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10 Simple Tips for Travel Photography
by Kelsey Ohleger
Every traveler should document
his or her trip through photography. Whether to share your experience
with those back home, relive personal memories or make some quick cash
(Google “travel photo contests” and you will not be disappointed),
taking pictures, a lot of pictures, should be a priority.
In this technological age with
affordable cameras, no one has the excuse to not be a photographer.
As long as you have a basic digital camera and the willingness to be
creative, your pictures will look like those found in National Geographic
in no time.
Just follow these ten simple
tips and you will soon have your favorite pictures to last a lifetime.
1. Get acquainted.
You don’t have to sit down
and read through the massive instruction book, but most digital cameras
have creative tools that can give your photos that artistic edge. Skim
the text and then play with the functions in your free time. Whether
it be on the plane, train, bus, boat or camel en route to your next
destination, make sure you know the ins and outs of the camera before
your arrival.
2. Always be ready
and raring.
After hours of becoming familiar
with your camera, the battery is most likely running low. Get into the
habit of putting your battery on the charger whenever you walk into
the room. If traveling overseas, be sure to have outlet adapters so
you won’t miss out on any great pics due to a dead battery. And never
forget to grab the camera (with the battery inside!) each time you leave
your room.
3. Invest in protection.
Although your camera may fit
perfectly snug in the back pocket of your Levi’s, that will not shield
it from the wear and tear of travel. Look for a case with a sturdy outer
cover that will provide protection if dropped on a rock in the Grand
Canyon or fallen on when skiing the Alps.
4. Be flashy.
Camera flashes are not only
for indoors, they can be useful in all types of settings. While shooting
outdoors, the sun is a major deciding factor on the outcome of a picture.
Its harshness can create
awkward shadows on your subject, but using the flash can eliminate these
dark areas. If the majority of light is coming from behind the subject,
such as a picture in front of a sunset, always use the flash to avoid
a dark silhouette.
Also don’t get too accustomed
to using the flash, cloudy days and early morning pictures have great
lighting that can create a soft, natural glow.
5. Get close.
Getting close can reveal amazing
details of texture or emotion. Pick one element and make it the main
focal point of the picture. Then, take one step back and click the picture
(most camera’s will take a blurry picture if they’re held any closer).
Also, the closer you are the less you need to use your zoom. Zooming
results in low resolution and eliminates an interesting angle. So burn
those few extra calories by walking right up to your focal point for
your snapshot.
6. Get some action.
Adding a little glimpse of
life to your photos makes them realistic and interesting. Find some
small facet of action within your lens when snapping a picture. Children
running across a famous street or a bird flying in the sunset of a beach
will give the photo an extra charm to make it original and your own.
7.
Don’t be vertically challenged.
It seems that many of us forget
to rotate the camera to its side, but the truth is many things look
better vertical. So don’t forget to turn that camera sideways for
the Eiffel Tower or anything else that stands perpendicular to the horizon.
8. Don’t be camera
shy.
While shots of the landscape
and historical matter are important to have in your photo albums, pictures
that you are in will more likely become the ones you will cherish. If
traveling in a small group, avoid take pictures with an outstretched
arm that cut off the top of someone’s head. Instead, whenever you
see someone administering this technique, offer to take their picture
and ask them to take one in return. This method is also extremely rewarding
while traveling alone.
9. Learn to use a
simple photo editor
A few simple clicks of the
mouse can turn a good picture into a great picture. Use your computer’s
existing software (Mac’s iPhoto works fine) or download a program
to get started (Google’s Picasa is a free, basic option that is a
good start for beginners).
Play with the contrast, brightness,
saturation and sharpness to find what you think increases the appeal
of a picture.
10. Take a lot of pictures.
Make sure to have invested
in a large memory card that can hold a lot of pictures, and just keep
clicking! The great thing about digital cameras is the ability to delete
the bad ones later on. So take as many pictures as you possible can
to capture all of the great moments you experience while on your travels.
Kelsey Ohleger is junior journalism
major currently studying at AUT University in New Zealand. Check out
her personal blog at http://kaohleger.blogspot.com.
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