Last year Sony Mobile asked people how they choose where to go on holiday and a whopping 50% admitted that it’s other people’s holiday snaps that inspire them, with a further 45% citing Instagram as their source of inspiration.
Photography is no longer a hobby for a few keen enthusiasts, but an intrinsic part of most people’s travel experiences, with 55% of us planning our holiday itineraries around picture opportunities.
But with everyone snapping the same pictures, it’s no surprise that 47% of people say they’re bored of seeing identical shots on social media, particularly when it comes to the world’s most famous landmarks.
Budding Instagrammers might want to be more adventurous with their pictures of the Eiffel Tower, Alhambra or Burj Khalifa if they want to grow their following. People are much more likely to ‘like’ an image of a landmark if it is interesting, or something they’ve not see before.
Travel photographer Mikael Buck has snapped some of the world’s most-famous landmarks, from the Taj Mahal in India to the Vatnajokull glacier caves in Iceland. According to Mikael, “every photographer wants to capture something different, to have that shot that no one else has – which can be hard with landmarks that are photographed and shared on social networks day in, day out.
“Working with Sony’s XperiaTM XZ2, I’ve captured world famous landmarks in a completely new light; showing how a place you might see every day can look different if you look at it differently.”
Here are Mikael’s top tips on escaping the clichés when taking pictures on holiday this summer –
Here are travel photographer Mikael Buck’s top tips for capturing photography with a #NewPerspective this summer:
1 – Get up early; stay out late
If you want the best light and quiet streets then there is no shortcut – you need to be at your location in the hours around sunrise and sunset when you get warm, soft and directional light.
2 – Take advantage of different aspect ratios
Don’t shoot in the same way as everyone else. Sony’s Xperia XZ2 has a very useful range of crops that you can use to make your images stand out. I’ve taken all of these shots in 16:9 which is the same aspect radio as a widescreen feature. That gives the images a more cinematic feel.
3 – Be creative with reflections
Urban landmarks are an absolute gift in that all around you there is a sea of glass and metal. Search for interesting angles and reflections amongst the landscape rather than photographing the landmark itself straight on.
4 – Learn to use different types of metering
Metering is how cameras determine the correct exposure, and using it correctly can really make your images stand out. For these images shot on the XZ2 I used spot metering (a feature normally only found on mirrorless or DSLR cameras). This meant I could specifically pick an area of the image to expose, creating a path through the picture for the viewer’s eye rather than having the entire image bright.
5 – Use the corners
Don’t just photograph the whole landmark – try to find interesting ways to shoot through objects (or shoot only part of the landmark) so that you have things happening on the edge of the frame. This creates a feeling of tension and will add energy and interest to your images.
The post Travel from another angle: How to capture the most photographed places on the planet appeared first on Sony Xperia Blog.
Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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