Want to Capture Scenic Pictures?

Then let's go on VACATION

• Timing
• Experience
• Equipment

Although it is much better (photographically) when traveling on your own, there are several points that apply to either situation.

The bottom line is that if you could choose when to be at each location, as well as how long to be there, your photographs would improve dramatically.

You can rest assured that any travel or landscape picture taken by a professional photographer was not snapped while driving past the location in a tour bus at 60 m.p.h. More likely, they spent many hours at the “picture-perfect” location waiting for the exact moment when the light bathed the subject in perfect light.

As you have probably gathered from our site, sunrise and sunset are generally the best times for taking scenic pictures. Unfortunately, the photographic sweet spot may only last a few minutes. Although both you and the professional photographer only have a small window, the professional photographer probably prepared for hours before.

So, what can you do? Be aware when the best times of the day are, and take advantage of them. For example, don't spend the last 2 hours before sunset in a restaurant (very few scenic pictures are captured inside restaurants). When asked whether one should spend a long time preparing and take only 1 or 2 well-planned pictures; or take a huge number of less-planned shots, I always respond yes.

Plan out the details as much as possible, but when on vacation, take as many photos as possible. Then, between you and me, only share the best ones with your friends and erase the also-rans.


Experience

(All links in this section open up new windows.)
The only way that I know to "gain years of photographic experience" is to learn all the tips and techniques that ordinarily take years to learn. And, take lots and lots of scenic pictures.

Since it is easier to get the scenic pictures you want when traveling by yourself, here are some tips to employ when traveling with a tour group (which also apply when NOT in a tour):

1. Before you go on vacation, practice using your equipment! The WORST time to figure out how to use your digital camera for taking the world's greatest scenic picture, is on the trip.

2. Bring your owner’s manual with you.

3. Just like a soldier trains to learn how to operate their weapons in complete darkness, know how to operate your camera with just a second’s notice.

   Take what you learned in the first point and ramp it up. Learn how to quickly change camera settings, ISO settings, auto to manual, switch metering modes, go from macro to telephoto, and how to turn on the flash for certain outdoor conditions.

4. Buy a separate flash unit that can be used with your camera’s hot shoe. If you want to take better photographs, this will help a great deal (although, probably not specifically for scenic pictures). To find deals on flash units (or anything else for that matter), of course check the web...

5. Don’t bother taking scenic pictures from a moving vehicle. Even though it might seem like a good idea at the time, there’s a 90% chance you will be disappointed when you see the final image.

6. When taking scenic pictures of panoramic landscapes, try to include some close object in your image. Your photos will have more depth. Just be sure to focus on the main subject, otherwise your landscape will be out of focus.

7. Once you get to a photo location, "work the scene" by taking multiple shots from different angles and perspectives.

It doesn’t matter how well you know how to use your camera if you didn’t take the right equipment with you. Begin by checking the "Must-have" Photography Checklist ebook you received when subscribing to our newsletter.

One more thing - for vacations, you might also want to consider a Portable Digital Storage Device, just to make sure you have enough memory for the entire trip.


Summary

Now that you know how to capture the best scenic pictures, the only detail left is figuring out where you want to go.

Before you leave, you might want to review the following topics:

• Travel Photography Tips

• How Underwater Cameras Work (in case water is in your future).

• Outdoor Photography Tips and Tricks, that include
  • Landscape Pictures
  • Sunset Photographs
  • Wildlife Photos
  • Weather & Nature Photography
  • Outdoor Photographic Equipment

Leave Scenic Pictures and return to the Home Page