• Home
  • About Evelyn Kanter
  • Evelyn Kanter’s Books & Apps
  • Evelyn Kanter In The News
  • Workshops
  • NYC Travel Guru

Evelyn Kanter ecoXplorer

smarter traveling, driving and spending

  • Green Hotels
  • Green Cars
    • Best Cars under $20,000
    • Test Drives
    • Diesel Cars
    • Electric Cars
    • Hybrid Cars
    • Hydrogen Fuel Cell
    • Luxury Drives
  • Travel Deals
    • Free
    • Budget Travel
    • Discount Tickets
  • Xplore More
    • Safety and Health
    • How To
    • Five Best
    • Travel Pioneers
    • Motorcycles
    • Vintage Cars
  • Scam Alert
  • Where to Go Next
    • Historic Travel
    • Epic Adventures
    • National Parks
Home » How to Take Better Photos: Tips from Professional Travel Photographers

How to Take Better Photos: Tips from Professional Travel Photographers

Leave a Comment

photography tips

Now that we are traveling again, an important part of every trip is taking photos, especially at gatherings with  family and friends.

World Photography Day is August 19, a good time to remind ecoXplorer followers about these photo tips  from professional photographers I know personally and have traveled with.

These tips and tactics apply whether you are snapping images with a phone or a traditional digital camera.

Avoid mid-day for outdoor photos

That’s because between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the sun is overhead and the light is flat.

Shooting in early morning and late afternoon adds more color and shadows to your photos, giving more definition to the subject.

Photographers call the light just before sunset “the golden hour”, because the light is a creamy, even golden, hue.

Obama Dog Bo, White House Photo
Obama Dog Bo, White House Photo

Get up close and personal

When you are too far away, there can be a disconnect from you and your subject.

Or, when there is too much happening in the picture a close-up can be a better image than a ‘busy’ wide shot where a lot of things are competing for  attention, advises Michael Ventura.

Instead of using the zoom, which can blur the photo, move in closer to your subject.  Fill the frame, he advises.

  • My personal tip is to shoot “wide” on a phone, since zooming in can make your hand unsteady and the image blurry.  Then, edit the in-focus photo from a long-shot into a close-up.

Pay attention to what’s in the background

Before you click the shutter, look for distractions in the back of the photo or behind the heads of your subjects.

Move yourself or your subject so there’s no tree or telephone pole growing out of his or her head, advises Dennis Cox, director of Photo Explorer Tours.

And you can fix a background that’s distracting or simply really bad with software that includes a background remover.

Wales Coast Path_ecoxplorer.com
Photo: Visit Britain

Move away from the middle

Instead of putting your subject in the center of the photo, it is often a more interesting photo to move him or her or it to the side, and show more of the background.

Always use the flash

Of course you should use a flash indoors, for extra light.  But it’s also a good idea to use it outdoors, also, as a ‘fill’ to minimize the shadows on somebody’s face.

The flash has a limited distance, so that’s another reason to get close.


Full disclosure —
I have been a longtime member of SATW, including serving two terms on the board of directors of the Freelance Council, and I have traveled with and learned from both Michael Ventura and Dennis Cox.

I am also a member of NATJA, the North American Travel Joiurnalists Assn., and currently serve as 1st VP of IMPA, the International Motor Press Assn.


Thanks for visiting ecoXplorer. Stay up to date with the latest news about green travel, green cars, smart spending and frugal living by subscribing. It's free. RSS feed.
Welcome back to exoXplorer. Stay up to date with the latest news about green travel, green cars and smart spending by subscribing. It's free. RSS feed.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Posts:

  • 24 Best Historic Golf Courses in USA
  • 22 Things to Do in New York State This Spring
  • NYC Guide: Airport Transportation
  • How to Avoid Costly Travel Mistakes
  • 21 Reasons to Visit England, Scotland & Wales in 2022
  • What's New in Colorado Ski Country This Season

Filed Under: Five Best, Grab Bag, How To Tagged With: Family Travel, Holidays, Photography

What do you think? We value your comments and love hearing from you. Cancel reply

ecoXplorer is your guide to smart spending and eco-friendly living

Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 20+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and guidebook and smartphone app author – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.

Evelyn currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA), and is a past Board Member of a prestigious professional group for travel journalists.

Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.

Most Popular Recent Posts

  • Scam Alert: Kars4Kids Car Donation Charity
    Scam Alert: Kars4Kids Car Donation Charity
  • 2 Reasons to Avoid Jimmy John's
    2 Reasons to Avoid Jimmy John's
  • Where to Eat in Times Square & Theater District at Local Restaurants Not National Chains
    Where to Eat in Times Square & Theater District at Local Restaurants Not National Chains
  • How to Help Victims of Earthquake in Turkey & Syria
    How to Help Victims of Earthquake in Turkey & Syria
  • Scam Alert: Mideast Peace Charities
    Scam Alert: Mideast Peace Charities
  • Free Hotel Rooms for Cancer Patients
    Free Hotel Rooms for Cancer Patients
  • Veterans Day Restaurant Freebies & Discounts
    Veterans Day Restaurant Freebies & Discounts
  • Donating Your Car to Charity Pros & Cons
    Donating Your Car to Charity Pros & Cons
  • Caribbean Resort Update After Hurricane Irma
    Caribbean Resort Update After Hurricane Irma
  • NYC Guide: Airport Transportation
    NYC Guide: Airport Transportation

Search ecoXplorer by category

© 2010-2022 EcoXplorer by Evelyn Kanter. All the stories and photos on our site are protected by US (C) Copyright laws. Any unauthorized copying is strictly prohibited. Plus, it’s just not nice.

  • Home
  • About Evelyn Kanter
  • Evelyn Kanter’s Books & Apps
  • Evelyn Kanter In The News
  • Workshops
  • NYC Travel Guru

ecoXplorer.com is an independent information service which is compensated by advertisers and sponsors. This site includes some links to other websites which are compensated for by our sponsors when you click them.

 

Loading Comments...