Capturing the Best Photos for Social Media on a Raft Trip!
By Molly • February 27, 2018
Capturing the Best Photos for Social Media on a Raft Trip!
Have you ever been envious of those Instagram-ers that always have the best photos of their awesome adventures? Well you could capture those great moments too! This guide will give you tips on ways to get the perfect social media worthy photo on a raft trip. These photos will surely show the beauty and adventure filled aspects of rafting! While it is ideal to use a high-quality camera, smartphones these days do a great job of capturing the world as well.
Use the Rule of Thirds
Composition is a key aspect of getting the perfect photo. The rule of thirds is an important rule that should always be followed; it is to break down the image into thirds. The subject of your image should be off centered, so for example off to the right and closer to the top of the whole image.
Lighting
Having good lighting is very important when getting a solid picture. You want it to be light enough without being washed out. The good news is that rafting is a summertime activity so you most likely will be out in the sun with great lighting. But, too much sun can also be an issue. You want to avoid shooting directly into the sun, so make sure it is behind you. And it is a good rule of thumb to not use the flash as it can wash the photo out.
Take Photos of People without Warning
If you’re on a raft trip with family or friends, it’s a great idea to capture them in the midst of the fun. Some of the best photos come candidly when people aren’t posing. So especially for a fun adventure activity like rafting, try and capture them laughing or intensely paddling and don’t tell them until after!
Get in the Water
Actually getting in the water and taking a photo from that perspective can yield great results. Whether you’re taking a photo of the surrounding landscape or of the boat, it can be a fun and unique angle.
Capture from Above
Quite the opposite of the low angle water shot is the option to get above all the action. This works particularly well when at the campsite on a multi-day trip. Climbing some near-by rocks can allow you to capture the camp and the river from a more aerial perspective
Shoot with a Purpose
Be aware of what exactly you are trying to capture in each photo. This could be capturing the grand rock walls and canyons, the people and the boat, or the rapids themselves. It starts to get boring if a large part of your photos is the open blue sky, so be specific about what is in the frame!
Editing Apps
Once you’ve taken your photos, you can download some free photo editing apps to create the social media worthy photos you’ve been wanting! For example, Filterra is an app that is designed for editing photos that will be perfect for Instagram. In these apps, you can adjust lighting, exposure, put a filter on it, and more. The goal is to get a great picture during your adventure, but you can adjust it to perfection in the app!
Instagram itself has a great built-in photo editor with the option for all the adjustments you could need.
It can be fun and rewarding to capture the great moments you have out on a raft trip, and the best way to improve is to keep practicing and going on endless adventures!
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