There’s travel photography, and then there’s traveling for photography.
An increasing number of travel companies and hotels today offer learning excursions and tours aimed at aspiring photographers, spanning a few hours to a few weeks.
Janine Yu, an adviser at the New York City-based travel company Indagare, said that because of photo-sharing apps like Instagram, more and more people are taking up photography as a hobby.
“The travel industry is catering to this growing interest in a fun way,” she said. “After all, what more enjoyable way to learn how to improve your camera skills than by exploring a great destination at the same time?”
Below are 10 tours, trips and hotels to bring out your inner Ansel Adams.
A Photo Safari at andBeyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya Learn how to take frame-worthy images with the new photo safari at this camp, in an area rich with game, including wildebeest, lions and hippos. Guests can book the safari for as little as a half-day or for up to several days and are lent the equipment they need, including a camera with a Nikon 600 mm lens. The safaris are led by a naturalist who is also a skilled photographer, and they take place in a jeep equipped with electrical charging stations for the cameras, 360-degree swivel chairs with camera mounts for long-lens stability and a fully stocked bar. Prices from $275 for a half-day. Camp rates start at $330 per person, per night, including all meals, game drives and transfers. (AndBeyond’s Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp and Serengeti Under Canvas offer similar tours.) Book at andbeyond.com.
Strabo Photo Tours Aspiring photographers have their pick of more than 50 trips a year from this travel company specializing in photography vacations, which are offered in six continents (only Antarctica is excluded) and run the diversity gamut. Trips to Slovenia’s glacial lakes and vineyards and to the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica are two examples. Most journeys last 10 days to 14 days, and all are led by a professional photographer as well as a local guide; there are usually 4 to 12 travelers on every itinerary. From $2,595, including accommodations, some meals, daily photography lessons and destination tours. Book at phototc.com or by calling 607-756-8676.
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Vermejo Park Ranch, Raton, N.M. Owned by the media mogul and conservationist Ted Turner, this property, a 585,000-acre expanse of terrain ranging from shortgrass prairie to alpine tundra, offers themed photography packages three times a year. Each is for four nights and led by a professional photographer, but their focus varies. The September package, for example, covers shooting the elk-mating season. Prices from $3,500 a person, inclusive of accommodations, all meals and nonalcoholic beverages and non-guided activities such as horseback riding. Book online at vermejoparkranch.com or by calling 877-288-7637 or by emailing reservations@tedturnerexpeditions.com.
Quasar Expeditions Photo Safari Galápagos Cruises The Galápagos Islands are renowned for abundant wildlife like iguanas and green sea turtles, and these seven-night cruises, offered nearly monthly, supply a chance to photograph the animals up close. The naturalist guides turned photographers who lead the cruises run nightly briefings where they review guests’ photos and teach them techniques to get the best shots for the animals they will likely see the following day. Also, guests disembark the boat early to get sunrise shots of the islands and come back to the ship in the early evening so that they can capture sunset images of the islands, too. Prices from $4,620 a person. Book by calling 800-247-2925 or emailing infousa@quasarex.com.
Manhattan Architecture Photography Tour, New York City Hit some of New York City’s top architectural landmarks such as Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building and the New York Public Library with this three-hour tour from TripAdvisor. Led by a photographer, participants will learn how to work with lines and angles to bring these buildings to life, and also learn how to photograph architectural interiors. This tour is offered several times a week and scheduled in the afternoon to take advantage of the sky’s changing colors. From $100 a person. Book online at tripadvisor.com or by calling 855-275-5071.
Paris Night Photo Tour, Paris The already picturesque City of Light becomes even more photogenic at night, and this three-hour private tour, tailored to every skill level, is an opportunity to learn how to capture it after dark. A photographer teaches travelers techniques for shooting famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Place de la Concorde and also shares tips on taking images of common sights in the city like boats sailing along the Seine River. 180 euros for the first person and 30 euros for each additional person for up to a total of four people. Book online at aperturetours.com/paris-night-photo-tour
PhotoWalks Freedom Trail Tour, Boston This 90-minute tour is a photography class and history lesson in one. A photographer who is also a historian leads the excursion to famous sites associated with the American Revolution such as Boston Common, the Benjamin Franklin statue and the building where the Boston Tea Party meeting took place. In all, participants visit more than a dozen spots and learn the best camera settings and angles to capture keepsake images of the iconic attractions. Prices from $40 a person. Book online through viator.com or by calling 888-651-9785.
Belmond La Résidence d’Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia Set in the heart of Siem Reap, this property has an in-house photographer who leads daylong excursions allowing travelers to photograph a variety of scenarios in the town and its surrounding area. The trip starts off on a longboat down the Kompong Phluk water village and includes a kayaking excursion around Tonle Sap lake and a trip to a food market to shoot pictures of local delicacies. The tour is $300 for two people and includes a car with a driver. Guests can also book the two-night Zooming in on Cambodia package, which includes accommodations, the tour and a three-day pass to the Angkor Wat temple complex. From $1,400 a person. Book online at belmond.com/la-residence-d-angkor-siem-reap/.
Photography Tours of Ireland It doesn’t matter where in Ireland you’re visiting or how adept at photography you are — the Dublin-based travel company Adams & Butler has a team of professional photographers throughout the country and can arrange for photography tours at every skill level. Possibilities include Dublin by night for after-dark shots, the mountains and lakes along the Ring of Kerry at sunset and the sprawling estates throughout the countryside by day. The company can also arrange for camera loans. From $300 for two people for a full-day tour. Book by calling 800-894-5712 or emailing sales@adamsandbutler.com.
Art & Clarity Adventures, Napa Valley Get an insider’s view of the touristy Napa region with the three- or six-hour photography tours, run by the photographers Janna Waldinger and Lowell Downey. The tours take you through Napa’s hilly terrain and vineyards but also touch less-frequented spots such as the woods and along Napa River; participants learn about camera settings, depth of field and how to properly frame the subjects they are shooting. And if you they have a particular interest, such as nature or architecture, Ms. Waldinger and Mr. Downey can tailor the tour accordingly. Prices from $99 to $500, depending on the length of time and number of people. Book by calling 707-480-4003 or by emailing sales@artclarity.com.
Correction: September 10, 2017
An article on Sept. 3 about photography tours referred incorrectly to the type of camera used on a tour offered by and Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp. It is a camera equipped with a Nikon 600-millimeter lens, not a Nikon 600-millimeter camera. (There is no such camera.)
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