Photo Tip #4

Carry a Camera Often & More Than One Image Makes a Story

The other day while waiting for a client to change I sat with their kids while they ate dinner. The kids were so relaxed and happy at the dinner table. I couldn't resist taking their photos as they ate and competed for my attention. Photos (especially of kids) don't have to have a theme or be greatly thought out. A lot of times; kids are best photographed as they are: crumbs and all. So have a camera nearby and ready to shoot. The moments are fleeting.

Also, think about combining multiple images to make a fuller statement about your kids. We often suggest this to our clients and I shoot with this idea in mind. A single image is strong but it doesn't capture the whole person. Displaying many images together adds layers and depth.

Go have fun!

Photo Tip #3

Here's a tip that even the pros have to remember sometimes. As a photographer you are responsible for everthing in the image. That makes the background as important as the foreground.

Below is a shot from a Georgia photographer whom I am tutoring this summer. She is just getting started in still photography. Here is one of her first shots.

Try this: put your hand over the brick wall and see what jumps out at you. Then take the hand away and see what jumps out at you this time. I know it is somewhat trendy to use brick walls but sometimes a brick wall is just a brick wall. And that means that sometimes a brickwall gets in the way of a good image.

Tip #2  Shoot for Emotion

Sounds easy, but not a lot of people do it correctly or do it at all. Many people shoot for the moments, actions or the circumstances but what really make a photo work is when you photograph the emotions. Think of it as the rising and falling lines on a heart monitor. Emotions rise and fall with the blink of an eye. The next time you are with your family or friends, sit quietly and watch their emotions, facial expressions and especially watch their eyes. After a while you will see everything you are looking for just by watching their eyes. This even works when the person you are watching is very quiet. Try sitting across from someone about a foot or two apart and just watch their eyes. Pretty soon you will begin to see the rises and falls inside of them through the window of their eyes.

I build all my photography around this priniciple. I have learned to feel the emotion rise and fall at sport events and know by the rise and fall when it is worth shooting and when the emotion is at a low and know the shots won't be there.

You can see it in nature often when you take a walk through the woods. You can even see the emotion in still lifes. In these instances the emotion is within your self. Keep looking at the tree or the statue and eventually as you move around and find other vantage points, you will hear a voice in your head that says, "That's it, Shoot Now!" What you're hearing is your own emotion peaking inside you.

A college photojournalism professor once told me to "just shut up and shoot". I think she was really saying, "Just shut up, look, listen, feel the moment and shoot."

Today instead of looking at my photos, let's take a look at some of Patty Reksten's images along with the staff at the Oregonian Newspaper. I think you'll love her work. (here is a link to some of her images.)

Spring Break in Moab

[Starting today I will be posting photography tips. Below are two photos to illustrate this week's tip. You can check back with the blog every other week for tips on how to make your photos look better]

Photo Tip #1: Have the end Photo in Mind before hitting the shutter. One of the best approaches to good photography is to know what you what your final print to look like. With that in mind; turn off the auto mode and try shooting in manual so you can expose for the areas of the photo most important. I like exposing for the highlights and letting the shadows fall off to create a more dramatic effect. like in this color image. In the black and white image I went for  more even exposure so the sky and shadows would remain. I then manipulated the image in post production to lighten the dark areas even more and darken the sky a little bit. Know your camera's limitations and yours as well and then try shooting on a manual setting.

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP TO: Like most of Bozeman; we headed for warmer days last week for Spring Break. We drove with two other families to the Moab area. We ran into one neighbor after another there who had the same idea to take the quickest route to be rid of snow and cold.

So, we are trying to get back into the grind this week.