Eyes, where is your subject looking?

The direction of your subject’s eyes are looking in can impact an amazing impact on your photograph. Most portraits have the subject looking directly at the camera. This gives you a sense that they are connecting with the viewer which is great, But if you want to create something unique and different try this. Have your subject look at something outside the view of the camera. There is something intriguing in this pose. The viewer wonders what they are looking at. Now if you add some kind emotion: laughter or surprise or a pensive look the photograph becomes even more interesting. Another technique would be to have them look within the frame. This works very well with two or more people. Have them look at each other. Frequently this results in laughter or a kiss or something completely unexpected. Be ready to capture what ever happens after they look at each other too. Keep shooting.

High ISO for photography

For those of you that are following this blog and trying out manual you may be afraid to up the ISO on your photos? I routinely shoot high ISO for many shoots, especially in the evening. Now, when shooting weddings and families I try to keep the ISO no higher than 800. If I need go higher for these circumstances I use flash. But if at all possible I like natural light. If there's noise, I live with it. It adds warmth and a mild texture. Or I can process in photoshop and take out the noise. This will leave a softer image but again many times when the light is low you are looking for a dreamy image anyway. Better to capture the moment that will never pass our way again. Experiment.

Using window light for photography

When I think of window light I think of Verneer. This luscious light was the first light source most photographers used when creating their indoor portraits. It was free, easy to use, and in most cases a nice soft pleasing light source.With just one window, you can create a series of different portraits that are quick, unique and easy. I like to use a reflector along with the window light; this makes it easy to lighten up the shadows and get some big catch lights in the eyes. When using a window as your main light source I typically have my subject at a 45 degree angle while I stand parallel to the window. I will then bring in one of my large reflectors on the opposite of the window to lighten up the shadow side of the face caused by the window light. This will give that nice soft lighting transition from the high light to the shadow side of my subject. The window was facing South, so the window light coming through was rather harsh to what I would normally use. An easy fix for this was to pin up a white thin bed sheet I brought for just this problem. The bed sheet softened the light but it also reduced the “amount” of light coming through the window so I had to tripod my camera as the shutter speed was to slow to handhold. With weddings when I am at the brides home I like to use the same window light setup if I can to create some beautiful bridal portraits. I will normally just use the walls of the homes as the background and the furniture that is in the room as my props. I use window light to photograph my brides, babies, business portraits, food, products, families and on and on. Remember to always look at your surroundings on the opposite of your subject (the opposite side of the window), and make sure there is enough light for your exposure.

White balance and photography

This is one of the most important and underused settings on modern cameras. Here is what is happening: the human eye automatically compensates for different kinds of lighting; white looks white to us in almost any lighting. A digital camera compensates for this by shifting the colors certain ways. For example, under tungsten (incandescent) lighting, it will shift the colors towards blue to compensate for the redness of this lighting. Learn how to set it, and what the various settings mean. If you are not under artificial light, the "Shade" (or "Cloudy") setting is a good bet in most circumstances; it makes for very warm-looking colors. If it comes out too red, it's very easy to correct it in software later on. "Auto", the default for most cameras, sometimes does a good job, but also sometimes results in colors which are a little too cold.

Inclement Weather photography

We always think that we want a clear bright day for photography. Well, maybe not. Whenever I see an overcast day for photography I smile. The sky is like a great big soft box making all the light even and beautiful. There are no nasty shadows or bright spots. Everything has great lighting. You may need to add some flash to give the photo some pop but this is not necessary. But still remember the sun is up there somewhere. Pay attention so your subject has the filtered sunlight on them. That means the sun is at your back. Now how about rain? Some of the most amazing photos are taken in between rain drops when the street or grass is full of reflection. This can be particularly lovely at night with some city lights reflecting on a shiny street. Endless possibilities for creativity.

Taking Group photos

"Ducks in a row" You have probably seen a million of this type of photo. Everyone is lined up. While this may be cute if you can find ducks doing this, for people this gets pretty boring. Here are some suggestions. Look for a prop: sofa, chairs, swing, tree, car. Basically you want something to arrange your group around or to break up the monotony. Have the people strike different poses: some standing, some sitting, have bodies turning in different directions, some leaning or holding on to something Try to create two or three different mini groups within the big group, triangles work well, and some can be by themselves. Use a plain background that doesn't distract from the group. Even a forest in the background will appear plain, a brick wall. I always like to end a group session by asking people to cheer or act goofy in some way. Make sure you can see everyones face. Have people move around so you can see all faces. If you are using flash make sure the range of your flash is correct to light everyone. If it is a really big group it can be too time consuming to do get too creative but consider having the people in the front row doing the above and people behind can be lined up.

Using Fill Flash for daytime photography

In many circumstances you can use your flash in the day time. Let's say you taking a photograph of someone sitting on a dock with the sun behind them. You either have the water well lit and the person dark or the person well lit and the water blown out. What to do? Turn on your flash. If you are shooting in manual, I hope, make your setting correct for the water and then turn on the flash. Voila the person is lit and the water is also beautiful. This can create some dramatic effects as well. This can also help with photos of people in dappled light, for instance under a tree. I prefer to have them move to a shaded spot but if you have no choice turn on your flash and that will help fill in the dark areas. Play with it.

Inspiration for photography

Look everywhere for inspiration: online, and in books and magazines. But not passively. Look at different styles. Look at where the light is coming from. Look at the technical elements of pictures and think about how they were made, and what the photographer is trying to say. Work out what you like or don’t like about them. The more you take in, the more ideas you’ll have when creating your own work. Remember photography is light.

How to hold your camera

Sounds pretty elementary but holding your camera correctly can help you get better photos. You might not know it, but there is a right way and a wrong way to hold a DSLR camera. The correct way is to support the lens by cupping your hand underneath it. This is usually done with the left hand, with your right hand gripping the body of the camera. This helps to prevent camera shake. If you are gripping your camera with your hands on either side of the camera body, there is nothing supporting the lens, and you might end up with blurry photos. To get an even stabler stance, tuck your elbows into the side of your body. It you have a small point and shoot or are using your phone the trick is to be very still. Try holding your breath when you touch the trigger. Always take more then one.