If there’s one thing RVers have in common it’s a love of the great outdoors and a desire to capture this on camera. Not everyone is a natural photographer and developing an “eye” takes time and practice. Of course not everyone wants to wait to develop “the eye,” which is why we put together this list of tips to help you capture the perfect photo on your next trip.
The Rule of Three
The rule of three is a basic design and photography rule. Whether you think about it or not the eye appreciates odd numbers, because these offer a center to focus on. When you’re trying to take a picture, think of the picture in three parts and align your subjects accordingly. You’ll find that when you shoot in threes you get a much more balanced shot.
Lighting is Key
Waiting to shoot in the right light is key to really communicating through your photo. Soft lighting offers more detail, while mid day lighting during a bright clear day is too harsh. Getting up in the early hours of the morning often promises great lighting and the opportunity to capture sights most don’t get to see.
Shoot in RAW
If you’ve got a higher end camera you’re still learning to use try shooting your images in RAW (file format) as opposed to JPEG. JPEG compresses your images and lessens the quality, while also locking in any changes you make using your camera, while RAW photos can be edited and cleaned up without hurting the quality. If you choose to shoot in RAW you’re going to want a few large SD cards on hand for storage.
Understand Shutter Speed
It’s important to develop an understanding of shutter speed. If your shutter speed is too slow you’ll end up with blurred photos and should adjust. The rule of thumb is that your shutter speed should be equivalent to the focal length of the lens. For example a 50mm lens would require a 1/50sec shutter speed.
Practice
Practice makes perfect. Takes these tips and at least once a week try applying them to your photography. Don’t wait until your next RV trip to practice. Take photos of everyday life and you’ll be amazed at what you capture and how fast you progress.
Now, go get ’em!
Photo Credit: By TargetAimShoot (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
