Have Camera, will Travel.
I recently traveled with a group of friends to Florida. We had a great time with lots of laughs and we really felt we left our mark on the state. I’m also proud to say I was able to document it all with my camera. Because of what I do, my friends and family tend to rely on me to take pictures whenever I’m around. This isn’t something I mind at all, as most of the time I’m carrying a camera anyway and, simply put, I love taking pictures. I regret the rare occasions when I don’t bring a camera out with me, as I inevitably see something that is photo worthy. Tip #1; take your camera with you when you travel, for a few hours or even a day. Whether you capture a view or a moment, you’ll probably be surprised at how often you’ll pick up the camera when you have it.
Tip #1 goes hand in hand with Tip# 2. If you have the camera, use it. In the past, you either had to carry a lot of film when you traveled or take pictures very conservatively to ensure you had enough film to last your travel. In today’s digital age, we are only limited to the size of our memory cards, and even when we fill up the memory, thanks to today’s digital cameras, we can easily delete unwanted or out of focus pictures. When I take pictures, I try to snap three to four photos of the same subject often changing the perspective of the picture by using my camera’s wide angle or zoom capabilities or by simply changing my stance or how I’m holding the camera. For example, the next time you shoot a picture, try taking a picture holding your camera horizontal then taking the same shot, but holding the camera vertically. If you don’t like how these picture looks, erase it and try again.
It’s a horrible feeling knowing you’ve lost losing a picture, a memory, forever. Tip #3 is more of a warning. Transfer your camera’s memory to a computer or have the pictures developed often. Do not carry around months or even years worth of pictures without backing them up. You’ll thank yourself and free up valuable space for you to shoot many more pictures!
Tip #4 is practical. When taking pictures of people with a bright light source behind them, (like the sun), you often end up with a silhouetted subject. This is because your camera automatically adjusts itself to the bright light source, allowing you to see what is behind your subject. Unless this is your goal, it is possible to have the best of both worlds, to be able to view your subject and what is behind them. Take a look at your camera’s flash settings, (the lightning bolt symbol). You’ll be surprised how many different flash settings today’s cameras have. What you’re looking for is named the Fill-in Flash. If you don’t have the setting on your camera, don’t worry; just ensure the flash setting is switched to always on from Auto-flash. When taking a picture with this setting you will have a well lit subject and a visible backdrop, neither in shadow. This feature also works well at sunset, but make sure your subject is the recipient of the flash; otherwise you can mute the colours of the sunset. Good luck and don’t forget your camera!
