Say cheese: life hacks for bringing back cool photos from your trip

To make sure that unique moments remain in your memory for a long time, and that memories of your trip warm your soul, we always take a lot of photos during our vacations. Sometimes, however, the pictures we take are not quite successful, even though everything was so great.

We've gathered the best tips to help you take photos that will not only fully convey the mood of your vacation, but also get hundreds of likes on social media.

• You don't need a professional camera to take a good shot

Every year, manufacturers of modern smartphones improve the cameras they are equipped with, so the photos taken with your phone are of high quality. Moreover, it's much easier and more convenient to shoot with a gadget, and you don't need to carry extra equipment with you.

• Wipe the camera lens

It's a trivial tip that will greatly improve your photos. Make it a habit to wipe the lens from time to time. The best way to do this is with a special glasses wipe.

• Explore the location

When planning your trip, find out interesting angles and hidden locations from which you can take the best photos against the backdrop of a particular landmark. You should also consider the time of shooting and the time of year, because light can fall differently in different periods, which will directly affect the image quality.

• Shoot from a distance

Amateurs often make the same mistake by getting too close to the landmark they want to photograph. This makes the landmark look too big and doesn't fit in the frame. The photos turn out cropped and don't convey all the beauty and scale. To get a good photo, move away so that all parts of the building or landscape elements can be captured by the camera. By the way, this advice can also be used when you want to take pictures of friends against the backdrop of a landmark: don't get too close to the object, find an angle where both the background and your model are fully visible.

• Pay attention to the light

Undoubtedly, the best shots are taken during the "golden hours" - the time at dawn or before sunset, when the sun is close to the horizon. Then the light is more diffused, does not give sharp shadows and does not form overlights. However, you can also get good results at other times of the day, as long as you follow a simple rule: the rays should fall on the model's face. Accordingly, if the sun is behind your back, the photos will not be the best: the person will be dark against a bright background.

• Don't forget about artificial light

We're not talking about the flash on your phone here, although you can get decent photos with it, too.

When shooting in the evening, keep in mind the same guideline as in the previous paragraph: the light should fall on the face of the person being photographed. Lighting sources can be very diverse: street lamps, shop windows, holiday garlands, signboards - use your imagination and experiment.

• Keep an eye on the horizon

Try not to let the horizon line "collapse". Small deviations can be corrected in post-processing, of course, but a large slope cannot always be eliminated without losing quality. You can ignore this advice if you want to play around with angles and get an unusual photo.

• More space

Make sure there is more sky and air in the frame. Conditionally divide your smartphone screen into three equal horizontal stripes and try not to let the sidewalk, pavement, asphalt, or other surface take up more than the bottom third of the picture.

Also, when taking pictures of people against colorful backgrounds, make sure that the model's head is against the most monochromatic background possible. This way, facial features will be clearly visible and won't blend in with the environment.

• Choose the right angle

To make your friends look as proportionate and natural as possible, take photos at chest level. If you want to make the person look a little taller, you can lower the camera to the level of the waist.

• Be original

Every tourist destination has the most popular locations, and a photo in front of them is a must-have souvenir for every traveler.

However, to convey the authentic atmosphere of the city, it is sometimes worth diversifying the background. It can be narrow streets, colorful markets, local cafes, and other locations that convey the spirit of the country or region.

• Take a lot of shots

The more shots you take, the more chances you have to capture the best moment. There's nothing worse than coming back from a long trip and realizing that you didn't capture something that made an impression on you.

• Take random photos

Sometimes it's the unexpected shots taken without following any rules that best convey the mood that prevailed at the time of the photo. So don't be afraid to experiment!

Remember that all of these tips are not mandatory, but they can help you bring back great photos from your vacation that you will look back on again during those wonderful days of relaxation.

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