We live in a digital age, and one of its advantages is the ease of taking pictures to preserve the special moments that we want to remember, not to mention deleting the ones we don't! Few things are worth photographing more than a beautiful Maui vacation, especially if you join us on one of our breathtaking Maui ocean tours. Whether you opt for a Lanai Snorkel Tour, a Maui Sunset Dinner Cruise, or a Maui Whale Watch Tour, the photo opportunities are endless. Unfortunately, so is the potential for mishaps, unless you get savvy about handling your device onboard. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Wrist straps are worth the small investment! You may not use a wrist strap often, but you should have one when it counts. Sometimes, it can be tricky to get used to the way boats move, but even if you're totally used to it, you could still drop your phone (or camera) at the wrong moment, and it could end up falling overboard. After all, who hasn't dropped their cell phone? It's safe to say that pretty much everyone has. To avoid losing everything on your phone, not to mention the cost of the phone itself, all you have to do is invest less than $10 on a wrist or neck strap to keep your device from going anywhere you don't want it to.

Get extra prepared with a waterproof case. We've talked about this option once before. As ocean tour specialists, you can imagine why we feel that this makes sense. After all, when you're on a boat, splashing happens, and there are plenty of opportunities for things to get wet unexpectedly. That being said, there are plenty of other times on your Maui vacation that a waterproof case is a valuable choice. Let's say you're doing the road through Hana and photographing those mesmerizing waterfalls, until the wind shifts and you get smacked with spray. Perhaps you place your device on the outdoor table on your private lanai while you run inside and grab a drink, only to return just five minutes later and discover that it has rained. Yes, Maui weather is capricious, and you can go from clear skies one moment to frothy white skies the next, and back again just as quickly! So, a waterproof case. Seriously.

The horizon is your guide. Once your device is protected, you can focus on the important things, like taking amazing photos. When you're out on the ocean, you have a whole lot of open space surrounding you. Most of what you see is ocean and sky. While this can lead to some beautifully creative and freeform pictures, it can also lead to some confusing off-kilter images because the boat was moving when you took the picture. The best way to keep your pictures centered and professional looking is to use the horizon as your alignment guide, particularly if the horizon will be in the picture, as it often is when photographing the humpback whales.

Experiment with settings after you're onboard. If you arrive on time, which is generally a half-hour before our departure time, you'll have plenty of opportunities to test your camera settings in the natural lighting you'll be exposed to while onboard. Adjusting for changing light levels will be important, as you may shift your frame to include a lot of sky, or ocean, or a combination of both, and don't forget the reflective light bouncing off the water's surface. Some smartphones allow you to manually adjust for changing light levels, while others simply require you to tap the screen at the point that you want to be illuminated clearly.

Hopefully, these tips will help you get the best possible use out of your device as you capture those memorable Maui vacation moments!