Commercial travel photography work may involve tight deadlines and very specific requirenets. Clients sometimes give little notice of their needs, so a photogtapher must be prepared to board a plane at a few hours notice. The lifestyle may sound attractive but the reality is long hours and hard work. Weather can be an issue in many countries. A basic requirement in many cases is a clear blue sky, but even in hot and sunny holiday resorts nature does not always co-operate.

Most commercial travel photographers accumulate a large collection of work which they hold in reserve for occasions when problems arise. Some subjects date more than others, but having library resources on which to fall back can be a life saver.

The range of subjects photographed is vast, although hotels, swimming pools, beaches and restaurants feature on numerous occasions. Evidence of this can be seen in almost any beach-holiday travel brochure. Other subjects include the classic and famous sites visited by tour groups, such as the Taj Mahal, the pyramids, Machu Picchu, The Swiss Alps, Niagara Falls etc.