How To Take Holiday Snaps That'll Inspire Wanderlust

A quick selfie on your phone just won't cut it. No worries. Currys PC World is the only friend you'll need in looking to expand your photography horizons.

1. Boring poses are just that: boring.

Mike Rolls (CC BY - SA 2.0) / Via Flickr: mikerolls

Shots captured of people in action are not only representative of the memories you'll want to cherish, but will also replicate the experiences you had, giving all those that view the images masses upon masses of wanderlust.

2. Patience is key.

Sludge G (CC BY - SA 2.0) / Via Flickr: sludgeulper

So you're setting up the shot of a quaint, cobbled street, but something is missing. What's missing? Who knows what it is right now, but when that old man rides pass on his bicycle, a little dog comes running up to you, or the sun hits a doorway just right, you'll be happy you waited.

3. Capture colour.

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Contrasting colours are a surefire way to produce a bright, bold, and exciting photo. Careful composition is the primary way to achieve the best resultv. Observe and notice the colours you are playing with, and then move around and find the most effective frame.

If you didn't manage to capture the vibrancy you were hoping for, never fear for editing tools are here! Something as simple as increasing the saturation and adjusting the white balance will make the colours POP.

4. Use flash wisely.

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Photographers Diane Cook and Len Jenshel believe using flash on grand landscape shots is just a waste of your battery - seriously. It will only illuminate around three metres in front of you. According to them, the optimal time for flash is when it is sunny outside and you want to eliminate shadows on faces.

5. Seek a new angle.

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Get away from the hordes of tourists. If you want the same picture that everyone takes, you may as well save yourself the time and buy a postcard. Documenting moments from a different position will immediately make a famous spot engaging in a completely new way.

6. People are great.

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Really, they are. Including humans in your shot really brings to life the images of the amazing places you visit. What's more, landscape shots with people in them can be fantastic, as they help create a sense of scale.

7. Eye contact.

M M (CC BY - SA 2.0) / Via Flickr: 43423301@N07

Most professional photographers will try to avoid eye contact in their shots to give the illusion of them not actually being there. However, photojournalist Ed Kashi believes that images with subjects making direct eye contact makes for a more compelling, intimate shot.

8. Embrace empty spaces.

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When shooting open landscapes, use the emptiness to your advantage. Being creative with the composition offers an impression of the landscape, rather than trying (and sometimes failing) to produce a literal representation.

For example, a barren foreground juxtaposed against a dramatic sky instantly creates an interesting image.

9. The one filter you actually need.

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A polarising filter is your buddy, your old friend, your pal. It reduces reflections from water, foliage, and droplets in the sky (which makes images look flat due to the reduced saturation and contrast), making colours more vibrant.

What else does it do you ask? WELL, it also can reduce, haze and darken blue skies, once more adding contrast and saturation to an otherwise flat picture.

10. Split things into three.

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The "Rule of Thirds" suggests you divide a photograph into three equal parts (going vertically, horizontally, or sometimes both), creating a grid. The point of this is to fit the important elements of the photographer either into a section, or crossing intersecting lines. This allows for people to enjoy and interact with an image more organically.

To do this, just enable the grid option on your camera's preview screen, give the more important elements two thirds of the frame and voilà – you're shooting like a pro!

11. Tripods are your friend.

Diana Robinson (CC BY - N.D 2.0) / Via Flickr: dianasch

They come in all shapes and sizes, so there is no shadow of a doubt that you will find the perfect one for you. A lightweight one is perhaps best for when you're out and about exploring.

12. Freeze the moment.

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Capturing the perfect action shot need not be such an impossible task. Photographer Steve Davey advises using a fast shutter speed so that you can freeze subjects in abstract positions. We're talking 1/1000 or more. Davey suggests taking several shots using a continuous shooting mode for the most striking shots.

Davey also recommends using a slow shutter for a panning effect if both you and your subject are on the move.

13. Setting the mood.

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Giving your photos an oomph post-shoot isn't as complicated as you might think. Something as simple as adjusting the white balance can really affect the mood of your image.

Helpful hint: warming the white balance = happy mood. Moving the balance towards the blue scale = moody and cool.

If you want to spread the wanderlust, you have to make sure that you do it right. It's all good – Currys PC World is on hand for all of your travel photography needs.