10 Tips for Better Travel Portraits

2. Pick the Best Times of Day

Lighting is arguably the most important factor in portrait photography, and choosing the right time of day will dramatically affect your results. The golden hour is the time immediately after sunrise and before sunset, when the sun is close to the horizon. Photographers love these times of the day because they provide soft, warm, flattering light for portraits. This light helps create depth and dimension while avoiding harsh shadows.

The blue hour is that magical time just before sunrise and after sunset. With ambient light in the sky but a somewhat muted foreground, it can also be a great time for capturing moody and atmospheric portraits with cooler tones. 

Read more: Outdoor Portrait Photography Settings You Need To Know

3. Embrace Overcast Skies for Softer Portraits

Many presume sunny days are best for portraits, but overcast conditions can produce better results. Cloud cover acts as a natural diffuser of light, softening the quality of the light and eliminating harsh shadows. 

Overcast skies create a more even, flattering illumination on your subject's face. You can use artificial light to add depth and dimension—a portable LED or flash will do the trick. When overcast conditions turn particularly gloomy, embrace the moodier aesthetic by incorporating backgrounds with complementary tones. A black-and-white edit can be an excellent treatment for such photos.

Read more: Cloudy Weather Portrait Photography: Tips & Settings for Pro Results

3. Create Striking Silhouettes with Smart Positioning

Silhouette portraits can be dramatic, theatrical, and visually striking. To achieve this effect, position your subject in front of a bright light source and expose the background rather than the subject. The most common way to accomplish this is to put your subject in front of a low sun, but another good idea is to position your subject exiting from indoors to outdoors on a bright day.

For the best results:

• Place your subject against an uncluttered background.

• Use a narrow aperture (f/8 or higher) for sharpness.

• Experiment with angles and poses to create interesting shapes.

• Clouds and colour changes at sunrise and sunset can enhance the composition.

4. Make the Best of Midday Sun

Shooting in the midday sun is often challenging due to the direct and harsh light that creates pronounced shadows and high contrast. However, you can still capture great travel portraits by following these tips:

• Find shade by positioning your subject under a tree, awning, or near a building to soften the light.

• Use a portable reflector to bounce light back onto your subject's face, reducing harsh shadows.

• Use a fill flash to help balance the exposure, especially when the background is brighter than the subject.

• Place the sun behind your subject to backlight them. This will create a natural rim light effect and add depth to your image.

5. Don’t Miss the Action

Capturing spontaneous moments can create some of the best travel portraits. Whether it's a street performer, local commuters heading to work, or a child playing, being ready to capture these fleeting moments adds a sense of authenticity to your images.

Get in the habit of using a fast shutter speed and continuous autofocus for action photography. This will freeze movement and ensure sharp images. Position yourself to anticipate the action while maintaining a visually appealing background.

There is one important exception to this rule. Sometimes, you want to purpose use a slow shutter speed to convey a sense of motion. In the example below, by shooting at a slower shutter speed, the skate park is sharply in focus but the skateboarder is slightly blurred. This gives a sense of direction, dynamism, and movement to the image.

6. Document Authentic Travel Experiences

Great travel portraits tell a story, so aim to capture authentic interactions and cultural moments. It's not about technical mastery; understanding and documenting a situation faithfully can be achieved with entry-level photographic technique and basic gear. 

Instead of just posing your subjects, engage with them and document their expressions, gestures, and daily lives. It is good etiquette to ask for permission before shooting someone you don't know.

To achieve candid and natural shots:

• Spend some time observing before taking photos, noticing patterns of behaviour, gestures, and interactions that will look great if captured on camera.

• Shoot wide open to create a pleasing bokeh effect that isolates your subject.

• Consider using a 50mm or 85mm lens to create an intimate feel without being too physically close to or distracting your subject.

7. Enhance Your Shots with Creative Framing

If you have found a nice location and subject but feel your image is still missing something, consider the framing of the image to draw attention to your subject while adding some visual flair.

Techniques for effective framing:

• Shoot through manufactured objects like doors, windows, or arches.

• Shoot through natural canopies like overhanging branches to create a ceiling to your image.

• Shoot low with bushes or foliage acting as a floor for your image.

• Use leading lines to guide your viewer's eye toward your subject.

• Experiment with depth by placing objects in the foreground while focusing on your subject.

8. Mastering Travel Portraits in Low Light

Low-light conditions can be tricky, but you can still capture stunning portraits with the right approach. 

• Firstly, increase your ISO. Modern cameras handle high ISO levels well, so don't be afraid to push it up to 1600 or higher.

• Use a fast lens with a wide aperture (e.g., f/1.8 or f/2.8). A wider aperture allows more light to enter, making it easier to shoot in dim conditions.

• Leverage available light by positioning your subject near streetlights, neon signs, or candlelight for creative illumination.

• Use a tripod or turn on in-camera stabilization to mitigate camera shaking at slower shutter speeds.

9. Bring a Tripod for Self-portraits

Speaking from experience, it's sometimes challenging to capture a great family portrait without having a third party take it for me. I'm equipped with all the right gear, so why not do it myself?

Investing in a lightweight travel tripod is a game-changer if you travel solo and want to capture yourself in stunning locations. A tripod lets you frame your shots precisely and take high-quality self-portraits without relying on strangers. 

Tips for better self-portraits:

• You can trigger your shutter using a remote shutter release, your camera's timer, or an app if your camera supports it.

• Set up your shot with foreground and background elements to enhance the sense of depth.

• Experiment and have fun with different portrait poses and angles to create a more natural look.

• If you have time, experiment with various focal lengths and try shots in both landscape and portrait orientation. If you don't, it is better to shoot wide and crop later during your edit.

10. Edit Your Travel Portraits with Aperty

Now you've captured some great travel portraits, it's time to do them justice in the studio. Post-processing is the last step in creating portfolio-worthy travel portraits, and Aperty is a fantastic tool for achieving outstanding results. 

Aperty has a fabulous selection of editing tools for portraits. Some of the best for travel portrait editing include:

• Skin smoothing helps create even and beautiful skin textures.

• Shine removal is beneficial for portraits taken in warm climates that can result in sweaty or oily skin.

• Portrait bokeh allows you to increase the depth of your image with digitally-simulated bokeh.

• LUTs for consistent colour grading across a sequence of images.

Read more: Editing Portrait Photos Like a Pro with Aperty: A Step-by-Step Guide

Show Us Your Travel Portraits

We'd love to see what you capture on your travels! Make sure to tag us in your adventures #madewithaperty.