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!

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!

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.