ULTIMATE

MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE

for Tour and Activity
Providers
by Matthias Maraczi
ULTIMATE MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE

for Tourism and Activity Providers

by Matthias Maraczi

Copyright © 2016 by TrekkSoft AG

www.trekksoft.com/library

Cover Design Copyright © 2016 by TrekkSoft

Book design by Matthias Maraczi,
Edited by Nicole Kow

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
by any electronic or mechanical means - except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in articles or reviews - without written permission
from the publisher.
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“The best camera is the one with you”



Chase Jarvis

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Content
Author’s Note 5

Basic Photography Principles 6

Tips 15
Action Photography
People Photography
Landscape Photography

Apps 37

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Author’s Note
Choosing the right images to represent your company is a significant part of your visual content
marketing strategy. However, we know from working day-to-day with tour and activity providers that
acquiring these images can be tricky.

As you're selling a really specific experience, using stock imagery is almost always out of question.

Also, hiring a professional photographer can be heavy on your wallet. It also doesn’t provide you with
a steady flow of images that you can use across your social media channels and website.

That means you need to start taking your own photos. But what if you weren’t gifted with the keen
eye of a photographer, or you just don’t have the financial resources to purchase a professional
camera and all the necessary equipment? Well, I’ve got good news for you folks! None of that
actually matters.

Photography is a skill that anyone can acquire, and the equipment you use plays little to no role in
how your photos will turn out. This is especially the case nowadays, when most of you already carry
a high definition camera with you, right there in your pocket, sitting in your smartphone, and waiting
to be embraced.
Matthias Maraczi

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As a professional photographer, I was initially quite shocked to find myself ignoring
the multiple-thousand-dollar equipment I had acquired over the years. But now that
I've learned to embrace this, I've spent several months only shooting with my
iPhone 6S.

In this ebook, I've collected the most important rules and tips that I use when taking
pictures. I'm confident that his crash course will help to up your photography game,
but first, please remember this...

Photography principles are like road signs. First, you try and mostly fail to follow
them all. But as you try to practice them again and again, they become second
nature and you can begin to selectively ignore them with surprisingly good results.

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1. Consider viewpoint
Viewpoint is more than just a single principle. In order to turn
the simple act of taking pictures into ‘Photography’, you have to
put a lot more thought into creating the shot you want.

You have to search for the right angle, anticipate how your
subject will behave, know what that photo will be used for.

For instance, do you want to use the photo you're taking as a

website header? Leave a good amount of negative (or blank)
space above or below your subject for the page title or your
logo to go. Just like so...

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2. Learn the rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is, in my opinion, the single most important
rule of photography. Imagine dividing your photo into a 3 x 3
rectangular grid. Or, if you don’t want to imagine, turn on the
‘Grid’ function on the camera you are using. I guarantee it will
be there.

Now that you have your grid, align everything in the frame
along these lines and to their intersections. Fairly simple.

By not placing your subject in an obvious spot, such as the

middle of the photo, the unequal parts seamlessly draw your
attention from one part of the image to another.

Alternatively, parts of equal appearance hold your attention

awkwardly suspended, as if you're unable to determine which
of those parts is to be considered secondary or inferior to the
other.

Ask yourself: which effect do you want to create?

Let's look at this in action... Which effect would you say is used
on the next page? Do you think it works well?

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Shoot from 

unique angles
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3. Use leading lines

Leading lines are used to control the viewer’s mind. When you
look at an image, your brain scans it and determines lines
which it will follow to read the image in detail.

Simply put, you can guide a person’s attention from one part of
the image to another by decreasing the distance between
your guiding lines.

Look at the photo on the next page...

Did you notice how your eyes followed the road to the
distance? What did you notice first? The snow on the mountain
or the poles on the left?


You could also create drama and suspense by making your
image harder to scan. Intersecting lines will make the photo
feel less balanced and, combined with the right angles, you can
create a piece of art that will stop your audience from trying to
interpret the image, making it a lot more memorable and
engaging.

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4. Understand framing
Framing is a commonly used word in photography. In this case,
it sort of means a frame within the frame.

It's an effective composition technique to surround your main

subject with additional elements. It communicates really
clearly the important parts of the image. Play with your
background and wrap your subject in it.

If your background or frame is a solid color, blurred, or has a

simple pattern, it is perfect to hold additional elements such as
logos and text for your marketing.

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As a tour and activity provider, the images you will take can be divided into 3 really broad
categories:

•
 Action Photography
• People Photography
• Landscape Photography



I’m going to go through each of these and give you a few tips for each. These include
advice I've found valuable during my own personal and professional shoots.

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5. Use burst mode

Action photography has its own distinct challenges. To capture
it in all its excitement, you have to plan everything out before it
happens. A good way to ensure you get the image you want is
by using burst mode.

Burst mode is a feature on most phones where you can

capture multiple images within a short period of time. This
way you can’t possibly miss anything happening. Also, it allows
you to focus on composing your image and holding your
subject in focus.

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6. Use prefocus for

fast-moving objects
Prefocus is a technique for shooting fast-moving objects. If you
know the exact spot the object will pass by, you can lock
the focus of your camera on the point and hit burst to make
sure you have a crystal sharp image.

Focus-lock is a common feature on mobile phones and in

various 3rd party applications. If you are using an iPhone, just
tap and hold your finger till the yellow bar appears on the
top of the frame, indicating the lock.

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7. Don't get too close

for action shots
When shooting action shots, you don’t want to get too close to
your subject. First of all, this is because it's harder for your
camera to focus especially since the subject is moving. Also,
the surroundings can make the image look a lot more
interesting.

As I mentioned earlier, try to leave some negative (or blank)

space in the photo you are taking. This will allow you to use it
for more than one purpose, for example, as a Facebook cover
photo and an image in a blog post.

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Experiment!
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People photography focuses on capturing the emotions your guests
are experiencing. Excitement, happiness and joy can shine through
the image and convince potential guests to book your tours.

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8. Go paparazzi
Everyone, even subconsciously, knows the difference between
a real and a fake smile.

To get real emotions on camera, quit staging your photos.

Shouting “SMILE!” has hardly ever resulted in a good, genuine
image. Be a bit more subtle and you'll get more natural results.

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9. Get closer for people

photography
Get closer. Close-ups can help you to capture more emotion in
the person you're photographing.

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10. Get on eye level

Keep your subject’s eye on the same level as your own eye to
help more emotion come through in the photo. Additionally, this
prevents the appearance of head-tops and double chins.

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2. 

Get

Closer
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Landscapes are great for photographers because they don't move or fidget.
However, there are a great many variables you have to take into account to make
an otherwise still scene exciting.

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11. Get the right light

You don’t want to shoot midday, when the sun is the strongest.
It creates unwanted high-contrast. In these situations, make
use of shadows and reflected light.

Make sure you adjust your exposure by tapping your subject

on the viewfinder to prevent your phone from adjusting to the
brightness of its surroundings.

When shooting outdoor, ideally, you would want to aim for the
hour after dawn and the hour before sundown: the so called
golden hours, when the light of the sun is really directional and
has a golden tint to it.

I don't have any other quick tips here, as every place has a
unique time and weather when it looks best.

Interlaken, where I live, is the prettiest late in the mornings and

when the night’s fog sits on the slopes of the surrounding
mountains almost like a belt, diffusing the bright morning light,
only leaving thin streaks to shoot through.

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12. Try panorama mode

There is no magic here. It simply looks great and provides a
perfect solution to capture big monuments like mountains and
huge buildings. Throw a few other subjects in there for
additional dimensions within the image: these are essential to
bring your landscapes to the next level.

Most phones have panorama functions, if your phone lacks

it, download AutoStitch for your desktop or mobile device.

Watch out for people moving while you capture the image,
otherwise you’ll end up with creepy figures like how one of my
colleagues turned out in the bottom-right corner in one of these
panoramas...

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2. Get

Closer
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13. Embrace composition

Mountains will not run away. As long as the lighting conditions
are ideal, you have all the time you need to work on your
composition.

Composition refers to the intentional placement of specific

objects in specific parts of a photograph, or moving your frame
to make sure that certain objects are where you want them to
be in a picture.

There are a few things which make the image on the following
page great:

• The weight of the main subject is on an intersection (I'm

referring to the Rule of Thirds here)
• The whole subject is aligned to the right vertical line
• The subject sits on the bottom horizontal line
• The lines on the image are defined and guide your focus
towards the subject
• These lines are also framing the subject
• The dark rock in the foreground makes the composition more
interesting, giving the whole image extra dimension.

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An overview of basic photography principles

General principles

1. Consider viewpoint - Think about what the photo will be used for and capture the image with an angle that's suitable for this.
For instance, how much blank space do you want in the image?

2. The rule of thirds - Visualise a 3 x 3 rectangular grid and place your objects where the lines intersect. This will help you get the
most impact from your photos.

3. Use leading lines - These direct the viewer's eye to where you want them to look.

4. Understand framing - What do you want people to focus on? Look for elements in you photo that can frame the subject of your
focus.

Tips for Stunning Action Shots

5. Use burst mode - A common feature on most phones, this feature allows you to capture multiple images in a short period of
time, allowing you to focus on your subject.

6. Use a pre-focus for really quick shots - If you know the exact spot where your subject will pass, lock your camera's focus in
that spot and use the burst mode to capture crystal sharp images.

7. Don't get too close to your subjects in action shots.

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How to Capture Great Pictures of People

8. Go paparazzi - Stop staging your photos to get more natural results.

9. Get close to your subjects to better capture their emotions.

10. Get to eye level with your subjects - This helps to avoid capturing your subjects in angles that do not flatter them.

Simple Guides to Impressive Landscape Photos

11. Make the most of light - Know when your destination looks the most attractive and snap away!

12. Try panorama mode - Sometimes the best way to show off your destination is to show off everything about it.

13. Embrace composition - Think about the placement of the objects and subjects in your image. Does it create the effect you
want?

Where to start?

I would recommend you to get to know the camera features on your phone. Go out and start taking photos and playing around
with the different buttons you see on your screen. Try out different features, especially the panorama and burst mode. Get to know
what your phone's camera can do, your most powerful marketing tool.
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Taking an image is one thing, bringing the best out of it is another. I’m sure that
many people reading this already have experience with filters and such things, but
there is a lot more to image editing than throwing an X-pro filter on a selfie.

There is an incredible amount of apps out there, and it can be hard to pick out
which ones will really add value to your photos.

My mobile workflow consist of 3 applications: one for capture, one for retouching
and one for storage. I’m going to introduce you to them now to eliminate the
paradox of choice in your journey to becoming a great photographer.

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Apps
Eliminating the paradox of choice
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ProCam
Brings the phone’s interface closer to what you would find on a
professional camera, has additional ISO and shutter speed settings.

I typically use the built-in camera app for my day-to-day photography. For days when I want to step my
game up, I use ProCam. It gives me a little more control over my exposure than the regular app without
compromising on image quality. Play around with it and see if it suits you.

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Snapseed
Simple interface with an editing powerhouse behind it. Has everything you
can wish for including a healing brush to get rid of unwanted objects or eye
bags in your photos.

Google’s all time image editor has a long history behind it. In recent years, in my opinion, it has become one of
the best image editing applications on the market. And just like most Google products, you can get it for free. I
wouldn’t go into great detail about what it does, but I tell you, despite the incredible amount of features, Google
has managed to keep this app’s interface as intuitive as possible. Importing and exporting photos is super simple,
and all the adjustments are controlled with finger motions on the image. I can’t be the only one who hates to
fiddle with buttons and sliders on a 5-inch screen.

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Flickr
1TB storage for free. It also hosts your photos and lets you share them
with a huge community of professionals.

I originally signed up for Flickr to join the community of photographers online. Later, when the Flickr app landed
on my phone and started uploading all the photos I’ve taken (without displaying them publicly of course), I
discovered their great cloud service. I've been a loyal user ever since. To me, people giving feedback and leaving
comments on my work is just an added bonus. It has helped me grow as a photographer a lot more than any
book, article, tutorial or class ever did.

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As an addition to your newly-acquired photography knowledge on principles and
techniques, here are a few resources that can serve as free editing options for
literally anything you wish to create.

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pxlr.com
Edits images online from any computer. It is basically Photoshop online,
for free.

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canva.com
Really simple desktop editing application for print and social media
design.

Canva is the best available software for simple media and print design. Headers, covers, posters and Facebook
image templates are provided with a bunch of templates, icons, fonts and free stock photos.

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pexels.com
A collection of royalty free images with commercial license without
attribution.

When it comes to photos, my ultimate recommendation is Pexels. Even though the search function and image
tagging is a little sloppy, it is still a great collection of images you can use commercially for free.

If you are feeling adventurous and not particularly determined about the subject of the stock photo you are
looking for, try unsplash.com.

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ULTIMATE MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE


for Tour and Activity Providers