Travel Photography Is Not Dead: Here’s Why

The global pandemic has brought about significant changes to how countless photographers and videographers work. With changing attitudes and shifting restrictions, how feasible is it to continue working as a travel photographer?

Respected travel photographer Mitchell Kanashkevich has put together his thoughts, and his approach strikes me as a healthy mixture of respect for others, being suitably cautious when necessary, and yet, not letting fear dominate his approach to life. Photographers around the world will sympathize with his reluctance to photograph in cities where facemasks proliferate, so Kanashkevich’s shift to a more rural focus makes sense, not just for the quality of the work that he’s producing, but also for avoiding exposure.

Peru introduced strict lockdowns near the beginning of the pandemic, closing borders and imposing curfews, and hospitals were overwhelmed again in January 2021, prompting more restrictions. The country has felt the impact more intensely than other countries due to oxygen shortages, a lack of intensive care beds, and a vaccine rollout that is behind that of other countries.

For more thoughts on travel photography and the pandemic, be sure to check out this excellent article by Fstoppers' Paul Choy.

Are you planning a return to travel photography? Let us know in the comments below.

Andy Day's picture

Andy Day is a British photographer and writer living in France. He began photographing parkour in 2003 and has been doing weird things in the city and elsewhere ever since. He's addicted to climbing and owns a fairly useless dog. He has an MA in Sociology & Photography which often makes him ponder what all of this really means.

Log in or register to post comments
1 Comment

Yes, I'm planning to return to travel photography, next week in fact, when I leave for Nepal to attempt the Three Passes Trek and Everest Base Camp and, hopefully, get some nice photos along the way.