Summer is a busy time of the year for shutterbugs. Between graduations, Father’s Day, weddings and vacations, snap happy photographers give their cameras quite a workout.
If you are planning to document your family’s adventures in the sun with a digital or traditional film camera, consider the following tips to ensure that your shots are frame worthy:
BACKDROP
The beach makes for a dramatic backdrop, especially when it’s filled with people. However, all that activity can also be distracting. If you are taking a photo of your son digging in the sand, be sure you keep your focus on him and not on the dozens of sunbathers in the background. To avoid capturing unwanted background activity, have your subject fill the entire frame. If possible, do this by moving closer to the subject rather than relying on your camera’s zoom.
LIGHTING
When shooting at the beach, the sun can be your best friend or your biggest enemy. After all, we all know what happens when you try to take a child’s portrait in the sand at high noon—-squirt, squirm and frown! To avoid unflattering shots of subject’s with barely there eyes, move him into the shade (under a tree or under a beach umbrella), or simply wait for a cloud to obscure the sun. Another tip: Turn your subject so that the sun is behind him or her, and use fill flash to light his//her face.
ANGLES
Experiment with different angles. Instead of shooting directly in front of a subject, move slightly to the left or right before snapping the shot. If you are taking photos of children, get down to their eye level to add a new perspective. Also, consider posing your subjects at unique angles so that you can capture a sunset or part of the water in the same shot.
Related Articles:
Basic Photo Tips for Digital Camera Owners
Getting Rid of Red-Eye and Saying Bye-Bye to Blurry Shots
Telling A Story With Your Shots
Snapping Frameworthy Shots Of Your Kids
More Common Sense Tips To Capturing A Frame-Worthy Picture
Common Sense Tips To Capturing Frame-Worthy Pictures
Cameras: Knowing When To Upgrade
Digital Photography 101: Getting To Know Your Camera
Getting Digital Pictures To Friends And Family FAST!