Taking Travel Photos For Printing On Canvas

With the sun shining more readily and the temperatures rising, many of you will be thinking of booking your summer holidays, if you've not already done so. Holidays present the ideal opportunity for getting some great photos for printing on canvas, but it's nice to mix up your themes and focus to save taking the same old style of travel photos and give you something more unusual for your walls.

1. Research - it's definitely worth borrowing a book from the library or looking at images online to get a feel for your destination and some inspiration for the best vantage points for local sites and super shots. It could even help you to plan an itinerary for a photo walk.

2. Perspective - put several different family albums of the same destination together and the chances are that you'll find you’re looking at almost the exact same pictures! Try thinking of a fresh perspective - look for close-ups and details that will show another aspect or design feature of a famous monument, or get on the floor or find a high point to view and shoot from.

3. Family fun - while a photo of the kids lined up on the beach may look fine on canvas, more animated shots can work much better. Volleyball on the sand, playing a traditional, local game or even tucking into some unusual cuisine can be a nicer way of getting some family snaps on your travels. It'll make the shots more unique and personal, giving you a real memory rather than just another shot that could have been taken anywhere.

4. Local characters - who says your holiday canvas needs to have your family as the star?! As long as you don't mind striking up a conversation and asking for permission, local people can make brilliant subjects for your images.

5. Local culture - food, clothing, the hustle and bustle of a local market, street performances, architectural styles... capturing the culture of your travel destination can provide a dynamic and interesting piece for printing onto canvas that will become a real talking point for visitors on your return.

Of course the most important thing to remember is that while great photos give you a picture perfect point of reference from your time away, nothing beats the real memories that you store in your head! Make time to put the camera away (or hand it to someone else) and take in the life, smells, sites and scenery around you!

Next week we'll have some more great tips for travel photography, so be sure to check back in!