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Guest Post by Contiki Vacations

If you’ve taken the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer specialty course, you may be a pro at snapping photos of your favorite dive spots, but what about for all your topside adventures? Sharpen your photography skills with these great tips for traveling shutterbugs.

It’s all about perspective. Try taking photos from different perspectives. Don’t always do what is expected. For example, when wanting to take a photo of something outside a window, instead of opening the window to get a clear view, try taking the photo from inside. Try immersing yourself in the country’s way of life instead of doing the expected touristy activities to achieve some unique photos and a great experience.

Lighting is key. Sometimes all a picture needs is good lighting. If you walk across something you want to take a photo of and you know it’ll still be there (for example, a building), try visiting it at different times of the day to see what lighting looks best. Lighting can change the whole look of a photo.

AV mode on. Stick your camera on Av mode if your camera has that function. This way you can easily change the most important settings like ISO, exposure and aperture. A higher ISO, larger aperture (lower in number) will make your shutter speed faster and the exposure controls how light or dark your photo will turn out.
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Get to know your shutter speed. If you are trying to take photos whilst moving or in low light situations, make sure your shutter speed is fast enough so the picture isn’t one big blur. If you are taking a photo where you can balance your camera on a stable surface, try making your shutter speed slower for a nice effect. This looks particularly cool when used on lakes as it smooths out the surface of the water.

Post produce. Don’t forget to edit. Try messing around with “curves” in Photoshop or downloading a preset from the internet. Even underexposed or overexposed photos can be fixed by simply changing the brightness of a photo. Want to keep it simple? Snapseed, VSCO Cam and Afterlight all produce the most amazing Instagram worthy snaps.

For more photography and travel tips to make your next trip a memorable one, check out Contiki’s Six-Two blog.

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