Machu Picchu is one of the most photographed places on earth, which is both the opportunity and the problem. The stock shot of the citadel with Huayna Picchu behind it has been taken a million times. The question is how to make yours worth the trip.
Timing is the biggest lever. Enter on the first circuit of the morning, before the mist lifts — the moment the sun breaks over the ridge and burns off the cloud is the one worth being there for. The last afternoon circuit also empties out, which helps if you want foregrounds without strangers in them.
For angles beyond the postcard: Intipunku (Sun Gate) gives you the citadel from the east and takes about an hour on foot each way. The Inca Bridge trail gives you the site in profile in 30 minutes. The agricultural terraces offer a lower horizon that most visitors skip.
Gear note: tripods, drones and selfie sticks are banned. Bring a polariser for the midday haze and keep spare batteries warm.
Peruways bundles the train, bus and timed-entry ticket so you can concentrate on the photography.
