4 Reasons Why Travel Photography Is So Rewarding (Yes, It’s as Amazing as It Looks)

Posted on Aug 28th, 2022.

You see us on social media. You see the amazing places and the beautiful photos you like, share, and save as your wallpaper, and you’re envious of adventures that appear out of this world. But it can’t be all that it’s cracked up to be, right? There has to be a catch.

Nope, no catch. Travel photography is amazing. Yes, it has its negatives and stresses like anything in this world, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. I truly believe it is one of the most rewarding things you can do, and it develops you, not just creatively, but personally and professionally. Here are four reasons why you should pick up a camera, book your first flight and give get started with travel photography a try.

Reason #1: You get to capture Earth’s most beautiful places and moments

This might seem like an obvious one, but I’m reminded every day I do travel photography of just how I lucky I am. Some of the places you see will blow your mind and humble you to your core. Nothing beats rounding the corner or reaching the end of the road and you’re staring at a place you’ve dreamed about shooting for years. That photo you saw on the internet becomes a memory in your mind and a frame in your camera that you will always take with you.

I just recently experienced a moment like this at Samuel Boardman Scenic Corridor, right outside of Brookings, Oregon. I had wanted to visit this special place for years, but the moment became surreal as I hiked down the steep coastal trail and those massive sea arches came into view. They took my breath away. Stepping out onto one of the arch ridges to set up my camera, I realized the immense scale of the arches and formations that the ocean carved. Sometimes realizing how small you are can be big for your personal growth.

If you think about it, you are capturing a moment of the Earth’s history in the place you are shooting. Each day is unique. You may take a photo that can never be replicated, and you have ownership of that historical piece of art. Not only do you get to experience these beautiful places. You get to capture a little bit of history when you do.

Reason #2: You will develop a deep love and respect for this planet

I think it’s very easy to take this world for granted. It’s not like we try to, but we never take the time to get out there and see the world outside of our cities and busy routine. I even grew up with parents, grandparents, and mentors that taught me to protect and respect our world, but I never fully understood the importance of those lessons until I started going out and fully absorbing myself in this magical planet by photographing it.

When you travel often and your itinerary is full of places that make you step back in awe, you will fall in love quickly. You also will realize how many of our protected places are in serious danger of overuse and overconsumption.

I remember talking to a ranger on one of my visits to Glacier National Park in Montana, and he informed me that by 2050, the park will have to be renamed, since all glaciers in the park will have melted and only bare mountain passes will remain. That hit me hard. I don’t want to be the last generation to see and photograph a place before it dies and or loses its unique identity. I want generations after mine to be to be inspired and fall in love with this planet, like I did.

To photograph well, you have to spend a lot of time with your subject. When you spend a lot of time with the planet, you will fall deeply in love with it and want to protect and respect it. This is probably the reason I love travel photography so much, because it has made me much more responsible as a human being in how I interact, photograph, and play in the planet I call home.

Reason #3: You Will Learn About Patience and Flexibility

This is another area of personal growth that travel photography helped me strengthen. As a millennial who is a dreamer, creative, and photographer, I have grown up in an age where information is readily available. I think younger people have been fed a lie by social media and the internet that success happen fast. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

Most of the time, perseverance and patience is key to achieving great things. The same goes for photography. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve waited upwards of an hour for a single shot. I’ve had the most brilliant sunrises light up from an overcast, cloudy morning. I’ve had to be at a shot location for days because of rain, snow, or inclement weather, but after the storm passes, I got an even better picture than I had imagined. My of my prized photos took serious patience. Earlier on in my career, I would have packed up and hit the road if the conditions weren’t perfect right off the bat. Now I wait. And it’s well worth it.

Another lesson you learn is about flexibility. You will have flights that are delayed or cancelled. You will have cars that break down or get a flat tire. You will have setbacks, or even worse, the entire time you are at your location, the weather and conditions are plain awful to shoot. Always be flexible, never hold on to a schedule or itinerary, and play the cards you are dealt. Some of my best shots have been in inclement weather or after an unfortunate mishap. Those moments teach you how to shoot quickly and creatively, and will make you a better photographer.

Reason #4: You’ll never run out of places to see and shoot

This is the most amazing, yet frustrating lesson from travel photography that makes it so rewarding. You can spend your entire life photographing our planet and not even scratch the surface of what you can see and shoot. My current destination bucket list is several pages long, and that’s summarized. Then you’ll go to a place, fall in love with it, and want to keep coming back and photographing it in every season, and you’ll want to balance your favorite spots with new locations. It’s the most beautiful dilemma you could ever have: too many beautiful places, too little time. So take every opportunity you can to see and photograph all you can. Don’t get overwhelmed, just plan and start today.

It’s been two years since I picked up my camera and began my travel photography journey, but it has been one of the most rewarding experience of my life. There’s no catch. If you need validation that it’s amazing, I can tell you it is. Travel photography has allowed me to photograph this world’s most beautiful places and moments, made me develop a deep love and respect for our planet, taught me patience and flexibility, and given me the opportunity to never run out of amazing destinations to shoot. It is one of my biggest passions, and I can truly say I love what I do.

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