It doesn’t matter whether you’ve taken up Hawaii photography as a hobby or just found yourself with a camera in your hands — every picture you take will be worth a thousand words. And it’s fair to say you want your pictures to tell the right tale, don’t you? The following tips should come in handy.
Keep Your Camera Lens Clean
This might seem too obvious to constitute proper advice. But there’s no point trying to improve elsewhere only to let your photos be ruined by a dirty lens. Do yourself a favor and get a lens cleaning kit; they’re rather cheap, and easy to bring along on every trip. A few minutes will be enough to rid the surface of grime and fingerprints for a crisp, clear shot.
Hold it Steady
Ever heard the term “camera shake?” It refers to inadvertent motion of a camera during a shoot, and which results in blurry images. Camera shake happens when you hold the equipment in a less-than-steady position.
For clear, blur-free photos, always hold your camera using both hands; one on the grip, and the other beneath the device’s body/lens for a stable base. Also make sure to give your arms a solid support by tucking your elbows into your chest.
Get the Light Right…
Light is the single most important element of Hawaii photography. Good light brings out the subjects of your shots in their best light (excuse the pun). On the other hand, bad light renders the image all but pointless.
So how do you get good light? The rule of thumb is to study the direction of ambient light in your scenes. You want your shots illuminated by just the right amount of light; enough to bring out the detail without seeming too harsh. Also avoid unflattering angles that could result in awkward shadows. Achieving good lighting will often require some adjustment; moving yourself or the subject, or waiting for the right time of day to take the shot.
…And the Background Too
There’s always going to be a background to deal with, and you wanna make sure it won’t distract from the focal point. Place your subjects against plain backgrounds (i.e. simple patterns & neutral colors) whenever possible. Otherwise, you might need to adjust your zooming, or move around once again to make the background less of a distraction.
Take Your Time
Working on the aforementioned variables in preparation for your shoots will often take time. Since taking the actual photo will be a split-second affair at most, there’s no need to rush. Slow down and think about what you want, and how you’re going to achieve it. Save for the occasional fleeting moment, you’ll always have the time you need to compose the scene for a great shot.
