Take Your Vacation Photos to the podium

After more than a dozen years chasing the action at over 500 events and managing the creative chaos of my team of photographers, I’ve learned that magic in photography rarely happens by chance — it’s created. When I left for Portugal with my family last summer, I knew I was committing to the most important “contract” of the year. My loved ones became my VIP clients, and this series of photographs is the visual legacy I’m giving them. 

A classic souvenir photo with no pressure — the perfect way to ease into the vacation vibe.  

Remember, you’re not a photojournalist — you’re a photography enthusiast on vacation. Forget perfection: you’ll make technical mistakes (trust me, I’ve made plenty!), and that’s completely normal. In the end, the most important thing is simply bringing home beautiful memories. 

1. Choosing Your Weapons : The boldness of Prime Lenses

For this trip, I traded the versatility of zoom lenses for the character of two Nikon prime lenses: a 20mm f/1.8 and an 85mm f/1.4. Why? Because there isn’t a single assignment where I don’t show up with this duo, which I consider the ultimate kit for traveling light without sacrificing creativity.

As for the camera body, I swapped out my two Z8 to try my son’s brand-new and ultra-compact Nikon Z5 II — and I loved it!

The 85mm for isolation: just like in sports photography, this focal length allows me to separate a strong subject from a complex environment.

The Event Photographer’s Eye: spotting a unique character in the urban chaos. The 85mm f/1.4 makes it possible to isolate this gentleman despite the distance.

Elevating the Imperfect: here’s a concrete example of the 85mm working its magic. By isolating this boat detail, the background — which could have been any cluttered shoreline — melts into a creamy blur. The natural “imperfections” of the scene become nothing more than a wash of color that highlights the texture and lines of the main subject. That’s the difference between an ordinary souvenir photo and a polished artistic image.

Isolating to Tell a Story: this image perfectly illustrates the isolating power of the 85mm f/1.4. By focusing on this young woman sitting alone at a table, I was able to blur the background so it became a soft atmosphere rather than a distraction. The subject stands apart from the urban chaos, creating a sense of calm and solitude. That’s how an ordinary moment is transformed into a cinematic scene.

Even in a dense crowd, the wide aperture guides the eye into the depth of the street, transforming a busy roadway into a cinematic scene.

The 20mm for immersion: this is the storyteller’s lens. It captures the atmosphere of crowded streets while maintaining a natural perspective.

A breathtaking landscape becomes even more powerful when a human presence is added. Here, the contrast between the vastness of the water and the silhouettes along Porto’s ramparts gives a true sense of scale to the beauty of the moment.

Pro Tip: using an extreme low-angle perspective (camera on the ground) creates a vanishing point toward the sky that immediately draws the eye upward to the buildings lining this Porto alleyway.

2. Family Photography : Managing Time, Not Just Light

In event photography, I’m used to pressure and chaos, but on vacation, the challenge is different: you have to work around the (perfectly understandable!) impatience of your crew. Capturing the soul of a trip like ours to Portugal should never come at the expense of the experience shared with the people I love.

The Photographer Facing Limits: Creative Surrender

Sometimes, the expert eye has to accept reality and yield to the traveler’s experience. I had a striking example of this in Lisbon.

The Photo That Could Have Been: just 10 feet farther, the composition with this famous yellow funicular would have been perfect. But after 10 endless minutes, the tram still hadn’t moved, and I could feel myself losing my crew. I had to let go of the idea of the “perfect shot” in order to respect our family’s time together and continue exploring.

The story takes on an even more human dimension when I think back on it today: just a few days later, that same car No. 1 was involved in a tragic accident. It’s a reminder that every captured moment, even an imperfect one, is a treasure. Never sacrifice the present for the sake of a photo.

Rather than forcing yet another pose, I chose to simply press the shutter, creating a genuine memory of that day. Authenticity will always matter more than forced perfection.

3. “Ninja Mode”: Capturing the Candid Moment

In event photography, the secret is to go unnoticed. On vacation, it’s the key to avoiding the “forced photo” syndrome.

Documenting the Moment: sometimes, the perfect photo is simply the one that captures reality — like my daughter absorbed in her phone while sitting on stone steps. No posing, just life.

“Ninja mode” isn’t just a technique for going unnoticed; it’s also a way of respecting the moments your loved ones are living. Capture the spontaneous laughter, the natural sense of wonder, or even the shy moments. Never forget that you are first and foremost a parent on vacation — and only then the official photographer.

Keeping Things Light: your children are your best partners when fun remains part of the experience. Spontaneous smiles are the greatest reward for a family photographer.

4. Structure Within the Chaos: Lines and Graphic Composition

My eye is wired to structure an image. In Portugal, the architecture is an endless playground for those who know how to look.

Take advantage of being in extraordinary places to step off the beaten path. Rather than limiting yourself to classic postcard shots, dare to isolate details, explore textures, and experiment with new angles. Travel is the perfect opportunity to test bold techniques that will give your gallery a unique signature and genuine variety.

The Frame-Within-a-Frame Technique: using the bridge’s metal structure to create a unique perspective of the Douro River.

Searching for Textures: by capturing the azulejos and the typical balconies, you capture the soul of a neighborhood without disturbing its rhythm.

The bell tower of Santiago Church reveals itself through the battlements of Lisbon’s Castelo de São Jorge.

Architectural detail captured at 85mm. Sometimes, the geometry of a structure tells as much of a story as the full landscape.

Camera Position

The position of your camera can radically change the mood and perspective of an image. While traveling, we’re often tempted to shoot at eye level, but my event photographer instinct tells me the opposite: for an image to feel powerful, you need to lower your camera and get down to the subject’s level

Pro Tip: just like in sports photography, anticipation is everything. I waited for the tram to align perfectly within the leading lines before pressing the shutter. Also notice the camera position — it was practically resting on the ground.

In travel photography, just like in sports photography, the result often depends on your ability to find the exact position and the perfect angle. In other words, your feet are your best tool.

While searching for the best angle to capture this canal, I ended up crossing the bridge, waiting for this gondola to arrive, and strategically placing it along the rule of thirds in my composition. A sports photographer at heart, I pulled it all together in under 55 seconds.

More Than an Image, a Message

In the end, all the expertise I’ve gained over the years serves one purpose: making sure the emotions we experience are captured authentically. Whether you’re at a starting line or wandering through an alleyway in Lisbon, seek the light, anticipate the moment, and never forget to put the camera down to fully live the present with the people you love.

Sometimes, a single image is enough to bring back a moment of pure happiness. A simple morning “cheers” on a balcony, sealing one certainty: Portugal will remain the most beautiful trip of my life.