We all love beautiful photos. Sometimes a single image can be so powerful that no words are needed to tell the story.
Photography is accessible to nearly everyone these days, whether you have a hand-me-down point and shoot, a fancy camera with interchangeable lenses or a smartphone. Over the years, I’ve taken a number of photography workshops and I’ve learned a great deal about shutter speed, aperture, ISO, the Rule of Thirds. But I’ve found trial and error has become my greatest teacher.
For this post, we’ll steer clear of the technical jargon and focus on some best practices designed to help you elevate your skills.
Are you ready?
1. Use natural light.
Lighting is a photographer’s most powerful tool. Take advantage of the amazing light at dawn and dusk to maximize the effects of your photos. Use silhouettes of both people and architecture to add additional depth and dimension to your shots.
2. Shoot UP!
Taking photos of buildings that are larger than life can be a challenge. You tend to get a frame full of the façade, but little else. Try kneeling down and tilting the lens upward at a steep angle to take your shot. If you can capture a couple of passersby as well, it will help with perspective.
3. Look for reflections.
A pond, a puddle, a lake, a mirror. Find your perfect shot and then capture both the subject and its reflection. You may need to take the shot from a few different vantage points, but you can always delete anything you don’t like after the fact.
4. Visit a market.
Markets are a fantastic way to capture the essence of every day life. A feast for all senses. See stall owners selling produce, meat and cheese. Collectors and artists selling their wares. Flowers in every color of the rainbow. Bulk spices in heavy burlap bags. Rows and rows of fresh fish. Books, military medals, candelabras. Try to go first thing in the morning when the locals tend to frequent. It’s truly a shutterbug’s playground.
5. Look for interesting subjects.
Take a look around. Who do you see? What are they doing? Perhaps there’s a fisherman casting nets, children playing soccer in the streets, an elderly woman hanging laundry. Look for spontaneous moments, but always remember to be respectful and do your best never to interfere in the action. I was lucky enough to be in Edinburgh during the Six Nations Rugby Tournament a few years ago and captured this cast of colorful characters.
6. Do your homework.
Do research before you travel to discover any festivals or celebrations that might take place during your visit. Talk to locals, ask your Airbnb hosts, look for posted signs around the city. Few things are as authentic and culturally enriching as stumbling upon a local festival.
7. Look for stark contrasts.
Keep an eye out for objects that offer stark contrasts when composing your shots. Look for clusters of unique facades, vibrant colors, varied textures, whitewashed villages, and dramatic landscapes.
8. And look for groups of objects that are exactly the same.
These are some of my favorite shots and the technique can really be used with anything. Toys, tiled rooftops, shells, flowers, books, potted plants, bicycles… The list goes on and on. Play with different angles and also with the zoom. I promise you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results.
9. Don’t forget about using black & white
Black and white photos are incredibly artistic and convey depth and emotion. It’s also a great technique when weather conditions aren’t ideal. Think of a time when you set out on a grey, rainy day only to discover that every photo you shot was drab and dull. Next time, take one in color and then take another in black and white. Compare side by side. The difference is pretty dramatic, isn’t it?
10. And finally, always travel with your senses.
Above all, let our senses be your guide. Find a good balance of taking photos and putting the camera away. Leave the selfie sticks at home. Snap a quick photo so that you will always remember where you were, who you were with, what you felt and tasted and saw that day. It’s remarkable how when you focus more on the experience and less on capturing every second of it, you actually remember more.
The photo below was taken seven years ago, in a sleepy village on the outskirts of Rome. To this day, I can still remember stopping in a tiny neigborhood market for supplies. I remember seeing boxes of bright yellow squash blossoms stacked to the ceiling. How the marble countertops of the apartment we cooked in were cold to the touch as we rolled the pasta dough. I remember the gentle sound of our instructor’s voice as she shared of her favorite recipes passed down through the generation. The peppery sweet smell of the freshly picked basil. And how incredible — and unforgettable — the meal tasted once everything was prepared. I probably took 30 photos that day, but it is this one single shot that always brings me back time after time.
So, there you have it. I hope you’ve found a few of these tips useful!
Now go forth, fellow shutterbugs, into this big beautiful world and hopefully you’ll feel inspired to share a shot or two with us!