Family travel is all about making memories - and what preserves memories better than great pictures? Getting fantastic shots can be tough though, especially when you're on a family trip. Now, there's a photography expert to the rescue with some ideas and suggestions for taking fabulous pictures.
Ewen Bell is an award-winning photographer from Australia who leads photographic tours across Asia. He is also a contributor to the travel media in Australia, and publishes a website (www.photographyfortravellers.com) with free advice for photographers who enjoy travel. Here are his top ten tips for getting great pictures.
Top Ten Tips for Travelers:
1. Get Closer
The easiest way to improve your photography is to get closer to the subject. The world changes when you are closer to it.
2. Go Slow
Take your time and you will take better photos. Rushing about gives you lots of shots that you might not want to keep, so maybe it's better to go slow and enjoy the travel.
3. Shoot Wide
Get a wide angle lens and get more into the shot. Many compact cameras shoot the equivalent of 24 mm wide, and that's good.
4. Look for the Light
Cameras shoot light, not objects, so you have to practice seeing the light as your camera does. Lovely light makes for lovely pictures.
5. Ask First
Show respect for other people and ask permission before shooting. It avoids offending strangers and give you a chance to better connect with the locals. Getting local is what it's all about!
6. Get Details
Take photos of the little things along the journey, not just the big ones. The texture of a place can be revealed in detail photos.
7. Review Your Shots
Every night, have a look through your photos for the day. It helps you to appreciate the effort you put into them and can reveal some missing subjects that you need to work on the next day.
8. Creative Control
Try taking control of the camera instead of letting the camera determine your photo. Exploring the craft of photography is about cultivating your own ability to be creative.
9. Shoot for Love
We fall in love with places as we travel, so let your passion for a place guide your photography. Ask yourself: what is it about the place that makes it special and do my photos reveal that quality?
10. People Matter
Travel is about people, and your photography should be likewise. Your most treasured memories of a place are usually the people and their character, so try to get a little of them on film.
