5 Tips For Nailing The Perfect Holiday Photo

A great photo taken on holiday can instantly transport you back to rhythmic waves, incredible architecture or the clink of a cocktail glass. But it can be difficult to catch that moment in time. Professional photographer Tina Smigielski shares her top tips for capturing holiday memories that last a lifetime.

Set up a shot like a pro

The first thing to think about is composition: what is going to be in your frame? “One of the oldest rules of composition in photography is the rule of thirds,” explains Smigielski. “It’s simply how we split the frame into three parts for optimum results.

“For example, when shooting a landscape, it’s deciding whether two thirds of the frame will be ocean and a third is sky. Or if it’s two thirds sky, one third ocean.”

Luckily the rule of thirds is easy to navigate with grid lines, which are a feature on camera phones like the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

“Practise splitting your shot in three within grid lines,” suggests Smigielski. “The more you practise, the more it’ll come naturally. Grid lines also help keep your horizon line level.”

Smigielski advises picking a subject when setting up a shot, whether it be a person or something you find visually interesting like the rock face of the Bungle Bungles or the flowers in the Gardens of Versailles, then arranging the frame around it.

Take advantage of ‘golden hour’

Photographers love ‘golden hour’: the period shortly after sunrise and the window just before sunset.

“It’s my favourite time to shoot. Everything is bathed in beautiful light. When I travel, I make sure I’m up for sunrise golden hour as it’s so quiet and I snap away. And dusk light is gorgeous when taking pictures of people; everyone glows.”

If you miss golden hour, try to embrace natural light. “Can you put the sun behind someone and make a beautiful backlight?” asks Smigielski. “A lighter background makes your subject pop.”

Use a tripod for epic night-time shots

“Setting up your camera or phone on a tripod and playing around with long exposure will create stunning after-dark shots,” says Smigielski.

Long exposure is when you keep the camera shutter open for a determined length of time to absorb more light. The new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has an inbuilt Night Mode capability and when used with a tripod, it increases the exposure allowing it to absorb more light, creating a brighter image.

“When you’ve got your camera on the tripod, experiment with timings,” suggests Smigielski. “The different exposures will bring in all these incredible pops of light, whether it be city lights, stars or light from the moon.”

Experiment with angles

A slight shift in angle can elevate photos in an instant. “It sounds so simple but always think about whether you’re in the best position possible,” advises Smigielski. “It could mean getting down low or taking a shot from an angle above.”

Smigielski suggests branching away from taking pictures in portrait mode. “We’re predisposed to taking every shot vertically because of how we hold our phones and view our socials. A twist of the wrist can bring a completely new perspective.”

Don’t be afraid to edit pictures

We’ve all tried to capture an incredible sunset only to be disappointed when a picture just doesn’t do it justice.

“Our eyes see things in so many more colours,” explains Smigielski. “But don’t keep taking pictures if, for instance, a sunset isn’t photographing well. It’s usually because you’ve got so much light coming towards the camera, so take some of the light out by adjusting exposure, then afterwards you can edit the image to bring those colours back in.”

Smigielski advises that when editing your pictures through a program like Samsung’s Expert RAW that you should take it slow. RAW allows you to edit a picture captured on your Samsung phone directly in Adobe Lightroom.

“Edit little by little and keep referring back to your original. But remember: there’s no right or wrong. You can push your style or passion through your images however you like.”