I rarely travel alone. My New York trip in June was the first time I travelled specifically to take photos. My last visit was in 2018, and this year marked my fifth time visiting New York City. Although the travel portion was not great (delays, cancelled flights, lost luggage), the city was incredible. I had four days to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and I had the opportunity to explore the city independently with as much time as needed. If I wanted to stay in one location or if I wanted to return the next day to familiar places or specific areas, I could! Solo travel can be delightful as well as advantageous to your photography.

On the other hand, sharing the travel experience with others creates shared memories. It can also allow you to capture photographs you would have never got on your own or not even considered. Let me explain.

Planning and Anticipation

The reasons people leave their familiar surroundings to travel around the world are varied. People travel for personal reasons, and experiencing new people, cultures, and locations is an adventure, although the planning stage can also be fun. If you have ever had travel planned, you may have found that the anticipation alone is a substantial part of the fulfillment you experience. When travelling with others, that experience is shared.

For example, let’s say you and the one you love and care for have a trip planned to Portugal. (We do) In the months leading up, we both look at Trip Savvy, buy the Lonely Planet books, and use Google Maps to pin sights, restaurants, and things to do. We book Air BnB’s around those pins and ask friends who have been there what they thought and what they recommend. (Hey, when you have limited time, you have to make sure you maximize that time)

Unknown and Unplanned

With solo travel, you plan everything, but travelling with someone leads to discoveries. It adds a bit of the unknown with the possibility of experiencing things you wouldn’t have if you planned it yourself. Sure, some of these things can be touristy, but who cares? Who knows where and what you’ll experience from point A to point B?

I look back on my photography and think of many things I would not have done or even known about. Places I would not have been and things I would not have seen. Yes, I would have ended up with other photos, but together, we can always look back on these travels and remember those moments and those experiences.

Both solo and shared travel can be beneficial to your photography. Travel is about experiencing new cultures and locations and sharing that experience with someone else, which can give your photography a personal imprint and significance different from what you capture on your own.