27 December, 2021
This is a two-part series. This post is the first eight ways for better photography, not just for cruise ships, but for all types of travel. I must admit, some of these tips I co-opted from the Wandering Ambivert. For more clear and concise tips for photography follow their blog, Wandering Ambivert (wandering-ambivert.com).
- Clean your lens. No picture will come out to your satisfaction if your lens is smudgy. Use a microfiber cloth designed to clean lenses, like ones designed for eyeglasses/sunglasses and a camera.
- Concentrate on your artistry. I don’t believe the key to good photography lies in the quality of your equipment. Sure, it helps. But it is what lies between your ears that is what is vital. It is your brain and artistry that is vital. Your phone’s camera is able to do wonders with an artistic brain at the helm.
- Learn to use your camera. Know how the hardware works. Whatever you are going to use, get to know it whether it is your phone, GoPro, or DSLR. Get in oodles of practice at home in different lighting conditions. Like anything else, practice makes perfect. Take the bad pictures while you are still at home. Get better and take the good pictures on your trip.
- Charge your phone and camera battery each night. Have the power to be able to take good pictures. How good will they be if you have no power?
- Composition is the key to a great picture. It is half the battle. Divide your picture into thirds both horizontally and vertically. There are four points of interest, and those are at the intersecting points of your grid. In an ideal situation, you would place your subject on one of these points of interest. However, when photographing kids or something else that is moving it isn’t always possible. That is perfectly fine. This rule is so popular that almost all digital cameras come with a rule of thirds grid overlay. You just enable it while you’re taking photos. This grid will assist you in positioning the elements in your shot and frame the most critical parts of your photo. The rule of thirds explains that if you place the main subject of your image in the top, bottom, left, or right blocks of the grid, you’ll capture a perfect picture every time. The rule gets even simpler than that. To capture a well-balanced photo, all you have to do is avoid keeping the main subject in the center box. When people look at pictures, their eyes are naturally drawn to one of the points of interest and not the center of the image.
Use leading lines to guide the eye. A river, a path, a bridge all can make an impactful statement in a photograph. Keep the picture uncluttered. Use the adage, Keep It Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Follow Robert Browning’s advice and remember that “Less Is More”.
Make use of negative space. Use emptiness to create interest.
- It is the 2020’s. Use your phone’s manual mode for the camera. Remember, we are artists. Play around with white balance. One common mistake that people make is to overexpose a subject. Play with your exposure.
- Tell a story. It is your experience. Opt for photos that reflect that. Shoot a crew member making a delivery. Shoot the bartender mixing your drink.
- Don’t let the space confine you. The answer lies in thinking of how to actively un-confine yourself. Move. Let a little altitude spice up the variety of photos. Go up some stairs, stand on a steady chair. Just move. You should be moving, crouching down, looking behind you. Moving around can lead to the most interesting results.