5 Travel Photography Rules When Locals Are Around

Travel photography is a great way to have memories of your adventures and all the great people you met along the way, including locals. Plus, with so many social media platforms around, it’s so easy to share your photos and let others see what you did and who you met while traveling.

Of course we all know how easy it is to get caught up in the moment and take snaps of everything and everyone while traveling. This is especially the case when you are exploring somewhere totally new, or with a completely different culture to where you’re from. 

But, there are some general travel photography rules that you should be aware of when locals are around. 

Keep reading to find out what these travel photography rules are to ensure you keep the locals happy when snapping away.

Travel Photography Rule 1: Get To Know Locals Before Taking Their Photograph

Before you start snapping photographs of locals, take the time to get to know them. Your photographs will hold more meaning and bring back special memories for you. 

Getting to know the locals is a great way to also share some of your life stories. Plus you can show them the travel photography gear you use so they are familiar and comfortable with it.

Not only will your photographs remind you of your travels, they will also remind you of the special connection you made with the local people in the area you were traveling in.

As an added bonus, getting to the know the locals adds more flavor to your photographs overall, and to your travel stories. Now who doesn’t want that!

Travel Photography Rule 2: Always Ask For Permission

Even after you’ve gotten to know the locals, you should always ask permission to take their photo. This is something to be even more mindful of if you are photographing locals in a religious or traditional environment, or if you are photographing local children.

You should also ask for permission before posting any of your travel photographs featuring locals online. Plus, double check with them before sharing any of their personal information online (e.g. tagging people in Facebook photos or Instagram posts).

If the locals do not give you permission to take their photo (or photos of their children) you should respect this, no matter how tempting it may be to sneak a photograph. There will be plenty of other opportunities to take some amazing photographs while traveling, and to share these photographs online.

Travel Photography Rule 3: Show Locals The Photograph You Have Taken

If a person takes a photo of you and your friends, it’s considered rude if that person doesn’t show you that photograph before posting it online, right? The same approach applies when you take photographs of locals. 

One of the (many) great things about digital cameras and smartphones is that you can instantly show others your photographs. So, show your photographs to the local person or people you have taken the photographs of. 

If it’s possible, offer to share your photo with them. If you’ve followed rules 1 and 2, the locals will likely want some memories of the moments you shared with them!

Travel Photography Rule 4: Be Mindful Of Local Customs and Beliefs

Did you know that there are some places in the world where the local people believe that a camera captures the soul? 

Some Aboriginal tribes in Australia and some Mayan communities in Mexico hold this belief, for example. So taking photographs of locals in these areas would genuinely frighten them (though if you follow rules 1 and 2, this probably won’t happen).

Take the time to research the local culture before you get to your destination. Travel photography is a great way to capture different types of people and different cultures. But it’s not so great if you frighten or offend people along the way!

Travel Photography Rule 5: Pay To Take Your Photographs When Appropriate 

In areas that are popular with tourists, you may find that the locals put on a show for their visitors.  In Old Havana, Cuba, for example, local women will walk around in traditional dress and pose for photos with travelers.

This is a great opportunity to capture photographs that are full of local color and flavor. But, the locals are essentially putting on a performance for you and it is appropriate to pay a small fee for the photograph you are taking.

Final Thoughts 

There  will always be times when locals and tourists are inadvertently captured in your photographs. Like when you’re in a major tourist spot that is swarming with people. In these instances it’s likely to be difficult to follow these rules, so you’d have to use your judgment.

Consider if the photo is specifically of you or a monument with everyone else just part of the background. You probably don’t need to go around getting to know everybody and getting permission to have them in your photo then!

But if, for example, a local dressed in traditional attire has captured your attention and you want them to be the focal point of your photo at a tourist spot, then definitely follow the rules above! 

Of course, you could also follow these travel tips for getting travel photos with no people in them at popular tourist spots!

Next time you’re traveling, be aware of the travel photography rules above. You’ll be more likely to establish good relationships with locals, and you’ll have better stories, memories and photographs for it.

If you have any other rules that you follow when photographing locals, share these in the comments below!