I like the advice in this Wall Street Journal article on how to take better travel photos. The two biggest recommendations?
- Focus on the details.
- Take time to learn to be a better photographer.
The article provides some great tips on both points. And if you want some additional tips on taking better travel photos anywhere (not just in Machu Picchu), check out this article from the Tips and Tools section.
For now, however, let’s examine the first point and how focusing on the details in your travel photos can help you tell a better story.
Back to our mystery location, here are some detailed shots that help tell the story of the place. The main thing to note is that on their own, as single images, they may be somewhat interesting, but when you put all the details together, that’s when a real story of the place emerges. On your next trip, look for the little things that mean something to you. Realize that when you put them together, those details do add up, often showing a more powerful story than any single image can.
This first image reminds me that the location is either by the water or someone there has an interesting collection…
Here I used black & white because the image was pretty dull in color. You can see the continuation of the nautical theme.
This final image shows the end result of the previous two photos. It reflects both the importance of lobster to this place and also the meal my family feasted on while there. That makes it personal to me but also representative of the place to others.
These are just some of the many details I could show from this location. The first photo in the series is another example. But when you see all three of them together, and increasingly in slideshows and on our phones and Facebook pages we’re seeing collections of images rather than single shots, they tell a fuller story than any one picture could. Figure out where this is yet?
To be continued…
Check out Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 if you haven’t already.