Aside from securing your luggage, travel tickets, and hotel accommodations days before your travel, you should also make sure that your camera or smartphone is ready to travel and take pictures with you.

Bringing either one has become a requirement for anyone traveling, regardless of the destination. You want to show your friends how you had fun while traveling and these pictures will surely do the trick.

However, taking pictures while traveling is more than just clicking all over the place. As a tourist, there are some things that you have to ensure that you take the best photos without compromising your travel experience.

1. Don’t Disregard Signs

Sure, this is your first time (and probably the last) visiting a fascinating museum and as much as possible, you want to take pictures of all the exhibits present there. Upon your entry, you stumbled upon a “no pictures please” sign and the same was also instructed by the tour guide you hired. Do not disregard these and follow what is expected from you as a tourist.

Pay respect to the local orders. Take this time to cherish the moment and enjoy. Have conversations with your companions and ask questions about the exhibit. Do not be disappointed if you can’t take pictures; there are other great activities you can do.

2. Don’t Compromise Safety

You want your vacation photos to earn at least a hundred likes on all your social media accounts. By all means, take all the time you need in either striking a pose or finding the perfect lighting for you to get that best shot. But when doing so, you should put your safety first.

Do not try daredevil poses (e.g., one leg stand on top of a building) for the sake of social media fame. Be wary of the surroundings that you have.

3. Don’t Upload Your Pictures Immediately

Once you get the perfect shot, you directly upload this on Facebook and comment back to friends asking you where have you been. You get too focused on the process, and you take for granted the actual scenery right in front of you. While it is already a good idea to update your friends and relatives of your latest getaway, make sure you don’t get too hung up in doing so.

Remember that you have been dreaming of visiting this place for so long and you’re taking away the time to have fun there. It is better to upload your pictures during your free time, such as during long waits in the airports.

4. Don’t Monopolize Your Travel Companions

Most of the great pictures out there aren’t selfies– another individual takes them. You can ask your friends or traveling companions to take pictures of you behind a great background but do not take too much of their time. They might not love photography as much as you do and they might have different interests when traveling. Stopping every 3 minutes just to take a great shot is not a good idea, and this can even irritate your friends.

You don’t want to ruin someone else’s vacation, right?

5. Don’t Take Pictures Without Consent

If you are planning to take pictures of the locals, of their heritage and their traditions, do not forget to ask permission from them. There might be some traditions that shouldn’t be publicized so make sure you do not disrupt any of these. Start by initiating a conversation with them and ask what do they usually do for a living in their areas.

Create the feeling of ease for the locals, so it will be easier for them to strike a pose for you. Through these ways, you are not only taking pictures, but you are slowly learning the local’s culture and creating a connection with them.

To Conclude

You don’t have to be the best Chicago portrait photographer to know that taking pictures during your travel is always a good idea – you can quickly relieve the memories and you brag to your friends about it! But when doing so, you should not forget the main reason why you are traveling, and that is to have fun and see something new.

Appreciate the spot where you are in during traveling and do not prioritize the pictures. What’s important is how you feel while you are there, and having fun.