Taking Great Photos on Vacation

I am a keen amateur photographer and I like to have a camera with me wherever I go, but I have learned to be practical. Telephoto lenses are too conspicuous and weigh far too much! My motto these days is ‘simple is best’. Sometimes a mobile phone or any mobile device can be enough to capture the moment or even create a more creative image. So I no use a compact digital camera.

Is there such a thing as a ‘best’ compact digital camera? I really don’t believe there is because it's such a subjective thing. There are so many cameras that all do an excellent job so how can a layperson really know what to choose? You need a clear idea of what you are going to use it for.

My son knew exactly what he wanted to do. He was 9 years old when he asked for his own camera. His specifications were great; he was going to take pictures of people and places, make stop motion movies, and film underwater! I thought he would drop it a few times -so I chose an Olympus TG-3 Waterproof because it can cope with a bit of rough too!

I love this camera and now I use it exclusively.

1. When you compose your shot move in close. Don’t put your subject right in the centre and have something in the background like a vibrant colour. You can take a series of photos that tell a story – for instance if you’re at the beach start with a panoramic view and them hone in on interesting things and details.

2. Turn your flash off if you are indoors unless it’s too dark of course! When you're outside use the built in flash to fill in harsh shadows in strong sunlight, or to light up subjects in the evenings or night.

3. Your battery charger must be suitable for the country you're visiting or things can get dangerous. There will be information on the back of the charger, 100 to 240 volts will be safe almost everywhere.

4. Don't forget to pack fully charged spare batteries and empty memory cards before leaving home.

5. Hotel rooms usually don't have enough sockets, so consider taking a short extension lead with 4 sockets with you. Remember an adapter.

6. Research your holiday destinations, and check out if there are any festivals or special celebrations taking place while you are there. Don’t forget to photograph the delicious food in restaurants and markets.

7. If you feel too conspicuous with a camera bag, disguise it by putting it inside a plastic bag or shopping bag.

8. Don't forget to take pictures of people, those you are traveling with and those you meet. It is always best to ask if you can take a photo of a person you don't know. Some people may be offended or frightened by the camera.

9. If you are running out of memory switch to jpeg, the smallest jpeg will save the most memory.

10. Cameras hate sand and water so put them in a plastic bag when you go to the beach.

We were on the ferry crossing over from the Isle of Skye to the west coast of Scotland. I love the clouds hanging over the rocks like that.

Even though I have taken quite a few photographs in my time, I can still feel very nervous when I am somewhere special and beautiful because capturing the beauty of a place is not an easy thing to do. I hate taking photos that look like boring old fashioned postcards, or even worse missing the point of the photo altogether. There's no doubt that practice makes perfect - well almost perfect! My shots are better now than they were years ago. This book has been useful.

It's full of tips on all aspects of taking pictures while on holiday. It uses photos to illustrate 'how to do things' very well and it

Learn from the experts - a great present for yourself or someone setting off on an adventurous trip.

The west coast of Scotland and the midnight sun, with the Isle of Skye in the background. How beautiful - I love the chocolate color - I waited a long time to capture that.

This setting is for taking photos of really small things like insects. You may have MF on your camera settings without the symbol.

Rome -The Vatican Piazza. I love the way the camera has picked up the drops of water and the rays.

Which kind of camera do you use?

Is there a camera that is clearly the best for you?

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