Oh Lauren you didn't think you'd get off that easy did you? Always hiding behind the camera...
Haha are you ready to kill me yet?
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Amanda has asked me to write a blog post on vacation photography. I thought for quite a while about what I want to talk about. There is a broad range of topics I could talk about so I decided to narrow it down to five (yes, this is me narrowing it down!). This post got very long very fast so bear with me!!
1. Learn Your Camera
This may seem like an obvious one but I bet most people do not sit down and learn how to use their camera. Once you know how to use your camera you will have more control over how your photos turn out. You may be thinking, “I do not have time to sit and read my entire camera manual”. So one of the most important things to learn is your camera’s auto focus. Specifically - how to turn it off. The auto-focus works great when your subject is dead center. The problem comes when you are trying to focus on something off center. {Insert photo} Auto-focus cannot read your mind, unfortunately. If your camera’s auto-focus cannot be turned off, you can usually half-press the shutter button, hold the button until the desired subject is in focus, and press the button down completely to take the picture.
Frustrated by washed-out or too-dark photos? It’s probably due to your camera’s auto-exposure mode. Unfortunately, when taking a picture of a light or dark object against a contrasting background (i.e. a bright sky), it may hurt more than it helps. Many point and shoot cameras and DSLR cameras come equipped to allow manual exposure. If your camera doesn’t allow for it, you can still manage over and under exposure issues by getting close to your subject and pointing your camera at different parts of the scene. Place the crosshairs on dark spaces, then light ones until your photo’s composition’s exposure is just right. On point-and-shoot cameras, half-press the shutter button to hold your exposure settings, and then press the button all the way down to snap the picture. Take a few photos until you find the one you love. If you’re able to get really close (within 10 to 15 feet) to your subject, turn on your flash and recompose the photo. Though it may seem counter-intuitive to turn on the camera’s flash during daytime, the flash may brighten areas that would otherwise be darkened by the camera’s exposure feature.
If you own a DSLR I challenge you to learn the manual exposure settings. It is way too much to get into in this post but learning about aperture and shutter speed will really allow you to use your DSLR to its potential!
2. Capture the Story
While it is great to take the big photos like Cinderella’s Castle or everyone with Mickey, try to capture all the seemingly mundane moments in between. Take photos of everyone waiting in line for the monorail, your breakfast...
...your custom Mickey ears being made!
Pay attention to the little details that you otherwise might think are not photo worthy. It all comes together to tell your unique vacation story. I have to take a moment to plug my love for candid photos. Plan a few places to take photos of the whole family but vacation is not all about posed photos.
3. Be Creative
Once you have learned your camera’s abilities you will have more creative freedom. Try not centering your subject. The rule of thirds is a great way to learn how to frame your photo but still have it well balanced and pleasing to the eye. Here is a photo explaining the rule of thirds
It is very pleasing to the eye to have the important part of your subject (i.e. someone's eyes) lined up with one of the four cross points (where the circles are in the above photo). See how the words on his hat line up with the upper right circle. Here is a great website that helps explain the rule of thirds in more detail: http://www.digital-
Another way to be creative is to use your background. If you are trying to get a photo of your daughter eating a Mickey ice cream pay attention to what is behind her and use it. Maybe Cinderella’s Castle is in the distance, or the ice cream truck where you bought the ice cream.
Though the subject is important the background can be equally important. Also, while being creative try to remember this rule about cropping. Never crop a person at the joints – ankles, knees, elbows, etc. Cropping in between those points makes the photo look much more natural.
4. Don’t forget yourself!
As I am a photographer I am, more often than not, the one taking the photos. I cannot tell you how many times I come home from a vacation and have no photographic proof I was even on the trip! If you are a more advanced user and/or own a DSLR make sure your camera is on the correct settings before handing it off to someone else. Maybe make your friend take a photo of you trying on a princess at!
Also, take advantage of the Photo Pass people. One of my favorite photos is our group at Typhoon Lagoon in the wave pool. There is often a Photo Pass photographer around areas like the wave pool taking some candid photos for you.
5. Have fun!
Though doing all the things I just talked about is important the most important thing is to have fun. Put the camera away some times and just enjoy your vacation. Also, have fun with taking photos. It does not have to be a chore. Find things in the parks you may have never noticed before and play around with your camera and its settings. The best way to become a better photographer is to practice. What better place to practice than on a Disney vacation!!!
Are you interested in being a guest blogger? Contact me today at Amanda@Mouseketrips.com
This makes me want to grab my camera out and just start practicing for May! Beautiful pics!
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