Photography Tips

So I got an interesting tag to give some tips on something we like to do or are good at. At first I thought I was being tagged to share some fashion tips which made me laugh out loud (you'd have to read her blog to see why I thought that). So I thought of one. . . .jeans, t-shirt, and flip-flops (and a hoodie in the winter). What more do you need?

Anyway. Some photography tips.

1. Get CLOSER. Zoom in. Get in closer to any subject your photographing and it almost always looks better.

2. Get good equipment (if you're planning to do anything more than just snapshots). Good lenses (or "glass" as they call it in the photography world) DOES make a HUGE difference. I have two "tack sharp" lenses that are phenomenal (and very pricey!)

3. Adobe Photoshop Elements is a great photo editing software program. Of course Photoshop CS3 is better, but don't get that unless you're planning on doing professional photography. You can do TONS of stuff in Elements. It's a great program.

4. Use a tripod for "sharper" photos. Tripods are rarely practical for me, so I cheat and use a monopod. It's a lot more maneuverable.

5. If you have Elements (or any Adobe editing software) get books by Scott Kelby. He is the Adobe "god". You can go to kelbytraining.com for more info on him. You can also do a ton of online tutorials there.

6. Find good "light". Early morning and late afternoon provide the most flattering light. If it's mid-day and there's "harsh" light, find a shady spot. Cloudy days are GREAT days for portrait pictures outside.

7. When focusing, ALWAYS focus on a persons face, and more particularly their eyes. Photos of people always look better if their eyes are sharp and in focus. Sounds obvious, but most people just point the camera somewhere at the person and it doesn't always focus on the face.

8. If you're in a situation where you have to use flash (the built in flash creates really bad, flat, unflattering light) get a screen for your flash (if you have a better SLR camera--not a point and shoot). You can get them for around $10.

9. When printing pictures. . .if you want good prints, you have to pay for good prints. Costco has great prices, but you won't get the best prints there. I've recently discovered a new photo store that I LOVE and has great prices. . . .it's called Pixels and it is on 90th S. and State Street in that new strip mall by Sizzler. The owner (Ray) is awesome and they have the best prices around.

10. Learn how to use the Manual settings on your camera. It can be intimidating at first, but it really isn't that hard and allows a LOT more control and much better pictures. Manual mode is an absolute MUST when shooting action shots. The little running man on the camera doesn't allow much control on where the camera focus's and often results in the person being out of focus. You have to use manual settings, generally with a shutter speed over 600 and choose your focus point so their face is in focus.

Phew. That should be good for now.

Stay tuned for my photo blog. . .coming soon!!! I'm excited.

Oh, and if you want REAL fashion tips, check out Brittany and Craigs blog (link on the left). . .she'll give you the run down. Brit--you will NEVER catch me in heels. I don't care how flattering they are. :) And I often wear athletic shoes with levis. . .can we still be friends? :)