Tips for Traveling Photographers
/When PhotoShelter asked me to share some of my top tips for traveling photographers, I panicked. What information could I possibly share with their community of professional photographers that they don't already know?! Then again, it's the preparation beyond making sure you bring the right equipment that will help you nail your assignment.
- Use Google Maps to save locations to destination specific maps. Then, download an offline map to your mobile device so that you can reference it when you don't have WiFi or cell service. Use the Google Trips app when doing destination research.
- Not sure where to stand at sunrise or sunset? Just take a look at what other people are posting on Instagram. Now that you can search for hashtags and places and watch crowdsourced videos and photos from those locations, it's even easier to get a sense of place before you arrive to your destination.
- Backup your images to the cloud whenever you have access to WiFi. When I don't carry my laptop, I bring my Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader so that I can view and make selects from the SD card on my mobile device, download the images to the device, then upload to my PhotoShelter account. Having the PhotoShelter mobile app (for iPhone and Android) helps me free up space on my iPhone when I start taking too many photos with my phone. I also typically travel with an unlocked iPhone so that I can put in a local SIM card and purchase data at a reasonable rate to use social media and the PhotoShelter app while I'm traveling.
Image via PhotoShelter
- Seek out local travel and photography meet-up groups before you depart. Two global organizations that I like to participate in include Travel Massive and Travel + Social Good. It's always a treat when one of my trips overlaps in a destination hosting one of their events.
Are you a photographer with travel tips to share? Post them in a comment below.
