PHOTOGRAPHY

Last week, I explained to you why it’s so important to take pictures of your loved ones and to do it often and I hope you’ve taken my advice and have been intentionally capturing your memories!  This week, I’m going to give you some basic tips so that your pictures look less like snapshots and more professional and interesting, no matter what kind of camera you have!

 #1 – What’s in the background? 

Pay attention to what’s behind and around your subject!  If you’re taking pictures in the living room and there are toys all over the floor behind your subject, the photo is going to look cluttered and the background will distract the viewer from your subject.  To avoid this, simply move your subject!  Or if you are able to, remove items from the background.  You want a simple background so the viewer’s eye is drawn to your subject, not the junk behind them 🙂

 #2 – Get down on their level! 

When taking photos of kids or pets, try getting down on their level when you take their picture instead of standing and looking down at them.  When you’re on their level, you get a new and interesting perspective in your photos.

 #3 – Don’t center! 

Try putting your subject off-center in your photo.  It creates more interest than having your subject right in the middle of the frame.  Imagine a grid in the viewfinder of your camera and try placing your subject at any of the points where the lines intersect.

 #4 – Get a little closer! 

Try moving in closer to your subject…. Fill the frame with your subject’s face for a beautiful close-up!  If your camera has a zoom feature, you won’t even have to move closer to them, just zoom in.

 #5 – Try not to use the flash! 

Using your camera’s on board flash creates background shadows, which are a tell-tale sign of a snapshot.  If possible, place your subject in a well-lit area where flash is not necessary.  If you must use a flash, diffuse it.  For example, wrap some bubble wrap around your camera’s on board flash before you take the photo.  This will scatter the light and eliminate the harsh shadows.  There are many creative and inexpensive DIY ways to create a flash diffuser, just Google and pick one to try!

 #6 – Watch the light! 

When taking photos outdoors, pay attention to the light and how it falls on your subject.  If you have your subject facing the sun, they will squint their eyes, which doesn’t make for an attractive photo.  If you have them in the shade of a tree, for example, watch to make sure there isn’t dappled light on their face.  The best times of day to take photos is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the sun is not high in the sky.  FYI, Late afternoon sun produces a beautiful “golden” look in your photos.  If you’re taking photos in the middle of the day and it’s sunny out, you’ll have to be more careful.  If you notice your subject is squinting, ask them to turn in a circle and stop when they are able to open their eyes fully.  Or ask them to move to a shady area cast by a building or a tree.  Another FYI, overcast days are the BEST days to take portraits outside!  The clouds act as a natural diffuser for the sun 🙂

 #7 – Be bossy! 

When taking photos of several people, don’t be afraid to be bossy!  If you think it would look better if Uncle Joe moved over a few inches or you need Aunt Betty to stand behind someone, ask them to move!  It’s your shot, so feel free to direct your subjects in order to get the best shot possible.

 #8 – Be bold! 

Don’t be afraid of your camera.  Experiment with settings and read your owner’s manual.  If there’s a particular shot you want to take but don’t know how (for example – night photography or fireworks), just Google it and find out how others do it.  You really can’t mess up – there’s always the “delete” button!

 #9 – Use what you’ve got! 

Don’t think you can’t get good photos just because you don’t own the newest DSLR with all the bells and whistles.  Good photography happens because the person behind the camera has a unique perspective and knows how to get the most out of whatever equipment he/she has.  You can have the latest and greatest DSLR but if you don’t know how to use it, you won’t produce good photos.  So, even if all you have available to you is the camera on your smart phone, don’t despair!  Read up on all the features your camera has and use them!

 #10 – Practice makes perfect! 

You can read all you want about how to take good pictures but you have to get the camera out and experiment with what you’ve read and experiment with the settings on your camera!  And if at first you don’t succeed, try again!  Keep practicing and implementing these tips and others and I promise, your photos will improve!

I hope you will use these tips and get out there and take some photos!  I want to see photos posted in the fellowship group on FB this week! 🙂  Remember, you have the opportunity to preserve your precious memories, so do it!

<3 Shauna

Shauna Jared’s personal website is www.workhomeplay.net.