1.When taking a photo, follow the thirds rule. (The picture above would be much better and more interesting if I had done that.) Once you spot a landscape you want to photograph, decide which is more detailed and beautiful – the sky or the landscape. Whichever is most important should take up 2/3 of your image with the other taking up only 1/3. If you aren't sure which area is more visually appealing, take both pictures and decide later. :) NEVER shoot 1/2 and 1/2 like I did unless you plan on editing later.
2. Check your shutter speed and aperture. Lower your ISO as low as you can comfortably go. A low ISO means you will have less grain in your images, but if it results in a lower aperture setting or shutter speed than you can comfortably get holding your camera, you might be better off going with a higher ISO. It's really a trade off. This blog post isn't really a lesson in photography though. I really just want you to remember to check and double check your settings. If you were last shooting late at night, you could get some really over exposed images (read: trash).
3. Slow down. Focus. Visualize your image. Even if you are with a group and going at a hectic pace, it is always best to make your first shot count, especially if it is the only shot you get. Don't count on photoshop to save your butt. And if you have a camera lens that lets you manually focus, be certain to check that you are manually focused or that the setting is on for automatic focus if focusing automatically is what you want to do.
4. Polarizers are way cool! I only bought one for my wide angle, but I definitely regretted that decision. I used my polarizer for almost every shot! Buy a polarizer to use for whichever lens you use most often if you have any intention on shooting landscapes. My husband even used the polarizer when shooting with his iphone! :)
5. My canon 24-70 lens is simply amazing. If you don't have a good generic lens, I recommend investing in one. It focused quick, the images were sharp, and nearly everything looked better when I shot using this lens.
What is your best travel photography advice? Do you agree with anything I've said? Can you think of anything to add to my list?
