A Weekend Drive : Tips For Photographing In The Car

normally someone who takes her camera everywhere, my camera has stayed at home for the most part throughout the last year.  since having our daughter, my focus has been on her and all of her belongings when we head out the door and less about my camera.  i was feeling the need to get my camera out this past weekend and challenge myself to photograph beautifully from the tight space of a moving car, leading me to think of some helpful tips for photographing in the car.

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it felt good to get my camera back out for everyday photography.  our outings outside of the house have been more about strollers, diaper bags and sophie and less about my camera.  last weekend was the perfect opportunity, as we were headed to lunch in an adjacent town, with a 3o minute drive.  i have been feeling the pull to get back into my everyday photography, now that our little girl is nearing a year old and is delightfully independent.  as the husband drove and the baby read one of her favorite books, i was left with 30 minutes of free time to play with my camera.  when inside of a moving car, i felt it a good challenge to get some interesting photographs.  here are some tips for photographing in the car to inspire you during your next family outing.

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A Weekend Drive : Tips For Photographing In The Car

1. Don’t Forget You

we tend to forget to turn that camera around on ourselves every once in awhile and document that we, as mamas, were on the outing too.  i loved creating a unique self portrait that allowed me to document the day, including the surroundings of a car window and a seat belt to tell a story through a self portrait.

2.  Get Close To The Glass

if you are wanting to take a photograph of something outside of the vehicle, but your window it rolled up, be sure to get your lens as close to the glass of the window as possible.  doing this will allow you to get a photo, without the reflection of the glass.  it will seem like you are photographing from first hand, without a glass partition in the way.  i have found this to be one of my favorite tips for photographing in the car and do this quite regularly.

3.  Include Details That Tell A Story

for us, my husband always drives.  it’s just the way it is.  he likes to drive, i like to be the passenger.  it’s one of those little things that makes us perfect for one another.  also, i tend to be a little impatient behind the wheel so it’s more relaxing for everyone if he drives.  i like to document little things about our life that tell our story.  maybe someone else will look at this picture and take little meaning from it.  but to me, it tells the story of my husband always thoughtfully taking us on family outings.  and i like to create images that, first and foremost, document our true day to day and mean something to me.

4.  Be Mindful of Lens Choice

it’s a tight space inside of a car, making it a no brainer for me to use my wide angle lens.  for this series of images, i photographed with my sigma 24mm f/1.4 art lens.  i wanted to be sure that i was photographing my surroundings, as well as my subjects, to tell a better story within my images.  i also simply find it easier to photograph with a wide angle, because i don’t have to back up all the time to get my surroundings within the frame.  and there is no option to back up within a moving car.

as you head out on your next family outing, be sure to remember these tips for photographing in a car to help you get some great images that tell the story of your day out.  everyday photography is so important, to document your true life with your family.  don’t let being in a small car stop you from capturing those genuine family moments.

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