Listen. Have you ever been on vacation, in front of a spectacular touristic attraction (Eiffel tower for example) and have to ask random strangers to take photos of you? Even if your significant other or friend or whoever is traveling with you is an expert, you may still want photos with them, right? And when those strangers take your photos, what are the chances of them actually being nice? In my experience, it’s mayyyybe 1/10 pictures that makes sense. The photos are either too dark, too bright or have a bad angle.
This is one of the reasons why a few years ago, I started booking 1h-2h of photoshoots with professional photographers whenever I go to certain significant cities. I first did this in Paris with my daughter, one of my girlfriends and her daughters. Initially, it was my friend’s birthday gift and also, a gift for our girls as they could have cool photos together in front of the Eiffel Tower. The photos turned out BEAUTIFUL and it’s been a tradition ever since.
Here’s why you should book professional photos while on vacation
- YOU WILL HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS: Imagine not having to depend on a stranger to take photos of you in front of significant landmarks? Imagine knowing FOR SURE that that the photos will look beautiful? What a dream!
2. IT’S PRETTY AFFORDABLE: Contrary to popular belief, the cost is relatively low. I’ve had beautiful photos taken and the most I paid (which was for a photoshoot in Santorini) was around $300 USD/person BUT we had the flying dress included PLUS a guy who is hired solely to make your dress fly. I wish I was joking but I’m not, he was very, very useful. Usually I pay under $200 for photoshoots. Shop around!
3. TIME EFFICIENT: Most shoots are less than 2h! I’ve also had shoots that were 1h. The thing is, the photographers know exactly where to go and you waste no time! No more trying to figure out angles or where the best lighting is for a photo! He/she will have it all figured out and you will save so much time. I remember freaking out when I saw that my Paris Eiffel tower photoshoot was only 1h but then, when I got there, I quickly understood the absolute efficiency during these shoots. You also DO NOT HAVE TO EDIT PICS! Editing pics takes forever so this takes the burden off because usually, the photographer will edit a certain number of photos. My Tokyo shoot below was so well edited, you’d think the photos are from a magazine.
4. THE DISCOVERY ASPECT & SUPPORTING LOCAL TALENT: During every single photoshoot, the photographers took us to the coolest spots – some of them being places I had never seen before although I had visited the city previously. They know exactly where to go and you may discover hidden gems, streets, alleys, landmarks and most importantly, gorgeous photo spots you can use in the future…if you remember them of course. And most importantly, you are supporting locals by hiring them!
5. TIMELESS SOUVENIRS: I like to print the photos from every trip in the form of a hard cover book. How amazing is it to have the professional photos included in that book and as the cover? They’re also amazing when printed if you’d like to go that route. When I get photos taken with my daughter, I also like to use these photos for the holiday cards I sent to our friends and family members in December. The possibilities are endless! And we can’t forget how beautiful these pictures look on social media, ok?
Where to find a legit photographer?
-Go on AIRBNB and look under “Experiences”. This is my favorite way to search for a photographer. I love seeing example of previous photoshoots and reading reviews which, to be honest, is the most important part. I also like the accountability aspect of Airbnb so I feel like my payment is protected and would be refunded in case of any mishap.
-GOOGLE: You can Google Search “____(city) lifestyle photographer”. I like to add the word “lifestyle” because not every photographers ventures out in the streets or takes photos outside of an arranged setting or studio. Websites like Viator sometimes have photographers as well.
-SOCIAL MEDIA: You can also search “____(city) lifestyle photographer” on Instagram for example. The good thing about social media is that you can usually see more photos and/or videos from photographers as it’s usually where they share the most content.
-REFERRALS: If you know anyone who has done a photoshoot in a city you are visiting, ask them for their photographer’s information! Another good resource for photographers are event planners.
-PLACES WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS: If you don’t necessarily want to book a photographer, you can go to places or landmarks where they have photographers present. There are even places where they have actual staff hired to take photos for you by using your phone. It sounds strange but TRUST ME it seems like these people have a doctorate in photography, if that’s something that even exists. I actually tried that in Bali at Wanagiri Hidden Hills and at Swing Heaven. The photos turned out absolutely gorgeous! See below:
Other tips (DO NOT skip this part):
-Unless you are booking through Airbnb or another trusted website (Klook for example), I suggest using a trusted system like Paypal to pay the vendor. There are lots of scammers out there! Be careful, fam.
-Choose your outfit ahead of time. Don’t wait last minutes as you may need to order something online and it may take a few days/weeks to arrive. You could also risk it and wait to shop while you are at your destination city but I highly, highly do not recommend that. When I went to Japan, I ended up going to a lot of stores and not finding too many outfits or clothes I personally liked! So thank God I had brought an outfit for the photoshoot! Some shoots allow for an outfit change so plan accordingly.
–Make sure your makeup looks right. If you’re already good at doing your makeup – great! Make sure you bring everything including a good setting spray and setting powder. I personally took a makeup class with my sister Patricia who is a professional makeup artist and now I am able to do my makeup on my own for photoshoots when I travel. If you are not the best at makeup, I highly suggest hiring a local makeup artist prior to your shoot. You can ask the photographer for referrals or you can search online.
–Wear comfortable shoes! I can’t stress that enough. You may be walking a lot or may be on your feet for a few. Even if you want some photos in heels…bring some flip flops to walk around. You’ll thank me later.
–Bring a larger bag with the following: A small mirror, things needed to touch up your makeup, floss, comfortable shoes, change of outfits (if needed), a hairbrush and a small fan in case you get hot.
Save time, create memories, support locals, save trouble and money by booking professional photos the next time you go on vacation!
Have you ever done a photoshoot while traveling? Any tips or things I may have forgotten? Leave a comment below!
With Love,
Sassou
With Love, Sassou 
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