5 Ways to Improve Your Vacation Photos

Are you packing your bags for a fun, adventurous vacation? Don’t forget to pack your camera too. You’ll want to be sure you capture all of the special moments that happen throughout the vacation.

Whether you shoot the vacation photos with your phone’s camera or with a larger camera, there are certain things to consider in order to improve your vacation photos.

5 Ways to Improve Your Vacation Photos

Here are five ways to improve your vacation photos:

1.) Look from a Different Perspective

Stand up high, crouch down low … look at objects and landscapes from a different perspective. Get up close and personal with objects or stand far away and capture the whole scene. Play with the “rule of thirds.” Have fun with your photos. Find out what’s special about the object and capture that special aspects from a different perspective.

Additional Tip: Also, pay attention to the horizon. If you’re photographing a sunset, be sure that the horizon is, indeed, straight/flat. I’m all about straight horizons … pet peeve of mine.

2.) Tell a Story

Instead of taking the boring family shots (and yes, you can take those shots), why not change things up a bit and take some action shots as well? The “say cheese” shots can get a bit routine and annoying after a while. Take photos of your kids playing, your family experiencing the culture, etc. Get those memorable “in the moment” shots that you will cherish forever.

3.) Know Your Camera

I cannot stress this one enough. Be familiar with your camera and its setting before traveling. The last thing you want to do when it comes to travel photography is miss a special moment because you couldn’t figure out your camera. Read the camera manual or watch a video tutorial. By knowing your camera, you will be able to capture those special moments without hesitation.

4.) Use the Weather to Your Advantage

Let’s face it, the weather can be unpredictable. If you try and wait for the perfect warm light for photos, you might be waiting a long time. Instead of hoping for the perfect light, make the most out of your situation. Letting what you can’t control dictate attitudes of what you can control is a sure setup for failure. While not every day will be sunny, there’s beauty in the mood of fog, rain, and snow. Be sure to capture that beauty.

5.) Escape the Postcard

My biggest photography advice is to escape the postcard. What does that mean? Don’t always take the photos that you see all over the place. It’s fine to take a few “postcard” photos but don’t always rely on those shots. Look at your surroundings and find elements that make the scenery or destination unique. Ask yourself, “What makes this spot so beautiful? What helps to tell the story about this landscape? What makes this spot so unique and different?” This is my favorite way to challenge my photographic eye.

For example, while in Ireland, I noticed that a lot of my photographs were of fences with the landscape behind the object. In general, I love to show the beauty of places by showing rustic elements in my surroundings. I also love that objects such as fences are a natural way to create a border around landscape.