How To Travel With a Non Photographer

About 50% of my travel is with people who are not photographers, and in this blog, I will share some things I’ve learned over the years to ensure you have an argument-free trip. If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that a huge chunk of my travel is with my girlfriend. My mum and I also take a number of trips each year, and while both of them take loads of photos, they are not what you’d call photographers. They aren’t fussed about catching sunrise or making the most of good light. They certainly don’t care about waiting for the perfect subject or moment. If they see something they like, they’ll take out their phone, snap a quick photo, and move on. Over the years, I’ve heard a few funny stories about how this difference in mentality can cause tension, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Have a Clear Purpose

Before you even go on the trip, you need to have a clear understanding of its purpose. Is it a romantic city break with your partner or a hiking trip with friends? Is it a photography trip that your partner decided to join at the last minute, or have you been invited to join your parents on a cruise? As silly as it sounds, making sure everyone is on the same page regarding the purpose of the trip will prevent many issues later. If this is your photography trip and someone has tagged along, then photography has to take priority over general tourism. If this is meant to be a relaxing family getaway, then you need to accept that photography will take a substantial backseat. 90% of disagreements stem from a lack of clear communication.

Smart Gear Choice

The purpose of the trip should dictate what gear you bring. When I travel with photography as the main focus, I bring more gear to make sure all bases are covered. I’ll travel with multiple lenses, camera bodies, and generally more equipment. When photography isn’t the main reason for the trip, I bring a small fixed-lens camera like the Ricoh GR, Fuji X100, or Leica Q. Having a compact system that you can throw over your shoulder saves a lot of hassle and time. While you might miss a few shots, you and everyone you’re with will have a much better day out.

Set Limits

If you come across an amazing scene and need to wait for the right subject or perfect conditions, it can be tempting to stay put until you get the shot you want. This is fine if you’re alone or with other photographers who are happy to wait, but if your partner is getting bored, you need to set clear limits. If it’s a photography-first trip, I’m happy to wait up to 30 minutes. If it isn’t, then 10 minutes will have to do.

Two Birds with One Stone

When my girlfriend and I were traveling across Japan, she would often want to pop into a shop for a browse. Given that there was a unique store on every corner, this happened many times throughout the day. The agreement was that unless she needed my help or advice, I would shoot around the immediate area while she did her shopping. After 20 minutes, she had what she wanted, I had a few shots, and everyone was happy. Try to find these situations where both of you can do what you want instead of waiting for the other person.

Solo Shooting Time

Another thing you can do is arrange a small window of solo shooting time. Perhaps for three hours in the morning, you go out to shoot with no interruptions, and after that, photography takes a backseat. However you arrange it, carving out even a couple of hours for solo photography can make a big difference.

Compromise

As you can probably tell from this blog, traveling with a non-photographer is all about compromise. What I share here is what works for me; for you, it might be different. As I mentioned earlier, clear communication will resolve 90% of all issues, and having empathy for the other person will go a long way too. For what it’s worth, I absolutely love traveling with non-photographers because the pace is more relaxed, and I end up doing things I never would if I were with my photography mates.