Why Every Photographer Needs a Solo Trip Right Now

Why Every Photographer Needs a Solo Trip Right Now

Have you ever felt your photography takes a backseat when you're with others? I booked a solo overseas trip to reconnect with my photographic passion without the constraint of expectations or fitting in with the needs of others. This article might be the push you need to go on your own solo journey of discovery.

What Is Wrong With Group Trips?

We have all been there before, a planned trip with family or friends and you want to stop at some spots to shoot in between wider group plans. There's always a pressure to keep up with the group, and stopping to shoot can slow down the itinerary, leading to sighs, eye rolls and watch checking.

Have you ever been to a photography exhibition or museum with someone who just isn't interested in the artwork? I have, and as they sat at the entrance and tapped on their phone, periodically checking to see how far round I had made it. This completely changed the way that I absorbed the artwork, or more accurately, didn't absorb the artwork.

Don't get me wrong, I love travelling and days out with family and friends, but we all have very different areas of interest. Even many of my photographer friends prefer to practice different genres than I do, and travelling with other photographers means compromising on itineraries to suit the tastes, wants and needs of others. This perhaps also means shooting the same subjects as others, which not only changes what you capture, but also means that you can't be true to yourself. If any of this sounds familiar, you need to take a leaf out of my book and head off on a solo trip.

A Solo Pursuit

I recently travelled to Sicily, with little to no itinerary. This was my first ever solo trip, and one which I have been craving for a number of years now. I booked my flights and accommodation, learned a little Italian, and left the rest to fate. Some photographers might fear wasting time without a plan, but you learn to trust your eye, to chase what feels right.

My Travel Companion

Okay, I wasn’t completely alone. My companion of choice was one which would support my every need while shooting, the Nikon Z fc. I chose this over any other camera for a number of reasons. From size and weight to ease of use, I wanted a camera that I didn't have to think about, other than thinking how beautiful it looked. I was travelling with hand luggage only, and minimizing my kit was an important logistical factor.

That innovative Z series technology is packaged up beautifully in a body that harkens back to the Nikon FM2 SLR design. Weighing in at under 16 ounces, the Z fc is a 20.9 MP DX format camera, which can easily handle the demands of travel photography. Although the Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 SE lens is the obvious choice to pair with this camera, I opted for the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens for fuller flexibility while exploring, and this turned out to be a great decision.

When not in use, the Nikon Z fc was safely stowed in the perfectly sized Wandrd D1 Fannypack when moving from place to place, and at all other times, sat comfortably on my neck thanks to the included minimalistic leather strap.

I like to sit and observe for a while before shooting, something which I usually don't have time for within my busy work schedule, or when traveling with others. On this trip, I found myself sat on benches and in doorways just watching the world go by, absorbing the culture and the mannerisms of the people of Palermo. The pressure to "keep up" with a group prevents me from lingering on a scene or waiting for the right light — but here, I was free to let my eye wander. I meandered, waiting for the next shot to reveal itself.

My Chosen Destination

A key location on my Sicilian adventure was the city of Palermo, with its vibrant history, gritty streets, and bustling culture being an irresistible lure for this photographer. For complete disclosure, another reason for visiting Palermo was after watching Andrew Scott star as Tom Ripley in the Netflix series Ripley. The series, which is a real feast for the eyes, is set in many locations across Italy. This is a series which you could pause at any moment and find stunning compositions, and the few episodes filmed in Palermo made me look closer at this city as the right destination for my first solo trip.

Palermo is a vibrant city, rich with culture and flooded with tourists during peak travel seasons, who marvel at the art and architecture, soak in the atmosphere of the markets and sample the indulgent local cuisine. This factor made shooting quite difficult at times, I had to play the waiting game, and use clever framing to shoot popular landmarks. There were some occasions where I wandered off the beaten track, and found stunning places not listed on the top tourist lists.

One day I was walking up Via Maqueda towards the busy Quattro Canti in the ancient quarter of Palermo, and had a sudden urge to take a detour through the archway of a grand entryway to take a peek at what was inside. This was the best decision, as I spent a few hours in the courtyard of the stunning Palazzo Cutò. Watching the light travel around and frame the contents of this courtyard revealed lots of hidden visual treasures. I felt like I was on a film set, all there just for me. The cat was the star of the show, and led me on a storytelling journey. My favourite discovery was the dusty footprints on the windscreen of an old car.

After this very fortunate experience, my new tactic was to look out for any archways and doorways that didn't look like they led to peoples homes. While searching for the Oritory of St Lawrence, I found another of these archways which led to a stunning courtyard that revealed a recognisable scene. I had found Palazzo Pantelleria-Varvaroone – one of the filming locations for Ripley, which stood in as the entrance to "Hotel Palma". As this was somewhat off the beaten track, I had this place all to myself which was a great feeling, as all other filming locations I had visited were very busy with tourists.

Unfortunately, the only painting by the master of light Caravaggio to exist in Palermo was stolen from the Oritory of St Lawrence in 1969, but a reproduction now hangs in its place which I thought was still worth seeing. I was delighted to find that I was the only person in viewing at that time, and spent a long time absorbing the stunning design of the Oritory itself, and the perfectly positioned Nativity of St Francis painting. In a back room, hangs the original empty canvas frame, which made for poignant viewing. I hope wherever the original painting is, it is intact and safe however there are many reports and rumours that suggest otherwise.

Some basic Italian for those looking to shoot portraits or to shoot in private property - "Posso scattare una foto qui?" Should be sufficient to ask stall holders if you can shoot their items/location. This tiny phrase allowed access during a visit to Mercato Delle Pulci – an amazing flea market, formed from haphazardly built tin huts, constructed around twisted mature trees. These stalls housed everything from chandeliers to old tattered childrens toys.

Sometimes, access leads to an exchange. One stall holder allowed access, then asked to borrow my camera to shoot some images of me! He directed me to lean one hand on the tree, then told me to avanti - to walk towards him - as he snapped away. I imagine this brought some interest to his day. Another stall holder allowed access, and then pointed out that the real gem to shoot was a statue of the Patron Saint of Palermo - Santa Rosalia - who he had positioned atop the tree that I was shooting. Whilst this wasn't an ideal composition and the lighting was less than favourable, he was teaching me some history, and revealing the significance that he had placed in Santa Rosalia watching over his stall. Of course, I thanked him, and obliged his gestures to shoot the statue. The meaning of this image is far more important than the outcome; you see, perfection isn't necessary on such a pursuit.

Palermo's vibrant and hectic markets, full of fresh produce and life, are a natural draw for photographers — but it's important to remember they're working markets, not just photo-ops. I kept to a few personal rules to avoid disrupting stallholders and customers: don't get in the way, this is their livelihood. Ask permission, even when you don't have to — a simple nod from afar can be enough. Learn when to move on; if the moment doesn't come, loop back later. And lastly, smile — it goes a long way.

On my last day, I headed to Mercato Del Capo on a Sunday afternoon to find a mix of restaurants, food stalls, fish and fresh produce stalls and an all-out street party!

Join in the enjoyment of others, and they will become willing participants in your photographs. Here I photographed an impromptu conga-line in Mercato Del Capo, which descends in to dancing and singing mid-late afternoon on Sundays. The atmosphere was electric, and everyone was having a great time, including me.

Positive Selfishness: Prioritizing Your Vision

This trip was for me and me alone – with aim to work on my personal and photographic growth. Its something which I refer to as positive selfishness. I was putting my photography first, unapologetically. Its hard to pour into your own creativity if you're always compromising or supporting the development of others. You deserve space to breathe, and a solo trip can provide that opportunity.

This trip has been completely freeing. I didn't stick to one genre of photography, I didn't necessarily feel bound to shooting images that fit with my wider practice. This was an exercise in observing, composing and experiencing something new in a way that was completely true to myself. This was my first solo trip, and certainly wont be my last. I find it hard to summarise the experience, but having an uninterrupted week where my whole itinerary was my own as a self-indulgent pursuit has pushed me in ways I couldn't imagine. I have grown in confidence, and also appreciated the time to just meander, waiting for the next shot to reveal itself.

This trip reminded me why I fell in love with the magic of photography in the first place as a child. If you're feeling stuck, or like your style isn't truly yours, give yourself the gift of a solo trip. You might be surprised at what you find if you choose to walk through that door.

Kim Simpson's picture

Kim Simpson is a photographer based in the West of Scotland. Her photographic practice is an exploration of the human experience, with a particular emphasis on themes of identity and belonging.

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25 Comments

Great photographs and wonderful article. Solo photo trip is something I have often thought about and your article might help me do that although my wife wouldn't be too happy. Cheers! 🇨🇦

Thank you Arun. It was a very fulfilling pursuit, and I am already thinking about where to go next.
I would thoroughly recommend it, and perhaps your wife can have a trip of her own in return!

If the OM System OM-3 is such a marvellous camera as you said in February, why didn't you take it on this trip? The OM-3 is smaller, has smaller and brighter lenses with better quality than this Nikon zoom, has much better image stabilisation than this Nikon zoom (Nikon ZFc does not have IBIS) which has a brightness of f/3.5-6.3 and not f/3.5-5.6, as you said. OM System is a much less well-known brand and therefore much less prone to theft. The choice of the Nikon ZFc and this Nikon zoom for this type of trip doesn't lend much credence to your words about the OM-3 and its lenses!!!

Why did you choose the Nikon ZFc anyway?

Was this trip sponsored by Nikon? After what you said about OM-3 I think it was!...

Disclaimer: I do not own any Olympus or OM System equipment

I didnt bring the OM-3 for the simple reason that I dont own an OM-3. When reading the article on the OM System camera, did you actually notice that its not me in the video associated with that article? Its a different photographer using it, who's excellent work I was featuring.

Anyway, its possible to appreciate many cameras for many different reasons! If this post WAS sponsored by Nikon (it wasnt but Nikon if you are reading this then please take this as my application to be an ambassador) then the article would have a little "sponsored" disclaimer, and be more focused on the camera rather than reminiscing about the trip.

As to why I chose the Zfc, I explain that in the article. For more context, if you need it, the FM2 was my first ever camera, which I bought second hand when I was 10 years old. So other than its size, the Zfc's design is based on the FM2 which is what made me choose it. Nostalgia. Not everything has to be based on the best of the best of the best.

This is a really stupid comment. She wrote an article, reviewing a camera, and this means she can't own and use a different camera??
And throwing accusations that it's sponsored by Nikon is both comical and ridiculous. You sound like a cynical child.

Apparently we're talking about different people. My mistake! I watched the video (or rather, listened to it) about the OM-3 but I didn't read the article because at the time I thought it would be a summary of the video and it would be better for me to listen to it while doing other things. But now I realize that the person who made the video is not the same person who wrote the article.

My sincere apologies for this misunderstanding!

It was hard for me to understand why someone would speak so highly of the OM-3 and then take a ZFc on a trip. It's because they're two different people! The person who made the video is not the same person who wrote the article and took the trip.

Once again Kim, my apologies for all this confusion! Could I delete my stupid comment?

Thats okay Jorge its easy to make mistakes. Just to warn you though, future articles might not stay true to one camera or brand, just like many other writers on here.

I love a good solo road trip!

All the better with a good road trip playlist and some out of tune singing with no one else around to judge!

The first time I went to a museum on my own was a day when everyone else was busy and I had time to kill. It was a spur-of-the-moment idea to walk up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and a revelation! I'd been there many times before, but now I could dawdle as I wanted without worrying about losing other people; I could jump from place to place; I could discover new work; have lunch whenever, etc. It was great. I've done it since, including 2 days ago.
My major vacations had always been with a group, but about 4 or 5 years ago I started going solo: long-weekend camping trips for astrophotography, then Europe, and last year to the National Parks out west. I was at Dead Horse Point State Park one evening shooting the Milky Way, and the only other people there were a couple on vacation. He was photographing the sky, she was reading. She was perfectly happy to be there, but in that situation, I'd have felt as though I was holding someone up and should hurry. Later in the trip, I pulled over on a whim in Arches National Park and and spent the next 4 hours doing astrophotography, which I probably wouldn't have done with someone else along.
If you're worried about your partner not being too happy about it, encourage them to do the same thing focusing on their interests.

Wow Bill, sounds like such amazing adventures, including the solo visit to PMoA!

Nice writing. I work far better in solitude, so I get it. 100%.

Thank you Nathan, those who get it, get it.

Sicily is wonderful. Just spent 2 weeks on the other side of the island in Ortegia, Piazza Amerina, Agrigento, Ragusa, and Taormina. Spectacular scenery, architecture, food, and PEOPLE. The Palermo side will be next. It is a photographer's dream place. Thanks for your wonderful piece.

I will definitely be back! I will fly in to Catania next time and do the East side of the island.

First, thanks for a wonderful set of pictures.

I enjoy Architectural photography. It needs time and patience to do properly. Sometimes I have to wait ages for a people free moment in some places.

When I am with my wife, her patience soon runs out, which is easy to understand. So I try to find some solo time to do my photography on my own.

Above all my solo photographic trips allow me to get away from the real world, as I concentrate on aesthetic problems, rather than the every day ones.

I schedule architectural work in off hours, usually very early in the day on a Saturday or Sunday morning, sometimes late in the afternoon on a Saturday or Sunday. Location depending, but traffic is usually very light. Another way is to use a very long exposure, like 30 or forty minutes so that people moving don't "paint in".

I spent the weekend planning. Next 2 trips (long-time bucket lists): The Silk Road cities in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, then Atacama desert this winter (their summer). The second trip was postponed by Covid, so 5 years delayed. I will probably do both as part of a small-group tour, but on my own and follow the daily itinerary only loosely. So, semi-solo.
Both of these trips are to remote areas with very few fall-back options if anything goes wrong; I feel better with someone else who knows the ropes at the helm. Now I need to learn some Spanish; I've been putting it off for 5 years. ;-)

A lot of my life is actually spent on solo photography trips, so I totally get the merits of traveling and shooting alone.

But I also meet up with other wildlife photographers while on many of these solo trips, like if I am going to be photographing reptiles and amphibians in Arizona for a month, I will meet up with some friends who live there for an evening here or a weekend there. Or when I am in Colorado for 3 weeks photographing Whitetail Deer, I will have a friend come join me for 3 or 4 days and then another friend or two for another few days.

I find it good to balance the shooting alone time with the shooting with others time. And when shooting with others, try to invite someone younger and inexperienced in your genre - it is quite rewarding to mentor others.

Funny timing for this article - I was on day 1 of an 8 day solo photo trip when it was published.

My trip was primarily wildlife photography in Sarawak (Malaysia) and Singapore. Funny enough, it's rather hard to convince non-photographers that walking 10km for a photo in 33C temps and 95+ humidity is enjoyable.

After a week of 6-15km per day with 10kg of camera gear and 2-4kg of water, my old body was rather broken. I am envious of those whose passion is street photography instead of wildlife, if only for the lighter load!

Hey Jon

That sounds like a very unique wildlife photo trip!

What was your primary target species, and what led you to choose that area for photographing that species?

Now that you've been back for a week, have you had an opportunity to go through all of the images yet? If so, how would you assess how well you did in accomplishing your objectives? What do you think you did great at with this trip, and what things would you do differently if you went on another trip for the species that you targeted?

I was targeting any and all snakes I could find, but also photographing any animals I came across.

Lizards: Double-spotted Gecko, Malayan Water Monitor, Roughneck Monitor.

Insects/arthropods/everything else: Asian Forest Scorpion, Asian Weaver Ant, Giant Forest Ant, multiple dragon flies, red-and-blue opadometa, an unknown genus Haaniella stick insect, Plantain Squirrel, Asian Small Clawed Otter, Slow Loris, misc orb web spiders, Calugo (flying lemur), Collared Scops Owl family, Buffy Fish Owl.

Snakes: Banded Malayan Coral snake, Bornean Keeled Pit Viper, Painted Bronzeback, Mangrove Pit Viper, Paradise Tree Snake, sub-adult male Wagler's Pit Viper and adult female Wagler's Pit Viper.

I love finding and photographing snakes because we don't have snakes in New Zealand. This is my 2nd time in as many years visiting these regions to photograph snakes and my competence at locating snakes has improved massively, thanks to a lot more research this time around.

My favourite is the Wagler's and I was overjoyed to find a male this time, as two years ago I only found a single sub-adult female - The Wagler's male and female look rather different.

I was also elated to find a Mangrove Pit Viper, as I'd already dropped my luggage off at the airport (Changi in Singapore) and only had about 1.5 hours to go through the spot I'd learnt of - Thankfully some local photographers were there and helped me find it.

A note on gear - Last time I had 2x bodies and a 200-600 and 24-105. This time I added a 70-200 f/4 macro and flash. The 24-105 only got used for street photography and the 70-200 is now my favourite lens, especially when I was able to get close to snakes (like the Wagler's and coral snake).

I was very happy to have only taken about 1200 shots and half of them were keepers. I think that I did well vs my objectives and the only real let down is that I was not able to use flash when photographing macaques (wild) or Orangutans (sanctuary), as the flash disturbs the animals... In the case of macaques, may even make them attack.

Next trip is already tentatively planned for ~2 years away. Things to change: Spend 2-4 more days in Sarawak and explore further afield, perhaps add Sabah and definitely add at least 2 more days in Singapore. Timing-wise, I missed the first of two durian seasons in Sarawak so either go 2 months later (peak season) or accept the higher cost of durian in Singapore at this time of year.

So you were herping! That's great!

I love herp photography because the photography part of it is so easy compared to birds and mammals. And the gear required is so small and light and inexpensive compared to the 600 and 800mm fast lenses that birds and mammals usually require.

Sounds like you are very resourceful when it comes to researching areas and finding out where the snakes are.

I am not familiar with "durian season" so I Googled it. It seems like that is the time of year when the fruit gets ripe. I'm not sure what that has to do with snakes. Does it just happen to be that the best time of year to find herps happens to be when the cultivated fruit ripens, or is there a direct connection between the two? Or was my Googling inaccurate, and is it possible that durian season means something other than, or more than, the time when fruit ripens?

I would love to see some of your images from the trip. Do you have a place where you post them online?

Durian being in season or not has no bearing on snakes, but does have an impact on orangutans. And my enjoyment of any down time.

The bad: If you visit the Orangutan sanctuary, your chances of seeing one is reduced because they don't need the rangers to supplement their food.

The good: I'm addicted to the king of fruits, but it's expensive here - Prohibitively so for fresh. In Singapore or Malaysia though... Was still durian season in the highlands, so available in Singapore for not too much.

I'm still redesigning my website, so nothing online. Because photography is my passion instead of my career, it's not been a high priority but I really should pull finger!

As for research, I do enjoy researching. I'm a bit strange like that, but also travelling is not cheap so you really need to maximise the value of your time.

Wow Jon, that sounds like a phenomenal trip. Yes its difficult to convince others that one shot is worth a whole day pursuit!