One of the simplest tips I can give to any travel photographer is don’t forget the people. A lot of people take pictures of landscapes, animals, architecture, and statues, but rarely if ever point their cameras at human beings. Yet the people we meet or see along the way are often the most memorable part of any journey.

Placing a person in the foreground of a photo can give a helpful sense of scale or provide a focal point for wide-angle shots of landscapes or buildings. This doesn’t have to be posed. I took the following two shots from almost the same spot at the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. I think the second one is more interesting because the two people walking through give a sense of scale and fill up some of the empty space in the photo.

Similarly, in the photos below, the inclusion of the boy adds scale to the statue of the falcon god Horus at Edfu Temple, Egypt, and adds overall interest to the photo. Although I took other photos of this scene that were more posed, with the boy facing the camera, I preferred this shot both because it was more candid and because the boy’s stance generally mirrored that of the carved figure above his head.

People are inherently interesting. It might be the lines on an old man’s face or the innocence in a child’s, the colors of someone’s clothing, or the personality or joy coming through in a person’s smile. As with the Mongolian women in last week’s photo essay, it was the evidence of a life well lived in the face of this man (also from Mongolia) that caught my eye.

In this photo, what captured my attention was the fancy dress and luminous smiles of these indigenous women at the animal market in Saquisilí, Ecuador.

Of course, it’s important to be unobtrusive and culturally sensitive when taking someone’s photo. There are times when you can take a photo without people being aware of it or when it’s impossible to ask for permission, but when in doubt, always ask before pointing your camera at anyone. If you don’t speak the language, simple gestures and a smile can usually get your request across. Respect people’s wishes if they don’t want their picture taken. It’s better to miss a great shot than come across as rude or intrusive.

When you take pictures respectfully, the act of photographing can become an opportunity to connect, however briefly, with local people. These children followed me through the village of Sauraha, Nepal, begging me to take their picture over and over again as they posed in different spots. It was great fun and one of the more memorable experiences of my stay there.

Often people who are initially reluctant to be photographed become more willing if you spend a little time interacting with them and letting them become comfortable with you before you aim your camera at them.

When photographing people, don’t always go for the obvious shot. Sometimes a portrait of someone looking directly into the camera is the most effective image, but other times you may get a more interesting photo if you shoot from a different angle. Sometimes a profile shot can be effective, as in this photo of a young Mongolian boy at a local festival.

Even pictures of people’s backs can make good photos. This image of a father and son looking across to the modern Pudong district from the Bund, Shanghai’s fashionable waterfront boulevard, is one of my favorite photos from my visit to China because it captures a moment of tranquility and parent-child bonding in the middle of a busy city.

In this shot of monks waiting to enter a temple at the Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, it was the colors of the many robes together that I liked. I didn’t need to see the faces for the photo to work.

By including people in your pictures you will add life and interest to your travel photography. Looking back, you may even find that these are the images that trigger the most vivid memories of your journey.