For those of you who have booked onto a cruise or are thinking of doing so, and who also like to take photographs, perhaps on a handheld camera or a smartphone, have you ever thought about the best way to take these photos? I suppose the answer to this question will depend on how confident and expert a photographer you are. My family and I are thinking about booking a cruise to the Fjords for 2027 as it's something we have been talking about and sourcing for quite a while. We love to take plenty of photographs, especially when travelling to different places, and for that reason it's important that we are fully prepped on the best ways to take these photos when we are on the cruise.
How to Take High-Quality Photos When on a Cruise
When I write about wanting to learn the best ways to take photos when on a cruise, I don't mean how to take photographs when the cruise ship is static, for example when it's docked in a port. What I want to gain knowledge of is how to take photos when the ship is moving. There might be times when the sea is rather choppy, and the result is that the ship then starts to sway from side to side somewhat more than usual. If during this period we are passing something of interest or real beauty, we will not want to have to forgo the opportunity to capture the moment purely because the ship is not as steady as we need it to be.
For this reason, I have been conducting some research and here are some tips I have found:
It is a good idea to set your shutter speed higher than usual. The reason to do this is that it helps to instantly freeze motion caused by ship vibration or roll.
The next tip is to turn on image stabilisation on your lens or camera body or switch your smartphone to action/stabilisation mode.
Then we need to think about our stance when we take photos. It is beneficial to have a wide stance with your knees slightly bent. This helps to have the effect of your body absorbing the ship's swaying and other motions somewhat like a shock absorber.
When taking the photos, you should be looking to take three to five in a rapid burst rather than the more likely normal one at a time. To do this, you can use the burst mode on your camera or smartphone, or what is sometimes also referred to as high-speed continuous mode. Taking three to five, or even more, quick-fire photos in one continuous burst increases the chances of you obtaining at least one truly great shot.
A lot of people think that a tripod is likely to be handy in these types of situations. They, however, have a major issue which means that they are unlikely to be suitable, and that is the fact that they are prone to tipping over and transferring floor vibration directly to the camera. For this reason, a monopod would be a better option as it allows you to pivot and absorb movement smoothly.