Are you looking for some top tips on how to take good holiday photos? You have just booked that dream holiday, and you want to ensure you get a slew of photos you will look back on with pride.
Maybe you want to impress your friends and family with all the amazing things you have seen.
Below are my top tips on how to take good holiday photos, along with some examples from our last big trip.
The Video
Here is a video where I review some of my favourite photos from our last holiday/vacation. Check out the full gallery of our USA 2024 Road Trip.
Tips on How to Take Good Holiday Photos
Before I start, I want to get one thing clear. I will not be discussing gear, cameras or lenses. I will be discussing basic ideas and compositions that you can adopt to add that extra oomph to your photos.
These are subtle things that are only obvious when you analyse the photo, but also simple things that subconsciously make the photo better.
Listed below are 7 basic tips on the basics of taking good holiday photos. It should be noted that many things are involved in creating a good photograph, and this is not limited to the below.
However, these are some of the simple compositional tips to consider when you are wondering How to Take Good Holiday Photos for your next trip.
Lighting
Most of the time, we all want good weather on our holidays. Clear blue skies, and bright sunshine. Not always ideal for nice photographs. Around sunrise and sunset will give you the best light, but this is not always possible on holiday.
If taking photos of people, the sun directly behind them could result in them being underexposed. With them looking into the sun, could result in squinting. Two tips here are to try to get the sun diagonally and off to the side. Over their shoulder for example. Or, find some shade, perhaps in the shade of a tree, while not compromising your photo.
Shooting into the sun will confuse your camera and likely result in an under-exposed photo.
Leading Lines
Look for leading lines in your photo. These are elements of the photograph that draw your viewer into the photograph. It can be done simply, and subtly.
Framing
Look for areas of the image that frame your subject.
This could be a man-made object, like shooting through a window, or a natural object like trees, for example.
Foreground Interest
Another suggestion for how to get good photos when you are on holiday is to think about foreground interest.
This is probably one of the more difficult areas, as you need two things to align.
Your main subject, and something closer to you that, when taking your photo, gives you a smaller, perhaps less important subject closer to you.
Take care to consider your Depth of Field in this type of photo.
Scale
Are you photographing a wide open space, a waterfall, or a mountain? If so, try to include something in it so it gives the viewer a sense of scale.
People, animals, or even buildings can be used to demonstrate just how big the subject is you are photographing.
Symmetry
You may have heard the term ‘Rule of Thirds’. If you imagine your frame split into thirds both horizontally and vertically, so you have a grid with 9 squares. Rule of Thirds is where you place your subject where the lines intersect.
Symmetry pleases the eye, particularly where reflections are involved.
Isolate your Subject in its environment
Getting that close-up of a wild animal is tempting, but how about showing that wild animal in its natural environment?
This can add something to the photo for the viewer. It makes it a proper destination photograph, rather than one that could have been taken in a zoo or a wildlife park.
Summary of How to Take Good Holiday Photos
So, as mentioned, many things make up a good photograph.
The above are things that I tend to look out for when shooting a subject. Yes, of course, there are always going to be fun, snapshots and selfies.
But when you are presented with a subject, a view or a place that you may not be coming back to, why not try to just take a few minutes to think about the photo.
Can you incorporate any of the above suggestions into your photograph?
Take care, Richard