Photography Tips and Advice

Wake up early

I'm an early riser even on vacation! Im always awake by 6am no matter how late I stay up the previous night! I like to be up on deck about 30 minutes before the ship docks in port. I love this time of morning as there are usually only a few people up on deck which means you can walk around getting a lot of nice shots without having to battle 2000 other people with cameras. Also the lighting is much nicer.

Invest in a polarised filter

A polarised filter is a must for anyone travelling with a dslr camera. They are a little pricey but they make you photographs look a million dollars. They are very simple to use; just screw on the end of you lens, then once your ready to take a photo look through your lens finder and gentle rotate the filter. You will notice the sky will go lighter and darker. Once the sky is the darkest you are ready to take your photo like normal. Remember to rotate the filter for every shot. The results are amazing and no doubt you'll be impressed. I like to remove the filter for photos with people in them as I find the result is very dark and not that nice. The filer will come with a little box to keep it in which is handy to keep in your pocket or bag.

Camera bag that does't look obvious

I was given a nice camera bag when I purchased my camera several years ago. Its lovely and comfortable however its bright red and has Canon written in large font across the front. Its ok for when i'm at home taking photos but overseas I feel like it draws a lot of attention for the wrong crowd. I had a look online for suitable bags but they all looked very obvious camera bags or were extremely expensive. A cheaper solution was to purchase a triangle shaped bag, which was padded, and put it inside of a normal handbag. My camera is nice and protected and stays nice and hidden inside my boring looking satchel bag. If you didn't want to purchase a triangle shaped bag you can also wrap your camera in a jumper or t shirt.

Use flash for people photos

It breaks my heart when i see friend's holiday photos of beautiful sunsets or landscapes and their faces are in darkness. Its simple to force the flash in all cameras now and the results are amazing. Have a look at the photos after you have taken them to make sure everyones face is in focus and bright.

Charge your batteries

Make sure you get into a habit of charging your camera batteries when you return to the room. Always bring a spare battery that is fully charged incase the battery dies suddenly.

Put your chargers in you carry on

I always like to take all my various chargers in my carry on luggage. This way I know where they are at all times and wont have to worry about if my main luggage gets lost or doesn't make the ship!

Luncbox for camera stuff

If your looking for a nice simple solution for carrying your camera charge/batteries/memory cards or makeup and jewellery just head to your local junk store and buy a $2 hard lunchbox. Its waterproof and will provide a nice strong box to protect and also store your items. Its also handy once onboard so you can locate and store all your memory cards, batteries and filters in one nice location.

Things I'm looking forward to in the USA

It might seem sad to some people but I've seen so many movies and read books set in America that I want to experience some things for myself. This isn't a completed list- I'm still thinking of things! 

* Walmart- I must go here! I cannot imagine a store that sells clothes, electronics and groceries all in one!! 

• Macys - Its just a store but i'd love to go there!

• Mc Donalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King and similar - Just to see the difference!

• Forever 21 and Victoria's Secret - I've heard its amazing and am bringing and empty suitcase!

• Ranch flavour Doritos- Ok this is a weird one. I read a lot of Babysitter Club books growing up and Claudia always used to eat these flavoured chips. We don't have this favour in Australia and I'd really like to try it!

• Police and Fire Brigade- Hopefully not for the wrong reasons but I'd love to see their vehicles up close.

• Taco Bell- Fascinated by this- must try! 

• Driving on the other side of the road- I've had a day here and there over in Noumea where they do this but not for an extended amount of time. 

• Television- On past cruises we've been able to get some American stations and loved watching shows like Nancy Grace and Cake Boss. I'd love to see the news and some more programs

• Talking about American TV programs- We don't get Parks and Recreation, we stopped getting The Office past season 5, no one knows about Cake Boss here, How I Met Your Mother is still 2 seasons delayed- I would love to talk to people who watch Parks and Rec!