A Passion for Stamps

DAY 6: TIPS 6-10 TO TAKING BETTER PICTURES

NOTE: I apologize for not posting the rest of these tips on a daily basis as originally planned. Sometimes life throws  us curves which interfere with the best intentioned plans. To catch up on time, all remaining tips will be published in this post. Thanks for understanding! 

Do you scrapbook your photographs? Or do you feel your photos aren't scrapbook worthy because they never come out as well as you would like? Are you somewhat intimidated by taking photos, because you really don't know how to take good pictures?

Over the next week and a half, I am going to share Ten Tips that I learned from our friends at KODAK-the picture experts!  Once you've learned these tips and apply this knowledge to your photo shoots, you will see the quality of your pictures improve, and you'll feel much more confident about picture-taking! Be sure to check back here for a photo-taking tip each day, that will help you take better photographs with your digital camera!

The next step after taking good pictures, is knowing how to make great scrapbook pages with them! I teach rubber stamping and Scrapbooking 101 classes every month at my in-home studio in Hardyston NJ using Stampin' Up! stamps, Simply Scrappin'™ products and accessories, Designer Series Papers and much more, so make sure you check out my CLASS CALENDAR too! If you attend these classes in person each month, you will receive hands-on experience creating eye-appealing layouts, with attractive colors, titles and journaling-all necessary components to putting together a great scrapbook page! When you combine your newly found knowledge of good picture-taking, with the steps to creating fantastic scrapbook pages, you will be so excited to make some beautiful pages you and your family will cherish for years to come!

Tip#6: LOCK THE FOCUS!

Following up on subject placement, most cameras will lock the focus on the center of the picture. As we just discussed in Tip #5, the best photo is not always with the subject in the center, but off-center. So if you want a clear, non-blurry photo of your subject off-center, here's a trick to use with your camera: with the subject in the middle of the photo, lock the focus pressing and holding the shutter button halfway, then move your camera to position  the subject out of the center. Now you can press the shutter button down the rest of the way and take your picture!  

Tip#7: TO FLASH OR NOT TO FLASH!

Do you know the flash range of your camera? If you take photos beyond the maximum flash range of your camera, your photos may turn out too dark. The usual maximum flash range is up to fifteen feet (approximately five steps from the camera).

If you don't know the maximum flash range of your camera, it's better to take the photos from ten feet away from your subject. If using film cameras, check into a higher speed film  for extended distances. 

Most cameras include a fill-flash setting, but it's advisable to know when and how to use flash settings on your camera for situations when the lighting isn't quite right. 

When to use FILL FLASH FEATURE of your camera:

• on bright sunny days or beach/snow photos which cause facial shadows to appear; also darker complexions and brimmed hats cause shadows or dark areas
• When lighting is coming from the side or back of the subject (this causes the subject to appear much darker)

When to avoid using FLASH FEATURE of your camera (turn flash off):

• when taking photo at a great distance
• when shiny backgrounds (mirrors, sun, other bright reflections) reflect bright light
• a background sunset scene with your subject as a silhouette in the foreground
• when desired effect is light being reflected onto subject (glow in evening, light accent)
• when flash is not permitted

Other tips for optimum performance:

• Make sure your batteries are not running low, or you won't have full flash power
• To avoid red eye, brighten up the room with lighting to shrink pupils, and ask subjects not to look directly into the lens. Avoid use of the "red eye reduction" flash setting—to many people it's distracting and confusing.

Tip#8: Be Aware of Light Source!

Lighting is critical and makes all the difference in photos.  Photos can be taken in any kind of weather, but it's important to know how to use the weather conditions for different affects. Surprisingly, the best time to take a photo isn't in the middle of a bright sunny day. On an overcast or cloudy day, portrait photos turn out great because there are no shadows to deal with. Flowers, more specifically pastel florals photograph best in this lighting. Landscapes photos are best taken earlier in the day or in the evening.  Bright sunshine with side lighting can enhance wrinkles of an older person, but take the photo on a cloudy day and these wrinkles with be softened.

If the lighting is less than ideal, move your subject or the camera for a better shot.

In light rainy weather, you can capture the light reflecting off of the surrounding area for unusual photos.

Tip#9: SWITCH FROM LANDSCAPE TO PORTRAIT VIEWS!

If you look at photos you've taken, are most of them taken horizontally (landscape view)? This is typical because we tend to hold the camera this way.  Group pictures are usually better taken horizontally. 

Try changing it up now and then for portraits by turning your camera in the vertical (portrait) position.  Full length or close-up pictures turn out great like this, as the emphasis is on your subject. Spotlighting historical sites or landscape markings are ideal for the vertical view. Give it a try!

Tip#10: YOU'RE IN CONTROL!

When you are in charge of taking the pictures, you become the picture director!  It's up to you to decide where everyone will stand in a group photo, or where the best lighting for the picture is. It's up to you to guide a person in the proper way to stand, tip the head or hold a prop for a portrait photo. Here are a few tips for group and single portrait picture-taking:

TAKING A GROUP PHOTO

• Outdoor photos are best! Make sure the sun is lighting the faces of the group in sunny weather. Have the group set up by an object that portrays the event. Direct each person as to how to stand, what to hold, where to look. Try splitting a larger group into two smaller arrangements-several in each group. Remember the focus is on the group, so be sure there are no background distractions that may take away from the group. 
• Indoor photos are fun too! Remember all the other tips you've learned here. Use your camera's flash feature, and stay within your camera's maximum flash range. Try to position a larger group in no more than two rows.

TAKING PORTRAITS

• Take a Self-portrait! Learn how to use the Self-Timer feature of your camera, or you can use the zoom feature and hold the camera at arm's length to take a photo of yourself! Use a wide-angle if your camera has a zoom lens. Try experimenting with photos of yourself in different settings, doing different tasks, or just being you!  Try different facial expressions to portray various aspects of your own unique personality. 
• Semi-formal portraits: cloudy day lighting is best to capture a soft, flattering look of your subject. Pay attention to distractions from your focal point such as busy backgrounds. Take full figure view or zoom in for a closer photo. Your camera should be at your subject's eye level. Guide the person as to which way to stand, turn the head or where to place the hands.

I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED THESE TIPS AND HAVE LEARNED A FEW THINGS ABOUT BETTER  PICTURE-TAKING!  GREAT PHOTOS ARE AN ESSENTIAL FIRST STEP WHEN CREATING BEAUTIFUL SCRAPBOOKS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL CHERISH FOR YEARS TO COME!

THE NEXT STEP,  IS LEARNING HOW TO TAKE THESE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS AND CREATE PAGES USING STAMPS, SIMPLY SCRAPPING KITS, ACCESSORIES AND DESIGNER SERIES PAPERS!  I TEACH SCRAPBOOKING 101 CLASSES WHERE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT LAYOUTS, TITLES, JOURNALING AND ACCENTS, AND PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER!  

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SCRAPBOOKING 101 CLASSES I OFFER, CLICK ON THE CALENDAR ON THE RIGHT SIDEBAR OF THIS BLOG. 

TO ENJOY SAMPLES OF SCRAPBOOK PAGES, STAMPED CARDS, AND MANY OTHER STAMPING TIPS EACH MONTH, ENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE BOX ON THE TOP LEFT SIDEBAR TO JOIN MY MAILING LIST, AND RECEIVE MY MONTHLY PASSION FOR STAMPS NEWSLETTER!

Note to demonstrators: My CUSTOMER newsletter is meant for my customers, and prospective customers.  If you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, please respect this is my customer list and do not sign up for my customer mailing list. Thank you.

Thanks for visiting! Come back soon...

Passionately Scrapping,

DAY 5: TIP FIVE OF TEN TIPS TO TAKING BETTER PICTURES

Do you scrapbook your photographs? Or do you feel your photos aren't scrapbook worthy because they never come out as well as you would like? Are you somewhat intimidated by taking photos, because you really don't know how to take good pictures?

Over the next week and a half, I am going to share Ten Tips that I learned from our friends at KODAK-the picture experts!  Once you've learned these tips and apply this knowledge to your photo shoots, you will see the quality of your pictures improve, and you'll feel much more confident about picture-taking! Be sure to check back here for a photo-taking tip each day, that will help you take better photographs with your digital camera!

The next step after taking good pictures, is knowing how to make great scrapbook pages with them! I teach rubber stamping and Scrapbooking 101 classes every month at my in-home studio in Hardyston NJ using Stampin' Up! stamps, Simply Scrappin'™ products and accessories, Designer Series Papers and much more, so make sure you check out my CLASS CALENDAR too! If you attend these classes in person each month, you will receive hands-on experience creating eye-appealing layouts, with attractive colors, titles and journaling-all necessary components to putting together a great scrapbook page! When you combine your newly found knowledge of good picture-taking, with the steps to creating fantastic scrapbook pages, you will be so excited to make some beautiful pages you and your family will cherish for years to come!

Tip#5: THE RULE OF THIRDS & OFF-CENTER SUBJECT PLACEMENT

Where do you think the subject of your photo should be positioned in the viewfinder? in the center? The only time this is so is when the subject is part of a formal arrangement such as a wedding pose, prom photo etc.  Otherwise, it's best to use the Rule of Thirds when photographing people. Imagine drawing a tic-tac-toe grid on your viewfinder-then place a prominent feature such as the face, on one of the points where the lines intersect. In a close-up, you would position the eyes on this focal spot. Always position the subject off-center on the side of the grid where the subject is turning or facing an open space. If you have an auto-focus camera, you'll need to lock the focus to prevent the subject from being placed in the center of the viewfinder.

In summary, by moving your subject away from the center of the photo, you will bring the picture to life!  Here's our beagle Shiloh-checking out a squirrel on the deck outside:

Thanks for stopping by! See you tomorrow for Tip #6!

Passionately scrapping,

DAY 4: TIP FOUR OF TEN TIPS TO TAKING BETTER PICTURES

 

Do you scrapbook your photographs? Or do you feel your photos aren't scrapbook worthy because they never come out as well as you would like? Are you somewhat intimidated by taking photos, because you really don't know how to take good pictures?

Over the next week and a half, I am going to share Ten Tips that I learned from our friends at KODAK-the picture experts!  Once you've learned these tips and apply this knowledge to your photo shoots, you will see the quality of your pictures improve, and you'll feel much more confident about picture-taking! Be sure to check back here for a photo-taking tip each day, that will help you take better photographs with your digital camera!

The next step after taking good pictures, is knowing how to make great scrapbook pages with them! I teach rubber stamping and Scrapbooking 101 classes every month at my in-home studio in Hardyston NJ using Stampin' Up! stamps, Simply Scrappin'™ products and accessories, Designer Series Papers and much more, so make sure you check out my CLASS CALENDAR too! If you attend these classes in person each month, you will receive hands-on experience creating eye-appealing layouts, with attractive colors, titles and journaling-all necessary components to putting together a great scrapbook page! When you combine your newly found knowledge of good picture-taking, with the steps to creating fantastic scrapbook pages, you will be so excited to make some beautiful pages you and your family will cherish for years to come!

Tip#4: USE ZOOM TO GET IN CLOSE!

As you frame the person in your viewfinder, you will notice things that you don't want in the picture. It's best to focus in on the person to avoid other distractions. This is when you want to use your camera's zoom feature. By zooming in, you bring the subject of your picture into focus and crop out what you don't need.

A close-up picture is one where the subject fills the picture area, so you can see more details of the person or object.  For most cameras, you should be about three feet from the person or object you are photographing. (If you're closer than this, your photo may turn out blurry.) 

Here's a close-up I took of Sidalcea flowers

Join me tomorrow for the fifth photo tip-Subject Placement and the Rule of Thirds! Thanks for visiting...

Passionately scrapping,

 

DAY 3: TIP THREE OF TEN TIPS TO TAKING BETTER PICTURES

Do you scrapbook your photographs? Or do you feel your photos aren't scrapbook worthy because they never come out as well as you would like? Are you somewhat intimidated by taking photos, because you really don't know how to take good pictures?

Over the next week and a half, I am going to share Ten Tips that I learned from our friends at KODAK-the picture experts!  Once you've learned these tips and apply this knowledge to your photo shoots, you will see the quality of your pictures improve, and you'll feel much more confident about picture-taking! Be sure to check back here for a photo-taking tip each day, that will help you take better photographs with your digital camera!

The next step after taking good pictures, is knowing how to make great scrapbook pages with them! I teach rubber stamping and Scrapbooking 101 classes every month at my in-home studio in Hardyston NJ using Stampin' Up! stamps, Simply Scrappin'™ products and accessories, Designer Series Papers and much more, so make sure you check out my CLASS CALENDAR too! If you attend these classes in person each month, you will receive hands-on experience creating eye-appealing layouts, with attractive colors, titles and journaling-all necessary components to putting together a great scrapbook page! When you combine your newly found knowledge of good picture-taking, with the steps to creating fantastic scrapbook pages, you will be so excited to make some beautiful pages you and your family will cherish for years to come!

Tip#3: When Outdoors, Use Your Flash!

Ever take an outdoor picture and because of the sun, the face in your photo shows up in a dark shadow? Bright sun is the reason!  How can you avoid this? Use your flash on sunny days!

If you have a choice of fill-flash or full-flash mode, use the fill flash if your subject is closer than 5 feet or if it's a cloudy day; otherwise use the full-flash mode. If using a digital camera, check out the results with the picture display.

Why use the flash? It will eliminate the shadows caused by the sun and brighten up their  faces.

On an overcast day, you can also get away with taking a photo without the flash because the lighting is softer than on a sunny day. Give it a try!

Thanks for visiting! Be sure to return tomorrow for the photo tip #4!

Passionately scrapping,

Day 2: Tip Two of Ten Tips to Taking Better Pictures!

Do you scrapbook your photographs? Or do you feel your photos aren't scrapbook worthy because they never come out as well as you would like? Are you somewhat intimidated by taking photos, because you really don't know how to take good pictures?

Over the next week and a half, I am going to share Ten Tips that I learned from our friends at KODAK-the picture experts!  Once you've learned these tips and apply this knowledge to your photo shoots, you will see the quality of your pictures improve, and you'll feel much more confident about picture-taking! Be sure to check back here for a photo-taking tip each day, that will help you take better photographs with your digital camera!

The next step after taking good pictures, is knowing how to make great scrapbook pages with them! I teach rubber stamping and Scrapbooking 101 classes every month at my in-home studio in Hardyston NJ using Stampin' Up! stamps, Simply Scrappin'™ products and accessories, Designer Series Papers and much more, so make sure you check out my CLASS CALENDAR too! If you attend these classes in person each month, you will receive hands-on experience creating eye-appealing layouts, with attractive colors, titles and journaling-all necessary components to putting together a great scrapbook page! When you combine your newly found knowledge of good picture-taking, with the steps to creating fantastic scrapbook pages, you will be so excited to make some beautiful pages you and your family will cherish for years to come!

TIP #2: KEEP THE BACKGROUND SIMPLE!

Pay attention to not only the subject of your photo, but also the surroundings. What is in the background? Is there anything that can be distracting or take away from the subject? When you are looking through the viewfinder of your camera, if you see anything that will interfere with a good picture, have the subject move or try finding a different location that has a simple background.

In this photo, it looks like there are tree branches growing out of my head:

 

In this photo, by simply shifting in front of the Forsynthia bush, this makes for a better less distracting background:

Before you take a picture, be wary of what is in the background, and make adjustments before you click that button. 

Thanks for visiting! Be sure to return tomorrow for the next photo tip!

Passionately scrapping,

Day 1: Ten Tips to taking better pictures!

Do you scrapbook your photographs? Or do you feel your photos aren't scrapbook worthy because they never come out as well as you would like? Are you somewhat intimidated by taking photos, because you really don't know how to take good pictures?

Over the next week and a half, I am going to share Ten Tips that I learned from our friends at KODAK-the picture experts!  Once you've learned these tips and apply this knowledge to your photo shoots, you will see the quality of your pictures improve, and you'll feel much more confident about picture-taking! Be sure to check back here for a photo-taking tip each day, that will help you take better photographs with your digital camera!

The next step after taking good pictures, is knowing how to make great scrapbook pages with them! I teach rubber stamping and Scrapbooking 101 classes every month at my in-home studio in Hardyston NJ using Stampin' Up! stamps, Simply Scrappin'™ products and accessories, Designer Series Papers and much more, so make sure you check out my CLASS CALENDAR too! If you attend these classes in person each month, you will receive hands-on experience creating eye-appealing layouts, with attractive colors, titles and journaling-all necessary components to putting together a great scrapbook page! When you combine your newly found knowledge of good picture-taking, with the steps to creating fantastic scrapbook pages, you will be so excited to make some beautiful pages you and your family will cherish for years to come! Are you ready to learn your first tip?

TIP #1: MEET YOUR SUBJECT ON THEIR LEVEL!

Instead of taking a photo of your pet, your child or another subject while standing up, try getting down on the level of your subject with your camera, and meeting them eye-to-eye!  Direct eye contact will capture the true essence of the shot and will give the effect of actually being there with that subject at that precise moment! Simply kneel down so your camera is at eye-level, focus on your subject up-close, then wait for that captivating smile, laugh or other facial pose you want to capture and take the picture.

Other tips for photographing children come from Michael Crouser, who has produced two books about black and white photography. Young children will be much more cooperative when you allow them to be photographed in a natural setting for them, or in their favorite hero outfit! Always take photos of the older child first, and the younger one will want the attention as well, which means a better photo-with cooperation! Keep things as natural as possible-and that includes NOT having the subject say "cheese" which only produces a phony or exaggerated smile. Also try to take outdoor photos in the shade rather the sun, so the subject doesn't have to squint. For indoor photos, try to find alternatives for the direct flash. Wedding photographers avoid using it!

Pets can do funny things that we want to capture in a photo forever...I wish I could find the photo of my cat when she winks at me, but I'm not sure where that one is so here is one of Snickers, our four-year old Silky Terrier that I captured of bath time:

 

Had I taken this photo taken higher up it just would not have captured the look on his adorable little face! Don't you feel as if you can just reach out and touch Snickers? His expression is-priceless-and that's what I wanted to capture! This is a great photo to scrapbook...

Let's see what you can do with this tip-give it a try! I'd love to see some of your pictures so email them to me if you like...and I may feature some of them! Keep practicing taking eye-level pictures, focusing in on your subject-and keep the background simple (but more on that topic-tomorrow!).

Passionately scrapping,