One of the best things about summer vacation is getting those memories on camera, sharing them on social media or making a colorful photo book you will admire for years to come.

Not everyone, however, is a top-notch photographer. A few professional photographers shared some tips for those who can’t seem to get eye-catching snaps.

The sun is a big factor for summer photos because the majority are taken outdoors.

Joshua Zaring, of Pennsylvania, suggests taking a look at your camera before you start, and get acquainted with its settings.

“Shooting at sunrise and sunset usually yields the most beautiful photos in the summertime. So, if you can schedule the time you are photographing your family this is a good time to start. However a good photographer will get the shot in ANY light, and if you are on vacation maybe you want a great shot right now instead of waiting for a better time. The best place to start on your camera is if you can change the metering to ‘spot’ meter instead of ‘Matrix’ or ‘Evaluative.’ This will allow the camera to take the light settings from a smaller spot where you are focusing,” Zaring said.

Take notice of how bright the sun is shining at a given part of the day, the photographer said. When the sun is directly overhead your camera can sometimes create harsh shadows on a person’s face or make them completely white, spot metering can help minimize this. 

Placing your subject in a shaded area if possible will also help to reduce the effects of direct sunlight. You can also position the sun to side or behind the person.

Don’t make it too hard for yourself, he said. You do not need to be super-informed about every setting on your camera.

If you are just getting started with your DSLR camera, Zaring suggests starting on ‘Aperture Priority.’

“Aperture priority will let you select the F stop on your camera and do the rest of the work for you so you can quickly get good photos without too much fiddling.”

In most lighting situations, particularly sunrise and sunset, you want a fast shutter speed and low aperture, says Zaring. 

There’s also the beauty in sunrise, midday and sunset.

“Sunrise/sunset photography usually does away with hard light and has more of a soft, yellow glow. The main problem with these times of day is the shadows created on faces. What you want to do is have the sun slightly on one side of the face and toward the sun without making someone squint. This will avoid most of the hard shadows. Then focus on the face and the resulting shot should be an even glowing light,” Zaring explained.

Anna Trayer, of Anna T. Photography in Pennsylvania, said amateurs should not be afraid of sunset.

“Sunset is your best friend. It may be a little after bedtime, but that dreamy light is worth it! If you have a DSLR, take it off of automatic and start practicing manual mode to take control of your images.”

Another summer favorite for photographing is the water.

Mark Mallet of Schindler’s Studio warned about the underwater devices.

“(One problem) is the clear plastic GoPro underwater casing that can act as a lens in direct sunlight, overheating and damaging the camera.”

Another common mistake is not recognizing the effect on the camera when changing from indoor to outdoor, Mallet said.

“If a camera is in the direct blast of air conditioning and then taken outside into a humid atmosphere, the moisture can condense on the lens and affect clarity.”

The most important tip from the professionals is to have fun and don’t try to be fancy.

Said Trayer, “(Always) bring your camera with you. So often I wish I brought along my ‘big’ camera to capture those little moments on our summer adventures. Beach photography is one of my favorites. Don’t ask for smiles, don’t ask them to look at you, just be there capturing them as they are.”

Goodling is a reporter for The (Sunbury, Pennsylvania) Daily Item.