How to take pro photos on your cruise
Going on a cruise is an exciting holiday that deserves to be captured with great pictures that capture your travels across the seas. Not only will photos help you remember how you spent your days on the cruise but they’re also a great storytelling aid when it comes to showing your family and friends. To avoid having a lot of blurry photos and unnecessary shots, follow these tips.
1. Have a purpose
If you are intentional about what you are photographing, you will avoid coming back home and finding a lot of pictures of random people and spaces that don’t carry any significance to your travels. Not only will this allow you to keep more space on the device but it will save you the hassle of having to delete them later on. It is good idea, however, to take a few (we recommend two or three) shots of moments that you really want to capture. Don’t get carried away though and take 25 shots of one person smiling in the same pose.
2. Make it personal
Rather than competing with your fellow passengers for cliché tourist photos, take photos that reflect your personal experience. Take a photo of the various ways the staff are personalising the experience to you, the facilities that you are enjoying the most or the staff that you have made a special connection with. These are the memories you will take away from the cruise.
3. Don’t shake
It is always unfortunate to look back on a special picture and realise that it is ruined due shaky hand movements. Luckily there are tricks you can use to minimise the shakiness such as leaning your elbows against an object to stabilise your hands or holding the camera away from your face. Accessories such as selfie sticks or miniature tripods might be a worthwhile investment to take the pressure off you not shaking when you take a photo.
4. Think about the angles
Just like people, a cruise ship or beautiful location will always appear better on camera if you choose the right angle to shoot it from. For your favourite meals, try taking a birds-eye-view shot to focus on how your table looks with all the plates and drinks. Before you go away on your cruise, find a camera angle that you feel like flatters your body shape the most. When you ask people to photograph you, you can then show them the angle you want them to take the photo from or politely ask them to stand in a certain spot. No one will be offended from getting direction on how to take the photo, in fact it will relieve the pressure from them.
5. Be aware of lighting
If you are taking photos outside, the best time to take a photo is in the afternoon around 4pm. This is because the natural light is diffused as the sun begins to set. Be aware of the sun blaring into people’s faces who you are trying to photograph. Don’t be afraid to ask them to move into a position where shadows or the direct sunlight isn’t hindering the visibility of their faces. If you are taking a photo inside, try to let as much natural light stream into your shot in order to make the photo aesthetically pleasing.
What are your tricks to taking good photos on holidays? Let us know in the comments below.