Insider Tips for Taking Great Vacation Photos

Photos make great souvenirs; here are our insider tips for how to make your vacation photos the best they can be.

• Take lots of photos. Remember that it is often quantity that helps the pros achieve their quality -- they can use 20 rolls of film to find that perfect shot. For most of us, the easiest and most cost effective way to do this is with a digital camera. Don't forget to erase the images with closed eyes and cut-off heads so you'll have more room in your camera's memory for the good ones and won't have to download as often.

• Learn all about your camera. Yes, we recommend that you read the manual. Sound boring? Maybe, but knowing all your camera's capabilities will help you choose the settings that are most appropriate to your situation. And you might pick up some extra tips, like dating your photos, that will come in handy.

• Time it right. Outdoor lighting is perfect during what professionals call the "magic hours" -- right after dawn and just before sunset. For most people, there is more magic in the latter, but if you are travelling through time zones that make early mornings feasible, you might also find that the peace and quiet inherent to this time of day makes framing the perfect shot easier. Noon is the worst time to take photos because the sunlight is too harsh (and is also likely to make your travel companions squint -- and who wants that in their photos?).

• Light it right. The sun or indoor light source should always be behind you (the photographer), illuminating your subjects so they don't appear in silhouette. Worried that there isn't enough sun? Remember that on overcast days, the light is softer so there are no harsh shadows on the faces of your subjects.

• Think of triangles. As you compose your shot, try to include subjects on three different levels. For example, if you are photographing three people, have one person standing, the second sitting, and the third person kneeling down in front. These different heights make the composition more interesting than lining people up in a row.

• Look your best. Whether you're in the photo yourself, or taking photos of the friends and family you are vacationing with, following these tips to make sure everyone looks as wonderful as they really are:
  • Minimize a wrinkly or shiny face. Airplane trips can be very dehydrating, so use extra moisturizers to keep your skin looking radiant, since the camera can make sallowness and wrinkles appear more pronounced. Of course you don't want a shiny face either -- so use foundation and transluscent powder when necessary.
  • Maximize available light. Set up your shot to get as much light on the face as possible. Indoors, pose your subject close to the window or other light source. And indoors and out, always use the flash -- the light will illuminate the skin and conceal imperfections. The exception is for photos taken on a white sand beach or out in the snow -- the reflective qualities of the scenery itself will help light up your subject's face.
  • Even skin tone. Too much time in the sun? Use foundation or bronzer to help face color match the skin color of your neck and decolletage, since differences will be more pronounced on camera.
  • Act natural. To keep your subjects from looking too posed and rigid, keep up a natural conversation as you set up the shot, have them sit on or lean against something, and have them hold onto something -- even just their sunglasses or hat -- to ensure that their hands aren't straight down by their sides.
  • Banish double chins. Avoid the dreaded double chin by ensuring that the camera is at or slightly above the subject's eye level. Shorter photographers can achieve this by having their subjects sit down and look up toward the camera, or by having their subjects bend their knees slightly. (And now you know why fashion photographers so often use step ladders!)
  • Don't blink. Closed eyes can be a problem for everyone (we all have to blink from time to time), but it seems to be most pronounced in group photos when just one person with eyes closed requires another shot. So tell everyone to shut their eyes and count to three. On the count of three, say something funny or unexpected so that everyone will open their eyes and laugh, and you'll snap the perfect picture.
  • Turn, turn, turn. By directing your subject to turn his or her head slightly and look over your shoulder rather than directly into the camera lens, you'll avoid both the "deer-in-the-headlights" look and help your subject look slimmer, since in the resulting photo, the viewer's eye will be drawn up and down rather than from side to side (if it is a full-body shot, encourage the subject to turn his or her whole body for the same reason).
  • Nix the red-eye. No one likes the appearance of being possessed. Since red-eye occurs when the pupils have opened up in response to dim light, allowing the flash to light up all the eyes' red blood vessels, you can avoid it by looking at a bright light just before the photo is taken.

• Keep things in proportion. If you are using a wide-angle lens, you may find that whatever is closest to you as you snap the photo appears exaggerated and out of proportion. You can escape this problem by stepping back a few feet and then zooming in.

Site Directory: