The summer holidays are there (or almost) and with them, the desire to immortalize every moment. The good news is that it is no longer necessary to clog in a heavy camera. Your smartphone is a powerful tool, capable of producing images of excellent quality.
But having a good sensor is not enough. The real secret for photos that will admire your family and friends is your look and some simple techniques. Follow this practical guide to transform your vacation shots.
1) Dammer the light: your best ally
Light is the main ingredient of a successful photo. Knowing how to play with is essential:
- Look for the “Golden Hour” : This moment, also called “the golden hour”, refers to the short period following sunrise or preceding the sunset. On vacation, you will have a good chance of crossing the period preceding the sunset, but probably a little less dawn. We can take photos at any time of the day, but we advise you to keep enough battery (and storage) for that moment.
- Beware of the midday sun : At the Zenith, the sun creates very hard shadows and crushing lighting. If you have to take pictures at this time, here are 3 tips to follow:
- Look for shadow (under a tree, a porch)
- For portraits, place your side on the sun compared to the sun to avoid grimaces and create an interesting model.
- Do not hesitate to manually lower exposure to avoid “burned” areas (overexposed).
- Use night mode : When the light decreases drastically, the Night mode your smartphone is doing many services. It combines several shots to create a clear and detailed image.
2) Take care of your composition: the third party rule
With a smartphone, we tend to take everything and anything in photos. However, a memorable photo is above all a well -composed photo. Forget the reflex to center everything and activate the composition grid in the settings of your photo application. This grid divides the screen into 9 equal rectangles and helps you apply the third party rule.
How does it work? Place the important elements of your scene (the horizon, a person, a building) on the lines or at their intersections. This creates a more dynamic, balanced and professional image. Perfect for landscapes!
3) Vary the angles and perspectives
Are your vacation photos resemble those of your neighbors? Don’t worry, it happens to us all. It is not always easy to stand out, but the practice of the photo invites creativity and recent smartphones are there to bring it out. To prevent your photos from looking like everyone else, change your point of view:
- Immerse and counteract : Squat to give a monumental appearance to your subject or take height for an overview.
- Use the ultra-angle : Ideal for grandiose landscapes or architecture, this mode accentuates the lines of leakage and gives an impression of striking depth.
- Play with the foreground : Integrate an element in the foreground (flowers, a branch, a low wall) to add depth and guide the gaze in the image.
4) Creativity above all: reflections and lines
For the Waouh effect, you have to go out of the beaten track. Photography is a playground so do not hesitate to play with reflections such as a puddle after the rain, a shop window, sunglasses … Reflections can transform an ordinary scene into an artistic and unique cliché.
You can also locate natural or artificial lines (a road, a path, a balustrade) and use them to guide the spectator’s eye to your main subject.
5) Master the portrait mode
The famous “Bokeh effect” (blurred background) is no longer reserved for professional cameras. THE Portrait mode From your smartphone simulates it to highlight your subject. This is the perfect tool for immortalizing your loved ones by detaching them nicely from the decor.
6) The zoom (optics) is your friend
If your smartphone has a telephoto lens (Optical zoom X2, X3, X5…), use it! Present more and more smartphones, it allows you to “bring yourself closer to your subject without moving and without loss of quality, ideal for capturing architectural details or life scenes. Watch out for digital zoom which can strongly degrade the quality of the image.
7) The art of observation
Advice to succeed in photos can help, but you will be alone (or in a group) when pressing to take your photo. On vacation, you don’t always have the time you need to think about the best location or angle to really succeed in your photo. It is also not always possible to come back to your steps and agree for a moment dedicated to the practice of the photo.
The best advice remains the simplest: Be observer. Indeed, your eye remains the real master and it is he who will succeed in a very large part of your photo. The good photographer will be the one who sees what others do not see and no device can tell you. In this sense, you must not necessarily put aside your smartphone by thinking that it is not at the level of the best of the moment.
And now, the turn is played! You now have the essential techniques to enhance your vacation photos with your smartphone. Remember that the third -party rulethe magic of golden hour or the power of Optical zoom are tools at your service. But the real secret will always remain your curiosity. Dare to drop, play with a reflection, or capture a smile on the fly. This is how you will create authentic memories and shots that will make you proud. Good holidays and good photos!
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