20 travel photos you need to stop taking
20 photos we don't want to see anymore
We’ve all been guilty of posting images on our travels that annoy our family, friends and social media followers. From holding the sun or showing us your hot dog legs, there are some photos we just don’t want to see on our social media feeds anymore. Here are 20 travel photos we should all stop posting on social media now.
Jumping in the air
Let’s face it, those jumping in the air photos never really work – there’s always a few people still on the ground, while others are just bending their knees. If you have a truly amazing backdrop, this one may be acceptable, but if not it’s just a bit samey.
Your feet on the beach
Yes beach pictures are dreamy and we know you want to show off that view, but do your feet really need to be in the picture? Unless you’ve got particularly beautiful toes, it’s just not something we need to see. Plus, it doesn’t exactly say “I was here”, as no one else will be able to recognise your feet.
Novelty perspective pictures
Whether it’s the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Great Pyramids of Egypt, people seem to love to interact with their surroundings. Somehow though these photos never seem to be pulled off with success and usually make you look rather silly. We'd steer clear.
Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock
The hot dog legs
Yes you all know the drill – take a picture of your tanned, bent bare legs on a sun lounger to brag about that beach break. Thing is, they probably resemble hot dog sausages more than your actual legs, and we’ve all seen this hundreds of times before, so just don’t even think about it.
Your wine glass
Yes you’re on holiday and yes you’re drinking wine. But do you need to just show us your wine in a glass? If you’ve got a nice backdrop of a vineyard or you’re showing us your favourite brand with the bottle included that’s fine, but if it’s just a way of telling us you’re drinking wine, just forget it.
Tan lines
OK we get it, you’re in a hot and sunny destination and you’ve got an amazing tan, but please give us a break and don’t take a picture of your tan lines. We just don’t want to see it.
The wing of the plane
This is a picture we’ve all seen a thousand times. It’s just not necessary to post. Unless there are stunning tropical islands beneath the wing or an incredible sunset, we’re not really interested in just seeing more clouds.
Sunlounger selfies
You’re on holiday you’re relaxing on a sunlounger by the pool, while we’re all sitting on a commuter train or gazing out the office window. But do you need to post a picture of it? Now surely that’s just bragging.
Pavel L Photo and Video/Shutterstock
Holding the sun
This cheesy picture is often taken around sunset when the sky is aglow with orange and the subject is nothing but a dark silhouette. Yes these can looking cool if you’re an experienced photographer, but more often than not you'll have your hands in the wrong place and the sun will glare across the camera lens, rather than looking like the perfect sphere you wanted.
LightField Studios/Shutterstock
Cocktail in the pool
Again, you're just trying to make us jealous aren't you? We all know what a tropical cocktail looks like and a swimming pool, but we’d rather not look at them while we’re stuck at work.
TravnikovStudio/Shutterstock
Your boarding pass
Not only is this not an interesting photo in any way, but it's actually a potentially dangerous one. The barcode on your boarding pass actually contains a lot of your personal information, which people on may be able to access if the picture gets into the wrong hands.
Ekaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock
The close-up selfie in front of a famous landmark
You may be standing in front of the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty, but if it’s just a close-up selfie, you're blocking the main event. We'd much rather see the full picture without your face in it.
All your meals
Unless it’s a unique dish or a gastronomic work of art, we don’t want to see everything you’ve eaten during your trip. We simply couldn’t care less about the chocolate croissant you had for breakfast or the paella you ate at lunch.
Ioana Davies (Drutu)/Shutterstock
Your hotel room
Let’s face it, most hotel rooms look quite similar, unless you’re staying in a unique designer hotel or somewhere slightly quirky like a hotel made of salt. We know you're excited about not having to make your bed for a week, but we don’t need to see where you’re going to sleep on our social media feeds.
Holding hands
This was a great idea when Murad Osmann (@muradosmann) and his girlfriend started the #followmeto project by posting pictures like this on their Instagram feed. Since then, it seems everyone is doing it. Why not come up with something original instead?
The over-edited photo
There are so many filters and special effects you can add to pictures these days that’s sometimes it’s almost too tempting. It’s annoying though if every photo you post has unnaturally blue water or almost magical-looking, multi-coloured skies. Plus, it provides a very unrealistic expectation for the next person who might want to visit that destination.
Your coffee
Yes coffee is great and the frothy patterns on the top look so pretty, but unless it’s some amazing 3D coffee art, we really don’t need to see a photo of your cup. Pretty sure that coffee in Barcelona isn't that much different than those you get at home...
The hammock photo
You’re not trying to advertise a swimwear brand or a luxury island resort, so unless you’re a professional model or photographer, we’d all rather prefer to see something a little more natural than something that makes us want to hit the unfollow button.
Cabeca de Marmore/Shutterstock
Pre-departure drink at the airport
Your pre-holiday, airport Wetherspoons pint just isn't very interesting, so keep it off our social feeds. Plus, if you're drinking before your flight, the joke's on you – here's what a travel doctor has to say about alcohol and aeroplanes...
Overly boastful captions
"Enjoying breakfast on my private balcony, while you’re all getting ready for work." Now this is just plain rude.