Tag Archives: photo tips

Photo Tips: The Eyes Have It

I took more than 500 pictures during our recent trip to Hawaii and as I went through them the other day I noticed an interesting (translation: distracting) trend among them. In many of the shots my 3-year-old daughter is looking everywhere BUT the camera. And it’s not just in the photos I snapped—she’s looking away from the camera at nearly every attraction we visited. Luckily, I am a snap happy parent who takes more than one shot of each pose so I walked away with some real winners, but the trend did get me thinking about a photo subject’s way … Continue reading →

Preparing for Holiday Photo Shoots

I know. I know. Some of you haven’t even looked through the photos you shot at Christmas, and Easter is less than two weeks away. Time waits for no man and that goes double for overworked parents who desperately need to find room on their camera’s memory card to accommodate Easter shots. So what if your tulips are buried under six inches of snow. Spring like temperatures may not arrive in time for your holiday get together, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get your camera out and document your annual family gathering. Here are some tips to help get … Continue reading →

How To Spice Up Family Photos

Believe it or not I just received a Valentine’s Day card in the mail. It’s shocking; not because it’s March, but because technically it’s a Christmas card. My friend’s belated holiday greeting went from being a Christmas card to a New Year’s newsletter to a Valentine’s Day wish and ended up being a combination of all three. Regardless of when it arrived it was a nice surprise and worth mentioning in this blog because of the unique family photo that was enclosed in the card. Forget about posing for the traditional family portrait with the entire clan standing in front … Continue reading →

More Tips to Keep Your Camera Safe at the Beach

In a previous blog I listed some tips to consider before taking your camera to the beach. The sand, saltwater and wind combine to make beach days memorable, but they can also wreck havoc on your expensive pieces of photo equipment. Luckily, there are ways you can safeguard your camera from the elements. Take a look: Filters. Invest in a protective filter for your camera. If you have a SLR use a UV filter. By doing so you get the optical benefits plus an added layer of protection for your lens. After all, there is nothing more disheartening than discovering … Continue reading →

Tips to Consider When Taking Group Shots

One of my main goals in taking my recent trip to Hawaii (other than spending as much time as possible with my ailing grandmother) was to get as many group shots of various family members as possible. Obviously, taking group shots is a bit more challenging than taking a photo of a single subject. Timing is critical given that you are trying to coordinate and manage multiple individuals, along with lighting and background interference. Still, there are ways to capture frameworthy shots of your favorite people gathered together at the same place at the same time. Here are some tips … Continue reading →

Tips for Shooting Camera Shy People

If you are trying to capture a prize-winning shot of family and friends then you know how important it is to have your subjects as relaxed as possible. Have you ever noticed how a group of chatting and smiling family members freeze up when a camera is aimed at them? (Happens to me every time I point my camera at my mom.) And who wants a shot of sullen looking statues? Finding ways to relax camera shy individuals will go a long way to insure you get the shot you are looking for. How to get a shy person to … Continue reading →

Photography Month in Review—-February

What a month it has been. I spent the majority of February in Hawaii visiting with my ailing grandma. Naturally, I brought my camera along. Only I didn’t bring my computer, which made it hard for me to write as many blogs I am normally do. So what would be the Photography Week in Review is now (just for this entry) the Photography Month in Review. If you missed any of the exciting items covered this month now is your chance to get caught up. Photo Challenges. Can you recall your most challenging photo shoot? One of my most memorable … Continue reading →

Kids and Cameras—When Saying “Cheese” Just Doesn’t Cut It

Getting my 3-year-old to smile for the camera is relatively easy once I utter her three favorite words: “Okay, last one.” Children and picture taking (or more specifically, how to get your children to smile on cue) was the topic of conversation at a recent playgroup I attended. One of the mom’s in our group was complaining about her digital camera’s “shutter lag” (that aggravating delay between the moment you press the button and the time the picture’s actually taken) and how frustrating it was to get her 3-year-old and 20-month-old to smile long enough to document their angelic grins. … Continue reading →

More Tips for Winter Photo Shoots

If you live anywhere near the Upper Midwest portion of the United States then I’m sure you would agree that Old Man Winter has hung around long enough. During the last four months we have been hammered with snowstorm after snowstorm; endured brutal wind chills and chipped off more layers of ice than most Alaskans do in a lifetime. Still, there are times when I have peered out my bedroom window and wished I was hearty enough to brave the elements in order to capture some frameworthy winter scenes. Alas, I have not made good on my New Year’s resolution … Continue reading →

Photo Challenges

“Mommy take my picture with Sue.” It was a request made by my then 2-year-old daughter while we were visiting Sue the T. Rex at Chicago’s Field Museum a while back. She knows I am an avid photographer so asking for a picture with the colossal fossil was seemingly a no-brainer. Of course, getting the massive meat-eating monster in the same frame as my tiny tot proved to be a challenge larger than the bony creature itself. Sue measures forty-one feet long from nose to tail, and twelve feet tall at the hips. Try getting that in a shot without … Continue reading →