January 2016
Smile for the Camera!
It seems that every moment of our lives is captured in a photograph these days. Whether it’s at home, at work, or out socialising . . . nowhere is safe! Moreover, many of these photographs end up being shared on the Internet via different social media networks, causing many of us to squirm with embarrassment when we are faced with our somewhat less flattering side!
But when it is you behind the camera, how do you ensure that you are taking a good photograph? Follow our “Seven Secrets of Success” – hints and tips to try and get the best results!
Take lots of shots! The beauty of digital cameras is that you can snap away to your heart’s content, in the hope that for every ten shots you take, there might be one that’s half decent. It does mean that you have to plough through them afterwards and delete all the ones you don’t want, but that’s much better than pinning your hopes on one vital shot that turns out to be disappointing.
Ensure the light is right. Whether you are shooting by the natural light of day or using bright lights or flash to boost shots at night, the same common sense rules apply. Ensure that the subject is in good light from the front or side, depending on the effect you want. Light behind the subject is usually too glary for your purposes and will leave the subject looking blurry.
Be careful of your background! Whether it’s an overflowing dustbin in the corner, someone picking their nose or scratching their bottom at the side of the shot, or even just a “busy” wallpaper, extraneous items in the shot can totally ruin the effect. Never feel you’re being too fussy about this, even if you have to move the subject to a different place.
Keep an eye on colour! If you are photographing a group of people, try to avoid placing people wearing clashing colours next to each other. Conversely, if there are too many blending colours near each other then you can lose definition between people. Similarly, for a shot of a single person ensure that what they are wearing does not clash or blend too closely with anything nearby.
Keep things in perspective. They say the camera never lies but it all depends on the angle! If you photograph someone’s face too close up or from an unusual angle, it can totally distort the proportions of the face. The same applies to their body shape. Different camera angles can very easily make people look taller or shorter, thinner or fatter. Try to select the right angle and focus to represent the subject in a way that is both realistic and flattering.
The Size is Right! Make sure that the subject of interest takes centre stage in the photograph. If it is a person or group then they need to be in the forefront of the photograph and take up most of the available space. If, however, you are also trying to feature the background, then you could place them artistically at one side of the photograph so that the background can clearly be seen.
No cheese! Interestingly, if you get everyone in the photograph to say “cheese” it looks, um, cheesy! Much better to either let them relax and chat then start snapping away, or to get them all smiling with an in joke or phrase that they will respond naturally to.
So, lots to consider when taking a photograph! It can feel like quite a responsibility if the photograph is for something important. Following the above hints and tips will certainly help … but for a good quality photograph that you will treasure for years to come you may well want to consider a professional photo shoot? That way you can sit back and relax, without having to worry about any of the above concerns, and perhaps even be part of the photograph yourself! For hassle free photoshoots why not buy a photoshoot experience with Venture Studios today!
;
