If there’s one ~cringe~ habit that everyone knows marks you out as a dirty, stinking tourist, it’s taking photos when you travel.
Why? Travellers, the dick-measuring stereotype goes, are too good to take photos. They go to rare destinations for the purest of motivations, without the aid of tour guides or DSLR cameras, and share their experiences only with their leather bound diaries (and anyone unfortunate enough to express even the vaguest bit of interest).
That’s all well and good, and no one likes being labelled a tourist, but for the sake of honesty can we all please take a moment to acknowledge you really should take photos when you travel.
Or at least, that there is something really nice about having a keepsake of good times with friends, or even yourself.
Enter: the following video by @followingjesse. The video, which features clips of exotic beaches, churches, deserts, gardens, Thailand’s Chiang Rai town, palaces and a fluffy dog, makes an important point.
Why taking photos is so important when you tavel (watch below).
The video features a text overlay reading: “When you really think about it, if you don’t think photos are important, wait ’til that’s all you have left.”
“Making memories.”
Stick that in your overly stamped passport and shut it…
That being said, if we’re to give the soulful snobs their due, it is also true that if you get obsessed with taking photos then it can become a detractor to your travel experience.
As travel blogger Alex Collihole (one half of @borderlesscollies), who is travelling Australia with Jess Collihole (the other half of @borderlesscollies) recently told DMARGE about Hutt Lagoon, “I certainly believe that sometimes trying to get ‘the shot’ can spoil the enjoyment of it, however this time it was fun to get the creative juices flowing and try something new.”
Watch the following video, for top tips on how to take better travel photos.
DMARGE also discovered earlier this year that chasing waterfalls is not as easy (or fun) as it looks, if your goal is Instagram Steeze rather than pure enjoyment.
RELATED: I Went To NSW’ Most Instagram Famous Waterfall. It Was A Complete Disaster
In summary? Take a photo of it – it’ll last longer.