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Take Pictures Like A Pro With These Newborn Photography Tips

Bringing a new baby into your home is one of the most magical events of your life. Capturing these moments on film will help you remember them in detail for many years to come. They will also provide a treasured keepsake that your child can look back on as they grow older.

Ask any parent and they will tell you that children grow up way too fast. Their entire childhood can be over in the blink of an eye. Because of this, it is important to capture every moment that you can so that you can preserve the precious memories of your child’s early years.

Photographing a newborn is particularly important. Babies grow and change on a daily basis. Because of that, you need to work quickly in order to get photos of them in the newborn phase. The following newborn photography tips should help.

Two Types of Photos for Newborn

There are two basic types of photos that you can take of your child.

Posed Portraits

The first style involves taking posed portraits of your baby where you position them in different poses and take their photos. Oftentimes, these photos can have a magical feel since you can incorporate props that add to the composition of the photograph and highlight just how tiny and delicate your child is.

2. Candid Photos

The second style of photos involves taking candid photos of your baby as they experience their everyday life. Typically, these photos incorporate other family members and can be a great way to capture all of the events in the earliest days of your child’s life. Oftentimes, as a parent, you will be so exhausted during this time period that everything is a blur. Taking photos from these early days can help you look back on the time that you were getting to know your child in a whole different way. Being able to see how much love was in your home can give you a whole different perspective on being a new parent.

For taking posed photos, it is usually best to start as early as you can. Generally, newborns can be put in just about any pose that you want for the first two weeks of their life without doing much moving. They spend most of their time sleeping and don’t mind being moved into different positions. This makes it far easier to do a photo shoot. Just make sure that whatever poses or props you choose are safe for your child. If necessary, have someone on hand that can be in the room with you to ensure that your baby doesn’t fall or get stuck in a particular pose. The last thing you want is to accidentally injure your child while you are trying to capture their image.

If you really want your images to look great, you need good lighting. Spend some time researching how to properly light photos to achieve different effects. For instance, intense lighting from a particular angle can create a lot of drama whereas soft, diffused lighting can give the photos a delicate feel.

For lifestyle photos, you can generally capture amazing photos for the first month or two of your baby’s life. Try to find candid moments to photograph. For instance, if your spouse is lying down holding your baby, capture an image of the two of them together. If you have other children, try to get photos of your children along with your new baby.

Most importantly, make sure that you also get pictures of yourself with your baby. Oftentimes, as a new parent, you can get so caught up in trying to get pictures of your child that you forget about including yourself in the photographs. However, having photos of yourself with your baby to look back on can be truly magical. Periodically hand the camera to someone else and ask them to take your photo so that you have a record of these early days.

Finally, don’t forget to get some of your photos printed. These days, it is easy to get in the habit of storing all of your photos digitally. Unfortunately, that means that they can wind up getting stuffed in a folder somewhere on your hard drive and forgotten about. By printing them out and hanging them in your home, they can serve as a constant reminder of the joy that you experienced when you first brought your child home from the hospital. You can also get prints made for your child’s baby book so that they can see what their earliest days were like as they grow older.

These newborn photography tips should help you capture incredible photos of your child. Don’t be afraid to try experimental shots or to play around with different techniques. You never know what angles or camera settings will give you the best results. These days, with digital cameras, it is so easy to delete photos that you don’t like that you may as well take as many as you can. That way, you will have plenty to choose from when you are putting together albums or deciding which ones to hang in your home.

Christopher Caldwell July 13, 2016 Blog, Photography 101newborn images, newborn photo, newborn photography Read more >

The Art of Self Portrait Photography

In this age, the age of the ubiquitous and often annoying selfie, self portrait photography has gotten a really bad name. This often happens when we take something that requires skill and craft and thought and sum it up into a device like an iPhone and handed to every self absorbed person. But we are here just to talk down the self he but to improve the efficacy of self portrait photography which can be a selfie. What many self-portrait aficionados have learned is that the basics of good photography remain. It doesn’t matter if you taking your self-portrait with your iPhone or an expensive digital camera. The fundamentals remain the same and they are true hard and fast.

How to Make High-Quality Self-Portrait Photographs

The first thing that you have to learn to make high-quality self-portrait photographs is that light is your friend or your enemy. Light becomes your enemy when you do not have enough of it. We have all seen these pictures that people take where it’s all dark mighty and everything looks awful. That is an example of not having enough light. It could be the results of having a camera with a very small sensor, poor local light or poor use of light. It could be a combination of all of the above. But as a person was to take the ultimate self-portrait you need to pay attention to light and you need to make it your friend. This does not mean that you only have to take pictures in front of Windows are any other bright place, it just needs to be a manipulation and use of light that creates the best image.

You need to learn how to properly compose your images. Composition is the number one skill and all forms of photography it is a worthwhile skill to learn. You will never be a great photographer if you do not understand composition and it doesn’t matter if you’re shooting for a fashion magazine are shooting the ultimate selfie for Instagram. You need to put much thought into how you going to post your body, how are you going to position other things in the shot, where in the frame are you going to place your body, what type of natural objects around you will properly frame the shot to give it the most detailed and the most feeling. You have to have the stalls in your mind to shoot quality photography no matter what genre of photography it is.

Two iPhone or not, that ’tis the question! As a photographer it is very easy for me to talk down iPhone photography or smart phone photography but I will not because I see it as a very useful tool and one where great photography has and will continue to be made. My only thing that I can say negatively about it is that people don’t have the requisite skills and the small sensor size of a smart phones camera leads much to desire. In such small sensors on a smart phone do not make the greatest use of low light. But the most important rules still apply and can create great photography on any camera and that goes back to composition, light use in putting thought into what you’re putting in front of the camera. One issue that I do have with smart phone photography is that you don’t have enough depth of field, you can’t really shoot shallow depth of field and you’re stuck with the single focal length. But again there is a best practices for all pieces of equipment and it is up to you to discover which settings, which distances, what form of composition and usage of light creates the best image quality on your smart phone. So if anything, this article is suggesting that you take an experiential approach to learning how to shoot the ultimate selfie on your smart phone.

So what more can we say in the article like this? The truth is that we can’t say much more because we have given you all the fundamentals that you need to know. Now is the time to start reading stop looking for more information and to start snapping as many pictures as you can. It is the time to let your creativity flow free and the test out as many ideas as you can because that is the only way to anyone has ever become of quality photographer.

Christopher Caldwell July 5, 2016 Blog, Photography 101self-portrait Read more >

Vital Cat Photography Tips To Consider

Do you love cats? Well, one of the greatest things about them is the fact they are lovable and are just a joy to take a picture of. You have to be prepared when it comes to understanding what it means to photograph them because it is not easy at all.

You have to be a professional when you begin to take their photos because it can start to become a real challenge after a while.

So, what do you need to think about as a cat photographer?

Six Best Advice for Cat Photography

Here are the six pieces of advice that should assist you in the long-run.

1) Maintain Their Attention

You don’t have much of a chance if you don’t have their attention. You need to grab something like yarn to keep them interested or they are going to run away, and then you don’t have a subject at all.

You need to maintain their attention to get them to focus on the camera. This si the only way to make things work.

If you don’t do this, you are looking at a situation where the cat could care less and will scamper off or look disinterested.

Both of these things are something you don’t want at all.

2) Use Automatic Mode

The cat is not going to sit still and sometimes the best shots are when they move. So, you want to be prepared for movement at all times and make sure you are using automatic mode as soon as you can.

When you don’t use automatic mode, you are looking at something that will cause more issues than anything else.

You want to think about the camera settings before your little session just in case a great shot is the first one you take.

You want movement because it does create unique photos that you might prefer.

3) Natural Light Makes Them Look Better

You want the fur and all of its details to come out. You won’t be able to do this with artificial light, and it does not matter how hard you try. Natural light is always superior as long as you are getting the angles spot on.

You have to play around with the natural light, and it is better to put them near a big window.

It will help with the aesthetics, and you are going to get some of the best photos possible when you go down this route.

4) No Food

You don’t want to give them food. This is not the way to get their attention because they are going to lose interest. When they are away from food, they are willing to think about other things. You are going to lose that attention span they might have because of your mistake, and that is the last thing you need.

Instead of feeding them, you should be careful and look at keeping the food for later when they are done the session. Do not give it to them during the session.

It will only make it harder for you.

5) Eyes Matter

Where should your lens focus? This is a question some will ask about, and that is a good one because it shows you are serious about the craft and are not just pointing and shooting.

You want to focus on the eyes. This is where you want the attention to go.

If you ever skip through a lot of pictures, the ones that are prominent will always be the ones where the eyes are the focal point.

You want to zone in on the eyes because that is where you will get a valuable photo.

Sometimes, an average photo looks better just because of this factor.

6) Low Point Of View Is Best

If you want to get a wholesome photo, you want to get as low as possible.

This is going to make them look bigger and that will help with the rest of the picture.

It is going to accentuate their look and give them this presence that you are never going to get from top. You want them to be the centerpiece of the photo, and that helps when you aim low.

You want to start from this position and then move around.

Use this advice as a means to make sure your days as a photographer are not short-lived. It is easy for a person to get lost in the shuffle and just think they will be able to take a good photo with ease. It does not work that way and what will happen is you are going to take something that might look good now, but is going to look awful in the long-run.

The tips that have been written down here are from the pros who know a thing or two about taking photos of cats.

Christopher Caldwell June 24, 2016 Blog, Photography 101cat photo, cat photography Read more >

Tips For Food Photography Lighting

Ever flipped through a cookbook and just been mesmerized by the photos? It happens, and there is a reason why those photos tend to look so good, and it does not have anything to do with luck. Professionals pay attention to how things are done and then precisely carry them out. This is the only way to make the food come to life and have a personality of their own that radiates through.

What do you need to do to make your food look like this as well?

6 Awesome Tips for Food Photography Lighting

Here are six tips that should give you tremendous insight.

1) Natural Light Always Wins

If you have the chance to use natural light, you need to go for it. In fact, you should be looking to find the largest window in the area and go with that as your source.

The lighting has to be spot on, and you don’t want to use artificial light for this.

It does not help the look of the food, and you have to work on the angles.

It is better to trust natural light as it hits the surface of your dish. This is what you want to go with.

2) Simple Background Only To Enhance Lighting

Don’t go with a background that is not simple. Too many photographers forget about the background and think they’ll be fine as long as the lighting is great. No, you will not be okay at all and in fact things are going to look far worse than they would if you had been pickier.

Look at things from all angles and make sure you get a simple background.

You never want to place the emphasis away from your food, and that is why the food has to be right in the middle of everything.

3) No Movement Please When Searching For Better Lighting

You cannot be moving around. This is a still subject, and you have to treat it as such. You cannot let movement dictate the quality of your photo because it is not going to look great at all and you will hate it.

You need to remain still and if possible, you should be looking to get a small stand that is used.

A tripod can do as well for those who want to invest into this part of the process.

You can get better shots when the camera is still at the time of the shot.

4) White Balance Is Best For Lighting

Let’s say you are playing around with the light on your camera because that is the only way you can get the look to be the way you want it to be. Well, you are going to need to take a look at the balance.

Going with anything other than white is a mistake waiting to happen, and it will make the food look bland.

You need to overlook the yellow balance options that are available and know that white is the only way to go in this regard.

The food will look its best when you do this.

5) Take As Many Photos As Possible To Find Best Lighting

Don’t hold back when it comes to a number of photos you are taking because that does matter. You want to take as many as you can to get a feel for the options you have. Try all angles and mix things up as much as you can.

What do you have to lose? You will end up liking something from all of the shots you take.

When you start to restrict yourself because of the number of images you have, the results will be awful, and you will probably have to go back for a reshoot anyway.

6) Use ‘Zoom’ Feature For Better Lighting

Please don’t just take all of the shots from the same spot. This is dull, and something people are going to hate you for when the photos come out.

This is especially the case for those who are putting together a little recipe book and want to connect with the reader.

You don’t want to go with something that does not have the right angle.

You want to make sure you try everything, and that includes zooming in and out as much as you can.

These are the food photography tips that are going to make you enjoy the lighting and how it looks. Make sure you are working on the lighting at all times as a professional. You never want the food to look dull because you messed up and were not able to get things to work.

Lighting is all about the details, and these tips are going to help you get the most out of your food. In fact, when you do this properly, you will be surprised at how good the food looks compared to what is in front of you!

Yes, it can be that much of a difference maker.

Christopher Caldwell June 17, 2016 Blog, Photography 101food photography, food photography tips Read more >

Autumn Photography Tips For Newbies To Benefit From

A skilled artist will be able to read through these autumn photography tips and use the ones that fit their situation. If you’re new to photography, then you’re in the right place. Research what you are about to learn about and you’ll be able to create works of art with your camera.

A photographer is going to have to make sure they get things in order so they can take photos outside. If your style is just to stay indoors where you can control the lighting, you can still learn a lot from going outdoors in the autumn. You will learn how lighting plays a role in changing and image because just a few hours later in the day from when you take the photo you can get a completely different one. Go out and test what kind of pictures you can take at different times of the day in similar locations.

A lot of great cameras exist that give you different results. You may have heard that it doesn’t matter what kind of tools you have but it’s more about your skill. While that is true in how you do some art, with photography you’re not going to get very far with that mindset if your photos come from a limited camera like the one you have on your cell phone. You can practice with these weaker camera options, but if you are serious about your craft you have to get the right tools.

Figuring out what kind of camera to get isn’t that difficult. Just search for digital cameras and then sort them by those that are the most well rated. Once you find a list of what is popular at this time, you can then go through each option and read reviews to figure out what people think. Be wary of people that leave reviews up on their company websites, because of course they are only going to choose those that are positive. Most devices have pros and cons, so be suspicious of reviews that are too positive or negative and offer no real substance.

Photo editing software is important to learn about if you want to do various graphic arts tasks and enhance photos you’re taking. Some people say that it’s cheating to use software, but if you think about it, your camera is pretty much running on software that affects how the picture is taken depending on how you set it up. You don’t have to just use things like Photoshop for enhancements. If you have a photo with a mistake in it, such as a bird flying by, you can edit it out and won’t have to worry about people noticing usually.

Study images that other photographers are getting praise for with the topic of autumn in the description. You can search for things like #autumn on social media and then look for photos that have many “likes” or “favorites” to see what people are into. You’ll notice that there are common elements that people like, but there are also those people out there that do a great job by not following any formula. Decide if you want to go after collecting likes and fitting in with the crowd, or if you’d like to create your own style regardless of what people enjoy.

Photography can lead into you having a career. You just have to make sure it’s something you’re ready for. During autumn you can get great pictures for various events, like doing weddings. If you’re going to do anything that requires you to work with the general public, then be prepared for most people to want you to do what they say and not what you think would be nice looking artistically. You can always work with clients as your main source of income, and then spend your free time getting artistic shots that you can add to your portfolio and maybe sell later.

These autumn photography tips are going to get your art to the next level. You’re going to want to test everything you’ve read here. Once you start using the various tips you were given you will notice that your personal style will start to develop.

Christopher Caldwell June 9, 2016 Blog, Photography 101autumn images, autumn photography, autumn photos Read more >

Learning The Basics Of Portrait Photography

Portrait photography is one of the most impressive and dynamic techniques. It has a tremendous power of conveying emotions, thus being widely used by most expert photographers. When done right, this technique can display the personality, the mood and the expression of the subject. Most such images focus on the person’s face, but there are lots of situations that involve the whole body or even parts of the background. Decades ago, portrait photography has become widely popular, as its main purpose was to replace painted portraiture. Its popularity was mainly due to the fact that it significantly reduced the required sitting time for the subject. Even the old daguerreotype technique was much faster than hand painting, so people were happy to have their portraits done this way instead of having to sit for long hours or even days in a painter’s workshop.

Portrait Photography: Artistic Expression

Today’s portrait photography serves a totally different purpose. It is an artistic expression, a slice of life captured on camera, a way of communicating values, moods and feelings. The photographer who wants to learn the basics of this art form has to be prepared to go the extra mile to get people pose for him at the right time and in the right setting. This is the real challenge of this trade, and very few professionals understand the importance of establishing rapport with their subject before proceeding to the photo session. A portrait can tell a story, but only if the individual behind the camera knows how to capture its essence.

The technical side of this skill is also quite challenging. Good portraits are the ones in which the subject is detached from the background. The focus has to be only on the important elements in the frame, everything else being blurred. The quality of this blur is also important. This is why you have to be very careful when you choose the best lenses for this photography style. Prime lenses are the best, as they enable a sharp focus on the subject, while creating nice bokeh effects in the background. A 50mm f/1.4 lens can enable a good artist create amazing portraits, impossible to replicate by amateurs. However, you have to be aware that such lenses may cost you many thousands of dollars. This is an investment not everyone can afford. Nonetheless, if you have a passion for learning portrait photography, you can start by purchasing cheaper f/1.8 lenses that are almost as good but cost only a fraction of the price. They aren’t cheap either, but they won’t break your bank. If you only have zoom lenses in your kit, you can try to use them for portraits. Zoom in as much as you can, and try to shoot subjects at a relatively small distance. This technique enables you obtain those blurred backgrounds that help detaching the subject from the other elements in your composition.

The intensity of light is another element you have to learn how to master, if you want to create stunning portraits. You have to understand the relationship between exposure, ISO and aperture and practice multiple settings until you manage to get the best one. Set your camera to operate in manual mode, as this is how you can set each parameter as you desire. If you repeatedly fail at finding the right settings, you can switch to the Aperture Mode. You set your f-stop value, and the camera is going to adjust the other parameters as needed for an optimal image. Download your images and study them in detail, in order to understand how the camera made those choices.

Such exercises are very time consuming, so you may want to use a doll or some still life composition for your tests, as human subjects may not have enough patience to sit still and keep their mouth shut until you’re done. Nonetheless, if you manage to keep your motivation up until the pint where you are gong to master your trade, you are gong to be able to capture awesome portraits in minutes. Always make sure to allocate some time for getting acquainted to the subject. Empathy is a must-have for a portrait photographer, as it is going to help you communicate with people and capture their real essence.

Christopher Caldwell May 29, 2016 Blog, Photography 101Photography, portrait photography Read more >

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