Category Archives: 30 days of photo tips

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 30

DAY #30!

TIP #30: Make memories, don’t just photograph them.

I know we all want to capture amazing pictures of our kids as they throw a snowball, or as they eat their first birthday cake, or while they learn to ride their bike. But be sure to be present when making memories with your family. Capture some moments with your camera and then put your camera down and be a part of the memory. Don’t allow your part of the experience to always be only behind the camera. Get down on the floor and play. Go throw a snowball. Take a few pictures here and there, but you want your kids to remember that you were part of the experience as well, right? Not that you were just there to document it. So be in it.

In order to be a part of the experience you have to know your camera so you can be quick and move fast. So practice, practice, practice. Maybe even practice now and then when your kids aren’t there. Practice without wiggly little people. Learn how to use your manual settings well so you have control over lighting. Be content with shots of candid moments rather than making your kids constantly stop what they’re doing to look at you and say “cheese”.

Here are a few shots from a special ice cream shop on our recent vacation.

My manual settings for all three images:
ISO 1250, aperture F 3.2, shutter 1/200 second30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 3030 Days of Photography Tips… Day 3030 Days of Photography Tips… Day 30

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 29

DAY #29!

TIP #29: Use natural lines to draw the eye toward your subject.

Look at the lines in the world around you and use them in your images. Use lines to draw the eye in toward your subject. You achieve this by positioning yourself and your subject so that the lines lead toward them when you’re looking through your camera.

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 29

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 29

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 29

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 29

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 28

DAY #28!

TIP #28: Step outside your comfort zone and pull the trigger (shutter).

What’s your comfort zone? Is it your own family? It is still objects? Is it newborns? Is it posed, cheese pictures? Is it kids who are old enough to listen and do? Want to know my comfort zone? Ok… well… I’m comfortable in my normal of newborns, young children both posed and playful, young families posed, young families jovial and natural… hmmm… Documenting life? Love it but not super comfortable. Capturing God’s creation without people? Without emotion? WHY? I love emotion! I love people! Hmmm…a picture that is without a person? Why?

I guess people, connections and emotions…that might be my happy, my comfortable. So, this past week I tried to step out of that.

And here are the results…30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 28This week… if you’d like to…. try something new, something different, try stepping outside that comfort zone of yours and see what you come up with. Who knows… it just might be fabulous. :)

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 27

DAY #27!

TIP #27: Tell a story with your images.

At times…allow your images to tell a story. No “cheese” or look at the camera necessary. Just let life unfold and document it as it does. These are some of the story telling images from around my home…

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 27

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 2730 Days of Photography Tips… Day 2730 Days of Photography Tips… Day 2730 Days of Photography Tips… Day 2730 Days of Photography Tips… Day 2730 Days of Photography Tips… Day 2730 Days of Photography Tips… Day 27

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 26

DAY #26!

TIP #26: Try backlight – shoot into the sun. But use something to diffuse the light a bit so it’s not so harsh.

I love beautiful light. Beautiful sunlight is the best… so amazing. I often like to use the sun as a backlight, lighting up the back of my subjects rather than pointing as a spotlight onto the front of them. But the sunlight can be so harsh at times. So try using something to block or diffuse the sunlight a bit, to soften it. Otherwise you will either get an image that is completely blown out and overexposed, or way too hazy, or have too much lens flare in it. Look at some of these images below for some practical examples.

In this first image below I am using the mom and part of the tree to block the strongest part of the sun and to soften or diffuse the sunlight.
My manual settings were:  500, F 4, 1/160

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 26

In this image of the two little girls below the sunlight is in the top left corner of the frame but not fully coming through, just enough. And it is being diffused by some tree branches.

My manual settings: 200, F 4, 1/16030 Days of Photography Tips… Day 26

In this image below of the boy on his own the sun is not really directly in the frame at all but just a tiny bit. There is a tree behind him near the strongest point of the sun that is helping me and my camera angle keeps the lighting quite soft.

My manual settings: 250, F 3.5, 1/250

30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 26

This image of the two boys and the bridge below has the sun coming through but quite soft because there are so many trees and branches in it’s way. This light is very diffused and can’t be too strong or direct.

My manual settings: 640, F 4, 1/250 30 Days of Photography Tips… Day 26