Exploring Trends: Artistic Expression Through Travels
This is the third part in our ten-part series exploring trends for 2018. You can continue reading part 1 on impact photography, and part 2 on perfect strangers.
This article won’t be about encouraging you to pack your bags, quit your job, and become a travel photographer. Although many of our photographers have done just that, there’s a way to fit travel photography into your lifestyle without leaving your life behind as you know it and it’s easier than you imagine.
A little bit on travel photography
Some underestimate how diverse travel photography is. It stretches beyond landscapes, beautiful scenery and cityscapes. Commercial travel photography actually taps into the trillion dollar global tourism industry. Images include hotels, resorts, adventures, events, capturing culture and different customs.
Travel photography can be used by anyone, but more prominently advertising, print and merchandising. Interestingly, photographers of all disciplines can contribute with wildlife photography, landscape, portrait, reportage and many more practices. Regardless of your niche in photography, packing your bags and seeking new landscapes can transform your practice into a new hobby and a generate a new source of income.
Million dollar question: Can travel photography bring income?
You bet. Not only is it a great side hobby to have that can potentially generate income, there are photographers that solely make a living while traveling. They integrate travels into their business and sell photographs to agencies and stock photography platforms. A notable example of one photographer that does this is Mikhail Dudarev.
Something worth mentioning is that you do have to have a more practical edge, and having smart business sense is essential. Our contributors all seem to be of the opinion that you learn along the way anyway. This means that you can put aside worrying about marketing, sales and a business plan because the first step is to get out there and do it!
It can be one trip to test your skills, and see if this path is right for you. In finding new opportunities, you’ll be able to research more on the topic and make this business idea a reality. To get started with travel photograph, we prepared useful tips from our notable contributors to encourage you to take the first mandatory step – get out into the world and show the world your unique vision.
Licensing your travel photography
Travel photography has always been a trending and popular topic on stock photography platforms. If you’re new, and want to see if your photographs will sell, consider uploading your best work to Depositphotos. Depositphotos images sell under a royalty free license, and getting started is easy. Your images can be sold multiple times, and if you’re familiar with the process, add travel photography as an extension of your portfolio, don’t hide your best work on forgotten hard drives.
2018 trend – Artistic Expression Through Travels
The trend ‘Artistic Expression Through Travels’ is really about your personality. It’s a more personal approach to how you travel, what you do with your free time and how travel photography is changing. It’s no longer about ‘the perfect shot’, an image that is simply stunning and mesmerizing. This year’s trend is about expressing yourself.
What do we mean by this? Simply that traveling far isn’t a necessity, but sharing your artistic vision with the world is a must. Regardless of your level of expertise, you have something unique to say and communicating through your images about something that brings you sheer joy will inspire others to do the same.
At the end of the day, this type of photography inspires and motivates others to get out there and bring their camera (just in case). In 2018, even a phone with a camera will do. The implications of travel photography are many, but rarely is creativity addressed. We’ve all grown too used to the perfect images that embody the glamorous side of travels. What we want to see more of is people having a genuinely good time, and vantage points we haven’t seen before. Focus on telling stories, and do it well.
Whenever you’re ready
Like previously mentioned, you don’t have to go far. Plan a single trip somewhere, anywhere, and see where the sails take you. Bring your camera, come prepared for adventures, and share your vision with the world.
Hopefully this article provides you with enough motivation and resources to plan your next trip. For more inspiration, see our article on 21 travel destinations for photographers, and 30 Instagram photographers to follow. We also have a special collection just for this trend, featuring some of our best shots and different interpretations of 2018’s most anticipated trends.
