How to take cool photos while on vacation?

Very often, when we go on vacation, we document our trip with photos. We are not always satisfied with their effects. In this article, we will try to suggest how to take better photos.

Get to know your camera!

This advice may seem strange or out of place, but many travelers do not take full advantage of the camera. Probably because of the convenience and fear of taking bad photos, we use full automation. We trust that the producer did everything to make the photos correct. And it probably is, but they all look the same. Our photos, friends and those from people on the Internet are identical, because they also use automation.

And yet we would like our photos to look similar to those from travel magazines or websites. In the first place, we blame the camera for taking bad pictures. Or maybe it would be enough to use it more intensively? Even the simplest camera has scene modes, and the more advanced one has semi-automatic shutter or aperture priority functions and fully manual settings. Let's not be afraid to use them! After all, a failed photo can always be deleted and a new one taken.

Travel itinerary and photo plan

Just like you plan your vacation, the places you want to visit, plan your photos. In the age of Google Earth, you can learn a lot about where you are going. You can look at a given place from different sides. Just get to know the place you want to visit.

Another interesting idea is to learn about local events. There are, after all, some regional fairs, traditional events and festivities. It is worth knowing about it, so that we do not miss it by accident. Such events give character to our photos and make them unique. Everyone experiences a local holiday differently. Some of them are or are just becoming a showcase of a given place. Carnival in Rio, running with the bulls in Pamplona - these are the famous landmarks of these places. It is worth discovering more.

If we care more about landscapes than events, then remember to check the weather. Cloudless and sunny days are not always the best for photos. Clear, empty skies can be just boring, and the harsh midday sun flattens the landscape. It is also worth getting acquainted with the hours of sunrise and sunset. There are relevant sites like Twilight Calculator that let you know sunrise and sunset times and golden hours for your location. This allows you to plan and take atmospheric photos during our travels around the world.

You can also take inspirational photos before dusk. In this case, it is worth having a tripod with you, because you can take pictures with a long exposure (if, of course, the camera has such an option). This allows for the registration of, for example, the city's images in an interesting way. Moving vehicles will be registered as streaks of light, and the architecture itself will take on a new character.

In the case of evening and night photos, remember to get there before sunset. Better to take a seat and put everything in the sunlight. It is also worth carrying a small flashlight, which may be useful on the way back.

When photographing buildings, architecture, try to always keep the camera as close to the level as possible. Shifting the lens upwards causes the perspective to bend and in the photos we see the effect of "collapsing buildings". For such photos, it is best to use a wide angle of view or a special lens with the possibility of perspective correction (Tilt-shift). You can also move away from the object to a certain distance, from which the above effect will not occur.

People on the go

Travel is not only about landscape or architecture. They are also the people we meet on our way. Sometimes it is also worth focusing on them. Local costumes and disappearing professions are a kind of mix worth registering. Ordinary people rushing to their classes often give color to a given place.

It is also worth trying to make a portrait of such a person. It is always worth talking to such a person, getting to know him and then taking a photo. Getting to know a given person changes our character in relation to him / her. We start to perceive it differently and we will see it differently in the frame. Such a social portrait will surely color our travel story.

Traveler or photographer

We can be seen by others as travelers, tourists or photographers. Each image is perceived differently. It is not always advisable to show expensive equipment. On the one hand, it can lead to too much risk. After all, there are people everywhere who are interested in things that do not belong to them. It is worth bearing this in mind. If we want to take a picture of someone and we also have expensive equipment, a backpack full of accessories, we will be perceived as professional photographers. And this may discourage some people from posing, and some may see it as a way of making money.

It is best to remain neutral with others. After all, you go to the other side of the world to get to know others and their culture, and not for them to play by some rules. Being a neutral person to them, they will also behave normally. You (getting to know them) and your photos will benefit from it.

Backpack or bag

The age-old question of every photographer with more gadgets. When traveling, the best option will always be a backpack. It is less conspicuous, more comfortable to wear and most importantly - we always have both hands free. This significantly improves the comfort and safety of movement. A shoulder bag is not a convenient solution when you want to travel on foot.

Protect your camera and accessories

Whether you have your camera sealed or not, always wear the rain cover over your bag when it rains. Not every element of the system can be resistant to rain. Always have at least two memory cards, as these can break when you least expect them. And you will definitely need an appropriate data bank for photos. It would be a pity to lose all your travel acquis from your vacation of your life somewhere in Asia. Change the lens (in the case of cameras with interchangeable optics), keeping it in the bag - minimize the possibility of sand and pollen getting inside. And the sensor cleaning itself is best done in the bathroom - a humid environment effectively reduces the amount of dust in the air.

And remember, you are going on vacation, not to work. Get some rest.