Many people aspire to be Instagram influencers because this position offers benefits beyond fame and recognition. As a popular travel photographer on Instagram, you can also pay the bills and open up new opportunities in travel photography.
If you’re wondering how you can make money and travel the world as a professional travel photographer, this guide is for you. From choosing a niche to monetizing your online profile, you’ll learn all the steps needed to turn your love for photography and travel into a successful career.
7 key steps to becoming a professional travel photographer with Instagram
- Choose a niche in traveler photography and find your voice on the platform
Let’s face it, Instagram is oversaturated with influencers of all stripes, and travel photography is no exception. Your only chance to stand out is to find your niche, voice, and perspective in the travel photography world.
Sites like Pinterest and its alternatives listed on the Depositphotos blog can provide you with endless inspiration and ideas for your niche. Check them out, along with examples of popular travel photography niches:
- Aerial photography;
- Adventure and action photography;
- Cultural and ethnographic photography;
- Documentary travel photography;
- Event photography;
- Landscape or seascape photography;
- Urban and street photography;
- Portrait photography;
- Food photography;
- Wildlife photography;
- Underwater photography;
- Luxury travel photography;
- Fashion photography.
Once you pick a niche, determine your tone of voice. Will you have a more lighthearted and humorous approach with straightforward language, or do you prefer a more serious and informative tone with photography terminology? The choice is yours. But don’t forget that you need to stay true to your chosen niche and maintain consistency in your tone throughout your posts.
- Take the time to understand the platform
Quality content is not the only thing you need to succeed on Instagram. On top of that, you should be aware of the popular media formats, user behavior on the platform, and trends. All because people’s tastes and Instagram algorithms are constantly changing; so what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.
For example, it’s good to know that you can create a business account instead of a personal account to access advanced analytics and advertising options. In addition, if you set up a business account from the start, you’ll be able to create a shop to sell photo art online.
Luckily, Instagram has a helpful blog with tips and updates on how to navigate the ever-evolving platform. There, you’ll also find a 2024 Instagram Trend Talk, a comprehensive trend report with topics that matter to Gen Z, from fashion and beauty to finance and wellness.
- Build a strong profile
Becoming a travel photographer on Instagram also requires creating a strong profile. We all know that first impressions are important in real life, and social media is no different. You must ensure a catchy profile that will encourage people to stay and subscribe to your account.
To begin with, create a memorable bio. Share your profession, interests, and passions using keywords and emojis to captivate people. Or, simply craft a bio that reflects your niche and personality. Don’t forget to add your achievements to your bio. Something like “Visited 30+ countries” or “Published in National Geographic” can instantly grab attention and establish credibility.
Next, your user name should be easy to remember and relevant to your content. Avoid using random numbers or symbols, as they will make it difficult for people to find and remember you.
Last, your profile picture. It should also be recognizable and represent you well. Whether it’s a professional headshot or a fun and creative photo, make sure it accurately reflects your personality and brand.
- Develop a content strategy
Your Instagram portfolio is directly related to your travel photographer career. Well-curated content can showcase your photography skills, good taste, creativity, and unique perspective. Consequently, attracting the attention of top brands, well-known hotels, and influential tourism boards that are looking for collaboration opportunities.
For this reason, you must curate your content using a content strategy. Instagram creators recommend deciding on your content themes and how to mix them best. After that, you have to choose a posting schedule. Remember, it’s best to plan your content in advance; however, you should be flexible and have extra content ready to post.
If you want to grow your account or make money selling photos, adapt your content to different formats. On top of that, use relevant occasions to build your content around, such as holidays, trending topics, or special events. With seasonal offers tied to special dates, you’ll be selling photos faster.
- Engage with your audience
Building a following is only effective if you know how to keep your followers. This is possible through engagement. Show your followers that you’re approachable by responding to their comments, messages, and questions. You can also share followers’ content and credit them for their work to encourage engagement with your content.
Another way to engage with your followers is to ask them questions in your stories or posts. For example, ask your audience where you should go next or which content creator they want you to collaborate with. To further engage and educate your audience, you could also do travel photography quizzes.
- Use hashtags about photography travels
If you’re wondering how to sell your photos or get more followers, travel hashtags are key. They can help you increase the visibility of your posts and reach a larger audience. However, when choosing hashtags, you need to be strategic about them to target the specific audience you want to attract.
Location-specific hashtags like #londongram and #travelamsterdam are good for travel inspiration, while #solotravel and #digitalnomad hashtags will describe the style of your trip. Hashtags like #travelphotographybali and #professionaltravelphotography are ideal for attracting those interested in professional-looking pictures. For photo selling, use hashtags #commercialtravelphotography, #travelphotographyprints, and #travelwallart.
- Monetize your Instagram
Once you build a quality travel photographer portfolio and grow a following, it’s time to monetize your efforts. Here’s how you can make money with a travel-inspired Instagram profile:
- Partner with brands for sponsored content;
- Sell prints of your photos;
- Offer photography workshops;
- Offer photography tours;
- Provide photography services to travelers or companies;
- Collaborate with hotels for paid trips;
- Promote products and earn commissions through affiliate links.
To sum up
Instagram is a powerful tool that can propel your travel photography career and ensure a steady income stream. Take advantage of all the opportunities social media has to offer and turn your passion for photography travels into a profitable venture.