Is Travel Photography Dying?

Hello, travel lovers. 2020 brought some unpredicted turnovers in the travel industry all around the globe. Airplanes are grounded, famous tourist spots are empty, and Instagram folk is getting hungry. Is this the end of travel as we know it? That’s for sure. But is this the end, is travel photography dying? No! It is an excellent opportunity to rediscover it and bring it back like it was before – meaningful, technically perfect, and more profound than duckface in front of the Brooklyn bridge.

What Makes Travel Photography Meaningful?

Imagine a movie with only backgrounds instead of countless plots. Would that movie be good? Probably not. Beautiful scenes, and that’s all—no characters, no action, and finally, no story. The same goes for photography. A beautiful set with fantastic sunset is nice to see, but that’s all. If you add some compositions, objects, story, action, and angles, we get excited.

What About Colors and Shades?

Alright, now we are getting a bit deeper into this dilemma. I can guarantee you that one can make a fantastic movie with only backgrounds. But that person is making movies for a long time, has developed skills, and can jump into the medium’s artistic side. 

Travel photography can be meaningful only because of its colors and shades. But to achieve that, you will need some experience, and that is alright. We are all practicing for the whole of our life.

Why Will Travel Photography get Better?

Bring yourself back into the era of colonization. Traveling abroad was more privilege than a holiday. And if you were lucky enough to have and understand the camera, you put a hell of an effort to take a good shot. So, are we going back to traveling privilege? Yes and no. Who says you can’t do travel photography in your hometown?

There are more factors to support this statement. Instagram shots will decline, professional photos will be more accessible than ever, and technology makes everything easier. Ten years back, one would call you crazy if you use only your phone for professional photography. Today, we are only a step away from living this a reality. Not only a device itself but AI and algorithms are getting better and better.

Covid-19 Has Killed My Travel Photography Enthusiasm

Like it killed almost every other business, hobby, and interest in these times. The world is changed and is very different than it was a year ago. Now it is on us how we will adapt, overcome, and improve or spiral in excuses, melancholy, or even desperation. No matter what, you should show some compassion and understand the bigger picture. People are getting hungry and ill, so don’t cry about lack of travel. You still have your camera, skills, and opportunities. Probably, people who provide tourism are in a much worse position right now. Just imagine restaurants, bars, and street vendors; their livelihood is at risk!

And again, even they can change. There is a pizza place whose owner is using an oven for making plastic masks now. Will he survive? Yes, because of adaptation. In a few years, he may be back to pizzas in the same oven, but that is a different problem. Don’t take this situation as an all bad situation, but rather as a new opportunity. Some would probably kill right now to be in your hometown, even though they might have the Eiffel tower in behind their view. The grass is always greener on the other side.

Bring Travel Photography Closer To You

You know the saying, “Photographers in Hong Kong, making night photography when raining is like cheating in real life.” But I bet you have something just as great around you in your country. Use lockdown and get to know your backyard. You will be surprised what you’ll discover, and when you do make use of this advantage. Go there every week at different times of the day, exploit given conditions. You will see how different the photos will be, and one shot will stand out from all others. You might get a f***** unicorn!

Opportunities Everywhere

Alright, you have these exciting photos. Now what? This epidemy is not affecting only you but probably more prominent players as well. CNN can’t just send their photographer to your country for some photo reportage. And I can assure you; they still crave material for their story. Maybe even more now than ever, so who knows, perhaps you are the one who might have what they need.

Moral of This Story

The moral of this article is “Never give up!”. Life at this moment might look confused and the future uncertain. But was it ever different? No! It is on us how we will surf on these changes. Catch the wave, boys, and try to make things better. Put something else in the first place instead of yourself. I started with nature, the environment and wildlife.