Regardless of the cruise line sailed, the places visited along the way or who is sailing with us, we want to capture the moment in photos. We might do that with the camera in our smartphone, use an easy point-and-shoot camera or invest in professional-quality equipment.
Improve Your Cruise Photos
However we go about it, what counts are the images we end up with and will share with friends and family or just keep for our own amusement. Focusing our attention first on some basic image-capturing guidelines then on the subject can make all the difference in the world.
Shoot Wide
Adding more border around a shot than is necessary is a good idea that gives us more to work with later. While we may be focusing on a person, place or thing, the camera sees it all and might see something we missed at the time but are happy to have later.
Take Two Shots
Take two shots of everything to be sure you have captured what you intended. Holding down the shutter just a little longer gets the second photo which can also be sharper because your finger is not moving.
Back It Up
Have a way to back up photos, either by syncing a smartphone with a laptop, copying them on to an external drive or, if the at-sea Internet situation allows; sending up to a cloud-sourced backup supply. Using multiple memory cards can also be helpful here.
Be Aware Of The Sun and where it is located
In most cases, your best bet is to have the sun at your back, shining on the subject. Still, don’t be afraid of the sun either. Some of the most amazing photos can be had at sunrise and sunset, a golden time at sea as on land.
Learn How To Edit
Learn how to edit your photos using built-in programs and downloadable apps for your smartphone and software for your camera. This type of software will allow you to crop or resize image as well as other enhancements. Practice this before going to sea so you get past the learning curve and have a working knowledge of how to manipulate/fix images while sailing.
The Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds is a basic composition rule that photographers use, dividing a picture into thirds, horizontally and vertically. Placing important parts of the picture on the lines or at the intersections will make your photo more interesting than a catalog view, centered photo.
Consult An Expert, On Board
Applying all of the above can improve your photo skills in a hurry. To go further, consider onboard programs that might help teach passengers how to get the most out of their camera, hosted by the ship’s photographers. Consider the source: those people are at sea all the time; its their job to take good photos. Why not take advantage of their knowledge?
