Travel Writers’ Guide to Creating Quality Photographs and Other Illustrations
 

Have you ever seen a travel article without pictures? Do you think a travel article or feature without pictures will bring big cash rewards for you? If you do then travel writing may not be your forte, but if you do agree a picture is worth a thousand words then the following tips will help you make a good living as a travel writers.

* Read as much as you can before you go so you know the best places to go for quality illustrations. Get information from tourist boards and travel agents. This way, you’ll know the type and style of pictures the travel trade prefers; you can then supply them accordingly. Look out for unusual places, interesting events, popular myths, and so on.

* Check your photographic equipment before you go. It’s no fun finding out your camera is faulty once you arrive at your destination; even less so when you don’t discover the fact until you get home! If possible, take a spare camera and several rolls of film.

* Remember that not everyone likes being photographed, sometimes for cultural, religious or superstitious reasons. So don’t photograph people without their permission, unless you are doing so from a distance and won’t be noticed. And don’t expect all your subjects to smile; some cultures view smiling at strangers as antagonizing and potentially dangerous, so respect their views and expect a warm welcome to take more photographs later in your trip.

* In some countries it is absolutely forbidden to take photographs of military installations, docks, airports, religious shrines, and numerous other sites. Make sure you know in advance what you are prohibited from photographing. Ask at tourist offices; buy a selection of good travel guides that make this point quite clear. And remember, journalists have lost their lives doing things they shouldn’t.