Holiday snaps…..
Photographing my family is an important part of my self development as a photographer, and allows me to have free reign with my own style, gives me time to experiment and learn and also helps to keep my passion for photography alive.
Tips for taking photographs on holiday
Be aware of where the light is. Good use of light is critical to a good photograph. Work around your subject, so as not to interrupt the action and to see how the light affects the scene when you view it from different angles. Back light and side light can help to create atmosphere, as can using the light at the best time of day, known as golden hour.
Avoid asking your family to cheese into the camera. If you think they are going to do something interesting or move into a good patch of light, hang back and wait for your moment to come. I got the b&w photograph of the two boys walking down the hill with a bucket in silhouette because I waited in that spot for them. I first saw them at the top, about to make their way down, out of the sunshine and into that pool of shade.
Take your camera with you everywhere, even if it is just a phone camera. It is a painful experience, witnessing a beautiful scene to capture and not having a camera on you…look for interesting moments in the minutae of everyday life….moments that might have otherwise slipped by unnoticed. A scene that some may think is an ordinary, dull moment can make a beautiful image…how you compose the frame and see the light can transform the mundane and make an image you’ll want to frame.
Don’t be afraid of taking snaps…there’s nothing unartistic about snaps…it’s better to take a photograph without much thought than to miss the moment altogether. If you take a picture quickly, you are more likely to capture real expressions and how it actually feels to be there. It’s worth taking your camera with you all day so you don’t miss something, even if you just take one or two quick snaps.
