Travel photography is one of the newest niches out there. Partially it’s because travel has become so effortless. Whether it’s budget airlines or simply the fact that almost everyone owns a car these days there’s all sorts of opportunities out there. Everyone snaps holiday pictures but do people actually pay money for that?
Can You Make It?
Defining whether something is a “good move” means figuring out if you’ve got what it takes to do the job. Travel photography often means long hours on planes, jet lag, and a hard life on your equipment depending on where you’re traveling to. Being both flexible and versatile is essential. You could be looking at any number of tropical diseases, and being a crime victim for having expensive camera equipment visible. Travel photography might seem glamorous, but it can be tiring and dangerous too.
It Pays
Whether you’re selling stock images, travel guide images, or wall art people love seeing exotic places. Travel photography can be as simple as going to X hotel and taking pictures, but if you’re working for one of the big chains, you could be talking thousands with your expenses paid. While there are different levels like any niche top level travel photographers, make a lot of money just from a single image, and if you can get sponsored by a camera brand, you can also get equipment on their dime too.
N.B Not all travel photographers make good money. A lot of time those who do travel photography also practice something else too like wedding photography which works together with their travel schedule.
You Can Travel
This one seems rather obvious, but it’s amazing how many people would love to travel “if only I had the money.” Whose to say that traveling and working are exclusive? There’s no reason why you can’t do both while having a career in travel photography. While traveling, you get to see different countries, experience different cultures, and broaden your horizons beyond the four walls at home. Travel photography is an opportunity so see the world and do something you enjoy. It doesn’t even have to be to the big “famous” locations as often it’s off the beaten track that you’ll get less generic images that people haven’t seen.
It Covers All Genres
Everyone has the “thing” they enjoy taking pictures of. Whether it’s landscapes, people, rivers, skyscrapers, foods there is something for every type of photographer. Travel photography is a niche, but it’s probably the widest niche out there because there’s simply so much going on. The benefit of travel photography is that you can do more than one type of image so there’s no way you’ll ever get bored with a subject that changes constantly.
More than Photography
Travel photography doesn’t just cover taking pictures. Most travel photographers run blogs, and act as travel guides offering their services for photography themed tours of areas they know well. This means you just have to be a professional photographer and technically you wouldn’t even need to travel if you offer those tours for tourists locally.
This also means that travel photography can be done from home, and you’ll get to meet people. If you love your town and the concept of travel photography (photo editing company) appeals to you, just not the actual travel, then you can still take this as a career.
Conclusion
Still, want to be a travel photographer? With the wanderlust many of the younger generation experience it seems like travel photography is an ideal way of indulging the need for a fulfilling career and for seeing the world together. While it’s possible to make money in the career only a few really do so it’s good to be versatile if you’re considering this job.
