Taking pictures is the first step we take to immortalize the memories of our trips, along with buying souvenirs and keeping ticket stubs. But
not everyone is born a great photographer, and that certain sense doesn’t always come naturally to us.
To help you take rocking photos of your next trip, whether alone or with family or friends, we have gathered the top ten most useful tips and tricks just for you. Read this guide carefully, and remember, practice makes perfect.
1. Use the Self Timer Feature
Selfies are awesome, but sometimes the backdrop is too beautiful to risk cropping out. Self-timers offer great help when you’ve got the place to yourself, and enough time to kill – so make sure your camera comes with that option, and practice how to use it well. If you are yet to shop for your new trusty gadget, then it’s a good idea to look up a useful guide to the
best travel cameras available on the market today. By simply placing your camera a few feet in front of you, and taking up to 10 seconds to get in position, self-timers provide a trusted solution when there’s nobody around to take the snapshot.
2. It’s All About Perspective
If you’re trying to get a picture of someone next to a popular monument, make sure the camera is placed just a few feet above the ground, and angled upwards. If you’re by yourself, you might want to place your camera on the ground against a rock or any other stable object that can prop it. It may sound like a minor detail, but changing angles while taking pictures can go a long way in enhancing a photo. Using an angle other than holding the camera directly in front of the person’s face while standing straight works wonders.
3. Always Take Three Different Shots
While on a trip, you are less likely to go back to the same spot; so when you’re taking pictures with a monument or scenery, make sure you snap three different ones – preferably with three different poses and angles – to choose the best later. The last thing you want is to take one picture and move on, only to discover that a pigeon was flying in the background and blocking The Eiffel Tower from your picture.
4. Ask for Help from People with DSLRs Around Their Necks
If a person has a DSLR around their neck, chances are they’re pretty serious with taking photos and will probably treat your picture with care, not a mere click-and-go attitude. Additionally, they are more likely to
know how to work your camera, so you don’t have to waste precious time explaining it to them. When you’re about to ask someone to take a photo of you, choose someone with a DSLR and up your chances of getting a rocking shot.
5. Don’t Just Smile – Laugh!
Unlike popular belief, staged smiles end up being quite obvious in photos. In contrast, laughing relaxes the muscles of your face, and gives you a more natural, spontaneous smile in photos that don’t look fake or forced. In addition, laughter goes to your eyes giving them a sparkle that instant smiles aren’t capable of providing on demand. So next time you’re posing for a photo, let yourself actually and audibly laugh, you won’t regret it.
6. Mix it Up and Have Fun
Although many people prefer the normal hand-on-the-hip and angled shoulders pose, you have to mix it up a little if you don’t want all your pictures to look the same. When you’re including patterned backgrounds, bodies of water, or large monuments in your backdrop, switch up your style a little – strike a silly pose; raise your hands up; play with your hair; or even dance! If you suffer from the awkward what-do-I-do-with-my-hands syndrome, consider wearing a hat to place your hand on while being photographed, or touch your sunglasses like a model. Just have fun with it!
Be Inspired
Practicing how to take great photos is a fun kind of training, because not only does it call for your creative juices to flow, but it’s also a great excuse to check out Instagram posts and travel blogs. Get inspiration from travel bloggers, models, and celebrities who constantly post pictures of themselves in new places. Observe how they add twists to their angles and poses, and practice them in your free time. Taking pictures on a trip is not supposed to be a chore; it’s a fun way to document your journey, and have beautiful pieces of art that include you and your loved ones to look at later.
