“Wow, you take amazing photos — you must have a really good camera!”​
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If only it were that easy. That’s like walking into a Michelin-star restaurant, tasting a world-class dish, and saying,

The truth is, great photos take a lot of practice, patience, and trial and error. Over the past six years, we’ve worked hard to move beyond those typical cheesy tourist shots. For us, photography has become a way to capture emotions and stories — little time capsules that hold the magic of the moment.
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And because we want you to capture your own priceless memories, we’ve pulled together 4 essential tips to instantly improve your photos. Trust us, we’ve got plenty more where these came from, but let’s start here.

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1) Wait for the Ideal Lighting

If there’s one secret ingredient to a stunning photo, it’s not a fancier camera or necessarily technical skill level — it’s lighting. Great light can take an average shot and make it unforgettable.

The best time to shoot? Golden hour — that 1-hour window just after sunrise or right before sunset. The soft, warm glow during these times bathes everything in magic, giving your photos depth, warmth, and atmosphere.

Compare that to the harsh midday sun, which often leaves photos looking overexposed and unflattering. You know those deep shadows under your eyes, harsh lines across your face, and colors that look like nothing natural. Not exactly the look you’re going for.

So instead of fighting bad light, plan your shots around the good stuff: wake up early or linger until sunset, and let nature’s lighting crew do the heavy lifting. We’re absolutely not morning people, but we’ll drag ourselves out of bed for that magical sunrise glow.

2) Keep it Level with the Horizon

Few things make a photo look more amateur than a crooked horizon.

Luckily, it’s one of the easiest mistakes to fix. Take a quick moment before snapping to line things up straight with the horizon—and if it still ends up a little tilted, just rotate it afterward in any editing app.

Every one of these photos comes from our Atacama Desert road trip — one of our favourite adventures ever. Want to plan your own? We’ve got complete guides to help you do it right! ​ Best Things to do in Atacama Desert

3) Create Depth with LAYERS

This tip takes a bit more thought and patience, but the payoff is huge — it’s what transforms a nice photo into a “wow” photo.

Think about those shots where you almost feel like you’re standing inside the scene, surrounded by the landscape. That sense of immersion usually comes from layers.

A common mistake I see is the classic “viewpoint photo”: someone standing at the edge with nothing but the background behind them. The result often looks flat because there are only two elements — the person and the backdrop.

To avoid that, aim for 3–4 layers in your shot:

• A foreground element (rocks, plants, a path)
• The subject (you or your travel buddy)
• The background (mountains, lake, cityscape)
• Bonus: an extra background layer, like mountains and a glowing sunset, or a lake and distant peaks.

By stacking these layers, your photo gains depth, context, and that “step into the scene” feeling.

4) Find Angles with no Distractions

When you’re taking a photo, don’t just snap and go. Take a few seconds to look around and test different angles. Step to the left, shuffle to the right, or even back up a little — you’ll be surprised how much a tiny shift can transform the shot.

The goal is simple: minimize distractions. You want people’s eyes to go straight to your charming travel buddy, not to a garbage can or a bright orange construction cone in the foreground. Same goes for those uninvited photobombers — sometimes all it takes is waiting a few seconds for them to walk out of frame.

And then there’s those photos that look like a tree or telephone pole is sprouting out of your partner’s head. One tiny step to the side and suddenly the photo looks intentional, polished, and actually focused on your real subject.

At the end of the day, a little patience and repositioning helps your photo highlight the beautiful moment (and person), instead of the random background chaos.

As a bonus, repositioning often helps you stumble into the perfect framing, naturally creating those ideal 3–4 layers that give your photo depth and dimension.

And there you have it — 4 easy, practical tips you can start using right now to level up your travel photos and capture those unforgettable memories. It might take a bit of practice, but trust us, the results are so worth it!

Want to stay up to date with our stories and travel photos? Check out our Instagram Page!

That's it for now!

Looking forward to bringing you new joy, inspiration, and adventures!

Ryan & Nan

WaylessTravelers