Share you’re best road trip memories with #WestCoastWay on Instagram
The holidays are upon us, and you want to share your happy moments on Insta for all your friends to see. Apply these simple photography hacks and your Instagram feed will be sizzling with great #Fomo inducing pics.
Look at the light.
Photography is all about the light, in fact the word is derived from Greek and directly translated means drawing with light.
Early morning and late afternoon to evening light makes for much better photos than midday when the sun strong and creates distracting shadows and harsh light. If you need to capture a moment in the midday sun, then be aware of shadows and where the light is falling on your subject.
Take your time.
It usually takes about 5 seconds to snap a pic and another 10 seconds to upload it.
Give your image 2 minutes and you will be amazed at the difference in the quality of your photos.
In those 2 minutes this is what you do:
- Identify your subject, let’s say it is your BFF at the beach.
- Ask yourself what story or message you want to convey.
- Look in the frame, is there anything that is irrelevant to the story, like someone’s leg, half an umbrella or litter on the sand.
- Move left, right, up down, forward and back and see what you can eliminate from the frame. This can also give you a funky image if you choose a very low or very high angle.
- Be aware of any shadows, can you remove them by repositioning yourself?
- Look for interesting reflections or moments. Do you want to snap your shot as the wave breaks, creating action, or when the water is calm for a peaceful scene.
- Notice the light. Can you see your BFF’s face or is it too dark? Try to get the sun behind you.
- Maybe stand in the waves with her and take the pic from the side. Get creative.
- Apply the rule of thirds. This is dividing the frame into nine equal squares, 3 across and 3 down. Try to place the focus of the pic on any of the intersections of the lines. This creates a balance in the photo that is pleasing to the eye. The rule of thirds also assists you in dividing your pic well, the top third is the sky, the middle band is the ocean and the bottom band is the sand.
- Do not place your BFF dead centre, that is boring, put her on the left or right of the frame.
- Try to make sure the horizon is straight and take your shot.
Draw the viewer into your picture and make them feel like they can step into your story.
You can do this by the way you position a person in the frame. If the person is looking to the right, place them in the extreme left of the frame. Take a photo of the person from behind, looking out at the view they are seeing.
Get down so you are eye level with your subject, this pulls them into the scene.
Enhance with a quick edit.
Before you upload your image to Instagram take another minute to do a quick edit. Nothing fancy, just a tweak to make it better.
The native editing tools in Instagram are more than adequate, but if you want to get a bit fancy you can download an app like Snapseed.
The most important edit is making sure the horizon is straight, especially in beach shots. Nothing distracts from an image more than a skew horizon.
Other tweaks you can make to improve your photo are sharpening it, increasing the colour (saturation) see if the brightness needs to be adjusted and cropping out anything that is not relevant in the photo.
Beware of over editing, this can make the image look fake and unprofessional. Never change anything by more than 20%.
The more you practice the better you will get. Start taking a minute or two to think like a photographer and you will be shooting like a pro and be rewarded with lots of lovely hearts and comments on your Insta feed.
Applying the few rules above will become automatic, and editing will take you a few seconds.
Unleash your creativity, be unique, why try to reproduce everyone else’s photo when you can experiment with different angles to show your version of the same place. Happy snapping.
West Coast Way Pro Tip: share your West Coast memories with us by tagging us in by using #WestCoastWay and @WestCoastWaySA on instagram.
The Roaming Giraffe is Di Brown. Travel writer and blogger, mother, grandmother, avid reader, tourism professional, learner photographer, social media influencer, Twitter fan and lover of Instagram.
West Coast Way is Your Route To Nature
West Coast Way is your ultimate gateway to experiencing the natural beauty and cultural richness of the Cape West Coast of South Africa. As a premium tourism brand, we offer six uniquely themed trip plans that promise an unforgettable journey: Cape, Culture, Foodie, Tractor, Berg, and Wild.
Discover over 101 incredible things to see and do with West Coast Way:
Savour the delights of wine, craft beer, olives, and Rooibos tea tastings. Indulge in authentic Weskus cuisine and the traditional braaivleis (barbecue). Feel the thrill of swinging into Citrusdal on a zipline or challenge yourself with Cederberg bouldering. Rejuvenate in natural warm pools and embark on serene cruises across lagoons and rivers. Explore the diverse landscapes of nature reserves and a National Park, or embark on exciting game drives. Hone your skills in archery and angling, or amp up the excitement with sandboarding and quad-biking. Enjoy horse riding, immerse yourself in the unique San culture, and experience the vibrant Riel dancing. For water sports enthusiasts, kite- and windsurfing, surfing, and kayaking trips await. Go beach hopping, learn about bees and whales, and delight in birdwatching in a twitcher’s paradise – all within South Africa’s renowned wildflower reserve.
For more information on the best places to visit on the West Coast, road tripping routes, hikes, tours, and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Follow us on on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn @WestCoastWaySA.
West Coast Way is South Africa’s road trip with the most twists. Explore a unique collection of 101 road trip stops along themed routes by planning a self-drive trip or guided tour for a nature and adventure-filled Cape West Coast vacation. The new West Coast Way “basket” of free routes on offer include the West Coast Way Tractor Route, the West Coast Way Berg Route, the West Coast Way Foodie Route, the West Coast Way Cultural Route, the West Coast Way Wild Route – as well as the newly launched Cape Way Route – all of which are designed to showcase the many attractions and activities that are already on offer on the Cape West Coast and inland areas – but may be unknown to many.
For more information on West Coast Way, the other routes on offer, and the list of 101 Things to Do on the West Coast visit www.westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Connect with West Coast Way on Facebook and Twitter at WestCoastWaySA.