Getting the Best Travel Photos
As evidenced by the common “top” lists on photography aficionado sites, Peru is considered one of the best countries for photographing landscapes and people, a treasure-house of amazing shots waiting to be taken. Many travelers who make the trip seek not only to document their experiences, but also to gain some worthy shots for hanging on the wall and sharing on social media, so we’ve compiled some recommendations for them: our six top photogenic sites along with some tips for local photography etiquette.
Our Favorite Photo Subjects
- In each city, you can track down the bustling
central market for a fascinating view of local life: unusual items such as horse heads and llama fetuses are piled high in stacks, as are colorful textiles; housewives collect their daily groceries among stands offering exotic fruit and other food products while laborers huddle over bowls of hot soup. - Locals engaged in their day-to-day lives add color and
ephemeral interest to photographs of the little towns in the Colca Valley and on the islands of Lake Titicaca. Many engage in labor that is no longer seen everywhere, tending to their small family flocks and transporting the fruits of their subsistence crops on mule-back. - Architecture enthusiasts will find
the intricate mestizo-baroque façades of the volcanic sillar buildings of Arequipa’s historic city center to be a unique and beautiful choice. The carvings mix European and indigenous themes, adding in snakes and condors among the floral motifs. As a bonus, Arequipa also boasts the huge complex of Santa Catalina Monastery, whose red and blue mudejar buildings are connected by
flower-lined cobble stone paths and filled with relics showing how life in the complex was lived centuries ago. - The Peruvian rainforest offers a triple opportunity, allowing visitors to photograph their fill of monkeys and tropical birds, outsized flora, and also to document what life along the river is like for inhabitants of the towns which crop up along its ports, especially Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado. Frankly, not enough people catch the
magic of river life, especially that of the floating district of Belén in Puerto Maldonado! - Peru boasts a large number of festivals, allowing the lucky traveler who stumbles across one to take photos that can showcase the extremes of Peruvian faith and jubilation. Almost every event is
marked by endless folkloric dance parades which keep the traditional dances and dress of many local cultures alive. Just a few great options would be Cusco’s Inti Raymi or Corpus Christi, Puno’s Virgin of Candelaria, and Lima’s Señor de los Milagros. - Landscape photographers need look no further than the high-altitude lakes and mountain passes of the pristine national parks around Huaraz in the country’s north, the
patch-worked fields of the Sacred Valley of the Incas with the snow-topped Andean peaks in the distance, and the amazing scenery offered by Arequipa’s countryside, with its large rivers, numerous volcanoes, and the world’s largest canyons with giant Andean condors flying overhead. For the best photos, opt for one of the many treks offered in these areas, especially the incredibly scenic Lares Trek in Cusco!
Photography Etiquette
- Traditionally dressed locals who are sitting along Cusco’s colonial streets and the local markets, seemingly just relaxing with their colorfully adorned llamas or sheep, are probably doing so to earn tips (propinas), which they’ll ask for after you’ve taken the photo.
- Older Peruvians among the altiplano are apt to
find photo-taking unpleasant, and hide their faces with their hats. Younger Peruvians, on the other hand, are often more than happy to strike a pose. Use your best judgment, and always ask permission when in doubt. - You cannot take photos in all of the museums and churches. Lima’s Museo de la Nación forbids flash, while the Royal Tombs of Sipán Museum forbids all photography.
So does the San Pedro Chapel in Andahuaylillas, often referred to as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas- it’s harmful to the frescos. - Of course you want some stunning shots of Machu Picchu, but try to limit yourself to a small tripod and a camera if you are one those well-equipped photographers. If you appear to be a professional, you will be asked for a permit and then charged!