2026 Travel Photography Goals: Destinations, Styles, and Stories to Chase This Year

We are now three weeks into 2026, and looking back on my year, I have achieved goals I had set for myself. One of those goals was to read more, and as a result, I finished 30 books in 2025, almost double what I read in 2024. This year, I’m aiming for 45 books. In addition to my reading goal, I wanted to remain active in physical wellness through daily workouts and rowing sessions (I am nearing 100 total hours). I did take some time off from rowing, primarily for vacation and being away from home, but in those days, I was getting in thousands of steps! I’m happy with how these personal goals turned out in 2026.

Another goal in 2025 was my next book. For years, I have been considering doing a book on automotive light painting. Of all my photography, it’s the type that generates the most questions. I’ve been doing it for over a decade now, and I thought it was time to get started with this project. I am by no means the best at this craft; however, I feel I have enough experience to create a resource on light painting that opens the door to newcomers to the art. It’s not the advanced, know-all book of automotive light painting; it’s the roadmap.

The hardest part of the book was getting started. In fact, that’s commonly the most challenging part of any project: the beginning. The ideas, the framework, the dedication, making it part of your routine, and visualizing the end product. The book is finalized, and the digital release is now live (you can purchase it here). 2025 also brought some fantastic travel discoveries. Seville, Malaga, Zagreb, Dubrovnik, and a return to Paris once again.

Looking Ahead in 2026

As 2026 has begun, I find myself looking at what’s ahead for this year in travel. From my journeys last year, I have reflected on those places and what I enjoyed most about them. I look back on my photography and remember those moments. As my photography journey continues, I seek the next place to touch down. To explore and to use my time the best I possibly can.

I follow several photographers; nothing surprising there. Some are what you might consider travel photographers, but many are not. I also frequent travel websites, learning more about what the world has to offer, and Instagram does a good job putting interesting locations in front of me. The photos, stories, and experiences shared help me build a foundation of travel destinations I hope to visit one day.

This time last year, I already had a flight booked. That trip was to Dublin. I had no plans to stay in Dublin for the entire destination, but booking that flight was the first task; it was the commitment to more. The anticipation of a trip is a big part of the pure enjoyment of the overall experience, and I am looking to book my first trip of the year soon. The departure could be as early as May, but it will probably be June, as that timeframe works better for me based on my schedule. I like to consider a June trip and one in September, which I see as the cap on the travel year. In September, the weather is still fantastic, but soon after, things start to cool and the days get shorter.

Discoveries

When I travel, I don’t take it for granted. I know that it’s quite possible that the paths I am walking, the sites in front of me, and my overall time in any particular destination could be my last. The truth is that with so much I want to see, and with the variety of fascinating destinations to be discovered, returning to a place, no matter how great it is, may never occur. However, I have returned to destinations; either because my initial time was limited, the weather wasn’t as expected, or simply because I felt there was more to discover. I’m considering Lisbon, Porto, or Prague for second visits.

I’ve been working on a list of destinations throughout 2025. As ideas come to me, conversations about travel occur, or information I’ve stumbled upon, I’ve noted these ideas and destinations for hopeful future travel. Most spots seem to be areas within Italy, and Spain is second on the list. There is also more to explore in Croatia, and first travels to Greece and Slovenia, to name a few. It’s an extensive list that seems to expand weekly.

Currently, I am considering a direct flight to Madrid and figuring it out from there; however, depending on my ultimate destination, it may make more sense to book a flight to Paris or London, given the availability of connecting flights and the frequency from those airports. By this time next week, I could have more news on that next destination.

Style Evolution

When it comes to photographic style, adapting a style does not come naturally, as style needs to evolve into something you connect with. However, that style is forever evolving. Taste changes overall, and as a result, what I chase in my photography does as well. It’s almost jarring to look back on some of my images from many years ago; at a glance, it can be challenging to know why I took the approaches I did, and that those were the photos I decided were my best.

As the travel season approaches, I plan to continue trending toward the methods of 2025, adopting a minimalist approach to my photography: less worrying about technical aspects and more focused on the feeling in that moment. My realization that many of these moments were the only times I would see these sites with my own eyes allows me to connect with the experience even more. Perspectives change, and I guess as I get closer to 50, living for today is more important than ever. I’m not old, but I’m not young anymore either.

Fujifilm recipes have become an essential part of my approach to photography and my workflow. I no longer consider much post-processing for my images. A few subtle tweaks, sure, but I’d rather keep it presented as close to what I captured as possible.

Overall, evolution is gradual. We do not change by snapping our fingers and creating something entirely new. We change bit by bit, day by day, photo by photo. We are continually undergoing microevolutions of ourselves and our art.

Creating Stories

If I were to look ahead and choose a story to chase in 2026, it would be one centred on gratitude. Gratitude for the experiences, the journeys, and the moments that continue to shape me. Every opportunity to explore adds to the larger narrative of my life. Photography is a way of capturing that narrative.

There’s so much still to see, to capture, and to feel. Each journey becomes a chapter in an evolving story built on experience. Exploring new perspectives and jumping at opportunities is what I’m focusing on in 2026. Stories are made by showing up; by being there.

So this year, I want to keep chasing connections to the moments that deserve to be remembered. In the end, the stories I tell with my photography are the stories I chose to pursue. These stories continue to shape who I am.