Archive for the ‘Photo Tips’ Category

:: photo tips :: camera buying guide

December 13, 2013

If you receive my email newsletter, you’ve already read last photo tip of the year: Important tools when shopping for a camera. If not, it’s never too late to sign up. Please, subscribe here! I’ll be sharing monthly photo tips, upcoming events, and special offers only available to newsletter subscribers.

Camera buying guide :: Important tools when shopping for a camera.

photo tips :: nov/dec 2013

For many people, buying a camera isn’t an easy task. And the truth is, you can take great photos with a lousy camera and lousy photos with great camera. It’s not really a one-model-fits-all kind of product since picture-taking styles vary on the individual. Decide what’s important to you (e.g., size of camera, features, budget, how you will display your images, type of photographer you are). Below is a guide to help you determine the best camera purchase for your needs and budget.

STEP 1: Point-and-shoot vs. DSLRCameras are generally divided into two main categories: Point-and-shoot and DSLR. Point-and-shoots are compact, lightweight, automatic settings, and easy to travel with. DSLRs (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) have lenses that are interchangeable, heavier, and include many more options for controlling the camera. While point-and-shoot cameras have their own advantages, they cannot compete with DSLRs in terms of image quality.

STEP 3: Eliminate featuresThere are many components most people look for when selecting a camera: megapixels, image stabilization, and optical zoom.Megapixels: most new cameras have at least 16 megapixels, but it is only crucial if you plan on printing large professional prints.

Image stabilization (point-and-shoot only): This is a feature that greatly reduces camera shake giving you the ability to take shots at slower shutter speeds and lower light levels.

Optical zoom: Always consider “optical” zoom and turn off the “digital” zoom setting on your camera. Optical zoom gets up close and personal by using an actual lens adjustment and digital zoom adjusts the image in the camera itself. A good camera should have at least 3x “optical” zoom.

STEP 2: Determine your budgetJust like the introduction above, your budget is determined on two questions: how will I use the camera and how will I use the photos (e.g., web, standard snapshots, large wall prints)? If you are considering a DSLR remember it’s not just about the camera body, lenses are equally important. Consider this when budgeting along with additional batteries, memory cards, and various accessories.

STEP 4: Choosing the right camera brandOnce you’ve narrowed down your search to a handful of cameras, head over to a local camera store and play with the settings. A camera is similar to a pair of jeans. You’ve got to try it on and make sure it fits. The top brands today are Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic, with Canon and Nikon in the lead. By sticking with top brands, they’re not likely to go out of business (leaving you with a bunch of equipment you can’t sell off, upgrade, or repair).In conclusion, the secret to better photos isn’t just purchasing the most expensive camera equipment; it’s being able to develop your photographer’s eye. There’s no substitute for learning how to take great photos and understanding exposure.

:: photo tips :: what to wear in your family photos

October 18, 2013

If you receive my email newsletter, you’ve already read my photo tips for what to wear in your family photos. If not, it’s never too late to sign up. Please, subscribe here! I’ll be sharing monthly photo tips, upcoming events, and special offers only available to newsletter subscribers.

What to wear in your family photos

photo tips :: october 2013

My clients often ask for advice on what to wear when trying to coordinate a family session. With the holidays looming, what better time to address your questions.

The clothes you wear are just as important as the lighting, location and posing. You want your session to reflect your style & personality and the following tips will guide your wardrobe selection.

Solids and dark colors are the most flattering and don’t draw attention away from your face. I’m not entirely against patterns, but like to encourage clients to use simple patterns sparingly (skirt, tie, or perhaps headband) so no one person stands out.

DO: Choose a top with sleeves at least to the elbow. Arms take up more skin area than your face and may appear larger than they actually are.

DO: Stick to more fitted clothing. Anything hanging off your body (baggy) will make you look bigger than you are.

DO: Accentuate the positive. (Darker clothing is slimming. Light tones tend to emphasize body size in photos.)

DO: Tie in your own personality with accessories. Scarves and jewelry help pull together a great look.

Coordinate your outfits to remain in the same color family or wear complimentary colors. (A great example would be to choose a base color, like grey, and then add pops of one or two accent colors, like yellow or turquoise.)

DON’T: Wearing white matching shirts with Khakis blends everyone together and washes the faces out.DON’T: Dressing your children in shirts with big logos or characters is distracting in a photo and takes away from that timeless look.DON’T: Wearing clothes that wrinkle easily.

DON’T: Exact matching outfits only look good on young children.

DON’T: Avoid changing your hairstyle or cutting your hair right before your session.

:: photo tips :: understanding exposure

September 30, 2013

If you receive my email newsletter, you’ve already read my photo tips for understanding exposure. If not, it’s never too late to sign up. Please, subscribe here! I’ll be sharing monthly photo tips, upcoming events, and special offers only available to newsletter subscribers.

Understanding Exposure

photo tips :: september 2013

The hustle and bustle of summer has finally come to a close. Kids are back in school and I’m gearing up for busy fall season. I skipped my August newsletter to focus on design projects, but previous photo tips can always be viewed on my blog.

Like other creative mediums, photography is about telling a story. You have to have something you want to say or something you want to express. Your camera is the tool that you use to express it. There are three settings on your camera that will affect the exposure. They are called Aperature, Shutter Speed, and ISO.

Exposure = Aperture (amount of light made available to record an image) + Shutter Speed (the length of time the light is made available to record an image) + ISO (sensitivity to light).

Aperature

Aperture is an adjustable circular opening by which light enters a camera, through a lens, to record an image. The size of the opening is the aperture, and when you control the aperture you determine how large or small the hole is. Aperture is measured in f-stops, such as f/22 and f/4, but here’s the thing: The smaller the f-stop number, the larger the opening, and vice versa.

ISO

ISO (International Standards Organization) is the sensitivity to light of the sensor. The higher the sensitivity, the less time (shutter speed) or the less amount of light (aperture) needs to hit the sensor for the correct exposure. We use ISO to help us achieve what we want to do with the other two sides of exposure; Aperture and Shutter Speed. Why don’t we just use the most sensitive one and forget about it? Because the downside of higher ISO is that it increases the grain in our images. So our objective is to use the lowest ISO possible, but balancing that to what we want to achieve. For example of light sensitivity, think of staring straight into the water while on a sunny beach or squinting at a clock in a semi-dark room. Now imagine your camera trying to capture images under those conditions.

Shutter Speed

The shutter speed controls how long the light comes through our aperture to the digital sensor. The longer the time, the more light will hit their surface. That is technically what shutter speed does. Think of actual window shutters in your home, and how quickly or slowly you open and shut them: the longer you leave them open, the more light enters your room. Shutter speeds are expressed in fraction of a second (1/8, 1/125, 1/1000 etc.).

NOTE:: If you are using a very slow shutter speed (like image above), make sure your camera is stabilized on a tripod or non-moving surface to prevent camera shake.

Creating the perfect exposure

Shooting in manual mode to master your exposure settings can be frustrating––a change to one (aperture, shutter speed, ISO) will impact the other two. Keep practicing and remember the following rules: If your pictures are too bright, try increasing your shutter speed, upping your aperture (higher number, smaller hole), and/or reducing your ISO. Conversely, if your pictures are too dark, decrease your shutter speed, reduce the aperture, and/or increase your ISO.

:: photo tips :: looking fabulous in front of the camera

July 31, 2013

If you receive my email newsletter, you’ve already read my photo tips for looking fabulous in front of the camera. If not, it’s never too late to sign up. Please, subscribe here! I’ll be sharing monthly photo tips, upcoming events, and special offers only available to newsletter subscribers.

Looking fabulous in front of the camera

photo tips :: july 2013

You don’t have to look perfect to take a perfect picture. While being photogenic just comes naturally to some people, there are a few things that anyone can do to look better in photos. Whether you’re nervous about a double chin or losing those pesky post-baby pounds, the following ten tips will build confidence and leave you feeling great in front of the camera.

1. Appear leaner

Rotate your body at a 45 degree angle away from the camera. Place your weight on the back leg and your front shoulder slightly dropped. Elongate your other leg and cross it in front, with the foot pointed toward the camera. You’ll look leaner, which can even make you seem taller.

3. Relax your face

Staring into the camera lens can be intimidating and no one wants to end up looking like a deer in the headlights. In reality, you probably just need to relax. If you start to feel your eyes squint or smile stiffen, feel free to push the reset button. Create a thoughtful and natural look by letting your lips fall back into place.

5. Fake sleek arms

Arms tend to look bigger than they really are, because they’re resting slightly in front of you. Hiding your arms close to your body can actually make them seem larger and your shoulders broader. With just a slight bit of separation between the arms and the body, your waist will appear to be the widest part.

7. Shift weight on legs

As mentioned above, shifting the weight on your back foot will align the hip and shoulder giving a more comfortable pose while maintaining balance. Overall, this creates a beautiful frame for the rest of your body. When seated on the ground, sit on your hips. By holding your body up on your hip, rather than your bottom, your body looks thinner and legs will appear longer.

9. The beauty of laughing

A genuine smile is hard to fake, so strive to feel some kind of emotion to make it shine through. Think of something that makes you happy or even pretend you’re laughing. This often creates an effortlessly natural, beautiful, flattering, and candid smile. Regardless of how you choose to smile, the happier and more relaxed you are, the better the photo.

2. Stand up straight

Posture is important and ultimately gives you a more flattering silhouette. Lean slightly toward the camera, drop shoulders back, tummy in, and spine straight. This will ensure you look naturally poised and appear more confident.

4. Avoiding the double chin

Trust me, a double chin can plague even the slimmest of women in pictures. To avoid it, elongate your neck by tilting your head slightly forward and lift up your chin. Also, try resting your tongue against the roof of your mouth right behind your front teeth.

6. Awkward hands

When your hands are relaxed, the rest of your body tends to follow suit. Hands can tell incredible stories. A wife’s hand placed lightly on her husband’s chest showcases romance and love. An older brother holding his little sister’s hand portrays a protector. Keep this in mind when you aren’t sure where to place your hands.

8. Flaunt your best asset

We’re often our worst critics so why not show off what you’re most proud of. This way, people will automatically look at an area of your body you like first, which means slight imperfections are less noticeable. Most people have asymmetrical features. So posing with two-thirds of the face in view and the remaining third turned slightly away from the camera makes facial asymmetry less obvious.

10. Capturing the connection

Get closer! Capturing a candid moment of love is the most important tip for looking great. A loving glance, hug, or even a touch on the shoulder can guarantee a more relaxed image that shows more of your connection and focuses less on your imperfections.

Lastly, don’t try to look or be anything other than yourself. The above tips are to put you at ease so that your beautiful personality is what shines in your photos.

:: photo tips :: capturing memories with your smartphone

June 25, 2013

If you receive my email newsletter, you’ve already read my photo tips for capturing memories with your smartphone. If not, it’s not too late to sign up. Please, subscribe here! I’ll be sharing monthly photo tips, upcoming events, and special offers only available to newsletter subscribers.

Capturing memories with your smartphone

photo tips :: june 2013

There is no doubt that the smartphone has changed the way we interact and document our lives. Taking pictures with one’s phone (iPhone in my case) has become easier than ever due to the high-tech camera, image quality, and accessibility to social media. Users can also download a slew of apps that help deliver a clear and more professional shot. Feeling overwhelmed? Here are a few suggestions to make creating memories easy.

Instagram

(FREE) IOS/Android

Quite possibly the most widely used photography app thanks to its powerful combination of filters and social media sharing options. Follow my account here.

VSCO

($.99) IOS/Android

Want to use your smartphone like a camera to edit your photos? VSCO allows users to change the look, feel, and contrast of a photo with more flexibility than Instagram or PicTapGo. The film style presets are also very popular with professional photographers.

Color Cap

(Free) IOS

Interested in adding captions to your photos? Color Cap has numerous pre-installed fonts allowing the user to layer text captions on your photos or provided backgrounds.

Geotags | iPhone

Snapping camera shots is easy and fun, but don’t forget to check your settings! Embedded in each image is a geotag–hidden data showing where the photo was taken. It may not be a concern for some, but please don’t allow strangers to know where your kids go to school. The iPhone allows you to turn off geotags from each app that utilizes it. Follow these steps to turn off geotagging.

Lastly, here is a article what geotagging can do to your personal life.

PicTapGo

($1.99) IOS

Want to change up the look of your photo but uncertain with the countless filter options, focus points, and frames each time? PicTapGo has prebuilt filters which allows users to create “recipes” that can be saved for later use.

PicFrame

($.99) IOS/Android

Ever wonder how people make those photo collages floating around on Facebook or Instagram? Chances are they used PicFrame. This app allows you to adjust the size, add color/patterns to borders, and create rounded corners with multiple collage layouts.

Krome

(Free) IOS

So now you have photos from a recent family trip, graduation or birthday party saved on you phone. Upload your photos to Krome and receive beautifully retouched prints! Find out more.

Geotags | Android

Snapping camera shots is easy and fun, but don’t forget to check your settings! Embedded in each image is a geotag–hidden data showing where the photo was taken. It may not be a concern for some, but please don’t allow strangers to know where your kids go to school. With the fragmentation of the Android Operating system, depending on the version of operating system, turning off geotagging maybe easy or hard. Follow these steps to turn off geotagging.

Lastly, here is a article what geotagging can do to your personal life.

:: photo tips :: better vacation photos

May 18, 2013

If you receive my email newsletter, you’ve already read my first photo tip for taking better vacation photos. If not, it’s not too late to sign up. Please, subscribe here! I’ll be sharing monthly photo tips, upcoming events, and special offers only available to newsletter subscribers.

7 tips for photographing your kids on vacation

photo tips :: may 2013

As summer is approaching, families may be planning a trip to an amusement park, leisurely road trip, or perhaps a long weekend at the beach.

To make your trip memorable, I’ve put together a few helpful tips from last year’s Hawaiian vacation to turn your snapshots into beautiful portraits. Remember, you don’t have to be a professional to take great vacation photos.

Lighting isn’t always perfect

The best time for picture taking is in the early morning or late afternoon because the sun is low, giving the best warm light. While traveling we don’t always have the best optimal lighting, so try to make sure your subjects are in a shaded spot or with the backs to the sun in order to avoid unflattering shadows.

Be creative

We all want the ubiquitous Eiffel Tower picture, but resist the urge to throw people in front and center. Instead, aspire to create unique poses and compositions that reflects your specific style.

Get in the picture!

Make sure that the photographer, mostly mothers, gets into some shots too. Use a tripod, timer, your husband’s long arms (generally, in my case) or ask a stranger for help, but please don’t leave without stepping in front of the camera. Memories are so much sweeter when you have a picture to go with them.

Have fun!

The more photos you take will drastically increase your chances of getting a great photo. So shoot away and edit later on a computer. Memory cards will inevitably fail and it can be quite devastating to lose your vacation photos. With this in mind, use multiple cards in the chance one fails.

Pay attention to the details

When you’re somewhere you’ve never been before, remember to capture the details that complete the memory. Zooming in on the subject is a good way to make everyday activities memorable. Take photos of sandy feet, your child picking up a ladybug, dripping ice cream cones, or priceless close-up expressions.

Include the background

You may encounter amazing landmarks during your vacation so flatter your family by incorporating the background in your shot. Have your family interact with the setting to help convey your story. Most importantly, correct your crooked horizons.

Take a step back

Take a few steps back from the action and take in the moments from a distance. Most people love candid photos, but they forget to take them. Majority of my favorite photos are when the kids don’t even know they’re being photographed.

* bonus tip

Learn the “Rule of Thirds.” This may be getting a little too technical for an amateur photographer, but if you’re interested in really capturing excellent vacation photos this is a very helpful tip to master. Break your frame into nine squares of roughly equal size, by two horizontal lines and two vertical lines. Align the subject along these lines and intersections. This gives you a more visually interesting image than one where your subject is located dead center.