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10 Tips for Creating Great Cruise Photos for Social Media

As life starts to get back to normal, we know that you may have the travel bug. A cruise is a fantastic way to go on an all-inclusive trip that will be the envy of all on social media. Here are 10 simple ways to ensure that your cruise photos look great on social media.

1. Pay attention to the light

The most important part of any photograph is the light. You may have a preference for the light at a certain time of day and that is great! You should definitely take images that you love taking, but make sure you are maximizing the natural light in your images. Be conscious of shadows and when subjects are backlit.

Photo by Photoholgic on Unsplash

2. Tell a story

As we all know, cruises are a world onto themselves and each passengers experience varies greatly. In order to share your unique experience and have people care about your photos, you need to tell an effective and captivating story. Start off by thinking about what you want to say to your audience and try to create a narrative that shows your unique point of view. Everyone loves a good story, so if you are able to grab, and keep, people’s attention, then you have certainly done something right.

3. Pay attention to composition

In order to make great images that stand out from the rest, make sure you prioritize your composition. Think rule of thirds, where you divide an image in nine equal parts, then place your subject, along the lines of intersection. Also, try to avoid having things in the background that are directly behind your subject’s head. This will distract a viewers eye and make it look like objects are growing out of their heads!

4. Don’t worry about gear

It is easy to get bogged down in comparing the latest greatest photo gear that claims to separate professional photographers from amateur’s, but the camera that is on any smart phone can take absolutely stunning photos with ease. Work with what you have, and remember, the most important part of being a photographer is to simply take pictures. So get out there and start shooting!

5. Make sure you get shots on and off the boat

A great way to show off your vacation is to highlight all of the stops that your cruise will make along the way. We all know about the fun that is had while on the ship, but try to take a considerable amount of images while on the stops as well. This is a great opportunity for you to interact with people who live where your cruise stopped and it can add a unique touch to your photos.

6. Focus on unique parts of experience

To really stand out from the pack with your cruise photos, show your own unique experience! Maybe that will mean a picture inside your room or of your partner lounging reading a book. But you don’t want to get caught in taking the same old pictures as everyone else. Insert a bit of your personality into your images and that will grab people’s attention.

7. Keep it colorful

Another way to have your photos stand out from the crowd is to incorporate the bright and fun colors that exist everywhere on the ship. Having structures, clothing, or objects that are colorful will draw in people who look at your pictures. This is an easy way to put people who are viewing your vacation in a good mood and make them want to go on a cruise themselves!

8. Straighten and move the horizon

When people view images, it’s natural to respond better when things that we know should be straight are represented as such. So if you are taking a picture and the horizon is at all present, try your best to to make it straight. You can certainly do this after the fact before you post on social media, but it’s better to get it right from the beginning. Another tip is to move around the horizon so its not always cutting through the middle of the frame. Experiment with shots that have it in the bottom or top quadrants of the frame and see what kinds of photos you can make.

9. Get close

A good variety in the types of shots will also help your cruise images look great. When posting them on social media, typically pictures with people or close up images have a better chance of getting more likes and comments. All of the time, simple is better when posting images on social media.

10. Have fun

This last one is probably the easiest one to do while on your cruise, and its to just have fun. If you enjoy your trip and follow these tips, your cruise photos will look fantastic. And you will have a keepsake for many years to come!

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Where should you post your cruise photos?

If you are looking to share your vacation with your friends and family and keep it in a relatively small circle, consider making a post on your Facebook timeline. On Facebook, you can also join some cruise groups and share with a wider community if you would like. If hashtags are more your speed, and you like the interaction of lots of people who you might not know personally, considering posting to Instagram. Maybe a memento that you keep for your family is more your thing. In that case, consider getting a photo album printed from Blurb or Shutterfly to have a keepsake for years to come!