How To Pose For Travel Photos

Have you ever wondered how to recreate the best photography poses like you see on social media? If you love travel photography but have ever found yourself frustrated or feeling awkward when you get in front of the camera then this post is for you! Knowing how to pose for travel photos might come more naturally to others but anyone can feel confident in front of the camera with a little practice

As Instagram and cell phone cameras have rapidly developed in the past few years, the quality of travel photos has also gone up. We are no longer taking blurry pictures on a family road trip with you awkwardly standing by your dad.

Time to upgrade those travel photos to capture the beauty of your destination plus the joy you felt while traveling and use them as an expression of your creativity.

Whether you want to start a travel blog, share your travel photos on Instagram, or simply capture better photos of yourself, here’s a complete photography tutorial for posing in your travel photos so you can feel confident and proud of your amazing capture.

So let’s go over what NOT to do before jumping into what often works best. 

Disclaimer: There is no “right way” to take a photo. But these are some tips that have worked for me personally so I wanted to give a thorough explanation. I hope it helps!

The Do’s & The Don’ts Of How To Pose For Travel Photos

Don’t Have “Dead Arms” 

This one is huge. No matter what you’re doing in the photo, I promise you won’t want limp, lifeless arms hanging at your side.  There should be energy and life going out through your limbs! Before I began travel blogging, I worked in musical theater and we were always hounded on stage if we had limp arms just lamely hanging at our sides.

The same goes for photos! Your body needs to have life and energy in it. And nowhere is it more apparent than in your arms. This is where “props” can come in handy. Hold a coffee mug- not limply but with realistic energy. Touch the brim of your hat. Clasp your hands in front of you. Do anything except let your arms hang unnaturally and lifeless next to your body. Even when facing away from the camera, you can clasp your hands in front of you with your arms slightly bent to keep them full of energy and life. 

Don’t Pull Your Shoulders Up Tensely

Avoid crunching your neckline by raising your shoulders up towards your ears. It sounds silly but we often do this while sitting down or if we have our hands in our pockets. Draw your shoulders down and back to keep your chest open and lifted. This will radiate confidence and show a long poised posture.

Don’t Hunch Your Back or Slouch 

Speaking of posture… Have you ever noticed how much you slump while you’re sitting? Many of us have terrible posture without even realizing. We’ve just grown so accustomed to it, we are used to sitting this way. However if you haven’t noticed your bad posture in your daily life, you’ll certainly notice it when you get in front of the camera. Your slouch will seem exaggerated. So do a quick check in with your posture right before the photographer starts to click.

Don’t Feel Embarrassed About Trying Something New

Try looking at photos ahead of time for inspiration and recreate some of the ideas you like. Having your photo repeatedly taken can feel incredibly vulnerable. I struggled to be in front of the camera for years! But once you embrace feeling a little silly and just have fun goofing off, your photos will convey joy, comfortability and confidence.

If you dislike shooting in a crowded place where other people will be gawking at you, this can be remedied by showing up early, arriving really late or traveling in the off season. Not only will you be able to shoot without the pressure of prying eyes but this is how you’ll get those glorious shots with no one else in it!!

Not to mention, it’s pretty spectacular to see sunrise or sunset at a beautiful monument or national park by yourself.  Less people in the background, more space to take photos, more privacy and the chance to experience the beauty of a destination without swarms of tourists- that is why I love waking up early to go shoot. But if that’s not an option, get comfortable struttin’ your stuff. Who cares who is watching! 

Don’t Snap Aimlessly

You’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration if come into your photo shoot with a plan. Knowing where you might stand, what kind of mood you are trying to evoke and how you will position your body will make your shooting more efficient and effective. Set up your shot. In the above photo, I knew I wanted a road trip shot like this while driving Australia’s Great Ocean Road.

Don’t Shoot In An Uncomfortable Outfit- It Will Be Apparent In Your Photos

My photos always come out much better when I am wearing an outfit I LOVE! Something comfortable that isn’t too restricting will make for easy, graceful shooting. If you feel awkward shifting around in your clothes because they’re slightly too small/big or you’re feeling less than confident- go change into something that makes you feel like a million bucks. It sounds cheesy but believe me, it makes all the difference when you feel confident in what you’re wearing.  

If you need some flattering dresses that photograph well for any body shape- check out a few of my favorites here and here. And this maxi skirt has a fantastic lightweight fabric that will flow and sway nicely in photos capturing your movements.

Now that we’ve touched on what NOT to do, here’s what often works!

Find Flattering Angles

Angles can do wonders for a photo. Turn your body 45 degrees to create more interesting lines and draw the viewer into your shot.

Make Triangles

Use your arms and legs to create triangle shapes. These elegant lines will give your poses a more dynamic feel! Not to mention, it also gives you something to do with your arms so you don’t have those dreaded “dead arms”

Use Your Clothing to Enhance Photography Poses

Swing your scarf, spin in your dress or grab the skirt and raise it slightly off the ground.

As you can see in the photos above, it works well to hold up one end of your skirt as you naturally step forward. This brings life into the fabric of the garment and gives your arms something to do.

Face Away From The Camera Sometimes

If you’re struggling to compose your face and hold your body in a position that looks relaxed and comfortable- start by shooting with your back to the camera. This allows your scenery to take the spotlight in the photo and allows the viewer to imagine him or herself there in your place. Remember to check your posture and engage your arms even when facing away!

Have Life In Every Part Of Your Body

 Make sure you have energy going throughout your body.  Just like dead arms, you want to avoid the rest of you looking limp and lifeless. Even if your legs are under a skirt or your arms are hidden from the camera’s perspective, keep the energy extending out. This means while your shoulders are brought down for good posture and away from your chin, your arms and legs should almost be “tense”.  Almost like a dancer on stage, we should feel the energy extend through your limbs. Which brings me to my next point…  

Point Your Toes

If you’re striving to look graceful in a travel photo- then let me remind you of a basic rule of dancing.  Avoid awkward-looking feet by keeping them properly in line with your leg and pointing your toes. This will extend the line of your leg, making it look long and beautiful like a dancer. Awkwardly flexed feet will make your body look more clumsy.  

Notice how even though my feet aren’t a main feature in the photos above, my toes are still pointed giving my legs a more elegant, lean line.

Start Laughing

Start by faking it and soon you’ll wind up actually laughing. Nothing gives off a wonderful, joyful energy like a laugh captured in your photo.

So start having fun while you shoot. Joke around, enjoy the experience and you’ll capture some of those great candid laughing photos.

I know this can feel silly in public but if you’re confident and shooting with someone who makes you feel comfortable- this will be a breeze. It will get easier over time!

Create Curves

Try putting a gentle curve in your body. This will flatter your figure and give visual interest. Try stepping one leg forward then putting your weight on your back leg then sitting into your hip so it pushes out a bit. This will give your body a nice S-curve.

Keep Space Between Your Arms & Your Body

I’ve already mentioned dead arms a lot but keeping your arms lifted away from your body will help them look slimmer and energized. Often people dislike the way their arms look when they are pressed flat against their torso. Breathe life into your pose by allowing that space to exist.

Keep Your Chest Lifted

Like the previous suggestion, this will also keep you looking confident. Try not to “collapse” your chest by rounding your shoulders forward.

Find Your Light

It’s difficult to correct harsh shadows during the editing process. Always tilt your face to find the light. If you’re wearing a hat and are looking down, your final photo may have heavy shadows on your face. Usually you can feel when the light is illuminating your face but if you can’t tell- ask your photographer or do a test shot.

Ask For Feedback

As you are shooting, be open to the suggestions of your photographer! Especially if you shoot with someone who knows what they are doing, they will be able to help direct you. Ultimately, you’ll want to be able to pose yourself so no matter who takes your photos-whether it’s your mom, a stranger or your tripod- you can always be confident in your ability to capture a photo. But feedback is a great way to learn!

Make Use of The Rule of Thirds

This is helpful when it comes to positioning yourself in relation to your scenery. The rule of thirds is a guideline for visual composition. It suggests that an engaging image is broken into nine equal parts with two vertical and two horizontal lines that intersect. The rule suggests that the points of interest should be placed on the intersections rather than simply placed in the center.

For more information read this article explaining the rule of thirds more in depth!

Notice how in the photo below, the Nile river takes up the bottom third, the sand & boats take up the middle third and the sky fills the final third. It is a balanced photo. In addition, I am situated along the vertical right line with my head landing at an intersection. From a composition stand point, this is a strong way to capture your audience’s attention.

Again, it’s really easy to spot the rule of thirds in this photo. The infinity pool is the bottom third, the trees make up the middle third and the sky is roughly the top third. Again, my body falls on the imaginary intersecting lines.

Use Props For Visual Interest

Some people like to fully stage a shot. And if you’re unsure what to do with your hands, holding a prop can be enormously helpful. Easy to incorporate props for photos include a hat, a scarf, a mug or flowers.

If you’re looking for a great hat for photos, I recommend this one for general travel and this one for the beach.

Wear Colors that POP With Your Surroundings

Have you ever looked at a travel photo and thought, “Wow I love the way her dress just pops with the surroundings!”? Here’s a little secret…it was probably done on purpose! In fact pro-influencers and bloggers like Alyssa will choose their wardrobe to pack based on the colors of where they’re going!

Check out this helpful post she made on how to use a color wheel to determine what colors contrast and compliment your surroundings! “What Colors to Wear to Make Your Travel Photos POP!”

GET INSPIRATION

Head on over to Instagram, Pinterest or your favorite travel blogs to get inspired by other gorgeous travel photos. What type of photography do you like? Action shots? Mostly landscape? Solo shots or people interacting with one another?

Getting some ideas for how to take photos instead of the classic “here I am just standing and smiling in front of a monument” will go a long way! Find variety in your shots, poses and angles to help add visual interest.

Practice

Figure out what angles work best for you. I know it feels silly but practice in front of a mirror to help figure out what looks natural. Then when you are ready, ask someone to do a shoot with you. A family member, friend or if you’re a blogger- reach out to connect with local Instagrammers and bloggers. If you don’t have someone to be your photographer, try booking a photoshoot through Airbnb Experience to get some practice.  

Many popular tourist destinations will have this option and it will typically cost less than hiring a photographer not found on Airbnb. Check out the results of my Bangkok and Miami Airbnb experiences. 

Also remember, these are general guidelines to help you get comfortable posing in your own travel photos. Of course there will be times you break these “rules.” 

Sometimes facing the camera fully will indeed give you the desired effect you want and of course, not every photo will follow the rule of thirds.  These are some tricks I have found useful while improving my own posing in travel photography. But ultimately, photography is a creative endeavour and up to you! 

By no means do you need to follow everything listed here to create beautiful photos. But I hope you found some useful tips and inspiration in this post. Good luck and happy shooting.

How To Pose In Travel Photos: A Pocket Guide

(Screenshot for your next trip!)

More on travel photography: HOW TO GET EPIC SOLO TRAVEL PHOTOS

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The post How To Pose For Travel Photos- 23 Tips From Travel Bloggers appeared first on The Wanderlust Rose.

Welcome to Miami!

As my road trip from New York to Los Angeles continues, we made a two day stop in Miami, Florida. From speedboat rides to trying Cuban food in Little Havana- the 48 hours we spent in Miami flew by! One of my favorite things I did this trip was team up with Old Memories Photography to take some photos down on Miami Beach.

I’m going on two years of living out of my suitcase and traveling full time. (Where has the time gone?!) That means I don’t have a lot of space for souvenirs. And my favorite souvenir will always be a photograph in a new place to bring back happy memories.

Book a session with Old Memories Photography on Airbnb Experiences

Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple looking to do an engagement shoot or a family wanting beautiful portraits in Miami- you can book a session with Old Memories Photography through Airbnb Experiences.

Get $15 off your first Airbnb Experience of $50 or more here!

Airbnb Photo Experiences

Often while traveling solo, I take my own photos. Or I ask a stranger. But every once in awhile, I’ll book an Airbnb Experience to have a local take some amazing travel photos for me but also, to show me around! It’s a great way to connect with local people when you are traveling. I’ve made great friends in Poland and Thailand doing this. Even after the photo experience was done, we wound up hanging out later on during my trip!

Read: KRAKOW WITH A PHOTOGRAPHER: USING AIRBNB EXPERIENCES TO GET AMAZING TRAVEL PHOTOS

Read: HOW TO GET INSTA-WORTHY PHOTOS IN BANGKOK

Get $15 off your first Airbnb Experience of $50 or more!

Miami Beach

No where is as iconic in Miami as the colorful lifeguard towers on Miami Beach! There are a total of 36 brightly colored towers lining the pristine white beach. I wanted the photos for my travel blog but Old Memories Photography shoots a lot of couples as well! Check out their Instagram here.

Pack Different Looks

If you want to maximize your session, I recommend bringing more than one outfit. There is a public bathroom right on Miami Beach where you can easily change from one look to the next. You can take A LOT of photos in one hour so you’ll have plenty of time to style different looks. Just come prepared

If you are traveling solo and want more tips on getting great photos- check out my blog post: HOW TO GET EPIC SOLO TRAVEL PHOTOS

Get $15 off your first Airbnb Experience of $50 or more!

Get $15 off your first Airbnb Experience of $50 or more!

Check out the behind the scenes video of our shoot!

Thank you Thiago & Jennifer for making me feel so comfortable and confident while shooting with you guys!!

The post Looking to get great photos in Miami? appeared first on The Wanderlust Rose.

I remember first coming across beautiful split water shots on Instagram where you could see both above the water and below the water and I was mesmerized. “How did they get that shot?!” I was obsessed with the beautiful images of a swimmer below the water and a tropical landscape, boat or surfer above! As it turns outs, an easy way to capture over/underwater photos is to purchase a simple attachment for a GoPro.

GoPro Hero 8

First you’ll need a GoPro to shoot photos this way. You can buy the lastest version on Amazon for less than $400. If you’re serious about travel, you’ll be thankful you have your GoPro for all future trips to come! You can easily edit your videos with the Quik app which edits, cuts and syncs your videos to music. It’s a huge time saver and really easy to use.

Telesin Dome

Once you own a GoPro, you’ll want to purchase a dome that is compatible with your GoPro. Simply open the back of the dome and pop your GoPro in the fitted capsule. The attachment at the back works as a trigger to click the record/photo capture button while keeping in the GoPro inside the waterproof dome. The dome keeps the water further from the camera lens which allows the camera to capture both above and below the water line.

Remember, a good split shot is composed over a strong underwater scene, a clear waterline across the frame of the photo and a strong/interesting above water scene.

You want to tell a story with your photo and to do that- both above the water and below the water shoot be an engaging image.

Tip: Place the sun behind your back when shooting!

Keep in mind, it is always darker underwater than above water so you’ll need plenty of light when shooting. If it’s an overcast day or the sun has already begun to set, you might not be able to capture what’s going on below the water.

The clearer the water, the better!

Shooting in transparent water will give you much clearer photos obviously! While muddy, murky water could be used to an interesting artistic effect, you’ll typically have much better luck with clear water. Even in a pool!

Water droplets on the dome? Try licking it! Spit helps keep it clear.

If you’ve gone snorkeling or scuba diving before you might have heard that spitting in your mask then dunking it will prevent your mask from fogging up. The same works with a dome attachment. Although you might feel a little silly licking or spitting on your dome before dunking it in the water and shooting, you will find you get clearer photos without any water droplets!

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A fun challenge!

Shooting underwater provides a fun challenging twist on travel photos! Your hair will be floating every which way, the waves might crash just as you take the photo so your waterline is disrupted and you might end up swallowing half the ocean. But the results can be mesmerizing! And it’s awfully fun swimming around the ocean and getting creative with shots.

Have you tried underwater photography before? If this blog post was helpful, repin it on Pinterest!

And if you used any of my tips to get a photo, tag me on Instagram so I can reshare it on my stories! Have fun photographing in the water

All shots taken by the amazing Tony Myshlyaev from Tones of Blue Photography. Follow his Instagram here.

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Interested in booking a trip to Thailand? Check out these amazing offers on TourRadar!

Keep reading: How To Get Epic Solo Travel Photos

Save “How To Take Split Over Underwater Shots” on Pinterest for later!

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