When you’re going on a trip, but you don’t have a fancy camera – don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with these fantastic travel photo tips, sure to produce great photos even if all you have is your smart phone!
1. Use flash outdoors
It seems like a flash would be the last thing you would need on a bright day, but the sun can cast harsh shadows, so make sure you use your flash to fill in the shadows. When taking pictures of people on sunny days, turn your flash on. You may have a choice of fill-flash mode or full-flash mode. Both are good on a sunny day, especially if your subject is wearing a hat.
2. Move in close
A common mistake is being too far away from your subject. Get close! Your goal is to fill the picture area with the subject you are photographing. Up close you can reveal more about your subject. If you can, don’t rely on the zoom to move in. You’ll get a better, sharper photo if you move closer physically to your subject rather than just zooming in.
3. Find a simple background to use
A simple background shows off the subject you are photographing. When you look through the camera viewfinder, find an area surrounding your subject that is not complicated. Make sure no poles or trees are growing from the head of your subject and that your subject isn’t sharing the spotlight with something else.
4. Move it from the middle
The middle of your picture is not always the best place for your subject. Bring your picture to life by simply moving your subject away from the center. Start by imagining a tic-tac-toe grid in your viewfinder. Now, place your important subject at one of the intersections of lines. (Pro tip: You’ll need to lock the focus if you have an auto-focus camera because most of them focus on whatever is in the center of the viewfinder.)
5. BE READY!
It’s the worst feeling in the world to have something happening when you’re not ready or your camera is in your bag, turned off, or set to the wrong settings. Usually, you know at an event if you are planning on shooting photos. Have a practice drill of getting your camera out quickly. Settings need to change when the lighting does. Take a few practice shots with your settings adjusted before the action happens.
Have more great photo tips? Email us at socialmedia@worldstrides.org.