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