Travel Photographer

Have you ever seen the moon rise in Paris, or the sun set in Beijing? Have you watched kids play in Africa, or fish swim off the coast of the Galapagos Islands? For most people, the answer is a disappointed, “No.” When you’re a Travel Photographer, however, the answer is a proud and resounding, “Yes, of course!”

That’s because your job as a Travel Photographer is traveling to places and photographing them in new and unusual ways. Typically a freelancer, you’re kind of like a Stylist, and your destination is the Model: She wants to look her best, and it’s up to you to dress her up and present her in her finest garb.

With that in mind, your goal as a Travel Photographer is taking photographs that you can sell to book publishers, magazines, websites, Chambers of Commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, government agencies, travel companies, hotels, tourist attractions, etc. — all of which use photographs to market, promote, and publicize their destinations to travelers, tourists, and potential visitors, using them, for example, in brochures, postcards, posters, guidebooks, and advertisements.

Although you might be commissioned to take photos, in which case you’ll probably be sent on an all-expenses paid work trip, you typically must travel on your own dime to take these photographs, then reimburse yourself later. As a result, taking photographs is only a small part of your job. The other, much larger part is marketing and selling them to buyers. (Admittedly, selling the Great Pyramid of Giza isn’t nearly as fun as photographing it, but it’s a small price to pay for the view!)