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Bring Travel to Life

Create a “documentary” of your travels by adding well-executed photographs to your tales. Then watch as your trip comes alive for friends, coworkers and family.

The Story Begins at Home

Be sure you know howyour camera operates so you can be ready to shoot.

• If you’ve just bought a new camera, play with it before you leave and get to know its limitations and possibilities.

• Learn how to get digital images OFF the camera once you return from your travels.

Read travel guides about your destination so you’re prepared for what’s ahead.

• Take note of special areas, events and landmarks that might present you with
photo ops.

 

Capture Your Story

Tell the story from end to end, and don’t spare any details. Digital images are “free” so keep shooting until you get what you want. You can delete images later. Keep a notebook with you and log where you go each day.

• Take your camera everywhere. You never know when a great photo opportunity will arise.

• Take pictures of road signs, maps and displays along the way as a personal guide of the trip.

• Shoot pictures of things that are unusual to you. Sheep on a hillside are not unique, but you don’t see them everyday if you live in a city! Don’t be afraid your pictures will seem mundane to others.

• Ask locals what they think is unique. You’ll get to meet new people and learn their perspective.

• Take pictures of the food you eat. Fill the frame with a single element on your plate plus shoot wide shots of the whole table.

• Candid pictures show the emotion of a moment. Ask permission if you feel it’s important, but avoid asking people to pose.

• Include an interesting object in the foreground to add depth to landscape photos.

• To show the scale of scenery, include people in the shot.

• Early morning and late afternoons, when the sun is low in the sky, is the best light for outdoor shots. Wait if you can.

• Don’t let rain wash out your fun. You may find that wet streets or close-ups of raindrops reflect the drama of the day.

• Patrol every shot. If there are distractions like electrical wires or ugly trash cans, reposition your shot.

• Turn off your automatic flash if your subject is more than 10 feet away and add more dramatic lighting to your exterior shots.

• Be sure you include a strong point of interest in every picture to direct your viewers to what you saw as the most important element.