Last year's photographs were fine, but maybe there are ways you could capture some even better snaps. There are some really simple ways that you can really improve your holiday pictures using your camera phone, so here's how to shoot like a pro.

Unify a picture by using less colours

In other words, take photos of subjects that are mainly one colour. This is a very good technique for creating a sublime emotional feeling in your picture. A mostly blue picture will seem restful and romantic, while a mostly red picture could result in a really exciting image. With a restricted number of colours your picture will have more impact.

Back or sidelight is best

For almost all subjects, but especially portraits or group shots, sidelight or backlight will nearly always be best. So mornings and afternoons are the most preferred times to shoot. If you are shooting at these times always take a reflector to fill in light in the shadows.

Shoot during the Golden Hour

Ask any professional photographer and he or she will tell you what every pro knows; the Golden Hour is the best. This is the last hour before the sun starts to go down. This can only really be appreciated if the sun is out with very few clouds, but is the very best time to shoot anything, especially portraits of people or animals.

Shooting very low for great perspective

Shooting very low, or almost on the ground and tilting the camera up can give you some really dramatic exaggerated perspectives. Any different angles like these that we are not used to seeing will make your pictures that much more interesting. Don’t be afraid to get your camera as low as possible. Showing the ceiling in interior pictures can add to the drama of your picture.

Photographing children

With children you will need to shoot even more quickly as they very soon get bored. If you feel they are losing attention then quickly change the setup but keep taking pictures. Do not stop the session for a rest as you might lose the child’s interest altogether - just keep going!

These strategies are taken from David Fairman’s best selling book Take Great Digital Pictures in 24 Hours, which is available from Amazon.