Hi there, we're just gonna snap a couple quick pictures. So if you could smile for
me, yep, just right in that lens. Perfect! Let's do one more.
Looking good! You've got a great smile. Hey did you do something with your hair?
Hi there Kelsey Tonner here from Be a Better Guide and today, we're sharing 10
tips on how to take better pictures of your guests. I'm talking about those
mantle worthy authentic feeling best photos of the entire vacation kind of
pictures because let's face it, you've taken a lot of bad pictures of your
guests over the years just like me. Like this one or this one or maybe even some
like these. Well my friends, because we are always striving to be the best tour
leader we can, be let's talk about how we can up our game when taking pictures for
our guests. Tip number one, check and clean the camera lens before taking any
pictures. Look at that lens to see if there's humidity, dirt, dust, fingerprints,
or even half-chewed pieces of Kenny. All these are gonna have an impact on the
quality of your photo especially since so many people these days are taking
photos with their phones. Heck and wipe the lens with a clean microfiber cloth even the cloth to use for your sunglasses or reading glasses will work
perfectly and for a phone lens, a quick wipe with a clean part of your shirt
will usually suffice. Two, get closer to your guests. People are almost always the
subject in our photographs. We're often taking pictures that are too
far back. People want to be able to see their smiling faces. So fill the frame
with their head and upper body. Don't worry about capturing their knees, legs
and toes. Usually, this means capturing less of the background. And try not to
squeeze everything into the frame. Try a unique angle and move around but
remember that the guests are the main subjects in your photos. Three, avoid digital
zoom. Assuming in a smartphone, almost always means a loss in quality as with
any type of digital zoom. Also, when you're zooming in on other types of
camera, you increase the chance of motion blur and camera shake. There are many
exceptions especially with high quality lenses. VO flags and a movable body for a
reason. Simply move closer to adjust your frame, squat down stand at something
elevated move around and ditch the zoom. Four, keep the horizon level. Nothing ruins a
great photo faster than a crooked horizon. Aside from artistic shots, the
human brain almost always prefers a flat horizon. You can use a camera's grid
function to level things up but most times, a quick horizon check before
pushing the shutter will suffice. Five, ensure people are in focused. The only
thing more irritating than a crooked horizon is a blurry image. When you're
using a smartphone, be sure to tap the screen on the area you want to focus
your image. You can even lock the focus by pressing and holding that area for a
couple seconds then readjust the frame as needed. Where should you focus?
Directly on the eyes of your guests. Autofocus has improved substantially in
almost all cameras. Always have a quick look in camera to make sure your guests
are in focus. Six, think about light. The best photographers in the world know
that light is one of the most important variables when it comes to photography.
Here are some quick wins when it comes to light. Take photos of guests during
the golden hours of the day. These are the hours shortly after
sunrise or before sunset or daylight is redder, softer makes for beautiful
photos. When shooting portraits, avoid sunny and direct light on faces whenever
possible which can create harsh shadows and a lot of squinting. Putting the Sun
behind your guests isn't a great idea either because it will darken their
faces into silhouettes or the background will be white and overexposed. Do what
you can with what you're given but don't forget that overcast and cloudy days
make for great photos. Seven, shoot simple and uncluttered compositions. Framing and
composition are part of what sets amazing photos apart from the rest. Now,
it is an art form but there are some guidelines that can get you pretty far.
Remove all clutter from your photos and eliminate distracting elements in the
background. Move your body the camera or even your guest to simplify what you see.
Through the lens, use the rule of thirds to mentally divide up your image using
two horizontal lines and two vertical lines as seen here then, position the
important elements in your scene along those lines or at the points where they
meet. When taking photos of people, place your subject's eyes at the intersection
of these lines to give the shot at clear focal point. Eight, make people laugh. After
taking a few posed photos. Try a few jokes and get your guests chuckle. When
people are genuinely laughing, their smile takes on a more authentic quality
and will make your photos feel less stack. Try to take candid photos of your
guests when they're not posing and they don't really know they're being
photographed. If you get some good ones, offer to send
them by email. These can easily become trip favorites. Nine, get to know great
spots to take a picture. If you're returning to the same spot
over and over, then it is well worth your time to find the perfect spots to take
pictures or inspiration. Have a look at postcards Instagram or do a google image
search of the sites you visit, what locations angles or poses can you
recreate with your guests. And ten, shoot loads of photos. One of the best parts of
the digital camera revolution is that we don't have to worry about wasting film.
All we snap at least six to ten images of your guests trying different angles,
ideas and especially after cracking your best joke. If you're only taking two to
three photos with your guest's camera, you're reducing your chances of
capturing that perfect moment. So as a quick review, check and clean the camera
lens, get closer to your guests, avoid digital zoom, keep the horizon level,
ensure people in focus, think about light, shoot simple and uncluttered
compositions, make people laugh, get to know great spots to take pictures
and shoot loads of photos. As an extra bonus, we've put together a special PDF
guide to help you take better photos with your smartphone. It's called "Secrets
to Spectacular Smartphone Photography: The Tour Guide's Handbook". Inside, we're
gonna show you some of the hidden features of your smartphone camera. Plus,
I'll share six of my favorite techniques for using a smart phone to capture
memorable images. Having this ability to coach and teach your guests on how to
use their smartphone camera better, it's a great customer service. So you can grab
that PDF with the link below. If you enjoyed this video, please feel free to
pass it on, share with your network, is always appreciated. Before you go, in the
comments, let me know what advice do you have for capturing great pictures with
your guests. As always, thanks for being here and we'll see you next time.
Okay let's conclude with a humorous look at what tech companies think the elderly
look like when they're using their new smartphones.
Oh right Nana. You go girl! I just love how simple it all is. We love tiny
new technology. The smaller the screen, the better. And now a little taste of
reality. You press your thing reader it is it your face is that way like that
Barbara can see concerts in everything the entry oh you can do it selfie still
the road run text you you can do a selfie like why do you do I can't see
what I'm taking less I'm saying I'm recording now