There is a lot of criticism over the use of smartphones but they are now the #1 way of taking holiday pics. All those photos of landmarks, exotic fruits and quirky poses go straight from phone to social media in an instant. Some are so good they are destined to hang in the home in the form of canvas prints, while others will be instantly deleted. Here are our top tips for creating amazing holiday pics using only your smartphone.
Know Your Phone
We are constantly snapping away with our phones and uploading the results to Facebook, Instagram and the likes but how many of us actually know what our phones are capable of? Your top-end smartphone, Samsung, iPhone etc, carries a multitude of features to create photos that go way beyond the trout pout selfie. By taking the time to go into the settings and trying out these different features you will be capable of creating photos way beyond your expectations. Go on, have a look and see what your phone can do.
The ‘Third’ Rule
So, for example, you are standing outside The Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona. You’ve taken your time and are ready to take a great picture that captures this fabulous cathedral in all its glory. Stop for a moment and look again. Have you got the cathedral in the center of the frame? This won’t give you the effect you are looking for and the main subject should be to the side taking up one-third of the frame. It’s easy to do this using the grid option in the settings. The result being that the entire photo grabs the attention but the main subject still stands out. If you look at professional photos online you will see how many use the ‘third’ rule.
The Golden Rules of Lighting
You may love the lie-ins you get on holiday but you are missing the best part of the day in terms of the light which sunrise brings with it. Sunrise and sunset deliver a warm light and longer shadows, and capturing the moment the sun rises behind a famous landmark. Many pictures also suffer from milling crowds of tourists, whereas early morning and in the evening not only do you get the best light but a lot less people; win-win. The Eiffel Tower at sunrise will make for a photo that’s a million times better than one snapped at midday.
Mix Up those Angles
Standing in front of something or someone to take a photo is the standard stance. However, if you look around you at other places to stand you will see the subject from a whole new perspective. Look for steps, bridges or even rooftop bars and cafes to give you a plethora of photographic options. If you want to take a picture of London’s Tower Bridge at sunset stand on, for example, the Millennium Bridge and see for yourself just how magnificent this majestic monument looks from this angle. Once you discover angles and start experimenting with them the quality of your photos will improve tenfold.
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