Tips for getting the best Med pics needed

Would love to know the secrets in getting the best Greek Isle and area pics. What are your secrets to getting great shots with only hours in a port?

Thanks Karen

Would love to know the secrets in getting the best Greek Isle and area pics. What are your secrets to getting great shots with only hours in a port? Thanks Karen

THANKS, Karen! Here are some tips that might help. Now with digital technology, you can see your results instantly. While traveling between locations on a bus or in a car (not while driving), you can and should be checking what you've shot, what works, what doesn't. I bring along my laptop so I can be downloading the pictures at the end of each day and monitoring on a larger screen to see what I was getting in the pictures.

Photo secrets? It's a little more than just the "camera". I have a Nikon D50 SLR. Good, but not at the super pro level. Lots of people have cameras at and near that quality or comparable. These days, the digital technology has improved so much that nearly everyone can take good to great pictures. Here are some of my tips, secrets and suggestions to share. I found taking cruise and travel pictures is fun, plus cheaper than shopping for souvenirs. Filters can help, especially on some of the Greek Isles where you have bright sunshine, white buildings and/or water reflections. A polarizing is the main one filter most needed these days (plus the standard UV to protect your lens). Most of the other filters are not needed as it is easier to fine-tune your pictures on your lap-tip if the blue balance isn't right, etc.

1. ZOOM/FRAMING: Fill the frame and make it interesting. Use your feet. Move closer. Zoom in or out. Make it tighter in the picture frame, etc. People don't want to be bored with a key subject or highlight being only in the middle 15% of the picture frame.

2. LENS: Many of the nice pictures in certain famed palaces and churches were taken with a new 10-20 mm lens that gives a wider angle view than average. That really helped create some picture "drama" without being too wide and distorted as can happen with a fish-eye lens. There are cases where that longer lens (have a 70-300 mm zoom) can really help. In many cases, my basic 18-55 mm zoom covers the basic middle range. It's nice to have one lens that covers all needs, but then you lose some of that desired picture quality.

3. LOTS OF PICTURES: With digital, it is much easier and cheaper to take lots of pictures, see what you have, take more pictures, try different angles, etc. In the old 35 mm film days, you could not take as many different pictures and you were always guessing and hoping on exposure, what you really captured, etc. Then you need to be checking as you go on what you just shot, blow off the duds, etc. It's great instant feed-back on what's working and what's not. As you are riding on a bus, waiting in line, that picture checking is a good way to both pass the time and monitor your picture progress/success (or failure).

4. STEADY HOLD: I mostly use the eyepiece viewer, not the back of camera viewing screen. That keeps the camera closer to my body and makes it more stable. Use your elbows against your body to brace the camera. I'll lean against walls or doorframes when taking certain inside pictures in low light situations to improve . . . stability! You don't want blurred and shaky pictures. Set the camera on walls, chairs, etc. Stability! Some think that if they push the button faster to take the picture, then it will be better. WRONG! Gently S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E that shutter button, slowly! It makes a major difference in picture quality.

5. PEOPLE: Having people as a part of the picture gives it context, interest, etc. Lots of "just the place" pictures are nice, but I have found that the ones with some human involvement and/or connection look and work better.

What are other secrets and tips to share for better photographic success in the beautiful Med with so much beauty and history and water?

Below are some sample of pictures taken during our 2006, one-week cruise from Athens to Istanbul, seeing three Greeks Isles and making two stops along the beautiful Turkish Coast.

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

On the opposite side of the Mykonos village on the island, here's a sampling of the beachside activities:

The famed four windmills overlooking Mykonos:

In Bodrum, a view from the Castle to our cruise ship:

In the small, Greek Island village of Milos, here is a colorful group of flowers at a doorway:

Inside the church part of the Holy Monastery of St. John in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. It is part of a complex with a nice museum and art collection:

Looking down upon Nafplion, a former capital of Greece, from the historic fortress that overlooks the town and its harbor:

Beautiful shots!

When you have locals in photos have you asked permission or do you use a long lens so that you are not intrusive?

Have found in the Caribbean that locals are very "shy" to have a picture taken and can be quite vocal about having their picture taken (even when you did not even take a shot but they think you have). Have you run into this in the Med?

My DH and I have started to add the Polarizer with software like Nik instead of putting filters on and off.

We also travel with our Applebook so we can check out our pictures as we go.

What I have noticed with your photos is the different levels you shoot at. That really adds interest to your shots, one at ground level then the next half way up a hill. Those different perspectives give life to your photos that really comes through.

Thanks again, Karen

Also work with your photos after you've taken them -- Photoshop and similar products (some of which may be included in your computer or with your camera or printer) have some phenomenal features. Very often, just a little cropping can make an OK picture really "pop"

I put together electronic photo albums (and print 8.5x11 and/or 12x12 paper copies of them as well) -- If you plan to do a lot of work with your photos a higher pixel rating on your camera is worth the investment -- you can zoom in on features in the photo with no noticable quality degragation.

I also program my digit to shoot multiples. That way if someone walks right in front of me at just the wrong moment, I've got two or three more shots that might be distraction free -- you just have to remember to keep still for that much longer!

It is alot more than the camera - but the right camera can play a big part !!

We purchased a Sony Cybershot for our last trip to the Mediterranean. It has a picture stabilizing thingy in it and you can literally be riding in a jeep in the mountains in Turkey on a goat trail bouncing around like a ball.......and get a great STABLE clear picture. I know - we did it. I have shown so many people how I can move the camera up and down and all around while taking their picture - then show them the picture and it is clear and precise. LOVE THIS CAMERA.

Composition is a big deal too. Try to frame things (like the ship in the above picture) or focus on one item and make it the whole picture. A couple of my favorites from Mykonos was a picture of the fishermens nets all laid out on the dock pier drying......a big jumble of nets.......yellow with red floaters.....blue water on either side. Another was of a brightly colored fishing boat (they paint them really neat!) I have one taken in Dubrovnik of an old man dressed in a suit bailing water with a bucket out of his tiny dinghy like boat. Sometimes the archectectural items can be really interesting pictures too. An old door, a window with weathered shutters falling off with a window box full of bright red carnations (also Dubrovnik)

KEEP YOUR CAMERA HANDY...... the Cybershot is so small I keep it on a lanyard on my neck but tuck into my shirt/blouse when I know I won't have the opportunity to snap a quick one. You never know when that neat "view" or "shot" will appear - camera ready means you will have a better chance of getting it.

Would love to know the secrets in getting the best Greek Isle and area pics. What are your secrets to getting great shots with only hours in a port?

 

Thanks Karen

Practice, practice, and more practice!!! Or if you are serious you might also consider taking a class at our local college or community enrichment program.

If you want to see what is possible just go to flickr and search a location or country ( http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=mykonos&m=text ). In some sense with the advent of the digital camera for 200 bucks and the internet there really isn't a place or prospective that you can't find a picture of.

IMHO if you are looking for more then vacation snapshots a more advance P&S or DSLR is recommended to enable the more creative shots.

Happy shooting!

Beautiful shots! When you have locals in photos have you asked permission or do you use a long lens so that you are not intrusive? Have found in the Caribbean that locals are very "shy" to have a picture taken and can be quite vocal about having their picture taken (even when you did not even take a shot but they think you have). Have you run into this in the Med? My DH and I have started to add the Polarizer with software like Nik instead of putting filters on and off. We also travel with our Applebook so we can check out our pictures as we go.

What I have noticed with your photos is the different levels you shoot at. That really adds interest to your shots, one at ground level then the next half way up a hill. Those different perspectives give life to your photos that really comes through. Thanks again, Karen

THANKS, Karen, for the nice comments and added feed-back! In most cases as I take pictures, the people shown are usually not shown fully in the face and/or I'm shooting at some distance with a longer lens. Since I am not using the pictures commercially, legal permission is not required. In busy tourist area, people are always taking lots of pictures. In most cases, I'm not using a flash and not being as intrusive as people are busy "doing their thing". You have to use good judgement and in some areas people are more shy. Or, as you taking a picture using the back of someone's head or shoulder, they will want to get out of the picture, assuming they are helping you. Actually, having them in it at the right angle helps make it a better picture.

YES, if you can shoot from different angles than just eye level it help make a more interesting picture. Boring is bad!!! If you can mix in a couple of good visual elements, it helps. Glad you take along your computer to do down-loads, etc. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Practice, practice, and more practice!!! Or if you are serious you might also consider taking a class at our local college or community enrichment program. IMHO if you are looking for more then vacation snapshots a more advance P&S or DSLR is recommended to enable the more creative shots. Happy shooting!

Also work with your photos after you've taken them -- Photoshop and similar products (some of which may be included in your computer or with your camera or printer) have some phenomenal features. Very often, just a little cropping can make an OK picture really "pop". I also program my digit to shoot multiples. That way if someone walks right in front of me at just the wrong moment, I've got two or three more shots that might be distraction free -- you just have to remember to keep still for that much longer!

It is alot more than the camera - but the right camera can play a big part !! Composition is a big deal too. Try to frame things (like the ship in the above picture) or focus on one item and make it the whole picture. Sometimes the archectectural items can be really interesting pictures too. An old door, a window with weathered shutters falling off with a window box full of bright red carnations (also Dubrovnik)

KEEP YOUR CAMERA HANDY...... the Cybershot is so small I keep it on a lanyard on my neck but tuck into my shirt/blouse when I know I won't have the opportunity to snap a quick one. You never know when that neat "view" or "shot" will appear - camera ready means you will have a better chance of getting it.

Agree totally with chipmaster that doing more shooting improves your odds of getting those, better, more special visuals. Checking what that shot looks like is also vital to making sure you've got what you need and want.

Excellent comments and suggestion by Onessa cropping and the added technical tool now available to fine-tune and improve your pictures.

Also agree with texancruzer on those various suggestions. The more you are "work at it", taking many pictures, looking and thinking about it, then your results are better.

Below are a few more of my pictures from around in the charming Med areas. On most of these pictures, you will see how "framing" a picture can create nice contrasts or setting that more interesting. As noted earlier, "boring" is bad! Any visual "drama" makes things more involving and different than just the bland old stuff of a regular snapshot.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From the Parthenon, a view of Athens and another temple:

At Bodrum along the Turkish Coast, here's a religious tower and view of the town in background:

At night for a concert, the Ephesus library is dramatically done in its lighting and visual impact:

Our first views of Istanbul from our docked ship:

Epidaurus has totally amazing acoustic properties. It is located on the Peloponnesos Peninsula:

In Corinth, this is the view of the Temple built by the Romans in this key city on the Peloponnesian Peninsula: