THE GIFTS OF LOW SEASON PHOTOGRAPHY

By Ana Lyubich and Simon Hertnon from the Excio photographic community

The time of year you travel impacts the visual stories you can tell

While every photograph tells a story, only engaging stories captivate audiences.

In our view, low season travel offers more opportunities to tell engaging visual stories, and in this article we explore four ways low season travel enhances anyone’s ability to take captivating photographs.

What is captivating photography?

But first, it’s worth considering how photographs engage us.

At Excio – an image library and photographic eco-system founded in New Zealand – we have observed that captivating photographs entertain, educate, inspire, or set a mood. We have also observed that these value-giving impacts are undone if a photograph is stale (overused), inauthentic, or technically flawed.

When you think about it, whether a photograph captures ‘a moment’, makes us laugh, or inspires us to think differently about something, as viewers we first need to be engaged: to be captivated the micro-story that is each image.

So, before pulling out your camera on any trip, we encourage you to ask yourself two questions. What story am I trying to tell? And how am I aiming to engage with and impact my audience?

After all, the goal for every travel photographer – amateur or professional – is to create unique visual narratives and lasting memories. The opportunity for photographers travelling in the low season is to reveal the hidden beauty that lies beyond crowded beaches and boulevards.

Here are four gifts of low season photography.

1. The gift of capturing the authentic essence of a location

There is a common truism that you can’t be in two places at the same time. A less common truism is that you can’t be surrounded by tourists and embraced by locals at the same time. And if you can’t connect with locals when you are travelling, it can be very challenging to experience –let alone capture in a photograph – the authentic essence of a place.

Crowds of tourists dominate spaces, and for a photographer that means a limiting of potential stories and perspectives. Low season travel gifts us with more opportunities to interact with locals, uncover hidden gems, and document the genuine atmosphere and culture of a place.

Authenticity adds depth and richness to photographs, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the true spirit of the destination.

2. The gift of capturing scenes from fresh perspectives

The quest for captivating travel photographs means finding ways to avoid clichéd shots and, instead, present a fresh perspective.

In popular tourist spots during peak season, capturing unique angles or compositions becomes difficult due to the overwhelming presence of other photographers and visitors. By choosing to travel during the low season, you can break away from the norm and even find new perspectives of ‘shot-to-death’ Instagram hotspots through the freedom to experiment.

Incheon Airport, South Korea

Time of year: November [2022]

Photographer: Ana Lyubich

Time and space opens up new angles, compositions, and details – those unique moments that might otherwise go unnoticed – breathing life into your photographs and allowing them to stand out from the crowd.

Early morning at Incheon Airport. Had there been more tourists, their silhouettes would have distracted from the pristine sunrise and reflections.