5 Indispensable Tips for Great Vacation Photos
Here are our top tips for taking great vacation photos, including photography equipment recommendations and a guide to focusing on key types of travel photos. Whether you’re a professional photographer with thousands of dollars of equipment or a hobbyist iPhoneographer, these vacation photo tips will help you improve your photography!
5. Bring the Right Gear.
Before you can even capture the photos, you need to have the gear in hand to enable you to take the shots. This tip applies to casual vacationers as much as it does pros packing multiple bags full of gear. Vacations present unique circumstances from your average day of taking photos in the park, and thus require different planning.
If you’re serious about photography, you might spend years purchasing the perfect lens that will work best for your style of shooting. I have spent years refining my camera bag for a photography style that best captures the magic of Walt Disney World and Disneyland. You can see what, exactly, is in my camera bag here (along with my recommendations for what items to–and not to–purchase). Be warned, as I am not one to shoot “light,” so looking at that page might result in a heavy (but awesome) bag full of gear! If you’d rather travel light, you can find my recommendations for that below.
However, there are other things that can be easy to overlook. It’s essential to carry spare camera batteries
Similarly, extra memory cards are really important. Some people recommend only carrying one really large card and keeping it in your camera at all times so you don’t lose it, but what if the card becomes corrupted? Worse yet, what if you lose the camera?! Not only have you lost an expensive piece of electronics, but you’ve lost all of those captured-memories. Rather than carrying one large card, I recommend carrying a few 8GB memory cards
The next question is a tough one for some people to answer: do you bring a big DSLR to capture the best photos possible, or do you travel light with a small point and shoot? I really can’t answer that question for you. You have to weigh what’s more important to you: traveling light or having the best possible photos. For me, the answer is easy, but it differs for everyone. I always recommend taking the best camera gear. If you do opt to go light, this is even more important. I highly recommend taking the best point & shoot camera you can. Right now, I think the creme de la creme is the Canon PowerShot S95
If you do choose a DSLR, which lenses do you take? Again, this comes down to traveling light versus having the best possible photos. And again, I take so much gear that I may resemble a sherpa or pack-mule on vacation. It doesn’t bother me. If you want to go light, I recommend an all-in-one vacation lens like the Nikon 18-200mm VR
4. Capture the Details
This is important, and something I think some people overlook. It’s also a great way to get shots that the average tourist wouldn’t take. For example, at Disney, most people get basic landscape shots of Cinderella Castle, Sleeping Beauty Castle, or Spaceship Earth.
By contrast, how many people get shots of the Sword in the Stone behind the Castle, light fixtures in the World Showcase, or directional signs? These type of shots can really set your photos apart from the average tourist’s, and give you unique (free!) souvenirs to take home. Disney is rife with these kind of details thanks to the hard work of the Imagineers, but you can really find details just like this at any vacation destination in the world. Remember, the devil is in the details! (In a good way!)
My biggest tip for this type is to take these photos at “un-important” times. I’m a firm believer in experiencing your vacation in person rather than through a viewfinder, but I also like to take a lot of photos. This makes for a tough balance. So, I take a lot of photos while we’re waiting in lines or while other members of my party are using the restroom or otherwise busy. The less intrusive photography is on the rest of your trip, the better.
3. Establish the Scene
If you’re photography-minded like I am, this may seem like pointing out the obvious. A lot of us naturally gravitate towards the beautiful sunset photos of beautiful landscapes. For those of us who don’t do this, though, (some people instead might focus on the details too much) it’s important to remember to stop and take some “big picture” shots.
Trust me, your Facebook friends will want to see dozens of waffle-shots.
In film, these shots are referred to as “establishing shots.” Before a lot of scenes, there is a quick view of the location of the scene to give the viewer a frame of reference. Likewise, in photo-sharing, it’s good to establish the scene before you start focusing on the details. Your Facebook friends/subscribers may love seeing those 34 Mickey waffle photos you took at the Crystal Palace, but they may also wonder where the heck you ate so many Mickey Mouse waffles! Let them know by starting out with a nice shot of the gorgeous exterior of the Crystal Palace.
It’s important to remember to capture establishing shots of a variety of scenes, not just those breathtaking landscapes. This was a hard one for me to learn, but over the last year, I’ve made an effort to focus on the less-obvious landscape shots. I’ve learned this since starting this blog, as I’ve found that I often need a lot of “un-spectacular” photos for our Disney Dining Reviews and other assorted posts. Instead of just beautiful shots of the Castle and other icons, I have started taking landscape photos of ice cream stands and other places we visit throughout the day. I’ve found that, in retrospect, these shots are the ones that instantly transport me back to that moment in time from our vacation more than any other landscape photos.
2. Get in the Shot!
This is a really tough one for a lot of photographers. In fact, I think a lot of people become the designated vacation photographer specifically so they won’t have to be in the photos. No matter how shy, self-conscious, etc., you are, GET IN THE PHOTOS!
Capture these shots while waiting in lines, or while waiting for rides to start!
Seriously. It may not interest you, or you may not want photos of yourself right now, but what about in 2, 5, or 10 years?
This is especially true for parents vacationing with small children. Mom or dad may choose to be the designated photographer and not care that they’re in the photos, but what happens once your kids are older, and want to look through those old family albums? “Why did only mom/dad come on this vacation with us? WHERE’S OUR OTHER PARENT?!!?” Rather than induce hysteria into your children in the future because they think you didn’t love them enough to come on the vacation with them, “prove” you were there by getting in at least a few photos.
The downside to using a fisheye lens when holding the camera out is that end up with long arms like a character from The Incredibles!
If you’re worried about handing your expensive camera off to a stranger (don’t be–people are mostly good!), carry an inexpensive point and shoot that you don’t mind handing off, or carry a GorillaPod that you can set up with the self timer. Or, just turn the camera on yourself with an outstretched arm!
It’s probably not the safest idea to hold a DSLR in one hand on spinning teacups, though…
Trust me, your family will appreciate you being in the shots.
1. Focus on the Moments.
It’s good to have a few posed photos (I know we take more than that each trip!), but it’s also really important to capture photos during those candid special moments when people least expect it. I’m not suggesting that you surprise photo bomb old Uncle Orville while he’s picking his nose. Rather, I’m saying that candid photos and photos without everyone properly posed and smiling ear-to-ear are often some of the best shots.
Sarah loves to dream of being a Disney Princess. (She’s always a princess to me!)
For me, Sarah makes this easy when we’re at Disney because she stares longingly into space and daydreams about being a Disney princess at various times during the day. She gets a lot of shots of me this way, too. Well, except I’m dreaming about being Figment rather than being a princess.
Rather than distracting Sarah from looking at the camera here, I yelled gibberish to get her to look at the camera, and quickly snapped a shot.
If the people in your party are human beings, it should be fairly easy to capture their emotions at various times on your trips. If you’re having trouble finding the right moments to capture this type of shot, there are things you can do to distract your family from looking at the camera.
Those magic moments are the ones you really want to capture, not posed ones!
These are the shots you’ll cherish for years, more-so than any “say cheese” posed shot.
One thing that will help you better achieve all of these goals is to do a little advance planning. I’m not suggesting you plan your trip down to every step you’ll take while in the parks, but if you have a general idea of what you’re doing, where you’re dining, etc., you can then do some advance research for photography. Go on Flickr or Google Image Search and see what others have captured in the restaurants, attractions, etc., that you’ll be experiencing. When I proposed to Sarah, I went so far as watching a YouTube video of the fireworks show multiple times so I had the timing down for the proposal! You don’t need to go to that extreme, but a little research might put you in a position to capture better photos!
Hopefully these tips will help you take better vacation photos–let us know if you have any other tips in the comments! I look forward to seeing your best vacation shots on the various social media websites!
For actual Walt Disney World trip planning tips and comprehensive advice beyond these quick and random tips, make sure to read our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide. For planning a trip to Disneyland Resort, check out our Disneyland Trip Planning Guide.
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Your Thoughts…
What are your tips for better photos at Disney? If you have any other comments or questions, please feel free to post those, too.
30 Responses to “5 Indispensable Tips for Great Vacation Photos”
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Hi Tom, good tips! Especially Tip 2! Your self-photography skills are great! But really, it can’t be all lens, you must actually have long arms!
Great set of tips. I especially like #1… family… friends… strangers… whatever.
But when I’m there with my family, my wife will occasionally get upset that she wasn’t looking at the camera and smiling. But I keep telling her that I’m trying to capture the candid moments of her and our daughter. Those COMPLETELY stand out for me.
I’ve had that reaction from Sarah before, too. Apparently not EVERY candid shot is good!
Great points.
+1 on pictures of food and family. At the time, it is easy to get carried away by scenic vistas and to take sterile photos of objects. But as I look back through my old photo albums, I find myself skipping directly to the pictures containing my friends and family. Seeing them immediately puts me back in the moment, which is really what we’re trying to acheive with photography. Funny thing is, seeing a picture of a meal evokes the same response. Maybe that’s just me, though.
I don’t think it’s just you. I love food pics!
Awesome shots! I am never in our Disney pics but next trip will have to give it a try. 12 days and counting…
Gorgeous shots and great tips!! We just invested in a DSLR and I’m learning everyday. Can you share the camera settings/tips to capture a fireworks shot like above?
I could go on for PAGES (over 50, to be precise) about fireworks. In fact, I have: http://howtophotographfireworks.com!
These are really great tips! I’m sitting here packing for my WDW trip (4 more days! – I think we’ll be there at the same time!) and had to do a little research to help me decide what camera equipment to bring. I could obviously find uses for all of my lenses and other camera stuff, but I’m also trying to ‘travel light’ (practically impossible for photographers, right?).
Wow ! What an awsome shot of Sarah (the one in the swing chair)!! Great shot.
Thanks!
What do you do with all your gear when you are on rides? I am trying to figure this out. Love all the great tips.
It comes with us on rides. Never had an issue with that.
Great tips!
You are a master at getting a great mix of shots on a trip–fireworks, food, you and Sara! It’s impressive that you capture it all.
I’ve got to say, Tom, that your blog is seriously getting me through the time until our next Disney trip! 272 days (there’s an app for that!) until my husband and I are back in Disney, and it is posts like these that are getting me through it! Kudos to you and Sarah for your zany/fun/occasionally sarcastic perspectives on The World, and I wish you enormous amounts of fun on your next trip. The faster you get the trip report written, the easier my time will be until I return to the happiest place on Earth!
Wow, great pictures! Fabulous tips too. The DSLR is the purview of my husband the photographer, but I love my Canon PowerShot S95 for its easy point and shoot (and size) and its manual features keeps camera-lover hubby happy too.
You have the best WDW shots ever. It’s obvious you have a quirky sense of humour and the love of your wife is obvious in your shots of her. My husband also has this sense of humour. Even though he can be shy, he’s not above getting into during vacation laying on the ground to get shots. Another tip to infuse personality in those posed in front of the landscape shot it to pull your sun glasses down and look over them with a serous face, or give some sort of “I’m too cool for DH came up with was the family adopting a barrel of monkeys pose and interlinking arms spread under the Pixar sign. Turned out well.
Funny about your husband. Thanks for the kind words!
Superb article and photos. The one of Sarah on the swings is AMAZING!
Thanks! I like that one, too.
Great blog Tom – one of your best!
Your shots are amazing. I never knew it was possible to get fireworks pictures like that. I assume it is impossible with a point and shoot camera right? One would have to have a nice camera with a special lens?
Also….do you photo shop people out of your pictures? I can’t imagine being able to get a long shot of main street without 1 single person in it!!!
We’re going to Walt Disney for our Honeymoon. I’m looking to get some good shots since we’ll be there for 10 days. I want to bring my 5d, but I’m worried about it getting stolen. Will they let you bring a large camera like that on the rides? What about a backpack? I’m nervous about leaving it on the ground without being able to watch it. Also is there such thing as a lens that’s always completely focused for self portraits as that’s always been a problem because of distance. My fish eye lens does that and I’m guessing it’s always why you used it, but do you know of other lens that do that? Much appreciated.
I had to laugh at your comment “Trust me, your Facebook friends will want to see dozens of waffle-shots.” On a recent Disney vacation I posted pictures on Facebook of our Mickey waffles on the first day. After the vacation was over a friend mentioned her disappointment because she thought we would post pictures of Mickey waffles every day!
Your photos and blog are awesome!
You are right on the mark with #2. We have pictures of our 2010 trip (first time with Kid#1) and it completely looks like he went to Seaworld and WDW all by himself! Out of hundreds of pictures there are only 3 with any adults…
We’re heading back for Christmas this year and we are planning to take lots of shots with everyone this time.
I used to think that as a kid. I was like “Why did you all leave me alone in the hallway???” Never thinking that someone was behind the camera
Thank you so much for these tips!!! I’m a Disneyland enthusiast and a firm believer of capturing details and special candid moments at the magic kingdom {plus I’m an obsessive scrapbooker who likes to hoard tangible memories}, but more than half of my photos are posed. These tips will be helpful for my next trip in March to balance posed vs. non-posed photographs.
Thanks again!
Hope the trip goes well and you’re able to bring back a nice mix of photos!
Tom,
We are returning to Disney World on May 1st for my 4th time in the past 6 years (wife and daughter have been a few times before). I purchased a Nikon d5100 with this trip in mind, any pointers on settings,shutter speed(s),LOCATIONS, etc to capture some great long-lasting memories?
Thanks
As for tips on using the camera, refer to the books here: http://www.disneytouristblog.com/photography-camera-reviews-disney/
As for locations, stay tuned to the blog…