Popular Travel Photography Tips and Trends

Trends don’t appear from nowhere. They are the final result of thoughts, needs, worries, and mass tendencies a society has. In 2019, for instance, we witnessed a trend  “nostalgic flashbacks” that reminisced about the times when photography was raw and authentic. We dream of saving the ocean and use drones not only to take beautiful shots but also to see the bigger and clearer picture. Drone photography became a trend over the years as well.

Armed with smartphones, DSLRs, and film cameras, photographers are endowed with the power of making the world a better and nicer place. Photographers capture what has happened, is happening and collectively establish trends in this way. Keeping these tendencies in mind, implement these travel photography tips and trends if you’re aiming for viral content in 2019.

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Go authentic

Save editorial and studio photography for later. In 2019, you need to literally get outside to stay on trend. Portraits on the street, emotional events, and featuring diversity are the things that appeal to the masses the most. Whether collaborating with publishers, enriching your portfolio, or selling images to stock photography platforms- your mission as a photographer is to create images that tell stories. They must also initiate discussions or, in contrast, leave people speechless.

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Try film photography

Although many say that film photography is dying, in 2019 photographers are inspired to take even more authentic images by limiting the scope of their technological capabilities. No trial shots, no memory stick or Bluetooth. Everything is real and old school. Without further ado, for an unexpected change in your work this year, try to put aside your DSLR or iPhone and go back to the roots of film photography.

Raise awareness

With some of the challenges society faced in 2019 comes the understanding that we need to shed more light on global issues. The dead whale with 40 kg of plastic in its stomach and a plastic bag at the bottom of the Mariana Trench is a wake-up call for every human being on the planet. You can use photography as a tool to share stories that deserve a spotlight.

Whether taking a single image or working on a large-scale project, you are to raise awareness about what’s happening to our precious planet. Depositphotos couldn’t stay aside and created the thematic photo collection that encourages people to save the ocean and its beautiful creatures.

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Take vertical photos

During Social Media Week Kyiv, a two-day event that covered some of the best case studies in the industry, Laura Tannenbaum from an award-winning social creative agency That Lot delivered a speech on creativity in the age of paid. One of the trends she put emphasis on were vertical photos that became extremely popular because of the many people preferring, switching to, and going fully mobile.

In 2019, brands and photographers will also have to invest even more into mobile and pay attention to vertical photo production for a few reasons. For starters, vertical content allows you to showcase the quality of an image. It also makes the consumption of content more pleasant for mobile users.  Interestingly, it actually allows for more photography experiments, as when the orientation is changed, you have to think about different composition.

Use drones

A decade ago, drones were the cutting edge technology, and there was only a handful of photographers who were curious enough to explore it. Fast forward to 2019, and having a couple of aerial shots in your portfolio is actually mainstream. Amazing gear capabilities and lighter weight make drones easy to bring along on both a long trip and a weekend getaway. Certainly adds some diversity to your portfolio with pictures from a bird’s-eye view.

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Capture your weekend getaways

Speaking about travel photographers, we always think of dedicated professionals who live in a tent in Iceland and spend hours outside, waiting for a perfect moment to capture the magic of the northern lights. Today, you don’t need to leave your comfort zone to be called a travel photographer. If you’re a fan of small weekend getaways, road trips or unusual homestays, you can document every single step you take to tell a story of your journey. This travel photography tip can help improve your portfolio and is also a small step to integrating the arts into your everyday life.

Stick to minimalism in still life photography 

Minimalism is another visual trend that is still relevant in 2019 but with a twist. Neat, clean and simple images tend to be quite boring. The trend for this year is minimalist photos that tell a story. They have to incite curiosity and a desire to explore the deeper meaning behind your framing.

Test other formats

The last but not least of the travel photography tips is always being open to exploring and testing other formats. In 2019, you are free to be who you are and to create what you personally think can make a difference. Loop video of grass waving in the wind? Why not? GIF of dog that sticks its head out of the window during a road trip? Great idea! Video of a girl heading to a temple? Looks amazing!

For a blog portfolio website, your Instagram account or a stock photography platform – new experimental formats will bring in favorable and unexpected results.

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Although these trends may seem quite niche to you, they are exactly what’s ‘in’ in 2019. Going authentic, raising awareness on global challenges, and taking shots with your old school film camera – all these will help you with creativity but also making a difference. Don’t be afraid to test new formats, as this is the way to find your signature photography style if you don’t have one yet.

Share these travel photography tips with your friends and colleagues and plan your next trip to one of these inspiring destinations for creatives.

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