What is a McPhoto?

A McPhoto is a photo of you in front of an iconic landmark, be it the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, Great Wall or Leaning Tower. You think it is a special photo until you realize it looks exactly like everyone else’s travel photos.

But I love my Eiffel Tower photo…

Of course you do, and you should. The point is that you can take more original travel photos if you wish.

How?

1. Change the angle
Instead of just pointing and clicking, stoop down and point the camera up, or get in closer. Suddenly you have a much more alluring shot from an original perspective.

2. Change the lighting
If you can get up earlier, your shots will be less crowded with a more gentle light.

3. Put people in the picture
Often we shoo people out of the way so the way to the landmark is clear, but people in a shot can create more atmosphere and often juxtapose the size of what you are photographing (eg. the Grand Canyon)

4. Photoshop
A couple of basic Photoshop tricks can do wonders, like adjusting the brightness and cropping. And here’s a step-by-step guide to adding effects.

5. Look around
Of course you want to photograph the Eiffel Tower, but don’t miss the fabulous photo opportunities all around you.

6. Click away
The wonders of the digital age mean it’s free to take as many pics as you want. Don’t be afraid to photograph like there’s no tomorrow. Take risks. You’ll be surprised at what you can achieve, even if it’s only by luck.

There is nothing wrong with McPhotos but it is gratifying to have a range of pictures, not just one type.

You’re less enthusiastic, of course. You’re already full. Well, the same can happen with travel. If you’re rushing around from place to place, seeing the 20th castle that week or experiencing your fifth flight in as many days, it’s going to become wearying. You’ll experience travel fatigue.

It may be a physical thing, since too much travel, skipping time zones, long flights, rushing around with luggage, can all leave you feeling exhausted.

Or perhaps your mind has been overstimulated by seeing the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, Great Wall and Colosseum all within a week, and the wonder and excitement of seeing new things has dulled. It isn’t that traveling has become less amazing, it’s that you’ve moved around too much in a short time.

Travel fatigue also hits people who have to travel a lot for their jobs. Picture Edward Norton’s ‘Jack’, at the beginning of Fight Club, who spent his insomniac life on planes and faceless hotels fingering single cotton buds wrapped in plastic and meeting ‘ single serve friends‘ on the plane.

So how to prevent travel overdose?

1. Sit Still.
Visiting one place and simply hanging out for a while can be a much better experience than one of those 12-countries-in-3-days packages.

2. Cut back or pad out.
In your company are you needlessly shouldering all the business trips? Is there someone you can delegate to? Tried webcams? If you must go, try padding out the visit with a few extra days for R&R.

3. Check your itinerary
Does just reading it make you exhausted? Not a good sign.

Related Reading:

Signs You Travel Too Much