how you take them. It is a visual guide of the photo quality they can expect from you. Without a portfolio to look at, clients will likely find it challenging to give you work based solely on your word.

If you do not have a lot of money to start traveling, you can start locally. Research photos clients are looking for, then capture them and present them. The images you do not sell could also work well on stock image libraries or websites as sellable prints.

As you start building a reputation as a travel photographer, clients will want to hire you. Keep creating a body of work until you start finding commissions, and then keep exploring. In the end, clients are looking for stunning images. Only a photography portfolio can show that.

Step 5: Create a Travel Website or Blog

Creating your website or blog to showcase your work is essential as a travel photographer. These tools will help you show your clients you are a professional photographer . Also, it makes it easier for potential clients to find you and reach out to you. Using one of these platforms will help you organize your work and display it in your preferred format and style. You can get creative and use a design that makes your content more appealing.

Creating a blog or website is very easy. You can use a free website builder like Wix or Weebly . All you have to do is sign up, select a pre-set template and upload your work. There are many travel bloggers  you can follow and get tips from. Then you write your first travel blog post!

Step 6: Sell Your Images Digitally

Selling your travel photography can be a sustainable business idea. Many travel photographers sell their images on a digital platform. And it’s the bread and butter of their money-making machine.

To start, I recommend adding your images to an online platform. These will help put your name out there. Also, they serve well as a portfolio of travel photography for others to view. Potential clients are always searching for examples of work.

It might be challenging to sell your images when you start. But there are a few places to begin posting your pictures.

Stock Photography and Photo Websites

Unsplash is a free stock photography site that others can use for free content. The page is well known, so they receive lots of exposure. If someone uses your images, they can place them on their page with your link or name. You don’t get paid, but it can help spread your pictures and reputation.

You also can use a platform like 500px , where you can license your images with a few clicks. Plus, as mentioned before, you can sell your pictures through many stock photography websites . The site  dropstock.io will even upload your photos to many stock websites for you!

Having images for sale on a stock photography website is beneficial. You can sell pictures while you eat, sleep, and travel by licensing your work. As the number of images grows, so does your chance to make money .

If you are still building up a reputation, you can sell travel photos through your website. That way, you don’t have to pay the commission to stock photography sites. If you build up a good network of companies or blogs that need images, they might even come to you first.

Step 7: Sell Your Travel Images in a Physical Format

You might be the kind of travel photographer who is not into the digital world. There is still a market for making money and a living from travel photography.

One way to do this is to create prints of your images and sell them through specific art websites. Etsy is one good example. Fine Art America is another one. Some travel photographers even use eBay due to the number of people who use the website and the low cost of hosting a print.

You could approach galleries when you have a series of works. There is a chance you find buyers through them. They will take a commission depending on the space. But in turn, they provide an outlet that many people have access to.

Selling Prints Yourself

The benefit of selling physical prints is that you can sell them online and in person. I have created photography books , postcards, and photo prints . And I sell them in art markets, art shops, and hostels.

You can sell prints on your own out on the street, but the money can come in dribs and drabs. There is no guarantee that you will sell enough of them to be worth your time standing out in the cold (or heat).

Unlike digital images, prints can’t be stolen or reused without your say-so. But they might need a lot of your time to produce, plus the initial capital required to print these can be high.

Step 8: Find Photography Work Where You Travel

As you travel to foreign places, you can offer your services to travel businesses. Many are in great need of images from the destination you are in. These could be travel magazines , newspapers, or local tourism boards. Anyone in the travel or tourism industry needs strong images. I have stayed in hostels for free by exchanging professional interior photographs for free accommodation.

Many businesses prefer working with the same person if they provide high-quality images. They might even commission you to capture the images they need. Be aware that this type of work may have to be under the table, depending on your visa. If you are going somewhere abroad, research opportunities each area might present. For example, a beautiful image in a tourism brochure can say a lot about a company. It can show that they will pay top dollar for images. You could also see if the area you’re traveling to has trending stock photography  themes to take advantage of.

Step 9: Capture and Write Great Travel Content

The number one idea with travel photography, like any other niche, is to create strong content. Success is due to the quality, the post-processing, or the techniques you use. It could also be due to the uniqueness of your approach.

Strong content is crucial. Your images need to be top-notch if you want to sell your work through a gallery or online. The more compelling your travel photos are, the more people will search for them and your services.

One other area you can look at is photography writing. If there is an area of photography that you know about, why not write about it. It could be about time-lapse photography or your experience as a portrait photographer . The possibilities are endless.

There are many places you can do this, for yourself, a travel company, or a photography website. The benefit is that not only are people reading your helpful content, but you also get to share your images.

Step 10: Use Tours and Workshops as an Extra Income Source

When I first arrived in Budapest, I tried to find a job. I looked at all the photography possibilities I could. However, nothing seemed to fit my style, work ethic, mentality, photography style, or background. As a documentary photographer , I contacted newspapers and magazines but didn’t land a position. It was not an easy time.

So I started thinking outside the box. And I realized that, with a bit of marketing , I could host street photography workshops . It fitted with my travel photography passion and experiences. Luckily, I had a background in both photography and tutoring. It was a success, but it took a while for me to get my name out there. The good thing was that it only took a day or two to develop some free advertising online. It allowed me to start immediately.

For every travel photographer, there is something they can teach. It could be composition , landscape photography, or location scouting .

Step 11: Pick a Place to Travel and Go

Many resources can help you get started as a travel photographer. Yet, I believe in baptism by fire. If I were just getting started and had a small travel budget, I would pick a place to travel and go. That’s it. You can work out everything else once you have a place to go. You could do a documentary piece in India or capture the cloth-dying process in Morocco.

Once you have a destination, you can start researching. Learn about photography etiquette, what time the sun sets, and where to stay. Then, with a clear idea of the “where” and “what,” you can find who might be interested in the images you take.

As mentioned, if you can write, then your opportunities widen. GoNomad , for example, is always looking for stories to publish. Magazines and online publishers will pay for content because they do not need to do the research or find and commission someone else. It’s even better if you have images to go alongside your writing.

So, find paid photo projects, put some of your travel photos on stock photography websites, and sell a few physical prints—the more avenues of income you establish, the better chance to have a travel photographer salary successfully.

It doesn’t matter if your goal is to work for National Geographic or make a living from your prints and website. Becoming a professional travel photographer requires a lot of work. But don’t worry! Many travel photographers started with the basics, like a beginner’s photography course , and just went for it. You will get there!

We hope these travel photography tips help you figure out how to become a travel photographer and carve out a travel photography career!

Try out our Fantastic Photo Adventures course to learn unique and creative storytelling techniques and get out and start your journey into travel photography!

• How to Become a Professional Travel Photographer
• Career Tips
• By Lisa Michele Burns

Travel Photography: A Guide to Getting Started as a Travel Photographer

The title of ‘Travel Photographer’ is the pinnacle for many creatives with that ever enduring sense of wanderlust.

You would think all you need is a camera and a plane ticket to become a travel photographer, right?

In theory, yes. But in practice, you’re competing with a world filled of talented creatives all vying for the opportunity to be a full time travel photographer.

That said, there is so much room in the industry for skilled photographers as the need for quality content is at an all time high.

Social media and online publications are soaking up visual content like a sponge. The urge to publish engaging and unique imagery, viral videos and inspiring posts means photographers are in demand right now!

Are you ready to get involved?

I’m writing this guide from over 17+yrs in the industry as a travel photographer, you’ll find my personal portfolio here at lisamicheleburns.com  – there’s so much space in the industry if you can create photographs with a refreshing view of the world, and I hope this guide will help you discover how you can work as a travel photographer and join me in this exciting industry!

Read below to find information on the following steps to starting a career as a travel photographer:

– Setting Goals – Learn Photography – Create a Niche Style – Build a Portfolio – Create a Website – Finding Clients – Getting Published – Build Your Social Media Presence – Master the Art of Self Promotion

How to start a Career in Travel Photography

1. set goals.

Before you even look at your camera or think about the amazing places you’ll visit take a step back and look inside.

Write down exactly why you want to be a travel photographer. Is it to get your photo on the cover of National Geographic? To travel for free? To visit far away places and document them as a photojournalist? Or is it simply because you love taking photos and seeing new places?

Setting goals and thinking about the reason you want to be a travel photographer sounds like a pretty easy step to skip but believe me, you want those goals to look back at one day. When you’ve had a bad few months without work, when you’re knee deep in mud because you took the term ‘getting the shot’ a bit too far…you want to be reminded of why you’re doing it.

Writing a set of achievable goals will also give you a path to follow. Travel photography has no real set career path so be sure to write some short term goals and long term goals to work towards.

2. Learn Photography

So this step may seem obvious but you’ll be surprise how many fail to take it seriously. If you are really keen work in the travel photography industry and become a full-time travel photographer you need to know your camera inside out.

Having 500 people ‘like’ your photo on Instagram doesn’t cut it in the world of media and publishing if that photo doesn’t print sharp above 1000 pixels wide.

Knowing the right settings, image quality standards and having the eye to see and capture the world creatively will put you ahead of the pack.

I’m not a big believer in getting a formal education for a creative skill (different for everyone!) but if you prefer to learn from books there are a number of courses online that will help you out. There are various ways to learn photography and depending on your learning style, it’s usually best to find the method that suits you best as we’re all different! Take a peek at this quick guide I wrote about learning styles + 8 ways to learn photography.

Another way to learn photography is to take your camera out and use it until you know how it operates in various lighting conditions, landscapes, indoors, outdoors, upside down, underwater, looking up, looking down. You probably get my drift here.

Knowing how to use your camera is essential to success as a travel photographer because more often than not, it’s those spur of the moment shots that generate the goods. If you can quickly adapt to the surroundings and know what settings to change in a split-second in order to capture a moment, you’re in with a pretty good shot of becoming a professional photographer.

Practice taking photos of friends, pets, your local surroundings, basically anything and everything in order to expand your knowledge of photography.

LEARN MORE WITH THE WANDERING LENS

Creative Courses + Resources for Photographers: If you’re interested in discovering your creative vision and building a portfolio with the aim of finding work as a photographer, The Wandering Lens now offers self-study courses , eBooks and Workbook Bundles. The online courses and downloadable workbooks can be accessed at any time, from anywhere in the world – it’s about creating accessible resources to help you in your photography career. The bring together over 17+years of experience and lessons from working in the industry. I want to see others share their talents and get published, sell prints, find clients – to have the confidence to achieve whatever it is you want to within the field of photography.

Want to work as a travel photographer yourself?

To learn more about becoming a travel photographer, join me for an 8-week online course called The Freelance Travel Photographer Course , where I share anything and everything you need to know to succeed in the industry, based on my 17+yrs as a professional travel photographer. Alternatively, you can register to receive my free email series focused on travel photography as a career. Register for the free travel photography email series here.

Travel Photography Tips –

Some articles from my site that might help you out…all can be found in the Photo Tips section but here are some more specific posts – How To Creatively Compose Travel Images Landscape Photography: Tips for Wide Angle Landscape Photos Learn How to Take Underwater Split-Level Photographs

To develop a consistent style once you’ve got the hang of your camera, then you need to learn some editing skills to give your images a professional edge. Programs like Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop ( sign up for a free trial here ) work wonders in giving your images a little oomph. You can download my personal collection of presets here that allows you to do quick edits at the touch of a button.

I’m still learning 12 years after my first professional travel photography gig and that’s all part of the fun! Staying eager to learn means photography won’t ever get boring!

3. Create a Niche Style as a Travel Photographer

With the world of social media creating a never ending sea of content, standing out as a travel photographer is essential.

It’s not about risking your life in order to be the only one doing it, it’s about creating a consistent quality within your portfolio.

You want people to see a shot and say ‘I know who photographed that’, or at the very least to view your portfolio be wowed by your unique perspective of the world.

Creating a niche style is about developing a vision that portrays your view of the surroundings. Some people specialise in drone aerials, others underwater photography or travel portraits. Whatever your niche is, stick with it and find a way to stand out within the arena.

Putting together a list of things your interested in, then brainstorming a way to creatively capture them will kick things off. You’ll soon notice the way to capture them might blur together and become very similar, your niche style will then take on a mind of it’s own.

Developing a niche is a matter of trial and error. You want to be passionate about your niche and have a real desire to continue with it. The more effort you put into creating, the more results you’ll see appearing professionally.

Read more – ‘My current creative obsession’

4. Build a Portfolio

I’ve read before that it takes at least 10,000 photos before you can really start to call yourself a photographer. I don’t agree.

Building a professional portfolio is about compiling a collection of your best work, whether that was your first shot or 6,428th shot.

A portfolio is your go to link for sharing your work. You want it to highlight what you do and how good you do it.

It can be in the form of a PDF booklet that’s ready to email clients or publishers, an online gallery or you can use sites like Flickr or 500px.com

A few tips on creating a great portfolio: – Keep a folder of your best shots and curate regularly – Be your own worst critic – Sort images based on destination, colour or style

Having a folder of your best shots for each destination will allow you to quickly access them when you need to grab them for a client.

Personally I have a PDF booklet that contains just 20 of my best shots that I believe represents my style of photography. I find it’s quick for people to browse through and it gives them a good feel for what I shoot and what the results can be if we were to work together.

Online portfolios are also great as they can be nice and easy to link to in forums, social media and emails giving people fast access to your work. Just be sure to curate your online portfolio as much as possible, quality over quantity!

No matter how much we’d like to believe people get stuck spending hours gazing in awe through our portfolio, the reality is it takes a few seconds for someone to make a judgement. Make those few seconds count and wow them from the beginning.

Oh and don’t forget a logo.

Having an identifiable logo will help visitors to your portfolio relate with your work whenever that see the logo. Have you seen professional photographers sign the bottom of their printed images? Well to me that’s the perfect logo for a photographer and there’s a website that provides you with exactly that.

Photologo is a service that creates handwritten logos for photographers, meaning if your handwriting isn’t super fancy and calligraphic (is that a word!?), they’ll do the hard work for you and provide you with a set of files to use throughout your portfolio or to print on images!

You’ll find a gallery of sample logos on their website – Photologo

5. Creating a Website or Blog

Separate to having a portfolio, publishing your own content on a website or blog is a fantastic way to showcase your abilities.

By creating your own space online you can publish your content in the way you want it to be seen. Fancy becoming a photojournalist? Publish articles in that style on your own site!Having a collection of published articles, whether they are self published or not, is a great way to show editors and clients what you are capable of.

Even if you can’t write and only want to be a travel photographer, put together a photo feature article showcasing a particular destination or experience. Keep the words to a minimum and all eyes will be focused on your images.

With your own blog or website you have the ability to promote your unique photography style and perspectives to anyone, anywhere in the world. Tools like Google Analytics allow you to see who is checking out your site and where, giving you a great insight into how your photography is getting seen and what the most popular content is on your site!

To create your own website it’s simply a matter of registering a domain name, finding a host, signing up to a free site such as WordPress.org , deciding on a template and uploading your work. It sounds like a lot but you can get it going within a few hours.

Not a huge fan of fiddly code and want to create your portfolio NOW? Websites like wix.com or Squarespace.com actually do all the hard work for you and all you’ve got to do is supply the photos and select a layout style. I created my personal portfolio site using the Wix Premium plan which helps you obtain a domain name and they’re serves look after your site so you don’t have to pay and look after numerous subscriptions, it’s all in one. You can create a site with any layout style you like and Wix also has easy to use SEO, eCommerce and Blogging help so your site will be gracing the pages of Google in no time.

Squarespace is perhaps a little more artistic than Wix when it comes to layouts and available themes. I love the clean look of Squarespace and use it for my pri nt store , if it wasn’t so much work I’d probably transfer my entire site across to Squarespace! I currently use the Commerce plan which allows me to receive print orders and list products for sale but there are lower cost plans if you’re simply after a blog or portfolio site.

The sites I use and recommend are listed below if you’re keen to get started quickly –

All-in-One Web Design – Wix.com or Squarespace.com

Domain Registration – Crazy Domains (look for .com domains to rank better) Web Host – Bluehost (hosting from $3.95 per month) Wordpress Templates – Themeforest (look for themes with changeable features)

*Please note some links used are affiliate links to products I personally use and as such I will receive a small fee should you opt to use their services also. I’ll only ever share affiliate links to products I use for my own business and that I know work.

6. Finding Clients as a Travel Photographer

Once you’ve developed your photographic skills to the point where you believe it will benefit clients, it’s time to begin the approach.

Most travel photographers work on a freelance basis meaning they’ll have a variety of clients ranging from print media and stock libraries to local tour operators and businesses. There really is no limit to who your client can be because everyone needs images for visual marketing!

Think of all the hotel photos you browse through when choosing somewhere to stay. Someone has to take them and most of the time hotels are looking to update their image library, the same goes for tour operators and local tourism boards.

Approaching a new client can be a lot easier if you happen to be visiting that region, or if it’s where you are based. Start local and contact businesses who you regularly use or that have less than desirable images on their website…put together a proposal and they’ll more than likely say yes if it benefits them! If they’re just starting out on social media you can offer to create a library of social media images they can use over a 3-6month period to generate interest in their product/region.

Once you’ve got a client, be sure to over deliver and get creative in finding ways you can work together on an ongoing basis.

Travel Photography Stock Libraries

One way to generate a regular income as a photographer is via stock libraries. To be straight up, not all stock libraries will benefit you and are worth your time. Some pay out a teeny tiny 10cents per sale however others follow industry standards with professional pricing guidelines.

As an approved photographer on stock libraries, you can possibly get access to client briefs where you can submit your work direct to the client, meaning they’ll consider you for the project and see your profile. Otherwise there’s usually a marketplace type system for you to upload your images and have them added to collections based on themes, destinations and seasons.

Some stock libraries to check out include Getty Images , Adobe Stock , Shutterstock , Alamy and istockphoto, I haven’t had any person experience with these so can’t offer too much judgement on these.

7. Getting Published as a Travel Photographer

Now lets talk about the fun stuff. The part where you call your family and tell them to rush to the newsagent and buy every copy of the magazine because your photo is inside!

Having your photography published is one of the biggest achievements as a professional travel photographer. I think it’s a key sign that firstly, your work is worthy of publishing and secondly that you are being seen as a working professional.

Getting published isn’t actually as daunting or elusive as it sounds. It can be a matter of contacting an editor with a great story idea, self-publishing on sites like BoredPanda.com and having editors contact you to republish the article or you might find gigs on sites like freelancer.com.

Ever since I started out as a journalist 12years ago (yikes, old!), I dreamt of having my images published in Lonely Planet guidebooks. That was my goal and I was pretty narrow minded about it. I was so focused that I entered every competition, submitted author applications, photographer applications and compiled folders of my Lonely Planetesque images ready just incase they called me one day. Just to note, social media wasn’t around then…now you can totally just tag them or use a hashtag to get noticed, ha!

It took one competition entry to change my life one year after starting out as a journalist, a series of my photographs from Marrakech were published on lonelyplanet.com and the rest as they say is history. If I can do it, anyone can!

To start out, put together a list of the publications you want your work in. Take a note of the style of photography they publish, the amount of images per editorial and even go as far as checking out the photographers who get published in those magazines.

Most photographers who are published in travel magazines are regulars, they will have built up a reputation with the editor or a journalist and are someone they can call on for great shots. You want to be one of those people they call!

Contacting editors via email can be the best way to have your work seen. Be sure to know the publication before you approach them, and then send through an email with a story/photo feature idea that you believe will fit their publication perfectly. Make sure your pitch is relevant, straight to the point and time sensitive; most print publications will have issues ready months in advance so it’s worth checking their advertising cut-off dates in order to work out what type of content they’ll be after at what time of year. Pitching a summer photo feature when they’re working on winter destinations won’t get you very far!

I really can’t stress enough the importance of researching a publication BEFORE contacting them. You don’t want to be seen as unprofessional in your first email, you want to wow them and make them wonder why they’ve never heard of you before.

If you want to build a portfolio of published work before contacting the bigger publications, look at sites like Matador Network that allow you to submit stories or respond to requested articles. Or as noted above, create your own website and self-publish.

8. Build your Social Media Presence as a Travel Photographer

When I first started out in photography and journalism, social media didn’t exist. I know, crazy.

Now though, social media is actually an essential element to becoming a travel photographer and having your work seen.

It can be as simple as creating an Instagram account, sharing your work and tagging a tourism board so they can see what you’ve been photographing in the region. Simple little social media techniques will lead to future work and if you do it right, you might even find the work comes to you.

Social Media Tips:

– Curate your work, don’t publish every single photo ( read my guide to curating your own work here ) – Research destination relevant hashtags (#seeaustralia, #NZMustDo, #TravelFrance, #inspiredbyiceland) – Tag relevant brands, tourism boards or tour operators – Focus on building relationships with destinations or brands you want to work with (comment, like and share their content) – Build your social following by engaging with your audience. Ask questions in the caption, reply to every single comment you receive, follow other photographers!

Social Media Don’ts:

– Don’t obsessively tag brands and tourism boards if your work isn’t up to scratch yet. Wait until your content is professional enough to wow them. – Don’t ask for freebies if you don’t have an audience to benefit the brand, always think of how you can add value – Don’t get cocky because people start following, be humble, grateful and professional 🙂

Take a look at my post The Best 6 Social Platforms for Photographers , here you’ll find links to social platforms that work best to showcase your work.

Personally, Instagram and Steller are my favourites because they are all about the visuals and you’ll find a great community of creatives.

9. Master the Art of Self Promotion

This little section may be the most important part of all. It’s something I never realised was necessary when I had dreams of being a travel photographer and I wish someone had told me this so I’m sharing it with you all now…

You need to sell yourself.

I’m not talking about being a sell out, I mean you need to be confident in sharing your work, getting it seen and knowing who to show it to. No one is going to do it for you (unless you pay an agent!), mastering the art of self promotion will shape your career.

By using social media, your website, your portfolio, connections you meet, people you know through your mothers friend’s daughter…being confident to promote your work to anyone you meet is essential. You can even get crafty and make promotional products or postcards via sites like moo.com which allows you to print packs with multiple designs, perfect for sending out your portfolio in a fun and unique way!

A little tough love…if you aren’t confident that your work is good, why should anyone else be?

Own it. Be proud of the work you are creating and it will shine through.

Throughout your career you’ll find some people don’t take a liking to your work, and that’s totally fine. Photography is a subjective medium so not everyone is going to love every photo you take and I’m pretty sure you don’t like every photo you see on your Instagram feed either!

Knowing how to sell yourself and your photography portfolio is about finding how YOU can create the best content for a brand. How YOU can photograph the best shot of a hotel room. Whatever job you’re applying for, own your style and be confident in showing the client why they should hire you, try not to compare yourself to others too much.

Side note – I still get those anxious butterflies before a meeting, I still stumble my words when meeting a client for the first time and I still have doubts that maybe my work isn’t good enough. But masking those doubts has become easier over time and I can now put on a professional outside appearance, even if on the inside I’m shaking like a polaroid picture.

Read more – Self Promotion and Marketing for Photographers

Travel Photographer.

Just putting those two words out there so they’re really etched in your thoughts. You can do it!

So there you have it. If you’re serious about becoming a travel photographer I really think there’s nothing stopping you.

Set your goals, get studying on how to use your camera then begin creating your online portfolio to showcase your photography to the world!

While 1 in 1million may get catapulted to instant globe trotting glory, the road to becoming a full time travel photographer is long and at times frustrating. Success isn’t determined by how many likes you get or your follower count, it’s in whether or not you achieve your individual goals as a photographer.

Celebrating the small things will go a long way to creating happiness and the feeling of success in a creative industry!

Keen to learn more with The Wandering Lens?

If you’re eager to improve your photography, explore your creative talents and even perhaps work in the industry, you’ll find self-study courses and a library of eBooks and Workbooks via The Wandering Lens Store . I’ve developed online resources for photographers, creatives, dreamers, adventurers, travellers and freelancers. If that sounds like you, maybe we should connect and chat about your photography goals! These creative courses and resources bring together my 17+years of experience and lessons from working in the industry. I want to see others share their talents and get published, sell prints, find clients – to have the confidence to achieve whatever it is you want to within the field of photography. Get in touch via [email protected] if you’d like to chat about your photography!

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Get Involved + Share Your Work!

Because social media is one of the important steps listed above, be sure to share your work using the hashtag #thewanderinglens so I can follow along on your journey! Join The Wandering Lens Facebook Group and share ideas, your work or ask questions amongst like-minded photographers! You’re welcome to leave a link in the comments section below to share your photography story and include a link to your portfolio…

– Please note there are Affiliate Links to my preferred websites/brands/editing programs in the above article. All links are for programs and sites I personally use and recommend!

Hello! I’m the founder and photographer behind The Wandering Lens. With 17+yrs experience as a professional travel and landscape photographer, all advice found on this site is from my personal experience on the road. I hope it’s useful for your own travels and would love to hear in the comments about your trips and experiences around the world.

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Blog comments.

November 30, 2016 at 11:14 pm

Thank you for sharing this, I have a wordpress site already but maybe this will help make me actually do something with it! Love your site by the way 🙂

thewanderinglens

December 1, 2016 at 11:28 am

So lovely to hear Lindsay, definitely keep going with the WordPress site, once the hard work is done it’s so easy to add content and make your work visible!

December 1, 2016 at 12:44 am

This is a great resource! It’s packed with so much info. Thanks for sharing!!!!

December 1, 2016 at 11:27 am

Great to hear Jess! Good luck with your photography 🙂

Thekiwifrog

December 1, 2016 at 4:58 am

Great article Lisa. Super informative and with a great progression.

Just a note on the side. There is a tiny typo for steller that you spelt stellar. I wouldn’t mention it normally but in that case people might get confused if they look for it.

Let me know if you are still around the South Island. We could go for a shoot or coffee.

Cheers Nico

December 1, 2016 at 11:24 am

Thanks Nico, just fixed that up…I always confuse myself into thinking it’s with an ‘a’ 🙂 I won’t be back in NZ until later in 2017, I’ll definitely let you know once I’m heading that way though, can’t go a year without photographing the beautiful South Island! Cheers, Lisa

December 8, 2016 at 8:28 pm

Wow, thanks for the Tips! These are incredibly useful to know and I have already started some of these!

After spending the last 6 years fiddling and learning photography, my wife and I are about to move to Cambridge, UK from Melbourne. We are planning to post and write about our European trips in a capacity that is more than just telling our family what we are doing with the goal of allowing our work to eventually pay for our travel. Our first real post will be up soon, looking at our short weekend trip into the Wimmera/Mallee to visit the new Silo Art in the region. My Wife is a much better writer than I am and is currently editing!

I guess the hardest thing is getting a consistent style in your photos but we’ll just keep at it!

Thanks again for the advice and the inspiration

Nick Zupancich

January 14, 2017 at 7:06 pm

Nice write-up! I’m in the middle of this journey myself. It has had it’s fair share of bumps in the road and every day is an adventure. You were spot on when you mentioned that there is no predetermined set path to follow in becoming a travel photographer. Maybe that’s why this career choice is so interesting 🙂

My work can be found on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/nazpicture/ and also here: NAZpicture.com

January 14, 2017 at 7:18 pm

Hi Nick, thanks for sharing, I absolutely agree, it’s definitely what makes it so interesting! Great to hear you’re on the same path, I just had a peek at your work and love the landscapes! Where are you based? Also…Mikko is adorable!!

January 15, 2017 at 10:47 am

Thank you! I’m currently based out of Colorado but will be moving into a custom sprinter van with my girlfriend in July. We will be living nomadically throughout the US and Canada after that! Should be a very exciting transition. Glad you love MIkko too! We just can’t get enough of him.

Jan Miřacký

February 24, 2017 at 9:14 pm

Another useful and very good content. This self-publishing on websites like Bored Panda is my greatest take-away from your article. Can you perhaps share how to manage your social media / business sites (like imagebrief.com) on a daily and weekly basis? What you do every day, what you check just let’s say once a week, etc. If you use any automation tools like Buffer or Later… That would be a great read without any doubts 😉

Cheers, Jan

March 1, 2017 at 3:57 am

Hi Jan, so happy to hear this article was useful. I’ll be sharing more on how I manage my photography business over the coming weeks in various articles…typically for Instagram I try to post once daily and for ImageBrief I simply respond to relevant briefs that suit images I already have on file. Keep an eye out for new posts weekly and hopefully I’ll cover something of interest to you 🙂

May 3, 2017 at 1:31 am

Hi, thanks for all the good information. For us beginners in social media, you fail to mention that it is not possible to upload photos from one’s computer to Instagram. That would be good information to know. I generally do not store my good images on my phone. Perhaps I should re-think the process.

May 3, 2017 at 1:56 am

Hi Claire, thanks for your message. That’s correct, it’s not possible to upload photos from your computer to Instagram however it’s quite popular to get around this by emailing the photos to yourself, then opening the email on your phone and storing the attached image in your phone’s library. This then allows you to post to Instagram. Alternatively there are a number of apps or plugins that allow you to upload to Instagram, most however will require payment. This is one I suggest looking at ‘ LR/Instagram ‘ but I can’t promise anything as I don’t personally use this method.

July 13, 2017 at 5:06 am

Hi Lisa, Great summary! It shows you that we travel photographers actually have to be jacks of all trades: sales agents, web designers, marketing and PR people, … and besides that we should find time to be photographers 😉 But in my opinion, this is what makes it so fun and interesting. Everyday is full of new challenges, and life doesn’t get boring. Keep up your great work, and maybe you are interested in following me along on my journey around the world as well: http://www.michaelaurban.com (you can find links to my facebook and instagram account in the top left corner of my homepage – can’t post them here as it’s considered spam 😉 ) Cheers, Michaela

July 19, 2017 at 6:40 am

Hi Michaela, Thanks for your comment! Photographers definitely have to be a jack of all trades, so much goes into each shoot before it’s even time to click the shutter! Your work is absolutely beautiful, I just had a peek at your website and Instagram. Really impressive! Where are you travelling to next?

July 24, 2017 at 8:03 am

I read in the comments that you will be on the south island of NZ later this year? I live in Alaska and will be moving there in just a couple months! Are you conducting any workshops while there? I am trying to take the next step in photography and currently enjoy shooting landscapes. It would be wonderful if our paths crossed! Cheers 🙂

Shirley Chio

June 17, 2018 at 6:49 pm

I am still learning photography using my phone camera. I am literally a beginner. Any tips for phone camera tricks?

Lisa Michele Burns

June 21, 2018 at 1:30 pm

Hi Shirley, if you’re starting out using your phone I’d definitely recommend thinking about creative composition instead of settings. Learning to see different angles and perspectives is a great way to take a step toward improving your photography.

Erin Douglas

February 6, 2018 at 3:41 am

This is a wonderful write-up. My wheels are turning and although you’ve told me just where to start, I feel overewhelmed already. I’ve been shooting for a while now, self taught, but have realzed the several areas I need to streghten, from techincal, to the business side of things. I have so many questions. Ultimately, i feel in love with travel photography when I took my first international and solo trip to the Philippines about 5 years ago. I love to just capture whats happening around me, the people, the culture, the food. And I absolutely love to talk to people about travel, inspire them to try it themselves. I just started taking myself seriously as a photographer 3 years ago. However, I feel lost on how to get the type of clients I want and the type of work I want. In the mean time I just shoot for me. who to reach out to, how to find them, what to say. And putting together that PDF portfolio. Are my best my best? and so on. This one page has already helped and Ill be reaching out to you via email. in the meantime here are some links to my work.

@aphotochick (IG): https://www.instagram.com/aphotochick/

http://www.erin-sha.com

Thanks again

David C. Hintz

February 10, 2018 at 2:11 pm

You have provided a great deal of information on a subject I am really interested in. I will be researching the websites on this list. I have started my own website at http://www.davidhintzphotography.com , I have sold some of my photos on microstock websites and now looking to sell directly from my own website. Thanks for all your work on this topic. I would be interested in your comments on my site if you had the time to look at it.

June 17, 2018 at 2:36 pm

This is a brilliant article on how to become a travel photographer and probably the most complete guide out there. I have read a lot of guides on how to take better pictures but there are very few that actually teach you how to go beyond that.

To be honest, I do not think I will ever make it as a travel photographer. I love travelling and I love capturing my adventures in pictures. And I know that I have some decent ones, but selling them seems like a daunting task. I think I might be better off as a travel journalist, to be honest, if only because that’s an area where I am more confident (and in a way, this article applies to becoming a travel journalist as well). I have, however, tried selling pictures through microstock sites. Getty Images, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock are the ones I have uploaded the highest number of images to. From my experience, these websites require you to spend a long time creating hashtags and correctly labeling your photos for very little reward. It is great because once the work is done, you can earn money forever. But chances are high that you will only get a few cents, if any at all. I think if you are serious about being a photographer, this one is not an option to consider.

June 26, 2018 at 2:24 pm

I am grateful to have the tips from Wanderinglens, the guide really helpful and give me lots of inspiration to get started become a travel photographer

Balamurugan.M.G

November 8, 2018 at 6:30 pm

Iam really impressed with the knowledge that you shared through your experience. Your guidance is awesome. Thanks a lot for your valuable information.

Michael Wahl

December 1, 2018 at 10:30 am

Love your site! How do you go about not needing work visas to do photography for tourism boards, hotels etc? I see a lot of travel photography in foreign places, but in most countries its illegal to work there and next to impossible to get a work visa as a photographer. Any advice on reaching out to brands/hotels/tourism boards etc overseas without finding myself being deported for working in their country?

Andrea Prunty

January 30, 2019 at 5:20 pm

After reading your article, it gotten me even more inspired to take up photograph again and back to actually using my degree for once (digital arts) and become a traveling photographer. Thanks, for getting me motivated and remember why I’ve became a art major in the first place.

January 30, 2019 at 5:21 pm

Oh my gosh Andrea this is the most amazing comment! I’m so happy my article inspired you back into the world of photography. Best of luck with your adventures, if you’re on Instagram or have a portfolio, feel free to leave a link so people can follow along! x

September 26, 2019 at 7:51 am

Hello Lisa,I’m so thankful for the break down on becoming a travel photographer.Your insight touch my soul.I will follow all steps on becoming the best photographer within meI’ll ,follow your daily blogs and FaceBook groups.I sometimes get caught in photo-block(something like a writer get when writing a book).I just created my first ever webpage,please stop by and leave a feedback.

Marco Joe Fazio

October 21, 2019 at 9:42 pm

I love photography and I captured lots of pictures while traveling in my life. You can also check my work by clicking on the link.

January 14, 2020 at 1:08 am

This is amazing blog, I learnt a lot about how to click mesmerizing pics while on travel.

Sara Sangalli

February 7, 2020 at 4:52 am

Thanks for the valuable informations, as a travel photographer wannabe myself I’ll try my best to use those suggestions in my path to “become a travel photographer”. Great article, thanks!

Emet Martinez

February 18, 2020 at 4:04 pm

Just wanted to thank you for this very informative guide and the inspiring images you’ve created. I’ve been following you in IG for about 2 yrs now. Wishing you all the best and hope to bump into you in Kyoto one of these days. Cheers!

March 26, 2020 at 11:37 am

Hi Emet, thanks so much for your lovely comment! Apologies for only seeing it just now, do you live in Kyoto? If so, you’re very lucky, it’s one of my favourite cities!

Talia shakespeare

April 24, 2020 at 11:07 pm

I’m 16 and i am trying to figure out what to do in college in September, i honestly love photography and travelling so i was doing research on if i could do both and this was the first and best website i came across. i hope i can become a successful photographer. I’m so proud that you have been able to inspire loads of people to follow their dreams.

Ranjay Mitra

May 26, 2020 at 12:33 pm

Very nicely written. It has to be a passion to keep doing, Ive seen many people who take up “travel photography” have this idea that once you get a camera, you have people flooding you with money to travel and get caught up in the dreams of becoming popular overnight. Selecting the right project, imho, is very essential to succeed in travel photography.

photographer

July 5, 2020 at 10:58 pm

Have been struggling to start my travel photography journey. I made a plan recently but with the COVID-19 situation all that planning is of no use anymore. What are your tips for travel photographers post the pandemic? How do you think this will affect them

July 6, 2020 at 7:32 pm

Thanks for your comment, Covid-19 has definitely made it difficult for those of us working in the tourism industry whether it’s in photography or hospitality. Now is definitely a time to assess your skills and try to create a plan for diversifying your income as a photographer. Who knows when travel will be possible again like it was before so it’s important to work on new ways of not only fulfilling your potential but for developing creative ideas and planning for the future. I definitely don’t think it’s all doom and gloom, challenges will always present themselves and it’s those who can adapt who will succeed. I wouldn’t throw that plan away just yet 🙂

Traveltourists

January 27, 2021 at 5:24 pm

That’s exactly what I was looking for, saving me a few hours of research, Thanks for sharing this for travelers.

Love Photography

June 26, 2021 at 9:51 pm

Very nice post and well explained, the main reason why i became a photographer is because i love it. i enjoy every single day at work, polishing my skills and learning about human nature

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How to become a travel photographer

October 3, 2019

What is travel photography?

• Important logistics
• The upsides
• The downsides

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Becoming a travel photographer is the ultimate way to expand your photography business across borders. Whether you want to see beyond your city, state, country, or continent, travel photography can make that adventure part of your job description.

Becoming a travel photographer isn’t just wanderlust, though. This career involves a lot of hard work and a fair amount of logistical planning. But if you’re willing and able to go through these steps, then you could very well set up a successful travel photography business.

Here is your ultimate guide on how to become a travel photographer.

Travel photography, at its core, is the act of documenting scenes of travel. This basic travel photography definition can look like countless different things when put into practice, though. Becoming a travel photographer could mean photographing people, animals, landscapes, buildings, art, or any combination of the above. Though every travel photographer will have their specialty, you should get ready to hone your skills in photographing a wide variety of subjects if you want to become a travel photographer.

As a profession, travel photography could prove to be a difficult role to break into. Traveling to photogenic places for work is certainly a desirable job description. So, you’re not the only person wondering how to become a travel photographer. That said, if you’re willing to diligently work towards a travel photography career, then you could very well be part of the small proportion to actually make it happen.

To help you get there, we’ve compiled five crucial steps on how to become a travel photographer:

1. Start Small and Nearby

Depending on who you ask, anywhere can be a destination. Try to see your home base as a visitor would, and start thinking about how a travel photographer might approach documenting the scenes you see during your day-to-day routine. Does your neighbor want a portrait? How does that new development look through your camera lens? Perhaps the neighborhood stray cat is particularly photogenic.

Start approaching your photography practice as if you already are a travel photographer. And if luck has it that you already have travel planned for the future—say, for instance, a family vacation or a work trip for your day job—you’ll already have a solid amount of practice under your belt. As you travel, carve out time to seek out shoot-worthy people, places, and things. The products will be your first official travel photographs.

2. Build Up Your Travel Photographer Portfolio

Once you’ve captured your first images, start building an online travel photography portfolio. If you’ve already set up a more general portfolio website for your photography business, create a tab specifically for your travel photographs.

Keep plugging away at your travel photography until you feel proud of your portfolio. If you have the means, consider investing in trips specifically designed to diversify and amplify your portfolio. You could even consider selling prints to subsidize your travel.

3. Set Up Your Social Presence

Now that you’ve built up your online portfolio, it’s time to start making your presence known. Setting up your social presence is one of the best ways for a travel photographer to do that. Take to Instagram and start posting your portfolio. All of the general guidelines for expanding your Instagram reach will apply to your travel photography Instagram account.

If you’ve already set up an Instagram account for your general photography business, use that profile to make an announcement that you’re breaking into travel photography. Create a story highlight specifically for your travel photography, and start interacting with travel-centric hashtags. The more followers you gain, the more credibility you’ll be able to demonstrate to potential clients in subsequent steps of becoming a travel photographer.

4. Reach Out to Tourism Boards

Now that you’ve solidified your presence as a travel photographer through your online portfolio and your Instagram, getting in the door with potential travel photography clients will be much easier.

One easy way to break into the travel photography industry is to reach out to tourism boards. If you’re lucky, they will have work to commission from you. But even if they don’t, they will have lengthy lists of hotels, attractions, and travel companies who will need hard working and talented travel photographers to work for them. These commissions can jumpstart your travel photography career as you might have imagined it initially: getting paid to travel and document cultures other than your own.

5. Start Pitching Your Photography to Publications

Once you’ve landed some solid commercial work, use what you’ve produced through these jobs as clips to go after more editorial work, if that’s your end game. Reach out to publications to pitch yourself as a travel photographer. Provide links to previous projects so that potential editors can get a sense of your talents and experience. Again, starting small could be a good idea here. Reach out to smaller publications for travel photography commissions and then gradually work your way up to publications that can send you around the world for your photography.

Becoming a travel photographer: important logistics

Figuring out how to become a travel photographer won’t be all fun, games, and traveling the world. You’ll also need to tend to a fair amount of housekeeping to make sure your travel photography business is a successful one. It will be tempting to shirk these crucial responsibilities so that you can dedicate more attention to the photography itself. However, you’ll need to set a solid foundation for yourself before you drive straight into it all.

1. Register Your Business

If you don’t already have a formally registered photography business, then you might need to go through the process of registering your travel photography business. Unless you’re running your travel photography business as yourself under your legal name, then you’ll need to register your business name with state and local governments.

2. Get General Liability Insurance

Travel photography can often involve unforeseen accidents and expenses. With the active nature of the job, getting General Liability insurance for every shoot is particularly prudent for travel photographers. Also be sure to access a Certificate of Insurance to prove your coverage in case any of your travel photography clients require you to have it.

Thimble makes it easy for you to tailor short-term coverage to each travel photography assignment you shoot for. Our app even lets you purchase coverage on-the-go, so it’s easy to fit into your jet-setting lifestyle.

3. Set Up Your Finances Well

Even if you’re running your travel photography business as a freelancer or consultant , it’s crucial that you separate your personal and business finances. Mixing your personal and business finances will make tax season a nightmare and could lead to audits and fines.

As soon as you start spending on and earning from your travel photography business, set up a separate business bank account, open a business credit card account, and use accounting software to track your finances. This financial setup will make it much easier to accurately track and pay quarterly tax estimates for your travel photography business.

Becoming a travel photographer: the upsides

The advantages of becoming a travel photographer are well-known. Being a travel photographer typically carries all of the perks of working freelance—setting your own schedule and working remotely make a travel photographer’s lifestyle ideal for those who want flexibility.

But the benefits of freelancing are just the tip of the iceberg. Working as a travel photographer means expensable flights, accommodations, and transportation. You’ll be able to experience and document cultures other than your own, at no cost to you.

Of course, during the early stages of your travel photography career, this luxury is not a given. Most aspiring travel photographers will need to build up their portfolio and references before they’re able to land jobs that involve all-expenses paid trips. That said, this end goal can be something to work towards and look forward to.

Becoming a travel photographer: the downsides

Because the benefits are so appealing, there’s a lot of competition among aspiring travel photographers. As a result, this industry is relatively tough to break into. Becoming a travel photographer might require an initial out-of-pocket investment on your part. Overhead costs could include building a website, maintaining a strong digital presence, and some initial travel costs as you lay the foundation for your portfolio.

Not to mention, becoming a travel photographer will entail most of the downsides that come with freelancing. Be ready to do without predictable income patterns, healthcare benefits, or office space. Even more, depending on what kind of travel photographer you become, this job could very well prove to be more dangerous than your average photography occupation, much less your average office job.

How to become a travel photographer: next steps

Now that you’ve made it through our guide on how to become a travel photographer—what’s your next move?

If you’ve decided that the upsides of becoming a travel photographer outweigh the downsides, then it’s time to get started! Be sure to tend to the exciting and the not-so-exciting steps of how to become a travel photographer in equal parts. For every new journey you get to document, be sure to insure your business and record your expenses.

Written on October 3, 2019

Our editorial content is intended for informational purposes only and is not written by a licensed insurance agent. Terms and conditions for rate and coverage may vary by class of business and state.

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• Travel Photography

How to Become a Travel Photographer? [A Comprehensive Guide]

How to become a travel photographer? Travel photography isn’t just a profession; it’s a window to the world, offering the unique opportunity to capture the essence of diverse cultures, breathtaking landscapes, and untold stories.

This guide is designed to illuminate the path for aspiring travel photographers, providing the necessary steps, insights, and advice to turn this dream into a reality.

Table of Contents

What Is Travel Photography?

Travel photography, by its essence, is a field of photography dedicated to capturing the essence of a place’s landscape, inhabitants, and cultural nuances. The travel photographer serves as both a gatherer and preserver of experiences, adept at conveying the emotions and vibes of a locale in a way that sparks a desire to explore. 

It extends beyond merely capturing happy moments on a beach; it’s about meticulous observation, thorough research, and deliberate framing. Embarking on a career in travel photography demands a commitment to mastering the art, but the perks—regular journeys to novel, exhilarating, and picturesque places—are undeniably compelling.

What Do Travel Photographers Do?

A travel photographer’s primary aim is to take breathtaking photographs that document their adventures in places far from their home base. They act as both narrators and instructors, showcasing the world’s vast diversity and freezing moments in time exactly as they unfolded.

For someone in this line of work, the primary motivation for traveling is to capture images, presenting a unique set of challenges in pursuit of the perfect shot. Yet, despite these obstacles, numerous travel photographers regard their profession as one of the most rewarding within the realm of photography.

Related: Best Photography Software for Travel Photographers

The Basics of Travel Photography

Before embarking on your journey, mastering the fundamentals of photography is essential. Composition, lighting, and storytelling are the pillars upon which great photography stands. Familiarize yourself with your camera, whether it’s a DSLR, mirrorless, or a high-end smartphone. The digital age offers a plethora of resources—online courses, workshops, and literature—aimed at honing your skills. Embrace these learning opportunities, and practice relentlessly.

How Can You Become a Travel Photographer?

Becoming a travel photographer is an appealing prospect for many, combining the thrill of exploring new places with the creative challenge of capturing them through photography. Here’s a roadmap to embark on this career path, inspired by the earlier outlined structure:

Developing Your Unique Style and Vision

Travel photography encompasses various genres, including landscapes, urban scenes, cultural portraits, and wildlife. Exploring these areas can help you discover your niche and develop a unique photographic voice. Your style is further refined through post-processing, utilizing tools like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to bring your vision to life. Remember, a consistent and unique style sets you apart in a crowded field.

Building a Professional Portfolio

Your portfolio is your calling card. Carefully select images that showcase your best work and reflect your unique style. A compelling portfolio should be accessible both online and in physical form, demonstrating your versatility and storytelling capability. Social media platforms and photography websites offer valuable exposure, allowing your work to be discovered by a global audience.

Networking and Professional Growth

The journey of a travel photographer is enriched through community. Engage with photography groups, attend workshops, and enter photo contests to connect with peers and industry professionals. These relationships can open doors to opportunities, collaborations, and invaluable learning experiences.

Monetizing Your Work

Sell your photos as prints, offer photography workshops, write travel articles, or work with tourism boards and brands. Stock photography can also be a steady income source. Don’t be shy about reaching out to magazines, travel blogs , and online publications to sell your photos or stories.

Turning your passion into profit involves exploring various revenue streams. Stock photography, selling prints, conducting workshops, and partnering with travel brands are viable options. Pitching your work to magazines and online publications can also yield assignments and projects. A professional website and online store are indispensable tools for showcasing and selling your work.

Read More: Stephanie Drenka Dallas Fashion Travel Blogger Photographer

How to Become a Travel Photographer and Get Paid?

To become a travel photographer and get paid, you’ll need to blend skill development, strategic marketing, and networking into a cohesive career strategy. Start by mastering the technical aspects of photography and cultivating a unique style that sets your work apart. Building a compelling portfolio is crucial; it should showcase your best work and highlight your unique perspective on the world. 

Utilize social media and a professional website to share your photographs and connect with a broader audience. Networking is key; engage with other photographers, join online forums, and participate in photography groups to build relationships within the industry. Consider diversifying your income streams by selling prints, offering workshops, writing travel blogs, or collaborating with travel agencies and tourism boards. Pitching your work to magazines, travel guides, and online platforms can also open up opportunities for commissioned projects. 

Continuously improve your craft and stay adaptable to the ever-changing demands of travel photography. By combining your passion for photography with a strategic approach to business, you can turn your dream of becoming a paid travel photographer into a reality.

Packing Checklist: 11 Things to Bring

Heading off on an adventure without your full kit of travel photography gear is far from optimal. Before venturing out into the unexplored, ensure you have packed the following essentials:

• Camera equipment and lenses
• Memory cards and card readers
• Batteries and battery chargers
• Camera cleaner
• Weather protection

Travel Photographer Education Requirements

Although possessing a degree in photography or the arts can aid in launching your travel photography venture, formal education isn’t mandatory for a career in this field. Ultimately, your potential clients are more interested in your capability to capture breathtaking photos than in your academic qualifications. Thus, while diplomas may enhance your resume and attest to your experience, it’s your portfolio that will truly captivate your audience and help you secure more assignments.

Related Read: Designing the Perfect Logo for Your Travel Photography Business

Practical Tips for Travel Photographers

Travel photography demands mobility and preparedness. Choosing the right camera, lenses, and accessories is crucial for your gear. Plan your trips meticulously, considering the logistics of your destinations, and always prioritize the safety and security of your equipment. Familiarize yourself with the legalities of photography in different countries, including copyright laws and permits.

Travel Photographer Skills and Qualities Needed

A photography career presents various specializations, and possessing a broad skill set along with certain attributes can aid in achieving success as a travel photographer. In addition to being skilled in numerous photographic methods, travel photographers frequently have abilities including:

• Communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail
• Organizational skills

Travel photographers often exhibit a unique blend of qualities that enable them to capture the essence of their journeys and subjects. These qualities include:

• Flexibility
• Self-motivation
• Independence
• Passion for traveling

Is Travel Photography a Good Career?

Pursuing a career in travel photography is a dream for many, yet it comes with its own set of hurdles.

Travel photographers often spend countless hours on planes, trains, and automobiles, and waiting at transit stations. The nature of securing jobs in this field might mean long stretches away from home and solitude. In the early stages of your career, the amount of work and compensation can fluctuate significantly.

The advantages of being a travel photographer are numerous. This career path opens doors to incredible destinations and encounters with remarkable individuals. It provides opportunities to connect with other creative minds, experience new cuisines, and enjoy a flexible schedule that encourages the exploration of new concepts.

To Know More: Enhancing Photography with Search by Image Technology

Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Travel photography is fraught with challenges, from navigating cultural sensitivities to dealing with logistical hurdles. Understanding and respecting local customs is paramount. Learning basic phrases in the local language, ensuring personal safety, and being adaptable are keys to overcoming these obstacles.

Becoming a travel photographer is a journey marked by continuous learning, personal growth, and the relentless pursuit of capturing the beauty and diversity of our world. It requires dedication, skill, and the courage to step into the unknown. Remember, every great photographer started somewhere.

With passion, perseverance, and a willingness to learn, you too can carve out your niche in the vast, vibrant world of travel photography. Keep exploring, keep learning, and most importantly, keep shooting. The world awaits your vision.

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How To Become A Travel Photographer

Table of Contents

This guide has everything you need to know about how to become a travel photographer.

If you dream of becoming location independent or making any amount of money from travel photography, then you’re in the right place.

Make sure you finish reading this article.

I’m going to explain step-by-step how to kickstart your career. From selling images, to building a social media presence.

By the time you’ve finished reading this article you’ll have all the tools you need to go out there and make a name for yourself.

What exactly is travel photography anyway?

At first, you might think that the answer to what travel photography is, is a simple one. Well, unlike landscape or portrait photography, it’s not so clear-cut.

Travel photography can involve elements of landscape shooting, portraits or even product photography.

For example, you know what you’re going to be photographing as a wildlife photographer, wild animals.

As a travel photographer, however, you have to be prepared to shoot in many different situations.

The idea behind travel photography is storytelling and sharing your take on the world we live in. Whether that’s through a landscape, cityscape, portrait or even macro photography.

You need to be prepared for it all.

I’m not here to tell you that becoming a travel photographer is easy

Far from it.

Becoming a full-time travel photographer who gets paid to travel the world, camera in hand, takes a lot of work.

But you knew that already.

It goes without saying that opportunities to live your life on your own terms don’t come knocking on the front door.

You have to go out, find opportunities and claim them for yourself.

I know it’s a cliche, but being motivated and working hard really are two of the biggest pieces of the puzzle when it comes to making it as a successful travel photographer .

If you want to become a travel photographer you have to be able to take rejection and failure.

Because you will face it.

But learn from it and move on. If you don’t see every failure or setback as making it one step closer to being successful, you’re going to find it tough.

In short, you need to have the mindset that you know you’ll make it and that it’s just a matter of time.

How to get into travel photography

First, stand in the mirror and recited your best motivational speech.

Next, make sure your camera skills are up to the job.

You can have all the motivation in the world but if you take terrible photos then maybe travel photography isn’t for you.

Not just yet anyway.

Don’t ask your mum, dad or best friend if your photos are good because they have to say they are. Instead, join a good Facebook group for photographers and ask for a photo critique.

There are plenty of groups for photographers on Facebook. Use the search function and look for one that interests you.

If Facebook isn’t your style, try posting in  www.thephotoforum.com or the r/photocritique subreddit and ask for a critique there.

Just know how to take criticism well.

It’s not always easy hearing other people point out the faults in an image you thought was great. If you don’t take it personally, and instead see it as an opportunity to learn, you’ll bring your photos up to standard in no time.

I see a lot of people trying to sell their work before they have asked other, more experienced, photographers what they think.

It amazes me sometimes.

Soak up as many free expert opinions as you can! Ask directly if they think your work is good enough to sell.

What to photograph?

Start by shooting what’s around you.

Like I said before, travel photography is all about telling a story and sharing the world as you see it. So start by building a portfolio of the iconic locations in your area.

Get some cool street shots of people going about their business on a typical day or that epic shot of your cities’ skyline, or some stunning landscapes at sunrise.

Use whatever you have.

If you already have a portfolio, try building on it but from a travel perspective. Think about what best depicts your home and what makes it unique. Think about what kinds of photos tourism boards would use to promote the area.

I’m not going to go into specifics of how you should take photos. That part is up to you as a creator. But think about what you love about where you are and why you think people should come and see it.

The second biggest question I get asked by people after they ask how to become a travel photographer, is how to build a social media following.

And yes, building engaged social media accounts is an important part of becoming a travel photographer.

The number 1 thing you should start doing as soon as you’ve finished reading this article is start working on your social media presence.

If you don’t already have at least an Instagram and Twitter account, get yourself one of each.

A Facebook page is also good, although it’s hard to get free organic reach these days as Facebook wants you to pay for adverts to get your posts in front of, well, anyone really.

Instagram is your online portfolio these days.

So put effort into it and make it look professional (no selfies or pictures of your breakfast!).

It gives potential clients an idea of whether or not people actually like the work you produce. You stand a much better chance of landing an assignment with a client if they can see your photos get people talking and engaging with them.

Twitter is a great way of actually interacting with your followers and can be a little more personal.

Managing social media accounts as a photographer

Building a following isn’t easy.

Building an engaged following is even harder.

The first thing you need to do is obvious, you need to post amazing photos. Photos that are unique and that get people’s attention.

They should be only your very best images. Anything that is second-rate shouldn’t see the light of day. Don’t worry about posting every day, you’re better off posting once a week but posting amazing photos every time.

The second step is getting those images noticed. You do that by using travel photography hashtags that get the most engagement and by interacting with other people on the platform.

By interacting with other people on the these social media platforms for photographers you’ll be creating a network and also getting your own name out there. It’s a slow process, at least at the beginning, but eventually people will start to notice your name popping up more and more.

Reply to all comments, ask other people questions and just generally show your appreciation for other people’s work. A little praise goes a long way.

Before you know it you will have a handful of people who you get to know and who exchange meaningful comments with you. The number of comments your photos get is how the social media platform’s algorithms judge whether to show it to more people or not.

More comments equal more exposure.

Equipment all aspiring travel photographers need

As a travel photographer you’re going to want to keep your bag fairly light, but at the same time have enough equipment to cover all different situations. Just like we talked about before.

At the very least you need to have:

• Mirrorless or DSLR camera

I always recommend mirrorless cameras for travel photography because they are smaller and lighter than conventional DSLRs.

In the last few years, the photography world has crept closer and closer to becoming a mirrorless one. Sales of mirrorless cameras have exploded and manufacturers that weren’t previously interested in producing them have had to rethink their approach.

There are so many great mirrorless cameras on the market these days to suit all budgets. We regularly update an article with the best mirrorless cameras for travel photography currently available, so check it out.

Obviously, you’ll need a few other pieces of gear as well. But we’ve got a separate article solely about equipment so if you’re interested, check that out.

In that article, we’ll talk about specific recommendations and other bits and pieces you’ll find useful if you’re going to carry your studio around with you on your back.

Selling photos as a travel photographer

If you’ve got this far, well done, I guess the end game is to make some money as a travel photographer then?

So where do you start?

Let’s assume you don’t have any assignments yet as you’re just starting out. If that’s the case then your workflow should go something like this:

• Edit, name and keyword all of your images at the end of the day.
• Start by going after editorial work. Group related images together in a Dropbox or Google Drive folder. Groups of images should tell a story and compliment each other. Make sure the images in these folders are not watermarked but are low-resolution. That way, it will prevent people from using your photos without authorisation but won’t spoil them by having a horrible watermark imposed over the top.
• Write a short story that goes with each group of images to help bring them to life. This is your chance to really sell your images, so get creative and get people’s imaginations working.
• Contact travel magazines, tourism boards of the destination your images were taken in, or just about any other company that has a need for fresh travel-related photos. Find an email address and send them a short, but informative, pitch (how to pitch your travel photography to clients). Include the links to the Dropbox or Google Drive folders containing the photos and short accompanying stories that you think they would be interested in.

TIP : Be upfront about how much you charge per image. Use the Getty Images Price Calculator  to get a rough idea of how much you should charge.

• If you get a positive response and someone wants to license some of your images then send them full-resolution versions and treat yourself to a cold beer. You just made your first sale!

Now, this is what you do with the images you have left that didn’t sell as editorial in steps 1-5.

• Sign up to a rights-managed stock agency (do some Googling to find a good reputable one that is accepting new photographers, it can be tricky)
• If you get approved, upload your images there and see which ones get accepted. You get a much better cut of the sale from rights-managed agencies compared to microstock agencies so that’s why I suggested doing this before moving onto the next step.
• Make non-exclusive accounts on microstock websites such as iStock and Shutterstock and upload the images that didn’t get accepted by rights-managed there. Make sure that you have given them good descriptive titles and lots of keywords (if you use Lightroom then you can add keywords for each image there, if not you can do it when you upload).
• Any images that didn’t sell as editorial in steps 1-5, and also didn’t get accepted by rights-managed stock agencies in steps 6-7, will end being thrown into microstock. That way you should have very few ‘burner’ images left (ones that you just cannot sell at all). Following these 10 steps will help you squeeze out the last bit of remaining value from your photos.

Stock photography brings its own challenges to the table, so make sure you read our guide to selling stock photography for more in-depth information.

Creating relationships with clients

Even though it’s a lot of effort to write a ton of individual pitches and backstories for your photos, the reason I say you should go after editorial work first is for two reasons. Firstly, it pays the best and secondly, it opens a dialogue with people who you know are always looking to buy images.

The main idea behind travel photography is storytelling and sharing your take on the world we live in.

If you make a sale you shouldn’t just leave it at that and never speak to the client again.

Nurture the relationship and the next time you have some photos that relate to their business email them first and say something like this:

Just make sure you don’t spam people. Only offer images that would be a good fit for them. You’ll gain more respect and build trust that way.

Then you never know what will happen. After working with the same client a few times and building a good working relationship, they might offer you assignments.

This is where your travel photography career really gets interesting

Assignments are the best way to make a good salary as a travel photographer.

When people first think of getting into travel photography, jetting off on assignments is the image they most likely have in their head. They imagine you getting a phone call to go off to some exotic destination and take photos.

All expenses paid and getting a nice paycheck at the end of it.

It’s not easy to get to that point, and it will most likely take a few years of hard work and building relationships to get there, but it is possible.

Travel photography is a great career ; you will face setbacks along the way, but, if you persevere and know that one day you’ll achieve your goals, then carving out a career in travel photography will one day become a reality.

Frequently asked questions

How much money does a travel photographer make.

This is a question that isn’t easy to answer. It totally depends on how you make money . Is it assignments? Stock photography? Editorial?

These are all things that determine how much money you can make. If you’d like to know more about the money side of things, this article about an average travel photographer’s salary is a great resource.

What education do you need to be a travel photographer?

None! That’s the great thing about photography. Your background doesn’t matter. You can easily learn everything you need to know about taking great photos online these days.

While I’m not belittling people who have studied photography, I’m just saying it’s not strictly necessary to have any formal education in it. Some of the best photographers I know have no formal education in the subject.

Do I need to take a course?

Again, no you don’t. While taking a course can be a great way of becoming a travel photographer in the least amount of time possible, it’s not something you need to do.

You can find plenty of great information online for free.

There are some benefits to taking a course though. You won’t have to spend time searching the internet and with a course, you’ll get an experienced mentor to walk you through the lessons step-by-step.

Over to you…

Now the focus is on you to act.

If you’ve ever thought to yourself “I want to be a travel photographer” then today is the day that journey begins.

Which one of the things I’ve talked about above are you going to implement today?

Are you going to start asking more experienced travel photographers to critique your work?

Are you going to start pitching editorials?

Or are you going to focus on building a following and a community on social media?

Whatever it is, I want to know.

Leave me a comment below!

I’m a professional travel photographer, and I’ve been living the digital nomad lifestyle since 2016. I make money by working on client assignments, selling stock photography and helping other photographers by sharing my experiences on this website. I move around at my own pace (I hate fast-paced travel) and like to spend a few months getting to know each place I base myself in.

My writing and photos have been featured on industry leading websites such as Digital Photography School , Atlas Obscura and the world’s leading underwater photography resource The Underwater Photography Guide . I authored an eBook called “ Breaking Into Travel Photography: The complete guide to carving out a career in travel photography ” that has been published on Amazon. My stock images have also appeared in ads promoting destinations and companies that sometimes has been a surprise, even to me. But I guess that’s the nature of stock photography, you never know who will license them!

I’m always happy to connect, so feel free to reach out!

4 thoughts on “How To Become A Travel Photographer”

D’know Charlie you give great advice. Yeah it’s not easy but what is these days? Sharing your experiences only encourages me more to carry on carrying on. One day it’ll all come good for sure. Just love the info and background. Cheers.

Excellent advice and tips. It is difficult to get into but if you take great pictures that you love then others are bound to appreciate them.

Great article. Im going to try to do what you suggest. Im optimistic 🙂

Good luck! Keep me posted 🙂

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• Career Travel

How to Become a Travel Photographer

• Usnea Lebendig

Last updated:

• February 28, 2024
• See comments

Ever dream about ditching your day job and exchanging it for getting paid to travel the world and take awesome pictures? Well, as romantic as it sounds, succeeding in the travel photography industry takes more than a travel bug and a good eye for the perfect photo.

Travel photography is one of the most popular photography genres . It makes sense because you can make money and have fun at the same time. Who wouldn’t love a job where you travel to exotic locations and do something you would do anyway–take pictures? But there are some things you need to know if you’re thinking of jumping into this very competitive genre. 

So, for those newbies out there, we’ve put together useful steps for becoming a travel photographer that covers everything from how you can practice to finding those perfect locations so you can capture that stunning image. Without further ado, here is how you can get started as a travel photographer.

Steps for Becoming a Successful Travel Photographer

Travel photographers work their butts off to get their gigs and make enough money to cover their expenses. And in a world where photography is becoming more and more accessible to the general, standing out from the crowd can take some doing. But if you think you’ve got what it takes, the following steps can help you get underway.

1. Know Your Camera

This step may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t bother to check out the various settings on their cameras. It might help to watch videos online about how to use your camera , but you should also experiment with it. 

Take photos of the same object or scene using different settings so that you can see exactly how the settings change the image. That way, when you take it out on the road, you know how to get the images you want and don’t have to fiddle with it while the perfect light you wanted disappears.

2. Practice

If you’re thinking of going into travel photography professionally, you’ve got to practice. Learn your camera inside and out. You don’t have to have a fancy camera to learn to how to work with light and angles. Get to know your camera intimately while you’re still an amateur and work at getting your photography to a high standard, both technically and creatively.

There’s a lot of competition out there, and you need to be on your game to be in the game! That means practice, practice, and practice, but how? It’s actually pretty easy. 

Think of the town you live in. If someone came to you and wanted to know the best places to go and the most beautiful photographic locations, where would you take them? Where do you go with friends when they are visiting?

Those are the places you can go to practice your photography skills. It doesn’t matter if they’re gorgeous landscape photography opportunities or vivid street photography opportunities, both are relevant to travel photography and will provide you with an opportunity to practice. Take pictures and experiment with your camera, various lighting techniques, and different angles. That will prepare you for shooting on the road.

3. Scout Out Locations

When you have a place you want to go, scout out locations where you will want to shoot. Do searches on social media and the internet to see what the usual images of that area look like, and then try to think of ways you could do it differently. 

Perhaps, you could take photographs from a different angle or at a different time of the day. How can you get a photograph that will set you apart from the masses? It might be as simple as taking pictures from the left instead of the right like everyone else, or it could be a different perspective, like looking down and seeing a reflection of the image you want in the water of a fountain.

Doing a little scouting will also help you to organize yourself, and it can help you plan where you should stay so you can be closest to each location. Furthermore, if you’re thinking about the shots you hope to get, that will help you choose the right equipment.

4. Be Flexible and Willing to Explore

Sometimes, the best places for adventure and great photographs are not on the map. Be willing to get off the beaten path and explore different locations around your destination. You never know when you might run into a quaint, picturesque village that will reward you with compelling and beautiful images. This is true as well for areas within a location. Check out different restaurants or shops that are located off the main route. These can result in excellent people pictures too.

Ask the locals where to go for great adventures and photographs. They likely will have many suggestions that did not show up on an internet search, and these can be the best places to go. Most of them are happy that you want their opinion and are more than willing to help. 

If you’re traveling to an area where they speak a different language, take the time to learn a bit of their language, particularly how to ask where to go to get great photographs. Even if you botch their language, they will usually appreciate the effort and return the favor with great suggestions.

5. Choose the Right Equipment

You’re going to be traveling, so you’ll need to think carefully about what you should bring. You want to bring enough equipment, but you also want to pack light. At a minimum, you’ll need the following: 

• Camera body
• Polarizing Filter
• Batteries and extra batteries
• Charging cords
• Memory cards and extra memory cards
• A camera bag to carry everything

The kind of camera and lens you’ll want depends on what kind of shots you are thinking about taking. But, in general, you’ll probably want a good, versatile lens like the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard Zoom Lens. It’s good for capturing the action, it’s good in low light, and it can be manually overridden. Another good lens is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. Most photographers say it’s an essential lens, and it’s more affordable. 

A 50mm prime (35mm for APS-C shooters) is a must-have. A prime lens, apart from the fact that these are extremely sharp, does one thing; and that is they allow you to get a shot in an instant. With no zoom ring, you have less reason to dabble around with camera control; that evidently leaves more time in hand to shoot.

As for your tripod, it should be small and lightweight, so you can carry it anywhere you go, whether it be up a mountain or down a long trail. 

Extra batteries, memory cards, and charging cords are essential. You might think you won’t fill up that memory card, but you’ll be surprised how quickly you do. Also, you might promise yourself you’ll faithfully charge your batteries every night, but trust me–bring extra batteries. Of course, you don’t want to forget the cords you need to charge everything! 

An extra tip here – most camera setups, battery chargers, and computers are dual voltage for countries that are on 220 as opposed to 110, but you might want to bring a universal plug. You plug your conventional US plug (one wide prong and one narrow prong) into this, and then you can plug it into any outlet. It’s lightweight and worth the effort to bring, just in case. 

A polarizer works best on sunny days. Sometimes the bright light can wash out the colors, such as the blue of the sky or the turquoise waters of a mountain lake. A polarizer helps to bring those colors out. And you can find relatively inexpensive polarizers that will work just fine. They’re also small and lightweight, which makes them an excellent travel accessories. 

Finally, the bag is essential. Having a bag that can accommodate camera equipment is a must for professionals. It can help you organize yourself and provide a convenient way to carry your equipment.

6. Have Patience

This is particularly true when you’re at that crowded tourist site. You might have to wait 15 minutes or more for the shot you’re trying to take to be just perfect–maybe that means clear of people, or maybe it’s the lighting, or perhaps it’s for something to occur, like the sunrise .

Whatever it is, plan to be able to take your time and be patient. Patience will reward you with the most compelling images. After all, you don’t want the same shots that everyone else is getting, and even if you tell yourself you’ll come back again, you might not. So, just wait until the shot is perfect.

7. Wake Up Early and Stay Up Late

The best light for photography is in the morning and evening, and the worst is midday. So, in this case, the early bird really does get the worm! Early morning is also the best time to get photographs of tourist sites–without all the tourists. If you arrive early enough, you’re likely to have the place all to yourself. 

At the other end of the day, sunset also produces beautiful colors for stunning images. You should check ahead of time when the golden hour is at your location. And you should have your photography spot already picked out.

8. Be Considerate

Don’t trespass on someone’s property–ask permission, and offer to share some of those pictures with the landowner. Don’t take pictures of people without their permission. Obviously, if you’re taking a picture of a busy city street, you won’t be asking everyone’s permission, but if you’re taking a picture of a shop owner on that street, you should ask if it’s okay.

It’s helpful if you talk to the person first about other things–maybe ask them for directions, or for advice on where to eat, or maybe buy something from their shop. This breaks the ice. Sometimes they will ask for money to take their picture. It’s up to you whether to give them any or not, but if you decline, do so politely.

9. Learn How to Pre-focus

Pre-focusing is a technique wherein you focus on a spot in the frame in advance, anticipating the movement of the subject. This technique allows you to frame the shot in advance and then wait in anticipation for the subject to arrive so that you can press the shutter release . One of the prerequisites for great people and street photography is to use the camera as discreetly as possible.

One of the greatest exponents of street photography Henri Cartier-Bresson used to paint the shiny metallic parts of his Leica black and practically hid in a corner to capture the most natural poses you would see in images from the street. 

How to Promote and Sell Your Travel Photographs

10. Build Up Your Portfolio

Your portfolio is how people will be able to get to know the bulk of your work and what variety of themes you can work on. It will also provide a point of focus for anyone considering hiring you. And in the end, the more you practice, the better you’ll get, and the more your portfolio will improve.

11. Get Your Photos Out There

Don’t be afraid to enter high-end travel photography competitions or submit your photos to different media sources. It won’t help to be a great photographer with no audience to appreciate your work.

Make a list of every client who might be interested in your images and create a marketing plan to get your work in front of them. Magazines such as National Geographic hire people they already know and have been following for a while.

12. Make Sure Your Images Communicate a Compelling Story

It’s not enough to be a great photographer. Travel photography that stands out conveys a theme or narrative that will affect viewers. If a viewer walks away with a strong central message, they’ll be more likely to form a strong impression. Having strong themes in your work can also help gain clients looking for work on similar topics.

13. Research the Various Stock Photography Venues

Submitting stock photography is probably the easiest way to build up your travel portfolio and make some money off it. In fact, just about every travel photographer does at least some stock photography . But don’t just submit photos – do your research. Look at what’s selling and what’s missing, and find out what images their clients are looking for.

Take time to really look at the work of the industry’s top photographers. Put yourself in the photographer’s shoes and try to imagine what they thought when they took the shot. Notice the different components in their photos (i.e., lighting, angle, etc.) and what effects they have on the viewer.

The Essential Tips for Travel Photographers

Here are some of the best tips to help you create stunning, intriguing, and visually appealing travel photos.

14. Pack Light and Choose Appropriate Clothing

You’ll likely be traipsing all over different types of locations with variable terrain and perhaps in variable types of weather. So, bring appropriate clothing, but don’t overpack. One good rule of thumb that experienced travelers will tell you is to pack what you think you’ll need and then reduce that by half. And be sure to bring good walking shoes!

You also want to think about what you should wear if you’re putting yourself in the photographs. It’s probably best to avoid clothing with writing on it as well as colors that are either too bright or too subdued. You want it to be just right, Goldilocks! You want to think about what kinds of images of you are appropriate for your portfolio.

15. Be Prepared for the Weather

Don’t be afraid to shoot in variable weather conditions! Inclement weather can make for some great photographs. Clouds can act like a natural light diffuser and allow you to get great shots even at midday. They can also create a more moody feel to the images.

There are a number of rain photography or snow photography ideas . Here are just a few: 

• Take some macro shots of flowers with raindrops on them or some other surface with raindrops; 
• Get a street shot of the reflective, wet streets and people with various colors of umbrellas; 
• Take a blurred shot through a rain-streaked window; 
• Get a peaceful shot of raindrops falling on a pond; 
• Get woodlands shot with snow gently falling.

One thing you will want to do if you’re out in inclement weather is to protect your gear. Rain covers are a must, and if the weather is cold, you’ll want to keep memory cards and batteries warm.

16. Shoot in Burst Mode

This will help, of course, if you’re shooting something that’s moving, like animals. It can help you capture that spectacular whale breaching shot or birds in flight, but it’s also a good idea in general because using burst mode results in several images to choose from.

It’s also a particularly helpful when you’re handing your camera to someone else to get a shot of you. You’ll have several images to pick from, so you can pick the one where everyone’s eyes are open, and everyone’s smiling.

17. Think Outside the Box

Play around with your composition . Try putting the main subject in the middle, off to one side or the other, up a bit, or down a bit–get different perspectives! You can choose the best of the images, but by being willing to try different compositions and angles, you increase your chances of getting that stunning shot. Sometimes, you might even get down on the ground and shoot up! It could be worth your while.

18. Don’t Forget the Small Details

It’s easy to get caught up in photographing the big things–the cathedrals, the sweeping landscape scenery , or the elephant in the middle of your campsite! But don’t forget the details.

Get a shot of the architectural features that make up the cathedral, shoot some macro shots of the flowers in that landscape, or get a closeup of the elephant’s eye (use a zoom lens here). This helps you weave the shots together to better tell a visual story.

Again, always pay attention to the details. In cases where you are shooting a street scene, creating a portrait, or photographing a vast landscape – pay attention to the elements that define your image. These can appear as the bright red door on a quaint cottage, the ducks sunbathing in the garden or the lip-stained coffee mugs on cafe terraces.

Paying attention to the small details will create a visual story for your viewer – one that captures a breadth of moments where time, place, and experience collide.

19. Keep Your Camera Accessible

Even if you’re out on an excursion where you don’t expect to use it much, always have your camera handy. You never know when something might come up (like that breaching whale image below), so be sure that you have it accessible and ready to go at a moment’s notice. 

Always make sure your batteries are charged and you’ve got a memory card with plenty of storage available. It also helps to have a bag where you can get it out quickly to capture the moment.

Travel photography is a great way to capture memorable moments from your recent adventures. Yet, with the phenomenon of traveling photographers, you may be wondering how you can keep your images looking fresh and artistically unique.

20. Find the Best Light

When shooting outside, finding the best light is important. As most of us photographers already know, there are specific times of day that are ideal for shooting. These pockets of soft light are often referred to as the golden hour, either in the morning at sunrise or in the evening during sunset. By photographing your surroundings during these times, you are sure to achieve some beautiful images. But, as you are most likely capturing images throughout the day, direct sunlight will be inevitable.

Even though it may be a bit more difficult to adjust to, you can use the sun to your advantage. Instead of shooting in an open space where the sun is harsh and heavy, try choosing a pocket of shade where the sun may be gently shining through. Be creative with the use of the sunlight and frame yourself to grab the perfect shot.

21. Photograph Your Setting with a Mixture of Landscape and Portrait Shots

Whether you are photographing architecture, a nature landscape, or a cityscape, switching up the orientation of your photographs will add variety to your travel photos. Use landscape when you photograph any setting this is wide and horizontally long, this way you can create an image that fills up the entire frame .

When photographing a monument or landmark that stands tall rather than wide, utilize the portrait orientation to create perspective and depth. A great example of alternating viewpoints is when photographing the Eiffel Tower. If you are close to the tower, as to be standing underneath it, a portrait with a low vantage point would create a sense of power and dignity to the attraction.

If you were to photograph the tower from a distance, such as from the platform of Trocadero, you could employ the landscape method in order to capture not only the tower but the surrounding streets of Paris .

22. Add the Element of People

It is often noted that travel photographs are heavily influenced by capturing the landmarks and elements within the city or landscape. Although it is important to photograph the architecture, facades, or mountain tops – a collection of travel photographs should also include the culture and people of the destination. The integration of people into your work may lean more toward street photography than traditional travel imagery, but I believe that including subjects in your images gives them new life and perspective.

As much as you want to remember the beautiful Norwegian cottage situated on the river, you will probably evoke true and lasting memories from the photograph of the market owner who sold you fresh fruit every morning. It is important to not only photograph the physical surroundings if your location but to infuse the life of the city and your personal experience into your images.

23. Capture the “Out of the Ordinary”

When visiting a destination that is popular and known for its tourist elements, it can be easy to create photographs of only the well-known landmarks or scenery. For example, let’s say you are visiting Rome, a beautiful city that attracts visitors from around the world. You may be inclined to focus solely on photographing the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, or the Vatican.

Even though these are worthwhile sites to see, there is much more to Rome than what is in plain sight. Instead, choose to take the back alleyways and cross into the quiet areas of the city. Witness the true Italian culture of hidden cafes, an authentic spot where the owner’s hand rolls his own pasta or the kids peeking out from their window frames in the apartments above. Capture the essence and lifestyle of your destination’s culture, for it is often the out-of-the-ordinary sites that reveal the true breadth of a city.

24. Use Unique Framing

Another tip to remember is to be intentional with the framing of your images. Just because you may have seen a spot photographed at a certain angle does not necessarily mean that it is the only option for capturing the scene.

Choose to alternate your perspective with shots that are of full composition, low or high vantage points, and varying in distance. This is your opportunity to create an image from how you perceive and view the setting around you.

25. Pay Attention to Visual Design

In cities with ornate and delicate architecture, impeccable design will highlight your photographs. Just as in sprawling nature landscapes, the peaks of mountains and the way they meet with the sky will create visually alluring lines of depth and composition.

Whether you follow the lines of your setting or choose to go against the grain to create a varied viewpoint, using the designs of both man and nature will allow you to envision and infuse artistic elements into your travel photos.

26. Create a Different Perspective

In order to ensure that your travel photos are not a carbon copy or replica of an image you have already seen, focus on photographing your setting from your own perspective.

I want to go back to the Eiffel Tower example to explain how perspective can be altered based on the photographer’s eye. For most, an image of standing in front of the Eiffel Tower is a standard travel photograph. But, for the creative artist – the city offers an array of ways to capture the Iron Lady and your subject without conforming to the masses.

For example, a once unique perspective was to have your subject sit on the downward incline of the steps at Trocadero. This created a juxtaposition of lines – with the tower standing tall and the subject on a diagonal intersecting within the frame.

This image was once a new take on the monument but now has become popular among many tourists. I encourage you to try and create a new perspective such as this with your photographs – you may end up creating the next go-to perspective for tourists to follow suit.

27. Don’t be Afraid of Nighttime Photography

Shooting at night is a hit or miss for most photographers. I can admit that I was always wary of shooting nighttime images due to the lack of usable light. But, for some destinations, the city or landscape becomes even more alive and remarkable in the hours of darkness – some examples include London, New York, Tokyo, or Paris, as well as nature’s wonders such as the Northern Lights.

When taking photos at night , use external sources such as the lights of the city or the illumination from stars in the wilderness to help light your frame.

The best advice I can give is to understand your camera and lens nighttime capabilities and practice prior to your trip – this way, you can create memorable photos from sun up through sun down.

28. Integrate Your Personal Style

One of the most important tips to remember when capturing travel photographs is to never change your personal style. This applies to when you are both shooting and afterward in your post production editing.

If you’re not a professional travel photographer, you may feel the need to change up your style in order to fit the mold of this niche. Instead of changing your technique and vision, focus on creating photographs that represent your personal style – your travel photos should still align and be aesthetically cohesive with your work.

This isn’t to say you should rule out creativity or be afraid to take risks. Just remember that when you are creating your photos, you want to envision a setting to create work that is recognizable to your unique visual eye.

In the end, you’ll need to be passionate about what you do. Travel Photography may seem fun and exciting as a hobby, but once you turn it into a job, it will have all the stresses of a highly competitive market added to it.

It affords you the opportunity to combine your love of traveling with your passion for taking beautiful photographs. But, it can be challenging, especially for the beginner. These tips for travel photography should help you get started or improve your images. 

If you think ahead and plan where to go, what kinds of shots you want to get, and the equipment you’ll need to get the shots you want, you’ll reduce your stress and help ensure you have what you need when the time comes. 

You also have to prepare yourself by packing the right clothes, something comfortable and appropriate for the times when you’re in the picture. Additionally, you want to wake up early and stay up late to get those moments when the light is just right and/or when you’re all alone. 

You’ll also want to consult with the locals on where they recommend you should go. Those secret little hideaways can be real gems for the photographer. Don’t forget to be polite to the locals by always asking permission to come on their property or take their pictures. 

Remember to be flexible and play with different perspectives. And don’t forget the basics, like cleaning your lens, keeping your camera accessible, and backing up your images. Finally, remember to take a moment to look around and appreciate how lucky you are to be doing what you love.

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• March 30, 2024

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How to Become a Travel Photographer (Step-by-Step Guide)

Last Updated on Jan 26 2023

The job of a travel photographer appears glamorous and exciting—traveling around the world, photographing some of the most luxurious and unique locations. But, while it can be an incredibly rewarding career, it is also very challenging. Whether you choose to become a freelance travel photographer or work for any kind of organization, you first need to make a name yourself.

Although contracted positions do exist, the freelance travel photographer path is the most frequently trodden. While all successful freelancers will have had to traverse a slightly different route, we have outlined 15 steps that you can follow to hopefully forge your way as a travel photographer. 

• 1. Set Goals

“Travel photographer” is an umbrella term that encompasses lots of different areas of photography . You could work for a hotel chain, getting photos from some of their locations, or you could become a humanitarian photographer, highlighting social issues from around the globe. Alternatively, you could become freelance and sell photos from some of the world’s most beautiful destinations. Set your goals early because these will help guide you down your chosen path.

• 2. Get the Gear

Photography requires certain equipment, but as a travel photographer , you will find that you are unable to pack everything you have for every trip you take. At the very least, you’re going to need a bag, at least one camera, a wide-angle lens, and a tripod. Don’t forget the filters to ensure the most appealing shots. The exact equipment you need will vary according to the type of photography you specialize in.

• 3. Hone Your Photography Skills

Take photography courses and read photography books. No matter how good a location or how perfectly a photo is set up, if you don’t have the photography skills, the best you can hope for is a decent picture. The best photographers continue to learn throughout their careers, and you should do the same.

• 4. Learn Other Skills

Photography isn’t the only skill you will need to really succeed as a travel photographer. If you’re going to freelance, you will need to be well versed in business management, self-promotion, and marketing. You will also benefit from learning some foreign languages, assuming that your work will take you abroad.

• 5. Get Inspired by Other Photographers

We’re not suggesting plagiarism, but you can draw inspiration from other travel photographers. Look at their work, try to figure out how they got the shots you love, and think of ways you can emulate their process and how to introduce it into your own work.

• 6. Start Photographing

Even if you don’t have the resources to travel yet, you can still be a travel photographer. Visit local events and landmarks or travel the less-trodden path and start taking pictures. As well as giving you practice photographing, remember that your hometown is a travel destination to others, and it enables you to start developing a portfolio.

• 7. Develop a Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of photos that you can show to potential clients, display on your website, and use to help sell your skills. A portfolio shouldn’t be so expansive that it puts people off, and it should concentrate on the types of photography that you want to specialize in. A portfolio can be physical or digital. It can be placed on a website or even uploaded on social media. Or, ideally, all the above.

• 8. Build Your Brand

Once you have the start of an early portfolio, it is time to look at developing the business side of your freelance career. This means having a logo created and developing a website. Your branding should be relevant and uniform, and it should be used on everything from your portfolio to your email signature.

• 9. Market Yourself

There are a lot of ways you can market yourself. Go to exhibitions and trade fairs and take your portfolio with you. Market your website using search engine optimization (SEO) and look for companies and websites that are actively putting out calls for photographs.

• 10. Be Active on Social Media

Social media can be an incredibly powerful tool if used correctly. Set up profiles on image-based social media sites like Instagram . Post links to published work and share some of your images. Do bear copyright laws in mind, though, and save your best shots for magazine and website submissions. Some clients won’t accept images that have been published elsewhere, even on your social media.

• 11. Participate in Competitions

Competitions are a great way to get recognition for your work. They also allow you to check out other photographers’ work and see what competition organizers are really looking for. Do check the rules and terms and conditions of any competition you enter, though, to make sure you aren’t signing away all of your image rights.

• 12. Submit Stock Photos

There are tons of websites and magazines that need travel photographs but don’t necessarily have the budget or the need to directly employ one. They will often turn to stock photography websites for their content needs. It’s difficult to make a full-time wage selling stock photography, but it can get you publications, links to your portfolio and website, and gives you credibility, not to mention the buzz of seeing your published work.

• 13. Pitch to Magazines

Magazines do buy photographs directly from photographers, but they are most often interested in those pictures that have a story to accompany them. Consider paying for a professional copywriting service to help put words to your story if you struggle with the writing aspect. Pitch to magazines, follow their guidelines, and be prepared for multiple rejections or, more likely, being ignored since editors of some magazines receive hundreds of pitches a day.

• 14. Sell Your Work

There are other ways to make money from your travel photographs. Have your images printed on canvas or even on items like tea towels and t-shirts and sell them. There are websites and services that will deal with the printing and shipping of these items while giving you a storefront to promote, taking on at least some of the work for you.

The way of the travel photographer can be lucrative and can provide an exciting and potentially profitable venture, but it does also require hard work and diligence. Be prepared for the fact that you will likely have to learn other skills, including some business management and marketing skills, and be prepared for some rejection along the way.

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Featured Image Credit: Samuel Rios, Unsplash

Table of Contents

About the Author Robert Sparks

Robert’s obsession with all things optical started early in life, when his optician father would bring home prototypes for Robert to play with. Nowadays, Robert is dedicated to helping others find the right optics for their needs. His hobbies include astronomy, astrophysics, and model building. Originally from Newark, NJ, he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the nighttime skies are filled with glittering stars.

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