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    Home » Arts, Crafts & DIY

    Photography Tips for Travelers

    August 20, 2015 • Updated: February 2, 2022 • by Renée • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Photography Tips for Beginners {Or, What I Learned at Sunrise in Hawaii} | The Good Hearted Woman

    Six essential, practical tips for beginning photographers who want to take their travel photography to the next level.

    Sunrise low over a rocky beach, with waves coming in.

    Years ago, I took a writing class from an editor-turned-publisher, who shared that when he started out, he made his bread-and-butter money writing instructional manuals for a high-tech company. He told us that he got the job not by virtue of his vast store of technical knowledge, but ironically, because of his complete lack of it. In other words, he was full of questions and no answers, just like the people who would be reading the manuals he wrote.

    “I remember the day I knew I had to find a new job,” he said. “As I often did, I’d asked my teenage daughter to proofread a computer manual I’d completed before turning it into my editor, and when she handed it back to me, she said, ‘Looks good, Dad - except one thing. How do you turn it on?’ I knew then that I knew too much about the product. I didn’t ask all the questions anymore.”

    Sunlit water splashing against rocks in foreground' ocean beyond.

    I’m a wannabe photographer, so I read a lot of articles and blog posts about photography; most written by talented, capable photographers who have thoroughly learned their craft and are generously passing their knowledge on.

    The problem is, even in pieces aimed at beginners, they often forget that some of us are still trying to learn how to turn the camera on.

    "Never let the truth get in the way of a great photo." 

    ~ Alex, Oahu Photography Tours

    Alex, owner and operator of Oahu Photography Tours, is an exception. Not only does Alex remember all the questions, but he guides you to the answers in such a way that you go home with some truly valuable knowledge that you can use going forward.

    I learned more in one morning taking pictures with Alex and our small tour group than I have learned in hours and hours of reading blog posts and books on the subject.

    If there is one message that I took away from the tour, it was, "Never let the truth get in the way of a great photo."

    While I use this guideline nearly daily when taking food images (if you had any idea what's going on just beyond those cropped edges...), I hadn't really thought about applying it beyond close-ups.

    Alex must have repeated this advice at least twenty times in the six or so hours that we spent with him, and it is perhaps the most important thing I learned. Move things, change angles, or do whatever you need to do (within law and reason) to capture that perfect shot.

    Six Essential Photography Tips for Beginners

    Tip #1: Silhouettes

    Woman in silhouette looking out at the ocean, both hands up, elbows out, shading her face.

    Taking pictures in silhouette is powerful, and one of my favorite sunrise photography tips of the day.

    Since you can't see faces, people can imagine themselves in the picture.

    Man sitting on the beach, looking out at the ocean waves.

    Tip #2: Composition

    Still tide pools with green seaweed in foreground; large splashing waves beyond.

    Be aware of where things are happening. Don't overlook something cool in the foreground because you are too focused on what's going on on the horizon.

    Tip #3: Exposure

    Under-expose sometimes. You can always add fill light with an editing program, and the under-exposure often creates some nice drama.

    Many trees standing near water; high contrast between.

    Tip #4: P Mode

    P Mode was the one piece of technical learning I took away. (Once again, this will be ultra rudimentary for Real Photographers.)

    When you are ready to move on from fully automatic, but not ready for Manual, P Mode is a great intermediate step. In P Mode, you can:

    1. Learn what works: The camera will show you which aperture and shutter speed settings it has decided to use for your picture, so instead of guessing which aperture and shutter combination will work, you can shoot in P mode and take some notes. Then when you are ready, you can use the same settings in manual mode.
    2. Adjust the exposure compensation, which makes your images brighter or darker. Start off by switching to P mode and taking a picture of something you see. Then look at a preview and decide if it’s too bright, too dark, or just right. If it isn’t quite right, just adjust the exposure compensation up or down.
    3. Adjust your camera’s ISO speed. Sometimes there isn’t enough light in a scene and you still want to avoid using a flash. If that’s the case, you can make your images brighter by increasing your camera’s ISO speed. ISO speed controls the rate at which your light sensor picks up the information it gets from your lens. Just experiment to see what you like. Don’t go crazy though, because if you increase the ISO too much, your images will start to look grainy.

    Tip #5: Forest and Trees

    Remember while you are photographing the forest to take a few pictures of the trees - you might find something interesting. Conversely, remember to capture the forest, even when you are focusing on the trees.

    Collage: Mountains near and far.

    Tip #6: People

    Don't forget the people in the forest. They tell a story all their own.

    Group of people taking pictures over the side of a short, graffitied cement highway wall.

    Finally, take a lot of pictures. This probably seems like a no-brainer, but even though I've been taking all my pictures with a digital camera for well over a decade, until this tour, I don't think I had completely made the mental shift from film photography, when counting the number of exposures was a thing. However, I'm cured now: I took so many pictures of this stand-up paddle boarder that I can practically make a stop-action movie.

    Collage: various views of paddleboarded paddling by, from a viewpoint on the beach.

    If you are planning a trip to Hawaii, I highly recommend including a photography tour early in your itinerary. You don't need a fancy camera - you can even use your phone - and some equipment (e.g., tripods, and some filters) is provided.

    For me, this photography tour was some of the best-spent money of our entire trip; and the images I captured, both on the tour and subsequently on our vacation, are priceless.

    While this post specifically highlights my experience with Alex and Oahu Photography Tours, there are a number of photography tours on the Hawaiian Islands, offering a number of different types of tours, from Sunrise to Sunset.

    For more sunrise photography tips, check our post on Photographing Mesa Arch at Sunrise. 

    Woman in tennis shoes leaning against a curved tree trunk.

    NOTE: All of the images in this post were taken by me (except the last one) during my sunrise photography tour.

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

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    About Renée

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Erode says

      August 27, 2018 at 11:57 pm

      Beautiful photography of nature by you. The places are totally perfect for a tour and photo shoot. Love this place so much.

      Reply
    2. Honolulu vacation says

      April 23, 2018 at 8:30 am

      Lovely tips. Really great place too. Cool resorts and hotels perfect for weddings and honeymoons.

      Reply
    3. Rojar says

      November 04, 2017 at 10:27 pm

      This is amazing photography, i really love your tips and creative outlook.
      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    4. Heather says

      June 22, 2017 at 9:51 am

      Awesome guide! I definitely have a hard time deciding between lighting up photos or leaving them underexposed, but you make a good point - you can always decide later! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    5. Christina says

      November 07, 2016 at 9:16 am

      You make a solid point when suggesting that people be aware of where things are in the photograph. You don't want to be focused on any one area so much that you miss another important part, just as you shared.

      Reply
    6. Abélia says

      August 25, 2016 at 9:39 am

      I think that Hawaii is the perfect place to start taking pictures and learning about photography. I agree that silhouette pictures are powerful because people can put themselves in the picture. I'll try and take your advice about not being afraid to take a lot of pictures to ensure you get the perfect one. I'm a wannabe photographer as well so I appreciate the tips! Thanks!

      Reply
    7. Susannah says

      August 20, 2015 at 5:19 pm

      Wow! These pictures are gorgeous!!! Looks like you learned a ton!!! <3

      Reply
    8. Lila Rose (Mom) says

      August 20, 2015 at 4:02 pm

      These pictures are awesome, precious daughter; as you are. I am so proud of you for all that you have/are accomplishing and all the challenges that you have over come. <3

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        August 20, 2015 at 5:34 pm

        Thanks Mom 🙂

        Reply
    9. Erin says

      August 20, 2015 at 2:06 pm

      Wow! What an awesome class. How did you hear about that? That sounds amazing. I agree, there is a lot to learn about photography and taking a class like this must have been really helpful. You have some gorgeous photos - I especially love the one of the wave on the rocks.

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        August 20, 2015 at 3:26 pm

        Thanks, Erin! Oahu Photography Tours gets awesome ratings on both Yelp & Tripadvisor: I know I found them one place or the other.

        Reply
    10. Dawne says

      August 20, 2015 at 11:28 am

      I think secretly we all wish we were photographers, I appreciate you sharing the things you learned, great tips.

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        August 20, 2015 at 11:36 am

        Thanks, Dawne. (I think you're right!)

        Reply
    11. Cyra says

      August 20, 2015 at 10:59 am

      You had a great subject to practice with. Hawaii is basically Eden.

      Reply
    12. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

      August 20, 2015 at 8:52 am

      What GREAT shots! I have never taken a photography class, but am definitely wanting to do so. Hawaii sounds like a great place to learn 😉 Plus, I've never heard of P mode - I'm going to check it out!

      Reply
    13. Meredith {MarthaChartreuse} says

      August 20, 2015 at 8:37 am

      Great tips! I took a photography class earlier in the summer and the growth has been dramatic. Always enjoy hearing about everyone's interests through the Portland bloggers.

      Reply
    14. Bill Volckening says

      August 20, 2015 at 7:26 am

      What a great experience. You learned a few of the most important things I learned given the best photography education money could buy...and you got to go to Hawaii!! A win-win, and you got some beautiful shots.

      Reply

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