My Photography Tips
When we first started traveling 8 years ago we were using our cellphones to take pictures. Needless to say back then cell phone cameras were not that great. Today’s phones are much more powerful and as good as professional cameras in some settings. For the casual photographer (we are all photographers these days) a cell phone is plentiful and in fact I always encourage friends to use their phones as much as they can instead of buying a camera that is probably just going to sit in a drawer. Us personally started maxing out our cell phones’ capabilities not too long ago and began learning more about cameras and how to take better photos. Today I’d like to share some tips I’ve learned along the way to help you improve your pictures.
So keep reading for my tips on how to get those instagram worthy shots 📷
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am very grateful for) at no extra cost to you.
Picture shot with the Sony RX100 IV (Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi)
Getting the Right Camera…
If you’re like me, then you’re probably looking for a good camera that won’t break your wallet. When I was looking for a camera I had two priorities; cost and size. Luckily I found exactly what I wanted.
Sony a5100 - This was our first camera; affordable and easy to take everywhere. It is a mirrorless camera with many different features including wifi-sharing (which helps you transfer pictures from the camera to your phone or tablet within minutes). I’ve been using this camera for the last 4 years and I always recommend it. Another benefit of this camera is that the lens is interchangeable, which allows you to easily swap the lens for a more purpose specific one such as a high zoom or portrait one. We have an excellent low aperture portrait Lens which usually yields some of our favorite photos.
Picture shot with the Sony a5100 using the Sone Fe 50 mm f/1.8 lens (Mexico City, Mexico)
Sony Rx100 IV - If you want an extra small camera that can do it all without having to be swapping lenses and are willing to spend a little more then I recommend the Sony RX100 series. We currently own the Sony Rx100 IV which is an older model but its almost as good as the newer ones without the hefty price tag. This camera is small but packs the punch of professional cameras that are 5 times as heavy. One of the most impressive features of this little camera is the lens’ maximum aperture (f1.8) which is essentially what allows you to get the blur background photos (Boke photos) without the need of an additional expensive lens. Another feature we love about this camera is its low light capability. We’ve taken photos in places where we can barely see anything with our eyes and the photos look great. If you enjoy taking videos, then you’ll find this camera to be amazing since its the one most professional youtubers use.
Picture shot with the Sony Rx100 IV with aperture at F1.8 (Boke Photo)
It’s not all About the Camera….
It’s not enough to have a good camera. You have to work with the light, the exposure and other settings before getting a really good shot. To help you get started I’m going to share 3 quick tricks you can easily use next time.
Lighting is Everything - The best times of the day for photography are the morning and late afternoon. During this time the sun is still low giving your photos that warm and golden look. The light at noon and during the early afternoon is very harsh which leads to hard shadows and can make your pictures look flat without depth or structure (like in the example below). Another great time to take pictures is during the blue hour, this is right before sunrise or right after sunset. Add a “Pop Color” setting to your camera and you’ll get a picture like the one below.
The picture on top was shot during the afternoon, while the picture on the bottom was shot right after sunset.
Picture shot with the Sony Rx100 IV (Toledo, Spain) during the blue hour.
Avoid Putting Your Subjects in the Borders of your Picture - I’ve seen so many pictures where people are positioned at the very edge of the frame. This makes the person look wider than they actually are. This is due to the barrel distortion caused by camera lenses which cause straight lines to appear curved. Next time try the “rule of thirds” where you divide your image into 9 equal segments (like the picture below) and your subject is positioned along the lines or at the points where the line meets.
Photo taken with Sony Rx100 IV (Dubai Desert, UAE)
The picture is divided into 9 equal squares depicting the rule of thirds, where the subject is aligned with the intersections of the lines.
Use the “Pop Color” or “Vivid” feature in your camera or iPhone - This is probably the feature I use the most (and is also available in the iPhone). This feature is particularly helpful when you have a photo that needs just a little more contrast to highlight some colors. I love using this feature when I have a picture with bright colors like red and green.
The picture on the right is the original picture. The picture on the left has the “vivid” filter from the iPhone.
I hope you find this post helpful for your next adventure and if you are a professional photographer or have any tips, I would love to hear them! If you use any of these tips please tag me in your pictures in social media. I’d love to see them!
Until then, go on exploring!
