With the current situation brought about by the pandemic, it shouldn’t stop you from exploring their creativity or from (day) dreaming on your next road trip or out-of-the-country visits.

Right now, you’re probably missing posting beach photos on Instagram or you’ve been dying to explore that secluded beach in some part of the world. However, even when travel is strictly not advised given the current circumstances and the limitation of being confined to just staying indoors, this shouldn’t hinder anyone from upping their Instagram game.

With that, anyone in their right mind would ask “Where and how can I shoot travel photos when I’m just inside my house?”

Even with the pandemic still around, we’ve rounded up some spots in your home and combined them with some creative ideas and photography tips and tricks on how you could best execute those travel photos that will definitely be deemed Insta-worthy. Check out the six home spots below that you could use to shoot some “travel” photos:

1. For Nature Shots: A backyard tree or indoor plants

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Photos at this spot are best taken during the golden hour. The “golden hour” is usually the first hour after the sun has risen and the hour before the sun has set. The lighting that will be captured in pictures would look warm and not as harsh versus when you take some photos at noon when the sun is high up.

During the golden hour, the temperature outside isn’t that hot which allows you to dress up in layers (if you'd like to dress up). Pose sitting under the tree, and take your photo. See how those pictures would look, as if you’re enjoying fall in any four-seasoned country.

2. For Beach Photos: An inflatable pool in your backyard

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You have two options here, you can take a photo of yourself lying on your beach towel or you can make use of your inflatable pool. Take inspiration from those Bali photos depicting pools from different beach resorts where they serve floating breakfasts on them. You can even decorate the indoor pool with some flower petals if you want to achieve that Bali vibe.

One tip is to take the photos from the top and to make it have that authentic look make sure the sides of the inflatable pool aren’t showing as much. This is the same for when you’re just lying on your beach towel. Take a picture directly angled downwards, make sure the environment isn’t showing in the photo as much.

3. Street Food Photos: The dining room

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If you feel like you want to dine like a local from a certain country, why not look up their local cuisines and street food and try cooking them at home.

Copy how these countries plate their food and display them nicely on the dining table. Not only will you be able to take some flat lay look and drool-worthy food photos on the dining table, but you will also get to practice your cooking and/or baking skills.

This is a fun activity that can be done and shared by all those in your home, you can even take pictures of them, as you eat to have that travel group vibe. To make it even more fun, dress the part; look as if you and your family are out backpacking. Create the mood of the room; so that everyone is in on the whole shoot.

4. Museum Photos: Artworks in your living room and/or bedroom

Ever thought about visiting the MET Museum or a local art gallery? Well, it doesn’t have to be left to your imagination. This time, you can make your living room like an art gallery or make it feel like the lobby of a museum. Take photos of some of the artworks that are located in your living room and/or bedroom. Focus on the details.

To even get the museum feel, you can pose by facing those artworks and have someone take photos of your back with the artwork as the main background. This will look as if you’re viewing art in a museum. Another way is to take up-close detailed shots of the art itself that way. When you post it, it will look as if you actually visited a museum in one of your “travels”.

5. Hotel/Airbnb Room Photos: The bedroom

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Whenever travelers get to a new place, apart from exploring the area, they also like to explore different parts of their chosen accommodations. Prior to traveling, they like to research and see the styles of the room, the amenities of the hotels, or the Airbnb home they’re staying in. The neatness of the places will prove to be Instagram-worthy. This is why this home shoot activity will prompt you to clean your bedroom.

Take some unique interior photos of your room to give off that nice hotel/Airbnb room feel. To not give away the whole look of your bedroom, take photos of certain spots that you find unique and charming. Not only will you give off travel vibes in your photo, but you will also have cleaned your room if you haven’t done so in two days.

6. Cloud Photos From Plane Rides: the Bedroom

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This is a travel photo must. Almost every traveler takes photos of the clouds to show that they’re up in the air and on to their next destination. What you would need is a mirror, a laptop, and some cotton. If you want to spice it up a bit, some Christmas lights should do the trick.

What you need to do is to search for some cloud backgrounds. Place the mirror on top of the laptop keyboard, bend the screen forward then place the cotton on top of the mirror. Spread out your cotton so that it takes up some space in the mirror. From here, take your cloud shots from the mirror. Make sure the mirror is big enough so that you could crop out the sides.

Depending on the type of image that you choose, you can light up the Christmas lights and place them on the side or under the cotton spread on the mirror. This is one of those creative travel photoshoots that you could most definitely execute at home.

BONUS: Airplane Window Seat Photo: the washing machine in the laundry room

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This is one of the most fun photoshoots, but this would only work if the opening of your washing machine is on the side and is see-through. What you need is a tablet with a view of your choice. Place the tablet behind the see-through “door” of your washing machine, lean towards that makeshift window, and then take a close-up photo of you leaning towards that see-through door. It’ll look as if you’re actually riding the plane towards any country you want to visit. This one is a very funny and creative shoot. You can even showcase the behind the scenes photo, as it will be a very funny post.

Given all these “travel” ideas, this article hopes to inspire you to be creative in dealing with the new normal situation. It isn’t easy being confined in your home for so long; so this is one of the ways anyone can liven up your day-to-day activities, as you wait out the pandemic.

Try some of them, you’ll never know you might actually enjoy taking these photographs and you might find a new hobby in making them.

Six Home Areas Where You Can Do Travel Photography