When we say "Travel Photography" - what does that really mean? As a former National Geographic photographer, traveling and shooting in over 30 countries during my 20 years working with Geographic, I've learned that great photography requires more than common travel - it requires a greater and more challenging sense of voyaging. Great photography happens only when one truly voyages to destinations and immerse themselves into the culture. Great photography takes time, effort and a willingness to "lose yourself" in the culture, language and customs of the place you are shooting. I like to quote the Arabic saying "Voyaging is victory!"

Travel Photography with Tony

There’s an Arabic saying that has been my guiding light in all my photographic travels throughout the world –    “الرحلةهوتحقيقالنصر.”  - Voyaging is Victory.  I learned quickly while shooting for National Geographic Magazine that “getting the photo” was not so much simply traveling to a destination and taking pictures, as it was voyaging through unchartered (and sometimes dangerous ) waters  teaming with new  and strange places, people, languages, and cultural oddities while telling a story with unique and captivating images.

Travel photography is what you do when you go on vacation and enjoy the local scenery and maybe collect some snapshots or postcards of your trip; voyaging is what you do when you find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings and challenge yourself to make visual sense of your experience in a concise, and understandable manner which results in a series of photographs that tell a compelling story. 

Great photography – whether traveling or not – is a visual voyage that requires planning, a goal, a desire to experience new and sometimes difficult and challenging conditions, dedication, and above all, the ability to take risks. Think of yourself as Ulysses with a Camera!

But even Ulysses had to prepare for his famous voyage, and so must we – the voyager with a camera!  How does one voyage with his or her camera and return home with a personal, fascinating, and captivating collection of images that tell a story, rather than the “normal” tourist snapshots?

In the following months, I will offer helpful insights, tips & tricks, and a common-sense plan that each of you can follow to insure the best results possible in your travel photography.  To some, much of what I have to offer may be “old hat” – to others, something new.  Take what you can from these, insights, strategies, and musing and discover for yourself what is most helpful.  Additionally, to break up the monotony, I will share some of my more exciting voyages while photographing around the world both with National Geographic and on my own, with insights into some lessons I learned along the way.

I look forward to your comments and questions while we take this visual voyage together.

Tony Boccaccio, Director
www.Photo-Adventurer.com
tony@photo-adventurer.com

About Anthony Boccaccio

Anthony Boccaccio is the current Director of Photo Adventurer and a former National Geographic photographer. He manages 36 photographers in 20 countries across 5 continents and has photographed in almost every one of the cities where Photo Adventurer operates. Anthony stays in touch with each of the photographers and works with them continuously to improve their tours.