Dec
06
Tip 2. TAKE SOME TIME TO SCOUT.
Do some scouting before you gather your group. It can be a little stressful to wrangle a small group for a photo so if it falls upon you to take the family photos, take some time, go outside and scout for the best places to shoot. I actually like this process quite a bit. It kind of meditative and it gives me a little time to feel centered and visualize the shots. Plus it gives me a little break from the energy of the group. Find the best light and the nicest backgrounds. Take a look at the background to see if anything will be sticking up or across people’s heads. Take some test shots to see how you like the background and the quality of light (See tip #1 for finding the best light). Maybe find one willing test subject and put them in different locations for test shots.
A few other things to pay attention to: If the background is really overblown and too bright. Are there poles, branches or signs that might stick out of the top of people’s heads when you crop the photo? Simple backgrounds are usually the best.
Advanced tip: Play with depth of field. If you can, pull your subjects away from the background far enough so it falls blurry behind them. You want to make sure everyone is in focus so make sure your F-stop is at least 5.6 or higher but keeping the background far enough away will help in making it soft focus.
Next week: LET THEM KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
Dec
04
It’s the time of year; your family and friends are getting together to celebrate the holidays! Whether you’re a professional amateur or prolific Instagramer on your iPhone; if you are the designated photographer this holiday season I have a few tips that will help you make the best of your photo opportunities. Every Tuesday and Thursday in December I’ll update this blog and give you a new tip. Stay tuned!
TIP #1 . FIND YOUR LIGHT.
You can’t beat beautiful diffused natural light for getting beautiful photos. If you’re lucky enough to have some good weather get your family and friends outside for some shots – later in the afternoon when the sun is low is the best time to shoot.
If you have to shoot mid-day, look for a nice shady spot so the sun isn’t dappling on peoples faces or creating unflattering shadows. If you’re shooting later in the day, put the sun behind your subjects so they have a lovely back light and then adjust your camera to expose for your subjects. For iPhone users: Put you finger on the screen over your subjects and hold it. This will lock in the exposure and focus point. You’ll see a little slider on the right; slide that up until you like the exposure and the take the photo; it’ll make sure they are exposed properly. If you have a flash on your camera don’t be afraid to use it to fill in the darker areas. Again, for iPhone users there is a little ‘lighting bolt’ icon on the top of the screen, press it and you’ll see three options – the default is “auto”. Press the “On” button to insure the flash fires.
Also, if you’re shooting indoors, look for a big window as a great source of natural light. It’s great for shooting one or two people.
UP NEXT: TAKE TIME TO SCOUT A LOCATION….
