Taking Great Cruise Photographs
A vacation on a cruise ship with your spouse, family, or friends
is a great way to create some wonderful memories. Like most
people, you will probably want to preserve those memories long
after the cruise is over. Learn to take some great photographs
so reminiscing about your trip will be almost as fun as the trip
itself. Whether you're an amateur with a disposable camera or a
professional with some serious equipment, everyone can benefit
from a few helpful tips that allow those photos to turn out
fabulous.
For starters, the number one mistake most people make in
vacation photographs is not capturing the spirit of the
vacation! On your cruise, what would you rather remember- your
kids lined up stiffly by the rail of the boat, or your kids in
the middle of a fast and furious limbo competition? Grab those
candid shots- don't worry about poses, smiles, or saying cheese.
Smiles are more natural- and usually much happier!- when they're
not forced. Simply turn on the flash on your camera so you're
prepared for any lighting conditions, and snap away. The
occasional blurred shot or cut-off background will not be a big
deal compared to the looks of involvement on everyone's faces
and the memories your candid snaps will capture. Of course, do
your best to frame the shots nicely and capture as much of the
scene as you can- but sometimes, the spur of the moment far
outweighs the importance of a technically perfect photograph!
Another important thing to remember when taking photos aboard
your cruise vacation is this: Since you're certainly not on
board a ship every day, do your best to capture your
surroundings. The huge expanse of water around you, the fancy
chandeliers in the dining room, and the crew in uniform will all
be things you will love to look back on years later. But use a
little imagination when it comes time to take photographs of
your surroundings. If you take a picture of the water around
you, try to grab the edge of the ship or, even better, a faraway
island or stretch of land, in your photograph. It will help put
the view into perspective, show the true size of things, and
remind you of the circumstances under which the picture was
taken.
Most importantly, don't stress too much about taking vacation
photos on your cruise! Even if you have lots of photographic
equipment, this might be the time to leave it at home and invest
in a disposable point and shoot. This will remove the worries
about keeping your good equipment safe, and it will also cut
down on the hassle of feeling you need to create the perfect
photograph. Vacations are meant to be non-stressful, so don't
spend your entire vacation stressing over creating memories of
it! Grab a camera, turn on the flash, and snap some candid shots
of whatever strikes you. Years from now, when you're remembering
the great time you had, even that slightly blurred picture you
took when you couldn't stop laughing will bring back the moment
and make you smile.