If a Suffolk holiday is on the horizon for you in the coming months and you fancy exploring what East Anglia has on offer this spring or summer, then you’ll no doubt want to enjoy time discovering and wandering on foot.

Heading off for a staycation can only mean one thing; lots of photographs! There’s an argument to say that you can’t take enough pictures when you’re on holiday, and we’re inclined to believe this, as you can always delete the ones you aren’t keen on, but you can’t take them once you’ve gone.

Top Tips for taking great holiday snaps

The holidays provide plenty of fantastic photo opportunities, and even the least photo-inclined will be reaching for a camera to capture some posed and candid shots. So, why not use these tips to help create the perfect holiday photos of your short breaks for families in Suffolk?

Take a Step Back

When travelling on holiday, the primary goal as a photographer is to see the sights. You are likely to come across several breath-taking views you will want to cherish, and this means snapping a couple of photographs. Forget about the zoom, and try to get in as much of the landscape into the shot as you can. Why not also take a step back and go for a panoramic shot, so you can capture as much of the view as you can on camera?

Focus on the Faces

While scenery shots are great for remembering the places you have seen, don’t forget about snapping pictures of the people you are with. Avoid obvious poses in front of things, and try to get some candid shots instead, as they can turn out much better and more personal. Don’t be scared about getting in a bit closer too – capturing the eyes can make an average photo have depth and emotion!

Tilt the Camera

If you are trying to photograph something a little larger, don’t be afraid of changing your stance of the angle of the camera to fit everything within the frame, or keeping everything symmetrical and perfectly aligned to the centre. This can make for some fun holiday snaps, but remember, when it comes to a sunset, the horizon should be level and straight!

Let the Kids Have a Go

Whether this means giving the kids some disposable cameras or giving them a kid-friendly digital camera, letting your kids have a go at snapping some holiday snaps can result in something different. They may end up finding a new way to take a picture, or focusing on something you never thought of. Just don’t be too upset when your five-year-old takes a better photo than you!

Lighting is Everything

Photography is painting with light, so having quality lighting is very important. Bright sunlight at noon is very different from the soft tones of the late afternoon sun. Be aware of the different emotions that the right lighting can evoke, and harness it in your photos. Backlighting, too, can create for interesting silhouettes, and strip everything down to the basic form.

Details

The opposite to our first point of getting in the shot, it is also good to zoom in close and get the details. For example, a building with carvings and detailed architecture is good to photograph up close. This means you get the finer aspects of what you are looking at, and the photograph is a reminder of why you found the building so attractive in the first place.

5 top tips for photographing the great outdoors

Let’s presume that you are keen to capture your time away with your camera. If you’re new to this then the basics, such as demonstrating how to hold the camera still and straight/level, as well as not pressing the shutter too hard are the kind of simple tips that can make all the difference. So if you are looking for a little more advice on how to get the best pictures you can while you’re away, then why not let these handy tips help you on your way?

The element of surprise

If the children are playing or running around in one of the local parks/nature areas, then why not whip out the camera and catch them in action? If they’re tossing leaves or inquisitively looking in a glassy-still lake or babbling stream, then take the opportunity to take a photo. Impulsive, natural photos are more often than not the best ones.

Wonderful wildlife

If you are out and about and you spot some of the local wildlife, then the last thing you want to do is startle them and miss out on a photo opportunity. Remind your little ones of how important it is to be as quiet as possible. It’s also imperative to be patient, or you’ll see a great chance to capture a perfect photo opportunity pass you by.

Think about focus

If you want to seize images of the more intricate things in life, a caterpillar on a child’s hand for example, then by getting close and zooming in will allow you to get a better result. Take the time to find the optimal point in terms of the zoom, and you’ll be more likely to get a better outcome.

Find different angles

Look up to see the patterns leaves make against the sky; look down and snap the trees reflected in a pool or the dappled patterns on the ground made by sunlight filtering through the leaves.

Contrasting colour

If you’re out in the woods, then you’ll soon see that it’s not all about the greens and browns of leaves and trees. Find something that is bursting with some bright colour to add interest to pictures. The list is endless but to give you an idea, you could find a flower coming into bloom or some bright berries (be careful you don’t eat them without checking first). Another idea could be to make a rainbow of colours and take a picture of something that is a different colour as and when you find it.

Capture summer pictures to perfection

So when it comes to capturing some pictures that you can be proud of this summer, why not take a look at these handy tips and come home with the ultimate family photos.

Don’t be the ‘missing person’ in pictures

Ok, so forgetting the selfie, this is a problem that many families are faced with when it comes to taking group pictures at any time, not just on holiday. There’s always the one person (usually mum or dad) who takes the pictures and is therefore the ‘missing person’ in all the snaps when you get home to show your friends. When we think about it, it’s pretty easy to neglect this person, so this time around, make this is the holiday that includes everyone. It’s easy to get a timer going on your phone or camera to get an all-inclusive snap of you all together.

Get that light right

Summer months should, with any luck, provide you with some ideal natural lighting which you can use to your advantage, because if you’re after a photo that’s going to be ‘just so’, then the having the right lighting on your side can be pivotal. Best options are to avoid having the main focus of the image directly in front of a strong light in the background. As we’re mainly talking about family photos, you should be looking to have people’s faces facing the light (behind the camera).

Get your angles right

Do your best not to take pictures of people when you are looking down at them. You’re far better off going for eye level as the preferred option. If you are taking pictures of the children, or people in wheelchairs, or even pets, then try kneeling down. By doing so, you’ll give your pictures a more dynamic result, giving you those memorable snaps.

Your phone might be best

There’s no getting away from the fact that smartphones and their camera tech are pretty nifty these days, so it’s not always such a bad thing to make use of the quality available to you. There’s nothing quite like taking pictures on a real camera, but phones are great for getting the images in a moment that you’d have otherwise missed by trying to get your camera out.

Be spontaneous

Just be spontaneous! Impulsive shots can be the best ones you’ll ever take. It’s a sure thing that some of the best photos ever taken are, and always will be, captured when you just get the camera going during a moment of laughter, for example. The more natural the better. Just think about how lovely action shots look that accurately illustrate the feeling and emotion at that very moment.

Top tips for taking photos on holiday