Admit it. You're pretty basic when it comes to taking photos. You might know a few tips like, “put the sun behind you” and “frame your shot properly” but when your kids are in the mix, coupled with a vacation destination like the beach or the slopes, you'll be lucky to get a shot that isn't a complete blur. (And there are only so many mistakes an Instagram filter can fix.)
To stop the madness of deleting crappy vacation photos from your phone, we hit up The Cesere Brothers, two Maui-based fine art underwater photographers (one of whom is a dad of two) for some pro photography tricks any parent can handle. After all, if they can make a boar wading in the water in Tahiti look absolutely adorable, their tips can probably make your kids look kinda cute too.
HOW TO TAKE A GREAT FAMILY VACATION PHOTO
1. CHOOSE A DECENT CAMERA: If you really want a decent photo, put your cellphone away and get a real camera. The new “mirror-less” technology in digital cameras makes high quality imaging affordable and almost pocket-sized while still being able to use interchangeable lenses. All of the major camera brands are making a mirror less system and they are all pretty nice. The Sony Alpha NEX-5T is a great camera that will take awesome images for under $500.
2. RESIST THE ZOOM. We always find our pictures are much more detailed and even a higher quality (which is good for making large prints) when we resist the urge to zoom in. If you really want to make your subjects larger, move in closer. Keep your lens on the widest setting and position yourself to capture the image you want. Zooming with your lens now will force you to crop the image later when you edit, which will lower the image quality and reduce the detail and clarity/sharpness of the image.
3. ENGAGEMENT. A successful photo leaves a viewer experiencing some kind of feeling or emotion, whether simple or complex. The easiest way to engage is by capturing the emotion or feeling of your family. Try starting with the camera at the eye-level of your children. Speaking of eyes, pay special attention to the eyes of your subjects. They don't always have to be looking at the camera, but try and capture some emotion there. It might be staring in the camera, looking off into the sunset or even the subjects looking at each other. This isn't always easy, especially with children, which brings up the next tip…
4. ANTICIPATE, THEN SNAP. There are two ways to attempt to wrangle your kids for a good photo. First, anticipate what your kids are going to do next–run, jump, scream, etc. Then put yourself in a good position to capture your shot. This is the technique we use underwater with wild animals. But on land with your family and friends, you can control the emotion of the scene. Tell jokes, move people around, move the group into better light, maybe remove hats and sunglasses and hide cell phones. Work to get everyone on the same page. This may take some time, especially with babies. If you are having trouble, take a break and try again another time. Forcing a photo on unwilling subjects rarely results in a good image.
5. HAVE FUN. Taking a good photo of your family should be fun. So take your time and have a good time with it. If your spouse or kids are having a good time it will encourage them to smile and help out, which will result in that image you've been waiting for.
Check out some of the amazing underwater photography by John and Dan Cesere, online here at CesereBrothers.com or visit their gallery in Paia, Maui. You can also catch them every Thursday from 8am to 1pm outside the DUO restaurant at the Four Seasons Maui in Wailea.
