With camera phones in most people’s pockets and affordable digital cameras readily available, people are taking more photos than ever before. It’s a great way to capture holiday memories and your family experiences as they grow and change.
Capture those million dollar memories on your next getaway with these handy tips for taking amazing holiday photos.
Stock up
Make sure your batteries are fully charged and you have plenty of memory available or spare media cards. There is nothing worse than missing out on the perfect holiday snap because your battery died.
Do your research
If you’re visiting a destination for the first time, do a bit of research before you go for the best spots to take photos. When you’re on holidays don’t be afraid to have a chat to the locals, they know the area the best and might know some off the beaten track places or unique angles to capture spectacular holiday photos.
Get up close and personal
Zoom in on your subject and fill your frame with your main feature for a larger than life image. For example instead of an image of market stalls, try zooming in on a basket of ripe fruit with the rest of the market in soft focus in the background.
Rule of thirds
Imagine a tick-tac-toe grid over the scene you are shooting and try to position your main subjects on one of these lines for a more artistic layout. For example when photographing a sunrise, position the horizon either above or below the centre of the frame to create a more pleasant and balanced composition.
The early bird get the shot
When visiting popular holiday destinations it can be hard to capture scenic shots or landscape shots without lots of other holiday makers in the frame. If you want to capture an empty beach, quiet street or lonely walking trail, try rising with the sun for an early morning shoot. Most people like to sleep in when on holidays so you might even have the place to yourself.
Turn your flash off indoors
It might seem counter-intuitive, but try turning your flash off when taking photos indoors and light the image with lamps, natural light or house lights. Lighting the scene rather than relying on the harsh light of a flash will create a more natural image and is also more flattering to your subjects. It also allows you to better capture the atmosphere of candle lit or low lit rooms.
Capture memories, not poses
While a few ‘say cheese’ poses are fun to include in your holiday album, to capture the true essence of the moment try and shoot genuine moments rather than poses. Take a documentary approach and capture photos of people talking, laughing, playing games or reacting to what is happening in the room. These candid shots make great memories to look back on and capture the personality of your subjects in a way that posed portraits can’t.
Use your flash on sunny days
As strange as it might sound, your camera flash can be handy when photographing outside on sunny days. Using your flash when shooting on a bright day will help to even out the dramatic contrasts and fill in some of the shadows creating a softer effect on the subject.
Reflections are your friend
Give your holiday photos and artistic flair by focusing on reflections or shadows cast by your subject. You might capture someone’s portrait in a mirror or the reflections in puddles after the rain or on the surface of a lake. Just remember to choose your angle carefully so you and your camera don’t make an accidental cameo in the photo.
Family or group portraits
It can always be a challenge trying to photograph large groups of people. Try to make the process fun and entertaining, keep instructions light hearted and throw in a joke or two. Most importantly take lots of photos. With a large group of people you are bound to get photos where someone has their eyes shut or is yawning or looking away from the camera. By taking multiple photos you can choose the one that captures everyone at their best.
Share the love
Be sure to share the camera duties and get out from behind the lens occasionally. Enjoy some time relaxing and having fun with your family and get someone else to take photos of you as well. That way you will be able to remember everyone who was there when you look back over the photos.
Holidays are the perfect time to test your photography skills and capture wonderful memories that you can look back on for years to come. Don’t forget to pack your camera next time you visit one of Ingenia Holidays 36 park locations through Queensland and New South Wales.
