How to Take Better Pictures on Your RV Trip
You'll be taking your RV on plenty of adventures. What better way to remember these adventures than through photographs? That quick snapshot of a moment can become a cherished possession. You may even hang it up in your RV! While anyone can point and shoot their cell phone, there is an art and a science to photography. We rounded up the top beginner's tips for taking pictures on your RV trip below. For all your RV needs, visit Carolina Coach & Marine. We proudly serve those in Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Lighting
Whether you use your smartphone camera or a fancier camera, the technology will need some light to focus on the shot. If you are shooting in the daytime, this will be easy. Just use the sun! Be intentional with how the lighting is cast on your scene, though. Too much or too little light will throw the colors and shades out of whack. You'll also want to avoid dark shadows, so try to keep the sun to your side or behind you.
If you are shooting at night, you'll need to create some form of light. This can include anything from a flashlight to your RV's headlights. As with sunlight, position the scene so that the light source is behind you or to your side.
The ideal time to shoot, though, is a time professional photographers call the “golden hour.” This happens twice a day: right after sunrise and right before sunset. The lighting cast during this time is softer and redder, which is powerful enough to transform ordinary photos into extraordinary photos.
Framing
Once you have a subject or setting to shoot, spend some time thinking about the framing. Most people frame the subject smack dab in the middle. If it's the most important part of the photo, it should be centered, right? Wrong! A centered photo is frankly boring to look at.
A better approach is to use a strategy called the rule of thirds. Break up your screen into a grid of three sections up and down and three sections across (to make a nine square grid). Aim for your subject to be on a line that's different from the direct middle. Position the subject on the far left, bottom right, and so on. Playing around with framing helps lead to more interesting photographs.
While you focus on framing, consider the stuff in the background. Clutter detracts from the beautiful scene. See if you can frame the photo in a way to limit visual distractions. Try walking around to get a different position or move the camera around to get a crisp, simple shot.
Angle
Along the same lines as framing, avoid doing what everyone else does: stand straight on and click the button. Try crouching and shooting from below. Try holding your camera up high and shooting down. The different perspectives will add depth and intrigue to photos.
Stabilize Your Camera
The smallest wiggle or shiver of your hand can be enough movement to ruin a perfectly good photo. Always make sure the camera is fully steady before snapping that shot. You can even invest in a tripod (they make plenty of options for cell phones). You'll have plenty of space to store it in your RV and it can help you to create stunning shots.
Things to Photograph
Part of the beauty of RV travel is that you’ll be soaking up beautiful vistas while you travel to your destination. Along your route, keep an eye out for nature viewpoints. You can use these places to take a break, stretch your legs and snap a scenic vista shot!
Your journey will provide plenty of potential photograph opportunities, but so will your destination! You can snap a photo of anything, from a famous landmark to your child playing in a park. Some of the best photos are candid, in-the-moment shots as your passengers go about their business. Posed photos are fun, but try to take some spontaneous ones, too!
It's also fun to get shots of your RV in action. Snap a shot of your beautiful RV against a striking backdrop of mountains or with towering skyscrapers. This also will help you in the event that you sell your RV in order to upgrade to a better model. You'll be able to show potential customers the types of experiences they could have with an RV!
We hope you found this guide helpful! For all your RV needs, stop by Carolina Coach & Marine. We proudly serve those in Asheville, North Carolina, as well as Spartanburg, South Carolina.