Friday Photo Tips

I have lots of moms (and a few dads) asking about photo tips. I am thinking of putting a class together, but until then, I thought I would use the blog to pass around some tips to help you when photographing your kids. I am going to "try" and do this every friday.

This weeks tip is about selecting the best area to photograph your child outdoors. The very best spot to photograph anyone would be in open shade, or on a nice overcast day. Since we don't get many overcast days here in west Texas, it is better to look for open shade. You don't want a dense dark shade, and you don't want it spotty. Look at the ground underneath whatever your source of shade is, if there are sun spots, this is not the place to be. Those same spots will also be all over your child's face.
Also, the sun is at it's most "friendly" in the mornings before it is high in the sky, usually before 10a, and again in the evenings when it is low in the sky. The "sweetest" light happens just after sunrise and just before sunset, but those times have a short window.
Anytime the sun is high overhead it is very harsh and can be difficult to work with.

Where ever you are, look at the light on your child's face and position them so the have even lighting on their face, but so that they are not squinting in the sunlight. Move around outside with your kids, watch how the light changes and falls on them, mostly their face, you will start to see the differences quickly.

These two things will help your camera achieve better focus, and exposure - and will eliminate the need of your on camera flash, which can make your images look bad.

Always be sure to focus on the face. Pick the eye closest to the camera when you can. Eyes are what you want in focus above everything else.

Next week, selecting the best spot indoors...

If you have questions you would like answered, send them to me (contact info at the top right of the blog) or post them here, I will answer them here on the blog on Friday's when I can.