Creative Travel Photos: How to Stand Out at Famous Landmarks

Every famous landmark has “the photo.” At the Leaning Tower of Pisa, people pretend to hold it up. At the Eiffel Tower, they point at the top. At Santorini, everyone poses in the same blue-domed doorway. There’s nothing wrong with those photos—but after visiting dozens of countries, I started looking for ways to make my travel photos reflect my own personality instead of repeating everyone else’s. Here are some of my favorite ideas.

The landmark is only half the story. Some of my favorite travel photos aren’t centered on the attraction at all—they’re about the experience of being there. Street performers, local food vendors, colorful doors, interesting architecture, or even the crowds themselves can create more memorable photos than standing directly in front of the landmark. Before you line up for the obvious shot, take a few minutes to look around. Sometimes the best photo is just outside everyone else’s frame.

After visiting dozens of countries, I realized something funny. Years later, I barely remember the standard smiling photos. But I instantly remember the jumping photo where I nearly fell into the sand, the awkward dance in front of a temple, or the moment strangers started copying our pose. Those photos tell the story of the trip much better than another perfectly posed portrait.

We’ve all seen it. A hundred people standing in a field, hands in the air, trying to ‘hold up’ the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Landmark fatigue is real. When you’re on a mission to travel the world, you start to realize something. The best memories aren’t made by following the crowd. They’re made by breaking the script. Whether it’s a high-five or a jump, getting creative travel photos is how you make a world-famous spot feel like your own.

The ‘Holding Up the Tower’ Trap

There’s a reason everyone does the same pose. It’s an easy win. But after the tenth person, it loses its magic. If you want your travel feed to reflect your actual personality, you have to look for the ‘disruption.’ Sometimes that means jumping into someone else’s cliché for a laugh, or simply finding a perspective that doesn’t involve your palms.

There are only so many times you can stand in front of a tourist attraction and smile with your arms at your side. Still, I love that people want to get creative. However, there are some places in the world where everyone does the same pose. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is certainly one of those. Everyone tries to take a photo holding it up. Get creative. Experiment. 

Watch this clip. This guy jumps in and high fives people trying to line up for the standard pose at the Leaning Tower ofPisa.

Visit50 Tip: Next time you’re at a major landmark, put the camera down for 60 seconds. Look at what everyone else is doing, and then walk 50 feet in the opposite direction. You’ll often find a better angle—and a lot less elbow-jostling.

Creative Travel Photo Ideas: Finding Your Signature Move

One of my favorite ways to stay creative is the ‘Jumping Pic.’ It’s more than just a fun shot It’s a way to capture the energy of being in a new place. When you find a signature move, you start to build a cohesive story across all the countries you’ve visited. Try developing a unique pose, a certain angle, or a recurring joke. Keep it interesting and fun.

At the end of the day, travel should be entertaining. Are you the type to take the standard ‘hand-up’ photo, or are you looking for the high-five? Let me know your go-to pose for famous landmarks in the comments!

The goal isn’t to avoid taking the classic landmark photo. Take that one too. Then spend another five minutes trying something unexpected. Years from now, the photo that makes you smile probably won’t be the perfectly posed one—it’ll be the one that captures your personality and reminds you how much fun you were having

Lastly, I actually have an entire Instagram page dedicated to creative travel photos of Jumping Around the World. Come visit!

If you come up with a creative travel photo you’re proud of, I’d love to see it. Tag Visit50 on Instagram!