HOW TO TURN TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS INTO TRAVEL ART

This summer I traveled to Vietnam and China with my family and another family. As a fine art and commercial photographer, it used to be easy to travel and get great shots. But now, with other people to consider, it’s much harder as I don’t get many opportunities to wander off by myself and get lost - which as far
as I’m concerned, is the best way to get great shots!

So how do you get great travel photos on your vacation that will look good over the sofa, like our photographers do on our website
www.WilltLookGoodOverTheSofa.com?

Here are some basic tips:

1. If you intend to blow your photos up, the most important thing you need is a good digital camera with a good lens. You really need a single lens reflex digital camera with at least 10 MB to get professional looking results. Nikon, Canon and some other companies make some great cameras.

2. Focus on the small moments. The most salable shots are often skylines but in order for them to be worthy, they need to be shot under the best lighting conditions. And when you’re on vacation, it’s hard to be in the right place at the right time to get the perfectly lit shot. So do the opposite- concentrate on the details: the handmade pottery jar, the twisted tree, the colorful clothing of the people, etc.

3. Create a point of view. Haven’t people always told you that you have an odd
way of looking at the world? Well, take your pictures that way, too. Photograph
the world from your wacky way of seeing the world! Photograph those things YOU think are interesting, not just what most tourists think is interesting.


4. Go back to the same places. Generally, unless you’re lucky, your first impression shots of most locations will be just snapshots you take quickly in the moment. If you have a chance, go back to that place you liked at a different time. You’ll see
It better the second time around and get better pictures.

5. Make the weather work for you. I can’t tell you how many vacations I’ve gone
on where it rained or was overcast. And you know what? Some of my favorite
pictures are those moody, foggy ones! The sun is overrated!

5. Shoot at different angles. Try different perspectives so you don’t get a clichéd shot. Get down on your knees for some. Stand on a table. Just try different approaches of the same situation and most likely you’ll be surprised with something fresh and new.

6. Good printing is essential. So now that you have some great shots, make sure they are printed properly! If you don’t have a high end printer yourself, find a lab that can make custom prints
for you. It will make all the difference in turning your travel snapshots into fine art photography.

While a lot of parents spend early fall buying school supplies and school clothes,
some other parents use the time to update their kid’s rooms. And one of the best
ways to decorate your child’s room is with art.

Listening to children and their suggestions on how they’d like to decorate their
rooms can give us some great ideas!

We asked a bunch of our favorite kids what kind of wall art they’d like if they got
to decorate their rooms.

“Funny art”, Grace, age 8

“Anything with my name on it.” Katie, age 5

“Maps of the United States!” Max, age 9

“MY art.” Michael, age 11

“Pictures of my favorite musicians!” –Skylar, age 9

“I like movie posters like The Incredibles, Star Wars, Hulk and King Kong. And Yankee photos and memorabilia.” -Jacob, age 8 ½

“Pictures of my cat!” “Big!” “Over my bed!” - Jessica, age 5

“Photos of Italy and other places I’ve traveled to with my family” Sally, age 13

“Pictures of my favorite actors and singers like the High School Musical stars!” Kira, age 9.5

“Anything that’s purple, my favorite color!” Hannah, age 4

“I would like to have pictures of candy on my walls.” – Rose, age 9

So how do you turn these ideas into great art for your home that you as the parent can live with, too? The idea is to have some fun! Create a theme!

If you want inexpensive posters of rock stars or movie heroes, those are easy to find. Just frame the art in an unexpected way or group them in an interesting arrangement. Lots of small images in clear inexpensive frames in a grid arrangement are eye-catching and clean looking.

Shop at local flea markets for old illustrated children’s books and frame the pages from them. Some of them are amazing. Alphabet art is always wonderful, too. Have the child’s name written out by an artist using creative alphabet letters.

If you want something your kids can grow with, and that has continuing value, start collecting. Cartoon cells of their favorite animated characters, limited edition vintage posters or fine art photographs are always great choices- just make sure the subject matter is something of interest to your kids.

You can create a small art budget for your child and then once a year you can help them find something they like from an artist or company -shopping online makes this quite easy- and get them started learning about the world of art collecting, too.