How to take better photos on holiday

Photos are a very personal and important part of our lives and you don’t have to have an expensive camera to capture everyday moments over the summer holidays. Most of the pictures below were taken on my iPhone because it was handy on the beach or wherever we were! Your holiday photos are a great way to share your travels with family and friends, but before you start snapping away at everything you see, take a moment to read the tips below on how to take better photos on holiday. Follow this advice and you’ll be sure to capture holiday memories whether in the UK or abroad, that you and your children will treasure for years to come.

1.Plan ahead! Make sure your camera (or phone) is in good working order before you go, and pack plenty of batteries or your charger! You’re going to want to be able to take lots of pictures so remember to take plenty of memory cards too or back up the pictures daily from your phone or camera to stop it getting full. Always have your camera/phone easily accessible and ready to go – don’t miss that shot of them building their first sandcastle or dip in the sea!

2.Get in Close!  When taking pictures of people, don’t make the mistake of standing too far away. Get close enough so you can see the expressions on your child’s face! Zoom in on individuals or capture them from the waist up. When photographing individuals against a grand landscape, take some pictures from further away and some up close as well.

3.Capture the Essence! Everyone loves panoramic scenes and major landmarks, so you’ll definitely want plenty of those. But try to capture the simplicity of the location as well.You might want to experiment with taking photos at sunset too for that golden glow or silhouetted shapes. Don’t forget to look in the background behind your subjects for annoying distractions, try a few different crops, should you take the picture landscape or portrait? Try taking beach shots earlier in the day to avoid too many people in the background!

4.Tell a story!  Let your pictures tell a story by creating a visual diary of your trip. Include street scenes, interesting signs, flowers, and people you see along the way. Perhaps include their favourite toys or some new sport they loved on that particular holiday. Don’t be afraid to use an interesting angle rather than simply head-on shots only. Pictures are often more interesting when you can catch people in candid, un-posed moments just having fun, I love running beach shots, so keep your camera handy and let the camera tell your story.

5.Consider what you wear if you’re thinking of doing your own little mini shoot, clothing can make or break a photo!

6.Let the kids have a go either with your camera if it’s not too expensive or heavy (depending on their age!) or buy them a children’s camera so they can have fun recording the holiday. My children loved their V-tech camera when they were younger, which can also be used to play games, so provides lots of entertainment on holiday! They now love their Nikon coolpix and taking pictures on my phone. I am often surprised at the end of the day to see what fabulous moments they recorded. Perhaps your children can take the chance to capture Mummy and Daddy together too

7.Protect your camera. I recommend a water and shock resistant case.

8.Keep cool! If you’re somewhere hot, while you are drinking plenty of water and keeping yourself hydrated, your camera should also be kept at an even temperature. Exposing your equipment to direct sunlight and strong heat will cause them to malfunction and can also cause irreversible damage.

9.Water and Sand can be fun to play in, but it will wreak havoc on your camera! If water or sand gets in your camera or lenses, stop using them immediately and get them professionally cleaned.

10.When you get home, let your children fill a scrapbook or album with their photos for a special record of your travels from your child’s perspective! Frame your favourites around your home so they can be enjoyed everyday. My children like collecting things like shells and feathers and then decorating a picture mount around their favourite print to put up in their bedrooms.

Good luck and do ask questions if you need me! Wishing you all a very happy holidays!

PS If you’ve enjoyed this page, you might enjoy my advice on what to do with all your digital photos – organising them doesn’t have to be that time consuming, it’s just getting into a habit,  so check out my useful guide.