54. TELLING THE STORIES BEHIND THE SCENES

YOU ARE ONE of the most compelling aspects of your travel photography. Whether you keep your images private or share them with the world, adding a touch of behind-the-scenes access will help solidify your memories and make the images more accessible. Don’t just share the perfect or beautiful moments. Preserve the snafus, the surprises, and the FML moments that made the experience what it was!

Where, How, and What to Share

We seem to be blessedly past the era of inviting your friends over for a two-hour slideshow of vacation photos. These days the way to show off and share is predominantly online. You can upload single shots or whole albums, and your friends or followers can peruse at their own leisure without you looking over their shoulder.

Many photographers, myself included, prefer to keep their personal and professional social media accounts separate. We post polished images to the professional pages, and silly outtake style photos on our personal pages. Seems pretty straightforward. Lately, though, more and more celebrities and artists are sharing behind-the-scenes photos and videos. Followers like to see a little bit of personality. They want an inside look at what it took to make an image. They want an inside look at your process and your adventures.

While I might not post a photo like Figure 54.1 or 54.2 or 54.3 on my website, I would share it in my Instagram stories or on Facebook (or apparently publish it in my book). Pictures like this tell the story of the journey. They remind the viewer that an actual human being is out there taking these photos and having experiences.

Selfies are huge because they give a glimpse of the artist behind the camera (Figure 54.4). Back of the camera shots are popular because they provide a bit of context for the unbelievably cool photo you’ve taken (Figure 54.5). The more you provide a running commentary of your travels through snapshots and written stories, the more people will find you and your images accessible. If they care about you, they’ll care about your work.

Consider starting a behind-the-scenes account on Instagram or creating a dedicated page on your website. Keep it light. Have fun. Share the spirit of why you travel and what you’ve learned along the way.

54.1 When your waiter hears you’re traveling alone and fashions a self-defense weapon out of your leftover mac and cheese. Montage, Portland, Oregon

54.2 Experimenting with a Lensball and my friend Patti.
Moab, Utah

54.3 My mom considers having leftovers for lunch. Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

54.4 Just enjoying some donkeys in my car. Custer State Park, Custer, South Dakota

54.5 A look behind the scenes when I shot the photo in Figure 50.12. Chicago, Illinois