Send us your vacations photos
Summer is when most people tend to take their vacations, and on our vacations, we like to take pictures to remember the fun times we had before heading back to reality.
So the latest Readers Photo Challenge subject is what did you do on your summer vacation?
For this challenge, vacation means time off from work, school, or your daily routine. If you're so inclined, it could mean far-flung travel to another city, state, or even country. It could even be a so-called “staycation” where you put your feet up in your backyard with a fruity drink and count the clouds float by.
Wherever you decide to go, try to capture the personality of the place.
Buildings and architecture can display the character of a city. Each town tends to have its flavor. It could be a metropolis with a vigorous hustle and bustle with crowded streets. In that case, look for solid skyscrapers or substantial monuments. Or it could be a quaint, out-of-the-way small town. In that case, look for a rustic cottage or old-fashioned storefronts. Look to encapsulate that in your photos.
As my editor says, "fill the frame."
And don’t forget to include a person or at least a few people in your scenes. People can add scale and context to your compositions. A person standing next to a tall building or monument can show how big those things are. People on a beach or walking down a street can show that the city isn’t a sterile place but a place that people inhabit.
If your vacation plans include camping or nature rather than an urban adventure, you still need to capture the flavor of your experiences. Try to find flora and fauna unique to where you’re staying. Look for natural landmarks, mountains, lakes, streams, etc., to place in your compositions. You can also try to add people to your natural scenes. A scene of a path through the woods might look more attractive if someone was walking down it.
A word of caution: be careful when photographing animals in nature. They can be unpredictable and likely quicker than your think. Remember, they are wild, and you’re invading their space. Make sure you’ve got a lot of space between you and them.
Lastly, consider the time of day when taking your travel photos. The light early in the morning or late in the afternoon/evening tends to be the best. It’s a warm golden color and comes in a pleasing angle. This kind of light can turn an ordinary image into something special in urban and natural scenes. Schedule indoor activities, museums, plays, etc., during midday and plan your photo-taking times for early or late. Speaking of time of day, try photographing at night. A city takes on a different personality at night. A city like New York comes alive after the sun goes down. In rural areas, you can photograph brilliant stars and the Milky Way in time exposures.
Since the vacation season starts around Memorial Day (May 29, 2023), this challenge’s starting date will end on Aug 29.
The first, second, and third top picks will receive 16x20, 11x14, and 8x10 prints by UlmerPhoto in Stockton. The first place will also receive a $25 gift card to a local restaurant.
How to enter:
Photos have to be taken between May 29 and Aug 29.
2. Include your name (first and last), hometown, the kind of device you used, and where it was taken (e.g., John Doe of Stockton, Canon 5D Mk III. Oak Park, Stockton).
3. If there is a recognizable person or persons in the photo, please identify them (name, age, hometown) and describe what is happening in the image. Please indicate if and how they relate to you (friend, mother, father, daughter, son, etc). For example: “My daughter Janie Doe, 12, stands by the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.”
4. Please feel free to include any interesting anecdotes or stories on how you took the picture.
5. The number of photos is limited to 10.
6. Entries can be emailed to coto@recordnet.com. The preferred format is jpeg—type “Vacation” in the subject line.
7. The deadline for submission is Aug 29. Top picks will be published in the Sept 5 Record—an online gallery of all the photos on the same day at recordnet.com.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Readers Photo Challenge vacation photos
