Stepping onto a mega-ship like the Regal Princess, with its soaring decks, glittering atrium, and endless corridors, is an experience in and of itself. For a traveler, it’s a playground of relaxation and adventure. But for a traveling photographer like me, it’s something even greater—a floating canvas of light, color, and movement. The size alone can be overwhelming, with thousands of passengers bustling about, each carving out their own story on the open sea.
So, where do you begin?
I like to be among the first to board. Before the crowds flood in, I do a full visual walk-through. No camera in hand, just my eyes and instincts guiding me. I study the spaces, the light, the way shadows stretch across the decks, and the reflections shimmering off glass-paneled balconies. I take mental notes on where to return when the light is right, when the energy shifts when the crowds thin.
Mega-ships like these are their own miniature worlds—offering a blend of architectural photography, food photography, portrait photography, lifestyle photography, and even landscape photography when the horizon beckons. And to capture it all, I live by one simple rule: just keep moving.
Keep looking up, down, and all around. The beauty of cruise photography is that it demands curiosity. The grand chandeliers in the atrium, the intricate patterns of the deck flooring, the way the ocean spills into infinity through the rails—all of it is art waiting to be framed.
I’ve learned that meal times are prime shooting opportunities. While most passengers are occupied in the dining rooms, I have the outer decks almost to myself. This is when the ship feels like a ghost town, and I can capture its sheer scale without distraction. The serenity of an empty pool deck at sunset, the golden hour light slipping through the slats of a cabana, the quiet elegance of a bar before the evening rush—these are moments of stillness in an otherwise dynamic setting.
Beyond the ship itself, I’m drawn to the human stories unfolding around me. A couple leaning against the railing, silhouetted by the setting sun. A bartender, mid-pour, frozen in a moment of concentration. A child pressing their nose against the glass, mesmerized by the endless blue beyond. The energy of a mega-ship is found in its people, and as a photographer, my job is to capture both the grand and the intimate, the spectacle and the solitude.
To be a traveling photographer is to be a wandering spirit. It’s about embracing the unknown, following the light, and seeing beauty where others might overlook it. Whether I’m on a bustling city street or the deck of a floating city, my approach remains the same: observe, immerse, and let the world reveal itself.
If you’ve ever dreamed of photographing your travels, don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ destination. Sometimes, magic is right where you are—even in the middle of the sea, aboard a ship carrying thousands. The trick is to see beyond the obvious and capture what moves you.
Because somewhere, between the waves and the wanderlust, a story is waiting to be told.
Click.
Jack.
