6 Tips to Better Vacation Photos
Everyone loves vacation. Getting away, enjoying a new place, a new perspective. Slowing down. And if you're anything like me, you love capturing all that wonderful goodness to look back when it's over way too fast and you want to hold onto those memories!
Here are some tips on how to take great vacation photos!
1. Where is the light??
The key to any great photograph is LIGHT! You can have a beautiful scene or subject, but if the lighting is poor, it will never look quite like you imagine!
The most flattering and interesting light is when the sun is at an angle- so closest to sunrise and sunset.
When the sun is directly above, it’s harsh and unflattering.
Of course there may be times you need to take a photo in the middle of the day under harsh light, but find a shady spot for your subject, or position the sun so it is slightly behind your subject!
2. Interesting Angles
Think about the angle of your photo! Most photos are taking from a standing position, making them all look the same and not very interesting.
Get low! Get high! Look UP! Look down. Just do something DIFFERENT then standing with your camera in front of you!
3. Don’t forget the details!
Often times we focus on the sweeping landscapes or the grand sunset. But what else is going on? What are the little things that make up your experience? Don’t be afraid to get close and get some interesting shots of your surroundings. Let your photos tell the story of your vacation.
4. Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a way to make your photos more interesting and pleasing to the eye!If you visualize a grid on your photo divided into thirds, the concept is to place your subject in one of those intersecting lines.
This creates a more interesting and pleasing composition then placing everything dead center!
5. Look for natural framing
It can be a fun way to draw attention to your subject by findings things around it that give a natural framing to the subject and some context as to where you are!
6. It’s not about the camera
Often times people will assume your photos are good just because you have a good camera. But like an instrument, if you are not trained to play it, it’s not going to sound good! So don’t worry about needing to spend a ton of money on a camera. The best camera is the one that you will actually USE because you’re comfortable with it and will carry it with you! If that’s your phone, then embrace it! I take a TON of photos with my iPhone and most people are surprised to learn it was not from my super expensive DSLR. Applying the above tips will help turn any photo into a work of art!
Buying a Camera: 5 Things to Consider
Thinking about buying a camera? Here are 5 things to consider!
I get this question a LOT!
I want to step up my game and buy a “real” camera, but what should I get?
It’s a great question, but to answer it, you have to ask yourself a few questions first!
How am I going to use the camera?
Is this for travel? Or is it to try and capture shots of your kids and family? Or do you love nature and want to capture some beautiful landscapes? This will effect the size, speed and lens choice that you need to make.
What do I need the camera to do best?
Is it important to shoot fast to catch those instant moments of your kids? Or not be too obtrusive for street photography? Do you need a long range lens so you can capture things far away? Are you planning to do some heavy editing and you want the ability to adjust your images after the fact? Is video important? Will you be shooting in dark situations?
How much control do I want?
Does the idea of manual mode scare you or excite you? If you want to learn how to make the camera do you what you want, you want to be able to adjust those controls. If the thought of constantly adjusting aperture, ISO and shutter speed makes your head spin, you want a good automatic camera to make the right choice for you in the moment.
What am I going to do with the photos?
Do you have a ton of storage space for your photos and you plan on editing each one? Or no computer at all? Or do you want to just download the photos and be done? Or to they need to wirelessly transfer to your phone?
How much am I willing to spend?
This is the big question, as the sky is the limit and that price can snowball very fast! Understanding your budget and what is possible within that budget is good to know as you start researching! With photography, you do get what you pay for. There are ways to stay budget friendly, but also know that good quality does not come cheap and equipment is an investment!
Have you thought about your answers and need direction? Shoot me an email and I’d be happy to help provide some direction!
What's in My Bag: Part 3: Weddings
Needless to say that with a wedding, there’s just a lot more of everything! Weddings are action packed without a lot of downtime. It takes a lot of preparation and organization to be ready for each moment and prepared to capture those moments you can never get back!
I am often switching up lenses for different parts of the day since they have different needs. But for the most part I keep 2 camera bodies (5D Mark III’s!) on my at all times.
I use this trusty contraption to keep them at my finger tips and prevent getting tangled up (plus, it does look pretty cool!)
Most of the time I have one camera with a 24-70mm lens on it for wide angle shots. On the other I have my 70-200mm zoom lens to get in close at a moment’s notice.
I may switch out to the 50 mm or 85 mm for bridal shots, and ring shots work best with the 100 mm macro to get in nice and close!
Spare batteries, extra memory cards, flash batteries and a detailed timeline/shot list are usually in pockets and on me at all times!
For the reception or any dark areas, I also have 2 flashes that I can use on or off camera. This guy is a great one to setup the reception room near the DJ to light up the dance floor!
And lastly, I pack my patience and deep breaths… all sold separately! ;)
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