We’ve all been there. You return from an incredible trip, head full of amazing images and memories. Then you download your photos and look on in dismay: they don’t do the experience justice at all. So, whether you want to sharpen your skills, enter competitions – such as Wanderlust’s Travel Photo of the Year – or just get to grips with new equipment, we’ve selected the best photography trips to make sure you bring back better snaps.
Want to improve your camera skills in a sizzling destination? Whether you’re a newbie seeking advice or a pro looking for fresh inspiration, Wanderlust Journeys’ Marrakech: Travel Photography Workshop will help snappers of all standards. Led by acclaimed travel photographer Paul Harris and Wanderlust founder Lyn Hughes, you’ll dive into the heart of this vibrant city, and hone your camera creativity amid the Moroccan mayhem.
Who: Wanderlust Journeys (01992 579697)
When: 7 Nov
How long: 3 nights
How much: from £655 (excl flights)
High Lives’ A Photographic Journey of Bolivia will help capture this landlocked South American nation on camera. Benefit from a private portrait session at Tarabuco’s bustling market, join a workshop in laidback La Paz, capture the sunrise at the shimmering Salar de Uyuni and shoot the UNESCO-listed Pulacayo mines. You can also meet iconic cholitas – ladies wearing the traditional bowler hats, shawls and layered skirts.
Who: High Lives (0208 144 2629)
When: 10 Oct 2014, 19 Mar, 9 Oct 2015
How long: 15 days
How much: from £2,500 (excl flights)
All Points East’s Images of Burma tour visits the popular country’s less-visited – but very photogenic – spots. Led by award-winning travel photographer Gary Latham, you’ll explore the southern Mon and Karen states, home to friendly people, verdant landscapes and inspirational places such as the mountaintop pilgrimage site of Golden Rock.
Who: All Points East (023 9225 8859)
When: 7 Jan 2015
How long: 10 days
How much: from £3,125 (incl flights)
From hunting cheetahs to cackling hyenas, the Kenyan plains offer abundant rewards for animal lovers and camera fiends alike. Head to a luxury tented camp in the Masai Mara to join award-winning photographer Paul Goldstein on Exodus’s Photographic Safari – expect forthright tuition, passionate advice, early starts and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Who: Exodus (0845 863 9600)
When: 19 Oct 2014, 8 Jan 2015
How long: 9 days
When: 3 Nov 2014
How long: 20 days
How much: from £8,033 (excl flights)
Guided by flower and landscape snapper Sue Bishop, on Headwater’s Vistas of Valencia you’ll hike around tourist-free Spain – camera in hand. Clamber up peaks, stroll through citrus groves and trek the ridges around Parcent village. There’s time to explore Valencia too – and photograph its Unesco-listed silk market, Plaza de Mercado and cathedral.
Who: Headwater (01606 720199)
When: 14 Feb 2015
How long: 7 nights
How much: £1,199 (incl flights)
For Richard I’Anson, the right light is crucial. This is why, on World Expeditions’ Ladakh, Zanskar & Kashmir trip, led by the passionate photographer, you’ll be up from dawn till dusk to visit sites such as the super-sized Tikse Monastery, high Himalaya passes, the colourful Karsha Festival and the houseboats of Dal Lake – all to get that perfect picture.
Who: World Expeditions (020 8545 9030)
When: 8 Jul 2015
How long: 15 days
How much: £2,240 (excl flights)
Photograph big cats as they stalk their prey in one of South Africa’s best wildlife reserves: the 650 sq km Sabi Sand. Rainbow Tours’ Photographic Safari is not only led by a team of professional photographers, who’ll offer advice on taking and editing pictures, but the Toyota Land Cruiser’s swivel seats are perfect for getting that killer angle.
Who: Rainbow Tours (020 7666 1250)
When: 27 May, 25 Jul 2015
How long: 4 nights
How much: £2,595 (excl flights)
Portugal’s Wolves & Dolphins: A Photographic Tour is a new trip from Naturetrek. It’s based near Lisbon and, with help from expert Bret Charman, it will teach you how to get the best from your camera while getting enviably close to both Iberian wolves and bottlenose dolphins.
Who: Naturetrek (01962 733051)
When: 28 Sept 2014, 27 Sept 2015
How long: 7 days
How much: from £1,295 (incl flights)
1. Morocco
Get advice from us!Want to improve your camera skills in a sizzling destination? Whether you’re a newbie seeking advice or a pro looking for fresh inspiration, Wanderlust Journeys’ Marrakech: Travel Photography Workshop will help snappers of all standards. Led by acclaimed travel photographer Paul Harris and Wanderlust founder Lyn Hughes, you’ll dive into the heart of this vibrant city, and hone your camera creativity amid the Moroccan mayhem.
Who: Wanderlust Journeys (01992 579697)
When: 7 Nov
How long: 3 nights
How much: from £655 (excl flights)
2. Bolivia
Become portrait-perfectHigh Lives’ A Photographic Journey of Bolivia will help capture this landlocked South American nation on camera. Benefit from a private portrait session at Tarabuco’s bustling market, join a workshop in laidback La Paz, capture the sunrise at the shimmering Salar de Uyuni and shoot the UNESCO-listed Pulacayo mines. You can also meet iconic cholitas – ladies wearing the traditional bowler hats, shawls and layered skirts.
Who: High Lives (0208 144 2629)
When: 10 Oct 2014, 19 Mar, 9 Oct 2015
How long: 15 days
How much: from £2,500 (excl flights)
3. Burma
Snap off-beat AsiaAll Points East’s Images of Burma tour visits the popular country’s less-visited – but very photogenic – spots. Led by award-winning travel photographer Gary Latham, you’ll explore the southern Mon and Karen states, home to friendly people, verdant landscapes and inspirational places such as the mountaintop pilgrimage site of Golden Rock.
Who: All Points East (023 9225 8859)
When: 7 Jan 2015
How long: 10 days
How much: from £3,125 (incl flights)
4. Kenya
The best way to shoot rare gameFrom hunting cheetahs to cackling hyenas, the Kenyan plains offer abundant rewards for animal lovers and camera fiends alike. Head to a luxury tented camp in the Masai Mara to join award-winning photographer Paul Goldstein on Exodus’s Photographic Safari – expect forthright tuition, passionate advice, early starts and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Who: Exodus (0845 863 9600)
When: 19 Oct 2014, 8 Jan 2015
How long: 9 days
How much: £3,999 (incl flights)
5. Antarctica
Take polar pictures
Glacier-carved peaks, profuse penguins, sparkling landscapes – Aurora Expeditions’ Photographers: South Georgia & Antarctica voyage helps you document this photographer’s paradise, and departs in the austral spring, when the light is ideal. Polar specialist Joshua Holko will be onboard, giving talks on capturing everything from whales to icebergs, as well as offering one-on-one tuition.
When: 3 Nov 2014
How long: 20 days
How much: from £8,033 (excl flights)
6. Spain
Walk and clickGuided by flower and landscape snapper Sue Bishop, on Headwater’s Vistas of Valencia you’ll hike around tourist-free Spain – camera in hand. Clamber up peaks, stroll through citrus groves and trek the ridges around Parcent village. There’s time to explore Valencia too – and photograph its Unesco-listed silk market, Plaza de Mercado and cathedral.
Who: Headwater (01606 720199)
When: 14 Feb 2015
How long: 7 nights
How much: £1,199 (incl flights)
7. India
Snap from sunrise to sunsetFor Richard I’Anson, the right light is crucial. This is why, on World Expeditions’ Ladakh, Zanskar & Kashmir trip, led by the passionate photographer, you’ll be up from dawn till dusk to visit sites such as the super-sized Tikse Monastery, high Himalaya passes, the colourful Karsha Festival and the houseboats of Dal Lake – all to get that perfect picture.
Who: World Expeditions (020 8545 9030)
When: 8 Jul 2015
How long: 15 days
How much: £2,240 (excl flights)
8. South Africa
Search for the Big FivePhotograph big cats as they stalk their prey in one of South Africa’s best wildlife reserves: the 650 sq km Sabi Sand. Rainbow Tours’ Photographic Safari is not only led by a team of professional photographers, who’ll offer advice on taking and editing pictures, but the Toyota Land Cruiser’s swivel seats are perfect for getting that killer angle.
Who: Rainbow Tours (020 7666 1250)
When: 27 May, 25 Jul 2015
How long: 4 nights
How much: £2,595 (excl flights)
9. Portugal
Mix up magical mammalsPortugal’s Wolves & Dolphins: A Photographic Tour is a new trip from Naturetrek. It’s based near Lisbon and, with help from expert Bret Charman, it will teach you how to get the best from your camera while getting enviably close to both Iberian wolves and bottlenose dolphins.
Who: Naturetrek (01962 733051)
When: 28 Sept 2014, 27 Sept 2015
How long: 7 days
How much: from £1,295 (incl flights)
Main image: Young woman photographer (Shutterstock)
