Smart phones take fantastic quality photos and enable travellers to accomplish a number of things on one device. You can write, record, search and conveniently take photos and instantly upload them to social media or blog posts.
They also save you the effort, stress and backache of lugging around a heavy and expensive camera during your travels.
How to take great photos with your phone
Here are a few tips to help you take the best photos possible on your phone and turn it into the perfect travelling companion.
Get yourself a selfie stick or tripod
This might sound like strange advice, but one sure way to make a photo more interesting is to include a human element. So why not make it yourself? This is perfect for those travelling alone or for families who don’t want anyone to sit out of the shot. These items are also inexpensive and easily accessible. [Some tourist attractions have banned selfie sticks – so take note!].
Cropping
When taking the photo, make sure that you’re not cutting out any important element of the shot. This is especially important when taking photos of people. It can be also effective to purposefully crop the photo to intensify the emphasis of the subject matter. This can be done on most smart phones, but there are also apps that assist with cropping.
Be different
When taking a photo, choose a unique focus that will make your photo stand out from others of the same place/object. Wait until the sun is directly behind a church tower or ask a craftsman in a market if you can take their picture. This will help you remember not only how the place looked, but how it felt.
Play your angles
This is how you add character and individuality to your photos. Instead of taking a photo from eye-level think about whether you can take it from above or even from inside an object. Your phone is light and easy to hold, which means you can easily move it in awkward positions. For example, if you’re in a crowd, hold your phone above your head and see what sort of shots you can get.
Use editing apps
Taking photos on your smart phone means that you can shoot, edit and upload to forums all on one device. There are tons of photo editing apps to choose from – many of which are free. So add a filter, correct lighting and make the photo work for your chosen forum.
Start fresh
When you start the day, make sure that you have ample free memory on your device so that you’re not limited. This can easily be done by uploading the previous day’s photos to online albums/drives or by copying them onto your laptop. You want to be able to take as many photos as you like and have a variety of photos for special places or memories. You probably won’t have time to check each and every photo or delete as you go, so it’s better to be prepared.
Happy holidays!
by Megan Whittington