Photography is a vast field with plenty of variables and few hard and fast rules, especially when it comes to travel photography.
But whether you’re a smartphone snapper or a camera warrior, there are a few ways to upgrade your holiday photography experience.
Here are some tips and tricks to better save your memories in photo form during your precious vacation:
Know Your Gear
In the hustle and bustle of a vacation, it’s easy to just snap and forget.
But do you know what’s actually under the hood of your camera?
For smartphones, most mid-range and flagship phones typically feature a Pro Mode that comes with more fine control over important stuff like shutter speed or ISO. If not, free camera apps like Open Camera (Android) and Adobe Lightroom (iOS/Android) have them and more.
And if you own a camera, tweaking around menus and settings is half of the fun! Poke around features like burst photography, play around with the flash or customize the UI or buttons – the options are pretty much endless!
Who knows? You might discover a feature or two that’ll make your life much more easier!
Exposure Triangle
Put simply, photography is all about light and how it interacts with the gear you have, aka exposure.
And one of the most important things to get right is the exposure triangle, a trio of settings that includes ISO, aperture and shutter speed.
Learning how each of these affects your photo’s brightness, blurriness and depth of field while finding the sweet spot between all three is the key to taking beautiful holiday photos.
In general, smartphone cameras only need to worry about the shutter speed and ISO while camera users will have additional control over aperture.
If you’d like to learn more tips about ISO, aperture and shutter speed, check out our guide to travel photography basics!
Composition
No amount of expensive gear or beautiful scenery and subjects can compensate for a core pillar of photography – composition.
From tried and true formulas like the rule of thirds (already present in most cameras as an overlay) to more abstract concepts like depth and balancing, composition helps you create aesthetically pleasing photos even with the most basic equipment.
In the hands of a photographer skilled in composition, even the most outdated camera out there can still take some great shots.
After all, some of history’s most iconic photos were taken with limited technologies like film or even pinhole cameras!
Examples of Composition Concepts
Rule of thirds: points of interest should be aligned with or close to the lines of a 9×9 grid.
Rule of threes/odds: Look for three or odd numbered elements to include focus in your photos.
Diagonals/Triangles: Look for sloping lines or triangles to introduce direction and tension.
Direction and Space: Leave some empty space ahead for subjects that are moving.
Depth: Include contrasting foreground and background elements to introduce depth.
Plan Ahead
Sometimes, in the comfort of a vacation, it’s all too easy to zone out and miss some great shots.
And that’s fine!
But with just a little bit of planning and awareness, you can still live in the moment while preserving them in glorious RAW/JPEG.
Before leaving for your destination, looking up landmarks or viewpoints can go a lot to making the most out of packed travel schedules.
And they don’t have to be famous either! Even a quick stroll around the streets of Tokyo or even Kuala Lumpur is a wellspring of inspiration, as the cinema-turned-hipster hangout at REXKL proves.
Photo: Destinasian
Another thing to do ahead of time if you’re using a smartphone is to bind your camera app to a quick shortcut such as a physical button or a home screen shortcut.
This will allow you to quickly whip out and take a snap when opportunity or inspiration strikes, whether that be a fleeting drive past a landscape or a candid moment with loved ones.
For camera users, a good tip is to leave your camera on while you’re walking around scenic spots or subject-rich areas. Make sure to utilize battery-saving features and bring extra batteries too! Of course, don’t forget to recharge them at night too.
Take a Look Around
Next, being aware of your current location is also key to taking the best shots.
Whether it be the huge crowds jostling around famous scenic viewpoints or a little-known corner you happen to stumble upon –simply being present and aware can unearth plenty of opportunities.
Here’s a tip: the next time you’re traveling in a vehicle like a train or a bus, try paying attention to which side of the vehicle has more interesting scenes and subjects. Then if you happen to return using the road, try finding a seat on the side that’s more visually interesting!
In fact, while touring Kanas Lake in Northern Xinjiang, I briefly passed by the Three Bays of Kanas. Back then, I chose the side of the bus that faced outwards towards the valley, netting some spooky shots in the early misty morning.
For a detailed account of my ten-day Xinjiang adventure, check out Northern Xinjiang: Ten Days at the End of the World. For a more bite-sized feature, there’s also The Top 5 Natural Wonders of Northern Xinjiang.
While you’re lining up shots, make sure to be considerate of your surroundings, other visitors and especially the locals. Respecting marked boundaries as well as privacy is the least you can do as a visitor.
Think About Time
While on vacation, you’ll probably be spending most of your time walking around in the midday or afternoon.
Sadly, this isn’t the best time to snap photos. This is because the bright midday sun usually introduces ultra-bright light and stark shadows, which don’t look particularly good on faces and subjects unless you know what you’re doing.
That’s why photographers usually gravitate towards the golden hour, the brief window before and after sunrise and sunset.
As the sun rises or sets, its harsh rays become much softer while introducing a warmer golden palette – making it easier to take attractive photographs.
So, if your itinerary permits, schedule some outdoor attractions around the golden hour and get ready to snap some rich shots!
And that’s not all, past the golden hour is the blue hour – an additional length of time with much of the former’s features, but with a cool blue tint instead.
To catch the golden and blue hours, you can use websites or a whole host of apps on Android and iOS to look up solar times.
Here’s another tip: if you have the time, make sure to snap a few extra photos, maybe even using different compositions, vantage points or filters! It’s not only insurance against the occasional blurry shot, you might even stumble upon a lovely photo by pure accident.
Protect Your Gear
While you’re walking around taking pictures, make sure to pay attention to both natural and manmade disasters that can ruin your holiday!
During your travels, weather like rain, snow or extreme heat can hamper your photography experience while potentially damaging your gear.
Keeping an eye out for weather forecasts and changing plans to indoor attractions can help you avoid the worst of Mother Nature.
But if you find yourself stuck outside in heavy rain or snow with an expensive smartphone or camera, stowing it away in a waterproof pouch or bag is essential to avoiding damage and lost memories. Winter is especially rough for Malaysian travellers, so don’t forget to bring along these winter essentials and follow some winter Tokyo tips.
Heat, whether from the midday sun or from overheating gear, is also another thing to consider when it comes to gear protection. Taking five under some shade and turning off your gear can help with this.
Speaking of sunlight, camera users might want to avoid pointing their gear towards the sun. This is because sunlight can damage those sensitive camera sensors, particularly with telephoto lenses. Besides lenses, sunlight can also wreak havoc on our skin, so remember to apply some skincare TLC!
For camera users, polarizing filters are a great addition to your photography gear as they reduce glare and haziness – making colours of distant shots pop out much more.
Besides Mother Nature, you also have to worry about some bad apples among the locals too. Keeping your gear close and visible at all times is important to keep in mind while you’re drinking in the sights.
Looking for subjects to test out your photography skills? Then maybe you might be interested in the emerald summer sights of China or the street photography hotspot of Akihabara.
Closer to home, you have Malaysia’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites along with plenty of chic staycation retreats to flex your photo skills at.
Links
Petapixel – 28 Composition Techniques That Will Improve Your Photos
https://petapixel.com/photography-composition-techniques/
Adobe – When is golden hour & how to do golden hour photography
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography/technique/golden-hour.html
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