Trips

7 tips for great road trip photos

Want to capture the magic and majesty of a road trip? Follow this simple advice from a pro photographer…

Steve Davey

21 July 2015

The journey is often more important than the destination – especially on road trips. Capturing that on a memory card can be a challenge though, so here’s how to make sure that your road trip doesn’t end up being a series of disconnected, blurry pictures.

Firstly, try to look for that classic establishing shot, that sums up the journey. This might be a desert road stretching into the distance, or a track snaking down a mountainside. This should say what the essence of the road-trip experience means for you.

A big part of the journey will be the local life by the side of the road. Fuel stations, food stalls, roadside temples and even road crews can all make fantastic subjects, as well as the people who just live by the road side.

If I’m driving myself, I leave a rucksack-style camera bag on the passenger seat, where I can easily get to it (you’ll usually have to seatbelt it in). I also have a camera and mid-range zoom ready at all times. I loop the strap around the passenger seat headrest for safety. An unsecured camera will inevitably end up flying onto the ground or – worse – causing an accident.

1. Keep a look out for bizarre signs

These can create an amusing pic or even pass as social comment. Try to photograph them in context, showing the rest of the road in the frame to give an idea of the sign’s connection to the road.

2. Don’t forget the scenic route

3. Make time to meet people

The danger of being vehicle-bound is that you can be cut off from the locals. Make time to meet and snap people who live, work or even travel down your chosen road. This will give your pictures a greater human dimension.

4. Create a sense of place

When photographing the road, try to include something characteristic to give a sense of place. This might be an iconic car, a local flag or a road sign.

5. Find something meaningful to you

6. Shoot fast

When shooting from a moving vehicle use as fast a shutter speed as possible to avoid camera shake, as well as using a continuous focus mode. Photographing things further away will minimise the effect of motion blur.

7. Keep it stable

Some lenses have vibration reduction systems built in. These can also reduce camera shake from moving vehicles. Look for the initials ‘VR’ on a Nikon lens or ‘IS’ (Image Stabilisation) on a Canon.