Photographing a real TUI excursion, with images still in use nine years later
I photographed Rancho Grande in Mallorca in 2017 while working as TUI’s Global Photography Manager. The shoot covered horse riding, the covered wagon experience and evening entertainment, with regular customers appearing in the photographs. Nine years later, images from that assignment are still being used to promote the excursion on Musement.
One of the most useful arrangements was having my own horse and travelling separately with a guide. It meant I could get ahead of the riders and photograph them approaching through the countryside, with their faces, the horses and the landscape all in view.
That practical side of a shoot is a big part of my travel and tourism photography. Getting into the right position can make all the difference when an activity is already underway.
The assignment at a glance
Photographed for: TUI
Location: Rancho Grande, Mallorca
Year: 2017
My role: Global Photography Manager
People photographed: Regular excursion customers
Wider assignment: A Mallorca trip covering several points of interest and activities
Rancho Grande was one part of that larger destination shoot. Within this collection, there are photographs of the horses and riders, wagon passengers, the surrounding countryside, music, dancing and the equestrian show.
For someone considering the excursion, those photographs answer different questions: where will we go, how will we travel, and what else is part of the experience? For the marketing team, they provide different subjects to choose from when putting together a listing or promoting the activity.
How did I get ahead of the horse riders?
Joining an excursion gives you access to the experience, but your position within the group can limit what you photograph. Following the riders would have given me plenty of views of their backs. I wanted different angles, including the group coming towards me.
A guide and I travelled separately on horseback, which let me get ahead and change my viewpoint along the route. That support gave me more options for action shots and wider views of the riders in their surroundings.
The woodland images are a good example. You can see the riders’ faces as they approach, sunlight falling between the trees and dust rising around the horses. The setting is part of the photograph, rather than just a background behind a rider.
Other frames show the group spread across the open countryside or following the trail with the sea behind them. Together, these views explain much more about the ride than a series of tightly cropped portraits would.
For a moving activity, this is something to plan with the operator beforehand. The photographer may need separate transport, a guide or access to a position before the customers arrive. It depends on the activity, but it is worth discussing before everyone sets off.
Showing both the riding and wagon experience
Horse riding is a strong subject, but it was only one part of the Rancho Grande collection.
The covered wagon photographs show another way of travelling through the countryside. A wider image of the wagon beneath the trees establishes the vehicle, passengers and route in a single frame. Closer photographs from inside show the people sharing the experience, including passengers chatting and holding drinks.
Those images have different jobs. The wider view helps someone understand what the wagon ride looks like. The closer photographs bring them into it.
The same applies to the riding images. A photograph of the horses waiting at the ranch adds context before the action, while helmeted riders, woodland trails and open views give the collection variety. You don't need to use every photograph from a shoot, but you do need enough variety to explain the experience clearly.
Photographing regular customers during their excursion
The people in these photographs were regular customers enjoying their outing. They weren't brought together as models for a dedicated production.
That matters when planning this kind of photography. Customers have their own experience to enjoy, and a photographer needs to work around the pace of the activity. Travelling separately with the guide was a practical way for me to find different viewpoints while the group continued along the route.
In the finished photographs, the smaller moments sit alongside the action: people talking in the wagon, riders smiling together and guests taking part in the evening dancing. They show the social side of the excursion, along with the horses and scenery.
I use a similar mix of wider scenes and closer interactions in my visitor attraction photography at RHS Rosemoor, where the photographs show families exploring a garden trail and taking part in activities.
From daylight on the trail to the evening show
The Rancho Grande photographs continue into the evening, with a musician performing, guests dancing, and horses appearing alongside dancers under coloured lights.
These images give the collection a different feel from the riding photographs. The outdoor scenes show the countryside and movement along the trail. The evening photographs bring in the entertainment and the people watching or joining in.
Showing that change helps explain why an excursion may need more than one type of photography. A strong riding image can introduce the activity, but it cannot also show the music, dancing and atmosphere back at the ranch.
This case study shows the experience I photographed in 2017. The current excursion options and inclusions are available through the Musement listing linked below.
Still appearing on TUI Musement nine years later
As of October 2026, my photographs remain on TUI Musement’s Rancho Grande excursion listing. They include the riders beneath the evening sky and the covered wagon travelling through the trees.
That is a useful outcome to show: photographs created in 2017 still have a place in the excursion’s marketing nine years later.
It does not give me a figure for bookings generated by the photographs. It does show, however, that the business continues to use them to present the experience to customers.
For an attraction or tour operator commissioning photography, that lasting usefulness is worth considering. A varied collection gives you material to work with beyond a single post or promotion. It still needs reviewing as your experience changes, particularly if the route, equipment, facilities or entertainment look different.
Planning photography for a similar experience
Whether I am photographing an overseas excursion or a UK visitor attraction, I need to understand how the activity runs and what customers will actually see and do.
At Rancho Grande, travelling separately with a guide helped me get the riding coverage. A different activity might require different arrangements. A useful starting point is to talk through the experience with the people running it, including the important moments and where the photographer can work.
My guide to planning tour and excursion photography covers the broader brief, from choosing image priorities to planning access and photographs for different marketing formats.
Excursion photography FAQs
How much does excursion photography cost?
I quote based on the work involved. The main factors include the location, photography time, number of activities, travel, access arrangements, editing and agreed image usage. Let me know what you want photographed and where the images will appear, and I can put together a quote for your project.
Can several activities be photographed during one destination trip?
Yes. Rancho Grande was part of a wider Mallorca assignment. Combining locations can work well, provided the schedule allows enough time for travel, access and the photography itself. We can identify the priorities and plan a realistic route around them.
Can we update part of an existing image library?
Yes. You may already have strong photographs of the setting but need new images of activities, facilities, or the people taking part. Share what you currently use and what has changed, so we can plan the coverage around the gaps.
Need photography for your attraction, tour or activity?
I work with visitor attractions, activity providers, tour operators and tourism organisations across the UK and internationally.
If you would like prices, availability or more information, send me the location, the experiences you want covered, your preferred dates and where you plan to use the photographs. You don't need a finished brief before getting in touch; we can work through the practical details together.
Get in touch for excursion photography prices and more information.
I’m Lee Charlton, a UK-based commercial photographer and former Global Photography Manager at TUI. My work includes destinations, excursions, activities, and visitor attractions, creating photography for websites, listings, and broader marketing campaigns.
