Fun Friday: Summer Vacation Photo Tips

It's that time - Summer Vacation!

We took our first real Summer Vacation last year (we're more Winter people) and it was quite the adventure.

Summer is a great time to take advantage of beautiful weather, vacation days and checking off that place you've been wanting to go (or hitting your annual favorite).

So, you've got this awesome adventure planned. How do you document it well?
I've got some tips for you that I hope are helpful.

Lets Talk Technique:

1. Learn Manual - at least a little bit. Sometimes auto just doesn’t do the trick (weird lighting, night photography, etc.). Knowing how to adjust shutter speed, aperture and ISO are a big help to getting good results.
2. Capture what matters to you. Sure, your vacay may be full of awesome, but not everything needs to make the highlight reel. Why? Because if you’re so focused on capturing everything, you won’t experience anything. So, pull over, pose, snap away when you want. But don’t fret about missing a sign, monument or silly moment. Find the balance of taking it all in, too!
3. Learn the self timer settings. You can use this with or without a remote. Most cameras have a 2 second feature (great for remotes) and a 10 second (great for jumping in). This is great so all your photos aren’t weird angled selfies!
4. Have fun! 

Once You're Home (wah wahhh):

1. Back up your files. I hope you've never had a hard drive crash but it happens. I recommend backing up your photos on an external hard drive or cloud storage.
2. Don’t just let them sit there; make art! Big prints, photo books, wood prints and more. There are so many great options. See recommendations below.
3. Share your stories. Upload your favorite photos (Facebook, IG, Blog) and share about your top moments, funny stories, unique experiences. Plus, it is fun to relive the moments! 

Here are some of my top resources for helpful tools:

1. A wireless remote: great for setting up the moment and snapping away. This one has a 10 foot range. This one has a 16 foot range.
2. A tripod. Here's a list of top tripods depending on what you're looking for.
3. Plenty of memory cards. Cards hold a lot but it's always good to have a back up.
4. A good camera bag or backpack. Something that makes your gear accessible but keeps it protected is important.
5. Travel battery charger (road trips) like this one. This saved my life last week on our two week road trip as I tried to charge my battery at a Utah gas station. Just make sure it has the power you need. 

 And finally, make art! Here are some places I love for turning my moments into tangible art:

1. A local print lab, like my favorite Fullerton Photo
2. Artifact Uprising
3. Woodsnap
4. Mail a postcard while traveling with Sincerely (a free phone app)