Have you been on your summer holidays yet? I want to share some tips to improve your photos.
I did a few months ago, during the May half term and now it feels like ages ago already. Luckily we are going to Italy soon. I should have written this blog post earlier, but I preferred waiting until school was ended. Now I feel like London is pretty empty. Everyone left already, so I might be a bit too late. However, I think you can always find some good inspiration to take some photos in London as well. The photos you see here are a mix between iPhone photos and camera ones.
So here are my 5 top tips for your summer holiday photography
Summer holiday photography is all about the fun.
So screw the dreamy light, the perfect pose or the right composition. What’s is more important is getting the moment. So if you see something funny or a unique moment just snap it 😉
This is golden rule number 1 I believe.
Document the place you are visiting.
I know most of your photos will be about your baby or child/children. And this is what it should be about 🙂 However remember to photograph landscapes, sunsets, typical food, traditional costumes or products. Mix up your photos with a close up of details and general scenes more open. They all be perfect photos to insert into an album to remember the place you visited. They will tell your story there!
Of course, you don’t need to be on holiday to do that. Think about how great it would be to document a day out in London. Starting from getting ready, the travelling, the place or building you are visiting, the lunch out, the activity and fun of your child . . .
Consider the clothing for your photos.
I know I said holiday photography is all about fun! But you won’t be all day in a swimming pool, or by the beach . . . you will explore, visit and live your holiday as well. So when you go out for an evening stroll or an afternoon walk consider wearing something that will look nice in a photo. I always suggest my clients have something plain and simple for their photos. I would be more relaxed on holiday but keep in mind that clothes choices can make such a big difference. Also, have some nice accessories that match your child’s personality 🙂
Tell a story
I know most parents want smiley children looking at the camera. But do you know what? The most powerful images are the ones where there is no eye contact with the camera. It’s when you record a story and an emotion. When you will look back in 10-20 years’ time you can live again that experience if you tell a little story. So photograph a little detail, a street sign, a particular plant, or animal, get the overall view . . .
Be in the photos!
This is the most important. I know it’s quite hard as you will be the one taking most of the photos. And it’s not the same asking your husband every time “Can you take a photo of us?” because it won’t be a candid snap, because you will probably try to stand and look good instead of enjoying that moment. But it will still be worth it. You can also hire a photographer. Usually every resort, hotel has a photographer there and we took advantage every time there was one. Otherwise, we couldn’t have any memories of us 3 together!
Not a tip but a suggestion, print them.
And then when you come back from your holidays, PRINT THEM!! Don’t leave them on your phone or computer, let your beautiful holiday live on your frame, or shelf, and create a scrapbook. Don’t let them die. You don’t need 300 photos of your holidays. Go through the photos, delete the blurry ones, delete the duplicates, select the 20-30 good ones and print them. Do you remember the film days? For the holidays my dad use to buy a 36-exposure film or a 24 one and a second one if we needed. That was it. But all were printed. It was so exciting going to the shop to pick them up and see what they looked like. Now every time I go home I can see those photos and they bring back memories and stories!
Hope this was somehow useful.
If you enjoyed it, you can read this post I wrote a while ago How to photograph your children with your phone and you will find more tips about light and compositions.
I also found an interesting series of articles here.
