Horserider, outside Basshi, Kazakhstan (The Silk Road/ The Three Stans)
Fujifilm X-T3, XF8-16mm f2.8 R LM WR, f2.8 @ 1/4700 second, ISO 160

As soon as you write about a useful app, someone invents a new one that is even better! So rather than listing ‘must have’ apps, let’s talk about what we need to know as travel photographers. And perhaps the most obvious requirement is a map.

Google and Apple provide great maps, but what if you’re travelling to a location that doesn’t have phone signal? Most phones will work with GPS even if there’s no phone, so an app that has the maps built-in (downloaded onto your device) can happily place you in the right position. The app I’m currently using is WorkOutDoors which links in to my Apple Watch as well. I can download maps for locations like Antarctica and they are stored on both phone and watch.

Whether you’re shooting landscape or looking for an early morning location in town, knowing what time the sun rises (and sets) and the direction can be a great help. Assuming you have internet coverage, The Photographers Ephemeris is a great app. It’s maps are also excellent and it will let you plan shoots based on location and sun times. But what about the weather?

At present, Windy appears to be the app of choice for outdoor professionals globally, providing a great visual interface for not only wind, but waves, clouds and even satellite views. Plus it has a choice of prediction models to choose from. Very cool.

And do you want to edit your photos while on the road? I confess to preferring to edit my work on my laptop, but SnapSeed is a wonderful image editing app. And yes, I do take photos with my smart phone, but I rarely get around to editing them. Maybe I should give that a go on my next long haul flight!