The Caribbean may be one of the most photogenic vacation destinations on Earth with its blue waters, spectacular sunsets, and colorful buildings, boats, and other backgrounds. But taking good photos in the tropics can also be challenging if you don’t factor in bright sunlight at noon and other variables.
Here are some great tips for taking memorable vacation photos from professional photographers at the Society of American Travel Writers.
That is how
- Take pictures in the early morning and late afternoon to add more color and shadows to your photos, giving your subject more definition. Between 10 am and 2 pm, the sun is up and the light is flat. An exception: “In the Caribbean, to capture the water in its most electric aquamarine, shoot the seascape from above, preferably at noon,” says Patricia Borns, writer and photographer of sea travel.
- Move close to your subject for impact. Too far back and your photo may be too busy. Come closer and then come closer! Fill the frame with your subject.
- Always present a sense of place in your photos. If you are in the tropics, frame the photo with palm trees; if it’s in the mountains, frame it with pine trees.
- Do not take all photos at eye level . Get closer to the ground or climb up to get a better vantage point. “Shooting a scene that is not at eye level can add drama or perspective to a static setting,” says David Swanson, a freelance travel writer / photographer. “Even if you can’t look through the lens, hold the camera above or at waist level and experiment.”
- Pay attention to details and distractions in the back of your photo or behind the heads of your subjects. Often times, a telephone pole or tree is sticking behind your subject. Move around until there are fewer distractions in the background.
- Digital space is cheap. Take lots of photos and edit and delete at night . Also, shoot with the highest resolution possible; If necessary, carry additional memory cards.
- Use your camera’s fill flash, even outdoors during the day, to “fill in” shadows . “Sometimes you don’t have the option of waiting for the right light,” says Laurie D. Borman, managing editor of Rand McNally. “The fill flash will illuminate a person’s face and eliminate shadows when the sun is above.”
- Shoot important subjects from different angles and points of view , with different lenses, and with different exposures. Take a general panoramic photo, a mid-range photo, and a detailed close-up photo. Check your photos on the site to make sure you have your photo. “When shooting with a slow shutter speed and without a handheld, shoot three quick frames in a row, which increases the chances of getting it right,” says Michael Ventura, a freelance travel photographer.
- Please wait before clicking! Wait for the clouds to clear, the truck pulls away from the front of the cathedral, or other distractions to pass. “Look around you and see what happens,” says photographer Mary Love. “If a child with a red balloon comes to the corner, wait until he meets his frame.”
- Put local people in your photos. Ask permission first, however, and try not to bring them up. Putting people in your photos gives a sense of size and scale. “Learn the phrase for ‘Please smile’ in the [local] language… and smile before, during and after clicking the shutter,” advises photographer Maxine Cass. Then “turn your digital camera and show the image to your subject,” adds Annette Thompson.
Advice
- Use your camera to record details you’d like to remember later , like street signs, place names and menus, recommends Shelly Steig, a freelance writer and photographer.
- Carry a rubber mat in your camera bag. “It will ease your knees and clothing every time you kneel for a low camera angle,” according to Michele and Tom Grimm, photographers and authors.
- Don’t rely on your zoom lens to compose your images. You have two feet. Move for the best angle and composition, “says Dennis Cox, travel photographer and director of Photo Explorer Tours.
- ” Bracket your exposures and remember that if the light is low, you can increase your ISO (the equivalent of being able to change film speed) for each shot,” advises Catherine Watson, a freelance travel writer.
- “On cloudy and dreary days, try to include bright colors like red (a person’s jacket, an umbrella, a sign) in the photo, as reds, oranges, yellows, and fuchsias can make a rainy scene lackluster. stand out with liveliness. “Says Susan Farlow, a freelance travel writer.
