Props are used to spice up ordinary photos by enhancing the subject. However, professional props can be very expensive. If you are looking to jazz up your shots, but don’t have the money to buy pro props, don’t despair. There are hundreds of ways you can add visually stimulating objects to your images without breaking the bank. Most professional photo studios have a litany of props, from benches, columns and chairs to luxurious backdrops, antique benches and faux staircases. If you want to simulate the look of a pro portrait studio in your home, then get creative. Design your own … Continue reading →

If you are like me, then you try to get the most use out of your kid’s Halloween costume as you possibly can. In my family that means frequenting Halloween events at the children’s museum, the zoo, school, the public library and other public and private venues. However, regardless of where your little ghouls or gremlins go to get their sugar high, frame worthy photo opportunities are lurking around every corner. If you are looking to snap keepers of your kids this Halloween, consider the following tips: Get Creative: Rather than have your Wolverine clad son pose stiffly next to … Continue reading →

Having an uncluttered and pleasing background in a photo helps to pull the viewer’s eyes to the subject. If you are using a DSLR camera and a fast lens, it’s much easier to do this because you can blur the background, and as long as there are not too many colors, it’s almost as though your subject is standing in front of a backdrop. If you don’t have the luxury of an expensive camera and lens, however, you can still create great backdrops with little to no money. Look for a building. Buildings, especially old brick ones, offer great backgrounds … Continue reading →

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… as long as you are not in charge of shooting the family photo for the annual holiday greeting card. Having to come up with a decent shot that doesn’t make your family look like a motley crew isn’t easy, especially if you are working with a group of antsy kids, who rather have their fingers turn into stalks of broccoli, than pose for a holiday picture. If you are looking for ways to preserve your sanity during the dreaded holiday card photo shoot, then consider the following tips: 1. Don’t shoot when … Continue reading →