For many years, photographs have been a way for people to hold on to some of their favorite vacation memories and some of the most beautiful sights. With our phones providing us with great photography at our fingertips, we can capture brilliant photos every day. Whether we’re up on a plane in the sky or in the hospital after babies are born, we use cameras as a way to hold on to these stimulating moments.
Vacations are one of the main moments when people take photos. We take pictures of the landscapes, pictures of our loved ones, pictures of our food—the list goes on. If you want your photos to look a bit more professional so that you can truly capture the beauty of the moment, take a look below. We’ve compiled a quick guide with some tips for capturing memories on vacation—from candid shots to cozy pics of your accommodation space, even the simplest photos can spark a memory from your trip.
Tell a Story
Photographs, like we said, are one of the best ways to capture memories. While you’re on vacation and you’re taking photos, try to ensure that the photos you take tell a story. Don’t just take a picture of your child’s socks or a random coffee shop if they don’t have a story behind them. The most engaging photos will tell your trip’s story, and when you align all the photos afterward, you can call your favorite memories forth. Think of the photos as your journey’s narrative, and if you were to keep a travel journal, your photos would match your stories.
Remember to Shoot Interior Spaces
Like we said, your photos should tell a story, and chances are you aren’t just out all day, every day during your trip. This is our reminder for you to shoot indoor spaces as well. For example, if you choose to stay in a rental home, take photos within it! Snap some photos of your kids lazing on the couch after a day of skiing; snap a picture of the home-cooked meal in the kitchen. Some of your favorite memories are made in the comfort of your accommodations—make sure to take pictures of it!
Utilize Nature’s Beauty
If you’re headed to a destination with gorgeous views, then you definitely need to take advantage. Nature is the perfect backdrop for basically any photo, so if you’re headed to the mountains, get some quality landscape shots. However, if you don’t feel all that confident in your picture taking abilities, don’t just take landscape shots. Make your photo a bit more dynamic and add some of your travel companions to the shot. For example, take some pictures of your loved ones on the slopes—you’ll still get the landscape and you’ll get even more of the memory!
Opt for Candid Instead of Posed
This is probably the best tip for capturing memories on vacation that we can give you. Though posed shots are a great option (and you’ll still want a few posed ones), candid shots do a much better job of stirring up memories later on. For example, photographing all of your friends laughing with each other on top of a mountain will help you remember the moment in general, as well as the emotions that went along with it. Candid photos are your opportunity to catch emotion with the camera—you’ll catch the trip’s truest form and feelings with these snaps.
Watch the Lighting
Now, this is a more technical tip, but an important one nonetheless. You may be tempted to constantly snap pics, especially if you’re in a beautiful and new area, but if you’re not in a situation with solid lighting, the pictures may take away from the moment. Lighting can work with you or against you, so try to adjust your camera or phone settings to adapt to the lighting. If that still doesn’t work, then it’s simply time to put down the camera and enjoy the moment! Fussing with the camera for too long can ruin your experience, so if it’s not working, just let the moment wash over you.
Photograph the Locals
Just like how you need to make sure to get snaps of your travel partners, you should also try to get some photographs of the locals. This is not to say that you should go around asking strangers for their picture. Instead, this means that when you’re snapping a picture of the square from your spot at the coffee shop, strive for shots with locals bustling, rather than buildings with no people. Nothing conveys the sense of a destination quite like seeing the people who live there.
Shoot Memorable Meals
This is a simple and fun tip for capturing memories—take some shots of the food. When you snap a pic of the family meal on the last night, it’ll stir memories of the conversation and the laughter when you look back later on. Those special meals deserve a picture, and the photos will help you recall both the tastes and the conversation.
Find Unique Ways to Photograph
This tip asks you to step out of the box a little bit. If you’re going to a place with landmarks that have been photographed millions of times, or you’re about to snap a picture of a mountain for the hundredth time, pause for a moment and think about how you can give it a twist. Consider adding other tourists to your shot, getting a different vantage point, shooting through a clear item, or even handing the camera to a child to get their take. These unique twists to your photos will help tell the story of your trip and provide a distinct difference between the 200th picture of the mountain, and the one shot by the child who captured the light just right.
Hopefully, when you follow these tips on your next vacation, you’ll give yourself a much better window to your memories for the future. And if you’re looking for the perfect picturesque indoor spaces that are absolutely wonderful for quality family time, turn to Exceptional Stays. Our Telluride, CO, rentals are some of the most photogenic, and you’ll be sure to create lasting memories. Start planning now!
