Adventures of a Travel Photographer: A Candid Look Into The Chaos

Ah, the life of a travel photographer—a romantic cocktail of stunning landscapes, exotic cultures, foreign cultures and frequent airport security frisks. It's not all sunsets and perfectly posed locals, though; let me take you behind the lens of this jet-setting, memory-card-filling lifestyle of scouting locations for the tours we lead at Akari Photo Tours.

The 'Gram vs. the Reality

Ever scrolled through Instagram, stopping enviously at those perfectly curated travel feeds? Yeah, that's not the whole story. Take a recent trip to Paris, for instance. That iconic sunrise shot of the Eiffel? Well, it took waking up at 4 AM, tracking down an Uber in the dark, and jostling for a prime spot with what I can only describe as a melting pot of humanity. On our far right, some old guy was photographing a girl who was probably the age of his granddaughter in lingerie. Next to them, a staged wedding proposal equipped with roses, balloons, a photographer, a groom, and I kid you not... the woman never did show up. Then we had the Instagrammer with 20 helium balloons dressed in a beautiful dress (the photo I was waiting for was her floating upwards into the jet stream, only to land in Versailles later that day)... and finally, my cast of merry photographers and models trying to recreate our Elliott Erwitt image. By the time I pressed the shutter, I was more concerned with my numb toes and whether my hot chocolate would warm me up than nailing the exposure.

The Equipment Struggle

Packing for a photo shoot you've never done before is like playing a giant game of Tetris with fragile, expensive blocks. You've got your camera bodies, lenses for every occasion (yes, I'm looking at you, the rarely used fisheye lens), tripod, filters, and enough batteries and memory cards to start a small tech shop. Let's not forget the weight limits on flights—cue the awkward shuffle of gear between carry-on and checked luggage at the check-in counter to put the same amount of weight in multiple locations to satisfy the airline employee (insert head banging against the counter here).

Lost in Translation

Communicating with locals in a foreign country is an art form. Google Translate becomes your lifeline, often leading to hilariously mistranslated conversations that have you asking for a stale croissant and tap water while trying to buy a subway token. During one shoot I had in Budapest, my attempt to ask for directions to the parliament buildings ended up with me unintentionally offering to pay for a local person's Uber home.

The Great Weather Gambit

Weather forecasts become the Bible of a travel photographer. But let's face it: Mother Nature loves a good laugh. That perfect blue-sky day you'd planned for that desert shoot in the Kalahari? Surprise! Sandstorm. Embrace the chaos—and bring a spare lens cloth.

The Cuisine Conundrum

Food photography is a must, right? Wrong. Have you ever tried to get that perfectly lit shot of a bowl of ramen while your chopsticks are slipping out of your grip and into the broth? Yeah, I've got a newfound respect for food stylists.

The Memory Card Mayhem

Back at the hotel after a long day of shooting, it's time to back up the day's work. That's when you discover you've been shooting in JPEG the whole day instead of RAW. Cue the internal scream and copious amounts of beer in the room service bill. Oh well, Instagram's not that picky, right?

Airport Antics

Travelling as a photographer means an ongoing battle with airport security. Every metal component of your gear raises eyebrows, leading to intense bag inspections. Explaining to a TSA officer that your camera lens isn't a weapon becomes a weekly exercise in patience in some foreign countries.

The Unexpected Souvenirs

Finally, back home with a hard drive full of memories (and a suitcase full of laundry that quaffs that foreign smells of burnt Yak dung from your week in a Mongolian ger), it's time to reflect on the tour I want to build. The true souvenirs of a travel photographer? Calluses from heavy gear, a chiropractor on speed dial, a knack for small talk with strangers, and the uncanny ability to turn any mishap into a funny anecdote.

So there you have it—the not-so-glamorous, occasionally chaotic life of a travel photographer. But through all the mishaps and misadventures, one thing keeps us going: the thrill of capturing a fleeting moment in a corner of the world and sharing it with those who see beauty in the imperfect, the unexpected, and the wonderfully bizarre.

I wouldn't change a moment. For all the mishaps, laughs and time away from loved ones... learning and experiencing our world has been a remarkable career. 

But the true gift for me… once the hard work of going to all these places on my own, experiencing all the mishaps, it's the smiles on people's faces as they look through the images at a photo shoot I set up for them when they join me on a photo tour.