It’s amazing how far cameras have come in the last few years, and taking photographs has never been easier. And with digital cameras, you can now snap away as much as your memory cards will allow!
Here are Leger’s Top Ten Tips for better holiday snaps…
1 Set your camera to automatically switch off after so long. That way, you won’t have to worry about leaving it switched on and ending up with a flat battery, and it’ll be ready for action as soon as you see something you want to photograph.
2 When travelling on the coach, be sure to turn your flash OFF if you’re taking photos through the window – otherwise you’ll just end up with a photograph of a big white light!
3 Turn the flash ON in the day if you’re taking photos of people just a few feet away from you to avoid their faces being in shadow.
4 When taking photos of people, try and angle yourself with the sun at the side of you, rather than behind you or behind your subject. (If the sun is behind you, the photo will be brighter but your subject will be squinting… if the sun is behind them, you’ll end up with a silhouette.) Again, use the flash to remove the shadows in your subject’s face.
5 To avoid people blinking in your shots, get them to close their eyes! At least, while you get your camera ready! Just as you’re about to take the shot, tell them to open their eyes!
6 Photograph street signs and restaurant signage to remind you where you were.
7 Take a few memory cards and keep swapping them over. That way, if you do have problems with one of your cards, all won’t be lost.
8 Always carry spare batteries and memory sticks with you and remember to take your battery charger on holiday with you (if your battery is the rechargeable type).
9 When photographing at night, if you’re in an area with lots of light (restaurant, under bright street lights, etc) turn your flash off, but find somewhere to rest your camera (a scarf or soft bag positioned on a table/wall etc will do the trick) and use the self-timer. This means that your camera will be still and by not having to press your shutter button manually, your photographs won’t be blurred.
10 Most people use digital cameras these days and many have access to email. In the event of a ‘camera malfunction’, ask around to see if other passengers would mind emailing you a selection of their holiday snaps. They might not feature you, but at least you’ll have a record of your trip. If that fails, postcards are a great way to remember where you’ve been and what was there – you can even record your memories of the place on the back.