10 tips for better travel photos

it's the season of exotic vacations, simple day trips, and exploring.  when you are traveling, it is great to be able to capture special moments so that you have photos to look back on to remember your adventures.  you don't need a fancy camera or a degree in photography to document great memories through pictures.  wherever you are roaming this summer, here are a few tips and tricks for improving your travel photos . . .

1. learn the rule of thirds
composition is key, and the tried-and-true rule of thirds is so often used for a reason.  when you line up your shot, mentally break your image into thirds vertically and horizontally so that you have nine parts.  place the subject along a vertical or horizontal line and a point of intersection.  the human eye naturally falls to the point of intersection.  it will make your photos more interesting instead of having your subject exactly centered.

2. pay attention to the lighting
lighting can make or break a photo.  when shooting outdoors, many photographers try to avoid the harsh direct light of the midday sun and instead wait for "blue hour" (the 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset) and "golden hour" (the hour after sunrise and before sunset) because it is when the lighting is best.  the soft and warm glow of the sun during these times of the day is great for gorgeous photos outdoors.  natural lighting is best because lamps and artificial lighting cast shadows and create varying light temperatures.  sure, a flash is necessary at times.  unfortunately, a flash often leaves things looking too bright and washed out.  if you need to use a flash, consider wrapping your flash in a coffee filter to soften it.

3. change your point of view and try different angles
bend down, stand on top of something, or lean over the side of something (without falling) to change your point of view and to capture photos on different levels.  play around and take photos from different angles to keep things interesting.

4. place an object in the foreground
consider placing an object in the foreground of your image to frame your photo and to give your image some depth.  it is a neat way to make your image almost look 3D instead of looking flat and two dimensional.

5. look for lead-in lines
let naturally occurring lines (a road, a bridge, a tunnel, etc.) draw your eye through the photo toward the key subject in order to keep your eye moving through the image.

6. catch movement and action
keep your photos from looking boring and create eye-catching images by looking for movement or action that you can capture.

7. create a sense of scale
it can be difficult to translate the scale of certain objects in photographs, so add a point of reference to help convey the scale of an object.

8. play with color
keep your eyes open for bright vibrant colors around you when you are shooting.  later, when editing your photos at home enhance the brightness, temperature, and/or saturation to make your colors really pop.

9. capture the details
remember to pay attention to the little details and nuances about the place you are visiting that make it unique.

10. don't forget about the food
one of the best parts of traveling is trying so many different types and styles of food.  don't forget to snap photos of your favorite meals.

. . . 

i'm certainly not a professional photographer, but these are a few tips i have picked up along the way.  it's so much fun to travel and to document special moments in life through photographs so that you can look back on your memories for years to come!

love, laurie