I've been doing photo walks for a long time, and even have a dedicated photo walk newsletter. In this timeframe, I've traversed many countries and diverse cultures and picked up on a few dos and don'ts. I want to share them with you.

These tips and tricks are organised into three stages and range from safety and health considerations to general photography advice. Some are more evident than others, but all are worth keeping in mind.

🕛 Before the walk

This stage alone makes up half of the points.

🦺 1. Stay safe

Check whether the area or activity you have in mind is safe from any noteworthy hazards — human, animal, mechanical, or geographical. For good measure, consider bringing someone with you, such as a fellow photographer, your spouse, a random cat you find on the way …

🚧 2. Check the availability

Similarly, you don't want to commute for an hour or fly halfway across the world just to be walled by a "Closed" sign.

⚖️ 3. Know your rights

Did you know that photography in public spaces isn't allowed in some countries? Before travelling abroad, check whether this applies to your destination. But don't stop there; learn about all the other local laws and customs. The last thing you want is to spend your vacation locked up behind bars.

🛖 4. Explore lesser-known places

I'll address this in the form of a wet and salty metaphor: Instead of riding the huge and exciting waves that have been surfed to death, go north to a secluded cove and find the hidden charm in the small and quiet.

🗺️ 5. Mark your A and B points

Unless you're feeling adventurous, I wouldn't suggest throwing yourself into an unknown place without knowing where you're headed. Get your hands on a map and take a moment to study the area — its landmarks and pathways — and trace a route for yourself. It doesn't have to be detailed, and you don't have to follow it with precision; the important thing is to have a destination in mind.

🌦️ 6. Ask the weather gods for the dress code

Shivering, sweating profusely, having to use your free hand to shield your eyes from the sun — all these things affect your concentration and, by extension, your enjoyment. Before you exit, consult the weather forecast and dress accordingly; comfortable shoes are especially important. If there's a chance of rain, don't think twice, bring an umbrella.

🌞 7. Beware the midday sun

They say high noon is the worst time to photograph, especially people. This is because the sun spotlights foreheads, causes squinting, and casts raccoon-like shadows under the eyes. Urban landscapes have it no better: The lack of long, bent shadows signifies a tragic loss of added depth. That's not to say you shouldn't try it; I've done it many times and come home with unique images.

🔭 8. Take one lens only

I used to think that bringing the whole kit was the wise man's move: Just in case! You never know, right? The truth is that having a choice calls for decision-making, and too much of it leads to something called decision fatigue. Relying on one lens simplifies the process, avoids disruptions, and makes your shoulders more thankful. Better still, a lack of options invites outside-the-box thinking, which invokes creativity and makes you grow as a photographer. Granted, one lens isn't the best choice for every occasion, but it remains a worthy candidate.

👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏼 9. Pair up

Photography, for the most part, is inherently a solitary practice; it doesn't demand the same manpower that, say, a film crew requires. Even so, it may be a good idea to bring someone with you or join a photography group, at least once in a while. Not only do you trigger the "safety in numbers" hypothesis, but you'll likely learn a thing or two from one another. Sure, you might take fewer photos, but you'll undoubtedly laugh a lot more.

🪪 10. Bring a photography card

It looks like a business card and includes your name, email or socials, and perhaps a link to your portfolio. While you're out snapping, chances are you'll run into other humans: A wary person inquires about your intentions; someone catches you taking a portrait of them and asks you to send it to them; you cross paths with another photographer and wish to stay in touch with them … In all these cases, it pays to have a small token of legitimacy, one you can easily hand over.

🎨 11. Pick a theme

Although you may be more accustomed to random or "detached" photography, consider spicing things up by infusing your walk with a little challenge. Pick a theme — isolation, old vs new, the colour red — and have fun finding different ways to portray it in each image. Limiting yourself in this way may seem difficult, but don't forget that with limitation also comes simplification.

🎯 12. Start a photo project

Want to take the challenge a step further? Find a topic that drives you, set out to build a body of work around it, and encapsulate the results in a zine or a photo book. Projects like these, whether documentary or experimental, tend to fall in the realm of "attached" photography because they entail a greater sense of purpose when choosing what you capture. You're no longer taking a random snapshot of, say, a piece of a piece of litter; you're taking it because you know it will help tell a bigger story.

☕︎ 13. Don't drink coffee

How dare you suggest such a thing? My body can't operate without it! Mine neither, but if you take one too many espressos, your extremities will be on edge, risking blurry photos. Of course, this won't matter so much if you're shooting at high shutter speeds, using a camera or lens with a built-in stabiliser, or working on a project where the effects of caffeine play an intentional role.

🍛 14. Avoid heavy meals

First my survival drink, and now this?! Listen, a photo walk is already a physical and mental endeavour. If you throw a big meal into the equation, your body is going to enter a hard-on digestive mode, which burns more calories, which leads to drowsiness, which stops your feet moving, which kills the walk. Why not bring a light snack and leave the meal as a reward for afterwards? It works for gamers …

🕒 During the walk

My personal favourite point hides in this stage — don't worry, I make it obvious.

🧃 15. Stay hydrated

To sustain your kinetic forces and avoid face-planting into the asphalt, do yourself and your precious equipment a favour and bring a bottle of water, especially during the more sun-nibbling periods of the year. If you can't be bothered to carry one — you lazy bugger — consider taking a break midway through the walk and supporting a local shopkeeper.

🥷🏻 16. Don't act suspicious

Leave the shurikens at home, Kakashi; there's no need to tread in the shadows. Assuming your common sense is in check, you're not doing anything wrong. Be open and available, relax your muscles, and smile — it goes a long way. More importantly, be kind and respectful, not just to the people around you, but to the place itself, its customs, and its creatures.

📸 17. Don't let your camera doze off

You never know when a great moment is going to arise, so be ready for it — at all times. Even a camera in energy saver mode takes a second or two to "wake up", which could be enough to blow the shot and leave you cursing yourself, or worse, turning off the camera … Bring an extra battery or two if that's what it takes.

🐝 18. Change the perspective

Sit on a bench, crawl in the grass, and angle down from an overpass; not everything has to be framed from an eye level. Another thing — something I constantly forget to do myself — is to turn around every once in a while; the scene you're looking for might be right behind you.

👽 19. Dare to experiment

Monotony can be a detriment to your photography — don't let it get to you. If one day you wake up with the urge to deviate from your usual style or fancy breaking all the rules of photography, do it; no one is going to see your stuff unless you allow them to. Besides, many great inventions started as silly little experiments; who knows, you might be up to something …

🫵🏻 20. Photograph for yourself

If there's one thing I want you to take away from this post, it's this. Unless photography is your livelihood, don't do it for anyone other than yourself; this includes social media and the heart-shaped iconography that fuels its lure. When something catches your eye, no matter how unimportant or unorthodox it may be, capture it. If you filter what you photograph through the notion of what others like, you neglect your soul. Make photography the therapy, not the reason you need it.

🪫 21. Keep your expectations low

If photography were an Olympic sport, it most definitely wouldn't be a sprint. It's my belief that great photos don't come by force but by perseverance. To avoid unnecessary frustrations, a good rule of thumb is to expect nothing and accept everything. Instead of aiming for — that chucklesome word — "bangers", focus on getting out there, establishing a routine, and having fun.

🪷 22. Embrace "f/8 and be there"

It's a quote commonly attributed to Arthur Fellig, better known by his pseudonym "Weegee". He was a noire-style photographer who focused on capturing New York City from the 1930s–1950s. The expression suggests to be present, unconcerned about technique. Try it; set your camera to a safe mode, such as Auto or "f/8", and forget about it so you can "be there", in the moment.

🕕 After the walk

You can skip numbers 25 and 26 if you shoot JPG and don't edit.

✂️ 23. Cull right away

Culling is the process of reviewing images and selecting the ones you wish to keep. Doing this soon after the walk gives you an advantage because the details remain fresh in your mind. What this usually translates to is a more swift and honed selection. On top of that, you avoid things piling up over time, something your future self will be thankful for.

🧬 24. Use a custom filename

The default FNC or "File Naming Convention" of any camera packs two main problems: the risk of file duplication and the lack of search capabilities. Using a custom FNC not only solves those issues, but it allows you to establish your own local — and free — photo-managing system that can serve you for life. (You can learn about this in my dedicated essay — I spent a good two weeks writing it.)

💽 25. Edit off an SSD

Editing raw files can take a hefty processing toll on any computer. By temporarily storing your photos on a Solid State Drive while you edit them, you remove that toll from your computer so it can focus on other things like running the software.

💤 26. Take a break in between edits

After an initial editing pass, close the programme, and come back to it after a day or two when your eyes are fresh and your mind is unbiased; you'll be surprised how much your aesthetic judgement fades with prolonged pixel goggling.

🗄️ 27. Make a backup using the "3-2-1 rule"

It's more of a safety recommendation than a rule. It suggests copying your media — the finalised photo walk folder — onto three separate drives, two locally and one remotely; the cloud counts as well. Remember: If you don't make a backup of your files, you don't own them; fate does, and fate has a dark sense of humour.

🚀 28. Share your work

Don't take "photograph for yourself" in the wrong sense — show your photos to others. If you're shy like me, start by family and friends. Once you feel more confident, consider extending your exhibit beyond the digital realm — framed images, photo books, and calendars make a great gift. A word of caution for those thinking of selling their work: When a hobby becomes your livelihood, the passion tends to fade over time; it will be your responsibility to keep that flame alive.

That's it; those are all 28 of my photo walk tips and tricks.

🎁 The End? Not quite …

You may or may not have noticed something odd about the feature image … The truth is, I clandestinely wrote a sister post to this one in which I outline my photo walk routine in 5 stages and 22 steps. Interested? Click here.