Traveling is one of most rewarding things a person can experience. Venturing into a new place can be exhilarating. A lot of new experience and memories can be obtained from this adventure. Whether you’re alone or with somebody, traveling is a good way to experience more with life.

And with the advent of cheap but good quality cameras, a better way to spend your travel is to take pictures of the trip. Whether you are already a photographer or just starting out, it is always a good idea to bring a camera with you. This way you could easily reminisce by just looking at the pictures. And you also improve on your craft.

Here are a couple of travel photography tips.

1. Bring only what is necessary. A lot of people like to bring all the things they think they need. Bringing a lot of extra clothes, insisting on bringing the shaver or your lucky mug, all these things add extra bulk that you won’t really need. The same goes for your camera. If you have a lot of gear, bring only the essential. A single lens, a flash and a couple of extra batteries would do. Of course, don’t forget your camera and a lot of storage space.

2. Choosing a lens to bring can be hard. This is why walk-around lenses were invented. The 18-200mm would do good as long as there is decent light. But if you have a faster zoom lens, better bring that instead. A 17-50mm 2.8 or a 24-70mm 2.8 is perfect already. The wide opening allows for more light and more drama. You won’t really miss the 200mm unless you plan on shooting very far.

3. It can be intimidating to shoot at a new environment at first. You’re not sure if you’re even allowed to take pictures in that area. A good starting point is by asking around. People should be kind enough to help you since you’re a tourist. You can also do your homework by researching the area first and knowing where and when to shoot.

4. People are generally helpful toward tourists but it is always safe to be cautious. Your camera will definitely attract attention so take extra care. You can always insure them if you like.

5. After your travel, look at the pictures. Print some of them and frame it. Show it to your friends. This way you can share your experience with them too. A lot of digital pictures tend to stay digital forever. During the days of film, every film was developed. But now, printing pictures is getting rare. So make that digital file into a physical entity. The feeling of holding your photograph is so much rewarding compared to looking at a picture in your monitor.