Are they for you personally, so that you can remember the trip later? Then ask yourself what exactly you want to remember. Or are you thinking of showing them to your family? In this case, you should be in most of the photos, because they will not be interested in just looking at the place where you have been, they will want to see you in this place. Or are you going to post these photos on social media? Then they have to be original to attract more attention.
What exactly do you want to capture at this particular moment? Think not "I'm photographing that building over there," but "I'm photographing that doorway where the sun's rays fall beautifully." Not "I'm photographing the locals," but "I'm photographing that man over there who is putting out a cigarette and laughing."
When in doubt, add more humanity to the photos. Try to find some kind of story — they are constantly happening around us. Notice a local resident doing something unusual and take a picture of him. Try to make contact. Put down the camera for a while and talk.
Don't take photos "just like that." Your goal is to show a new point of view on something. Sometimes, to get a good shot, you need to wait and prepare. Think over the composition, find an unusual angle, add something to the foreground, come closer to the subject. Find a position in which nothing superfluous will fall into the frame.
Be curious. Maybe a hundred people took pictures of this intersection, but no one looked at the small street — but you look.
Ozturk advises paying attention to people and lighting first of all. He always looks first to see if there is water or smoke nearby, and tries to photograph the object against their background. He also recommends taking photos from a low angle. Squat down or put the camera on the ground — you will be able to look at the world from a new angle.
Poor lighting will spoil the most interesting shot. It is best to take photos in the so—called golden hour - the hour before sunset and the hour after dawn, when the sunlight is warmer and softer.
In the middle of the day, the lighting is too bright and sharp, at this time it is better to take photos in the shade. Bright sunlight can be used as an object's illumination. Stand so that the sun is directly behind the subject and slightly highlights it from behind. For such frames, Ozturk advises a value of f/14 or f/16.
Good photos are obtained when you take pictures not at the usual time for tourists, when you are ready to wait for the right moment while the others are having dinner or still sleeping. So be patient. Find an interesting place that you want to photograph and wait for ideal conditions.
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