Do you ever feel disappointed when you get back from a great trip and your photos just don't portray the beauty you saw when you were there?
Here are a few easy tips to improve those photos.
When photographing landscapes, lighting plays a big role in the effectiveness of the colours and details.
If we take photos in the heat of the day they can be washed out and have harsh shadows and areas of brightness that lack detail.
When travelling, go and look at the scene you want to photograph at different times of the day and see how the light changes the scenery.
Take photos in the softer light of morning or afternoon. This will give more intense and warm tones.
One way to photograph scenery is to pick out a focus point like a tree, building or person. Encourage the eyes to lead to the focus point. To do this try to find a natural line like a fence, a path or the water’s edge. This way your eyes follow the line creating depth and interest.
Try to change your perspective. Don’t just stand in one place and take three or four photos the same. Get down low to the ground or climb up high and see how different the scene looks.
When we travel in the outback I like to get down on the road and shoot along the rough stones and dust towards the vehicle to give a perspective of just how rough the road really is. I also do this on the beach as a wave washes in right under the camera.
When you travel it is always a good idea to photograph signs along the way so when you get home you can tell roughly where in the trip you were when you took the particular shot.
And I always try to take images that tell a bit of a story about the locals. For example, I might take a shot down a lonely outback street of a couple of old guys sitting on the bench having a yarn.
Try to avoid taking photos out the window of a moving car or through the windscreen as you will find the camera will not be able to fix its focus properly. If you shoot through the windscreen your camera will focus on your probably dirty windscreen and not the scene you’re trying to shoot.
Make sure you get the right balance between scenery shots and those of your loved ones. You don’t want to get back and find that you have no photos of yourself on the trip or the opposite people in every photograph.
When photographing buildings don’t just stand back and get the whole thing in. Yes it’s good to have that shot but also look for some interesting detail to focus on. For example, when we visited Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco I found some really interesting attic windows covered in moss and a lone seagull sitting on top. This photo turned out to be so good we enlarged it and framed it for our wall. Every-one commented on the photo asking “where is that?” and most thought it was a poster not an photo I had taken on
our trip.
Night time images can also be effective. Use your timer and turn off your flash so the camera can open the lens for a longer time allowing more of the natural light to be captured. If you hold your camera you will end up with shaky images so learn how to use your timer and night time mode for some different looks.
I have taken some really great photos of Las Vegas at night just by using the timer and slow shutter speed.
The most important thing is to have fun and keep your camera handy, especially when on a road trip, you just never know if over the next hill you are going to see the most spectacular view. And if your camera isn’t by your side you might not bother to get the shot. I always keep my camera and video camera in the front with me and we have had many occasions when we were thankful it was there. For example’ in South Australia we came across a pair of Wedge Tailed Eagles sitting in a dead tree very close to the road. Those shots were fantastic, especially with the long lens.
If you would like to find out more about our travels and see some of my images check out my travel blog at =>
www.thriveonsuccess@blogspot.com
I also post regular images on my Face-book so look me up and send me a message to let me know you are interested in my photography and I will add you to my friends list.
I wish you all the success in your quest for the perfect holiday snap.
Cheers
Annette James
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