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Take whichever camera you have & are comfortable with. Camera phones are more convenient and lighter than ‘big’ cameras but aren’t as flexible. Use what you’re comfortable with.

On your travels you’ll see people with all types of cameras, from camera phones to professional interchangeable lens cameras (SLRs) and probably even the odd film camera as they’re becoming popular again too. But it’s important to not be put off or intimidated by other travellers and their cameras.

Most people have a mobile phone with a good camera and if you’re comfortable with it’s convenience, packability and unobtrusive operation then you’re good to go.

Dedicated cameras will ultimately offer better quality, more scope to be creative and allow you to photograph in more ‘challenging’ situations, but the trade-off is they’re much heavier, bigger and will need you to think a little bit more about packing and carrying them on your travels.

The key thing to remember is to have, and be comfortable with, whichever camera you choose, don’t miss an important photo because you haven’t got a camera to hand!

Before you press the shutter, cast your eye around the picture, can it be improved by moving to one side, lowering your view or waiting for someone to pass by?

Often the difference between a ‘snap’ and an eye-catching photograph is simply a couple of seconds consideration or thinking-time before pressing the shutter button.

If you’re subject’s not moving too quickly, take a second to cast your eye around the picture you’re about to take and ask yourself whether there’s any changes you can make to improve your photo?

Composition is simply how we combine the various elements in a scene into a single picture and composition can be improved just by moving to your right or left, crouching down low or even shooting with your camera held above you.

Also check that you’re not inadvertently ‘cropping’, or chopping in half, your subject on the edge of your picture or about to be ‘photobombed’ by someone about to walk into your image!

If you see something of interest don’t lose in distracting detail, fill your picture with your interesting subject.

Too often a good photograph is spoiled because the interesting element or subject is lost within a large or wide view containing other distracting elements. If you’ve seen something interesting that deserves your time to create an image, other people are sure to be interested too. Trust your judgement and fill your picture with interest, move closer if necessary to eliminate distracting and/or superfluous elements.

Photographing people is a good example where interesting faces are often lost in a scene – be confident and move in closer or utilise a zoom lens to fill your frame with your subject (refer to bonus tip no.6!).

Travel is all about experiences, look for photo opportunities that tell a story and include relevant background.

Ever heard the phrase; “a picture tells a thousand words”? Travel is all about our experiences, whether that’s experiencing new places, people, food or events, and these experiences are a great opportunity to add context and tell a story.

Can you include another element in your picture, the location in the background, the person serving your food, the foreground leading to the eye-catching destination?

Composing your photos to tell a story is really where travel photography comes alive, it does take practice and a little thought so it might take a few photos, or even a few trips to get it just right.

Don’t just leave your photos on a camera, share them with family and friends on social media, in blogs, photo books and get your best photos printed big and put them on your wall.

Capturing pictures on your travels has never been easier but the real joy is in sharing your memories and experiences through your photographs.

Social media is now the first place we think about sharing our images, but a printed photograph will always be special.

Large prints mounted and/or framed, coffee-table style photo books, even printed mugs and cushions are all easily and cheaply available to you online.

A simple blog allows you to present your photos in a personal style, creating collections and even incorporating your journal to add more context to your images.

You’ll likely come across a whole range of different cultures on your travels, with very different reactions to being photographed. Lots of great photos are the result of being spontaneous, unplanned and with subjects who didn’t know they were being photographed, but that approach may not be appropriate in some places.

Research your locations before you travel, ask your travel agent or tour guide about taking photographs and if there are rules, stick to them.

If it’s appropriate to capture candid shots and photographs of people, decide whether you’re going to ask your subject’s permission in advance – in the UK and many other ‘western’ countries it’s legal and acceptable to photograph anything and anybody in public places, although you may not be comfortable doing so.

In many tourist spots around the world, you’ll be asked for money before a subject allows you to photograph them or of course, they may not allow it at all.

Decide in advance what your own values and rules as a travel photographer are and confidently operate to them.