Photo Tips for Summer Vacation
Summer is here. If you’re heading out on vacation with the family, you’ll want to read on to get some of my tips for taking vacation photos. I could recommend all types of fancy cameras to buy before you go on vacation but in reality, the best camera you can use is the one you will already have handy. Your smartphone. These days, the quality of your phone camera is pretty awesome. So before you leave for vacation, make sure you feel comfortable using the camera on your phone.
Here are my top tips to think about while you’re taking photos on vacation:
1. Look for the best light
Photographers love the Golden hour (the hour before sunset or the first hour after sunrise). If you are shooting somewhere with water, early morning and just before sunset will capture the water at its most vibrant. The golden hour offers beautiful soft shadows, more vibrant colors, and a soft golden hue on the skin. You may have to stay out a little later, or wake up a little earlier, but I promise it will be worth it!
2. Composition - rule of thirds
If you want to really make your photos stand out, try the artistic rule of thirds. When you look at the screen, imagine a tic-tac-toe grid over the scene. The rule of thirds says that the points where the lines intersect are the best places to position your subject. The goal is to place important parts of the photo into those sections and help frame the overall image in a way that’s pleasing to the eye. For example, placing a person along the left grid line rather than directly in the center. Or keeping your horizon on the bottom third, rather than splitting the image in half. Most camera apps on your phone give you the option to display a grid across the screen. This is helpful when your composing your shot since it will remind you about the rule of thirds.
3. Watch your horizon
Speaking of horizon, always be aware of your horizon line. Before pressing the shutter button on your camera, make sure the horizon line is parallel with the frame. It’s just one extra detail that can make a big difference. You’ll also want to be cognizant of the vertical lines in your frame as well. Such as door frames or sides of buildings. This one is especially true for improving your smartphone photography. With the super-wide angle lenses on smartphones, it’s easy to make buildings look cockeyed and distorted. You want to keep the smartphone facing straight and not angled up. This is especially hard in cities where you want to capture entire monuments or buildings. Try backing up, or even crossing the street so that you can keep your phone (and the buildings) straight. Alternatively, if it’s not possible to frame everything straight, make a conscious choice to frame it so it’s pleasing to the eye. The fewer distractions in your image, the better.
4. Wide, medium, close
When you’re set up to take a photo, consider taking one shot as a wide angle, then step closer to your subject and take another shot as a medium angle, and then step even closer to your subject and take a close up shot. I use this rule whenever I’m shooting portraits and want to have a variety of images for the same setting. It’s an easy way to make sure you “got the shot” as well. In each setting, take a close up shot, a medium shot and a wide shot. Your results will be an interesting collection of one subject. Talk about easy and visually appealing!
5. Avoid background distractions
Take the time to look around and determine if any elements in the frame are not ideal – such as a car, a sign or someone photobombing you. You don’t want a palm tree that looks like it is growing out of mom’s head. Often just moving a little or adjusting the angle will get rid of any unwanted background items.
6. Pass the camera around
Make sure that YOU are actually documented in your vacation too. After you take a pic of your family in a scenic area, swap spots with your partner and have them take another photo with you in it. Level up your self portrait game by using your iWatch as a remote shutter release so you don’t have to rush to get in place before the self timer is up! BONUS: Make the vacation even more memorable by hiring a local professional photographer to take your family portraits at a scenic location.
7. Remember to enjoy the vacation.
Don’t spend the whole time with your camera in front of your face. Play with the kids, run into the ocean, sit and watch the sunset. Even just a few photos from your time away will be enough to help keep the memories alive.