AOP Part 2 PDF

[AOP PART 2] nekhlass@gmail.
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[AOP PART 2] nekhlass@gmail.com
Table of Content
Contents
Be Personal - Stand Out from the Crowd as a Photographer ..................................................................................7
Be Personal..........................................................................................................................................................7
Learn to See Abstractly ........................................................................................................................................9
See Abstractly ......................................................................................................................................................9
Getting Started in Food Photography.................................................................................................................. 11
1. Understand how food works............................................................................................................................... 11
Food Photography ............................................................................................................................................. 11
2. Understand how light and composition work. ................................................................................................... 12
3. Understand that food produced for consumption is not the same as food produced for photography. .......... 12
4. Understand what creates an emotional response in your audience. ................................................................. 12
5. Understand what others have done before you and how you react to their work............................................ 12
5 Keys to Taking Beautiful Maternity Portraits .................................................................................................... 13
1. Location ............................................................................................................................................................... 13
Maternity Portraits ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Crop and Chop ................................................................................................................................................... 15
How to Shoot in Direct Sunlight .......................................................................................................................... 18
1. Move into the shade ........................................................................................................................................... 18
2. Make your own shade ......................................................................................................................................... 18
3. Use Fill in Flash .................................................................................................................................................... 19
4. Use a Reflector .................................................................................................................................................... 19
5. Change Your Perspective .................................................................................................................................... 19
6. Use a Lens Hood .................................................................................................................................................. 19
7. Filters................................................................................................................................................................... 19
8. Play with White Balance Settings........................................................................................................................ 19
9. Metering.............................................................................................................................................................. 20
10. Pick The Time of Day to Shoot .......................................................................................................................... 20
11. Shoot Silhouettes .............................................................................................................................................. 20
How to Photograph Silhouettes in 8 Easy Steps................................................................................................... 21
1. Choose a Strong Subject ..................................................................................................................................... 21
2. Turn off your Flash .............................................................................................................................................. 22
3. Get Your Light Right ............................................................................................................................................ 22
4. Frame your image ............................................................................................................................................... 22
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5. Make silhouetted shapes distinct and uncluttered ............................................................................................ 22

6. In Auto Mode ...................................................................................................................................................... 23
7. Manual Mode ...................................................................................................................................................... 23
8. Focusing .............................................................................................................................................................. 23
How to Photograph Industrial Deserts ................................................................................................................ 25
Where to go ............................................................................................................................................................ 25
Equipment ............................................................................................................................................................... 27
Permissions ............................................................................................................................................................. 28
Shooting Technique ................................................................................................................................................ 29
Confident Photographer ..................................................................................................................................... 32
7 Steps to Becoming a Confident Photographer: ................................................................................................. 32
A Beginner’s Guide............................................................................................................................................. 32
1. Keep a Notebook . . . or don’t ............................................................................................................................. 32
2. Shoot Frequently ................................................................................................................................................. 32
3. Shoot in Different Conditions.............................................................................................................................. 33
4. Set Goals.............................................................................................................................................................. 33
5. Change Your Perspective ................................................................................................................................... 34
How To Photograph Lightning ............................................................................................................................ 35
9 Pet Photography Tips ...................................................................................................................................... 37
1. Use Natural Light ................................................................................................................................................. 37
2. Keep the Eyes Sharp ............................................................................................................................................ 37
4. Give Value to their Character.............................................................................................................................. 38
5. Go Macro............................................................................................................................................................. 38
6. Surprise Them ..................................................................................................................................................... 38
7. Schedule your Session ......................................................................................................................................... 39
8. Be Patient ............................................................................................................................................................ 39
9. Experiment .......................................................................................................................................................... 40
3 Quick Newborn Photography Tips .................................................................................................................... 41
1. Pose Them ........................................................................................................................................................... 41
2. Keep on shooting! ............................................................................................................................................... 41
6 Winning Ways to Work Wide ........................................................................................................................... 43
1. Get Close! ............................................................................................................................................................ 44
2. It’s All about the Foreground .............................................................................................................................. 44
3. Watch those Verticals! ........................................................................................................................................ 44
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4. Leading Lines ....................................................................................................................................................... 45

5. Filter Woes .......................................................................................................................................................... 45
6. Focusing .............................................................................................................................................................. 45
8 Family Portraits Tips ........................................................................................................................................ 47
Photography Niches, Grooves and Ruts .............................................................................................................. 49
How to Photograph Children .............................................................................................................................. 51
Photographing Children - Settings: ......................................................................................................................... 51
Photographing Children - The Shoot....................................................................................................................... 53
10 Questions to Ask When Taking a Digital Photo ............................................................................................... 65
1. What story am I telling? ...................................................................................................................................... 65
2. What is the visual focal point of this shot? ......................................................................................................... 65
3. What competing focal points are there? ............................................................................................................ 65
4. What is in the background and foreground? ...................................................................................................... 66
5. Am I close enough? ............................................................................................................................................. 66
6. What is the main source of light? ....................................................................................................................... 66
7. Is my Framing Straight?....................................................................................................................................... 66
8. What other perspectives could I capture this subject from? ............................................................................. 66
9. How would holding the camera in the other format change this shot? ............................................................. 67
10. How will the eye travel through this image? .................................................................................................... 67
5 Tips for Gorgeous Infant Photographs .............................................................................................................. 68
Finding Fresh Angles to Shoot From - Digital Photography Composition Tip ......................................................... 69
Photo 101: Answer Time .................................................................................................................................... 70
Click on the (Photo 101) to open the answer session ........................................................................................... 70
Using Water to Lighten Landscape Photos .......................................................................................................... 71
1. 365 Days .............................................................................................................................................................. 72
2. 52 Photo walks .................................................................................................................................................... 73
3. 100 Strangers ...................................................................................................................................................... 73
4. A-Z ....................................................................................................................................................................... 74
5. Pick-A-Something ................................................................................................................................................ 74
6. Go Mono ............................................................................................................................................................. 75
7. Scavenger Hunt ................................................................................................................................................... 75
“X” Marks the Spot – Finding Backyard Photo Treasures ..................................................................................... 76
How to Be Inspired and Not Intimidated by Other Photographers ....................................................................... 78
Concentrate on one thing to improve .................................................................................................................... 78
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Listen to others… but not too much ....................................................................................................................... 78

Use others’ ideas to come up with your ideas ........................................................................................................ 79
Watch your own progress ....................................................................................................................................... 80
Remember, everyone has their off days ................................................................................................................. 80
Creative Compositions: Finding Framing ............................................................................................................. 81
How to Reduce Camera Shake - 6 Techniques ..................................................................................................... 83
6 Techniques to Reduce Camera Shake .................................................................................................................. 83
1. Elbows In ............................................................................................................................................................. 83
2. Raise Your Left Shoulder…. ................................................................................................................................. 84
3. Create a Tripod With Your Knee ......................................................................................................................... 84
4. Lay Down ............................................................................................................................................................. 85
5. The Machine Gun Hold ....................................................................................................................................... 85
6. Cradle It ............................................................................................................................................................... 86
Lifestyle Photography – Photographing Children in their Element ....................................................................... 87
How to Photograph a Rainbow ........................................................................................................................... 92
Find a Rainbow ........................................................................................................................................................ 92
Backgrounds ............................................................................................................................................................ 92
Composition ............................................................................................................................................................ 92
Autumn (Fall) Photography - Capturing Colors .................................................................................................... 94
1. Use a Polarizing Filter ...................................................................................................................................... 94
2. Shoot in the Golden Hours .................................................................................................................................. 94
5 Tips for Young Family Portraits ........................................................................................................................ 95
1. Interact with the children ................................................................................................................................... 95
2. Avoid “posing”..................................................................................................................................................... 95
3. Follow the Child................................................................................................................................................... 95
4. Be shutter happy ................................................................................................................................................. 95
5. Be ready for anything .......................................................................................................................................... 95
6 Tips for Better Night Photos With A Point And Shoot Camera ........................................................................... 96
1. Use A Longer Shutter Speed ............................................................................................................................... 96
2. Try Different Shutter Speeds............................................................................................................................... 96
3. Find Something Sturdy ........................................................................................................................................ 96
4. Breath Easy And Squeeze .................................................................................................................................... 97
5. Fiddle With ISO.................................................................................................................................................... 97
6. Use Noise Reduction If You Have It..................................................................................................................... 97
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6 Tips for Perfect Composition in Portrait Photography ....................................................................................... 98

1. Fill the frame with your subject .......................................................................................................................... 98
2. Keep eyes in the upper third ............................................................................................................................... 98
3. Use framing to concentrate all attention on your subject.................................................................................. 99
4. Create texture ..................................................................................................................................................... 99
5. Use lines .............................................................................................................................................................. 99
6. Change your angles ............................................................................................................................................. 99
How to Photograph a Spider’s Web .................................................................................................................. 100
Shoot on a still day ................................................................................................................................................ 100
Be an environmentally friendly photographer ..................................................................................................... 100
Find a dark background......................................................................................................................................... 100
Narrow your Depth of Field .................................................................................................................................. 100
Shoot from head on .............................................................................................................................................. 101
Use Manual Focusing ............................................................................................................................................ 101
Tripods Please ....................................................................................................................................................... 101
Dew on the Web ................................................................................................................................................... 101
Fill Your Frame ...................................................................................................................................................... 101
Shoot from both sides ........................................................................................................................................... 102
Experiment with a Flash ........................................................................................................................................ 102
ISO Settings in Digital Photography .................................................................................................................. 103
What is ISO? .......................................................................................................................................................... 103
Introduction to Shutter Speed in Digital Photography ....................................................................................... 105
What is Shutter Speed?......................................................................................................................................... 105
Bringing it Together .............................................................................................................................................. 107
How to Capture Motion Blur in Photography .................................................................................................... 108
Tips for capturing movement: .............................................................................................................................. 108
How to Compensate for Long Shutter Speeds When there is too Much Light ..................................................... 109
White Background Colorful Kids – Ideas for High Key Studio Photography ......................................................... 111
There are, however, a few drawbacks .................................................................................................................. 111
Things I do in a typical shoot:................................................................................................................................ 112
How to take International Street Portraits ........................................................................................................ 114
1. Become Familiar:............................................................................................................................................... 114
2. Make Eye Contact and Ask Permission ............................................................................................................. 114
3. Go for the Story ................................................................................................................................................. 115
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4. Coordinate the Elements for Composition ....................................................................................................... 115

5. Interact .............................................................................................................................................................. 115
Stop Taking Pictures, Start Creating Images ...................................................................................................... 116
Professionals Create Images ................................................................................................................................. 116
Continue Shooting and Start Planning .................................................................................................................. 117
Ask Yourself Why .................................................................................................................................................. 118
Draw Out Editorials ............................................................................................................................................... 118
Set Yourself a Client .............................................................................................................................................. 118
How to Take a Great Photo for Your Social Media Avatar .................................................................................. 120
1. Fill the Frame..................................................................................................................................................... 120
2. Keep it Natural ................................................................................................................................................. 121
3. Clean up the Background ................................................................................................................................. 121
4. Play with Angles ................................................................................................................................................ 121
5. Keep it Professional .......................................................................................................................................... 121
8 Tips For Capturing Family Gathering Candids.................................................................................................. 122
Shoot for the Crop – Don’t Cut Yourself Short ................................................................................................... 124
Know your camera’s aspect ratio.......................................................................................................................... 124
The Portrait 8×10”................................................................................................................................................. 124
The Magazine Full-Page 8.5×11”........................................................................................................................... 125
The Double Truck .................................................................................................................................................. 125
Comp cards, Web banners and more ................................................................................................................... 125
Tips on Early Morning Photography .................................................................................................................. 127
Planning For Your Early Morning Shoot: ............................................................................................................... 127
Know Your Shooting Location: .............................................................................................................................. 128
Enjoy Yourself: ...................................................................................................................................................... 128
4 Practice Techniques to Develop Photographic Observation ............................................................................ 129
1. Analyze .............................................................................................................................................................. 129
2. Exhaust Perspective .......................................................................................................................................... 129
3. Evaluate your Locations .................................................................................................................................... 130
4. Take pictures in Your Mind ............................................................................................................................... 130
Winter Photography Projects ........................................................................................................................... 131
1. Food Photography ............................................................................................................................................. 131
2. Light Painting..................................................................................................................................................... 131
3. Fun with holiday decorations ............................................................................................................................ 131
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4. Learning to use lighting ..................................................................................................................................... 131

5. Snow photos...................................................................................................................................................... 132
6. Looking through old photos .............................................................................................................................. 132
Photography Be Personal
Be Personal - Stand Out from the Crowd as a Photographer
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Let’s face it. Right now the industry isn’t as robust as it was 5 years ago. As a result, many amateur
photographers looking to break into the business are hurting. Job opportunities are slim. Jobs that do
become available don’t pay well.
How’s a photographer to make it to the pro level if supply and demand is standing in the way?
The answer is fairly simple really.
Be personal.
A photographer - amateur or professional - with an outgoing, friendly, and personable attitude will always
make an impression on potential clients. And standing out from the crowd is your number one need right
now.
Think about it. A personal photographer uses his or her greatest resource: their own personality. This asset
cannot be taken away by economic climate. And it is one that can be developed and matured through
concentrated effort and time. Nothing can separate you from who you are. While you are waiting for the
economic times to get better, develop your personality and your personable skills.
Ask yourself these questions, and answer honestly:
1. How often do I genuinely ask my acquaintances and friends how they are doing? Do I look for real
answers, or do I ask simply to be polite?
2. Do I utilize the technology available to me to broaden my network and help people without
expectation?
3. How fast do I respond to emails? Do I take a day? An hour? A week?
4. How often do I review my voicemail and respond to callers? Do I make this a priority?
5. When was the last time I sent a personal note to a long distance friend? Or called my mother?
6. Think about all the pro photographers we look up to and love. David Jay. Dane Sanders. Jasmine
Star. These photographers are not so absorbed in their work; they are absorbed in the people who
revolve around their work.
7. It’s very basic, really.
8. Be personable.
9. If you shoot less, take the down time to grow your level of personal interaction with other people.
Make more calls of inquiry to friends. Send personal thank you notes. Write a letter. Have a party -
formal or casual - and set up a photo booth for your guests to take fun, laid back pictures. Take out
your camera and practice interacting with your family as you take pictures of them. Learning how
to engage while creating images is essential to your business. As you grow this skill, your subjects
will not only be more comfortable with you, they will be more impressed with you, also.
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Photography See Abstractly
Learn to See Abstractly

Learn to see abstractly by looking for geometrical
forms and compelling compositions despite the
“subject matter”. A good way to sidestep
preconceived images is to consider a subject that’s
commonly photographed a well-known icon.
To learn to “see creatively” we should approach the

subject in a more personal yet more detached
manner as if you were a child experiencing it for the
first time. This manner of “seeing” isn’t natural for
many. We “know” what the Statue of Liberty,
Washington Monument, and Gateway Arch “look
like.” We need to reconsider these subjects
“abstractly” as two-dimensional forms without
reference to its well-known image.
Look for suggestive forms, shapes, and lines for

creatively framing you image. The actual “subject” is
secondary. Your task is creating a compelling
photograph. Use ambiguity to achieve a meaningful
level of abstraction. By abstraction, I don’t mean,
“Something no one can possibly identify.” Rather I mean forms suggestive of other things eliciting
emotional reactions.
Frame the subject from an unusual viewpoint or limit the image to a fragment of the subject. Work to
perceive the two-dimensional forms displayed on your screen as an interesting composition on its own
grounds.
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The above view of the Gateway Arch was

taken looking up one leg and then adjusting
my view until the arch’s top touched the
corner of the frame.
It takes a focused effort and intentional

experimentation to find new ways of
perceiving things you “already know.”
A DSLR’s LCD display is helpful. Use the

framed forms in the display to test possible
compositions. Look for shapes suggestive of
other objects with multiple references like
an ear, tongue, road, or other identifiable
form.
A higher density of references enhances a photograph’s potential richness and power. Try shooting in
series.. Become fully engaged visually and
physically. Move around adjusting view,
position, zoom, etc. Continue exploring
alternative viewpoints until you feel
perhaps you’ve accomplished a step in the
right direction. Evaluate your images later
on a monitor rather than trying to
prejudge what is good or bad on site.
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Food
Photography
Photography
Getting Started in Food Photography

Food photography is one of those subsets of general
photography that makes people stand up and take
notice. Tell someone at a cocktail party you’re a food
photographer and the response you’re likely to get is
“wow!” The next question after that is generally, “How
do you get into food photography.” I was lucky enough
to have a formal education in commercial photography
and then apprentice with some wonderful
photographers. But don’t rely on others to teach you
what you want to know. There is no substitute for doing.
It’s important to understand that all specialties of

photography require a particular skill set and attitude
that are individual to that specialty. If you’re a move fast,
shoot from the hip, f/8 and be there kind of
photographer, food’s probably not going to appeal to
you. If you’re methodical, studious and like to study a
scene and tweak it for hours at a time, you’ve got the
right raw materials.
1. Understand how food works.
It helps to be a foodie. First, it just makes life easier to

be around things that you like all the time. Also, it’s
important to be able to converse with clients and others in the business about food. I’m not a chef by any
stretch but I like to cook, I certainly like to eat, and I enjoy learning about new foods. It might be important
to know the difference between ice cream, sorbet and gelato one day. Remember that to illustrate the
essence of a food you must first know what makes it special.
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2. Understand how light and composition work.
This of course applies to all photography, but more so in still life/food work. You don’t need a lot of
expensive equipment to light food well (although certain types of shots, like splash and pour shots, do call
for specialized gear.) But you need to know how to use the tools you have available. For most beginners,
good window light, a sturdy tripod and some reflector cards are sufficient to get the images rolling.
3. Understand that food produced for consumption is not the same as food produced for photography.
You don’t need to be a food stylist, but you do need to understand the processes and methods that go into
food styling. One of the best ways to learn this and to understand it better is to carry a camera with you
and for one week. Shoot everything you eat just before you eat it. You’ll quickly understand how much
work needs to go into manipulating and styling food for photography.
4. Understand what creates an emotional response in your audience.
Pay attention to how you and others around you react at a great meal. Find what sets off their emotional
and biological responses and incorporate those triggers into your work. This can be very challenging. When
we’re at the table we eat with all of our senses. The aroma and feel of food in your mouth can be just as
exciting as the flavor itself. Of course with photography you’ve only got a two dimensional visual
representation so we’ve got to work extra hard to make those visual cues stand out. Get close to the food,
use all of the visual tricks up your sleeve like selective focus, hard light, chiaroscuro and contrasting colors.
5. Understand what others have done before you and how you react to their work.
Look at the work of other photographers and artists who do the type of work you enjoy. Study their work
and find out why you like it. Incorporate those aspects into your work.
Finally, understand that, like all lifelong pursuits, it’s a process. One great thing about food photography is
that you can work on it at your own pace. You don’t have to arrange models and locations and wardrobe,
just go to the store, buy food and shoot it. Remember Thomas Edison, “Genius is one percent inspiration,
ninety-nine percent perspiration.” So go shoot something.
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Maternity
Photography
Portraits
5 Keys to Taking Beautiful Maternity Portraits

Maternity portraits can be slightly trickier than regular portraits – and by “regular”, I mean people who
aren’t carrying 20-50 extra pounds around their belly, and experiencing indigestion and sharp kicks to the
ribs!
Here are a few keys to taking beautiful maternity portraits:
1. Location
First, decide on a location that the mother-to-be feels most comfortable in. Some prefer the comfort and
privacy of her own home. Some prefer a studio for a more formal vibe. And some are open to doing the
photo shoot outdoors. Personally, I prefer using only natural light, so unless their home has a wall of glass
and sky lights or there is a hail storm, I will almost always choose an outdoor location.
Keep in mind that an outdoor location for a maternity photo shoot has its own set of potential issues.
Mainly, you have to deal with the public staring at your pregnant client. This may not be an issue for some,
but I know many moms who consider their protruding belly to be a private body part, even if they used to
be regular bikini swim suit wearers during their pre-pregnancy days!
This leads me to my second point…
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Crop and Chop
N ow that we can enjoy cameras with multi, mega-pixel resolution in their CCDs there is an indulgence
and pictorial improvement denied us with earlier models: that is, the role of cropping.
There one single basic skill in photography that no amount of technical cleverness can overcome or bypass:
the skill and art of composition — if you ain’t shot it right, no matter of dodging and shuffling can save it.
Except for the thoughtful approach of cropping.
Even if you’re dissatisfied with the your efforts after the event, it may still be possible to not only save the
shot but take it to higher levels of visual acclaim.
It’s all too easy to shoot a great shot, then a few days later, have second thoughts about its framing. Flaws
like too much sky, an excess of picture at the sides or bottom of the picture are all too easy to let slip
through. Often, in terms of pictures, less is preferable to more!
With almost any camera sold today the opportunity to crop or select a part of the image is inherent. The
examples shown here were shot on three different cameras: a Nikon, a Fujifilm FinePix and a Casio.
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The yacht shot (Nikon) has benefitted enormously from cropping, with the final image making a far more satisfying
print The dark, meaningless areas at the top of the picture have all gone.
This shot, taken in a city market (Casio), was ‘going nowhere’ before some severe cropping. The final image and
delivers an attractive and unusual ‘string bean’ prints.
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The shot of the Ford Mustang (Fujifilm camera) had potential, only realized when the shot was tipped over to
straighten its direction, the top and bottom of the picture removed and the area at top left filled out with some deft
rubber stamp work. Now the image has motion in its composition.
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How to Shoot in Direct Sunlight
Shooting in direct sunlight can lead to images that have high contrast, blown out highlights, lens flare and
colors that might even look overly saturated. If you’re shooting portraits they can also lead to the ’squint
factor’.
So what’s a photographer to do?
Here are eleven quick and simple tips at combating the problems that bright sunlight might bring when
shooting outdoors:
1. Move into the shade
With some subjects you’ll be able to move them (and

yourself) into the shade. This is particularly relevant with
portraits where your subject is highly portable. Sometimes
the simplest solutions are best.
2. Make your own shade
If your subject is not movable (for example if you’re shooting

macro work with a flower) create your own shade. Use your
own shadow, the shadow of someone else or bring an object with you (like an umbrella, a reflector or large
sheet of card) to block out the sun.
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3. Use Fill in Flash
Most of us were trained to put the sun behind you when taking a photograph so that your subject will be
well lit. Shooting into the sun may lead to lens flare or a dark subject - but at times it can improve it
drastically - particularly if you use a flash to fill in the shadows that are created by doing so .
4. Use a Reflector
Another way to fill in the shadows caused by direct sunlight is to use a reflector. These bounce light up into
the face of your subject and are great because they allow you to shoot into the sun - as with when you’re
using fill in flash.
5. Change Your Perspective

Sometimes moving your subject isn’t possible - but moving
around it can give a different impact. This might be moving to the
other side of the object, shooting from directly above or even
getting down low and shooting up. Doing so will change the
angle of the sun hitting both your subject and the camera and
give your image a completely different feel.
6. Use a Lens Hood
Suffering from lens flare? If your lens came with a lens hood
- get it out and use it. If you don’t have one - it’s not
difficult to construct one out of card - or to even use your hand to shield your lens from the sun. Just make
sure that your shot is free of your hand or the DIY hood that you’re using
7. Filters
Sometimes a filter can be handy when shooting in bright sunlight. I try to take a Polarizing filter or Neutral
Density (ND) filter with at all times. The polarizing filter will help cut down on reflections and both will cut
down the light getting into your camera to let you use slower shutter speeds and smaller apertures if
you’re looking for more control over these elements of exposure. Polarizing filters have the added bonus of
giving you some control over some colors - particularly when you’ve got a blue sky in your shot
8. Play with White Balance Settings
Many digital cameras come with the ability to choose different white balance settings. While you can make
adjustments later on post processing (particularly when shooting in RAW) choosing the right setting at the
time of shooting can be worth experimenting with. I personally shoot in RAW and do this later on my
computer - but have friends who prefer to do it in camera.
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9. Metering
Direct sunlight makes correct metering tricky. In these conditions I generally choose spot metering mode
on my DSLR and choose the main subject of the scene that I’m photographing (the focal point) to meter
off. Alternatively pick a mid-tone area to meter off if you want everything to be exposed relatively well.
Check your shots immediately to see if you need to adjust your technique (your histogram can be handy
here) and if you have the luxury of time - take multiple shots metering off different parts of the scene so
that you can choose the best one later.
10. Pick the Time of Day to Shoot
or many of us we won’t have the luxury of sitting all day long waiting for the perfect light - but if you do, the time of
day can dramatically impact your shot. Dawn and Dusk are particularly good times to shoot as the direction and color
of the light is often more useable than the direct overhead light of noon.
11. Shoot Silhouettes
‘If you can’t beat em join em’ is a saying that could come into play here. If the bright light of the Sun is
causing you a headache - why not use it to your advantage and make your subject into a Silhouette against
a bright background
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How to Photograph Silhouettes in 8 Easy Steps

I normally talk about the importance of using a flash
when taking shots into the sun to give sufficient light
to add features to your subject but there are also
times when making your subject featureless apart
from their outline against a bright background can be
most effective - or when in other words silhouette is a
worth exploring.
Silhouettes are a wonderful way to convey drama,

mystery, emotion and mood to the viewers of your
photos and often stand out in an album because of
the combination of their simplicity but also the story
that they convey. I love them because they don’t give
the viewer of a clear picture of everything but leave
part of the image up to their imagination to wonder
about.
The basic strategy you’ll need to employ in taking silhouette shots is to place your subject (the shape you
want to be blacked out) in front of some source of light and to force your camera to set its exposure based
upon the brightest part of your picture (the background) and not the subject of your image.
In doing this your subject will be under exposed (and very dark, if not black).
There are a lot of very technical descriptions going around on how to take great silhouette shots that you
might want to look up but let me attempt to run through some basic steps that should get you the results
you’re after. In essence what we’re trying to do is make your camera think that it’s the bright parts of the
picture you are most interested in.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Choose a Strong Subject
Almost any object can be made into a silhouette; however some are better than others. Choose something
with a strong and recognizable shape that will be interesting enough in its two dimensional form to hold
the interest of those viewing your image. Silhouettes can’t draw on the colors, textures and tones of
subjects to make them appealing - so the shape needs to be distinct.
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2. Turn off your Flash
If you have your camera in automatic mode your camera

will probably want to use its flash which will ruin the
silhouette. Basically you want as little light on the front of
your subject as possible - so the flash has to go (basic - but
I’ve seen a few attempted silhouette shots with the flash
firing).
3. Get Your Light Right
When it comes to lighting your subject you’ll need to throw

out a lot of what you’ve learnt about normal photography
and think a little backwards. Instead of lighting the front of
your subject, in silhouettes you need to ensure that there is
more light shining from the background than the
foreground of your shot - or to put it another way - you
want to light the back of your subject rather than the front.
The perfect light for this is placing your subject in front of a
sunset or sunrise - but really any bright light will be able to
do the trick.
4. Frame your image
Frame your shot so you are shooting with your subject in

front of a nice plain, but bright background. Usually the
best backgrounds will be a bright cloudless sky with the sun
setting. You want to position the brightest light source behind your subject (either so that they hide it or so
that it’s in the background somewhere).
5. Make silhouetted shapes distinct and uncluttered
If there is more than one shape or object in the image that you’re attempting to silhouette, try to keep
them separated. i.e. if you are silhouetting a tree and a person don’t have the person stand in front of the
tree or even leaning on it as it will merge them into one shape and as a result your viewers could be
confused about what the shape is.
Also when framing you’ll probably want to photograph silhouetted people as profiles rather than looking
straight on. This means that more of their features (nose, mouth, and eyes) are outlined and they are more
likely to be recognized.
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6. in Auto Mode
Most modern digital cameras have automatic metering which are pretty good at sensing how to expose a
photograph so that everything is well lit. The problem with this is that most cameras are so smart that they
will light up your subject instead of underexposing it to get a silhouette so you need to trick it. Most
cameras work out the exposure levels in auto mode when you push your shutter half way down (at the
same time that they focus). So point your camera at the brightest part of your picture and then press the
shutter halfway down (don’t let go). Then move your camera back to frame your shot with the subject
where you want it and then finish taking the shot. With most digital cameras this will result in a silhouetted
subject. In effect what you’re doing is tricking your camera into thinking that the bright part of the image is
the mid tone of it so that anything darker than it will be exposed as a nice dark shadow.
Some digital cameras also have ’spot’ or ‘centered’ metering modes that you can switch on which helps
with the above technique as they will set the metering on the central spot of your frame rather than
multiple spots. This means you can accurately tell your camera exactly which bit of the bright background
you want it to set the exposure on.
7. Manual Mode
If this technique doesn’t work and your camera has

controls to allow manual exposure or exposure
compensation you might like to try some of your own
settings. The beauty of digital is that you can
experiment to your heart’s content until you get the
result you’re after.
A simple way to start using manual mode is to look at

the shutter speed and aperture that it suggests in
automatic mode and to start from there. If in auto
mode your subject is too light (i.e. you need to make it
darker) stop down the shutter speed a stop or two and
see what impact that has. Use the ‘bracketing’ technique that I described in my previous tip on sunrises
and sunsets to get a variety of shots at slightly different exposures.
8. Focusing
In most cases you’ll want the subject which is silhouetted to be the thing that is in focus most crisply. This
can mean that the process described in point 4 can be a little tricky as pushing your shutter half way down
to get the metering right also means that you’ll focus on that spot in the background. To get around this
you can use two strategies. Firstly if your camera has manual focusing you might want to try that. Pre focus
your shot before you meter your shot.
The other strategy is to use Aperture to maximize your depth of field (the amount of your image that is in
focus). Set a small aperture (i.e. a larger number) to increase the depth of field - this means you’re more
likely to have a sharper foreground and background in your shots.
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One last tip on Silhouettes - while a total silhouette with a nice crisp and black subject can be a powerful
shot, also consider the partial silhouette where some detail of your subject is left. Sometimes a touch of
light on them makes them slightly more three dimensional and ‘real’. This is the beauty of bracketing your
shots as it will leave you with total and partial silhouettes to choose form.
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How to Photograph Industrial Deserts

Do you know the places where the industry has
ruined the nature? The whole area is filled with
factories, such as oil refinery, metal production,
recycling and power plants? These places are the
industrial deserts of our time.
The most industrial landscapes are not designed to be

charming but entirely functional. Try to notice the
detail in the bold and rigid structures and to see its
hidden beauty: shiny steel, bold architectural lines,
and very graphic, aggressive visual elements.
Where to go
First of all, you need to know where you can find

industrial areas. Use for example Google Earth to find
out the best place to go and if you can come close
enough by using a public way. You can start practicing
in your own city, of course. The next places are always
interesting:
 Factories
 Cranes
 Industrial (old and empty) buildings
 Machinery
 Construction
 Pylons
 Harbors
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Equipment
If you will photograph industrial areas, you need to have more than a basic camera. A telephoto lens is the
most important. More is better. A wide-angle lens is also useful, but you can also make a panorama if you
do not have a wide-angle lens. You should also need a good tripod if you would like to photograph in dark
conditions.
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Permissions
‘You’re not allowed to photograph this building’
Anyone may take photographs of buildings from public places. If you want to publish these images, you
should inform the law of that country.
Stay on public roads and do not climb on the railing or barrier. Sometimes you can better ask for permission. Using
the term ‘photo artist’ instead of ‘photograph’ can usually open doors!
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Shooting Technique
Overcast days tend to be better for industrial photography. Rough weather fits perfectly with these
subjects, but you can also take really special photos by night. High contrast settings on cameras or in post
processing tends to look better than normal contrast. Cooler tones are almost always better than warmer
tones for metal
products.
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While low depth of field lens aperture options are attractive for most images, industrial locations with
plenty of steel look best with apertures of f8 or f11. Industrial photography is very similar to architectural
photography in that sense.
Look for unconventional compositions. Try to capture the ‘power’ of the scene. Carefully chosen details
results mostly in strong images. Analyze your subject and look for the best way to photograph it. Take the
time!
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Have you had experience in photographing industrial sites? We’d love to hear your tips and see links to some of
your work in
comments below.
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Confident Photographer
7 Steps to Becoming a Confident Photographer:
A Beginner’s Guide
Confidence is worth its weight in gold in any arena. As a
photographer, there’s nothing like KNOWING you’re
capable of “getting the shot.” It’s so empowering to
know that if you miss a shot it’s NOT going to be because
you didn’t know what you were doing OR perhaps worse
would be that you did know how to nail it, but you were
too slow in setting up the shot due to lack of practice!
There are a quadrillion ways to gain confidence in your

abilities as a photographer. Here are a few that I have
found to be incredibly helpful over the years. They will
help you to be prepared for any shot and ready to get your settings right in a split second. Feel free to add
other ideas in the comment section below!
1. Keep a Notebook . . . or don’t
 Especially in the beginning, I recommend creating a

well organized notebook. I still have one that I jot notes in
frequently. You can treat this like a travel log of your
experience, a place where you keep notes, set goals, paste
trimmings of shots you’ve found that inspire you etc. You’d
be surprised just how many photographers do this. I’d say
at least 50% of my successful photographer friends still have
a notebook of this kind and use it frequently. I’ll mention it a
bit more as we move on to the other tips.
 It is important to acknowledge that for some, it’s
just not their thing and I totally get that. For some people it
adds stress and pressure to something that is supposed to
be fun. If you fall into that category, ditch step one and
keep moving on to the other tips in the post.
2. Shoot Frequently
(This is the most important of any of the tips, so if you’re
going to choose just one, let this be it!)
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 If you really want to gain confidence, you should be out shooting as much as you possibly can. Perhaps it’s
every day on your lunch hour. If that’s the only window you have to consistently squeeze it in, fine. Just be
out shooting frequently and consistently.
 NOTHING can replace the benefits of just getting out there and shooting as often as you can. Practice makes
perfect after all.
3. Shoot in Different Conditions
Image Credit: Ilkin
 Not only should you be shooting regularly, you

should be out shooting in different conditions as often
as possible to familiarize yourself with them. A lot of
times as photographers we’re searching for good,
easy, flat light that isn’t going to throw us any curve
balls (i.e. open shade or an overcast day). The reality
of photography however is that you don’t always have
so much control, so you need to be ready for any and
everything at any given time.
 For example: maybe one week you practice
shooting subjects that are backlit and the next you go
out and shoot in low light. Just get out and shoot and
shoot and shoot and then come home and record
what you learn each day in the corresponding section
of your notebook.
4. Set Goals
 Is there a particular technique you’d like to learn? Perhaps there’s a shot you saw and you’d like to attempt
to achieve a similar result. Write your goal down in your notebook and keep track of how far you’ve come.
 If you’re really brave (and committed to gaining confidence) I recommend that you set your goal publicly
(like on your blog, a forum you participate in etc) so that you feel accountable. Let people know that you’re
working on something new and ask for their feedback and any tips they may have. Then get out and practice
like crazy until you get it figured out.
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5. Change Your Perspective
Not to get too philosophical, but. . .
 I recently received an email from a

follower of my personal blog. She expressed
frustration over the discouragement she feels
when she looks at other photographer’s work: “I
keep thinking I’m learning and improving and then
I see other people’s stuff and I just feel like the
worst photographer ever!” The concept of
comparison is not a new one. It exists in every field
but I would venture to say that the plague is
particularly rampant in this industry.
 My anecdote is this: simply remember that

no matter who you are or how celebrated you
become, there will always be a zillion
photographers better than you AND always a
zillion worse. And guess what? It doesn’t matter a
bit! Comparison is all about perspective, and that’s
something you have complete and total control
over. Rather than viewing another photographer’s work and feeling down because you feel incapable of
taking shots like that, think “Wow! That’s a great shot! I’m so glad I now I know that shots like that are
possible and I can start practicing and trying to figure out how!” How’s that for empowerment!
Word.to.your.mother! Instead of secretly begrudging the attention another photographer is receiving for
their work, just think, “Wow, if I work really hard, I could get that kind of attention to MY art!”
Ultimately confidence is a choice. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are our skills as photographers!
But I really TRULY believe that with the tips listed above, you can soar above anything you’ve ever dreamed
was possible and enjoy your passion for photography in a whole new way!
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How to Photograph Lightning
Being one of the most

unpredictable forces of
nature, lightning storms present a unique
challenge for most photographers. We’ve
all seen powerful photos of lightning in
action and you may be wondering how
you can capture the majesty of a storm
the next time you’re fortunate (or
unfortunate) enough to witness one.
While a lot matters on what Mother
Nature decides to do with all that
electricity, the tips below should help in
capturing a great shot of lightning.
1. Use a steady surface - While a tripod typically works best, in reality any steady surface will work. Some
people use a beanbag or other malleable item, like a pillow. This will be import as #2 is….
2. Long Shutter Times - While lightning is
unpredictable, it’s extremely hard to make a
decent capture by tripping the shutter when
you see a flash. There are some fancy remote
controls that have the ability to trip when the
flash is sensed, but I’m guessing you don’t
want to invest in these types of gadgets.
Depending on your cameras ability to manage
noise on slow shutter speeds, using a timing of
30 seconds can work well. The bulb setting can
also be handy if you have a way to keep the
shutter open.
3. Horizon Up - It’s safe to say most of the
lightning action you will see will in the sky.
I know it’s obvious, but it needs to be stated
that your field of view will be skewed toward the sky then. Depending on how close the lightning is, you’ll
be including more blank looking sky than normal. But fear not; that sky becomes far more exciting when the
lightning starts
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4. But Include Something Interesting - While the action will be in the sky, don’t forget to keep something in the
frame to give relevance and perspective to the shot. Buildings are a favorite, but really, anything that can
give an idea of the size of the storm works well.
5. Manual Focus - It’s best to use manual
focus when shooting in lightning
situations. Mainly because the view
will probably be at night (but not
always) with a fair amount of
darkness. Rather than allow your
camera to hunt around for something
to focus on with each new shot, get a
good manual focus on the sky and
leave it there.
6. Manual Shutter/Aperture Too - As
mentioned in #2, if your camera has
the ability to set the shutter speed,
pick a long shutter time and a fairly
wide aperture. The action will be far
from you so a wide aperture and
shallow depth of field won’t be a
problem (unless you have some very near objects you’d like to include).
7. Stack ‘em - If you can keep your camera in a steady spot, shot after shot, you can use stacking software to
combine multiple strikes into one image. You’ll often have many unexciting shots with maybe just a single
strike or faint action between clouds. These can all be combined to make a spectacular image.
8. Be Patient - This is a big one and a key to success. Get familiar with your gear and settings so when there is a
lightning storm you can set up the camera and then let it do its thing while you enjoy the show. You’re going
to have a number of times when you miss “the shot” for one reason or another. Don’t sweat it.
Shooting lightning storms can be a very enjoyable experience but it takes a little practice to get it just
right. Follow the steps above and you’ll be well on your way to creating electrifying photos (sorry, couldn’t
resist the pun!).
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9 Pet Photography Tips
Pets fill very quickly their place in our hearts and families and we enjoy having their pictures framed on our
desk or wall! However taking pictures of your best friend is not always easy. Pets, unlike humans, do not
understand what we are trying to do and won’t just pose for the camera! Here are 9 tips that will help you
help you get the most of your photo session
1. Use Natural Light
If possible always use natural light when taking your pet in picture. Avoid flash, as flash burst can, not only
cause red-eye, but also frighten the animal. Instead try to go outside or, if it is not possible, in a room well
lit by a large window.
2. Keep the Eyes Sharp
Having sharp eyes is important in any kind of portraits photography. As they say, “Eyes are the Window to
the Soul” and pets eye can be very expressive. So make sure to focus on your pet’s eyes and keep the tack
sharp
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3. Go to Them
It is very important that you pet feels

comfortable and at ease, so instead of
forcing him to come to you go to him.
Most important is to get down to his
level; we all know how a dog looks when
viewed from above, this is the way we
always see them. Show us the way they
see world! Sit on the floor or lie on your
belly and remember to shoot from HIS
eye level or below.
4. Give Value to their Character
You know your pet better than anyone

else and a successful picture is one that
conveys the character of its subject. If
you have a lazy cat show him yawning, if
your animal is of a playful type show him
in action performing his favorite trick.
5. Go Macro
Put on that long lens and fill the

frame with your pet’s face and
fur, close up shots often make
beautiful animal portrait.
6. Surprise Them
One of the most difficult things

is to let your pet hold still. An
easy trick is to let him play
quietly and, once you have
everything ready, let someone
call for him or whistle. This will
surprise him and caught his
attention and you will have a
few seconds to capture him in a
nice and alert posture
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7. Schedule your Session
If you are longing for a formal pet portrait shot, try to schedule the photo session when you’re animal is
somewhat sleepy or has just woke up it will be much easier to keep him still then. If you want a more
dynamic shot then pick up a time when your pet is energetic. If he is sick it is
better to just postpone it for another day.
8. Be Patient
Pet photography
requires a lot of
patience. No
matter how excited
your furry friend is,
if you are patient
enough, he will end
up by relaxing and
you will have the
opportunity to get a
decent shot.
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9. Experiment
Take your time and enjoy the session, try different approaches, angles and compositions. Shoot a lot you
will have time to worry about the results later.
You have a tip that I forgot to mention here? Make sure to share it with us
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3 Quick Newborn Photography Tips
Newborn photography usually brings the words fragile, family memories, and innocence to mind. Since newborns do
not move much in their first few months, we must consider these 3 things:
1. Pose Them
Newborns do not pose; they somewhat just sleep most

of the time. So you need to do most of the posing for
them. You can tell the difference between the image
above and this next image. Notice how they are both
bird’s eye view portraits, however, the poses do make a
difference in the feel of the images.
2. Keep on shooting!
This works best if time is an issue and if parents do not mind that you continue shooting. Newborns tend to
have their own timetable and needs. During this photo shoot, the newborn wanted to feed and in this case
I threw a black sheet over mom and baby and with the help of a pillow and mom’s sister we managed to
snap a few pics of mom and baby peeking out of the blanket. I am sure this worked out mainly because I
am a mom myself, but if the parents and baby need their time - GIVE IT TO THEM!
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3. We need to be creative and plan

ahead in case nature calls!
Have fun props that we can use to hide

diapers. Also try getting back-up
disposable changing pads ready for the
newborns in case certain fluids come out
while they are being changed from one
prop to another.
These are just few things to keep in

mind. I am sure there a so many more
tips out there; please add your
comments and suggestions on what
you would do in a newborn photo
shoot!
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6 Winning Ways to Work Wide

One of the first lens purchases aspiring landscape photographers typically made is a wide or super-wide lens,
anything (in full-frame 35mm terms) from 24mm on down, and with good reason, wides offer photographers the
ability to capture the sweeping vistas of the natural landscape. But they can also be a challenge to use effectively; it’s
all to easy to end up with a wide-angle shot that lacks the power and grandeur we felt when we were shooting. In
this article, I’ll explain why that’s so often the case, and provide a few tips for working around those challenges,
showing you how to use wide-angle lenses to create dramatic, effective images.
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1. Get Close!
Because wide-angle lenses take in a bigger angle-of-view than other lenses, using a wide-angle lens at the
same distance from your subject will render that subject smaller than it would otherwise. To compensate
for this, you’ll have to move closer to your subject. Don’t be bashful about getting close, particularly with
super-wades & mash it’s almost impossible to get “too close” to your subject with a 14mm lens. This
emphasis in size that wide-angle lenses give nearby objects means that …
2. it’s all about the Foreground
Contrary to what you might expect, this means that the most important element of your wide-angle
landscapes is the foreground. While wide-angle lenses do capture the wider landscape, they also (almost
inevitably, because of their wide field-of-view) capture quite a bit of foreground as well, and this
foreground is emphasized by the wide-angle perspective. As a result, if your foreground isn’t interesting,
your photograph won’t be interesting. This leads us naturally to the Josef Muench idea of the near-far
composition, an image which uses a wide-angle lens to not only show a broad vista, but also to show one
detail of that landscape in an up-close, intimate way. When you’re photographing wide, be sure to spend
some time looking for the most interesting foreground available to combine with your grand vista. (If
there isn’t an interesting foreground, you might want to consider using a longer lens to leave out that less
interesting foreground.)
3. Watch those Verticals!
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Wide-angle lenses tend to bend and distort verticals, as you can see in the tree trunks near the top of
Fallen Redwoods. Now, you might decide you like that effect, or that you hate it, but it’s important to be
aware of it and to make a conscious decision about it. For some images it’s fun to embrace, but more often
I find myself having to work to avoid it or correct it later. Avoiding it can be as simple a matter as
composing so that there’s only a single obvious vertical (and that that’s vertical), alternatively, using shift
movements with a tilt-shift lens can correct some of this distortion in-camera. Post-exposure, Photoshop’s
“Lens Distort” filter can also save the day.
4. Leading Lines
Compositionally, lines (such as streams or railway tracks) leading from the bottom corners of an image
towards the center often have a particular magic for guiding the viewers eye through the picture, making
for strong images, and this is particularly the case for wide-angle images. Hot Stream is a great example of
this; the viewer’s eye tends to wander from the corner back through the image along the stream. As the
stream moves back into the image, the stream gets smaller (in terms of inches on the printed page) quickly
due the wide perspective. This quick fade (in width) into the distance creates a real sense of depth in the
image.
5. Filter Woes
Shooting wide creates two problems for those of us who use filters. Polarizer’s are a specific problem, the
effect of a polarizer on a blue sky varies across the sky so greatly that wide-angle images including the sky
are left horribly unnatural, so leave off the polarizer unless you know there’s no blue sky in your scene.
Screw-in filters are a separate problem, it’s all too easy for the filter edges, particularly if you’re stacking
more than one filter on the same lens. Filter systems, such Cokin’s P-series filters (with the wide-angle
filter holder), can help you avoid these problems if you must use filters.
6. Focusing
One of the things I enjoy most about working with wide-angle lenses is the ease of focusing them. As you
move to wider and wider focal lengths, the depth-of-field at a particular aperture gets deeper and deeper.
This allows you to make great use of the concept of hyper focal distance, that is, the nearest distance you
can focus a particular lens at a particular aperture and get “good focus”. At 24mm, by focusing about six
feet out from the camera you’ll capture everything from about three feet to infinity in focus—even at f/11.
At 17mm, focusing at the right point at f/11 will get you everything from infinity down to 17 inches away.
Find (using a web site like this or any of a number of other sites, software tools or printed tables) and write
down the hyper focal distance for a couple of your widest lenses at a couple of your favorite apertures, and
you’ll have an easy way of bringing the entire scene of near-far compositions into critical focus.
Using wide-angle lenses can certainly be tricky, but I love them all the same. Used well they can allow the
photographer to create images that immerse us in a world with both small, intimate details and bold,
dramatic vistas.
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8 Family Portraits Tips
T he sun is out and shining bright. The sky is blue and the grass is green. Summers here and it seems everyone
wants a new family portrait on the beach, at the park, or in downtown.
Here are some things to keep in mind when creating family portraits:
1. Think in “mini-groups”. A family portrait is simply multiple “mini groups” within one large group. Use groups
of two’s and three’s to compose your family shot.
2. Remember “levels”. One of the most important elements of a group shot is to vary the levels of your
subjects. Placing some faces higher than others will allow you to make the shot more intimate in spacing.
3. Consider “color”. While color coordination is by no means necessary for group shots, it can help the overall
flow. Have your subjects go by types of color, such as “vibrant”, “bold”, “pastels”, etc.
4. Watching even lighting, but don’t stress about it. So long as all the eyes are visible, and faces are lit
relatively the same, you’re good to go.
5. Pick shade: As the sun doesn’t set until late in the evening, you’ll have to wait for good sidelight until about
5 pm. If you’re stuck shooting before this time, find awnings, the shaded back side of buildings, or tree cover
to diffuse the harsh sunlight.
6. Move quickly: It’s very helpful to try story-boarding your group shots ahead of time according to the number
of people you have. The more people you have in a shot, the less time you have to create it. Story-boarding
is more about knowing what you want, than it is about formal posing.
7. Be fun and spontaneous! Plan to take shots of the families walking, striking a dance pose, linking arms, or
jumping in the air. These shots capture genuine expressions among the entire group and help to keep your
subjects happy and interested.
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8. Background work: The larger the party, the less control you have with eliminating your background. Simplify
as much as you can by changing the angle you take your shot. Taking the shot from the ground or directly
down on your subjects may eliminate enough background to feature the group without distraction.
Most of all spend some time asking questions of what the family wants. Make a general determination if
they are looking for more casual shots, or formal arrangements. So long as you know the general direction
of what the family is looking for, you can score big in the capture.
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Photography Niches, Grooves and Ruts

As photographers we focus so heavily on our technique that we risk
become a little too focused. We shoot the way we
like shooting so much that we often don’t explore
other possibilities. Here’s where the photo walk
taught me this lesson again. I am an international
assignment photographer specializing in humanitarian
and world photography. As a result I don’t shoot
beautiful models very often. I don’t use much more than
modified natural light very often, so the chance to play
with my strobes, soft boxes and gels doesn’t too often
present itself. No, it’s worse than that, I just don’t make
the opportunities happen. But the few hours I spent
photographing a
couple beautiful women in settings and light I
wouldn’t normally play with gave me new insights,
new ideas, and new solutions to problems I meet on
the field. And better than that, those few hours
knocked me out of a rut and into a groove. I didn’t
know I was in a rut; we usually don’t until we’re
awakened by the sound of our creativity hitting the
sides of the thing. But I was. My niche had become my
rut.
A groove differs from both a niche and a rut.

Where a niche is marketing talk, and a rut is a
place in which we get stuck creatively, a groove is
a channel that leads us, funnels our creative
energies, and allows those energies to flow purely
in one direction without having to spend effort in steering them. A groove is a great place to be. It’s a place
where there is room to play, to explore, to boldly make mistakes. Where a niche applies to those with
commercial concerns, a groove is for all of us, a place to which we aspire as creative’s.
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A groove isn’t something you create, but you can

set the stage for it. By working on your craft and
exploring the corners you’ve left untouched. Learn
about off-camera lighting, borrow a Tilt/shift lens
for a week, and play with a 4×5 field camera. If
you’ve never lost track of time in a wet darkroom,
take a course and see what you can learn. If you
shoot people all the time go take a landscape
course and learn from their fanatical pursuit of
light. Get out early for a week of dawn photo-
walks, or stay out late and only shoot when the sun
dips below the horizon. Discover play again. Stop
being so serious. Tape down the focus ring, shoot
in manual, or render your work only in black and
white for a week. If you’re a working
photographer, take pains not to let your niche
become your rut. If you’re a hobbyist, then you’ve
got the luxury of not needing a niche but the
dangers of waking up in a rut are no less yours.
However you do it, jump the rut and find a groove.
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How to Photograph Children

How should I photograph my children? This is a question we’re asked a lot at DPS and so I thought I’d put
together a few Child Photography tips.
I’ve outlined them below in two parts - ’settings’ and ‘the shoot’. Keep in mind that it reflects how I
photograph children and by no means do I have a monopoly on the only way to do it - feel free to add your
own tips in comments below.
Photographing Children - Settings:
Let’s start by looking at some tips on how to set your camera up when photographing children.
 Aperture Priority Mode- I’d start by switching your camera into Aperture Priority mode. This will let you
have some creative control over depth of field which can be an important factor in portraits. Learn more
about Aperture Priority Mode. If your camera doesn’t have aperture priority mode - it might have a
‘portrait’ mode which can be worth shooting in to get those nice fuzzy backgrounds.
 Aperture - I’d set my aperture at f5.6 to start with (you can adjust it up and down as you start shooting). This
will throw the background out of focus (unless your kids are right up against a wall) but will give you enough
depth of field that their whole face will be in focus.
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 ISO - Depending where you are shooting (inside or out) and what the light is like - set your ISO to 200 (lower
is better if you have lots of light). If it is too dark and this makes your shutter speeds too long you can pump
it up - but try to keep it under 800 or you’ll start getting lots of pixilation).
 Shutter Speed - Keep an eye on the shutter speed that your camera is choosing. Try to keep it 1/200th of a
second or faster if you can (if your kids are running around - to up to 1/500th or more). Like I say - if it’s too
dark you can increase your ISO or even push your Aperture up a little. If you’re not confident with shutter
speeds and your photos are coming out blurry because your children are moving too fast - you might try
setting your camera to ’sports mode’.
 Focus Mode - Set your Auto focus to single point focusing. You could leave it on the multipoint focusing
mode but I find with kids that move around a lot that you want to know exactly where your camera is
focusing quite precisely (this could just be me though).
 RAW - If you have time (and the ability) to do some post production work on your images later try shooting
in RAW. This will give you more licenses to edit your shots later. If you’re under the pump for time and/or
don’t have the ability to edit your work - JPEG will do.
 Flash/Lighting - I’m not sure if you have a flash unit or not that you can use but my preference is to limit the
use of your camera’s built in flash. If you do have an external flash and you’re shooting inside - bounce it off
a roof/wall (if they are white) or use a diffuser to give indirect light. Otherwise try to find situations that are
well lit with natural light - this is my preferred situation - if you can do it in natural light you’re putting
yourself in the position to not have to worry too much about your flash. If you’re shooting into the sun
though - consider using your flash to give a little fill flash light.
 Lens - I like to take a couple of approaches when it comes to lenses. The main approach I take is to use a lens
with some real zoom capability. I love to get my 70-200mm lens out which enables me to shoot from a
distance and yet still fill the frame with the child I’m photographing (this lens also has the advantage of being
fast (f2.8) and having image stabilization) - even my 24-105mm lens gives good range at the 105mm end. The
other approach that can be fun is to shoot at the other end of the spectrum and shoot with a wide angle
perspective. Getting in nice and close with a wide lens can give all kinds of fun distortion (which when used
creatively can lead to some wonderful shots). If shooting indoors or in poor lighting you might also want to
go with the fastest lens in your bag.
OK - so we’ve talked camera settings - lets move on to the shoot itself.
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Photographing Children - The Shoot
Before I give some specific tips about the shoot, I think it’s worth saying that you want to get the children
that you are photographing as comfortable with you and the camera as possible. Showing kids photos after
you’ve taken them, letting the child look through the viewfinder and even take a few shots (if they’re old
enough), spending time with the kids before taking shots - all of these things can help set the child at ease.
The more relaxed they are the better.
Location - Where you shoot will depend a lot on your situation - but try to think of a 2-3 scenes/settings
that you could go to before you start shooting. If you have a few hours - pick at least one outside (a park
perhaps), one inside (in their bedroom or play room perhaps) and try to find a spot where you have a fairly
simple background (something with color can be good) for a few posed shots. Choose places where your
kids have fun, where you can show them in their natural playful environment. If you’ve got the time go to
the zoo, beach or some other fun place.
Candid Approach - I try to shoot candidly with kids as much as possible. Get them doing something that they enjoy
and just start snapping. You might ask them to stop/pause what they are doing every now and again and to look at
you (at the top of a slide for instance) but over time you’ll find lots of moments in the normal run of their ‘play’.
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‘Posing’ - With older kids you might find that they

respond better to ‘posing’ moments. I find with little
kids that they don’t often have the attention span
for this (and they tend to pull the cheesiest smiles
they can).
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Get down on their level - You’ve got young children so unless they’re very unusual they’ll be half your height.
Shooting from an adult’s perspective looking down on kids will leave you with average looking shots. Get on their
level, make the camera level with their eyes (or even slightly below) - do this and you’ll get much more intimate
shots.
Alter Your Perspective - Having said that - sometimes you can get a really great shot by breaking this ‘get on their
level’ rule. Shooting from directly above or below can also give a great result!
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Get close/Zoom - you’ve got a lens with reasonable focal length (I’d probably prefer something a little longer myself)
but you’ll want to get in reasonably close in order
to fill your frame with your kids. At times it’ll be
good to zoom out or step back in order to get
their context - but your parents want to see your
kid’s faces - so make sure they dominate the shot
rather than their environment.
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Focus Upon the Eyes - Pay particular attention to your kid’s eyes. If you’ve got the single zone focusing switched on -
choose eyes as the focus point. You can get away with other facial features a little fuzzy but the viewer of an image
always is drawn to the eyes of the subject.
Backgrounds - pay a lot of attention to the backgrounds of your images. A background can give context to your shots
but also can be a real distraction. Before you start shooting clean up any distracting items. Make at least one of your
locations a place with a fairly un-distracting background. I like to try to find a colorful wall or even to set up a
sheet/background for a few more posed shots with the child just standing there in front of it. Alternatively light your
subject in such a way that there is no background.
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Get Abstract - mix your shots up with a few more abstract shots. For instance take a picture of their shoes, zoom
right in on their hands or eye lashes, get them framed so only part of their head is in shot. These more playful shots
can be a lot of fun and will add variety to the end results of your shoot.
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Clothes - my motto with clothes is to choose some that the child feels comfortable in and that reflects their
personality. If you put them in their Sunday best but they can’t move freely - your shots will look stilted. The only
other advice on clothes is that sometimes bold, plain colors can work well. Perhaps have a couple of outfits on hand
that you change them into between locations.
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Shoot in burst mode - for at least part of your shoot switch your camera into burst mode (where the camera shoots
a lot of shots fast). I actually usually shoot a whole shoot in this mode - but particularly when shooting outside or at a
park where your kids are on the move it can be very useful. Look for ’series’ of shots that might go together in a
multiple image frame on a wall OR which you could put together into one image with Photoshop (a child running,
sliding down a slide, on a swing, doing a dance, riding a bike…) - these can be a lot of fun.
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Include other People - one good way to help relax a child if they’re a little tense and to give an image a little more
context/story is to add another person into the image. Whether it be a sibling, parent, friend - adding a second
person into a shot adds another point of interest and introduces the idea of ‘relationship’ into your image. It can also
distract the child from you and help them to be a little more relaxed.
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Speaking of fun - do your best to make the shoot as much fun as possible. Show the children some of the shots you
take, ask them to do funny things, be funny yourself - all of this will bring energy to your shoot, help the child to relax
and capture some of their spirit. The more fun they have the more genuine and engaging the shots will be.
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Contre-jour
Contre-jour, French for 'against daylight', refers to photographs taken when
the camera is pointing directly toward the source of light. An alternative term
is backlighting.
Contre-jour produces backlighting of the subject. This effect usually hides

details, causes a stronger contrast between light and dark,
creates silhouettes and emphasizes lines and shapes. The sun, or other light
source, is often seen as either a bright spot or as a strong glare behind the
subject. Fill light may be used to illuminate the side of the subject facing
toward the camera.
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10 Questions to Ask When Taking a Digital Photo

What goes through your mind in the moments as you raise your digital camera up to take a shot and
before you press the shutter? If you’re like many digital photographers you’re not thinking about too much
you just want to capture the moment and then move on.
However getting in the habit of asking some simple questions can help take your images to the next level.
Here are 10 questions to get in the habit of asking while framing your shots. I’ve included links in each one
to further reading on the topics. I hope you find them helpful:
1. What story am I telling?
This is an important question and one that should help you to make any number of
decisions in terms of composition, framing, exposure etc. In essence what you’re
asking is ‘why am I taking this shot? What is its purpose and what am I trying to
convey?’ Is it purely a way to keep a record of a moment, are you trying to capture
the emotion of a moment, is it possibly a shot to give to someone, is it part of a
larger series of shots or will it be the only shot to commemorate the moment etc.
2. What is the visual focal point of this shot?
What will viewers of this picture naturally have their eye drawn to in this scene?
Once you’ve identified this focal point you can think about where to place it in the
frame (consider the rule of thirds for example). There are a variety of ways that
you can enhance a focal point
3. What competing focal points are there?
Once you’ve identified what you do want your viewers eyes to be drawn towards
and have placed it in the frame - scan your eyes over the shot and see if there are
any competing focal points and ask yourself whether they add to or take away
from the image? Secondary focal points can add depth to shots but they can also
be very distracting and so you might need to reposition yourself or adjust your
focal length and/or depth of field to accommodate or remove them from your
shots. Also keep in mind that if your shot has more than one focal point that it
might be worth taking two shots, one of each focal point, in order to keep things
simple.
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4. What is in the background and foreground?
One of most common places for distractions in digital photography is the

background of your shots. Run your eyes over the space behind your subject to see
what else is in the image (do the same for the foreground). Consider whether you
want the background in focus or nice and blurry.
5. Am I close enough?
Another common mistake in digital photography is taking shots where your subject
is too small in the frame. Shots that fill the frame with your subject tend to be much
more dynamic and show a lot more detail of your subject. To get this effect you
have the option of moving yourself closer, moving your subject closer or using a
longer focal length to give the effect of closeness.
6. What is the main source of light?
Always give consideration to how your subject is lit. Without light you’ll lose detail
and clarity in your image and your camera will have to compensate by doing things
like increasing ISO and lengthening shutter speeds (which could lead to noisy and
blurred images). What is the main source of light, where is it coming from, is there
enough light, do you need artificial light sources (flash etc), do you need to stabilize
your camera on a tripod to stop camera shake due to low light etc.
7. Is my Framing Straight?
It’s amazing how many otherwise good photos are spoiled by framing that is slightly
offline. Sloping horizons and slightly leaning people or buildings should always be in
the back of your mind to check
8. What other perspectives could I capture this subject from?
Put 10 digital camera owners in front of a scene and most of them will take exactly
the same shot from the same position. Make your images stand out from the crowd
by challenging yourself to not only take the standard shots that everyone else will
get but to find creative and fresh angles and perspectives to shoot from.
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9. How would holding the camera in the other format change this shot?
Many photographers get into the habit of always holding their camera the same
way (horizontally/landscape or vertically/portrait). While it’s OK to have a
preference one way or the other it’s also worth remembering that changing the
format can drastically change the impact of the shot. Don’t forget you can also
hold your camera at an angle for an effective result too.
10. How will the eye travel through this image?
This is related to asking about focal points but gets in touch with the fact that
while you’re photographing a still image your viewers eyes don’t remain still as
they look at an image. People tend to follow lines and are attracted to shapes
and colors so considering all of these different visual elements and cues can help
improve your shots considerably.
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5 Tips for Gorgeous Infant Photographs

It’s possible that Infant Photography is among the
most priceless treasures of family memories. There
are few things more remarkable than reminiscing
about how far someone has come in life. After all, no
matter where someone may end, up, everyone has
started from the same place: as a helpless, tiny, 8lb~
person.
Infant Portraits have the power to preserve the

precious naiveté of a life, no matter how far they stray
from it. To many parents, there is nothing so priceless.
Infant Portraiture is challenging. You must be

incredibly sensitive to the Mother’s comfort, and
extremely careful with the infant. You must be artistic.
You must be technically sound. And on top if it all, you
must be swift and precise. Here are a few tips to help
you sort out your first Infant
Portraiture session:
1. Work with the Mother: You don’t want to be

responsible for the infant becoming injured during
the shoot. A mother will know how best to handle her
baby, and possesses the gentle touch to keep it safe. Make suggestions on posing, while asking the Mother, “is it
possible to…”
2. Work with available light: If possible, shoot in an area that will not have challenging variables with light.
Set up next to a window, or use strobes positioned and tested before you begin.
3. Determine the importance of surroundings: Some families want portraits of the Infant in “natural”
contexts. On the parents bed. On a blanket in front of the couch. Sometimes they want to achieve a more
“Anne Geddes” look in painstakingly set scenes with special props. Or, the look may be a simple studio
backdrop with beautiful lighting. Know ahead of time. You will organize and plan your entire shoot based
on this information.
4. Watch Details: Face shots, toes, fingers holding a blanket - all these details are important aspects of
your documentation. Use them to add variety and artistry in your shots.
5. Go for the eyes: An infant’s eyes reflect purity and innocence like no other. If the infant is awake, make
an effort to engage and pull out expressions. Be gentle. Be quiet. Smile. Tickle the baby. Talk to to the
baby. Laugh together. If you connect, you will be able to pull out emotion from the eyes of this little person
in ways you didn’t know were possible.
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Finding Fresh Angles to Shoot from - Digital

Photography Composition Tip
One of the most effective ways to make your digital images more interesting to the eye is to change the angle that
you’re shooting from.
Let me use an illustration of a couple of pictures I took of a big pineapple (don’t ask - it’s an Australian thing).
in my opinion the first picture is more

interesting than the second. While the
second one might be good for putting the
big pineapple in context of it’s
surroundings and giving an accurate picture
of ‘how big’ it is - I’m much more likely to
get a ‘wow’ factor using the first one
(although it’s by no means a brilliant shot
for other reasons).
There are a number of differences

between these pictures in terms of
composition. For starters the first is
closer and fills the frame (I’ll write
about this in a future post) but for the purposes of this composition tip I want to talk about the angle that I
shot the two shots from.
The second shot is taken by me standing some distance from the pineapple as I approached it. In the first
shot I got much closer and crouched down to accentuate my smallness and the pineapple’s bigness. I could
have gone a step further and lay down on the ground to shoot it for even greater impact.
Not only does changing the angle that you shoot from impact the feeling of size of your subject but it can
have a real effect upon the light and shade and patterns on it. You can see in the picture on the left that
the patterns on the pineapple are more pronounced as a result of the angle I shot it from.
The variety of perspectives that you can shoot images from is only limited by your imagination. In addition
to standing in front of your subject you might like to try:
 lying or crouching in front of it

 climbing above it
 putting the camera on the ground and chancing it (some cameras with swing out LCD displays make this
particularly easy as you can frame your shots rather than chancing it)
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Photo 101: Answer Time

Click on the (Photo 101) to open the answer session
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Using Water to Lighten Landscape Photos

Most Pro landscape photographers recommend shooting either at
(or around) dawn or dusk in order to capture their scene in the
‘golden hours’ when the light is at its best (in fact some will rarely
shoot at any other time of day).
However, one of the problems associated with shooting at this

time of day is that while the sky will often have enough light in it
the foreground of your images can sometimes end up being a little
underexposed and featureless.
One way to get around underexposed foregrounds is to include

water in that area of your shot and to get it reflecting light from
the sky.
This is a particularly effective technique at sunrise or sunset when

there’s color and interesting cloud formations in the sky (and
reflections in the water).
It may take a little experimentation with different positions to

shoot from in order to get the right part of the sky in the reflections but with a little trial and error the
effect can be quite stunning and a much brighter and more balanced image.
Even if you don’t get perfect reflections the light coming from the water can help balance the shot and
help you overcome underexposed foregrounds.
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7 Photography Projects to Jumpstart your Creativity
Let’s face it, no matter how much we take our camera out; there are only so many pictures we can take of
our kids, pets, house and garden before we start itching to shoot something else… but what?
Hopefully this list of projects you can undertake will inspire you to find something creative to shoot.
1. 365 Days
The most popular of the projects on this list, there are multiple variations of the 365 project. Typically, it
involves taking a self-portrait every day for a year - the only rule is that you have to hit the shutter button
(or remote) and at least some part of you must be in the photo. It doesn’t sound so bad at first, but
believe me, there’s only so many photos you can take holding the camera at arm’s length before even you
get bored. Suddenly you find yourself doing things like wrapping yourself in Christmas lights, jumping in
piles of leaves, or taping your mouth shut.
If a photo-a-day seems like

too much of a commitment,
you can do one self-portrait
a week for a year - a 52
Weeks project.
If the self-portrait part

makes you a bit squeamish,
you can either round up the
kids and get pictures of
them every day for a 365
kids project, or you can just
do a open-topic 365 project
where you just have to take
a picture of anything every
day for a year.
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2. 52 Photo walks
I use the term “photo walk” pretty loosely here. While photo walks often include groups of people
walking through cities together, all capturing images of the same landmarks from their own point of view,
I’m being slightly more liberal with the term.
Basically, I’m saying you should get out of the house once a week with your camera. I looked through all
my photos from my first year with my DSLR and realized about 90% of them were in or around my house.
So I got up and walked out the door once a week. I’ve been to local parks, abandoned buildings (careful
with this one: it can be frowned upon or even illegal to poke around some abandoned buildings),
downtown and other small towns near me.
Besides adding a bigger variety to my photo collection, I’ve noticed two other side effects from this project so far:
I’ve discovered all sorts of parks and areas of downtown that I didn’t even know existed, and I’ve been able to go to
places that I already knew and see them from a totally different viewpoint. For instance, the picture above is of a
local amphitheater. I’ve been there a number of times and never thought much of it… but being there when the
park was empty, and walking to the back of the stage looking out has given me a completely different perspective.
3. 100 Strangers
This is a project I personally don’t have the guts to do, as I’m bit shy (that’s the whole reason why I’m
behind the lens to begin with!), but I know some people doing this project and I’m loving their results so
far. The idea is to approach someone you’ve never met before, ask if you can take their picture, and talk to
them a bit to get some kind of back-story, and then upload the photo (and a short description of who they
are and what you talked about) to flicker and add it to the 100 Strangers group. Then repeat 99 more
times.
Not only will get photos of different people in your collection, but you just might make a new friend or two. You can,
of course, skip the flicker part and do this project on your own, but you would gain a lot of inspiration from the
group.
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4. A-Z
Once again, there’s a couple ways you can go with an A-Z

project. You can pick a place and try to get a picture of objects
that start with or represent each letter of the alphabet (for
instance, it might be easy to take a photo of the grass for G, but Q
is going to be harder, maybe a picture of a kid running around
could be Quick, or a picture of a completely still pond could be
Quiet). You can also try this with numbers, too - take a photo of
one acorn on the ground, two ducks by a pond, three trees
grouped together, etc.
The other interpretation of this project is to take pictures of things

that look like the letters A-Z. Take a look at the photo =>,
It’s actually a chain to a porch swing, but the one piece looks like a
letter S. Once you start this project you’ll start looking at ordinary
things - buildings, cloud formations, playground equipment, etc. - in a
complete different way, giving you a new perspective on things to
photograph. This project can also be done with numbers, too.
5. Pick-A-Something
The other interpretation of this project is to take pictures
of things that look like the letters A-Z. Take a look at the
photo above, it’s actually a chain to a porch swing, but
the one piece looks like a letter S. Once you start this
project you’ll start looking at ordinary things - buildings,
cloud formations, playground equipment, etc. - in a
complete different way, giving you a new perspective on
things to photograph. This project can also be done with
numbers, too.
The upside of this project is that it, once again, gets you to start seeing ordinary things in different way - taking a
snapshot looking down at everyone’s shoes is going to start to get boring, so it forces you to start thinking creatively.
The downside of this project is that people are going to start giving you weird looks for crawling around on the
ground taking pictures of shoes while everyone else is enjoying hamburgers and potato salad.
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6. Go Mono
During my 365 (open-topic, not self-portraits), I decided to take one month and do all my photos in black-
and-white. My goal was to get better at converting photos to black and white, which I think I did, but I
noticed I was also starting to see things
differently, and figure out what photos
would look better in mono, and which ones
wouldn’t.
There were also a few surprises, like the leaf

with water drops on it that you see above. If I
hadn’t been doing a month of mono, I would
have edited that photo in color and loved it, and
left it like that. But I converted it for my 365
project, and I loved it even more. Surprises like
that made the whole month worth it.
7. Scavenger Hunt
A photo scavenger hunt is simple. You need

someone to come up with a list of things to photograph (they can be actually things like “railroad tracks”,
or they can be more conceptual like “fun with friends”, or even techniques like “shallow depth of field”).
Then, a group of people all go out and interpret the list how they want and show them to the group. As
with a lot of the other projects I mentioned, it really gets you to start looking at ordinary things in a
different way. Looking for a list? Do a search in the flicker groups for “scavenger hunt” and you’ll come up
with a number of groups that have hunts going on. Including a DPS Scavenger Hunt group, made up of
other DPS users that posts a new list each month.
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“X” Marks the Spot – Finding Backyard Photo Treasures

We’ve all heard stories of grand treasures being found by
following the “X” on the treasure map, but how far do
we have to travel from the comfort of our homes to
uncover the treasure that is a wonderful photo
opportunity? 100 miles? 1000 miles? Try 50 feet! I
know what you’re thinking…50 feet from where my
favorite slippers are isn’t exactly an exotic locale. But it
can be just as rewarding!
There are many photo “treasures” to be found in our

own backyards if we just take the time to explore them.
I think many times it’s just a matter of not seeing the
trees for the forest (yes, you heard me right). We walk
outside and take in the whole scene without seeing what
makes up our own little part of the world. Other times it
may be that we just don’t think there are little hidden
gems right outside our bedroom windows.
So how do we find these treasures? Here are a few tips

that helped me when I first started exploring my yard…
1. Probably the biggest tip that’s helped me is to just stop

and take a look around. “Smell the roses”, so to speak. Just
because you’ve been outside doesn’t mean you’ve noticed
everything that’s there. This brings us to tip #2…
2. Pick a spot in your yard and look at everything within
arm’s reach. Find something interesting? That’s your “X”…take
a picture of it! You’ll be amazed at what you start to see if you
just pick a spot and look around that one area.
3. Try to see your yard through a child’s eyes. Kids don’t
analyze why they want to build that sand castle. They just do
it because it’s fun and interesting to them.
4. Think small. Little things like a rusty door hinge, a lady
bug on a leaf, or even an outdoor water faucet can make
wonderful images. And all three of these things can be found
outside most houses.
5. When you find your “X”, shoot it from different angles.
Walk all the way around it if you can and see it from all sides.
One subject can sometimes give you more than one great
image.
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6. And if you live in a city and don’t have any kind of yard? Go to the park. Most cities have at least a small
park located near residential areas.
See, you don’t need an eye patch or a parrot on your shoulder in order to find those photo
treasures (although they may make the hunt more fun!). All you really need is a willingness to stop
and take a look around at the things you overlook every day. There are many little treasure maps
to explore right outside your door. In fact, I recently “set sail” on my own backyard photo treasure
hunting expedition and discovered the “treasures. So grab your camera, throw on your pirates cap
(optional), and embark on your next great adventure…in your own backyard.
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How to Be Inspired and Not Intimidated by Other Photographers

Digital photography can be an intimidating hobby because once you get excited about it, you join photo-
sharing sites and follow photography forums, and suddenly you’re inundated with lots of other
photographer’s work, and *gulp*, a lot of it is better than yours!
It’s very easy to start to feel frustrated and that you’re not good enough, so in this article Jennifer Jacobs
from iffles.com has put together a few tips on how to get inspired by other photographers instead of
intimidated by them:
Concentrate on one thing to improve
It’s really easy to look through photo after photo

from different people and get overwhelmed with all
the things you wish you could do better - “I wish I
was better at flash photography”, “I wish I could take
a good shot of my baby”, “I wish I could get a good
high key portrait”, etc.
If you start trying to work on all of those things at

once, not only will you remain overwhelmed (and
stressed! Goodness, I’m stressed just thinking about
all those topics), but you won’t be able to give your
full attention to any of them, so it will be hard to get
really good at any of them.
For instance, after I first got my DSLR I really wanted to get a photo of me by candlelight. For the life of me,
I can’t remember why I focused on this, but I must have read an article about it that made me want to try,
so one night, I set up some candles and went for it. I can’t tell you how many photos I took, but I gave up.
A few days later, I tried again, and I finally took the photo that you see above. Is it perfect? No… but my
complaints aren’t about the lighting - I don’t like the focus, the expression on my face and the composition
could be a bit better… but the lighting? I actually achieved what I wanted. Plus, it’s a lot better than my
first attempt.
Listen to others… but not too much
I don’t only get discouraged by other photos, I often get discouraged by things people say: “I would have
cropped this differently”, “I don’t like the shallow depth of field”, “too much contrast!”. I think it’s really
important to take in everything that everyone says, but to also take it with a grain of salt.
I think critique is important and that people often point out things that I didn’t notice in my own photos - I
might be concentrating so much on getting the lighting correct that I didn’t notice the tilting horizon, or I’m
struggling with how to edit a particular photo, so I go in one direction, but someone will suggest a different
direction that I ultimately like better.
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For instance, after an urban photo walk once, I posted some photos and asked for people’s opinions and
someone pointed out one of my photos of a local theater might look better with a different crop and
converted to black and white. I hadn’t considered this at all, but I tried his suggestion, and I ended up liking
it:
That being said, you can’t listen to everything that everyone says. For one thing, you need to have your
own style, and you won’t get that if you keep doing what other people tell you to. Also, photography is an
art, not a science. Someone else might hate something you love, and that’s ok! Because it’s their opinion
and unless that person hired you specifically to take a certain photo - what YOU like matters more than
what they like.
On a side note, even if they did hire you, I think it’s really important to stay true to yourself - I would never
want to put my name behind a photo that I don’t like, but I suppose that’s a completely different
discussion.
Use others’ ideas to come up with your ideas
It often seems to me that other photographers are

much more creative than I am and come with all sorts
of new ideas and things to take photos of that I never
would have thought of. The thing is, they’ve all been
inspired by others, too!
Instead of lamenting about “why didn’t I think of that

first??”, instead, take their idea, and make it your own.
I’m not advocating full-on copycats, just get inspired by
certain bits and pieces from other people.
For instance, I have long admired a user on flicker named dCapFoto, and I couldn’t help but be amazed by
his photography, especially his use of negative space, like in this photo, and his innovative use of props like
in this photo. Inspired, I decided to take those two concepts and turn them into the following photo:
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Watch your own progress
It’s really easy to think about all the things you haven’t learned yet. I, for instance, still don’t have an
external flash, and I haven’t been happy with many of my photos of other people, and I often get down on
myself for these things. It’s easy to forget about all the things I have improved upon. And that’s why I think
it’s really important to take some time now and then to look back on where you’ve come from. Remember
when you first got your camera and everything was just a bit out of focus? And you never edited a single
photo? Think of how much more you know now!
Remember, everyone has their off days
Feeling really overwhelmed by some of the photos you see on the internet? And think that they’re all so
much better than yours? Remember, no matter who is took that photograph and where you see it - that’s
not the only photo they took. You’re only seeing their best of the best. No one posts their crappy out-
takes!
Now, I’m not saying I’m an amazing photographer, but even I only upload a very small percentage of the
photos I take. Remember how I said that candlelight photo above was better than my first attempt? Well,
here’s proof that we only ever upload our best photos, check out one of my never-before-seen first
attempts at the candlelight
shot:
It’s OK. You can laugh.
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Creative Compositions: Finding Framing

Finding frames for photos doesn’t always have to mean looking for the perfect frame to hang on your wall. If you’re
looking for a way to push your compositions to the next level of visual interest, try finding frames for your subjects
within your photos as well. In this post René Edde shares some tips on framing your shots
A great technique for better photos is to frame your subject within your photo. The next time you are out exploring
the world with your camera, try looking for ways to surround your subject with another element in the scene.
Framing up your subject is a great technique to add depth and visual impact to your photography. Isolating your
subject with framing draws the
viewer’s attention directly to the
subject of your photograph.
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When framing within your photos pay careful attention to your foreground and your background. Remember that
both elements are present in nearly every photo that you make. Try to find a way to frame the subject with an object
in the foreground that relates somehow back to the object. Try to utilize elements in the foreground that may give
the viewer more information about where the photo was taken, what the location was like, or even what event or
activity is taking place.
Be careful when utilizing framing techniques that you don’t clutter the photo or obscure the subject. If there is too
much going on around the subject of your photograph it is easy to lose the meaning of what your image is trying to
convey. Remember though that busy photographs can easily be subdued by carefully choosing a shallow depth of
field and blurring out things that could otherwise be distracting. It doesn’t do well to overshadow your subject with
chaos or confusion. Be careful when choosing things such as tree branches or leaves as framing elements. You don’t
want to jumble the viewer or have branches “growing” out of people’s heads.
To find framing take the extra time to explore your

surroundings when making photographs. Walk around the
scene. Find different angles. Look for elements within your
surroundings that you can use to fill the frame. Imagine
objects as windows and frames to help isolate your subject
and highlight what you are trying to show. It’s sometimes
the simplest techniques that help take your images to the
next level.
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How to Reduce Camera Shake - 6 Techniques

In this classic DPS post (now updated) photographer Natalie explores 6 ways you can hand hold lenses at
low apertures and low shutter speeds and still avoid blurry images caused by camera shake.
I’m a mover and a shaker in general, and this is

particularly true when I’m on a shoot. I’m twistin’ and
turnin’, climbin’ and jumpin’ and to top it all off, I DO
NOT have a steady hand, plain and simple.
As often as possible I opt for lenses with VR (Vibration

Reduction) or IS (Image Stabilization). You pay a pretty
penny for this feature. For me, it’s worth the extra cost,
and for the point I’m at in my photography it’s a
reasonable expense. But that wasn’t always the case, and
what about uber slow shutter speeds with no tripod. No
IS or VR can hold up under pressure like that. . .no matter
how magical they may be. . . and magical they are, trust
you me.
6 Techniques to Reduce Camera Shake

Here are 6 options for avoiding camera shake and achieving
crisp, delicious images no matter the length of the lens, no
matter the shutter speed.
Shooting wide open? NO PROBLEM; I’ve got your back!! Enjoy!
1. Elbows In
As often as possible pull your elbows in to your body and exhale

completely before depressing the shutter. When you’re working with a
wide aperture or low shutter speed (or both), even a breath can
introduce shake. Pulling your elbows tight to your body can really help
keep you steady. I also press my elbows firmly into my chest for even
greater stability.
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2. Raise Your Left Shoulder….
I am definitely a right eyed photographer, but this tip that

I learned from “The Moment It Clicks” by Joe McNally,
requires that I shift for a moment to my left eye. What I’m
doing here is raising my left shoulder, and bracing my left
elbow into my rib-cage (no arrow for this one). For further
stability, you can pull your right elbow in to your chest. As
always, exhale completely before depressing the shutter
to avoid introducing shake
3. Create a Tripod With Your Knee
You can create your own tripod by resting your elbow on your knee while in a seated position. Again, bring
that other elbow in for greater support.
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4. Lay Down
These two images illustrate perhaps the most obvious way to avoid shake without a tripod. Lie flat and let
the lens sit directly on the ground. The problem with this is that you’re likely to have quite a downward tilt
to the lens and unless you’re aiming
to photograph the pavement, you
probably won’t end up with the shot
you’re hoping for. In the first image
you’ll notice that I placed my hand
flat against the cement and balanced
the lens on top of it to give myself
some height. In the second image
you’ll see that I created a fist with
my hand to give myself even greater
height.
5. The Machine Gun Hold
This next technique is sometimes referred to as the machine gun hold. I rarely use this technique as I find it
awkward and difficult to maintain for more than a second or two. Just because it doesn’t work for me,
doesn’t mean it won’t for you. . . give it a try.
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6. Cradle It
In this next image you’ll see that I created a

sort of cradle for the lens between my
shoulder and my wrist. I also stabilized the
hold by balancing my elbow on my knee.
Well there you have it. That’s how I avoid “The

Shake” (I’ve named him that because he’s like an
evil monster who comes in and ruins my
otherwise perfectly delicious images). Please
share YOUR tricks and techniques in the
comment section below, and as always. . .
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Lifestyle Photography – Photographing Children in

their Element
One of the most fascinating and exciting subjects to photograph is arguably a child. Children can also be one of the
most challenging little people to photograph! To really grasp them, in their element, and get more than just a smile
can sometimes be a work of patience, cleverness and quick wits. The following tips from Véronique da Silva will help
you get those images that stop time, that bring tears to parents’ eyes, and that really tell a story.
First things first – the prep! Remember to

advise the parents accordingly. Always plan
for enough time; i.e. you might need 2-3
hours for very young children (nursing /
snacks / breaks), and anywhere from 1 to 2
hours for older children. It is not fair to
assume that a child will participate and
collaborate in the same way a grown-up
would. You must adapt to them, and not
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vice-versa.
I always tell parents to make sure the kids have napped and are well fed before the session starts. Always
pick a time for the session that is suited to the child’s schedule and you will avoid one of the most common
pitfalls.
Proper clothing is essential! Remind parents that the children will collaborate much better if they are a) comfortable
in their clothing, b) if they were given the opportunity to pick out their own outfit. This does scare some parents who
might think picture time = take out the Christmas outfit. Gently assure them that the images will be much more
telling and less contrived if the child feels
comfortable and confident. I love a child who
shows up proudly wearing a tutu!
I strongly suggest starting a session in a

familiar place for the child/children; i.e. their
home, a favorite beach or park, and then
moving locations if desired. When you show
up to the session, do not immediately start
taking pictures. You will have to gain the
child’s and the parents’ trust before anything
truly magical happens. I usually sit and chat
with the grown-ups for a few minutes and
then gently start interacting with the
child/children.
Remember to slow everything down. I

usually ask the parents to step out of the room or of immediate sight (not in back of me…) as I start
interacting with the children, camera in hand. Avoid at all cost the mom or dad standing in back of your
telling their child to smile and look at the camera! This is another major pitfall! Talk to the children, but
most importantly, listen to them (you will inevitably come away from each session a little bit wiser if you
do!). Let the magic happen!
1.
Get down to their level and you will understand their world:
crouch, lie down, sit, etc. They will also feel more at ease if you
are looking at them from their height.
2. Ask them questions and get them talking or thinking. Ask
them to tell you their favorite story or show you their favorite
toy/rock, etc.
3. Let them guide you through the photo session and don’t
fool yourself into thinking it’s the other way around. Suggest
ideas and encourage things but be flexible.
4. Patience, patience, patience.
5. Have fun! I assure you, you will!
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some nice shots
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How to Photograph a Rainbow

A Rainbow is something that has the power to stop you in your
tracks when it unexpectedly appears when you’re least expecting
to see one. They’re beautiful - but how do you photograph a
rainbow?
Following are a few Rainbow Photography Tips that come to mind

- feel free to add your own to comments below:
Find a Rainbow
This is the most obvious but also perhaps the hardest part of the process. Their appearance will depend
upon the conditions and they are something that will often happen completely out of the blue. Having said
this - you should especially be on the lookout for rainbows when you have two elements present -
falling/spraying water droplets and bright sunlight. As a result they’re common when a storm is
approaching and around waterfalls/sprinklers/fountains.
Backgrounds
As rainbows are not solid objects one of the keys to photographing them is to capture them in front of a
background that allows them to stand out as much as possible. Ideally you’ll want to get a background that
is uncluttered and if possible one that has darker colors (think dark clouds, mountains etc). While it’s not
always possible to change the background - you might find that you’re able to change the angle that you’re
shooting from or to focus just upon part of the rainbow that is in front of a good background.
Composition
While rainbows are a beautiful thing - it’s the

surrounds that they appear in that make one rainbow
photograph really stand out from others. As a result
it’s important to carefully think about how you
compose your shot when photographing them.
Particularly pay attention to the following:
Positioning - how you position the rainbow (and the rest of

the landscape) in your shot is important. Rules like the rule
of thirds could be useful when thinking about focal points
and leading the eye into your shot.
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 End Points of the Rainbow - the point where a rainbow hits the ground/horizon is an important point in any
rainbow photograph. This is a natural point of interest so think about where you’ll put it in the frame. You
might want to zoom in on this spot or even quickly change your own position so that it lines up with some
other object in the scene.
 Zoom/Wide Angle Perspectives - quickly experiment with different focal lengths (if you have different lenses
or a zoom). A wide angle lens that captures a full rainbow can give you some wonderful wide vista shots -
but don’t forget that zooming right in on a part of the rainbow can also lead to spectacular results.
Particularly focus in on any point where the rainbow intersects with any object - or where it begins and ends.
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Autumn (Fall) Photography - Capturing Colors

“Darren, it’s Fall here and the colors in the leaves in our town are wonderful. How can I capture their vibrancy? Every
time I shoot them I end up with muddy and dull images!” - Question by Grant
I love autumn photography - you’re right

the golden and red leaves on a background of lush green grass
and beautiful blue skies is a wonderful thing. So how do you
capture it? Here’s a few starting points to boost the colors in
your autumn photography (in fact they’re appropriate for
boosting the colors in your Spring shots too):
1. Use a Polarizing Filter
The saturation of colors that you get with one of these is

fantastic. It is particularly useful in getting lovely blue skies but you’ll find that it decreases some of the haze that you
often get at this time of year also.
2. Shoot in the Golden Hours
While you can get great results at any time of the day - I love shooting autumn colors at the end of the day
just before sunset when the light is golden. This accentuates the reds and golds even more than normal.
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5 Tips for Young Family Portraits

Shooting family portraits is always a varied experience based
on the number of people you are photographing. Depending
on the number and ages of your clients, you will need to be
spontaneous and learn to adapt to different levels of
interaction. Portraits of a young family is no exception. Here
is a starting point for a Young families portrait session:
1. Interact with the children
If the children in your shoot are happy, the parents will

be comfortable, and you will be able to achieve natural
portraits. This said, focus on interacting with the
children. Do your best to be “entertaining” through the
session to draw out laughter and smiles.
2. Avoid “posing”
Children do not sit in one place for a long time. They are
active and moving. Keep your session this way also.
Constantly be moving with your clients. You may be
able to position or pose the couple where you want
them, and then encourage the child to move around –
walking, twirling, etc.
3. Follow the Child
Sometimes you may not be working with children who will follow your guidance. In this situation, keep the
session lighthearted and fun, by having the parents follow the child until the child stops. Your job then is to
have the parents draw close to the child, and then snap a series of shots.
4. Be shutter happy
Especially working with small children, don’t be afraid to take more shots than a normal portrait shoot. You
want to make sure to catch the right expressions and no blinking – and with children this is much easier
said than done.
5. Be ready for anything
Don’t walk into a family shoot with set ideas that can’t be adapted to in the scenario. Have some ideas in
mind that may serve you if possible, but be prepared to take what you have and run with it.
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6 Tips for Better Night Photos With A Point And Shoot Camera
Like a lot of photographers, I carry a
camera around just about everywhere I
go. But it’s not always my preferred DSLR
as the bulk and weight often preclude
easy travel, especially if I’m just heading
to the store.
A Point & Shoot (P&S) camera, however,

easily slips into my pocket or resides
peacefully in the glove box of my truck.
With years of service, it has become
invaluable in capturing special memories
and spur of the moment shots.
1. Use A Longer Shutter Speed
Without getting into specifics concerning one brand of a camera or another, most P&S cameras have some
ability to adjust the shutter speed. If you’re lucky, yours will actually have a shutter speed setting, but my
Canon Digital Elph does not. However, it does have a “Night Scenes” mode setting with an expanded
feature. This feature does allow for shutter speeds beyond its standard two second maximum in Program
mode. In fact, it can be dialed all the way up to 30 seconds if I desire. And to be honest, it took me two
years of using this camera to finally notice this setting! I’d highly suggest checking your owner’s manual to
see if your camera has such capabilities. If not, then you might want to skip tip #2…
2. Try Different Shutter Speeds
We all know longer shutter speeds will bring in more light. But chances are if you’re shooting at night in a
city, there’s not too much light. Meaning, your camera will have the latitude it needs in the aperture
settings to keep the exposure well developed. I found my camera was able to handle shots all the way up
to about 20 seconds before things started to get too blown out. Otherwise, different shutter speeds
allowed me to capture headlight streaks with a varying degree of streakiness. Longer shutter speeds and
their corresponding smaller aperture also brought distant buildings into focus.
3. Find Something Sturdy

I can hear some of the comments now, “20 second shutter speeds without
a tripod? Are you crazy?” While I mentioned the lack of a tripod, I didn’t
mean you have to completely handhold each shot. Find as many sturdy
surfaces as you can. Newspaper boxes, lamp posts, statues. Just about
anything will work. Sometimes it will mean the surface will be in the shot
(such as with a railing or ledge) so you’ll need to take that into account.
Some people can make decent handheld shots down to one second long.
Me, I need stability in the form of large objects. Even then, technique
matters (see example at right as a prime example of what not to do), which means you will want to…
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4. Breath Easy And Squeeze
Keep your finger on the shutter release as you’re taking the photo. Don’t attempt to remove it as it’ll likely
cause minor shakes. Breathe normal and steady, don’t hold your breath. I read some place that sharp
shooters are trained to squeeze the trigger while exhaling as the body tends to relax during that portion of
the breathing cycle. I’ve found this to be mostly true and it does help with longer shutter speeds.
5. Fiddle With ISO

ISO can be your friend or enemy in city night photos. P&S
cameras don’t often have the same noise reduction
capabilities of their larger brethren (although they are
constantly evolving) and this makes for some fairly grainy
shots past ISO400. Some people like this, some don’t. If
you’re not a fan of all that grain, take manual control (if you
can) of the ISO setting. This will, of course, mean longer
shutter speeds, but that’s half the fun of learning
photography; getting used to the interplay of the controls
to manage how much light passes through to the sensor.
Also, if there is just a touch too much light in the scene,
lowering the ISO may help darken those areas until they are acceptable. Also, lowering the ISO may help you grab
some light trails that didn’t exist before with a faster shutter speed.
6. Use Noise Reduction If You Have It
As previously mentioned, not all P&S cameras are equipped with decent noise reduction for higher ISOs.
However, a fair number of cameras DO have noise reduction for long shutter speeds. My camera is such a
unit and it has positives and negative aspects. On the positive side is the fact that the feature is intended
to be used with night shots. It knows black should be mostly black and can handle night skies well. One
the negative side, the feature takes about as long to process an image as it took to shoot the image. I’ve
cursed this aspect as the scene I really wanted went zooming past while my camera took 20 seconds to
process my 20 second photo. It’s something to be aware of.
I’m limiting this post to just these six tips which I hope are the most helpful, otherwise a blabber mouth
like me could go on and on and on. I do have one more tip that is outside of the parameters I set at the
beginning of this post. Grab a Gorilla Pod and leave it in your vehicle. Or carry it around with you, but
that’s not always practical. These little devices are very easy to use and perfect for night photos around a
city. They can also give you more latitude in composition as you’re not confined to straight forward shots
on newspaper boxes.
Lastly, don’t forget to check out Natalie’s previous post How To Avoid Camera Shake. While directed at the large
DLSR lens crowd, it contains a number of tips that also apply to using a P&S at night.
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6 Tips for Perfect Composition in Portrait

Photography
Every on-location portraitist is faced with the challenge of paying attention to the details regarding his or
her subject, such as posing, lighting, composition etc. Perhaps the greatest mistake made by amateur on-
location portrait photographers is the lack of emphasis placed on a portrait’s background surroundings.
Photographers who do not closely examine the surroundings within the frame of their image are those
who come away with images that have great distractions. No high school senior or bride will purchase a
portrait in which a tree limb is sticking out of her head. Such distracting elements take emphasis off the
subject, and are detrimental to the portraitist’s sales. There is nothing more painful for a portraitist than
taking a portrait that is beautifully posed, gorgeously lit, and absolutely unusable … simply because no
attention was given to background composition!
Posing and lighting both play enormous roles in the

creation of a dynamic portrait. However, background
composition is a forgotten component that requires an
equal amount of time and thought.
Some things to consider when creating a perfectly

composed portrait:
1. Fill the frame with your subject
A portrait is about the person, so don’t be afraid to

zoom in close! Remember that zooming in does not
mean capturing only face shots. You can also capture
“tight”, close up shots of your subject sitting on a stool
or leaning into a tree.
2. Keep eyes in the upper third
This is the most natural spacing for a portrait. Try not to

divert from this rule unless you are deliberately
creating tension. Another exception of this rule is when
a subject is full-bodied in the bottom third of the frame.
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3. Use framing to concentrate all attention on your

subject
Rather than eliminate the environment, use it!

Doorways, arches, windows, gazebos are all creative
solutions that allow for maximum subject focus and
heightened visual interest.
4. Create texture
Once again, if you can’t eliminate a distracting

background, use it to your advantage! By pulling the
subject away from the background and shooting on
Aperture priority (f4.0), you will create a small depth
of field to blur the backdrop and allow for artistic
texture. Your subject will stand out of the background
without completely removing all creative interest in
the shot.
5. Use lines
Brick is the perfect background for a portrait!

The lines add creative interest, but they also
draw attention to your subject. Keep in mind
that any “line” used in a portrait is strongest
when it comes outside the frame and leads to
the subject.
6. Change your angles
Sometimes eliminating a distraction is simply a

matter of moving the camera to another
position. To make the best use of perspective, work to change your camera-to-subject angle. Often by
moving a little to the right or left, or getting higher or lower, you can completely abolish that distracting
tree branch or telephone pole.
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How to Photograph a Spider’s Web

One subject that presents photographers with wonderful opportunities but also a lot of challenges is the
spider’s web. There’s something about their delicate nature (while also being incredibly strong for their
size), flexibility and beauty that draws me to them every time.
But how do you photograph spider’s webs? Here are 11 tips to keep in mind:
Shoot on a still day
Spider’s webs are incredibly light and if there’s even a hint of

breath in the air they’re likely to move as you photograph them.
This has the potential to not only cause blur in your shot – but
also movement will shake off any moisture on them and
potentially could even break them. Generally the stillest part of
the day is early morning (which is also a great time for finding
dew covered webs).
Be an environmentally friendly photographer
We’ve covered this topic numerous times here at DPS

but it’s worth reemphasizing. Remember that where
there’s a web there’s a little (or not so little) creature
that made it.
Find a dark background
The backgrounds of all shots are important as they

either add to or distract from the shot. With spider’s
webs it is particularly important to have a plain and
preferably dark background. This will enable the web
itself to stand out and be the feature of the shot.
Narrow your Depth of Field
To isolate the web further from your plain and dark

background choose a large aperture (small
‘f/number’) to give you a shallow depth of field. This
will throw your background out of focus.
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Shoot from head on
Photographing webs from all angles can leave you with interesting results – however getting directly in
front of the web and shooting from straight on will enable you to keep the full web in focus as the distance
from your lens to all parts of the web will be similar – negating any narrow depth of field you might have.
Of course you might also like some shallow depth of field shots (large apertures for these) from different
angles to see what effect you can get.
Use Manual Focusing
Switching your camera to manual mode is

something that most macro photographers find
helpful because even the slightest changes in
focusing can have a large impact. As webs are so
fine even being slightly out of focus can ruin your
shot.
Tripods Please
Keeping the web still by shooting on a still day is

important – but so is keeping your camera still.
The intricate details of a web on a contrasting
background mean that camera movement will be
very noticeable.
Dew on the Web
One of the classic photos of spider’s webs are

those with dew or rain droplets on them. The
great thing about moisture on a web is that it
widens the web slightly and helps it to stand out
more clearly. As already mentioned – the best
time of day for dewy webs is mornings.
Fill Your Frame
Use your zoom to get in as close as you can to the

spider’s web. If you’ve got a macro lens or macro
mode switch to it to help you focus up nice and
close. Another framing is to focus upon just a smaller part of the web and the patterns that you see there.
In this way you can end up with some real detail and abstract composition.
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Shoot from both sides
Sometimes a web can look quite dull and lifeless from one side while the other side has the light falling
upon it in a way that just brings it to life! This will also help you to see the web with a different background.
Experiment with a Flash
I find that shooting with natural light is generally best – but sometimes adding some artificial light with a
flash can light up the web nicely and get some good highlights.
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ISO Settings in Digital Photography

What is ISO?
In traditional (film) photography ISO (or ASA) was the indication of how sensitive a film was to light. It was
measured in numbers (you’ve probably seen them on films – 100, 200, 400, 800 etc). The lower the
number the lower the sensitivity of the film and the finer the grain in the shots you’re taking.
In Digital Photography ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor. The same principles apply as in
film photography – the lower the number the less sensitive your camera is to light and the finer the grain.
Higher ISO settings are generally used in darker situations to get faster shutter speeds (for example an
indoor sports event when you want to freeze the action in lower light) – however the cost is noisier shots.
I’ll illustrate this below with two enlargements of shots that I just took – the one on the left is taken at 100
ISO and the one of the right at 3200 ISO
100 ISO is generally accepted as

‘normal’ and will give you lovely
crisp shots (little noise/grain).
Most people tend to keep their digital cameras in ‘Auto Mode’ where the camera selects the appropriate
ISO setting depending upon the conditions you’re shooting in (it will try to keep it as low as possible) but
most cameras also give you the opportunity to select your own ISO also.
When you do override your camera and choose a specific ISO you’ll notice that it impacts the aperture and
shutter speed needed for a well exposed shot. For example – if you bumped your ISO up from 100 to 400
you’ll notice that you can shoot at higher shutter speeds and/or smaller apertures.
When choosing the ISO setting I generally ask myself the following four questions:
1. Light – Is the subject well lit?

2. Grain – Do I want a grainy shot or one without noise?
3. Tripod – Am I using a tripod?
4. Moving Subject – Is my subject moving or stationary?
If there is plenty of light, I want little grain, I’m using a tripod and my subject is stationary I will generally
use a pretty low ISO rating.
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However if it’s dark, I purposely want grain, I don’t have a tripod and/or my subject is moving I might
consider increasing the ISO as it will enable me to shoot with a faster shutter speed and still expose the
shot well.
Of course the trade off of this increase in ISO will be noisier shots.
Situations where you might need to push ISO to higher settings include:
 Indoor Sports Events – where your subject is moving fast yet you may have limited light available.
 Concerts – also low in light and often ‘no-flash’ zones
 Art Galleries, Churches etc- many galleries have rules against using a flash and of course being indoors are
not well lit.
 Birthday Parties – blowing out the candles in a dark room can give you a nice moody shot which would be
ruined by a bright flash. Increasing the ISO can help capture the scene.
ISO is an important aspect of digital photography to have an understanding of if you want to gain more
control of your digital camera. Experiment with different settings and how they impact your images today.
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Introduction to Shutter Speed in Digital Photography

The three main areas that you can adjust are ISO, Aperture and
Shutter speed. I’ve previously looked at making adjustments to
ISO and now want to turn our attention to shutter speed.
What is Shutter Speed?
As I’ve written elsewhere, defined most basically – shutter speed is ‘the amount of time that the shutter is
open’.
In film photography it was the length of time that the film was exposed to the scene you’re photographing
and similarly in digital photography shutter speed is the length of time that your image sensor ’sees’ the
scene you’re attempting to capture.
Let me attempt to break down the topic into some bite sized pieces that should help digital camera owners
trying to get their head around shutter speed:
Shutter speed is measured in seconds – or in

most cases fractions of seconds. The bigger the
denominator the faster the speed (i.e. 1/1000
is much faster than 1/30).
In most cases you’ll probably be using shutter

speeds of 1/60th of a second or faster. This is
because anything slower than this is very
difficult to use without getting camera shake.
Camera shake is when your camera is moving
while the shutter is open and results in blur in
your photos.
If you’re using a slow shutter speed (anything

slower than 1/60) you will need to either use
a tripod or some type of image stabilization
(more and more cameras are coming with this
built in).
Shutter speeds available to you on your

camera will usually double (approximately)
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with each setting. As a result you’ll usually have the options for the following shutter speeds – 1/500, 1/250,
1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8 etc. This ‘doubling’ is handy to keep in mind as aperture settings also double the
amount of light that is let in – as a result increasing shutter speed by one stop and decreasing aperture by
one stop should give you similar exposure levels (but we’ll talk more about this in a future post).
Some cameras also give you the option for very slow shutter speeds that are not fractions of seconds but
are measured in seconds (for example 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds etc). These are used in very low
light situations, when you’re going after special effects and/or when you’re trying to capture a lot of
movement in a shot). Some cameras also give you the option to shoot in ‘B’ (or ‘Bulb’) mode. Bulb mode lets
you keep the shutter open for as long as you hold it down.
When considering what shutter speed to use in an image you should always ask yourself whether anything
in your scene is moving and how you’d like to capture that movement. If there is movement in your scene
you have the choice of either freezing the movement (so it looks still) or letting the moving object
intentionally blur (giving it a sense of movement).
To freeze movement in an image (like in the surfing shot above) you’ll want to choose a faster shutter speed
and to let the movement blur you’ll want to choose a slower shutter speed. The actual speeds you should
choose will vary depending upon the speed of the subject in your shot and how much you want it to be
blurred.
Motion is not always bad – I spoke to one digital

camera owner last week who told me that he always
used fast shutter speeds and couldn’t understand why
anyone would want motion in their images. There are
times when motion is good. For example when you’re
taking a photo of a waterfall and want to show how fast
the water is flowing, or when you’re taking a shot of a
racing car and want to give it a feeling of speed, or
when you’re taking a shot of a star scape and want to
show how the stars move over a longer period of time
etc. In all of these instances choosing a longer shutter
speed will be the way to go. However in all of these
cases you need to use a tripod or you’ll run the risk of ruining the shots by adding camera movement (a different
type of blur than motion blur).
Focal Length and Shutter Speed - another thing to consider when choosing shutter speed is the focal length of the
lens you’re using. Longer focal lengths will accentuate the amount of camera shake you have and so you’ll need to
choose a faster shutter speed (unless you have image stabilization in your lens or camera). The ‘rule’ of thumb to use
with focal length in non image stabilized situations) is to choose a shutter speed with a denominator that is larger
than the focal length of the lens. For example if you have a lens that is 50mm 1/60th is probably ok but if you have a
200mm lens you’ll probably want to shoot at around 1/250.
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Bringing it together
Remember that thinking about Shutter Speed in isolation from the other two elements of the Exposure
Triangle (aperture and ISO) is not really a good idea. As you change shutter speed you’ll need to change
one or both of the other elements to compensate for it.
For example if you speed up your shutter speed one stop (for example from 1/125th to 1/250th) you’re
effectively letting half as much light into your camera. To compensate for this you’ll probably need to
increase your aperture one stop (for example from f16 to f11). The other alternative would be to choose a
faster ISO rating (you might want to move from ISO 100 to ISO 400 for example).
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How to Capture Motion Blur in Photography

Capturing movement in images is something that
many photographers only think to do when they
are photographing sports or other fast moving
subjects.
While there is an obvious opportunity in sports

photography to emphasize the movement of
participants – almost every type of photography
can benefit from the emphasis of movement in a
shot – even when the movement is very small,
slow and/or subtle.
Last week I featured 15 images that capture

movement with creative blur – today I want to
take a few moments to suggest some tips on
how to do it.
Tips for capturing movement:
1. Slow Down Your Shutter Speed

The reason for movement blur is simply that the amount of time that the shutter of a camera is open is
long enough to allow your camera’s image sensor to ’see’ the movement of your subject.
So the number one tip in capturing movement in an image is to select a longer shutter speed.
If your shutter speed is fast (eg 1/4000th of a second) it’s not going to see much movement (unless the
subject is moving mighty fast) while if you select a longer shutter speed (e.g. 5 seconds) you don’t need
your subject to move very much at all before you start to see blur.
How long should your shutter speed be? – Of

course the speed of your subject comes into play.
A moving snail and a moving racing car will give
you very different results at the same shutter
speed.
The other factor that comes into play in

determining shutter speed is how much light there
is in the scene you are photographing. A longer
shutter speed lets more light into your camera and
runs the risk of blowing out or overexposing your
shot. We’ll cover some ways to let less light in and
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give you the option to have longer shutter speeds below.
So how long should your shutter speed be to get movement blur in your shot? There is no ‘answer’ for this
question as it will obviously vary a lot depending upon the speed of your subject, how much blur you want
to capture and how well lit the subject is. The key is to experiment (something that a digital camera is ideal
for as you can take as many shots as you like without it costing you anything).
2. Secure Your Camera

There are two ways to get a feeling of movement in your images – have your subject move or have your
camera move (or both). In the majority of cases that we featured in last week’s post it was the subject that
was moving.
In this type of shot you need to do everything that you can to keep your camera perfectly still or in addition
to the blur from the subject you’ll find that the whole frame looks like it’s moving as a result of using a
longer shutter speed. Whether it is by using a tripod or have your camera sitting on some other still object
(consider a shutter release mechanism or using the self timer) you’ll want to ensure that camera is
perfectly still.
3. Shutter Priority Mode

One of the most important settings in photographing an image which emphasizes movement is the shutter
speed (as outlined above). Even small changes in shutter speed will have a big impact upon your shot – so
you want to shoot in a mode that gives you full control over it.
This means either switching your camera into full Manual Mode or Shutter Priority Mode. Shutter Priority
Mode is a mode that allows you to set your shutter speed and where the camera chooses other settings
(like Aperture) to ensure the shot is well exposed. It’s a very handy mode to play with as it ensures you get
the movement effect that you’re after but also generally well exposed shots.
The other option is to go with Manual mode if you feel more confident in getting the aperture/shutter
speed balance right.
How to Compensate for Long Shutter Speeds When there is too Much Light
I mentioned above that one of the effects of using longer exposure times (slow shutter speeds) is that
more light will get into your camera. Unless you compensate for this in some way this will lead to over
exposed shots.
Below I’ll suggest three main methods for making this compensation (note – a forth method is simply to
wait for the light to change (i.e. for it to get darker). This is why many shots that incorporate blur are taken
at night or at dawn/dusk):
1. Small Apertures
So how do you cut down the amount of light that gets into your camera to help compensate for a longer
shutter speed? How about changing the size of the hole that the light comes in through. This is called
adjusting your camera’s Aperture.
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If you shoot in shutter priority mode the camera will do this automatically for you – but if you’re in manual
mode you’ll need to decrease your Aperture in a proportional amount to the amount that you lengthen the
shutter speed.
Luckily this isn’t as hard as you might think because shutter speed and aperture settings are organized in
’stops’. As you decrease shutter speed by a ’stop’ you double the amount of time the shutter is open (eg –
from 1/250 to 1/125). The same is true with Aperture settings – as you decrease the Aperture by one stop
you decrease the size of the shutter opening by 50%. This is great because an adjustment of 1 stop in one
means that you just need to adjust the other by 1 stop too and you’ll still get good exposure.
2. Decrease Your ISO
Another way to compensate for the extra light that a longer

shutter speed lets into your camera is to adjust the ISO setting
of your camera. ISO impacts the sensitivity of your digital
camera’s image sensor. A higher number will make it more
sensitive to light and a lower number will make the sensor less
sensitive. Choose a low number and you’ll find yourself able to
choose longer shutter speeds.
3. Try a Neutral Density Filter

These filters cut down the light passing through your lens and
into your camera which in turn allows you to use a slower
shutter speed.
It is sort of like putting sunglasses on your camera (in fact

some people actually have been known to use sunglasses
when they didn’t have an ND filter handy).
For instance, if you’re shooting a landscape in a brightly lit

situation but want a shutter speed of a second or more you
could well end up with a very over exposed image. A ND filter
can be very helpful in slowing the shutter speed down enough
to still get a well balanced shot.
It is the use of ND filters that enabled some of the shots in our

previous post to get a lot of motion blur while being taken in daylight.
Another type of filter that can have a similar impact is a polarizing filter. Keep in mind however that
polarizer’s not only cut out some light but they can impact the look of your image in other ways (ie cut out
reflection and even change the color of a sky – this may or may not be the look you’re after).
Two More Technique to Try – one more technique to experiment if you’re wanting to capture images with
motion blur is to experiment with Slow Sync Flash. This combines longer shutter speeds with the use of a
flash so that elements in the shot are frozen still while others are blurry. Read more about Slow Sync Flash.
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Another technique worth trying out is panning – moving your camera along with a moving subject so that
they come out nicely in focus but the background blurs.
White Background Colorful Kids – Ideas for High Key

Studio Photography
The white-room studio look has become really popular
lately, especially for children. I love it for so many
reasons:
 Kids are unpredictable, especially when you

don’t know them. Removing the element of not
only trying to catch the right moment, but also
crossing your fingers hoping that the ‘moment’
happens in the right position within the frame of
ideal natural light (while chasing them around)
gives me more energy to actually focus on the
child.
 It is a more affordable option for clients who
can’t afford to hire you for a location shoot. I
spend about 30 mins with kids in my studio.
 The lighting set-up is easy and optimal for
whatever the kids decide to throw at you
(sometimes literally!)
There are, however, a few drawbacks
 If you’re not a pretty decent photographer, it can be hard to

produce the type of images you see in your head and without
the element of a location/surrounding (sunny day in the
park?) the only emotion you will convey through this style of
photography is that which comes directly from the kids and
you have to be pretty darn good to get kids who don’t know
you who feel a bit strange in a white room filled with big
flashing lights to open up and show you emotion. And then
when they do, you have to be ready to catch it in a split-
second.
 The right equipment can be really expensive. There are some
really cool and clever ways of doing high key studio without
any lights at all, but they’re not at all ideal for children as
they involve staying in the same place within the set-up and
kids never want to sit in the same place.
 You need quite a large space for this type of set-up
 So once you’ve got your set up and your subjects, then
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what? Last week, I wrote an article called Helping Your Client Prepare for Their Shoot – Dress to
Match the Sofa. Step one to making it a colourful shoot is helping your clients prepare. Something I
forgot to mention is that in terms of clothing, especially for boys, shirts with collars are great for the
close-up.
 With a stark, bright white background, how do you make the shoot colorful? Obviously the clothing
is important. After that, you just have to have a few tricks up your sleeve to get the kids to loosen
up and have fun.
 Having an enthusiastic assistant is a must. Someone who can stand behind your and interact with
the kids in a way that will engage them and make them laugh. Sometimes the parents can be
helpful and sometimes they can make things tenser. When the family comes in, I can usually tell
right away what type they are and sometimes I offer them a cup of tea and a comfy chair to relax
during the shoot and sometimes, I even direct the parents as to what side from which they should
be engaging the kids to get them to look in the right direction.
Things I do in a typical shoot:
 I get down on the floor, lying on my belly, and I encourage them to do the same. They put their face in their
hands, lean up on their elbows, feet up, and feet down, roll over.
 We then both sit up cross legged and I show them all the poses to do. The posed shots aren’t always the
best, especially the first sets, but it gets them in the frame of mind to be thinking of cool things to do and
from there, they usually direct their own shoot!
 My assistant once found a big bag of ball pit balls in a location I was hiring for the day and whispered in my
ear ‘get ready’. He opened the bag and dumped the entire 100 balls onto the floor and the baby (about 18
months) went wild. The shoot when from tense to
full of life immediately and turned out really well.
 Give them something to keep them still for just
a moment – like an entire cake! I love love love
the messy sessions! You get tons of smiles and
the kids are engrossed in something for a
while, although not sitting in a tense, forced
pose.
 When you have siblings, getting them to
interact well on camera can sometimes be
tricky, but mostly if you just let them go for it
(and have all of your lights insured against
getting knocked over by wrestling boys!) then
those can be so much better than when kids
are on their own.
 When kids are reluctant, I sometimes start by
photographing their parent(s) just so they can
see it’s all ok. I also let them push the button to
trigger the lights or push the shutter to take a photo. The strobes can be scary when you’re little so
knowing how they work helps when kids are apprehensive.
 I always have a ladder handy to get some down shots to convey a sense of smallness (hey, kids are
little!) or get them from another angle. Getting them to jump up towards you with their hands
raised while up on the ladder is wicked cool, especially with a fish eye lens and a kooky angle.
 Running. Seems easy but not really so easy! Get the child to stand at the back of the room or
background and run towards you. The strobes need a second to recycle, so you can’t shoot 10
frames as they’re running. I wait until the split second they’re in the right spot running straight at
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me and fire the trigger. We can do that up to 10 times and the kids absolutely LOVE it. It’s a great
thing to start with because they loosen up.
 Screaming. I mentioned this once in an article about tips for photographing children. But a kid will
be your best friend the moment you allow them to scream their ever-lovin-head off indoors! This
would be great from up on the ladder as I mentioned earlier. Tell them certain things to scream “I
love poo!” You might get tense looks from the parents, but they will love the photos in the end and
that’s really all that matters!
Before starting my studio, I was really nervous about the part where I had to interact with the kids and
help them along in their shoot with poses or just fun ideas in general but it came so naturally and after the
first couple shots, the kids often take over and come up with tons of shots. And if you’re confident, the
parents will be confident so don’t let on if you’re secretly crapping it!
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How to take International Street Portraits

Few things are more enjoyable than traveling in a foreign country and using your camera as a bridge to connect with
locals. Especially in countries and areas which are under developed, you may find that many people have not had
pictures taken of them – and certainly not by one with an SLR camera. With a few things to keep in mind, and a little
pro-activism, you may find your international trip to be full of some very special, storytelling images.
1. Become Familiar:
Every location is different, so keep safety in mind. Generally, if you return to the same location multiple
times, or if you slowly browse the area it is easier to familiarize the locals with you and your camera.
Without some level of familiarizing, it is more challenging to get permission for taking portraits – or even
pictures of the neighborhood. Be friendly, become familiar, and people are more likely to welcome you.
I spent about 10 minutes in the street of this market in India before taking this portrait. I nodded and
smiled to the 5 most immediate venders near me. I made it very clear I was no threat – even a friend.
2. Make Eye Contact and Ask Permission
When you are in a foreign country and don’t speak the local language, its still important to communicate
and ask permission. Non-verbal communication will be key. Make frequent eye contact, smile, and hold up
your camera when asking permission. Most will give you a clear yes or no for the photo, and its very
important to honor their request.
I smiled at this old man several times before holding up my camera as a non verbal request to take his
picture. He was very happy to acquiesce – even hold a direct gaze with the camera unflinchingly.
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3. Go for the Story
What makes a portrait from an international location more compelling? Often it is the story that you can
create with the image. Who is the individual? Where are they from? What do they do? What is their
background like?
I was captivated by the story of this man. He was a shoe shiner, whose “office” and “home” resided in one
place – the slide walk of this market. In a sense, he is homeless, but in another sense, he also has a home.
The story was quite gripping in light of the context.
4. Coordinate the Elements for Composition
A jumble of textures, a variety of elements, and a subject – all these must work together when composing
your shot. Remember the subject is most important, but there are other things that may add strength to
your image as secondary subjects.
There are many elements that give support to the shoe shiner. His shoes. The tools. The clothes hanging
behind him. Etc. All of these elements give greater context to the story, and thus I also arranged
accordingly.
5. Interact
The human element – expression and character – give a unique kind of artistry to your pictures. Your
interaction with your subject will determine many things about the photo; look and feel mood, etc. After
you capture your portrait, be sure to share your art with your subject. You may be able to impart
something that is absolutely priceless.
I am so grateful that I did.
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Stop Taking Pictures, Start Creating Images

There’s one surefire way to start becoming a better photographer. Stop taking pictures.
A picture is what you take when you accidentally

mash your hands on the shutter release while your
camera sits idle on the living room table. It’s when
you bump the camera while it hangs from your
shoulder and snap that oddly angled picture of your
feet. It’s the photos you took of your friend just
because they asked you to. It’s also generally what
most of us are shooting the first time we pick up our
cameras – I included.
But if you really want to advance your photography,

you’ve got to stop pressing that shutter release just
because you can. Instead, take the time to create a
vision. Stop taking pictures. Start creating images.
Professionals Create Images
We all admire the fantastic work of professional

photographers from around the globe. It’s not simply
because their photos are perfectly exposed, their
white balance is spot on or they followed an exacting
rule of thirds guideline. Given enough practice, anybody can do these. Many photographers still do. There’s
a simple element that separates those photographers you admire from those you don’t.
Good photographers take great pictures, great photographers create images.
An image is something that evokes an emotional response from the viewer. It speaks to us individually and
conveys some form of attraction or connection with a photo. Whether it’s longing, awe, desire, fear or any
one of a thousand other, an image elicits within us a response. The ability to combine the technical with
the creative and create an image is what separates a great photographer from a good one.
Fueling that creativity is a constant journey we should all strive to be better at every day. It’s something I
work at every day as well. None of us have it right from the start, and even veterans of 20 and 30 years are
pushing every day to take it to that next level. Here are a few techniques I’ve found helpful on my own
drive towards creating images and not just taking pictures.
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Continue Shooting and Start Planning
If it sounded like I’ve been telling you to stop shooting,

it’s exactly the opposite! As well-know commercial
photographer Chase Jarvis says, the best camera is the
one you have with you. Shooting every day, even with a
simple camera phone, helps develop your eye for
pleasing compositions, great locations and visionary
editorials. But you don’t want to be taking just pictures
anymore. You want a mix of pictures and images.
What you need to add to create those images now is a

plan. That doesn’t mean you need to look for six
assistants, a creative director, three models and twelve lights! The start of your plan can be as simple as
spending an afternoon out with your friends and showing them having a good time, keeping a vision in
mind.
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Ask Yourself Why
A practice I’ve always found helpful is to ask myself, “Why am I taking this photo? Why is it different from
any other out there? What am I trying to convey with it? What emotion am I trying to invoke? Who is my
audience?”
Advertisements plan for and answer these questions all the time. They want to create the vision of a
lifestyle in their images that says, “Hey, buy this brand and you’ll be like this,” or a longing that says, “You
too could be experiencing an extraordinary sunset at our hotel pool.” And they want you to create that
emotion through your unique vision.
Answer some of those questions and you’ll be able to answer the one every client or company asks when
seeking a photographer for a job. “Why are you worth paying for?”
Draw Out Editorials
Before pitching a model or client a test shoot, I’ve

usually sketched down my ideas and a few frames
on a piece of paper. It can be an invaluable tool in
laying out an editorial or a vision. It’s a great way
to involve your subjects in the images and help
direct them. The confidence in having a clear cut
vision and idea will be obvious to those you are
working with, and they’ll take confidence from it
as well. Ultimately, you’ll create better images
because of it.
Whether it’s a landscape angle you see in your mind or simply a few portrait poses, drawing out a few
ideas goes a long way towards executing a vision. Always remember
Set Yourself a Client
Here’s an exercise you can set for yourself the next time you step
out the door with your gear in tow and you’re just out to shoot for
fun. Set yourself a client to shoot for.
Let’s say it’s the clothing store Pac Sun. What kind of image
conveys the Pac Sun lifestyle? Who shops there and what message
do you think will connect with them? Start thinking about what the
client would want and you will be on the way towards creating
photos with a purpose.
So remember the next time you grab your camera, sit down for a
few moments first and concept some ideas. With a vision, planning
and perspiration you’ll soon find yourself no longer taking pictures,
but creating images.
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About the Author: Matthew Dutile is a part-time lifestyle photographer and communications
professional out of Phoenix, AZ.. You can view his Web site for more images or find him on Facebook.
Contact him anytime. He wants to hear from you!
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How to Take a Great Photo for Your Social Media Avatar

I’d be lying if I said I had a flying clue what “avatar” meant even a year ago. Now, with the absolute explosion of all
things social networking, you’d have to be living under a cloud of dirt in some remote corner of the galaxy not to
have heard the word and it’s likely you actually have an avatar of your very own . . . or at the very least a profile
picture or two or three adorning all the social networks you frequent. Now with that big, fat (and hopefully PHAT),
fancy shmancy camera stuffing your stocking this Christmas, you’ll likely be asked to photograph one for someone in
the not too distant future.
Here are some tips so you’re sure not to disappoint.
Here are some tips so you’re sure not to disappoint.
**PLEASE NOTE: I understand that different profile pics are appropriate for different situations and that
ultimately it’s all a matter of preference. As a general rule of thumb however, I maintain that not all profile
images are created equal. 9 times out of 10 I’m certain you’ll find that the majority of these tips apply. .
.And it should go without saying that not EVERY photographer needs a picture of themselves hugging their
5d. . .we’re pushing a little far South of tacky there dontcha think?**
1. Fill the Frame
The most successful profile images, the ones that really make a distinct statement that is difficult to forget,
are those that are easily visible even at minuscule sizes. It’s important that your profile picture doesn’t
require the viewer to squint and lean a nose length from the screen to determine what they’re actually
looking at.
True story: I was recently hanging out on Face book (on a Saturday night . . . . with my cat on my lap . . .
what?) and came across my friend’s updated profile image. I looked at that thing for a solid minute and
was absolutely CONVINCED it was . . . wait for it . . . a photo of a pelvic x ray. I thought she’d broken her
hip or something and wanted to show us all . . . Turns out I was COMPLETELY wrong. It was a picture of a
tiny angel . . . ??? But at like 2 centimeters high, who the heck could tell?! Angel . . . pelvic x ray . . . angel . .
. pelvic x ray???
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2. Keep it Natural
Help your subject relax. Profile pics with relaxed, natural smiles are most inviting. Whether you’re
shooting for a personal face book account or a head shot type photo for linkedin or a less formal shot for a
company’s twitter updates, a nice, natural portrait is best. Natural portraits convey an air of confidence
and competence simultaneously. They also invoke feelings of comfort and a feeling of trust.
3. Clean up the Background
Distracting elements in a profile image are a big no no. Please don’t take someone outside and have them
stand in front of a big bush. That thing will swallow your subject whole at .5″ by .5″. A nice clean
background is best. Create some distance between your subject and their background and shoot at around
f4 or lower. Be careful, you want to keep your subject’s eyes sharp.
4. Play with Angles
A profile picture should say something about who you are. It should be interesting and hopefully eye
catching and unforgettable. One way to experiment with this is to play around with camera angles.
Exercise caution! A funky angle just for the sake of it is like the #1 sure fire sign of an amateur
photographer. . . “I’m going to be creative and show how artistic I am by not holding the camera straight!”
Appropriate use of angles can also help make an image appear more flattering to the physique.
5. Keep it Professional
Last but not least, keep it professional. Aaaaaaaaand by professional I mean: cover yourself up for crying
out loud! Girls, the kind of guy who wants to see a little peek at your cleave in your eHarmony profile
picture is not the kind of guy you want to bring home to daddy. You can do SOOO much better. Just
sayin’. And boys, unless you’re trying to be my personal trainer (or the next Jacob Black in the Twilight
Saga) I do not need (or want!) to see your pectoral muscles every time I log into my twitter account.
Happy shooting!!
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8 Tips for Capturing Family Gathering Candids

It’s the time of year when family and friends come together for a meal or two celebrating any number of
special occasions. No matter the holiday, family gatherings are a time worth sharing and remembering
through photography. In this post, Peter Carey takes a look at eight ways to capture great candid photos of
your loved ones.
We’ve all seen the posed family photos around the dinner table, in front
of the hearth or in any number of places. These types of shots are great
and have their place in preserving your family memories. But some of us
are looking for a more realistic representation of what went on at that
meal or gathering. We want to convey the sense of laughter around the
table, the craziness of having ten nieces and nephews under foot and the
joy in sharing gifts. And posing doesn’t work well for these real world
shots. That’s where candid photography comes in! Practice with these
eight tips and you’ll be well on your way to preserving family get-
togethers in a compelling, engaging manner.
Tip #1 – Let The Know You’re Coming - At any family gathering someone
is always taking photos. Most people like to ham it up for the camera or
will avoid it like the plague. Letting your family know before hand that
you’ll be taking some photos and to ‘act natural’ will greatly increase your
odds of capturing the essence of the moment. Not everyone will heed
this request, but it’s good for people to know they should generally
ignore your photo taking to keep the photographer from distracting the
event.
Tip #2 – But Don’t Let Them SEE You Coming - Now that you’ve prepped
the crowd and they know what to expect, it’s ok to be a bit sneaky with
the photo taking. Hide around corners and near the back of the crowd. Be
polite. But don’t draw attention to yourself. Chances are someone else in
the family already has the ‘Look over here!” photo responsibilities and
you should capitalize on that by hanging in the wings. After people have posed for the standard photos, they’ll be
more relaxed, acting like themselves and that’s a perfect time to be waiting in the background ready to capture
family interactions.
Tip #3 – Use A Long Lens – If you have options, choose a 80mm

lens, or slightly longer. A zoom is preferable but we’ll see the
challenge with that in the next tip. Once in a while a wide angle
will be helpful, but for the most part you’ll be capturing facial
expression of those around you. And quarters may be a bit close
so being able to zoom close from behind your other family
members is crucial. With a telephoto lens (zoom or otherwise)
you’ll be able to isolate one or two family members as they
interact, open presents or prepare meals. This is all you’re really
aiming for with candids. Too wide of a lens and you’ll miss the
individual expressions.
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Tip #4 – Use A Fast Lens – I realize a nice low f-stop lens may not be in everyone’s camera bag, mine included. But if
you can take just one lens, bring your fastest one. Using a low f-stop and a slightly higher ISO of around 800-1000,
you will be able to avoid using a flash and attracting more attention to yourself. Consider renting a fast lens for the
holidays from any number of vendors online.
Tip #5 – When In Doubt, Shoot In Raw - Now that you’re not using a flash for your candid photos, light color will be a
larger issue. There’s good news and bad in this, depending on your point of view. The good news is chances are most
of the light will be from the same color temperature, such as incandescent or fluorescent lights. The bad news is it
may change room to room, or indoors to out. The easiest way around this problem is, when in doubt, shoot RAW.
Shooting in RAW will ensure you have a great chance of correcting for certain lighting conditions in the post
processing. If you can set your camera accurately to the lighting situation, by all means, please go that route as it
saves time later on. But if you’re not quite sure of colors, shoot in RAW.
Tip #6 – Focus On The Eyes – As with most any photo of people, tight focus on the eyes is a must. Eyes convey so
much more than what is being said at the moment, which is good when you’re not recording sound. While some
blurring in images is fine, especially when not using a flash, try to keep the eyes of the main subject sharp.
Tip #7 – Hang Out In The Kitchen – More and more, the

kitchen in a home is becoming the default gathering place.
People either want to help out with meal prep or just want to
make sure the cooks in the family are involved. Plus the
kitchen is usually more relaxed than a formal dining room and
a great place to capture family having fun.
Tip #8 – Have Fun! – This one should go without saying. But

having fun is what family gatherings are all about. Don’t get
too wrapped up in the photo taking that you forget to relax,
enjoy some conversations and great food. Take a moment to reflect in the moment what it’s like to be surrounded
by the people you love.
Page 123 of 133

Shoot for the Crop – Don’t Cut Yourself Short

A Guest Post by Matthew Dutile
If you read my last post on Digital Photography

School, Stop Taking Pictures, Start Creating Images,
you know that I’m a big advocate of planning out
the reason for taking a photo, and setting yourself a
client for direction.
Beyond the creative goals (or rare capture if you are

a wildlife photographer) of knowing who or what
you are shooting for, you should start raising your
awareness to some of the format demands of your
client – even if it’s just yourself. Particularly, start
shooting for popular crops.
By that, I’m not referring to cropping to improve an

images’ composition. There are already a lot of
great posts about that on this site. Rather, I’m
talking about specifically composing a photo in-
camera with the intent to later crop or size it for
prints, publication, comp cards, web banners and
more.
Know your camera’s aspect ratio
We all generally tend to compose our images by the

3:2 aspect ratio (that’s a 4×6” print size). After all,
that’s what you see when looking through the viewfinder of most common consumer and DSLR cameras.
There are cameras that have the 4:3 (squarer) and 16:9 (longer) aspect ratios as well. Make sure you know
what aspect ratio your camera is. For the sake of this discussion let’s focus on the 3:2 ratio most of you are
likely using.
Unfortunately, many popular print sizes don’t follow the 3:2 aspect ratio. Most magazines are 8.5×11” full
pages with 11×17” double trucks (that’s a two-page spread) and one of the most common print sizes is the
8×10”. Each of these is different from the standard 3:2 photos you’re capturing. There’s nothing worse
than taking a great photo of a friend, family member or client, only to discover later when you want to
print a different crop that you’ve cut off the top of their head, a hand or some other important element to
the photo.
Here’s a look at three popular crops and what to look for when shooting for them.
The Portrait 8×10”
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Invariably, this is an extremely popular crop and print size for

portrait photography. You’ll find the 8×10” photo framing up
couples, families, wedding formals and senior pictures on end
tables and bookshelves in households around the world.
What you may not have thought of at first is that it’s a full
two inches shorter on the top, bottom or a bit on both ends.
Your friend or a client may not directly tell you that they’d
like some 8×10”s before embarking on a photo session, but
you can bet that’s what they’ll likely try to get printed after it.
You can see in the image here of one of my friends, that while I left
a good deal of room around this full body shot, I still added in quite
a bit of extra head room for an 8×10” crop. Ultimately, the shorter
image is much more flattering (and likely why it’s such a popular
choice amongst everyone). Inside is an alternative, closer cropped
8×10” option. Do remember not to crop so close though that if the
person frames the photo a part of the frame ends up overlapping
and cutting off a bit.
The Magazine Full-Page 8.5×11”
I’ll caveat this section by first saying not all magazines use an 8.5×11” page size. There are squarer
magazines, taller ones and everything in between. If you do end up shooting full-page photos for
publication, be sure to speak with the editor or art director to find out what size their magazine is.
However, most will use 8.5×11” pages.
The nice thing is if you’ve mastered the 8×10” the 8.5×11” is nearly identical. The only difference is with
the 8.5×11” you get just a bit of extra room on the top or bottom. So if you’re shooting for the squarer
8×10” already, you’ll have this full page crop easily.
The Double Truck
A double truck crop is an image that is spread across two

facing pages of a magazine or newspaper, or more
commonly known as the two-page spread. The great thing
about this crop – it’s nearly identical to a 3:2 ratio
landscape, with only a small margin cropped from the top
or bottom.
Comp cards, Web banners and more
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There’s an infinite number of ways to crop a photo for all sorts of purposes. Web banners, model comp
cards, business cards, large landscape, square, tall, skinny and the list goes on. Whatever it is you’re
shooting for know what the crop will look like in relation to the aspect ratio of your camera. Test out some
sizes on existing photos you have, even if they don’t fit the frame. When you go out shooting and you’d like
a new Web banner for your blog or Web site, at least you’ll know where you’ll have to keep the relevant
content in your framing.
Here’s something that helped me learn to remember my crops. I often assist and speak with Phoenix
photographer Adam Nollmeyer for advice. Every time I would return from a shoot and proof the images
with him, he would pick out the ones that I had framed too close or cut a body part on and deduct a few
dollars off our next assisting fee. It’s a very effective and quick way to learn. You can duplicate it at home
by putting a little jar on top of your fridge. Every time you frame too closely and can’t deliver an 8×10”
photo, put a few bucks in. When you start getting it right consistently, treat yourself with the money in
there to a little reward.
Even if you’re not looking to ever shoot for publication or portfolio prints, perhaps you’d like to create your
own photography book to display your images to your friends and family. Knowing these crops will help
you if ever the urge strikes. You’ll be able to proudly display your work in an appealing format and with all
the elements in tact that made you first think when taking the photo, “this will be a great image.”
Page 126 of 133

Tips on Early Morning Photography

As all photographers know, there are two times of day when the light is most ideal for capturing
breathtaking images, sunrise and sunset. The reason being is because at these times the angle between the
sun and the earth’s surface is small which allows for the sunlight to flow over the landscape in a way that
intensifies the colors of nature and also creates spectacular shadows. All in all, it is a photographers dream
land!
Planning For Your Early Morning Shoot:
Below are a couple of pointers that will help you effectively plan for your upcoming sunrise shoot so that
you don’t miss that perfect shot. (NB: these steps should all be done the day before you plan on shooting
the sunrise)
 Check your local weather forecast so you know what to expect, and also be sure to know what time
the sunrise is expected to be.
 Make sure your camera batteries are fully charged, and I also suggest you have a spare fully
charged battery in your bag as well.
 Go through your camera bag and ensure that you have all the equipment you need. Camera body,
lenses, tripod, lens hoods, filters etc…
 Ensure you know how you are going to get to your shooting location; by car, bicycle, on foot, by
boat, hot air balloon; and make sure they are fired up and ready to go.
 Set your alarm so that you have sufficient time to get to your shooting location.
But the most important tip of all is to WAKE UP when your alarm goes off!
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Know Your Shooting Location:
This is a very important point and is one that many people often overlook. Knowing the location that you
will be shooting in is just as important as bringing your camera on a shoot. You don’t want to find yourself
in a situation (I admit, I have fallen victim to this myself) where you are frantically running around trying to
find the best location to start shooting.
All you need to do is just spend about 20 minutes to half an hour a day or two before you plan on shooting
the sunrise, have a look around the location so that you can get a good idea of the prime spots to
photograph which will save you the pain of missing that ideal photo.
Enjoy Yourself:
You may be a professional
photographer, or someone working
their way up to that level, or maybe
even just a hobbyist photographer, but
no matter what level you’re at or what
kind of photography you are doing I
truly believe that the most important
thing is that you enjoy yourself because
at the end of the day that is most likely
one of the reasons you took up
photography in the first place.
So make sure to plan your shoot in advance, know the location you’ll be shooting and ENJOY IT!
Page 128 of 133

4 Practice Techniques to Develop Photographic Observation

The greatest skill of a talented photographer is not how
accurate he or she can be with exposure; it’s not being
spot on with all of the tech details, or putting out
thousands of images a week.
The greatest skill any photographer can hope to possess

is that of observation.
Observation will define your work. It will give life and

breathe to the stories you capture and the beauty you
create. Observation will be the difference between an
average photo and a captivating photo; between an
image that is a visual picture, and one that speaks to its
audience in the most audible ways.
Developing observation – specifically in your

photography – takes deliberate and practical efforts. It
takes time and effort, and an unwillingness to take what
is at face value.
Practice with some of the following techniques, adapted

specifically for photographers:
1. Analyze
Take one inanimate object and place in on a table in front of you. Look at it for five minutes and take note
of everything You notice about it. If it is an apple, notice the shape; is it round, is it bumpy, does it have
many grooves? Notice the size; is it large, small, medium – and in comparison to what? Notice texture,
color, shine and polish. Does it look old? Why? Does it look freshly picked? Why? Is it mouthwatering?
Then what makes it so? Ask every question you can about your object until you can think of absolutely
nothing else. What kind of stories were you making up in your head about this object? Why?
2. Exhaust Perspective
Take another inanimate object and set it in a window. Take your camera, and with one lens, take as many
pictures with as many different perspectives and focal distances as you can over 15 minutes. What are you
trying to communicate? What makes different angles express different moods or feelings? Use the light in
as many ways possible. Does the overall look and feeling of your communication change based on the way
you use your techniques and combine your options? This stretching exercise will challenge your capacity
and cause you to begin looking outside your box for perspectives you have never seen before.
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3. Evaluate your Locations
When you go on a shoot, take a few minutes prior to evaluate the location. Ask yourself which location
communicates different feelings and emotions. Then, ask yourself why. Is the lighting streaming through
the trees above, creating soft and diffused sun rays that give warmth and drama. Is the placement of the
flowers asymmetrical, creating a feeling of artistic dynamic? Don’t take anything you see at face value.
4. Take pictures in Your Mind
The first few months of dedicating photography often cause individuals to “see” frames everywhere – even
when there is no camera in hand. This joy and wonder in photography causes a heightened sense of
observation. Force yourself to create images in your mind before they happen; notice the pieces of images
all around you and develop your mental sharpness for visual elements.
The skills of observation will enable you to combine all elements that are at your disposal, and arrange
them to reinforce the storytelling strength of your image. And that is a powerful thing.
About the Photo Above: I noticed this young married Indian girl walking in the middle of the others. She
looked up at me with a shy wonder, and her eyes were filled with expectation. As she walked, I noticed that
she didn’t assert herself as many of the others did. She rather hung back. The rough texture of her skin, the
cut on her lip, the dirtiness of her hair all spoke to me – that her life had not been easy. And yet her eyes
spoke something else entirely. Her eyes spoke with a soft and quiet confidence, almost as though she didn’t
have to have the easiest life to know that she was beautiful. When I asked if I could take her picture, I
discovered my intuitions were correct. For a brief moment she didn’t meet my eyes, but when she looked
up, she nodded a permission and met the gaze of the camera unflinchingly.
Page 130 of 133

Winter Photography Projects

With the shorter days and colder weather (well, for me here in the States, at least), it’s getting harder to
get outside for the beautiful landscape and urban shots. I’m the type of person that always likes to have a
new project (or two) to work on, so here’s some things I plan on working on – maybe it will spark some
ideas for you!
1. Food Photography
I love to cook, and I’m always sharing new recipes with family
and friends, and it’s nice to have a photo to go along with them,
but I have a bit to learn when it comes to making my food look
as good in photos as it tastes. Now is the perfect time to start
learning, though! Not only am I stuck indoors more, but I also
make a lot of warm, hearty dinners in the winter that should
hopefully make for some good subjects – including holiday
dinners, of course! To get me started, a quick search of DPS has
shown me an introduction to food photography, some food
photography tutorial videos, and food photography techniques
and tips.
2. Light Painting
Light painting is something that I’ve played with in the past, and it’s one of those things that seems to be a
popular phase that a lot of photographers go through, but I’ve recently got re-inspired to play around
some more after a series of posts on DIYPhotography.net on light painting, tools used in light painting, and
how to create an orb. And, of course, by the recently posted 25 spectacular light painting images here on
DPS.
3. Fun with holiday decorations

Is it sad that it’s not family, friends, or friendly neighborhood
competitions that get me excited about decorating for the
Holidays? It’s getting fun photos! There are just so many great
decorations up around town and in houses that it’s hard to
resist. I don’t put up many decorations myself, so I’m sure to
take my camera wherever I go this holiday season. For instance,
this cute snowman is sitting in front of my parent’s Christmas
tree.
4. Learning to use lighting
I don’t have an off-camera flash. To be honest, I’m a bit intimidated trying to figure out what I should look
for in a flash and how I would use it once I got it (or them). So I plan on taking some time this winter and
reading through Strobist’s Lighting 101. Will some of it be over my head? Definitely. Will it make me wish I
had an off-camera flash? Well, I already do, but it will probably make me want one more. Will it help me
make an educated purchase of what lighting equipment I actually need? I sure hope so!
Page 131 of 133
5. Snow photos
I’m really excited about this one – and I hate the snow!
Once again, I’m starting to appreciate things more now
that I have a camera to photograph them with. Last
winter I had my DSLR for less than a year, and was
unsure of myself in many areas of photography – snow
being one of those. I found it’s really hard to get a good
photo with snow it. For one, there are footprints in the
snow, or dirt in the snow, or various other things that
change the snow from soft and beautiful to dirty and
gross. Even a bigger issue, though, is that exposing
snow can be a difficult thing and I would end up with
half my snow photos being a dull gray and the other half being bright white. I was able to get a few photos
that I was semi-happy with (like the one you see here), but I’m looking forward to taking the things I’ve
read online, and the things I’ve learned with another year of experience under my belt to really start
getting some good snow photos. Let it snow! I’m ready!
6. Looking through old photos
If you’re staying inside trying to keep warm, it’s a perfect time to start looking through some of your old
photos. There are a few reasons why I like to do this. When I first transfer a big batch of photos from my
memory card to my computer, I’m often overwhelmed by them all and pick out just a few to edit and post
online – there might be some other gems in there just waiting to be discovered and edited. Another reason
I like to look through them is because I’d like to think that I’m constantly learning and improving, so maybe
there’s some photo out there that I could edit better this time around. Finally, looking through my photos
often gives me inspiration and new ideas – I can try redoing an old photo that didn’t come out exactly how
I wanted it to, for example.
End of Part Two
Page 132 of 133

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5. Make silhouetted shapes distinct and uncluttered ............................................................................................ 22

4. Leading Lines ....................................................................................................................................................... 45

Listen to others… but not too much ....................................................................................................................... 78

6 Tips for Perfect Composition in Portrait Photography ....................................................................................... 98

4. Coordinate the Elements for Composition ....................................................................................................... 115

4. Learning to use lighting ..................................................................................................................................... 131

Be Personal - Stand Out from the Crowd as a Photographer

The answer is fairly simple really.

Ask yourself these questions, and answer honestly:

Photography See Abstractly

Learn to See Abstractly

To learn to “see creatively” we should approach the

Look for suggestive forms, shapes, and lines for

The above view of the Gateway Arch was

It takes a focused effort and intentional

A DSLR’s LCD display is helpful. Use the

Getting Started in Food Photography

It’s important to understand that all specialties of

1. Understand how food works.

It helps to be a foodie. First, it just makes life easier to

2. Understand how light and composition work.

4. Understand what creates an emotional response in your audience.

5 Keys to Taking Beautiful Maternity Portraits

Here are a few keys to taking beautiful maternity portraits:

This leads me to my second point…

Crop and Chop

How to Shoot in Direct Sunlight

So what’s a photographer to do?

1. Move into the shade

With some subjects you’ll be able to move them (and

2. Make your own shade

If your subject is not movable (for example if you’re shooting

3. Use Fill in Flash

5. Change Your Perspective

6. Use a Lens Hood

8. Play with White Balance Settings

10. Pick the Time of Day to Shoot

11. Shoot Silhouettes

How to Photograph Silhouettes in 8 Easy Steps

Silhouettes are a wonderful way to convey drama,

Here’s how to do it:

1. Choose a Strong Subject

2. Turn off your Flash

If you have your camera in automatic mode your camera

3. Get Your Light Right

When it comes to lighting your subject you’ll need to throw

4. Frame your image

Frame your shot so you are shooting with your subject in

5. Make silhouetted shapes distinct and uncluttered

If this technique doesn’t work and your camera has

A simple way to start using manual mode is to look at

How to Photograph Industrial Deserts

The most industrial landscapes are not designed to be

First of all, you need to know where you can find

‘You’re not allowed to photograph this building’

There are a quadrillion ways to gain confidence in your

1. Keep a Notebook . . . or don’t

 Especially in the beginning, I recommend creating a