California Road Trips - 2019 - 36

ROAD TRIPS 2019

H O W T O TA K E
A M A ZING PHOTOS
U p you r I ns t a g r a m g a m e w i t h t h es e p r o t i ps t h a t
w i l l h e l p you b e c o m e a b e t t e r p h o t og r a p h e r

GUIDE THEIR
EYES Documen-

PLAY WITH
COLOR Land-

tary and ﬁne art
photographer
Joel Simon says
"Leading lines
are one of the
most persuasive
visual techniques."
A curving road,
row of trees, or
railroad tracks can
guide your viewer's
eyes into your
photograph.

scape photographer Daniel
Stainer says
colors will impact
your message,
even if subconsciously. Color's
emotional value
varies with context. Blue may
appear relaxing in
a beach scene, but
cold and icy in a
winter scene.

LIGHT IT Early

Whether you're
shooting giant
redwood trees or
a tall waterfall, put
a person in the
frame to provide
context. Let the
person's size relay
the message these
trees are huge.

Golden Gate Bridge

ACCESSORIZE Treat your smartphone like a

FILL THE FRAME
Simon says
another trick is to
get really close to
your subject. This
lets you capture
intriguing details
that would be otherwise missed and
exclude unnecessary clutter.

36 | VISITCALIFORNIA.COM

camera. Use a wide-angle lens attachment like
the Moment Wide 18mm to shoot landscapes, and
you'll capture two times more. Sandmarc's ﬁlters
reduce blown-out skies, make colors pop, and add
that dreamy-blurry effect to moving water.

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE Ordinary subRedwood National
and State Parks

jects can look fresh when shot from an unusual
perspective. Climb up on a park bench and shoot
from above, or lay on the ground and shoot from
below. "A low-angle shot conveys your subject with
conﬁdence and power," Stainer says.

FROM TOP: SETH K. HUGHES/GETTY IMAGES, PETER UNGER/GETTY IMAGES

ADD SCALE

morning and late
afternoon, a.k.a.
"golden hour," are
best for outdoors
because the sun's
low angle to the
horizon diffuses
its light and makes
shadows longer
and softer. In
glaring midday
light, skip the big
landscape and
focus on one small
piece, like a cluster
of leaves, Stainer
recommends.
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California Road Trips - 2019

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