Search Results for: blog tips for shooting camera shy people

Camera Features That Make Capturing Smiles Easier

Now that you know how to get even the most camera shy subjects to flash their pearly whites it would be a shame if you still walked away with blurry shots. It has happened to me. I get my little one to ham it up like there’s no tomorrow and my shot still comes out looking as though I took it during an earthquake. What gives? Doesn’t the camera know I can’t get my 3-year-old to smile forever? I’ll admit I should be blaming my technique more than my camera, still there are cameras on the market that make life … Continue reading →

Tips for Shooting Camera Shy People

If you are trying to capture a prize-winning shot of family and friends then you know how important it is to have your subjects as relaxed as possible. Have you ever noticed how a group of chatting and smiling family members freeze up when a camera is aimed at them? (Happens to me every time I point my camera at my mom.) And who wants a shot of sullen looking statues? Finding ways to relax camera shy individuals will go a long way to insure you get the shot you are looking for. How to get a shy person to … Continue reading →

Knowing When to Zoom and Other Photo Tips

These days almost every digital camera on the market comes equipped with a zoom feature and a wide-angle feature. Both have their advantages, but you’ll find your pictures will benefit if you know which to employ at the appropriate time. Zoom. There is a basic rule my photography teacher drilled into me that I have never forgotten: zooming in flattens the depth of the photo, so the foreground and background are basically the same size. Wide-angle. In contrast, a camera’s wide-angle feature will expand the depth of the photo, enlarging the foreground and shrinking the background. Many times people zoom … Continue reading →

SNAP! Processing Photo Tips

I’ve spent several blogs providing tips on how to capture the perfect shot. I’ve always maintained that one of the most important aspects of photography is framing. To me framing makes or breaks a shot. As such, I tend to pay close attention to advice that deals with framing. Others insist proper lighting is the key to a frame-worthy photo. I agree lighting is a major factor in photography, but again, I tend to concentrate and experiment more with framing. There are hundreds of photography manuals that provide advice on how to shoot like the professionals. However, my experience has … Continue reading →

Tales Of A Lazy Photographer… And Tips To Break The Habit

Scan your photo albums or the frames decorating your home and you will get a general idea of your picture taking habits. For example, the other day I was sorting photos and I noticed that I have an inordinate amount of vertical shots of my 3-year-old daughter. When she was a baby most, if not all, of the images I took of her were horizontal tummy shots. Now that she is a walking, talking… well, now, she’s more like a running blur, I tend to shoot vertically. Which is not to say that I don’t think about picture composition prior … Continue reading →

Photo Opportunities

Have you ever visited a portrait studio to get professional pictures taken, watched the photographer at work, and thought: “I can do that,” but never took action on your impulse? Breaking into the world of professional photography is not that difficult provided you are willing to start at the bottom and work hard to turn your passion into profit. The opportunities to make money from your photo talents are vast and varied. However, there is one photo job op that I constantly see being offered and wonder why so few people want to take advantage of it. Local portrait studios … Continue reading →

Capturing Candid Holiday Shots

Most people prefer to feature posed family portraits on their annual holiday greeting cards, but I like to use candid shots to spice up my Christmas correspondences. With the holiday party season in full swing, now is the prefect time to capture candid shots of your kids and other family members. Candid shots are ideal to document camera shy subjects, as there is no need for them to look directly in the lens and say, “Cheese!” Rather, your goal is to snap shots of family members and friends acting naturally, whether they are cooking, playing games, sitting by a warm … Continue reading →

How to Hold Kids’ Attention

Sometimes you have to get really creative when you are photographing a group of kids. Getting them all to look at the camera at once, let alone smile, can be a nearly impossible task. You would think it would get easier as kids get older, but sometimes it gets harder because you’re not only battling distractions, but boredom and embarrassment as well. The trick is to not only make them smile, but give them a reason to look at the camera and feel comfortable in their own skin. Recently, while photographing a family of six, I ran into the problem … Continue reading →

Dealing with Windy Conditions

The fall season is full of beautiful colors and it is a great time to have those outdoor portraits taken. As the season draws to a close however, cold and windy days increase, which can potentially ruin a perfectly good day for pictures. The sun is out, the skies are blue, but the wind is ruining everyone’s hair. Before you cancel your picture day, however, check out your location for any of these “workarounds” which may potentially save the day. 1. Block the wind with men. If you are taking pictures of your family and you have enough (short-haired) men … Continue reading →

Taking Pictures of Your Toddler

It’s never been harder to get a good photo of my toddler. At 17 months, he is so active, so curious, and so fast, that 75% of my shots are of his back. 10% of them show him looking at something other than the camera. The remaining 5% may show his eyes, but whether the rest of the photo is up to par is another matter. He is always interested in something other than the camera. It’s probably because he sees it in front of my face all the time. Lately I have been trying to come up with ideas … Continue reading →