TEN TIPS

OK so this post isn't for any pro shooters out there or those serious armatures that know quite a bit about photography but don't have to make money at it, but feel free to add to the list. It’s for the moms, dads and others I know who come by and visit. I use to teach a continuing education photography class and always gave out my tip sheet first. It’s not new to photography or unique but this is my version. Maybe I’ll post about each one someday. So get out there and shoot.

1. Get close – Either move close or by using a longer lens. Don’t have a bunch of wasted space around your subject.
2. Fill the frame – Like getting close, make sure your subject is very dominant in the frame. Like real close on faces, don’t worry about cutting the top of someone’s head off.
3. Use the rule of thirds – Dived the frame horizontally and vertically into thirds and put your subject, or something important, where the lines intersect. By moving things away from always being centered you give photos more drama and they are visually more interesting.
4. Use your flash outside especially in bright sun – This will help take away shadows on faces.
5. Turn your flash off inside – Try to use natural light like moving your subject by a window and use the window light to light it. Also try shooting a higher ASA to shoot available light.
6. Bounce your flash indoors – Tilt or pivot your flash and bounce it of the ceiling and walls.
7. Keep your backgrounds simple.
8. Get down to your kids level – Don’t always stand and shoot down on them. Get to their eye level or even lie down and shoot up at them.
9. Edit and crop picture in Photoshop – Don’t always just print the way they come out of the camera.
10. Always have your camera close and ready – If you say to yourself, “I should have a picture of this”, you are right!
11. OH one more. Use off camera flash. See STROBIST for this. Its the place to be.