When holidays come to an end, we are left with plenty of memories. The things we’ve done, the meals we’ve had, the times we’ve enjoyed – and, of course, the photos. Who has not picked up an album just to remember those special moments on holiday? For that reason, it’s very important that those images that will accompany us for years to come capture the essence of those days of leisure and the new places we discovered. We’ve gathered ten simple steps for you to help take the best photos possible. 

1. Make Sure The Camera Is Always Ready

Oftentimes, we don’t stop to think before leaving our rooms. We grab our camera and go, but what if it’s not ready to go? This can often leave you without the photo you intended. It is, therefore, very important to make sure the camera is charged and the memory card is empty. These are simple details, but ones that can save a simple snapshot. Click the button and watch the last bit of battery fade away or face the prospect of having to erase one photo to take another. Both of these situations can be avoided with a little forethought.

2. Watch Your Background

When taking a quality photo, it’s important to be aware of your background. A nice portrait beside a monument can be ruined by the sight of a trash can, a loose bag, a lamp post, or anything unsightly in the way. Find a way to avoid these little challenges when you can.

3. Play With Light

Light is an essential element for any snapshot. It is important to keep an eye on where it is coming from so your photos are not affected. A common mistake is to back-light a photo. If you are aware of this issue, you can play with the light to get the effects you want in your photos. The same place can look completely different when photographed at different times of the day.

This element is very important, especially in the snapshots of nature. If you are travelling in the outdoors or by the sea, always be aware of where your light is coming from. It can be a tremendous ally for taking unbeatable photos.

4. Capturing Everyday Items

There are times when you are vacationing and you do not know exactly what to photograph. We usually settle for the easy options: monuments, main streets and notable landmarks. However, the camera can also capture the essence of everyday living. When travelling, you will notice images around a market, a cafe, a child playing. Even doors and windows can tell you much about a building. Don’t forget the little things. They can do so much to provide accurate memories to take with you.

5. Change Your Point of View

It’s possible to go on vacation and return home to find a boring bunch of photographs if you don’t remember to change your point of view. Snapshots always taken from the same height end up being terribly monotonous. Grab your camera and try taking photos from below. Or hop up on something to take one from above. You can even try twisting the camera at an angle. If you do this, you’ll find the photos to be more charming and funny, providing a more dynamic glimpse of your holiday. This technique is highly recommended, especially for portraits.

6. Try Different Locations

There are a number of ways of looking at the same place. If you arrive and find yourself on a crowded side of a monument, try finding another side to capture it from. Don’t take the same photo that all the other tourists are taking. Go try shooting from a corner or capture a curious detail others may have missed. If you find yourself immersed in nature, try the same approach, taking photos of the same thing from different angles.

7. Fill The Frame

A problem that can occur in photography is that we can pack too many things into a single shot so there is no focus of interest. In the end, we see nothing at all. To help avoid this, we focus on a practise in photography known as “framing”. If you hesitate to find what one thing is interesting in a photo, it may be best not to take it. If you can’t look at a photo and clearly identify what’s interesting, the photo can certainly be improved.

8. Give Your Photo A Sense Of Depth

We live in a three dimensional world, but when we take photos, we reduce it to two. There are tricks to remember to give the illusion of depth to a still image. This technique can be applied most effectively with landscape photos, because the lines are easier to recognise, helping to establish levels of depth. An example may be a row of waves crashing over the sea. See if you can capture them perpendicular to your view and see the final result in your photo.

9. Make Sure It Tells A Story

When you take a picture, you have the opportunity to communicate with it. You must have noticed this practise in newspapers. The photos accompanying the news complement the story, helping us to, on occasion, know what is happening without even reading the text.

You can do the same thing with the photos of your vacation. When capturing photos, think about the main points of interest, the timing and what you can do to enhance the message you want to convey. It’s hard to argue with the idea that photos are much more rewarding when they tell us something, especially when they come from happy moments and beautiful places we have enjoyed.

10. Choose The Right Lens

If your photography equipment comes with more than one piece, the challenge of which part to use can occasionally arise. Each lens has a different feature so you have to be clear about what you are photographing. A little planning before leaving the hotel room can help you avoid improvisation and you’ll probably end up with a better photo.

Now you know, if you plan on capturing your holidays with quality photos, follow these simple steps we’ve proposed. Don’t forget that the quality of the photographer is as important as the camera itself. There is little doubt that if you follow the tips above, your next holiday will be immortalised in a more professional and original way than ever before.