Guest blog by Susan Heaton
No matter what camera you have, there are plenty of ways you can improve your images just by making a few simple adjustments...
Check the light!
There is nothing that can ruin a great shot more than terrible lighting! Look for natural light, where possible and have your subject face towards the light source {whether it is artificial light or natural window light.}
Back lit images can look wonderful and whimsical... but most cameras set to auto will struggle with exposure so best avoided, unless you are confident changing the settings yourself.
When shooting outdoors, head for the shade ~ the light is much more flattering there... no squinting eyes or harsh shadows.
Check that background!
If it is too cluttered or there are trees/sign posts/pilons sticking out of someones head it will distract from the focus of the image. So, find a plain wall, large bush/hedge or field and use that, then position your child so that the light is falling onto their face.
If you can't find a plain background and your camera has the ability to change the settings, you can use a shallow depth of field to blur it out {I like an aperture of around f2}
Get down!
Try to photograph from the level of your subject ~ be it a small child or pet, images will always look better and be far more engaging.
However, as with all rules of thumb, there are always exceptions! A shot from above can also make a great image, as well as being very flattering. Get eye contact and make sure the camera is focussed in on the eyes.
Zoom in!
Close up shots look great on a large canvas hung on the wall. Either, move a little closer or use your cameras zoom, if it has one {some cameras have digital zoom and others have optical ~ digital zoom can sometimes result in poorer quality images when zoomed in too much, so watch out for that}
Have fun!
There is a lot to remember in steps one to four so it is important to keep your little ones occupied until you are completely ready to start photographing!
Find your perfect spot ~ maybe it's underneath a shady tree in the garden or local park. Maybe it is on the carpet beside a lovely big window... and then invite them over to play!
Engage them in a game or song and start to take some shots! I love photos where the child is playing and not even looking at the camera ~ remember, not all photos have to have a smiley face looking right into the lens... which brings me to the last top tip...
Don't forget the details!
The toes dangling down from the high chair, those long eye lashes while they sleep. Tiny fingers flicking through the pages of a book... so many little memories that can fade with time. These look so special when put along side all the milestone photos in your children's photo albums and memory books.
Blog kindly written by Susan, Clear photography - professional, local photographers.
http://www.clearphotography.co.uk/kids-baby-portrait-galleries-edinburgh/
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