{"id":106378,"date":"2024-11-06T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=106378"},"modified":"2024-10-11T10:40:26","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T14:40:26","slug":"how-to-prepare-for-solo-travel-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/how-to-prepare-for-solo-travel-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prepare for Solo Travel Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Solo travel is spiking in popularity, with Pinterest searches for the topic spiking by 145 percent this year<\/a>. As a full-time travel writer and photographer, I\u2019m often part of the \u201cparty of one\u201d club myself, and I can\u2019t recommend solo jet-setting enough\u2014particularly for photographers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traveling solo as a photographer grants you the ultimate creative freedom. You can wake up as early as you like, stay up photographing the stars without any complaints, and map your own itinerary and route, with no pressure to meet anyone else\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chasing your own curiosities, or wandering by the direction of your photographic eye, is such a treat. It\u2019s why I plan at least a few solo travel photography trips<\/a> every year. But, like anything, it does come with its own set of challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, I\u2019ll help you understand how to travel solo as a photographer, including how to plan that first trip, how to make a living off of it, how to fuel your creativity on the road, and great destinations for solo travel creators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How get started as a solo travel photographer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Drone
Photo by Stephanie Vermillion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Plan your trip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The easiest way to become a solo travel photographer is to, well, travel alone and take photos! Start with an easy and comfortable destination, such as a country you\u2019ve visited before, or a fresh destination in your home country (it\u2019s less stressful if you\u2019re around people who speak the same language).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of simply arriving and hoping the photos will find you, do some pre-trip research to help plot your itinerary. While you should build in some fun, remember, you\u2019re here to photograph, so deep dive into locations you want to capture (specifically by time of day), and consider the type of photography you\u2019re hoping to focus on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want landscape visuals<\/a>, choose a jaw-dropping destination to have the pick of the litter. If you\u2019re more into journalistic imagery<\/a>, try to find a unique story within the destination and reach out to people you may want to interview and photograph ahead of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Solo
Photo by Stephanie Vermillion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once you have the project in mind, and a trip built to support it, create a shot list to make sure you photograph everything you\u2019re seeking. This will help you determine the timing for your photo stops and the logistics\u2014are you getting there by rental car? Public transportation? Mapping these key details ahead of time will save you stress in the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pack strategically<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, traveling as a solo photographer means you\u2019re carrying all your own gear. That\u2019s why I try to pack light whenever possible\u2014especially because my trips often have me backpacking or hiking for miles upon miles. Use your shot list<\/a> to consider which lenses<\/a> you need and don\u2019t need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re mostly road-tripping and have a safe place to store bigger lenses when not in use, great\u2014bring all you want. If you\u2019re carrying your kit on your back the entire time, get very honest with yourself about what you actually need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m often photographing the night sky<\/a> or northern lights on my solo trips; that means that, in addition to my cameras and lenses, I always bring at least one full tripod, plus a smaller Joby GorillaPod<\/a>. Let me tell you: this gets heavy. That\u2019s why I build resistance training, core strengthening, and weight lifting into my weekly workout routine. I would not have been able to, say, lug an over 50-pound pack for five undulating miles in rugged and mountainous South Greenland without strength training, so I highly recommend picking up strategic exercise if you\u2019re planning backcountry pursuits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Photo by Stephanie Vermillion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another important thing to consider is your backpack. I\u2019ve research countless packs to meet my outdoor adventure storytelling needs, and finally landed on one that works exceptionally well for solo travel photography: the Shimoda Explore V2<\/a>. It\u2019s built for long days on the go, with an easy-to-access back panel for stashing cameras, as well as a handy iPhone holder on the shoulder strap so I can quickly alternate between photographing and checking my Google Maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow your creativity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Arguably the greatest thing about traveling solo as a photographer is having the flexibility to chase and log your curiosities. Yes, follow your shot list and make sure to prioritize the must-have shots\u2014the images your trip won\u2019t be complete without\u2014but also build in a few days of buffer, particularly in scenic places, to let yourself find creative stimulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This summer, for example, I took my film camera<\/a> on a trip to Paris and gave myself the challenge<\/a> of spending the entire day wandering side streets to fill a new film roll. It not only presented me an entirely new side of Paris, but I felt this renewed sense of creativity\u2014like I was seeing the world differently\u2014and I think letting yourself experiment without judgment (especially on film) can help you hone your craft as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sell your work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Solo
Photo by Stephanie Vermillion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Like photography, travel is not a low-cost hobby. If you hope to keep solo traveling as a photographer, you\u2019ll likely want to find a way to sell your images<\/a>. For that, you have a few options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, you could sell prints from your trips either online or at an art show. If you\u2019re selling them online, having a social media presence, or some SEO savvy, could greatly help your cause. If you\u2019re hoping to sell your work at an art show, do some research on home design to see which types of prints are selling well right now and tailor your work accordingly. (This doesn\u2019t mean that\u2019s all you photograph\u2014you can still get creative\u2014but to make money, you have to think like businessperson and create the kind of work that sells.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, you could try to sell your work to magazines or digital publications. This is how I often make money off of my images. I\u2019m a travel journalist, so I take my cameras on every trip to capture visuals that help bring the story to life. This way, I can make a living off of storytelling by selling both my words and my photo work, and even sometimes films. You could also work to gain a following and go the content creator route<\/a>\u2014although note that it does take time and patience\u2014or try to sell your imagery to tourism boards or brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My favorite solo photography gear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course, the gear you bring on your trips will depend on the system you\u2019ve invested in\u2014I\u2019m a Sony Alpha user, for example\u2014but I do have some general advice when it comes to solo travel photography gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Photo by Stephanie Vermillion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n