Have you ever been in the middle of a great vacation, only to suddenly find yourself feeling a touch of sadness? Chances are, you have. This happens because a wonderful experience is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you are doing and seeing things that you have probably wanted to do or see for a long time. This produces a sense of exhilaration and joy. But if you’re like me, you can’t help but feel just a little tinge of regret because you know in the back of your mind that this is a fleeting experience.
My way of relieving this little tinge of sadness is to take as many pictures as possible. After all, a good vacation usually involves a lot of time, expense, and planning. You don’t want any of that to go down the memory hole and be lost! For your reading pleasure, I have compiled a short list of tips to help you take photos that will bring back that sense of wonder and happiness that you felt before.
Always consider the emotional factors:
The main thing that you don’t want to do is get out your camera and begin shooting robotically. That isn’t the way your eyes work, so that isn’t the way your camera should work either. Try to focus in on things that produce a feeling that you want to capture. It is hard to give specific advice about this because everyone is different, but in general, you want to remember that your goal is not so much to catch a visual as to capture an emotion. So for instance, when you look at that mountaintop with mist and clouds swirling around it, don’t just point and click. Watch it through your reticle and wait for the right moment. If other things are going on around you, you can zoom out to include some of that. Here, you must decide whether to use the mountain as a focal point or a backdrop. Either one would work, but in the end, it’s all about which subject matters the most to you.
Don’t waste your film:
I have had a vacation or two in which I ran out of data storage space before the trip was over. If you happen to have a whole lot of storage, this may not be a problem for you. However, you might be surprised at how quickly you can fill up a memory card!
Don’t try to fake anything:
The best photos are those in which the photographer is not just a passive observer, but an active part in the events being captured. The more you get out there and jump in the middle of things, the easier it will be to capture those key moments that you never want to forget. When you try to “set up” the perfect picture, it usually doesn’t work out very well. Like any other art form, photography brings its best results in spontaneity.
Always be ready to snap a good photo:
Imagine how many amazing pictures have been lost for all time because someone either didn’t have a camera with them or because they didn’t get it ready fast enough! You never know when that rare species of bird is going to land on the branch next to you. You never know exactly when that street performer is going to breathe out a jet of orange flame. In short, you just never know when the right moment will strike. you should think of that camera as your third hand, and treat it as such!
One person who knows a lot about spontaneity in photography and the need to snap at the right moment is photographer Ava Taylor of Ava Taylor Adoption. Ava Taylor Adoption is a project that aims at connecting potential adoptive parents with candidates that fit their needs and desires. Her specialty has always been child photography, and I think we all know that children aren’t very good about sitting still for photos!