Blog | Nixplay

Theme parks have captivated the imaginations of children and adults alike for generations. There’s something about the game booths, whirling rides, and carnival food that lends an atmosphere to the theme park that can’t be reproduced elsewhere. Children can run into real life costumed versions of their TV heroes, and older visitors have the opportunity to spend the day riding roller coasters. It’s a special time for everyone, and one that’s full of opportunities for memorable photos.

What To Photograph
You should definitely be keeping an eye out for great photo ops of your children. There are so many wonderfully decorated booths, stores, and alleys that your children will usually have a good backdrop somewhere close by. Try letting them get a little ahead when they see something exciting, and get a shot from behind, or try to time it so that they’re looking back towards you when you take the photo.

Keep a sharp eye out for their costumed cartoon characters, as they tend to get mobbed quickly. Don’t try to get a picture in when there are children and other parents running around in your shot.

And remember to do your best to keep the camera low and at your child’s eye level. Take a knee if you have to in order to get the best shot you can.

Rides
If you are trying to get some good shots of a particular roller coaster or ride, remember to take your time. You might end up needing to wait for a while until you get the shot you’re looking for.

Also remember to obey all the warnings and stay on the right side of the fence. It sounds obvious, but sadly it has to be said. You aren’t invincible, and the fences are there for a reason. Try shooting through them if they’re chain link.

Reaction Shots
Head over to the water rides if you want to get some really good reaction shots. There’s nothing like a splash of water to elicit a great reaction on your family members’ faces.

Landscapes
Don’t forget the landscape. Like we said before, many theme parks have buildings or landscapes that you just don’t see anywhere else. The entrance to a funhouse or an old carousel can make for very interesting photographs if you wait until the evening when the light softens.

And speaking of lighting, waiting until it gets dark can provide you with some incredible shots. The rides have to stay lit in order to keep running, so play around with your exposures and see if you can find a few that you like.

Remember, taking photos at the theme park is fun, but don’t forget to put the camera down sometimes. You’ll end up taking more photos than you keep, and there’s no reason to miss out on your child meeting Goofy because you were worried about the perfect shot.

You’ll leave the theme park with plenty of fantastic photos, so why not create a playlist and display them on your entire family’s Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frames?

Whether you’re spending days at the beach, or just watching your kids run around in the back yard, there are going to be some fantastic photo ops this summer. You’ll have plenty of amazing outdoor scenes to shoot, so keep your camera at the ready. Check out these 10 great moments you won’t want to miss, plus some tips on how to get the best looking picture possible.

1. Beach Days
The best time to shoot photos of your kids and the rest of your family at the beach is during the morning or evening hours. The light is less harsh and you’ll get a better picture. If your beach is crowded, use the sky as a background, or simply embrace the activity and keep it in your photo.

2. Relaxing Evenings
There’s something special about those summer nights when the sun is still managing to peek over the horizon. If you want that chill summer evening vibe, full of fireflies and sleepy children, then remember to up the ISO settings on your camera and be extra cautious about keeping the camera still.

3. Blowing Bubbles
These photos can be downright adorable, but it’s hard to get that perfect shot because there’s so much going on in the picture—your child and their movement, the bubbles, and the background. Try working on your single-point focus to pick out a great photo.

4. Little League
You’ll be looking at photos of your little ones on the baseball or softball diamond for years to come. And luckily, the close proximity that most parents are allowed at Little League games makes this easier than if you had to shoot from actual stands. Just remember to wait until around 5 o’clock when the evening light starts to work its magic.

5. Fireworks
Nothing says summertime like a fireworks display over some water. The thing is, you’re not going to get a great image pointing your phone at them. To truly capture great fireworks shots, you’re going to need a tripod and a camera with adjustable shutter speed. Use a slow shutter speed and make use of the tripod so that your image isn’t blurry and shaky.

6. Road Trip
The key to getting good road trip photos is waiting until your kids have a reaction to something new or exciting. Even just letting them out of the car after a couple hours can result in a pretty ecstatic reaction, so remember to have that camera ready to capture it all.

7. Stormy Weather
It just wouldn’t be summer if a few late-evening thunderstorms didn’t roll your way. Try getting a shot of your kids while they’re pressed up against the window, or get out on the porch to ride it out with some great photos of the evening sky.

And whatever photos you take this summer, remember to display them in the best way possible—with a crystal clear wifi cloud frame from Nixplay. Check out our selection today and find the perfect digital frame for your family.

If you’re taking a vacation to the beach this year, just know that we’re all jealous. And if you live close enough to head there regularly, well, you can probably imagine how we feel about that, too. Seriously though, a huge number of vacations in the summer are organized around getting to the beach for a week or two. The view is gorgeous, the weather is beautiful, and you’ve got all the time in the world to relax. Everyone and their mother (literally) is taking pictures while they’re at the beach. But here’s the thing – not every beach photo turns out that great. Who knew it would be so hard to capture a vast, elemental force on your iPhone?

Still, you can get some great beach photos if you follow a few simple rules.

Find A Focal Point
This is a really common mistake. Someone is sitting on the beach, enjoying a beautiful, uninterrupted view of the water, and they decide to snap a pic and send it to their family and friends. The problem is that ocean, sand, and sky don’t really give the viewer anything to focus their eye on. Without that focal point, even a tremendous shot of the ocean comes off as kind of boring, and your viewer won’t look at it very long.

An easy way to fix this is by getting a person in the shot. Or it could be a boat, a rocky outcropping, or anything else that breaks up the lines of the ocean and sand.

Keep The Lighting In Mind
The beach provides some great sunrise and sunset lighting, and you can easily capitalize on this during your vacation. But also remember that the water will reflect light, and this can cause some unflattering highlights on your subjects, especially at times of day when the light is harsher.

However, don’t pass up an opportunity to use these reflections to your benefit. High tides and shallow pools can provide some very cool opportunities for photos featuring reflections of your subjects.

Find Some Color
There’s a reason that most people will take a look at your photos from the beach and shrug. It’s because no matter where you are, the colors at the beach tend to be very similar. There’s a lot of brown and tan sand (or maybe white), blue water, and probably blue sky. The locale is beautiful, but the photo looks just like any other. A good way to get around this is by finding something colorful for the focal point of your picture. The color will pop out, and your friends won’t be able to stop staring.

Look For Lines
It’s important that you look for lines to use in your photos. The water’s edge makes a natural, interesting line, but you can also use any dunes or vegetation down the beach.

You’ll want to share all your gorgeous photos with your friends and family, and wifi cloud frames from Nixplay are the best way to do it. Check out our selection and find the frame that’s right for you.