7 tips for taking great travel photos
7 tips for taking great travel photos
Category
Travel & Maps
Region
Outside NY
One of the best parts about a trip is telling your friends about all the great experiences you had after it's over. Your vacation was unforgettable, and all that remains now are your memories—and your photos. To keep the memory alive, you want your photos to best represent what you really saw and felt, so taking good quality pictures is important. Follow these 7 simple tips to make sure you capture all of the best moments.
- Mix it up! Take some landscapes, some architecture, some local people and events, markets, food you ate, the bed you slept in . . . when put together in an album, a variety of subjects tells a complete and memorable story. Tip: If you’re using a cellphone, don’t be afraid to prop your phone on something and use your self–timer so you can get a picture with the whole family if no one is there to take it for you.
- Timing is everything. The best light for taking pictures is when the sun is low in the sky—the last or first hour of daylight (also known as the “golden hour”). The light is most flattering then, and casts beautiful shadows that make for interesting visuals. iPhone users should be aware of “burst mode” where you can take multiple photos of the moment you’re trying to capture. Tip: To use burst mode on an iPhone, press and hold the shutter button until rapid fire begins.
- Think outside the postcard. Everyone's seen the same old pictures of the same old landmarks—they look the same in everyone’s photos. Instead, try taking your photo from a different angle or at a different time of day; include local people in the frame doing what local people do at that destination; or take close-up photos of landmark details. Tip: When using a cellphone, shoot from a lower angle to find a more interesting perspective while also having a big beautiful background in your photos.
- Capture the spirit of the destination. Look for the details that define the flavor of where you are: cobblestone streets, garlic hanging at a local street market, food presentation in a restaurant, your child looking at a piece of art. Foreign words, unusual colors, or references to something you particularly enjoyed while away will bring back fond memories when you look at the pictures later. Tip: When using an iPhone, always take your shots in High Dynamic Range (HDR) which mixes together three different exposures of the moment you’re trying to capture so you can see every detail even in very bright or dark areas. But don’t forget to go into your Settings>Photos & Camera>HDR and turn on the “Keep Normal Photo” so you can have the original images as well.
- Frame your subject properly. Use photography’s rule of thirds—imagine the frame and the subject divided into thirds, then force the subject into the one of the outer thirds to achieve a more natural look. Tip: Turn on your grid lines in your iPhone settings to use the rule of third in your photos by going to Settings> Photos & Camera> Camera and turn the “Grid” button on.
- Create a story. Take several photos of the same subject from different perspectives, different angles, and at different times. You can display the story sequence on your walls as a unique collection. Tip: For iPhone users, did you know that you can take a photo with the volume control on your iPhone headphones. This can be very handy if you’re holding your phone at different/awkward angles to get that perfect picture and it reduces the amount of camera shaking.
- Back up your photos. As soon as you get home, back up all your pictures on a flash drive! You worked hard to take these photos, you don’t want to lose them!
Before You Go: Other Ways AAA Can Help
- Save on passport photos
- Purchase foreign currency and travel money
- Protect your trip with travel insurance
- Get your International Driving Permit
- And much more!