For many of us, looking good in travel photos can be tricky. Many planned poses feel unnatural, and it can be embarrassing to take photos in public if you are not used to it.
Ideally, you’d have a travel companion to take the shot, but the same poses can still be captured by a solo traveler with a little know-how and extra set up.
In this guide, I’ll share my favorite poses along with 10 tips so that you can take stunning travel photos with confidence!
1. Show the Size of Your Environment
Rather than focusing the photo on you with a little background, zoom out and capture your surroundings. This works especially well if you are in locations with grand proportions or opulent architecture.
Photos at the Grand Canyon should show how truly colossal it is. Give waterfalls and forest giants a sense of scale by capturing how tall they are in comparison.
Architecture with intricate designs or buildings with repeating patterns are best appreciated when you can see their full scope.
2. Use the Background as a Frame
Sometimes the backdrop creates a natural frame. You can place yourself in the foreground between elements as I did below between the buttes of Monument Valley. Or you can use the foreground to frame yourself in the middle ground like I am highlighted walking in the woods framed by rounded branches.
3. Take Advantage of Leading Lines
Leading lines are lines within a photo that draw the viewer’s eye to a point of interest. Leading lines can also add depth to your images.
Paths and roads are the most common leading lines I encounter but there are so many options – fences, trees, bridges, doorways, rivers, waves, buildings, cliffs, and more. Two of my favorite photos using leading lines are the cattails and tall grasses of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the lifting locks of Landsford Canal State Park.
4. Walk or Face Away from the Camera
Facing away from the camera gives a sense of wonder or delight about where you are. It also allows the scenery to really shine. Photos from Petrified Forest National Park and White Sands National Park below showcase the mesas and sand dunes while having my figure walk through them keeps the shots from being barren.
Actually walk – the motion created makes the photo feel real and spontaneous even when it’s not. Remember to walk slowly so the camera can focus for a clear image.
For those who want to show off your beautiful faces, you can also walk toward the camera while looking away like you are captivated by something around you.
5. Sit In Your Scene
Sitting in the scene works in almost every situation. Face forward, back to the camera, or side profile shots work depending on what is most natural and the mood you want to convey. When possible, I prefer sitting within the terrain, like at Jackson Falls, rather than sitting in front of the landscape. Sometimes you can’t move close enough to be inside the scene.
To elevate this pose and make it more dynamic, try to create as many angles as possible. Create windows between your body and limbs to make you look slimmer.
6. Interact with Your Environment
As I mentioned above, interacting and acknowledging your space feels more authentic than just posing in front of a stunning background. Open a door, grab a book in a library, lean against a wall or railing, or drink from a glass.
Standing between hoodoos in Chiricahua National Monument demonstrates how tall the hoodoos are and how the trail travels between them. I pulled a Vanna White next to a whistle post on a rail-trail to show the historic markers along the path.
7. Use a Prop
Props give you something to do with your hands and can create purpose in a static image. My most common prop is a camera – taking photos while having photos taken of me.
Other props I’ve seen are pets, hats, sunglasses, flowers, food, balloons, umbrellas, and books.
8. Wear Colors that Pop Against the Backdrop
Something as simple as the color you are wearing can breathe life into a photo. In the below shots, my bright tops draw the eye much more than green or blue would. You can also do this more subtly with a scarf, hat, jewelry, or other accessories.
9. Take One Wacky Photo When Possible
When you have the time, try to throw in a wacky movement or pose. It may feel uncomfortable, and you may not love the shot, but occasionally something you thought would look ridiculous turns into an incredible photo. These are the ones people find most interesting because they are unique.
Also, take the basic tourist shots sometimes. Add your face to a photo stand-in or pose with murals. It may be silly, but they are fun to have.
10. Frame Your Point of View
When appropriate, I like to frame shots from my point of view but still include parts of my body. This can also be good for people who are self-conscious and don’t really want their full body in photos.
My favorite POV shot was looking through the clear floor on the helicopter flight over Victoria Falls. Those are my shoes and just that little bit makes it personal to my experience.
Bonus Tips
- Create movement. Move your arms, take a step, twirl your skirt. This makes the photo seem more candid.
- Use your hands. Instead of hanging flat at your side, place them on your hip, lean against the ground/surface, hold them in front of you with elbows bent, put them in your pockets, throw them in the air, or cross your arms.
- Notice your posture. Keep your back straight, your shoulders down, and your chest open.
- Point your toes. It extends the line of your legs and makes them more graceful.
- Practice makes perfect. Your first few photos are going to be awkward no matter what. That’s ok! Keep trying and soon you’ll find what works for you and be able to snap amazing shots quickly.
- Start in uncrowded places. With no one watching, you will be more likely to try new poses. You also have the chance to take multiple different poses without a line of people waiting.
- Take a test shot. If you have someone else photographing you, try taking a test shot of the background yourself to show them how you want the zoom and framing to look.
As you’ve seen, I often incorporate multiple tips into my poses. In this photo I looked away from the camera, interacted with my environment, and utilized leading lines. What works for you may be completely different than what works for others.
Remember we are our own worst critics. At the end of the day, the most important thing to capture is the memory of a place or time you cherish. Hopefully this guide helps you improve your travel photos, but even a silly or weird photo you keep to yourself is better than having no photo at all.
If you have other pose ideas that work best for you, I’d love to hear them – drop a comment below!
Love this blog 😍 You look great in every shot. So many tips and tricks to capture the best pose while incorporating the scene! Thank you for sharing so many ideas! Bravo
Great photo advice. I gave up taking photos long ago. With this advice I’ll take my camera along on my next trip. Thank you.