What’s Trending in Travel Photography: 7 Latest Tendencies to Consider

Last Updated on July 24, 2024 by Paola Castillo

In today’s fast-evolving world of photography, staying up-to-date with the latest trends is crucial. Besides, as a travel photographer, striking the right balance between your artistic vision and meeting the demands of your audience can lead to a successful and fulfilling creative career. Do you want to stand out among the competition, connect with viewers, and boost your portfolio’s appeal? 

This article delves into seven travel photography trends, providing insights, examples, and practical tips to help you create high-quality visuals that will draw attention. Keep on reading!

New trends in travel photography

1. Sustainability and eco-awareness

This trend is about emphasizing the importance of taking care of our planet. Through your photos, you can show the beauty of nature, but also bring attention to environmental and other eco-related issues, such as climate change, pollution, deforestation, urban sprawl, etc. Imagine capturing stunning landscapes while sharing messages about conserving nature and protecting wildlife.

2. Aerial photography

Aerial travel photography uses drones to capture photos from high above. With the tool’s help, you can capture stunning aerial views, revealing colorful landscapes or packed cityscapes. You get to look at the world and capture it from a new perspective—seeing mountains, cities, and oceans like birds in the sky do.

3. Authenticity

The trend for extensive photo editing is slowly ending in many creative niches, including travel photography. As this type of photography often focuses on capturing nature and unique cultures and traditions, it’s great to show them as they are. Authenticity doesn’t forbid editing, but it’s about making the result look natural. 

4. Film photography

Film photography is not the easiest to work with. Still, it stands as a nostalgic reminder of the past, offering a unique and authentic quality that can’t be replicated with modern cameras. This travel photography trend can help you make your pictures look more original and old-school. It can also add a layer of visual appeal, especially to images portraying old buildings and historical places. 

5. Mobile photography

As smartphones become more advanced, photographers use them to capture spontaneous moments on their journeys. After all, a smartphone is always with you and easy to reach. This allows you to seize an opportunity to take pictures of your surroundings, whether it’s a stunning sunset, a vibrant street scene, a colorful market, or a candid portrait. Moreover, sharing results on social media platforms can help you get recognition as a travel photographer and blogger. 

6. Stories behind portraits

You can capture the emotions and stories of the people you meet during your journeys in portraits. For instance, take a picture of a street performer laughing or a craftsman focused on their work. These visuals can transcend language barriers, convey the essence of a place, the diversity of its inhabitants, and the unique moments that define a culture. 

7. Local immersion

Instead of just taking pictures of famous landmarks, capture everyday life, local traditions, and delicious food. For example, you can focus on photographing people celebrating Christmas around the world, showing how traditional Christmas colors, dishes, and other holiday attributes differ across nations and cultures. 

What stock photos are in demand these days? 

Stock photos are ready-made visuals uploaded to online stock content platforms; they are available to the public under specific licensing conditions. These images can cover various topics and styles, including travel themes. 

For aspiring creators, photo stocks can become a starting point for getting income from selling pictures online and gaining recognition. Some stock websites allow adding information like social media accounts to your contributor profile. Generally, you must be over 18, be the author of the visuals, and pass a brief test to become a stock photo contributor. To ensure your pictures get into trendy collections and sell well, check out the latest travel stock photo trends. 

1. Remote and isolated destinations

These are photos of faraway places that might not be on everyone’s travel list. For instance, you can capture the beauty of a hidden island or a quiet mountain village. These stock photos are in demand because they are rare and potentially difficult to obtain. Travel and tourism businesses often seek appealing images to promote off-the-beaten-path locations, while outdoor and adventure brands require rugged landscapes for their marketing materials. 

2. Outdoor activities

Customers like seeing images of people spending quality time outdoors. Therefore, stock photos showing people hiking, kayaking, or enjoying nature are also trending. They demonstrate adventurous moments that can encourage others to step outside and try new things. Be it a picture of a surfer riding a wave or a photograph portraying a group of people running during golden hour, these visuals capture thrill and can become a source of inspiration.

3. Digital nomad lifestyle

A digital nomad is a person who works while traveling. This lifestyle appeals to many people, and companies often embrace it to cultivate a flexible work environment. You can shoot a series of photos depicting people working on their laptops in cozy cafes, co-working spaces, or even by the beach. 

4. Wellness and relaxation

From a person doing yoga on a peaceful morning beach to someone meditating in a serene garden, these photos create a sense of tranquility and promote well-being. To contribute to a relaxed atmosphere, pick calm and matching color combinations. Consider using complementary gold colors, such as gentle blues, calming greens, and muted pastels that evoke a sense of harmony and balance, enhance the overall ambiance, and encourage viewers to take a moment for mindfulness. 

5. Family travel

Such photos capture families exploring new places together—parents and kids bonding while browsing museums, walking through colorful markets, or hiking. These images convey a sense of joy in traveling with loved ones, depicting moments of togetherness, laughter, and shared discoveries. Pursuing this photography direction, you can cater to the travel and tourism industry and those focused on family-oriented products and services.

To sum up

Discovering and following trends in the photography industry helps you understand your audience’s wants and needs. It also allows you to take relevant and highly demanded pictures. Whether it’s capturing the fragility of our planet, embracing film photography, or telling stories through portraits, each trend offers a unique way to showcase the world’s beauty and diversity. So, if you’re a travel photographer looking to make your mark, consider these seven trends to navigate the exciting and creative landscape of travel photography.