Holiday photography: 7 tips on how to better capture your travels

Holidays are full of unforgettable experiences such as visiting famous landmarks, beautiful views, interesting people, and special moments that you’ll want to remember forever. With these tips, your holiday photography can be a keepsake you cherish for years to come, allowing you to relive the highlights of your trip over and over and share them with the people you love.

From capturing the local vibe, to showing emotion through your photos, here are seven tips for capturing better photos on your travels while keeping things simple and natural, so you can still live in the moment.

Tip 1: Try a photo series

During your trip, look for similar items or scenes, like doors, flowers, street animals, signs, or sunsets. Keeping a consistent theme/style helps tie the photos together into a meaningful collection, making your travel story flow more smoothly.

Tip 2: Carefully consider the background

A 'good' photo doesn’t always have to focus on just one thing - the right background can make a lot of difference too. Choose a background that reflects the location, adds colour, or feels unique to the place you’re visiting. At the same time, make sure it doesn’t overpower your main focus of the photo. Keeping your focus on a specific key feature of the image will help it feel more personal.

Tip 3: Get creative with notable landmarks

Good photography always comes down to composition, angles, and the right lighting. At popular landmarks such as Big Ben or the Eiffel Tower, miniature replicas are often sold as souvenirs. While these might just gather dust at home, a creative photo can preserve the memory just as well - if not better! Try out this angle that features both the original landmark and the souvenir in the same shot.

Tip 4: Focus on moments full of emotion

Some moments are more than just a scene - they hold memories and emotions that will stay with you. For example, capturing someone enjoying the sunset evokes a sense of calm and nostalgia, adding a deeper, more personal touch to your photo.

Lighting plays a key role in creating the right aesthetic and atmosphere. The soft, warm glow of golden hour (shortly after sunrise or before sunset) is ideal for achieving this. Whether it’s a stunning landscape or a close-up of a meaningful detail, look for opportunities to take photos that feel personal and aesthetically pleasing. Catching these beautiful sunsets and magical golden hours at the right time can be an unforgettable moment that you can look back on and remember forever.

Tip 5: Capture senses with photos

Photos don’t have to be limited to what you see - they can also remind you of smells and tastes. Close-ups of hand-picked greenery, pastries, or freshly-brewed coffee can instantly transport you back to the moment the photos were taken.

For example, a photo of fresh lavender at a market in Provence instantly recalls both the sight and the scent. Choose close-up details that are simple but striking to capture the full atmosphere of the memory.

Tip 6: Photograph local crafts

Markets are great places to capture the culture of a destination. From handmade goods to decorative textiles, the colourful stalls are ideal for your holiday photography.

Focus on the details of the craftsmanship or take a wide shot of the bustling market. Natural light works wonders for highlighting colours and textures, helping you take home not just one craft item, but the memory of the entire experience to remember forever.

Tip 7: Show everyday life

Life on the streets often offers the most memorable photos of a place. A candid photo of locals interacting, a street musician playing, or children innocently playing outside, can tell the whole story of a destination.

Keep your camera small and discreet, such as using your smartphone to capture natural, unposed moments. For advice and tips on using your phone for your travel photography, check out our smartphone travel photography tips blog. With care and observation, you’ll find scenes that reflect the true energy and personality of the place you’re visiting.

Relive your favourite travel memories over and over

Your holiday photos can be much more than digital files on your phone - they're a way to relive your favourite memories. Why not bring them to life in a CEWE PHOTOBOOK or create a piece of Wall Art of your favourite image?

By printing your photos, you can enjoy them again and again, keeping those special moments alive for years to come.

Use these simple tips to make your holiday photography truly memorable, and create keepsakes you’ll treasure forever.