The vibrant colors of feather-clad street dancers, bold flavors of exotic cuisines, and dazzling displays of other countries’ cultures. Your travel memories are in high demand.
Now is the perfect time to make the most of an all-time high interest in virtual travel. People want to see images of exotic lands, fabulous festivals, and feel like they are somewhere else—anywhere else rather than stuck at home.
As travel writers, that’s where we come in. If you are anything like me, then you tend to collect a lot of photos from previous trips so now is the time to cash in on them. Especially if you have had those dreary thoughts along the lines of “I can’t think of anything to write about.”
These images are a goldmine that you can use to not only capture the hearts and minds of readers, but also find a wealth of new article ideas.
These feed the voracious appetite of wanderlust-struck people all over the world who are unable to travel, can’t afford to, or simply aren’t comfortable to do so just yet.
They have an almost insatiable need to feast their eyes on striking sunsets from Hawaii, or glamorous feather-clad figures dancing in the streets of Rio de Janeiro. The wonders of travel imagery can transport them there in an instant.
Bucket lists are being made. Along with “the first place I want to go when things reopen” lists that are fueling the desire of thousands. So, now is the perfect time to use your travel writer’s skill set to cash in on them.
How do I know? From firsthand experience.
A friend of mine just got back from Texas and the first thing she said to me was “thank you for posting beautiful pictures of Cozumel, you saved my sanity and I lived through you for months.”
Thousands of other people are doing the same thing. Even I do it. The other day I was drooling over an image of a vineyard with snowcapped mountains in the background, which a friend sent to me from Oregon.
Why? Because I see the ocean every day, so for me the mountains are a novelty. It’s been years since I’ve seen snow (not that I miss it).
The point is that the thousands of pictures most of us have stored on our computers are just sitting there doing nothing. They are a goldmine for a travel writer. Let those photos take you down memory lane and inspire article ideas. Reminisce about that trip you took—and write it down!
If you won’t be traveling soon, which a lot of us won’t, then I want to encourage you to access the goldmine hidden in your past travels.
Those glorious big glossy photos that capture the imagination and heart. It works.
Here’s a great example—these pictures of cenotes just landed me an article that paid half my month’s rent. They’re gorgeous so I attached a couple to an article pitch. The editor loved them as they transported her there in an instant.
The point is that editors and their readership alike, all want to feed their inner travel craving. They want to dive in to that cenote they can’t travel to Mexico to see for themselves.
So, lastly, let me leave you with this.
It’s never too late to use your photos. Those cenote photos were taken three years ago. Sometimes to move forward we have to go back. Don’t be scared to take a trip down memory lane. It will re-inspire you to write and you can make some good money from your past travels.
Now go make a coffee and have fun re-exploring your travel photos. It’s a blast!