| Taking a vacation is a wonderful experience, | | | | |
| whether you go to a beach location, a theme | | | | * Try to get some action shots. Try taking a |
| park, have a camping holiday, or travel to | | | | candid shot of kids or adults playing on the |
| Europe on a sightseeing tour. But when you | | | | beach. Or capture someone's face when |
| return home, the pictures you took on your | | | | tasting that chocolate covered ant. Use the |
| trip are a large part of the memory | | | | Action Shooting Mode on your camera for a |
| experience. These pictures are priceless and | | | | fast shutter speed to stop action so that you |
| it is worth learning a few tips to make your | | | | can get clear pictures without the blur. The |
| picture-taking memories more rewarding. | | | | Burst Mode lets you take multiple pictures |
| | | | with one click of the shutter button to catch |
| When packing for your memorable vacation, | | | | a sequence of moves-for that Mexican dancing |
| keep in mind these things: | | | | scene. |
| | | | |
| * Camera, batteries + extras, memory card(s), | | | | LANDSCAPE TIPS |
| battery chargers | | | | |
| | | | * Study the area and plan your photograph. |
| * External flash (if needed), tripod, | | | | Would the picture be better if taken from the |
| portable storage device | | | | right to include the shadows? How about a |
| | | | different angle? You can crouch or take a |
| * Power adapter (if traveling abroad) | | | | photo looking up at the Eiffel Tower instead |
| | | | of straight on-wouldn't that seem more |
| * Camera case-waterproof if going to a beach | | | | dramatic? Use perspective to your advantage. |
| or wet vacation spot (you can also purchase | | | | |
| silica gel packs from your camera store to | | | | * Think about the distance you are away from |
| reduce moisture further) | | | | your subject. Try to get as close as |
| | | | possible. Sometimes that house in the |
| * Underwater camera if traveling to a beach | | | | distance that you like will just be a spot in |
| location (even a small disposable one will | | | | a 4X6 picture. Use your zoom as much as |
| get those unforgettable shots!) | | | | possible. |
| | | | |
| * Be sure to get a wrist-strap for your | | | | * Consider the lighting. The light can be |
| camera-you don't want to lose your camera | | | | harsh in the middle of the day and less |
| when you are traversing the rainforest | | | | intense in the early morning or late |
| treetops! | | | | afternoon. Also you can achieve better |
| | | | results with lighting by taking pictures in |
| Be sure to charge your camera batteries | | | | inclement weather. Experiment by taking |
| before you leave home, and clear your memory | | | | pictures at different times of the day. Even |
| card. It is always a good idea to take an | | | | the shadows created in a landscape by taking |
| extra memory card with you. Don't be afraid | | | | advantage of the early morning light can be |
| to shoot lots of pictures of the same subject | | | | interesting and dramatic. Another lighting |
| - a digital camera can hold a lot of pictures | | | | tip is to use you camera's flash when |
| and you can sort out the good from the bad | | | | shooting in direct sun to reduce effects of |
| before printing them when you get home. | | | | shadows on faces or other objects in the |
| | | | picture. If you happen to be in low light, |
| Before you leave home, do a little research | | | | try using a tripod. And experiment...is the |
| on the spot you are traveling to and try to | | | | light shining in the back or on the side? |
| pre-plan some of the shots you may wish to | | | | The placement of light and shadows in a |
| take. Use travel guides, books and magazines | | | | picture can create a great shot. |
| to help plan what you may wish to include in | | | | |
| your memory album. This may also be helpful | | | | * If you are taking a picture of a landscape, |
| not only in planning what type of shot you | | | | make sure there are no stray objects that may |
| may wish to take, but may affect when you | | | | detract from your composition. Check before |
| travel to a certain location. Would you like | | | | you shoot. |
| a shot of the sun rising majestically over | | | | |
| the Rocky Mountains? Or how about a shot of | | | | * Use colour to your advantage. You can |
| elephant feeding time at the San Diego Zoo-or | | | | often achieve very dramatic shots of |
| even fireworks over the Eiffel Tower? Make a | | | | colourful houses, fall foliage or azure |
| list of these potential shots and plan your | | | | beaches to add vibrancy to your photos. If |
| trip accordingly. | | | | you have a Beach Mode on your camera, use it |
| | | | to capture bright seaside scenes. |
| PROVE YOU WERE THERE: | | | | |
| | | | * Take advantage of the landscape mode in |
| When you are taking pictures on your | | | | your camera, which adjusts the aperture so |
| vacation, be sure to remember to include the | | | | that objects near and far are sharp and |
| human element. You don't want only pictures | | | | clear. To achieve the same effect manually, |
| of the scenery, but this should be a memory | | | | you need to set your aperture to a high |
| experience at the same time. Include | | | | f-number (like f6.3), which will provide a |
| pictures of your family and friends, even | | | | wide range of focus to ensure everything near |
| people you meet at the location. All of | | | | and in the distance is in focus. |
| these elements ad to the ambiance of the | | | | |
| experience. | | | | * Panorama shots are very popular and some |
| | | | cameras offer in-camera panorama-stitching |
| Try to get at least some pictures with you in | | | | which is a feature that uses up to five |
| it. There is always some passerby around to | | | | single shots to create one seamless image |
| take a picture of you in front of your cruise | | | | right in the camera. Sweeping beach scenes |
| ship-just be sure it is someone trustworthy | | | | are perfect for the Panorama mode. Tips for |
| not to run off with your camera. Another | | | | panoramic shots: (1) make sure your camera is |
| good idea for this is to give the passerby a | | | | as level as possible, (2) be sure to stand in |
| cheap disposable camera instead of your | | | | the same position for all the shots, (3) |
| expensive one so that if he does drop the | | | | overlap you images by 30-50% horizontally. |
| camera or runs off with it you won't have | | | | Consider using panoramic shots for |
| much to lose. You may not get as good a | | | | breathtaking mountain range shots, sunsets, |
| picture quality, but at least it will be a | | | | cityscapes, or even a cascading waterfall. |
| memory shot. | | | | |
| | | | * Use the Sunset Mode on your camera to |
| TIPS ON INCLUDING PEOPLE IN YOUR VACATION | | | | achieve ideal dramatic photos of early |
| PHOTOS: | | | | evening or dawn when the sun in near the |
| | | | horizon. Image that perfect beach with the |
| * Capture the anticipation of your trip by | | | | sun setting in the background. |
| using people. Try photos of packing up the | | | | |
| car, arriving at the airport, getting on the | | | | SNOW OR BLACK AND WHITE SHOTS: |
| plane. This type of picture will lend a | | | | |
| great story line when displaying your | | | | * The key to capturing magical winter shots |
| pictures in an album. The same goes for the | | | | is in the white balance. To achieve |
| end of your trip. Have a shot of your wife | | | | realistic winter scenes, some cameras have a |
| sleeping on the plane after a whirlwind | | | | Snow Shooting Mode which will automatically |
| European vacation. Personally, I always end | | | | adjust the camera's white balance to |
| our albums with a display of all the things | | | | compensate for the snow and lighting |
| we acquired on our trip-everything from that | | | | conditions. You can also use your camera's |
| gorgeous purse I bought in Panama, shells | | | | manual controls to adjust the white balance |
| from the beach, to the airline tickets and | | | | until the snow colour is correct. The image |
| the Spanish phrase book we used. | | | | will change on your camera's screen so you |
| | | | can adjust it up or down until the image |
| * Place your subject off-centre using the | | | | appears accurate. |
| rule of thirds. Divide the picture into a | | | | |
| tic-tac-toe like grid and rather than placing | | | | * Black and white pictures accentuate lines, |
| your subject into the centre square, place | | | | textures and edges making great dramatic |
| them onto one of four lines. This makes for a | | | | photographs. This can be a great choice for |
| more interesting picture and is more | | | | beach scenes and coastlines alike. |
| aesthetically pleasing. A great portrait | | | | |
| would be placing a person to one side with | | | | VACATION PHOTO ART: |
| the horizon filling the rest of the picture. | | | | |
| | | | * You can turn your vacation photographs into |
| * Try to get the people in your pictures to | | | | works of art using computer software to |
| tell a story rather than just standing in | | | | manipulate the pictures. If you have an |
| front of a landmark. Eating, leaning on | | | | artistic nature this is a great way to |
| street signs, browsing through roadside | | | | display your vacation photographs and receive |
| markets, swimming on the beach are all ways | | | | rave reviews from family and friends. |
| to achieve this. | | | | |
| | | | Another tip on vacation photography is not |
| * Don't have your subjects stand so far away | | | | just to take pictures of landmarks and |
| that you can't recognize who they are. Get | | | | people. Pictures of birds, flowers, and |
| them to stand closer and have the landmark in | | | | street signs all add to remembering where you |
| the distance. You can always take an extra | | | | visited. |
| shot of the landmark by itself. | | | | |
| | | | I hope some of the above tips help in your |
| * Sometimes it is good to get a photo of | | | | vacation photography. At home, I love |
| someone in the distance, perhaps with their | | | | reviewing our photographs and reliving our |
| back to the camera. This comes off as a | | | | travel experiences. We always take lots of |
| candid shot and can create great drama in the | | | | pictures and share them often with family and |
| picture. | | | | friends. |