How You Can Be Creative With Your Camera
From Luis Vega, Expedition Guide on the Safari Voyager
As Expedition Guide I’m outside 90% of the time: in the forest, ocean, and wild are my everyday adventures. I’m a passionate explorer who loves photography. I carry my camera with me always because I never know what kind of animal, bird or reptile, will cross my way. I share this feeling of adventure and passion, as well the desire to get better pictures, with many of our guests on the Safari Voyager. For this reason, I created a photo presentation where I share simple tips and ideas to get better photos using a simple tool, our mobile phone. However, we can apply these tips to all kind of cameras, and nature photography in general.
Many of you reading this may have found yourself in a moment than you wish capture in a photo and all you have is your cellphone camera. The good news is we all can get better photos just knowing the right setting and how adjust the focus and exposure manually in the camera along with a couple of composition rules like rules of thirds and leading lines. It’s amazing for me the reactions of our guests after the first 10 min of the presentation. Many of them have their own phone but never knew their phone’s potential. The smiling faces and laughing people are like kids discovering the world around them. After asking how can they get a panorama photo, they are amazed at the multiple ways the can use their new skills.
The biggest gratification is watching all of these exciting adventures, looking for colors, shapes, and magical moments to get them in a frame. When we get back in the afternoons to talk about our days, sharing experiences and photos, and chatting about how a simple presentation has opened their minds and expanded the way the see the nature in their phone screen. Of course, the nature and landscape in our route from Costa Rica to Panama never disappoints. The beauty of the flowers and colorful birds and the mystic of the ocean creatures is something that captures our imagination and attention.
By the end of the trip it is always nice to see the guest photos and hear them talk about how much they have learned in a week and how proud they are of themselves for all amazing photos now they have to share with their families back home. Because if you can make your friend look a photo and say “Wow, I have never seen it that way!” you are doing it well, you are being creative.