Do you have what it takes to become a travel photographer? Pulse travel has reached out to experts who share their tips and advice.
There’s more to being a travel photographer than being armed with a camera and a plane ticket.
Getting up at 4 o’clock to catch the perfect sunrise over a cave, carrying a camera that’s heavier than four backpacks, skipping meals in the quest for a great hot and missing out on the travel experience because you’re too busy taking photos, are just a few of the downsides.
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Do you have what it takes?
Loving travel and having an eye for details is really not enough. A great travel photographer needs patience, both in waiting for that perfect shot and in terms of your career.
Note: You’re unlikely to make it overnight.
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1. You need the stamina to cope with crazy schedules and tiring days.
2. You need a business brain to sell your work successfully
3. You need to be creative and come up with new angles to stand out from the crowd.
4. Lastly, you need to have the right equipment!
What work is there?
Advertising industries pay the highest in Africa. You could earn thousands if your images are used in a high-profile campaign. However, this work is hard to come by and only available to those who have a great portfolio.
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Also remember that books, magazines, newspapers, calendars, cards and websites all need travel images. Having an area of expertise will help you to sell shots too.
The easiest route is to build up a portfolio of travel photography and approach an image library – an organisation that holds thousands of images by hundreds of photographers, which publications can search through.
Libraries will also take a cut of the money you make from selling your images. Another approach is to enter travel photography competitions.
Fuad Lawal, travel photographer says having a website is also important. This doesn't mean you shouldn't show off your work on Instagram and Facebook, but do ensure you have a good, easy to use website too.
This website should have some of your best work, any specialities, and awards/competitions you have won, and your contact details.
What makes good travel photography?
"Good travel photography captures the essential moments of a trip or vacation. When moments like those are caught it's possible to tell the story of a trip by simply posting or displaying such pictures," says photographer Idoko Negedu.
But a pretty picture is also not enough. It needs to be high quality and it needs to be original. For magazines, you need to consider issues such as leaving space on the image for word placement, positioning your subject off-centre so it doesn’t fall down the page and possibly placing the subject on the right-hand side of a landscape shot for maximum impact.
"Wildlife photos are best taken with a good quality DSLR camera and telephoto lens. It' important for every aspiring photographer to learn the basics of photography - ISO, aperture and shutter speed," Negedu adds.
Your images also need to help tell the story. An image can be stunning but if it has no relevance to the text it will be discarded. The image has to fit the brief.
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How to get a job
1. Be committed
Like any job for which competition is tough, you have to stick with it. “The only way to make a living from travel photography is if you make it a full-time job,” says Richard I’Anson, travel photographer and founder of Lonely Planet Images.
2. Don’t undersell yourself
If clients are buying your work they should pay the going rate. For example: Don’t give pictures away in return for something. It’s much harder to charge once you’ve set a precedent like that.
3.Be objective
Try to see your work through the eyes of potential clients.
4. Be original and find a speciality
There are hundreds of perfect shots of the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge. What will make yours stand out? Carving a niche for yourself might make it easier to make a name for yourself.
5. Hone your skills
There's nothing like too much training. Get your photography to a high standard, both technically and creatively, before you head off on an expensive trip.
6. Get the gear
With camera equipment, you get what you pay for – and it’s expensive. The minimum you’ll need is a digital SLR with a high-quality lens.