The proliferation of smartphones in our world has led to the fact that every single person who has one can take the (relatively) simple step of becoming a photographer of some sort or another. I see that as something that’s mostly good. However, there’s one drawback — everybody wants to have a photo at an “iconic” location. They want to capture the beauty of our world.
But what that leads to is that these iconic photography locations get crowded, see too much tourism, and something about their “uniqueness” gets lost in the flood of similar Instagram photos. Here are twelve places like that. Here are the 12 most iconic photography locations in the world.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu looks incredible. Even when you see it on a tiny photo on your tiny smartphone screen, something about it is completely breathtaking. This is even more true when you’re there in person. Recently limits have been set for the number of tourists that can visit Machu Picchu every day, and yet, many people who travel there for an iconic photo still say that there are far too many people there to be able to get a photo of the location without any people in frame.
Antarctica
Now, here’s a location that’s truly only reserved for some people. Getting to Antarctica is complicated. You can’t just buy a plane ticket and a hot tourist package with a 5-star, all-inclusive hotel (yet). So, when/if you go to Antarctica you can be sure that your photos taken there will be unique and iconic!
Pyramids of Giza
Beyond the mind-boggling fact that we still can’t figure out how these giant pyramids were built, we also have the fact that these Pyramids are some of the oldest surviving architectural structures in the world! Getting a picture of them isn’t difficult, but every picture taken of these pyramids looks amazing and iconic.
Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia
The Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia is one of the less-frequently visited photography locations. With that being said, the temple still sees thousands of tourists visit it every year. It looks amazing, and you are guaranteed to get a good picture of it from nearly every angle imaginable. Something about it just makes it incredibly photogenic (especially if you take a picture during the sunset).
Taj Mahal, India
Here’s another place that definitely suffers from having too much tourism. Unfortunately many tourists don’t pay enough attention to not leaving their trash behind. If you visit the Taj Mahal during the sunset hours, you might be shocked by the mess the previous tourists have made. However, during the sunrise hours this location looks amazing.
Easter Island
I mean, how can giant busts made of stone that are protruding from the ground not be iconic? Is it possible to take a picture of a structure like that and not be astounded by the mystery and ingenuity of these figures? I don’t think so.
Stonehenge, England
There’s only one a few times a year (the spring equinox and the summer solstice) when people are aloud to approach the giant columns of Stonehenge and touch them. The rest of the year there is usually a border/fence that people are not supposed to cross (many still do, unfortunately). But no matter whether you’re taking a picture up close or from beyond this fence — Stonehenge is an iconic location that looks amazing on any photograph.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
For a bridge that’s located on the north side of the city, kinda far away from any other popular location in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge still manages to be shown in any movie where a scene takes place in San Francisco. I mean, that really makes sense. It’s an iconic location, and it’s an incredible feat of engineering!
Eiffel Tower, Paris
Can you believe that the Eiffel Tower wasn’t even built to attract millions of tourists? It wasn’t even supposed to be a permanent structure. It was built for the World’s Fair in 1887. In fact, when it was first built, many architects, designers, and artists called it ugly. I wonder what they would think knowing what we know about the Eiffel Tower today. It’s iconic.
Coliseum, Rome
Here’s a structure that astounds millions of tourists not only with its size and amazing architecture, but also with the historical significance of the locations. I mean, everyone knows that hundreds of gladiators fought until their death in the Coliseum for the entertainment of a blood-thirsty audience. It says a lot about you whether you think that’s harrowing or cool, but whatever your opinion — you can’t deny that this is an iconic location for tourists and photographers worldwide.
Berlin Wall
Here’s another location that is iconic due to its historical significance and the graffiti and street art that has been drawn on it.
Park Guell, Barcelona
The Güell Park is a public park in Barcelona that was designed by Antoni Gaudí. Barcelona is full of locations that have been designed by Antoni Gaudí, but no place is as “dense” with his vision as the Güell Park. In 1984 UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site. To this day the panoramic view of Barcelona is one of the most iconic photography locations in the entire world.
