When you head off around the world looking for a life-changing experience, you want to make sure that each moment is captured just as strikingly as you remember. Master these fundamental compositional techniques and your travel photography will offer an incredible glimpse into the world around you.
Work along leading lines
As our eyes instinctively follow lines, they make an excellent place to start when framing up a shot. Using the flow of the street, a bridge or a fence, placing the subject at the end of the line that's naturally created draws the viewer's gaze to the focal point. When used effectively, leading lines can take your wide landscape or vibrant city shot to even greater levels.
Plan around the light
Good planning typically makes for great photography. And when that sees an awesome destination combined with the ideal light, the photographic results can be outstanding. While the midday sun can sometimes be too harsh to capture all the necessary details, consider timing your arrival at a spot with the soft light of sunrise or sunset. This way, you'll have wonderfully moody photographs that feature fascinating colours and shadows.
Find a new perspective
You might feel a bit silly getting down on the ground or climbing a wall to get an impressive shot of a breathtaking landmark, but sometimes that's exactly what's required. With most people familiar with seeing the world at eye-level, a perspective that's an inch above the pavement or looking straight down from above can spark the viewer's imagination.
Beauty in the symmetrical
Balance is key to every aspect of life, especially when it comes to photography. Every corner of the globe features stunning examples of natural and built symmetry, meaning that travel photographers have a remarkable opportunity to capture some extraordinary places. Whether you're highlighting the number, size, colour or texture of the objects in your image, consider the balance of each of these elements to achieve a great looking photograph.
