5 Tips To Level Up Your Vacation Photography
Vacation Photography 101
Vacation—whether you’re traveling solo, with a partner, or with your family—is a special time that should be cherished forever. With today’s technology, capturing beautiful moments right from your phone is easier than ever. But if you’re not confident in your photography skills or unsure how to snap the perfect photo, don’t worry—there are plenty of tips and tricks to help you capture those dream vacation shots.
The good news is that you don’t have to be a professional photographer in order to capture photos that look great and help you remember your trip in the best light possible. Here are 5 of our top tips to level up your vacation photography and get photos that you’ll be proud of when you’re looking back on them.
#1: Focus on Sunrise and Sunset
Getting great photos, not just on vacation but in general, is all about chasing the light. In most locations, the best light comes just after sunrise and just before sunset–these are called the Blue Hour and Golden Hour, respectively, and many professional photographers will only shoot during these lighting opportunities to ensure they’re capturing the best photos possible.
To make your vacation photos stand out, try to take as many photos as possible during these times of the day. While it may be difficult to get your family up early for sunrise photos, shooting during the Blue Hour before sunset will be a bit easier to convince them to do.
#2: Research Photo Spots Beforehand
To make the most of your vacation photography opportunities, it’s a good idea to research popular photo spots and scenic overlooks in advance. Not only will this give you insight into the best places to shoot, but it’ll also help you to plan out some gorgeous sightseeing on your trip.
Researching often-photographed places can even provide you with the opportunity to discover some off-the-beaten-path sights that you wouldn’t have otherwise visited, if not for the photos and your prior research. Plus, you have a chance to get creative–since the spot is photographed on a regular basis, perhaps you could try to get it from a new angle or a different perspective than most.
#3: But Don’t Underestimate the Power of Candid Shots
Although you should research photo opportunities beforehand to plan out some great shots, there’s also something to be said when it comes to capturing candid and unplanned photos while you’re on vacation. Many people underestimate the power of candid shots, but there’s something incredibly special about capturing a single moment in time, especially when your subjects aren’t paying attention.
Instead of standing your family in front of a stiff backdrop and shouting, “Cheese!”, try to have your camera close by and ready to capture those special and fleeting moments that happen on vacation as well. If taking out your phone or camera might ruin a special moment, purchasing a disposable camera for candid photos is a good idea to keep everyone in the moment without anyone feeling self-conscious or not photo-ready.
#4: Pack a Tripod for Epic Landscape Photos
If you’re visiting a spot with incredible views like a mountain or beach destination, it might be a good idea to pack a tripod to make capturing these larger-than-life landscapes a little easier. While it’s certainly possible to capture incredible landscape photos without any help, a tripod allows you to shift and pan your perspective fairly easily to get the best shot possible.
As an added bonus, tripods make timed group shots a cinch–no longer will you have to root around to try to find a good spot to set your camera or ask a stranger to capture an ill-timed photo that you might not end up liking. Plus, it’s easy to pick up a collapsible tripod online for under $30, so if you’re planning to get those amazing landscape shots, they’re only a few clicks away.
#5: The Ordinary Can Be Interesting Too
When you’re on vacation, even the most ordinary of things can be interesting subjects to capture and remember. At home, drinking a cup of coffee at your kitchen table might not be the best time to practice photography, but on vacation, every moment becomes an event to be memorialized, even the most mundane and simplest of things like your morning cup o’ joe.
We mentioned earlier about the importance of candid shots, so take some time to capture the most candid and ordinary moments while you’re traveling. When it comes time to look back, these are the moments you’ll be happy you saved, since they can help bring you back to a specific moment in time. Taking photos that embody the “feel” of your vacation might not be easy, but photographing the ordinary will pay off once these photos are made into memories.
More Travel Tips and Tricks
Traveling can be stressful, and the added pressure of taking great vacation photos can be a bit overwhelming when you just want to relax and enjoy your vacation. However, if you follow these tips to level up your vacation photography, you’ll see the payoff big time when you decide to look back on the memories that you’ve captured.
For those who are on the hunt for more travel tips and tricks, we’ve written up a great guide on making the most of your vacation with your family.