Capturing that perfect travel image

The common misconception about traveling is that every moment holds an opportunity to take the perfect shot. While there is some truth to this, it is mostly false. Many photographers, especially the newer ones, have a hard time capturing the magnificence they see with the naked eye. They snap several images in succession hoping that the perfect one is among the bunch. They may get lucky, but they also might just be wasting time.

Image source: Intrepidtravel.com

There are ways though to make sure you take a great shot while traveling, but the most effective on is to humanize your shot.

Taking shots of places and landscapes may be amazing, but to capture the real essence of travel, “humanize” the shot. This means you should take pictures with people in it. This added dimension captures different cultures and histories, as well as stories the people have. For instance, taking a picture of a farm is quite different when a farmer is seen tying together haystacks or gathering cattle in one place.

For other cultures, colorful clothing creates an entirely different image. Imagine going to New Orleans and taking pictures of an empty street ready for Mardi Gras and taking one a few hours later with a street filled with merrymakers.

People add a personality to an image, especially one geared toward the exploration of strange lands. There is a certain quality, whether joy or sadness or pride or despair, that is embedded in a photograph of a historic place that people bring to life.

Image source: Lifehack.org

I’m Dr. James DeVellis from New York City. Lately, I’ve been on the road a lot for travel and nature photography. Learn more about me and the stuff I love by subscribing to my blog.

Comments

Top Reasons to Take Up Photography as a Hobby

One need not be a genius to learn how to operate a camera and take gorgeous photos, given the conveniences of modern technology. Even our smartphones now carry high-quality and high-pixel cameras and lenses for practicing our shooting skills. The same is true even before the advent of modern and handier photo devices. We all have, at some point, picked up a camera. Maybe during a trip, a wedding, or just because the camera was there and we were instructed by a family member just to click away. Image source: techradar.com Photography is inherently fun and offers lots of room for the imagination. Taking photos lets us capture and immortalize moments. It’s an instant way to document places and people and things. Secondly, it channels the creativity within us. As we become more familiar with the camera, we begin to play around and experiment with lighting, various hues, filter options, and more complex gear. Image source: webneel.com Also, the world is riddled with ...

Carpe diem, photography, and natural lighting

Outdoor photography utilizing natural light requires a careful balance of patience and opportunism, dependent as it is on the fickle whims of nature. Often, it requires you to wait for a specific time of day and seizing it in a split second before the weather takes a turn for the nasty. And even if the weather remains constantly fine throughout, the very conditions you wait for are ultimately fleeting. Image source: photographymad.com These time windows are usually worth the wait and the shots you take. The so-called magic hour, for instance—those scarce minutes during dawn and dusk—illuminates with just the right warmth and diffusion to give a much-sought-after glow to the sky, landscapes, and even people (as opposed to the sharp contrast appearance of high noon). Once magic hour does come, it’s a matter of now or never. And it pays to be in shooting shape when it comes. Preparation is the key to seizing the fleeting and arbitrary nature of time windows...

Amazing iPhone functions for photography

Apple’s iPhone is one of the most iconic gadgets to come out in the past few decades. It has also evolved in leaps and bounds. Many of the iPhone’s features are quite easy to use. And there’s so much it can do for your photography. Image source: Iskysoft.com While the built-in grid allows you to follow the rule of thirds to a tee, it also helps you balance the image and angle your shots. Like other phones, the filtering function of the iPhone allows for several different textures. Digital alterations are a cinch. The panorama function is amazing as well. You can take wide shots of picturesque places and even have a person appear in a single shot as many as three times. iPhone camera apps available at the App Store enable photographers to enhance their images further. The combinations are endless, and even the most inexperienced photographer can come out with quite a creative shot. While veteran photographers might frown and questio...

Dr. James DeVellis

Search This Blog