Welcome to Banks Peninsula, home of The Hector’s dolphins and eco-tourism pioneers Black Cat Cruises

5 EASY STEPS TO TAKING A GREAT PHOTO…

Point and shoot – how hard can it be? Despite the seemingly idiot-proof design of the modern camera these days, it can be harder than it looks. That blurry, dark, shot of half your thumb, or the washed out, blindingly bright one of what you thought was the sunset are endless sources of frustration for the amateur photographer and tourist alike. New Zealand is internationally famous for it’s picturesque landscapes. Akaroa and Banks Peninsula deliver many picture perfect locations so it’s a must visit destination for some of the best places to photograph in New Zealand. It’s also no secret that when it comes to landscape photography, getting your lens to reflect the beauty your eyes can see is quite the challenge.

‘Akaroa foggy morning’ Black Cat photo competition 2013

photo competition akaroa

Of course that’s not the story for everyone. The winners of our recent photography competitions know a thing or two about taking a pretty picture, and you can see the artworks their lenses have captured further down our blog. But for those of you who are aspiring to have a shot at next year’s prizes, here are a few tips on how to capture that perfect photo of Banks Peninsula’s breathtaking scenery.

Now, how complicated this gets depends on what kind of camera you’re using. If you’ve got the simple, good ol’ point and shoot, and it’s been bought in the past few years, chances are you’ll have a setting on there specifically designed to make taking a landscape shot a breeze. In this case, all you’ve got to do is make sure you have a steady hand – or even better yet, a tripod – make sure the shot is in focus, and then take the snap.

These days the cameras on mobile phones are producing some fantastic images, and with so many high quality filter apps everyone can be the next budding National Geographic photographer! Check out some awesome shots on Instagram by Jim Richardson. A National Geographicphotographer who has been shooting around the globe with his i-phone.

But if you’ve mastered that aspect of the basics, going a little further with fairly inexpensive equipment isn’t as hard as it seems. If your camera has a manual or custom settings option, there are several things you want to think about before making that shutter click.

Step 1

 

Framing a picture on an Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise

Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise Black Cat

Firstly, arrange your frame. It’s important to scope out the composition and of what you want to capture before you start clicking. Use the rule of thirds as a general guideline for finding ways to balance out your shot, and play with the zoom to focus in on the best parts of the scene in front of you.

Step 2

Next, you’ll want to consider the lighting of the shot. How does it look to your eye? How does it look through the camera? Depending on the feel you want to give to an image, adjust the brightness and contrast using your camera’s settings to subdue colours or make them pop. Although these can be adjusted in post-production software, getting the shot as close to how you want it to look as possible at the scene makes life a lot easier in the editing phase. Try playing with the different tones and pick your favourite later on.

Step 3

 

Sunrise in Lyttelton Harbour by Carolyn Nicholl

things to do in christchurch lyttelton harbour

Also because of the high contrast and brightness while the sun is high in the sky, many photographers recommend picking your times for landscape shots carefully. If the sun is in danger of overexposing your pics, go for an early morning or late afternoon expedition – you’ll get some amazing hues at these times of the day too. Sometimes it’s worth the 5am wake up call for a beautiful sunrise.

Black Cat Dolphin Swimmer Surprise Shot

Black Cat Dolphin Swimmer Surprise Shot

Step 4

When it comes to action shots, especially on the water, you’ll want to have your camera’s shutter up to speed. If you have a sports mode setting, or the ability to set the shutter speed really high, this will assist in getting clearer, crisper shots of moving subjects. It’s best to go for these when there is ample natural lighting, or a scene where your flash will work, as because the shutter is so fast, there isn’t much time to let a lot of light into the lens. If you get your timing and lighting right, capturing that mid-air dolphin shot shouldn’t be too strenuous.

Step 5

It’s also important that you try your best to ensure the shot is in focus before you press that button. There’s nothing worse than going back through a batch of what would be beautiful shots just to find that something’s out of focus. Using the auto-focus setting is a great way to see that the focal point of your image is in fact just that, but if you’re more confident with your eye, play with the manual focus to blur out the background or foreground, and get a little more creative with your camera.

But finally, what matters most of all is that you get out there and give it a go. The more shots you take, the more comfortable you’ll become behind the lens, and the easier it’ll be to figure out what works, and what doesn’t. There’s plenty to see out there, and even more to capture.

Send us your photo’s…

Black Cat love to see and share your pictures from Banks Peninsula. If you have ever been on or are going on a Black Cat cruise within the next few weeks be sure to upload your favourite photo and share it. We will send an A4 print to you at your home address and your photo will go into a competition to win an Ipad mini! Check out the competition here.

Do you have any great photography tips? Share them with us below and we’ll give away a pair of Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise tickets to the one we think is best!

Tickets will be awarded by Dec 31st 2013.