Images - Connecting the World
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Oceania Cruises cruise ship Marina departing Cabo San Lucas, Mexico at dusk. For low light photography on board increase your camera ISO setting to achieve a shutter speed of at least 1/60 sec and use the camera's IS/VR/Camera Shake mode. Don't rest the camera on a shaking hand rail!
Here are a few travel photography tips and techniques for cruise ship passengers to create better travel images. With beautiful cruise ships, incredible ports of call with stunning scenery, ethnic cultures, colorful markets and historic places cruisers have the opportunity to capture photo and video memories of a lifetime. Check out our recent post: Photographing Fresh Markets of the World. Some of the tips below may guide you as you travel with your camera.
Be sure to watch for future posts on travel photography tips for cruisers in this Blog. Please add your own experiences, tips and links to photos in the comments section below.
Colorful fruit sellers in Antigua, Guatemala - a UNESCO World Heritage site. Cruise ship destinations are photo rich opportunities
Photography on Board
Most passengers carry cameras but forget to use them while on board. Some of the greatest photo opportunities are during the ship’s daily activities, theme or special events, or in the lounges and restaurants. Be sure to check the daily program to target cruise life on board. Don’t forget to photograph the cruise activities staff, crew that serve you and your travelling companions or new friends.
Special Tip
While on board give yourself a photo assignment, create a photo story and practice your camera techniques for those really photo rich opprtunities on shore. Photography is typically not permitted during production entertainment shows but is often permitted during local ethnic, crew shows and during the many daily activities so be sure to sit close to the stage and be up front to capture the action. Most take just an establishing shot so be sure to get close and capture midrange and close-ups of the action from different viewpoints and angles of view.
Gourmet chef carving a salmon Wellington at a fine dining buffet on board Oceania Cruises new ship Marina
Special Tip:
Place your hand on a ship railing when cruising or even when tied up to a pier in port. Surprise – it always shakes since huge generators and motors operate 24/7 but play havoc on image clarity due to slight and sometimes undetectible vibrations. In low light situations (dusk, inside photos, discotheque, romantic restaurants) increase your cameras ISO to result in a faster shutter speed (minimum 1/60 sec) and turn your IS/VR/camera shake mode on to minimize blurred images. The very short duration of your camera flash (typically a 1/1000th of a second) will freeze action in low light and minimize ship vibration effects but only for subjects within range of your flash (only 10 feet for a pop up flash; greater for add on flashes)
Vivid colorful double rainbow off the stern of Oceania Cruises cruise ship Marina in the Caribbean Sea. Underexposed by -1 EV to increase color saturation and speed up the camera shutter to minimize ship vibration image blur in low light
People Photography
Meeting interesting people is a fun part of cruising and be sure to photograph them. Check our our recent Blog post on Photographing People You Don’t Know.
Keeping track of your images
Photograph port of call brochures or signs to keep track of images later
Longer or port intensive cruises means active photographers need to keep track of their location so that they can review their photos and videos later and remember where they were. A simple way to do that is to photography the port information handout before leaving the ship, port welcome signs or tour and attraction ticket stubs to see visually where you are that day when you review your images much later.
Special Tip
Setting the camera time for all cameras in your group to exactly the same time (ideally local time) will help organize photos from different cameras into destination folders in the correct chronological order later.
Reminder: Practice your camera techniques before traveling and always place yourself in the place of most potential to capture stunning cruise travel images. Happy sailing!
About the authors: David and Anna Smith have travelled to 6 continents on cruise ships as travel photographers and writers, guest lecturers on photography, exotic fabrics and cultural/destination subjects and workshop leaders. Their motto: “Dream travellers capturing the world one smiling face at a time.” Visit their general web sites Image by Interface and online photo archives and galleries and fine art travel images at Interface Images. For more travel photography tips get David’s Travel Photography Tips DVD or download or rent it now from Amazon.
Anna and David Smith with their travel toys Photo by Joanne Gowing
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9 Responses to Travel Photography Tips for Cruisers – No. 1
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Hi Dave and Anna! My husband and I love this post, such great tips! In 3 days, we’re headed to the Galapagos and then 2 years on the road! Will def try out these shots for sure on the boat! We’re travel writers just starting out in photography so we’ll be sure to come back. If you want, swing by our blog for a look see to what we’re up to.
Melissa…thanks for the comments and I love your Blog. I will have a longer browse later today and lets keep in touch!
Cheers….. David
Thanks for the article, very interesting.
I too have photographed a few cruise ships and my top tips would be as follows:
1) Try to be one of the first on the ship even if it means arriving hours before you are scheduled to do so. This way you get shots of the ship minus the people.
2) Venture out in the middle of the night, night landscape and self-timer, long shutter shots of the ship illuminated look wonderful.
3)Make the effort to get up early. Cruisers in Europe may be familiar with stops in Lisbon. The only way in and out of Lisbon is to go under the Ponte 25 de Abril road bridge, which is stunning at 4 or 5am in the morning as you approach with a sunrise in the background.
4) Ask the port authorities if you can take a stroll down the dockside. Some dockyards can be very industrialised but you can get stunning views of the ship from vantage points no one else would wish to try.
5) Use a variety of cameras. I use an SLR but have also experimented with the new Fuji 3D camera and underwater/ waterproof cameras for shots from out of the water. I typically use three cameras on a trip with a good quality compact always being close by.
Many of my images are available to view at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenkatherine45/
Ships photographed include: Oasis of the Seas, Norwegian Epic, Celebrity Eclipse, Independence of the Seas and Pride of America.
Stephen
Thanks for the comment and your really excellent cruise ship photo tips. I am always on deck taking photos when all the passengers are inside dining/etc. during dusk. I love your cruise ship images – well done!
Hello David & Anna,
I was on the May 16th trip that started in Athens. I had two teenage girls with me.We were only able to come to one of your presentations towards the end of the trip. If we would have known how interesting you made it …we would have been at all of them.
I was able to talk to Anna in the pool the second to the last day. I just really like both of you. You are so full of fun & kindness. I hope you get to come to Kodiak, Alaska someday. It is beautiful. God Bless you both real good!
Your New Friend, Alta Prout
Hi Alta. Good to hear from you and thank you for your nice comments. Sorry for the delayed reply but we have been on the high seas… as you can tell from the last post on Cartagena. Cheers and keep in touch….. David and Anna
[...] right? While they are cruising, David will be updating his blog with photos, articles such as tips for getting better photographs — and a lot more. One tip from David: Don’t rest the camera on a shaking hand rail. Uh-oh. [...]
[...] gig, right? While they are cruising, David will be updating his blog with photos, articles such as tips for getting better photographs — and a lot more. One tip from David: Don’t rest the camera on a shaking hand rail. Uh-oh. [...]