If you’ve ever scrolled through a traveller’s Instagram page, you must have found yourself wondering – how do they make these images look so amazing?! The good news is, photography is a skill you can learn through practice. A walking holiday is perfect for this, filled with stunning scenery for Insta-worthy snaps! So, here are some tips and tricks:
Scout the “hero” shots in advance
During your walking holiday, you will come across hundreds of beautiful viewpoints and monuments, but there will be a few stand-out attractions. This could be anything, from a historic castle to a majestic mountain range view. When booking your trip through Orbis Ways, you will be provided an itinerary for each day, outlining the main stops you will be visiting.
For instance, if you’re walking through Ireland, you may visit the infamous ruins of Blarney Castle or the picturesque The Ring of Kerry. With this knowledge, you can look up pictures of those attractions and see which angles look the most effective, recreating them in real life.
Look for beauty everywhere
Don’t just stick to the big attractions, however. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a great photographer is able to spot incredible shots in the most unexpected of places. Perhaps you’re walking past a vibrant field of wildflowers in France, which could make for a beautiful background. Or, maybe you’re strolling through England and one of its quaint villages, filled with cobbled streets and charming cottage homes. It could literally be anything, so always keep your eye out!
Lighting and mood
One of the most important factors in photography is the lighting. Sunny days are perfect for pictures and, even better, the golden hour during sunsets can create the most magical atmosphere. Imagine yourself on a Greek walking holiday, on a pristine sandy beach, sun-kissed by a warm evening glow – is there anything more perfect?
Of course, lighting is something you can’t always control. What you can do, though, is manipulate what you have to create unique shots. For example, a rainy and gloomy day in Scotland can make its grand cities and ancient structures look super moody, in the coolest way possible!
Edit your images lightly
Using editing tools on your phone or computer is an excellent way to enhance images and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. You may adjust the contrast or exposure, to even out the lighting, as well as increase the saturation or vibrancy slightly, if the views come across too dull through the lens. You may also want to do creative edits, like turning your images black and white.
The key here, however, is to avoid over-editing. Doing too much will make your images look unrealistic and will not represent the beauty of the place you just visited accurately. Avoid using too many filters or beauty enhancers too – the point is not to have the perfect image, but to remember how perfect this moment was…
Telling a visual story
Unless you’re doing this for a living, your Instagram page is a way for you to express yourself and share your experiences with others. A walking holiday will give you plenty of opportunities to experiment with your photography style and frame your memories beautifully.
