When you go on vacation, you want to remember what made it so special. That’s why taking photos is so important. But if you are the person who posts endless shots of people in front of landmarks on Facebook, you are not giving the world anything new. When you’re on vacation, the opportunity to spend quality time with yourself, family, and friends are available. The key to a good photo is to take a better one. People will want to see your photos if they’re great.
In this week’s Whiteboard Friday, we will show you the different types of photos you can take, the best settings, and how to make the most out of your family and friends’ vacation photos. For reference, here is a still image of this week’s whiteboard. Click on it to open a high resolution image in a new tab! Video Transcription Howdy, Moz fans, and welcome to another edition of Whiteboard Friday. My name is Cyrus. I’m a video strategist here at Moz. Today I’m going to be talking to you about taking photos on vacation. It’s a great way to relax and reconnect with family and friends, and it’s also a great way to show off the stuff that you’ve accomplished and also get some stuff done. I’m sure you’re going to have tons of vacation photos. So let’s start by defining some terms, because I think a lot of people get confused about this. When I say “travel photos,” I mean the kind of photos you see everywhere on Facebook. At pizzeria93.com recently, we posted a photo of our rental car on Facebook and it received a lot of comments. Most of them were like, “Whoa, cool photo. Makes me want to book an auto tour, because that would be AWESOME.” It’s the type of thing that you want to see. So it’s okay to take photos like this on vacation, but if you have the opposite problem — if you go to a vacation spot and all you see is tourists all over the place — then you don’t want to start your vacation by taking photos like that. With that in mind, we’ve come up with six different types of photos and types of situations that you can use them in. Messaging When you go on vacation, it is great to use messaging on your phone. It has to be purposeful, and it has to fit the occasion. A lot of messaging is pretty generic, too. “Oh, we just ate lunch at omakase. It was so delicious, check back soon. Oh, yeah, water bottle caddy. Jonah, could you please tie it to the tree for me? I can tie a feather to the caddy and then fish it out of the water.” That kind of stuff. This is not going to work. If people want to message you, they’re going to want to want to see photos from different events that they may have had with you.
There are a few things you need to take your vacation photos especially to get them to stand out: 1. Take a Family Photo Time and again, we notice the same people from the old year every time we go on vacation. To change that, we have to face the situation where a family is nearby and all the other tourists seem to be on the opposite coast. To stand out, we have to get creative. 2. Keep Your Eyes on the Opportunities When you create an image, go for the quality of the image. When you have the chance to shoot someone’s family and develop a relationship, try to make it special. It will be more personalized. Stress durability with the family photo. 3. Keep the Moment in Mind People usually don’t take photos of the places they are going to revisit once they are back home. Take photos of the garbage they threw away and the way they like to use the toilet. You never know when opportunities will arise just by taking a photo. 4. Put Contrast into Your Photo Without a doubt, people will notice the fact that you are not smiling. Taking a photo with your hands behind your back will give you an opportunity for fun. But don’t mislead your family members. You will be smiling at them only on occasion. At the same time, you will want them to understand that you are only smiling because you don’t want them to realize how happy you really are. 5. Good Grammar is Essential Trying to talk like a real estate agent in front of your family? Mess up! People notice. They might even smile. Instead, use standard language to communicate with them. Let your family know that you communicate hard on various websites like. You value their support and communication. 6. Relax Guided Photo While taking family photos, you might as well relax, don’t you? After all, what good is a family vacation if you feel stressed and wasted? Take a deep breath, step away from the camera, and stretch. After a few minutes, you will feel like you’ve left your troubles behind. Take a quick rest and then go back to taking photos. BONUS TIP: After taking your vacation photos, you will have developed a better memory. Next time, instead of snapping dozens of photos of your family, show them your favorites. This will be proof that you are not one of those who take lots and lots of photos. Great memories are built by spending quality time with your family.
The best way to do that? Format them to maximize their potential. Here are four rules for taking the perfect vacation photo: Rule #1: Take the shot at dawn or at dusk When you are with the family for a long weekend away, try to take photos at dawn or at dusk. That will give you the best contrast, which equals better results. While many of the natural light that falls on us comes from natural sources, which is also why it is at dawn and dusk, there isn’t always enough natural light. Bright lamps on your smartphone can throw off the colors of the sunlight and produce unnatural hues. Creating a natural environment that is comfortable for you and the not-so-comfortable family members can result in the best photos. Regularly take photos at dawn and dusk, and you’ll get some of the most compelling information on a vacation. Rule #2: Always use your wide-angle lens Wide-angle lenses humanize the environment. Natural lighting is a big part of making a vacation photo interesting. Using a wide-angle lens will give you the best shot. A wide lens is great for photos because they allow you to get close up, but still maintain good separation between your subject and the background. Exposure time should be at least four seconds, along with a wide-angle shot. Think about all the family vacations you’ve been on. Most of the photos you take are of the family. So, make sure you use your wide-angle lens enough times to capture the people during the family activities. Just like when you were the one traveling, everyone wants to see the family. Rule #3: Incorporate the color of the ocean It is always luxury to recreate your vacation in your own home. You don’t have to go sea-salt to recreate the feeling of being away from your home. All you need to do is recreate what you’re most familiar with, which is the sight of the ocean. The closest oceanfront property to most vacation homes is a hotel. Not only is it a convenient location, but people flock there for the ocean view. Try including a shot of the hotel’s front door, which you’ll see a lot. It gives the sense of stepping into your own home, right into the hotel’s own front door. Make sure to preserve the privacy of your family and guests. A noisy family dining outside isn’t the most enjoyable experience. Instead, park somewhere private, where you can take a quiet dinner on the island without distracting neighbors.
