You might be bad at keeping a journal but you can be terrific at taking pictures.
Light
Take advantage of natural light
- Put people next to a big window or take them outside so you don’t have to deal with inadequate or bad lighting.
Know your flash range
- In dark or overly sunny situations your flash will typically go 10 feet. If your camera provides this option, bounce a flash off the ceiling or walls for better effect.
Use your flash in sunlight
- When the sun is shining it can create harsh shadows on the face—combat that by forcing your camera’s flash to balance that light.
Find some shade
- When it’s sunny look for shade. It will get rid of unwanted shadows. Overcast days are great too. Likewise sunset or sunrise will get light on the face instead of hair.
Composition
On the level
- Form a personal connection with your model by getting on eye level. You’ll find this particularly useful with pint sized subjects such as kids and pets.
Keep it simple
- Clean lines work best. Take everything out of the picture that doesn’t add.
Use the 1/3 rule
- Symmetry isn’t always best. Many things look better when the focus or heaviest objects fall at 1/3s.
Working With Models
Have fun
- Many have a hard time smiling at the camera. Give them something to do and turn your camera to sports mode.
Give them a cue
- Sometimes it’s hard to come up with the right expression. Make it easier for your model by telling them to act something out. For example, tell them to imagine they just won an all-expense trip to around the world! If they’re smiles are fading tell them to do a similar expression like pretending to laugh. If that fails, opposites might work, ask them to frown or be angry and sometimes they’ll break into giggles.
In General
Take A LOT of pictures
- Take your camera everywhere and take a ton of picture. Then go home and erase the bad ones and organize. Keep a few really bad ones around for laughs. If you think every picture is bad keep one from the shoot. Sometimes you’ll go back years later and think, ” I looked great!”
Capture the moment
- Take pictures of the still life’s that capture the moment not just the people and faces.
Use your pictures
- Join www.flickr.com, make a blog, post them on Facebook, print them or give them as gifts.
Guidelines at church
Temple
While taking pictures inside is a cardinal no-no, some temples allow you to shoot in certain directions in the foyer. Make sure to check with the front desk before shooting. This is especially useful for when it’s cold outside.
- If your bride is uncomfortable with the cold, ask the temple workers if they have a white cloak.
- If you plan on attending the inside ceremony ask attendees for a place to stash your camera equipment. You are not allowed to take it with you. They will likely give you a number to retrieve it.
Church
Pictures are allowed within the gymnasium but not in the main sacrament meeting hall or at any religious meetings such as sacrament or a baptism.
