8 minute read

10 Simple Tips for Better Travel Photos

As a subject, travel photography is as wide as the world we live in. You can shoot almost any style, anywhere. So, what does it take to make great travel photos with your X Series camera and lenses? As you’ll see from the following tips, success is just as much about approach, as it is camera skills or settings...

Pack Like a Pro

That doesn’t mean pack everything. Actually, it’s the opposite. X Series cameras and lenses are designed to be lightweight and portable, but overpack and you’ll risk turning your photographic treat into a gruelling task. After all, if you’re tired from carrying a bag full of gear, will you even feel like taking pictures? Ultimately, it’s better to have one lens and get the best out of that, than a clutter of options that tire and distract you.

XF16-80mmF4 R OIS WR and XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR are both great travel options, providing all-in-one versatility and low weight. Or you can go for a standard lens, like XF27mmF2.8 R WR, giving a natural view of all sorts of subjects.

Alternatively, if you feel there are certain bits of kit you simply can’t leave at home, consider two bags. Leave the larger one at your accommodation, or in your vehicle, with the majority of your kit – while you take a smaller bag, with a more streamlined kit, on excursions.

For more top tips on packing for trips, check out our dedicated article via this link. It has advice for day trips, weekend breaks and dedicated photo holidays.

Decompress for Success

Visiting new locations can be overwhelming. The mix of sights, sounds, smells, languages and people is a literal culture shock. You’ll want to start capturing it as quickly as possible, but there are so many choices – and that can lead to a sense of feeling overwhelmed, preventing you from doing your best work. Slow down and accept that you can’t capture everything; you’ll soon feel freer and more expressive.

Before even thinking about photography, take a while to decompress. Walk around the place you’re staying, leaving the camera behind, and let the senses adjust in their own time. Notice how you respond to all these new stimuli and what interests you the most. Figuring that out is a vital ingredient for photography – an agenda built on thoughtful inspiration, not wild reaction.

If you don’t have time to take in your surroundings – perhaps you’re just passing through a town or are on a group tour with only 15 minutes before they move you on to the next location – then try to challenge yourself to only capture a handful of images. It can be tempting to keep the shutter button held down in fear that you’ll miss that one perfect photo, but trust in yourself (and your mirrorless technology) that you can get it right first time!

Image © Onyi Moss

Image © Onyi Moss

Image © Onyi Moss

Think Ahead

Successful shots often come from planning, so it’s great to research locations before arrival. Take note of local festivals and events which have the flavour you’re looking for. Upon arrival, seek out local galleries or postcard sellers, which can also be a great inspiration.  Look for places where locals congregate and learn how they work and play, helping you tell more authentic stories from your adventures.

If you’re into scenics, look for sunrise and sunset times using apps like PhotoPills – these show you where the light will fall during the day. Internet image searches can give an idea of what to look for in a new location, and the best vantage points for great views.

Browse and take inspiration from images online taken by previous visitors to your destination. It’s also a great challenge to figure out how to add your own take. What angles, shapes or curiosities can you bring to the table to ensure your images feel as unique as your experience was?

But, of course, any plan is subject to change, so don’t beat yourself up over a schedule. Accept that you cannot shoot everything – and concentrate on enjoying what you can.

Finding a Sense of Place

For great travel pictures, put the viewer in your shoes and give them a taste of your experience. A lot of that comes from a strong sense of place.

Try to include clues about where the shot was taken, like the unique dress of the people there, writing in the local language, or distinctive street signs. Even if these elements aren’t central to your image, and just used out of focus in the background, it will add some of the required flavour. Do the same thing with iconic buildings, monuments and landmarks.

Image © Onyi Moss

Image © Onyi Moss

Image © Onyi Moss

Start a Project

A holiday is a great time to begin a short project. As part of getting to know your new surroundings, certain things will stand out. It could be a local custom, style of dress, or even a particular location that changes in mood from day to night. Pick out what inspires, using it as a repeating theme throughout your stay. You’ll soon create a series of similar images – and the sum will be greater than its parts.

Working in a consistent fashion really helps. Consider framing in a particular way that you can repeat; exposing with the same settings over and over to give consistent depth-of-field or subject movement; or even changing the aspect ratio of your pictures. This is done in the Image Quality Setting menu under Image Size.

If you’ve discovered FUJIFILM Film Simulation modes, you’ll know how they can add a unique and distinctive finish to images – making them perfect for themed shots. Pick a mode, and switch to it each time you take a photo for your project. You can do that right from the Q menu, or the Image Quality Setting menu.

Image © Pete Elliott

Image © Pete Elliott

Put Yourself in the Frame

When capturing landscapes on your travels, it’s sometimes difficult for people to understand the scale or geography of a place. One way to fix that is to include something they do recognise – a person. Many travel photographers do this, and sites like Instagram are full of great wide-angle images, featuring a lone figure gazing out over an exotic scene.

If you’re on your own, and can’t frame someone else in the landscape, it can still be done. Just set the camera on a tripod, switch to Single AF mode and focus on the place you’ll be in the scene. Then, either set the self-timer to 10 secs and get into position, or use the FUJIFILM Remote Camera App to trigger the shutter.

Widen Your Eyes

When travelling, you’ll discover amazing scenes – some of which may be just too big for the lens you have. In those situations, switch to your X Series camera’s Panorama mode. This lets you trigger an exposure, then sweep the camera left, right, up or down, recording a wider frame than a regular photo. You’ll find it on the Drive dial, or in the menu.

Of course, just using Panorama mode won’t make a great image in itself. You still need to find powerful light, like sunrise, sunset or the blue hour. And you have to compose well, too, because a panorama should still have a strong focal point. Begin your sweep of the scene with the subject on the opposite side of the first frame and it should look good. Make sure to keep the camera level as you sweep across the scene, too.

RAW for Better Exposures

Travel photography is about grabbing opportunities, and you won’t always be faced with the best light for doing so. For that reason, it’s often best to shoot in RAW or RAW+JPEG image quality mode. RAW files give far more latitude for adjustments than regular JPEGs, letting you darken, lighten, or change the white balance of an image in ways that a JPEG can’t offer.

Most of the time we would process RAW files on a computer, but access might be tricky when travelling. That’s why Fujifilm included simple in-camera RAW processing on its X Series models. Find all the options by going into Playback mode, and pressing Menu/OK.

If you shoot in RAW, remember that Film Simulation modes won’t be applied, but you can still add these via in-camera processing or Capture One software.

Don’t Forget Your Creative Toolkit

As you start to decode new surroundings, try not to be overawed and remember the creative techniques you’ve learned. These are the things that can make travel images unique. For instance, if you’ve used long exposures before, visiting cities is a great place for traffic trails. These kinds of shots can also be used to blur crowds and make scenery stand out. Another example is your camera’s multiple exposure mode; combine several scenes into one and increase the exotic flavour of travel shots.

Share What You’ve Shot

The excitement of travel photography is too good not to share. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until you get home to do it. All you need is the FUJIFILM Remote Camera App. Install, easily pair with your camera, and you’ll be able to immediately transfer images to your device to be shared to all the usual places online!