Without looking through the viewfinder, Turman snapped this shot of a young boy playing on the streets of Havana, Cuba.

Andrew Turman travels extensively in his work as a successful cinematographer for independent films and commercials. From Cuba to Casablanca, Paris to Patagonia, he always sneaks in some time to explore on his own, and when he does he takes still photos—lots of them.

Here are some tricks Turman uses to get great shots when he's traveling:

• Snap a lot: If you normally shoot two rolls, shoot six. It takes a lot of shots to get the really good ones.

• Mistakes are ok: Don't edit yoursellf while shooting. Sometimes mistakes make the most inspired shots.

• Shoot without looking: Don't look through the viewfinder—you'll get really interesting compositions that you may not have tried otherwise.

• Give up control: Allow for surprises—don't over-compose or over-think every shot.

• Incorporate what you learn: Consciously try to integrate the lessons from your surprises the next time you shoot.

• Allow yourself to wander off the beaten path: Use common sense and an adventurous spirit to go beyond the standard tourist spots. That's where you'll get a richer and more authentic palette of people, textures and architecture to photograph.

Next: Community Snapshot Day