James Willamor Cruise Photography Spotlight
May 19, 2011 
3 Comments
I’ve been stalking [following] Local CLT Photographer James Willamor on Twitter for a few years now. I’m a big fan of James’s photography and it just so happens that he’s an avid cruiser. So when he mentioned his recent cruise vacation aboard the Carnival Glory calling on Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk, I asked James if I could interview him and share some of his awesome cruise pics on CruiseSource.
Q1. How Many Cruises have you been on? What attracts you to cruising?
JW: I’ve been on six cruises so far. I think it is a great way to visit several destinations at one time which would be too cost prohibitive if I tried to fly to four different places and pay for hotel and food. I see myself as more of a backpacker yet cruising fits with my style.
Q2. What sets a professional photographers vacation pictures apart from an amateurs?
JW: A casual snapshooter usually doesn’t give as much thought to how they compose their image. A skilled photographer, professional or amateur, is always looking for unique angles, shapes, and colors. They try to thoughtfully compose the photo. With travel photography, they try to give a good overview and representation of the location.
Q3. What are some tips for professional looking vacation photos?
JW: I always try to plan ahead if possible so I’ll be in a location where I’m shooting west in the mornings and east in the afternoons. I try to get away from the crowds and take photos of the landscape by itself.
Always be looking for colors and shapes that would make a good composition. A polarizer filter is good for reducing glare on water water and making clouds stand out. Make sure you have a comfortable camera bag that has a waterproof cover because you never know when you will get caught in a rain shower. Extra memory cards and batteries are always good to have on hand.
Q4. When you go on a cruise how often are you thinking about photo ops?
JW: My wife would say too often! I try to balance time shopping and dining with my wife with time looking for photo ops. I usually try to leave the camera in the bag when we’re dining together in a restaurant. I try to catch as many sunrises and sunsets as possible.
Q5. Do you have a favorite cruise photo that you’ve taken?
JW: It is a tough choice but I’d have to say this large pano of Cozumel.
Awesome Panoramic: Click To View Full Size
Here are some of my Favorite Pics from James’s most recent cruise on the Carnival Glory:
James is a North Carolina based editorial photographer and photojournalist. He loves to travel and has been to half the states and a dozen countries so far. View his work at http://JamesWillamor.com
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While James’ work is totally rad! I agree with his favorite. That Pan shot is absolutely awesome!!
Wow! These are lovely photos! And I love the tip to shoot west in the mornings and east in the afternoon. That’s a keeper, and I’ll try to remember it on #INDIECruise when we set sail for Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman in February 2012. Wish I could hire James to be our official photographer!