Let’s discuss travel photography and learn how to make your photos more meaningful during your next trip. Leander, a travel photographer, shares advice on how to go beyond basic snapshots and capture more impactful images that tell a cohesive story.
In this video, Leander Hoefler offers three tips to make our holiday and travel photos stand out and be memorable. He begins by highlighting a fact that I’m sure will resonate with many of us: even if we buy a brand-new camera for our travels and take lots of photos during the holidays, most of them soon fade from our memories because we do not follow a pattern.
Of the three useful tips for taking great photos, the one that stood out to me the most is to “think in sets.” What Leander means by this is that when you visit a destination, you should take a series of pictures. First, start with establishing shots; these are the iconic views, landmarks, or recognizable features that represent the location and set the scene for your other photos. Next, capture images that show what life is like there, including people, buildings, shops, and anything typical or unique to that place. Finally, focus on small details that are often overlooked, such as local food or interesting textures, because they tell a significant part of the story and add depth to your collection.
Thinking in sets helps us avoid the trap of taking random photos, especially if we look at our images later and realize that there is no sequence or they do not make sense. Taking random snapshots is not necessarily a bad thing, but travel photography is also about telling a story. If someone views your work, they should be able to understand what it feels like to visit that place just by looking at your set. The video is not just theoretical but provides practical on-location advice with concrete examples. Watch the video to see all three tips in action.