Portraits taken in the early evening allow for great warmth in your photo.Kathryn Learie
Snapshots are inevitable on a vacation. They are easy and spontaneous and have a place in the collection of memories you bring home.
But I also think that most of us would like to bring some unique and original photos home that may be worthy of printing and framing. They would be pictures that remind us of the feelings we had for a place, the smells and sounds from a market, or the quiet of the early morning light. With a little effort, these photos are possible to capture and can be personally gratifying.
Here are some tips to consider when on vacation:
If you are buying a new camera right before you head out on vacation, spend some time with it, play around with the different settings, do some test shots and view them on your computer before you go. You don't want to be spending most of your vacation trying to figure out how your camera works. Bring the manual with you!
Bring your battery recharger and be sure to recharge every night so that you have lots of battery life for the next day.
Bring ample memory cards. It is better to bring many smaller sized cards than one or two large sized cards, in case you lose or break one. If you have a spare battery as well, bring it.
Your camera kit should be minimal. You want to have the freedom to move and be on your feet for long periods of time. Having to lug a heavy camera bag around will only wear you down (remember that you are on vacation!)
Be sure to always have the quality setting on your camera set to the highest possible setting. This will consume more space on your memory cards, so be sure to bring lots of extra cards. Always be ready to capture that award winning photo that requires at the highest quality setting.
If you find yourself at high noon on a sunny day, a pocket of shade on the side of a building may provide a great place for photographing people. Put them in the shade to cut down on the harsh overhead sunlight. Try using brightly coloured buildings or interesting doorways to help frame your subject.
Take time to wander in the early morning light or at dusk. You can enjoy exceptional lighting at these times of the day. Invite your travel companion to join you if you don't want to venture out on your own.
If you are in a low light situation, turn your flash off and allow your camera to shoot at a slower shutter speed in order to achieve a proper exposure. You will need to brace yourself against a wall to avoid camera shake, or even better, try placing your camera on a ledge or table and shoot from there. Press the shutter very carefully so as not to move the camera and capture the scene as you see it. Anything moving in your scene will be blurry and everything still will be sharp. This can bring a very dramatic feel of movement to your photo.
Don't forget to include yourself in some of your pictures. If you are handing your camera over to someone else to take your picture, be sure to set the settings on your camera to where you want it so they just need to click the shutter.
Try shooting from the hip. Literally, hold your camera down near your hip at arm's length, and just click away. Don't get too worried about composition; the point is to think outside the box. This technique works well on crowded streets and in markets. Moving subjects can work really well in this case. Try to capture the feeling, the colours and the memories of the place.
Look for the little things that you are enjoying on your trip and take the time to capture them. If you're using a point-and-shoot, try the "macro" setting and turn your flash off. Look for the detail shots: textures, flowers, food. Focus in really close. If you don't have enough light and your shot is blurry, try adjusting your ISO to a higher number and/or use a table top to steady your camera and bring your subject close to your lens.
There are countless points to consider when travelling with your camera and often the standard advice is to shoot lots and hope for the best. I understand that strategy and it has its time and place. However, in addition to that approach, my recommendation is to consider allowing the feeling of a place to sink in and build a connection with your environment. Then simply capture that, the best way you know how.
Kathryn Learie is a professional photographer and the owner-operator of Owen Imaging based in Kamloops, B.C.