Planning a family vacation and want to make sure you come back with great photos? Consider these tips from Kelly Hopkins at Kelly Hopkins Creative.
Don't be afraid to kneel in the low water, nestle down in the pine straw bed, and lie on your stomach ahead of the approaching action Photos courtesy of Kelly Hopkins.
1. Try a variety of perspectives and angles
Get on your child's or pet's level when capturing their activity. Be careful not to get too low, so you aren't shooting directly in to the nostrils of the person you are photographing.
Don't shy away from getting "down and dirty." Kneel in the low water, nestle down in the pine straw bed, and lie on your stomach ahead of the approaching action. Zoom in on the details.
Or, if you're taking a photo of a large group, find a higher level and shoot the bird's eye view. These unique angles and switching up the view and horizon give added interest to the shot.
Don't be afraid to let emotions show in your photos.
2. Capture the spirit of the journey
See the world from the view of family members. Just as you get low to see through your child's eyes, you could do this for each family member. Later, reflecting on what refreshed mom's and dad's spirits, what sparked curiosity in each child's imagination, and what built sweet memories for grandparents or extended family gives you a much fuller story for all.
Consider capturing a grandparent or parent holding a child's hand as they stroll through the town or on the beach. Put the focus on the clasping of their hand; their smiles and laughter; a hug; or a child, exhausted from a full day of play, resting on a sibling's lap.
Think about what story you want to remember about that very moment. Let emotions speak volumes in the photograph so the end result moves people to understand the moment as you remember it.
The spirit of a family can be captured much better when they aren't looking at the camera, but rather just enjoying one another's company.
3. Anticipate action
The spirit of a family can be captured much better when they aren't looking at the camera, but rather just enjoying one another's company. Try to anticipate the next moment -- whether the subject is searching for seashells, riding a bike or eating an ice cream cone, place yourself in front of them and be ready to capture the memory with your camera.
Look for patterns in your environment.
4. Find patterns or determine a theme
Look for patterns in your vacation environment to tell the story. If you are touring historic landmarks, you could frame your shot with a historical marker or dated sign in the foreground; or, you could find old doors, interesting bridges and old cemetery markers of famous people.
Pick a pattern for family members to find during vacation. You could search for shapes in nature, such as a heart, or you could place a special memento or item in every shot to convey your journey.
Frame these interesting markers at a strong angle and in the left or right third of your photo instead of straight on and center.
Look for interesting openings to frame your family or the landscape.
5. Frame your photographs
As you explore your vacation spot, look for interesting openings to frame your family or the landscape. Consider shooting through objects around you, such as fencing, doorways, windows or tunnels. Also consider using both vertical and horizontal shots.
Take advantage of a sunrise or sunset to create silhouettes.
6. Create sunrise or sunset silhouettes
Place your family facing a sunrise or sunset. Also, consider incorporating your family's profiles, rather than having everyone look straight at the landscape scene. By having a few of them turn their faces to the side, you can capture the emotions expressed between those relationships; even a smile or laugh seen from a profile will capture relationship and emotion.
If the background enhances your story, take the wider-framed shot. If not, crop the photo to be a tighter shot.
7. Consider the background
If the background enhances your story, take the wider-framed shot. If the setting distracts rather than accentuates your story, crop the photo to be a tighter shot. Also, pay attention to your background so you don't have any mishap mergers -- such as a telephone pole that looks like it is jutting out of someone's head -- or other distracting elements. If there are lots of moving objects, such as people or cars, give yourself a few minutes for them to pass for a better shot of your memory, unless the story you want to tell is one of a bustling environment.
Bonus tip
Time it perfectly: Get to know your camera's timer, pack a mini-tripod, and set up a shot where everyone, even the photographer, gets to be in the photo. Set the tripod low, angle the camera looking up at the shot, focus on the area where you plan to stand and be ready on cue when the timer goes off.
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