“With the right knowledge and the right camera, its easy to achieve creative holiday photography”
A relaxing holiday, or a new experience in an inspiring environment. How can you best capture these inspiring moments? What do you need to consider when capturing that special photograph? What produces a surprising effect? You’ll get more out of your holiday and your camera with the following special tips and tricks. Whether you are just starting out in photography or have some experience
With the right holiday, an impressive trip, or new experiences in an inspiring environment. How can you best capture these moments? What do you need to consider when capturing that special moment? The main thing is just to have fun!
1. LOOK AT THE WORLD FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE
A picturesque street, your kids on the beach or an exceptional building. You always see something beautiful meaningful or different. Your first reaction is to reach for your camera and shoot. That’s fair enough! But alter your vantage point for a change and opt for a more creative viewpoint. In doing so, you will change the perspective of the photograph and this creates more ‘movement’. For example, crouch down or even lie flat on your stomach. Basically, teach yourself to look at things more dynamically. You can always take the original picture your were looking at too!
2. TRY SWITCHING OFF THE FLASH
There are all sorts of different light. Daylight, candlelight, lightbulbs and neon and all create their own unique atmosphere. They provide your photograph with color and feeling. Using the flash will wipe out most of these effects. Use all of the above to your advantage by switching off the flash. Your photograph will then reflect far more of your holiday pictures. Exactly as it was.
- MODES AND SETTINGS:
Look at your camera (or its manual) to see how to turn off the flash. In the case of most compact cameras, you can control the flash in the ‘auto’ mode.This not usually possible with a D-SLR camera. Here you have to avoid the automatic mode. Many cameras also have a setting for photographing in low-light conditions, sometimes called ‘night scenes’.
- TAKING A PHOTOGRAPH IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS:
In a dark location – for example a church – you can rest your camera onto something or if you are allowed, fix it to a tripod and if you want, activate the self-timer. Because then you know for certain that the camera will not move when the picture is being taken.
3. TRY CONTINUOUS SHOOTING
If your subject is moving, take lots of shots in succession. Then you will get the photograph you would certainly otherwise missed. With digital photography, you can easily erase the less successful pictures. So: shoot and capture that spectacular moment perfectly.
4. ATTENTION TO DETAIL
The essence of a special moment is often captured in the details. If you learn to keep an eye open for this, you will see that your photographs will become a lot more than just a snap shot.
- ZOOM TIPS
Zoom in on the little things that make your holiday so special. Look at something and decide which makes the biggest impression. Record that as well as just everything.
5. BACK TO (BACK) LIGHTING
Play with light and consciously introduce large contrasts. This often results in beautiful and exciting shots. You can create beautiful silhouettes using the backlight from a sunset.
- UNDER AND OVEREXPOSURE
The correct exposure is extra important in the case of backlighting. Do you think that the subject is too light or too dark.
6. EXPERIMENT WITH SHUTTER SPEED.
With cameras that have manual control options, you can control the shutter speed that alters the amount of light that hits the sensor. Play with the shutter speed in the case of moving objects, this will allow you to influence the focus of the photograph. Sharpness is of course often desirable, but causing blur consciously can also produce interesting results.
- MAINTAINING FOCUS OR CREATING BLUR
If you are photographing a moving subject, for example, a passing cyclist and you want to prevent blur? Then keep your shutter speed high. For example 1/250s or higher if necessary.
7. PLAY WITH DEPTH OF FIELD.
If your camera has manual control options, you can control how much light enters through the lens. This influences the depth of field in the photograph. If you change the aperture size, you can manipulate the depth in your shots. This can produce very attractive effects.
…AND FINALLY, HAVE FUN WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY.
You don’t learn to shoot beautiful photographs overnight. It requires lots of practice and lots of patience. You also need to be lucky with circumstances, such as weather. If you take the time to apply the tips above, you will quickly achieve surprising results.
Hope it helps and that you get wonderful images on this years holiday!
Later
Cormac
Striking Images Photography