Taking Your Camera on Vacation
Photos are the cheapest keepsakes you can get when you travel, so it’s not surprising that even travelers who have no formal photography training suddenly become photography buffs on the road. Today, digital cameras allow you to capture hundreds, and even thousands, of photos during your vacation. But how many of these photos are worth enlarging and hanging on the walls of your house?
You may not win the Pulitzer Prize for Photography, but you can learn to capture better photos than you currently do. When doing travel photography, there are things that you should look for – interesting things that would make a great photo. Here are some of them:
Capture extraordinary things
Look for something out-of-this-world. For example, capture photos of cows strolling the streets of Mumbai. Or a man taking a leak on the wall with No Pissing sign in Bangkok. Or your friends doing the belly dance in Egypt. An interesting photo means a good photo.
Find shapes
Cultures use shapes, lines, and curves in architecture very differently. Compare, for example, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and Taj Mahal in India. Look for triangles and angles. They help create a sense of perspective, putting your viewers in the photo. Look for curves. They help create a sense of movement in your photos.
Seek the light
Lighting makes or breaks any photo. Make your images dramatic with dynamic lighting. Turn off the flash when taking photos inside basilicas and cathedrals. Skylights, rose windows, and stained glass windows give stunning effect. Using the flash can ruin this beautiful lighting. Seek out the Golden Hour when shooting outside. Photographers refer to this as the first and last hour of daylight. Under the right conditions, it can lead to a warm and soft glow on anything in its path.
Look for contrast
Contrast in photography is an effective way to directing your viewers’ attention to the subject of the photo. Position subject elements to create contrast. It gives added emphasis. Whether in tones, textures, position, or the subject itself, contrast will keep your images interesting.
Look for textures, colors, and content
Unify all photographic elements to a picture that will visually make sense. For example, capturing a photo of children playing in the street of a Third World neighborhood amid rusty roofs, power lines, vandalisms, and posters will say a lot. Capture an image that shows extreme diversity of textures, colors, and content.
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