Taking pictures that more fully convey the location’s atmosphere is essential if you like travelling and bringing back photos of the places you’ve been. Working from a carefully considered and well-organised shot list is the most excellent way to guarantee this in your albums. Not only does it help you create a checklist, but you also don’t worry about figuring out the perfect subject or angle on the spot. Our photography studio in Singapore would like to share a bunch of tips that help you take gorgeous scenic shots while on holiday.

From creating a shot list to scouting for locations and events online, there are many things to prepare beforehand to make the most out of a trip and get the best shots. But today, we’ll be looking at some of the different things we can look out for in our photography to give variance and inspiration for the other things we can look out for a while overseas.

ARCHITECTURE

One of the most distinct differences between countries is the architecture and design differences. Rather than shooting for just human subjects, you can include architecture in your framing and shots to feature the architecture you see along the way. Be it the streets’ layout, the buildings’ visual identity or even the colours used, different cities and towns have an identity to call their own.

EVERYDAY LIFE

While modernisation has created a lot of evenness when it comes to individuals’ daily lives and rituals, showing how locals live their lives or go about their daily routine can lend a unique perspective to your shots. Locals of rural settlements often have their customs and practices that can lend a great picture to your curated travel album. Those that travel to Asian countries can capture the common folk in their prayers at temples or catch a shot of those hunting wildlife for their meat and stores. Immerse yourself into local happenings, and you’ll take an introspective look into the lives of those from another world.

LANDSCAPES

While not every country is known for their landscape, those who know how to look out for picturesque shots don’t just need to observe dazzling sights or marvellous lights. Capturing a country’s unique landscapes (or cityscapes in modernised cities) often means capturing the views you can only find in the places you’re in.

NATIVE CLOTHING

While modern people often call their dressings ‘fashion’, there still lay many cultural dressings donned for traditional or formal occasions. While this might be more common in some countries (you might need to have special arrangements or attend certain ceremonies to see the traditional garb in others), this is undoubtedly a great visual signifier of another person’s culture and heritage. Not all country has an official dressing, but from the western cowboy look of those living on ranches to the traditional attire of those who live in rural towns in the Asian region or even the unique look of those who stay in the middle-eastern region, capturing the clothing of those that live in different regions across the world do yield a vast visual contrast.

STORYTELLING

They say an image speaks a thousand words, and one of the most important parts of capturing unforgettable moments is its intent and the photo’s story. While the audience might not know the entire story, witnessing the emotions seen in the picture or an action can often allow viewers to fill in the blanks with their minds. Is the person doing something meaningful? Or can you see the subjects’ emotions that hint at a more profound meaning during a special moment shared?

Conclusion

While all this advice might not apply in all settings, some generally add another layer of detail to your pictures. No matter where you go, the focus of photography is often the subject, which can be a location, a person, or the story behind the things they are doing. Even if for a wedding photoshoot or a ‘simple’ casual visual documentation of your travels, you can add those aspects to create an incredible visual tale for others to see.

This is something that Firefly Photography, a photography studio in Singapore, has incorporated into how we shoot our shots for our friends and family. Whether you need tips to pose during a photo shoot or the best places to capture a particular album, we are the right studio for you for what you have in mind.