by Vickie Austin
My first job in communications included producing publications, which also meant taking photos for the company newsletter. A novice at photography, I trotted off to the nearest community college to take my one and only photography class, just enough to get by. It was there I learned about a concept that has served me throughout the years: watch out for “merging.”
Classic example: I have a photo of me at the exact moment I first saw the Eiffel Tower! Unfortunately, the photographer hadn’t heard of merging, so in the photo it appears that I have a French lamppost seemingly growing out of my head.
Think like a movie director
Another tip I learned that serves me to this day is the idea of taking three different shots of the same thing: first from far away (an establishing shot), then a medium shot that focuses on your target and ultimately a close-up.
There’s also the “rule of thirds,” a design concept that can be enabled by your smartphone if you’re using that to take photos — and why wouldn’t you? Depending on the generation of your phone, some cameras are as good or better than traditional cameras (although professionals still carry the fancy gear). The rule of thirds puts the object of your photo on one of the lines to the left or right of center, giving a satisfying balance to the shot.
Technology enhancements
Assuming you aren’t lugging around tons of equipment, use your phone technology to enhance your travel photos. Is your shot better as a portrait? Can you zoom in with your phone to get details of that owl in the tree? Or maybe you want a panorama shot of the Grand Canyon or the group with whom you’re traveling. Your phone can do all of those things and more.
Technology also allows you to soften the look of a photo, change its colors, blur or sharpen an image and crop, crop, crop. That was another thing I learned in that photography class: the original image is just the beginning. Use cropping to zoom in on the focus you want to convey in your photos, whether it’s people or nature. You can even jazz your photos up with filters and colors that make images pop.
Aim for the golden hour
If you’re doing outdoor travel photography, aim for those hours when the sun is rising or setting, that “golden hour” when the sunlight hits the mountains or a sunset softens the face of your model who’s gazing out at the sea. Set up a vignette that will convey all you want to convey, capturing the magic of your travels. Try to avoid taking photos at noon in direct sunlight that may cause glare or squinting.
