Lightening and sharpening eyes

As I was editing pictures of my baby sisters engagement shoot it struck me how important it is to focus on the details of a picture  In particular the eyes of a subjects. My sister has beautiful dark brown eyes but they can become lost in the photograph because they do not catch light very well. Why is it important that an eye catch light do you ask? Well the photograph bellow will answer your question. Keep in mind the only thing I changed in this photograph is her eyes. Doesn't it make a huge difference?

 

Now look at the two photographs in Black and white. Having the eyes catch light is especially important in black and white pictures because all other distractions are taken away and you will be drawn into the sharpest part of the picture.

I have included a video tutorial on how to accomplish this yourself. I hope it helps you to create wonderful portraits!

Camera Etiquette

My last semester in college I was struck with the lack of camera etiquette that was occurring around me. The first time was in a bible class when a guy from the yearbook staff randomly burst in the room and started walking around taking pictures. Lets just say this did not go over well with the professor, can't say that I blame him. It's hard enough trying to keep the attention of a class full of twenty year olds while teaching on bible translation without having to compete with some random dude trampsing around the room taking yearbook pictures. Cause lets be honest, no matter how much everyone pretends they don't want their picture taken, when it comes down to it everyone wants to see their face in the yearbook. Long story short the professor kindly told the photographer to get lost and the indecent was forever a glaring memory of what NOT to do in my head.

That brings me to camera etiquette faux pas #2...formal events. As I was sitting at one of my good friends senior piano recitals I was again hit by this idea of bad camera etiquette. The memory of a freshman photography major running around the room taking photographs with her flash on is forever imprinted in my brain. To say it was a distraction is an understatement, it was downright embarrassment to all who call themselves photographers. The flash of her camera in a darkened room created a strobe like setting for the room which I am sure my friend did not intended to be incorporated into her recital.

How could these two incidents have been avoided. Incident #1 could have been avoided by communicating with the professor before ever entering the class room. Remember if it is not a situation where they have invited you to come invade their space you need to communicate your intentions and ask for permission. Simple :-)

Incident #2...while the photographer had been invited to take photographs she was completely unaware of her surroundings. Photographers I KNOW we all have an instinct to get in the position to take the best shot, sometime you must say NO to this instinct. At recitals, or even some weddings the client may want you to blend into the walls so as to not take away from the moment, even if it means at the cost of the photographs.

How can we keep from committing camera etiquette faux pas? It is simple, communicate with those you are photographing/working for, take a look at your surroundings and asses what is fitting for the situation.

Sun-Diffuser

Trying to buy a reasonable priced diffuser screen for sunlight is very difficult. The average price for a large sun-diffuser screen ranges from $140-$400 dollars, which can put a dent into the budget. As a recent college graduate and a photographer starting out the funds for buying a product like this are nonexistent. Today as I lamented over my desire to own a sun screen I remembered that my teacher (Tim Milkie) in college had created one from scratch for our class, so I decided to take a shot at making one. After spending only $10 and a couple hours of work I ended up with my very own 4"x4" sunscreen. Keep your eye on the blog for my DIY instructions on how to create one for yourself!

#1 Rule in Photography

Over the past couple of years and especially days I have come to the great conclusion that many photographers have reached. If there is one trick, tip, or key to gaining skill in photography its to pick up your camera and start taking pictures. The more you take risks in photography, stretch outside of your comfort-zone, and simply start taking pictures, the more you learn and the more your skill will grow. So...My challenge to you this week is to pick up your camera, find a subject that is outside of your norm, and start taking pictures!!!

General Photography Tips

Here are three general photography tips to look for when taking a picture.


#1 Color:
Color is one of my favorite things to play with when taking a picture, and its one of the best ways to liven up a dull picture. Bright colors really draw the eye into the picture and create interest. Red, yellow, orange, and even a bright blue sky can really enhance a picture and bring a fun mood to the picture. One caution when incorporating bright colors into a picture is to be careful not to bring to many colors into a photograph, one or to is usually enough.

Also check out: The Importance of Color in Photography: An Interview with Mitchell Kanashkevich

#2 Texture:
Texture is a great thing to look for when taking a picture. It helps to add depth to the picture. Texture is especially usefull when you are looking for a background for a portrait. If helps to add interest to your picture. Texture can be found in stones, bricks, sand, old siding, cracking paint, and a multiple of other places. Keep your eyes open for texture and what once was a boring face shot will really pop!

Also check out: 100 Terrific Photographic Textures

#3 Lines: 
There are different types of lines to look for when taking a picture. The most common is what is called a leading lines. The picture to the right is a perfect example of this. The line draws your eyes to the subject of the picture. Leading lines are very useful to a photographer because it is one of the ways that a photographer can control where his/her audience makes the center of attention. Another good thing to remember when taking a picture with lines is if at all possible try and find an angle where the line is not in a straight line. This helps to add interest to the picture.

Also check out: A Guide To Leading Lines In Photography

Tips on Photographing Weddings with Arancha

The following is an interview with Arancha, a wedding and portrait photographer working in Knoxville Tennessee.

Q: How long have you been shooting weddings?
A: Almost a year, but in Spain I helped many photographers during wedding season for two years.

Q: Do you have an education in photography?If so could you explain what kind of education or degree and where from.
A: I took three photography classes. One of them was basic, like composition, developing, exposure, etc. The second one was an advanced class, and then I took a class on special lighting for fashion and advertising. Then when Nate and I got married, I taught Nate all the things I had learned and he started shooting with me at weddings and other photo shoots! He is an amazing photographer and has learned so fast!

Q: What got you into shooting weddings?
A: We just love the feelings, emotions, all that is involved during a wedding, and we enjoy capturing the moment and being able to make a photo report of what would be the best day of their lives! We got married a year ago and we truly enjoyed planning our wedding. Since then, we just love weddings!

Q: What was the biggest challenge business wise when you first started out?
A: Marketing! In the beginning we were thinking: how in the world will people know about us? What do we do? But after attending a couple of conferences, and reading many forums and books, we were able to understand what marketing really is and how it works. And of course, God has played the greatest role in our business. Without Him, we would have never been able to accomplish anything!

Q: What would you call your style of photography?
A: Natural, photojournalistic, modern.

Q: How much do you usually charge per wedding?
A: We have different wedding collections starting at $1,800. All our wedding collections are customizable, which means that if our clients want to remove or add a specific item, the price may vary.

Q: How do you advertise in order to get business?
A: So far, it all has been word of mouth. Right know we are trying to try more ways to market our business. We are using Facebook ads and so far it´s great! But the greatest marketing tool is word of mouth!

Q: What are the three biggest challenges when shooting for a wedding?
A: 1. Capturing everything during the ceremony!!!! But if you are just there with the camera ready the whole time, and if you try to predict what is going to happen next, you shouldn´t have any problem.

2. Lighting: we don´t like using flashes very often because we don`t like the look of it. But sometimes it is necessary when the light is low. A fast lens and a good camera that can give low noise with high ISO can fix it though! And a couple of extra flashes for extreme situations, one for the subject and one for the background.

3. I don´t know if this is a challenge, but in the beginning I was so scared of not having ideas for poses! Nothing that could not be done with a lot of prayer! We honestly pray a lot every time we have a photo shoot and God has blessed us greatly!

Q: What would you say are the key pieces of equipment you need for successfully shooting a wedding?
A: Of course the camera! A wide angle lens, a 50mm 1.2 or 1.4, a 85 mm 1.8 or better, and a 70-200 2.8. It sounds like too much, but you can do so much with all this!

Q: When shooting the reception do you set the shot up first (cutting the cake, etc.) or do you just shoot as it happens?
A: We try to shoot as it happens. We aim to capture the moment, and we believe that if we set it up, then it is not the real moment :) So unless necessary (which sometimes is) we shoot as it happens. I do help them position themselves where the picture will look better (for composition).

Q: Do you have any tips for shooting during the actual ceremony….maybe something that is tricky to look out for or any tips regarding the ceremony at all?
A: Attending the rehearsal will help you so much!!!! Each wedding has its uniqueness. Once you know the order, the special details, and once you practice during the rehearsal, you can get more confident and be more prepared for the actual ceremony. It also helps you get the right settings on your camera. You can ask them to show you how the lights will be during the actual ceremony, and you can get an idea of what you will or will not need.

Q: What do you do to make the people being photographed look natural and comfortable in the pictures?
A: We just tell them to act how they are, to enjoy each other and forget that we are even there. We want to capture who they are, and the best way is by letting them have fun and be themselves! Once that happens, the whole look of the picture changes. We want to capture what they are feeling at that moment and our desire is to transmit those feelings to the viewers. We hope it´s working ;)

Q:When shooting a wedding what kind of lighting do you use?
A: There is nothing like natural light and a reflector! We try to just use natural light most of the time. It is part of wanting to obtain a natural look! And we love the look that natural light can give you!

Q: Could you describe your three favorite posses that you have used in weddings?
A: Well.. that´s a hard one because we try so hard to change poses all the time to make every session different... But one of them is having the bride look at the camera and the groom whispering something to her on the ear. I also love having them sit on the ground, like in the middle of a street or an empty road downtown. I love the look! We haven´t tried this at a wedding, but we love doing that with engagement sessions!

Q: Any tips or general information that you think would be useful to add?
A: Yes! :D Practice practice practice! The more you practice, the more ideas you get, the more comfortable with your camera and interacting with people, etc etc. So even if you are not booking any sessions in a specific week, try to take pictures of a friend, family member, your husband or wife... And shoot manual and RAW. Try to get your images as perfect as possible straight from the camera, that way post-processing will be easier and so much better!


For more information on Nate and Arancha's photography click on the following link:
http://www.nateandaranchaphotography.com/

Compairing Edited and Non-Edited Pictures

A digital photographer today without a photo editing program is not taking advantage of his/her full potential. The following is a slide show that illustrates how useful and effective photo editing programs are.





Here are some good links to check out when trying to decide what editing program you should buy:
Ebay is the first place i go to check prices on anything for photography or electronics in general.
Consumer Search gives good reviews for different programs.
Life 123 put up a helpful post on the topic.

If you can't afford an editing program here is a link to a free photo editing program from Picasa.

Wedding Photography Link

Here is a helpful website I found for people who are just getting into wedding photography. It includes helpful tips about wedding photography and even a resourceful checklist that would be helpful for the day of the wedding. Just click on the link.

How to Reformat a Memory Card

How To Reformat A Memory Card

View more presentations from serenag

Portrait Photography Tips

Here are some portrait shots I took about a year ago. It's fun to look back at old pictures and critique your own pictures, and see how far you have come.




Three Tips I have learned through taking portraits.

1. Details - I am not naturally a person who looks for the details, a stray hair in someones face, or dirt on a subject's shirt. But when photographing a subject it is key to make sure you, as the photographer, catch all of the little details. Or else what could have been a great shot will be ruined by missing a piece of grass that is poking out of the subjects sleeve.

2. Posture - One of the most frustrating things for me when taking portraits is dealing with a subject's posture. This is a difficult problem to overcome. As the photographer you want the subject to feel comfortable, but many times people naturally have bad posture. One way I have found to overcome this issue is playing with different poses. Have the subject prop up on her elbows while lying on her stomach, or have him lean his arm against a tree. Remember a pose does not work for that particular subject don't force it, each subject is different. A pose that may have worked for one subject may not work for another.

3. Come prepared - Treat every photo shoot as if you are getting paid for it. This will stretch your photography skills, build up your portfolio, and might even book you a job. Make sure you have an idea of what you want to get out of the photo shoot. Come with poses in mind, you could even write them down so you have an organized list in front of you. Make sure you have full batteries and empty memory cards. Finally make your subject is comfortable, the more relaxed and comfortable your subject the more likely you will get that "money" shot.

Tips on Photographing Weddings with Chayil Branda

The following is an interview with Chayil Marie Branda. She is a photographer who has been shooting weddings on her own for about a year. She worked with another photographer previous to that for three years, and gained valuable experience. The interview is filled with helpful tips for people who are trying to break into the photography business, specifically weddings.


Q: What got you into photographing weddings?
A: My mom was a photographer and I always enjoyed going to the studio to watch her develop film.

Q: What was the biggest challenge business wise when you first started out in photography?
A: Finances. It’s an expensive industry and in order to make money, you have to spend it.

Q: What are the three biggest challenges when photographing for a wedding?
A: 1. Time – you will always feel rushed. You have to learn to adapt.
2. “Uncle Joe’s” – close friend or family member who usually has nicer gear than me and is wanting to talk my ear off while I’m trying to work.
3. Prep time. Making sure you and all your gear is ready. There no second chances with a wedding, so you have to make sure it’s all ready before you begin.

Q: What are some tips to overcome these challenges?
A: Practice. With all of them. You’ll get better the more times you handle them.

Q: What would you say are the key pieces of equipment you need for successfully photographing a wedding?
A: Other than a camera? (: Depends on the type of photography you shoot. For me, I shoot very photo journalistically, so I need my camera, my lenses (50mm 1.4 and 70 – 200 2.8L are my most used) and a bottle of cherry coke.

Q: When photographing the reception do you set the shot up first or do you just shoot as it happens?
A: Both. I’ll set up a cake shot, then shoot during the actual “eating”. Bouquet/garter – I just let happen and shoot through.

Q: Do you have any tips for photographing during the actual ceremony?
A: Remember that as much as this is about the bride & groom, it’s also about the joining of two families. Look for the emotions from parents/ grandparents during the ceremony too. I always rapid fire the ceremony, so that I don’t miss “the money shot”.

Q: Could you describe your favorite posses that you have used in weddings?
A: I HATE to do “normal” posing. As I look through blogs, magazines, website… when I see a pose I like, I’ll sketch it out in my journal and then before a wedding, I’ll prep the wedding by looking through the journal for ideas.
Biggest goal for me here is to make the couple/bridal party look comfortable. Most people hate pictures, so getting them comfy is huge.

Q: Any tips or general information that you think would be useful to add?
A: The biggest thing that helps with wedding photography is practice. Second shoot with another photographer, until you are to the point where you would be ok, if that photographer called in sick. Also, see what’s going on in the wedding industry. Read blogs, look at websites, and be informed!




For more information on Chayil go to:
http://sv-se.facebook.com/pages/Palm-Harbor-FL/Chayil-Marie-Branda-Photography/15178503797

Three Tips for Composing a Picture

#1 When composing a picture the right background is key. If the background in a picture is to busy it can take away from the photo and distract. Try to keep the background simple, or use your zoom to blur out the background and focus on your subject. One could also use the background to tell a story. For instance if you could focus on the bottom of a wedding dress and the slightly blurred background could be the flower girl and ring barer walking in behind, which is a great way to tell a story in one picture.




#2 When composing a picture make sure that you have the right lighting. Lighting can make or break a picture, it is also one of the most common elements of a picture people forget to give attention to. Lighting can bring attention to a certain object in the picture or change the whole feeling and mood of the picture. When taking a picture remember that the best lighting is natural lighting! Especially if a picture is taken outside in the shad, this ensures that the subject will not be washed out and you will be able to play with the lighting that the shade causes.



#3 When composing a picture remember the rule of thirds. A picture where the subject is framed in the center tends to be boring but if set off to the side it could become very interesting and eye-catching! When the picture is framed in thirds it shows the audience more of the story, it shows where the subject has been or where it is going.