How to Take Pictures of Your Vacation… and Enjoy It Too

carrienicholsphotography_ blog_vacation_6767 carrienicholsphotography_ blog_vacation_6384carrienicholsphotography_ blog_vacation_6941A few days ago, I found myself flipping the calendar to August in disbelief. How is it August already?! Summer has flown by, and though the stores are full of back-to-school supplies, summer is not over yet. Many of us like to plan an end of summer vacation. If you have an August trip planned, be it to grandmas house or a week at the beach, you’ll want photos to remember it. Here are some tips to capture your vacation.

Capture the Big Moments

carrienicholsphotography_ blog_vacation_6497On every vacation, you have moments that you know you want to pull out a camera or phone and capture – the sunset over the bay, sandy toes, an afternoon at the playground. There will be plenty. Whether you’re looking out over the bluffs at that big, beautiful ocean, taking an electric boat out on the water and letting your kid take the wheel, or snuggling on Great-Grandma’s lap for an afternoon story, you might end up with a lot of these big moment photos. Rightly so. This is the stuff that vacations are made of.

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Capture the Little Things

carrienicholsphotography_ blog_vacation_6477Did you often play with shapes on the floor in your downtime? Did you end every day with your husband singing an adorable tooth brushing song? Did your kid ask to push the button that turns on the car every time you piled in to go somewhere? Take a picture of it. Don’t forget to capture these little things in addition to the bigger moments, because sometimes it is the little moments that are the most cherished.

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Get in the Frame

carrienicholsphotography_ blog_vacation_6528Here’s one I’m working on myself. It’s easy to be the one taking all the photos and end up with an album full of pictures that look like your family took an awesome vacation (without you). Hand over your camera to another grown up (or even set up an auto-timer), and get in the frame. No matter that your legs are cut off or that the framing isn’t perfect – you were there, and you deserve the evidence.

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Set Down the Camera

Sometimes you just need to put away the camera or phone and experience the moment your family is having together. Squish the sand between your toes, feel the breeze on your face, and hear your child giggling as he swings around with Grandpa. Dig in, build a sandcastle, and be present. As much as we want to capture images to remember our vacation, we also want to have the memories of being in the moment. Find a good balance of both.

 

There will be plenty of time to capture moments like these.

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BONUS TIP – Print Your Photos!

We are in an age where images are shared online in abundance. Don’t forget to bring these photos into your home as well. Order prints to put in an album or a photo book that will tell the story. Sitting down with your kids to share stories and memories of your vacation has no match. Choose a quality printer – try MPix for prints, Pinhole Press for books, or contact me if you want to talk it all through. Check out this article for tips on shooting for and creating a photo book.

 

Carrie Nichols is a lifestyle family photographer in New York City. Interested in booking a session? Contact us here.

Capturing Your Vacation
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