P#9 Q6A: What Are Brenda's Secrets For Dramatic Travel Photos?

Seek And You Shall Find

Brenda Tharp: Oftentimes, in terms of capturing the mood of a place, the light makes all the difference. One of my secrets is that I really work those morning and late afternoon or evening hours and try and get shots that are pretty and interesting because of the light.

I have a picture that's on my website of the Ponto Vecchio Bridge. It was dramatic because it was made at twilight. I got that rich cobalt blue of the dusk sky. All the artificial lights on the bridge and all the promenades along the river were all lit up. All that is reflecting.

Those kinds of things are special. They go beyond the regular photo. I think working those hours of the day is one of the secrets to getting really dramatic and interesting travel photos.

Photographing From High Up

I also suggest trying to get elevated perspectives or points of view. Whenever I travel, I look for hilltops and overlooks. I look for towers, or maybe the top of a hotel. A lot of hotels have rooftop gardens. They are great places to get what I call an aerial perspective.

They provide a viewpoint. With your 75 to 300mm lens, you can be picking out details of the scene from a bird's-eye perspective. Those are photos that not everyone is going to have. Most people don't take the time to find out there's a spectacular viewpoint in the middle of a Swiss village that offers a stunning view of the Alps.

You really have to ask questions when you get to a location. I usually go into some of the local card and postcard shops. I'll look at the postcards and ask, "Where was this shot? How do I get to this location?"

You just start researching it a little bit and it really makes a difference.

In conclusion

If you want dramatic travel photos that take a person's breath away, it's about getting the right combination of light and view. By seeking out unique vantage points and combining them with proper lighting, you can get the travel photos that dreams are made of.