Thanks for joining today’s session on storytelling through travel photography! We explored how to use your camera and simple composition techniques to turn everyday scenes into memorable images.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Know Your Camera

Spend time with your camera before a trip. Learn how to adjust aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance (auto WB is fine). A camera with interchangeable lenses is helpful, but your eye, not the price tag, makes the photo.

Mind Your Settings

Keep ISO low to avoid grain, choose aperture for the scene (wide for blurry backgrounds, narrow for sharp landscapes), and use a fast shutter speed for moving subjects. Review settings often so surprises don’t ruin once-in-a-lifetime shots.

Compose with Intention

Use framing (doors, arches, trees), symmetry, and leading lines (roads, paths) to guide the viewer’s eye. Try layering (foreground, middle, background) and include a foreground subject, like a travel companion, to add depth.

Change Your Point of View

Don’t settle for one angle. Crouch low, step higher, move left or right, zoom in tight, then step back wide. Take multiple versions; later you can choose the strongest story.

Use Helpful Tools (Tripod!)

A lightweight travel tripod steadies night scenes, silky water, and long exposures and frees you to refine composition instead of fighting camera shake.

Learn the “Rules,” Then Play

Once you’re comfortable, experiment—place subjects in the center, break patterns, or bend the rules to serve your story. Remember Ansel Adams’ idea: you don’t “take” a photograph, you “make” it.

Plan, Practice, Reflect

Before pressing the shutter, pause: What story am I telling? Set exposure for that story, shoot several options, and review later to see what worked and why.

Next step: Pick a familiar place (a park or your neighborhood). In one short walk, make five photos that each highlight a different technique: framing, leading lines, symmetry, foreground interest, and a low-angle shot. Review them and note which settings and compositions best told your story.