subject: Vacation Photos - How To Take Great Vacation Photos [print this page] Vacation Photos - How To Take Great Vacation Photos
Have you ever gone on a vacation and the pictures just didn't turn out? This is a common problem because we're so concerned with documenting the trip we forget to focus on taking quality photographs. Luckily, there are a couple of simple things you can do on your next vacation to ensure your photos end up truly captivating.
Think Like a Pro
No matter what you're taking photos of, the basic rules of composition still apply. Take the time to frame your shots properly, find unique shooting angles, and utilize the best possible combination of exposure time and intensity. Every photograph is part of the story of your vacation, so ask yourself what part of the story you're trying to tell with each photo you shoot and you'll end up with a much more cohesive narrative in your photographs.
Additionally, be wary of putting your friends or family in every photograph you take. Although it's great to get pictures of everyone together, you'll want to have pictures of landmarks or scenery just for framing on your wall. A good way to go about this is to take a couple of photos of your family, then try and take a few "serious" photographs of your environment. This is super easy to do with digital cameras as you can take a near endless amount of pictures compared to the limitations of film.
Take Pictures from Start to Finish
Don't forget to start taking pictures the minute you start packing up your suitcases instead of the moment you get on the beach. It's always nice to have pictures from the very beginning of piling the suitcases into the car to the time you get back home so you'll be able to better tell the complete story of your trip. Photos of your packed bags, tickets, trip to the airport, and other things of this nature may not seem like much at first thought, but half of the adventure in a vacation is getting yourself and your family there and back.
Another thing to remember is you should continue shooting even if your vacation takes a turn for the worse. Regardless of what happens, your camera can be a great way to share your story and document your adventure. Although "vacations gone bad" are not pleasant to go through, your camera can still help you and your family remember your experience. For example, if your spouse were to break their arm on your honeymoon it would certainly be a disaster, but at least you can have fun showing your children pictures of the cast, the hospital staff, and all of the other parts of this life story. Bad experiences are almost always more interesting than good ones.
And lastly, make sure that everyone on your vacation has a way to take pictures. If you have children, make sure to give them a disposable camera so they too can document the trip from their own perspective. This makes a fun way to get everyone involved and can lead to some interesting pictures. It also lets you see your vacation from several different perspectives and helps spread around the photo taking responsibility so not just one person is always left holding the camera.
As your taking pictures of your vacation, just make sure not to forget to relax and have fun. Incredible pictures of your vacation are fun to bring home and share, but don't forget to put down your camera from time to time and take a break. Besides, relaxing and having fun is the main reason for going on vacation anyways!
