How to Take Better Vacation Photos : 5 Easy Tips for Better Travel Photography

We all know the feeling; you’re somewhere absolutely breath-takingly gorgeous, and all you want is to get that perfect Instagram or Instagram story, but your photos (or your instagram husband ‘s photos) just can’t seem to do the moment justice. The good news is there are some easy ways to take your iPhone photos from “blah” to “WOW”, so you can have beautiful memories of all your favorite vacations for years to come!

Here are 5 easy ways to step up your vacay photos:

1. Lighting is Everything

Edited with Tropical Beach Preset on the Tropics Collection

You know how you can look at yourself in the mirror in certain bathrooms and resemble Shrek and in others remind yourself of a young Gisele? Yeeeeah. Lighting is everything.  It’s a fallacy that “the best lighting is in the direct sunlight” – this is only true if you’re shooting landscapes. If you’re shooting people, the absolute worst time to take photos is at high-noon when the sun is at its highest point.  The best lighting for people is always natural light, and the best times to shoot are early in the morning or at “golden hour” – the hour just before sunset. And, if it’s dark outside and you’re shooting people, always use a flash.  If you choose to use a DSLR versus an iphone, I shoot with a Sony A7II, and it is a lighting MASTER – I also love to use this lightweight tripod on my travels to keep the camera super still and capture the image flawlessly.

2. Set up the shot before you start clicking away

Make sure to pay attention to every detail in your shot before you take it. Because we’re all snapping on our iPhones constantly, it feels less important to spend time composing a photo — but the reality is the opposite! Take time to notice how your subject is composed within the frame, how level your horizon is, how the light is hitting your subject, and if there’s symmetry in your photo, etc, and make adjustments to your perspective/posing as necessary. The little details make a big difference in taking a photo from good to great.

3. Edit, edit, edit!

The secret behind all those beautiful vacation photos you see on Instagram is that it’s not all about the photo – the magic is in the edit!

4. Add more elements to your image for scale

 

Sunday’s lookin’ up ☀️

A post shared by Christina✨Luxury Travel (@jetsetchristina) on Mar 25, 2018 at 7:37am PDT

 

Eating & drinking my way through all the terrazas & plazas of this pretty city 🌵🇲🇽🍷 . One of the best things about Oaxaca is that you can explore & relax in the same day. The city is very walkable and everywhere you look, you’ll find a new favorite Mexican restaurant, outdoor market, or rooftop bar to check out! . Right outside of the city, you can go mezcal tasting, see local textile showcases, or even catch a quick hopper flight to the nearby beaches of Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. . Have you guys been to Oaxaca or somewhere else in Mexico before? . Check out the link in my bio for an awesome welcome video and Dear USA letter from Mexico, inviting you to come travel to Mexico to share firsthand the rich experiences of this country! . #DearUSA #Ad #VisitMexico #AWorldofitsOwn #FoundinMexico #MexicoLove @visitmexico

A post shared by Christina✨Luxury Travel (@jetsetchristina) on Aug 4, 2018 at 5:14pm PDT

5. Take your time!

 

New York Summers 🚖🌇🗽 . Crossing the bridge (and almost getting run over by bikers)✌🏼Which side of the city do you guys prefer? Manhattan or Brooklyn??? . I have been having sooo much fun exploring New York City! A lot of you have been asking for my top tips so don’t worry a full blog post is coming soon! But I have loooved staying with @sofitelnyc, it has such a perfect location downtown, a delicious French restaurant, and easy access to absolutely everything you want to do in Manhattan! . #NewYorkCity #BrooklynBridge #NYC

A post shared by Christina✨Luxury Travel (@jetsetchristina) on Jul 24, 2018 at 2:55pm PDT

By the way – did you guys see I’m now offering high-quality prints, framed prints, canvas prints, or digital downloads of some of my absolute favorite Jetset Christina images on my site?

PS – have more questions on the Amalfi Coast, or any other destination? Join the JETSETTERS secret facebook group to get & give travel recs to our Jetset Christina community and connect with other #JSCJetsetters!

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