5 Essential Family Travel Photography Tips
- Family Travel Photography Tips: Invest In and Pack the Right Gear
- Family Travel Photography Tips: Staged vs Candid Photos
- Family Travel Photography Tips: Don’t Forget to Include Yourself
- Family Travel Photography Tips: Have Fun and Be Creative
- Family Travel Photography Tips: Share and Display Your Photos Proudly
- Final Thoughts on Family Travel Photography
- Recommended Photography Gear
- These Photo Book Styles Will Have You Ready for Any Occasion
- Share Memories Like Never Before With Augmented Reality Cards from Printique
Photo by AleksandarNakic via iStock
Looking back on our lives, some of our favorite moments and best lifelong memories are from family vacations. However, one of our biggest regrets is that we didn’t take more photos during those family holidays. That’s why we wrote this article, to ensure you don’t make the same mistake and to empower you to shoot more (better) photos on your upcoming trips.
Whether you're exploring exotic destinations or embarking on a local road trip, mastering the art of family travel photography can be both rewarding and challenging. In this travel photography guide, we’ll teach you five family travel photography tips to help you capture stunning travel photos you will treasure forever.
We'll cover everything from owning the right gear and being creative to shooting a good mixture of candid vs staged images. Additionally, we’ll share our favorite way to display your photos once you’ve returned home.
So, whether you're a seasoned photographer or a beginner just starting your photography journey, join us as we explore the essential family travel photography tips that will make your travel albums unforgettable. Now, let’s dive in and learn how to create beautiful visual narratives of your family's wanderlust-filled adventures!
Check out the video above by Jeven Dovey for a huge list of travel photography tips that will help you capture epic photos.
Table of Contents
Family Travel Photography Tips: Invest In and Pack the Right Gear
Photo by martin-dm via iStock
Before you can even think about shooting family travel photography, you must invest in the right equipment. That means gear that is portable, compact, and lightweight. If it takes up too much space in your luggage or is inconvenient to carry around during your holidays, you will not even take pictures.
We recommend getting a mirrorless or point-and-shoot camera since they are much smaller than DSLRs. If you opt for an interchangeable lens camera, you should carry two lenses – a standard 24-70mm zoom lens and a specialty lens (prime, wide-angle, telephoto) specific to what you like shooting. A sturdy and reliable travel tripod is also essential.
If you only travel with a carry-on, that is enough gear to get you by for a few days. However, if you have more free space in checked luggage or will be traveling for an extended period, other good items to pack include a small cleaning kit, lens filters, and spare batteries/memory cards.
Family Travel Photography Tips: Staged vs Candid Photos
Photo by Imgorthand via iStock
Another top tip is to shoot both candid and staged photos. This variety will spice up your portfolio and make it more exciting when looking back at your photos. What are candid photos? They are natural pictures that are not posed or staged, and they are often the ones that spark the most interest and joy.
If you have young children, staged photos can be extremely hard to capture. So, if you want your images to come out well, we recommend coaching your kids and giving them advice before and during the shoot. Also, switching your camera into continuous shooting mode will help if they can’t stay still.
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Family Travel Photography Tips: Don’t Forget to Include Yourself
Photo by Kar-Tr via iStock
Usually, there is only one photographer in the family, and when you look back at your photos at the end of the trip, you have tons of photos of your family but none of you. This is something you definitely want to avoid. It’s simple enough, as long as you plan ahead and actively remember to include yourself in photos.
The best ways to do this are using a tripod or taking selfies. Portable travel tripods are small, inexpensive, and something we always travel with. On the flip side, wide-angle lenses, GoPros, and even phones are great tools for selfies.
Family Travel Photography Tips: Have Fun and Be Creative
Photo by evgenyatamanenko via iStock
Travel is fun, and taking family travel photos should be fun too! So, don’t be afraid to think outside the box and get creative when on the road. The easiest way to do this is to try new experiences and get outside your comfort zone. The photos will speak for themselves if you do this.
You could also try using different lenses, shooting from different angles, or participating in a travel photo challenge to get your creative juices flowing.
Family Travel Photography Tips: Share and Display Your Photos Proudly
Photo by erikreis via iStock
Finally, finding a good way to display and share your photos with your family and friends is crucial. If you don’t, the digital files will end up sitting in a folder on your computer forever, and all your hard work will have gone for nothing.
What we do, is after every trip, we create a custom photo book. It’s an attractive way to compile all your favorite travel photos into one place, and it’s easy to look at them whenever you want. With that said, our go-to resource for photo books (and all other things printing related) is Printique.
They are an innovative printing company owned by Adorama and a leader in the online printing industry. We have worked with them for years and are proud to recommend them thanks to their combination of outstanding quality, professionally-trained staff, and low prices. On top of that, they offer hardcover books, softcover books, leather books, fabric books, and even mini books!
