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Open Travel Guide

Photography guides

Photography guides for travel destinations

Where the light falls, when to go, and the practical rules that govern taking pictures in each destination.

Light does more for a photograph than equipment does, and it behaves differently by latitude and season. Near the equator the good hour after sunrise is short and the middle of the day is harsh; at higher latitudes the same light stretches across an evening in summer and barely appears in winter. Cities also face particular directions, so a famous facade may only be lit properly at one end of the day, which is worth checking before setting an alarm.

Rules on photography are local and frequently posted. Tripods are restricted in many museums, galleries and religious buildings; drones are regulated separately and are prohibited outright in some areas, including near airports and heritage sites; and commercial shoots generally require a permit even when casual snapshots do not. Photographing people asks for the same courtesy everywhere: ask first, accept refusal, and be particularly careful around children, ceremonies and anyone at work.

Practical constraints tend to decide what you actually carry. Weight matters on long walking days, cold drains batteries quickly, humidity and dust reach sensors, and coastal spray is unforgiving. Back up each evening to a second device or a cloud service, keep memory cards separate from the camera bag, and check whether your travel insurance covers equipment at the value you are carrying.

Photography guides by destination

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Andorra

Angola

Antigua And Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia And Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cabo Verde

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Democratic Republic Of The Congo

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Eswatini

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nauru

Nepal

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

North Macedonia

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts And Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

Sao Tome And Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Serbia

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

South Korea

South Sudan

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

Timor Leste

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad And Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Vatican City

Venezuela

Vietnam

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe