Travel Photography - How to Capture the Local Culture of a Place - Be a Story Teller!

When I’m discovering a new place and culture, I am eager to capture, with my camera equipment, how people live and something unique about the place. I enjoy watching people and walking the streets. I look for color, every day lifestyle, movement, and dogs and cats. I take photos using different light sources and angles. To protect my knees, I wear knee-pads, so I can get down low to photograph my subject without pain. No matter where I am, I am always looking for a story to document in my photographs. I believe if you start to think about telling a story with your photographs, you will see improvement in your photos too. Here are some photos from our recent trip to Patagonia (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and the Falkland Islands). Enjoy!

Local farmers market in Montevideo, Uruguay

When your shooting - using a natural frame, like the tree limb adds something of interest to the photograph. The Coca-cola photo is nice; however having the lady selling her vegetables and the bike adds even more interest an authenticity to the image. And, when you are photographing indoors with flash remember to turn up the ISO on your camera. The photo on the left is a graffiti image of Pedro Bonifacio Palacios, an Argentine poet; iconic Coca-Cola signage and local lifestyle, and the dome of Santera Cathedral in Montevideo, Uruguay.

San Telmo, Argentina architecture, graffiti, and basketball courts and hoops

San Telmo, Argentina architecture, graffiti, and basketball courts and hoops

Collectable stuffed animals at the Sunday San Telmo collectable and antiques market, San Telmo, Argentina

Collectable stuffed animals at the Sunday San Telmo collectable and antiques market, San Telmo, Argentina

What makes this photo work is the dogs in the picture.

What makes this photo work is the dogs in the picture.

Graffiti wall, Montevideo, Uruguay

Graffiti wall, Montevideo, Uruguay

Lady in red walks past an art mural, Montevideo, Uruguay

Lady in red walks past an art mural, Montevideo, Uruguay

Dog and a sunbather at Floralis Generica, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Dog and a sunbather at Floralis Generica, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cooking steaks in Argentina. Did you know, people in Argentina eat more meat and steaks than anywhere in the world? We thought the steaks were delicious!

Cooking steaks in Argentina. Did you know, people in Argentina eat more meat and steaks than anywhere in the world? We thought the steaks were delicious!

That was a great steak!

What to become a better photographer? Jolly Sienda Photography offers private one-one lessons. Contact Jolly at info@jollysiendaphotography.com.