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Sometimes you don’t need to spend thousands on DSLR cameras and expensive lenses to capture some truly beautiful photography. However, if you already have the foundations of computational photography then investing in a few key items can go a long way for making the memories you capture feel more enhanced. Whether you want to create a professional-looking family album, you are building a social media business, or simply because anything less than perfect won’t do, our guide to smartphone travel photography will cover all you could ever need when starting out.
The beauty is that everything we recommend is completely modular, pick and choose what you feel would suit your style and if you are interested in more products than you thought you would need, everything is travel-friendly - perfectly packable for adventures like hiking in Sri Lanka or a city excursion in Marrakech.
Often when travelling abroad you will find that you record more video than you usually would at home, meaning that you are likely to have even more inexperience when attempting to capture some amazing sights. When panning around on a clifftop or a stunning plaza in Italy, either the wind or other tourists can disrupt the flow of your video. Consider using a gimbal for your smartphone. DJI’s Osmo Mobile is renowned for providing a professional look at an affordable price (around £100). Although, take a look at Amazon for great equivalents at the fraction of the price. Gimbals are also great for photography, particularly panoramic photos. Stitching together a pano of a vibrant sunset is particularly difficult, but a little assistance can make all the difference.
Phone camera lenses are an absolute essential to travel photography. Simply by adding another lens on the back of your phone, you can capture the detail of a butterfly wing, or the expansiveness of a dessert in Morroco. You can usually find the lenses in three variants, microlens (for close up subjects like flowers), wide-angle lens, and fisheye lens. If you are taking a big group of friends or your whole family with you, fisheye lenses are exceptionally useful for combining a group photo with an incredible view in the background. Moment is an esteemed brand for iPhone camera lenses, but again, marketplaces like Amazon have some incredible alternatives.
Diving into crystal clear waters in Bali or exploring an old Château in France? Lighting and protection can be a bit of an issue - but cast your worries aside! Shooting photos or videos in caves or castles can be enhanced with flash accessories which plug into your phone, brightening up a space. These handy gadgets are particularly small and are perfect to throw into a backpack.
If you are feeling creative during your getaway, you may consider taking some underwater shots. However, due to the obvious concerns like bringing your phone into the water or the prices of GoPros, those beautiful scenes are left behind when you fly home. Most smartphones to date have certified water resistance, although there is a huge difference between water-resistant and waterproof. So, consider testing out a ‘LifeProof’ case for your device. These cases prevent water from getting to your phone, allowing you to record amongst the waves and capture activities like kitesurfing and scuba diving (at your own risk). You would definitely get some use out of it when staying at the magnificent Villa Cambresi with the direct beach access.
They don’t require any suitcase room, they are super cheap and one of the easiest ways to quickly boost the look of your travel photos. Stock apps are a great place to start, but using camera apps designed by specialist companies really gives you the control to produce something incredible. Filmic Pro is a good example. While this app costs £14.99, it gives you access to all of the settings which professionals use to create theatrical shots. It perfectly integrates with accessories like gimbals to produce seamless video and allows you to use your smartphones multiple cameras at once (which is normally impossible).
Post-production is super important. Applications like VSCO are free and are great for editing your content while on your travels. Using apps like Mojo or Splice to create animations and movies to present your work on social media allows you to tell the story of your adventures from destinations like Mexico or Japan - this is a truly important accessory when you return from your travels.
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