Around the world with Hasselblad: Tips for unforgettable travel photos

Motifs, moods, extraordinary moments: The special thing about traveling is that we get deeply involved in the special nature of the surroundings and the encounters with people. It's all the better when we succeed in capturing what we have seen and experienced in impressive travel photos and sharing the meaningful images of unforgettable moments with others.

But how do you take unforgettable travel photos? And what contribution do Hasselblad cameras make to travel photography? Which travel set-up with Hasselblad cameras is recommended, what is an absolute must in travel photography equipment? For whom is it worth the effort to travel with a Hasselblad camera in their luggage? Read everything you need to know about these and other questions in the following article.

Hasselblad for travel photography: requirements and advantages

When we talk about travel photography with medium format, we are not usually referring to a beach vacation on Mallorca where quick snapshots are taken. The Hasselblad brand is known for its medium-format cameras, which are primarily used by professionals to shoot high-quality images with a particular wealth of detail and color and emotional depth. For this to succeed, you need not only an understanding of your own camera but also a feel for light, surroundings and image composition.

If the prerequisites are right, a Hasselblad camera is the perfect travel companion. Digital medium format, extended dynamic range, detailed color and light reproduction as well as the compact design ensure that Hasselblad travel photography with medium format can be immortalized in captivating snapshots.

Features and travel setup of the Hasselblad camera for traveling

Traveling is all the more enjoyable when it is carefree. It is therefore an advantage that Hasselblad has succeeded in providing medium format cameras with the X series that are significantly lighter than their predecessors.

Ideally, you should also decide for yourself what travel photography equipment you need and what you want to do without. For example, if you are mainly traveling without a tripod, the Hasselblad X2D 100C with integrated image stabilizer is a good choice for blur-free freehand shots.

Other important features of the X2D for travel photographers are the integrated SSD memory and the usability of GPS and WLAN/Bluetooth. Using the Hasselblad Phocus Mobile 2 app installed on an iPhone or iPad, images can also be remotely controlled, imported or exported and edited in RAW or JPEG format.

It is also worth making an early decision regarding the choice of lens. The Hasselblad XCD 2.5/38V, which weighs just 350 grams, is particularly suitable for travel photography with medium format. Thanks to its high resolution, excellent color rendition and fast f/2.5 aperture, fine nuances can be captured in high-quality image compositions. With a minimum focus distance of 30 cm, the lens is well suited for close-ups - provided, of course, that the subject remains still.

Are you looking for a lens that is particularly versatile because you want to avoid changing lenses? Then the XCD 3.5/30 with a horizontal angle of view of 71° is a good choice for traveling. Even with the XCD, you can take impressively high-quality photographs of your subjects at close range.

The travel set-up can be usefully supplemented with various filters, spare batteries or cable releases for long exposures. And where do you store your valuable equipment? A good travel photo bag not only protects against shocks and moisture, but also makes it easier for you to access your camera, lenses and accessories quickly when you're on the move. Make sure you have a well thought-out interior layout, smooth-running zippers and high-quality, weatherproof materials - such an investment pays off many times over, especially when traveling. Your equipment will not only be perfectly organized, but also stylishly and safely stowed away, from the narrow alleyways of the old town to the mountain path at dawn.

Avoid overtourism: Travel tips for good pictures

Königssee in Bavaria, Trolltunga in Norway or the old town of Dubrovnik in Croatia: some wonderful travel photography motifs have been photographed so often and are so overcrowded as social media hotspots that it is advisable to look out for lesser-known places and motifs.

And it's worth it, because with the right camera and a good technique, even initially inconspicuous or completely unknown subjects can be captured in a brilliant new light or shown from a touching perspective. Landscape shots at the golden hour just after sunrise or travel photographs in the light of the blue hour in the evening are spectacular in themselves.

If you also take the time to capture creative and unusual perspectives or image compositions with your Hasselblad camera, every shot seen a thousand times in the same selfie perspective will fade behind it and your photos will arouse genuine enthusiasm for the individuality of the shot as well as interest.

Last but not least, remember that different legal and ethical principles apply in every country; be respectful of sacred sites and people and obtain permission before photographing strangers.

Your own freedom of movement is also crucial for authentic shots. If you want to react quickly without the hassle of taking the camera out of your rucksack, we recommend a camera bag with a carrying system that allows you to move around while still providing optimum protection. Especially when exploring urban or natural areas, your camera bag or case should be as reliable as it is comfortable - for spontaneous changes of perspective and inspiring discoveries where others just pass by.

Travel photography with medium format - for whom is the extra luggage worthwhile?

Even if the new Hasselblad medium format cameras are lighter and more compact and the lenses are more versatile, taking expensive camera equipment worth protecting with you on your travels is still more of a hassle than just packing your smartphone.

Whether it is worth the effort for you to take Hasselblad travel photography with you depends, among other things, on your answers to the following questions:

- What is the purpose of your trip? Relaxation, pleasure or the desire to capture new exciting motifs and further professionalize your skills as a photographer? Are you photographing privately or to sell the images afterwards?

- How familiar are you with your medium format camera? Do you have the confidence to take full advantage of this type of camera when traveling?

- How mobile and resilient are you? Can you imagine traveling with a camera bag on extended trips?

Taking a Hasselblad travel camera with you is primarily suitable if you have already mastered the basics of photography, are mobile and resilient and want to take professional pictures.

Then your equipment also deserves a means of transportation at eye level. If you regularly take your camera and accessories with you when traveling, you should look for a carrying and protection solution that combines style, safety and functionality. Whether at the airport, in narrow alleyways or on hiking trails: Choosing the right bag not only influences comfort and handling, but also your willingness to actually take the setup with you. And ultimately also the quality of your pictures.

Hasselblad on the road: image composition and storytelling

Every trip has its own objectives, which is why it is difficult to give general tips for travel photography with medium format. Therefore, the most important travel tip is to think carefully about your destination, your subjects and the advantages of a Hasselblad medium format camera for travel photography in order to get the best out of your travel shots. Focus on what is special and unique about your subject.

Technology, travel photography equipment and image composition are the three essential foundations of good travel photography with medium format. These three components enable you to showcase the characteristic features of a subject instead of "simply" photographing it as it appears in front of your lens.

Buildings, for example, can often be presented excitingly using geometric elements and lines. Landscape shots benefit in particular from the lighting conditions and playing with effects. Targeted blurring in the foreground or background can also achieve interesting effects, depending on the subject.

Last but not least, a Hasselblad medium format camera is particularly suitable for telling a story - that of a single person with all its facets or that of a well-kept tradition, which is succinctly expressed in color, light and detail.

A well-thought-out photo bag helps you find the right story quickly. When lenses, camera and accessories are stowed away clearly and well-padded, as with the Louis camera bag, the focus remains on the essentials of photography: the subject. Especially for storytelling with medium format, it is helpful not to have to search for equipment for a long time - because the moment often counts. A bag that combines functionality with elegance will accompany you unobtrusively and efficiently.

Pros and cons of Hasselblad travel photography: high price, professional results

Hasselblad cameras for travel photography rightly belong in the upper price segment due to their features, construction and design. After all, this is not a mass-produced product, but a professionally designed camera that undergoes an elaborate production process. Nevertheless, the price is of course an important criterion that can also speak against a purchase.

For professional travel photographers and anyone who considers photography to be their favorite hobby, the purchase is definitely worthwhile, especially when you consider that every Hasselblad medium format camera also produces excellent images at home. However, if you mainly want to take souvenir photos or snapshots, you are better off with a smartphone or an inexpensive system camera.