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HP Digital PhotographyHP Digital Photography videosArranging Your Shot |
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As a professional kids photographer and a mom I know it can be challenging to get pictures so good you can't wait to show them off. So how do you capture photos you'll be proud to display? Well, you don't have to devote hours to a photography class or even have an expensive camera. Whether I'm taking photos for myself or for clients, I try to capture more than just snapshots. My goal is to create artful images out of even the most everyday moments. And with a few simple tips, you can too. Let's get started. Before I show you how to improve the look of your photos, let me first share the biggest tip of all: Take a ton of photos to begin with. Shooting a lot of pictures isn't just a rule for beginners. Look at all these I took on our last family vacation. Even professional photographers shoot dozens of photos just to get a few really good ones. After all, the beauty of shooting digital photos is that you can easily delete the ones you don't want. In my opinion the first step to taking great photos is understanding how to use your focus. Most standard point-and-shoots allow you to push the button halfway down to lock in your focus. I can show you how use it on my HP Photosmart camera here, and explain how you do it. Once you've locked focus on your subject, you can then move the camera a little just to reframe your shot. An interesting and unique composition makes for a much better picture. I'll show you using this colorful pitcher. First, I center it in the frame and push the button halfway down. There, now I've just locked in the focus. So, without removing my finger from the button, I move my subject just off center. That way, even though you're not pointing your camera directly at the subject, that's what stays in focus. Voila! You get a more artful image instead of a boring snapshot. You can use this same technique with people. I use it all the time with clients and my kids. Look at some of these shots from our summer vacation. All it takes is a little creative framing to make ordinary pictures extraordinary. You may have noticed I got really close in. This is the next big tip. And it's one of the easiest tips to learn and one of the best ways to improve your photos. Sure, this photo looks good and it does feature the landscape nicely, but if you look closer, it doesn't really focus your attention or preserve any of the fun of the moment. The fix for a photo like this is easy. Just get in closer to your subject. It's nice to have a variety of both types of shots but usually the photos with the most personality are the ones you'll be dying to print at home or share with family and friends. So you're getting in closer to your subjects. What else can you do? Well, there's no rule that says photos need to be taken straight on, or even that it has to show your subjects face. But we often fall into that habit of taking only those types of photos. Mix things up, try shooting them from different angles and perspectives. Even get down on the ground if you want (especially with the kids). This will give your photos the intimacy and energy that will really make them stand out. Another cool thing is to try giving your camera a little tilt and bring something unexpected to your photo. This technique can also be really dramatic when shooting horizon lines. I think it gives photos a WOW factor that they're sometimes missing. So there you go! Some simple, tried and true composition techniques for improving your photos. Oh, one more thing that goes back to that focusing tip. Have you ever tried to take a picture but your camera doesn't fire until a second or two later? Well, our first tip about locking focus helps to prevent shutter lag too. Try pressing the button half-way down and just waiting for the right moment. Then, press all the way to get the shot. Well, that's all for now. I hope that by trying these basic tips and tricks you'll find it fun and easy to capture more creative photos of your family. I'll see you next time.
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