photo tips

• Explore the light. Learn to read where the light is coming from by looking at shadows - notice if the shadows are hard-edged or soft-edged. A general rule for beautiful images is to plan your photo shoot for early morning or late afternoon light because softer shadows equate to less contrast in your scene and more flattering light for your subject. If you must shoot images at high noon, move your subject under the shade of a tree or building.
  

• Mix it up! Change your angle and distance from your subject when taking the photo. Viewing images taken from the same distance and angle becomes dull and boring. With children, get down on their level and don’t be afraid to zoom in close to capture every detail.
  

• Use the rule of thirds and move your subject over to the side of the frame. Placing people right in the middle of the frame is great for the perfunctory passport and driver’s license photo, but unless other interesting compositional elements are present, it’s not an exciting image. Think of the scene in your viewfinder or on your LCD display as a tic-tac-toe board and mentally divide the image into thirds, and place something of interest at one or more of the intersections.
  

• Keep it real. Don’t force a child to strike a pose or force a smile. A compelling photograph captures an authentic moment, a look, or a gesture that elicits a feeling from the viewer. Motivate kids to move around and photograph them from a variety of angles.Choose a location for your shoot, then encourage play, action, and activity. Be silly and have fun.
  

• Mode Dial - Get creative and choose a customized Mode Dial setting! The Basic Zone Modes (icons) automatically choose the exposure settings for your selected scene. The Creative Zone Modes (P, TV, AV, M) can give you full or partial creative control over your exposure settings.
  

• Daytime is a good time to use your on-camera flash. You can fill in dark shadows across faces created by harsh overhead sun, and illuminate your subject when they’re positioned in front of a bright background.
  

• Get closer than normal by using the macro mode on your camera. The flower icon button activates the macro mode and enables you to focus closer to your subject and capture details in your images that were previously too small or out of focus. Just because macro mode is represented by a flower doesn’t mean that flowers are the only allowable subject. Get creative with a few of the following macro photo ideas:
  

• Flowers and insects
  

• The human eye
  

• Baby’s fingers and toes
  

• Textural detail in fabric, stone or wood
  

• Coins and collectibles
  

The standard image from a digital camera does not fit onto some of our common print sizes without significant modifications.

• “Why are the prints I ordered from my digital camera missing parts of my picture?” “Why are the heads cut off?” “The people on the left and right side of my original picture are missing.”
  

• “When I get the entire digital camera image printed, I have blank white spaces along the print edges and have to trim the prints ... Why?”
  

• “Why are my 4-by-6 or 8-by-10-inch prints cropped?”
  

When camera manufacturers moved from film to digital, they adopted a new standard image size. The dimensions of this new image size are in the ratio of 4:3 and do not fit evenly into many of the conventional size prints … the print areas are either a bit too wide on one side or too long on the other.

This is no different than watching an old movie on your widescreen TV!

You have the black bars at both ends of the widescreen TV when watching an old movie because the movie was formatted for a standard TV. In the normal version, the entire picture area is visible. If we zoom in to fill the entire screen, we lose some of the picture in the vertical direction.

A similar situation exists in photography, but we use different terms.

• Normal (on TV) is called Crop to Fit in photography. This means that 100 percent of your image is on the print, but there may be white space that is not used because the image is a different shape.
  

• Zoom (on TV) is called Crop to Fill in photography and means that your image has been enlarged to fill the entire print, so some of it may be off the edge of the print and not visible – just like zoom mode on TV.
  

tip no. 1

Stay out of the way of the professional photographer.

Chances are the couple getting married has spent lots of money to hire a reputable professional. The photographer has a big job to do and a big responsibility to do it right and get all the important shots – in a limited time. So don’t get in the professional’s way and hamper his or her activities.

For example, if the photographer is taking posed portraits of the bride, the groom, or their family members, don’t try to also take a photo of each pose the photographer sets up. He or she is doing a job. You and your camera will certainly be in the way,even if you try to be unobtrusive. Also, the pro wants to sell a print of each pose to the couple. Chances are, with the equipment he or she is using, the results will be great, and the couple will still buy a photo from the pro even though you took the same shot. But if you offer the same shot free to the couple – based on the pose and lighting the pro set up – the pro could lose a sale. This isn’t fair. It’s his pose. It’s his lighting. It should be his print!

In addition, if you’re taking pictures off to one side of the pro, you’ll distract some members of the wedding party and slow down the whole process. So don’t interfere with the pro’s posed pictures. Don’t worry, there will be lots of other opportunities, many of which the pro probably won’t be able to take.

tip no. 2

If you want to take pictures in the church, sit in an aisle seat.

Most likely, you won’t take many pictures before the ceremony – after all, you’re a guest (or perhaps a member of the wedding party). So you’ll be plenty busy before the ceremony socializing, finding a seat, and waiting for the ceremony to get underway. Let’s assume, however, you have your camera and want to take some pictures during the ceremony. Then take an aisle seat.

Don’t start firing away until you know what is permitted and what is not permitted in that particular house of worship. Some ministers, priests, and rabbis don’t care about cameras and flashes. They expect the pro and the guests to blaze away during the ceremony. Others permit pictures but not flash. Some don’t allow any photos to be taken.

How to know? Watch the pro. The pro will know the rules of the house. If he or she is moving freely about the church and using a flash, then most likely you can take some flash pictures, too. If the pro takes pictures but doesn’t use a flash, you can probably do the same. If other guests start to take pictures as the bride goes down the aisle and the presiding cleric doesn’t say something at the start of the ceremony, then you may as well join in.

Assuming it’s appropriate to take pictures, take a seat along the center aisle. Obviously, if in the middle of a row, most of the pictures taken will show the backs of pews and heads, but not much of the bride and groom. Seated on the aisle, however, a nice tight frame of the couple is possible.

tip no. 3

Actually, this “tip” offers two tips concerning the important shots to take “at the church.” Obviously, these tips are relevant only if you are permitted to use a camera at the church.

Should you try to photograph during the cherished moments of the ceremony, such as the “I do’s,” the exchanging of the rings, the first kiss, the blessing, or (at Jewish weddings) the breaking of the glass? This really depends upon how close you are to the action. A good picture should pretty much fill the frame with the action. If you’re seated way back and not using a telephoto lens, it is likely the bride and groom will be mere specks in the picture. If this is the case, either forego taking any shots during the ceremony (no law says you can’t just sit back and enjoy the moment) or take a shot or two “for memory.” If, on the other hand, it’s a small wedding and you can get close to the action to fill the frame, by all means take the shots!

While you may photograph them coming down the aisle before the ceremony, the best shots will be when the couple comes back up the aisle after the ceremony. Here’s why: First, the bride and the groom traditionally come down the aisle separately before the ceremony. While there’s nothing wrong with taking pictures of them individually as they enter, remember the back of the church will be the background. Second, don’t bother to take pictures after they pass you. You want to capture the expressions on their faces, not the backs of their heads. You definitely want to capture the couple coming up the aisle after the ceremony. You’ll capture their happy expressions. You’ll have the altar as a background. And the “Happy Couple” will undoubtedly look less nervous and more radiant.

tip no. 4

Many of the best pictures taken at weddings are portraits.

In fast-paced society today, there are only a few events causing families to gather together – mainly weddings and funerals. Without discussing funerals, it is safe to assume most weddings are joyous occasions and offer lots of opportunities to take pictures of distant family and friends.

People make the wedding and the party that follows. And when it comes to “people pictures,” there are great opportunities. Earlier it was stated you’d be able to take great photos at the event that the pro won’t; among these opportunities are portraits of friends and family. After all, you know them, you know who's near-and-dear to you, and the pro doesn’t. So here’s your chance to shine. They’re all dressed up and having a good time, and nearly unlimited photo opportunities are available.

Most of these opportunities occur at the reception after the wedding. A few words of advice:

First, if you want to photograph a couple dancing, have them stop and pose for a second.

Second, when photographing a person or small group, give them a moment to get composed.

Third, if photographing a group at a table (more on this below), wait until they finish chewing and take the glasses and cutlery out of their hands; watch out for clutter in the foreground, and use your flash.

Fourth, whenever you photograph two or more people together, try to show a relationship between them. Get them close together. If taking a picture of a parent and child, have one put an arm around the other. Have family members show affection for each other.

Fifth, whenever taking a portrait of a person or group, get up close and fill the frame with your subjects.

tip no. 5

Set up “table shots” the way the pros do.

Our resident wedding photography expert, New York Institute of Photography Dean Chuck DeLaney, author of the comprehensive consumer guide to wedding photography, “Wedding Photography and Video: The Bride and Groom’s Guide” (Allworth Press), points out professional “table shots” – the shots of each tableful of guests seated at the reception meal – are rarely purchased by the “Happy Couple.” In fact, most pros don’t even bother taking those pictures unless the couple specifically requests them.

Here’s another opportunity for you and your camera. Chances are you know some or all of the people with whom you’re seated. So why not take a picture of them? Here’s how to handle it like a pro: Ask about half of the guests seated at the table to leave their seats and stand behind the other half of the guests. In other words, clear one side of the table and have the people from that side stand behind the people on other side, who remain seated. If there are elderly guests at the table, allow them to remain seated and move the younger guests behind them.

By moving half of the people out of their seats, you’ll be able to fill your horizontal frame with two rows of people. But be careful here. Avoid showing the entire table in the foreground – it’s probably a mess! Instead, concentrate on filling the frame of the photo with people, and eliminate the clutter on the table by not showing the tablecloth, dirty dishes, smudged napkins, etc.

tip no. 7

While you may want to capture the “scripted” moments, such as the toasts, the cake cutting, and the bouquet toss, you may be better off turning away from the action and capturing “reaction” shots on the faces of guests.

A wedding reception is a party. There’s lots of food, music, and dancing. Most of the action is hard to photograph, so we have suggested you concentrate on portraits. What about those “scripted” moments like the best man’s toast, the cake cutting, or the bride’s bouquet toss? At these moments, you have two choices: You can, if you like, try to capture them with your camera. But your pictures are likely to be duplicates of what the pro captures. A better idea might be to concentrate on the faces of family members and friends during these important moments. Aim to capture “reaction shots” – that is, candid portrait photos of people feeling strong emotion as they watch their loved ones at this important moment. Again, the pro is not going to get these pictures. He or she is concentrating on the action. Here’s a perfect opportunity for you to capture some great shots the pro can’t get!

If you follow these seven tips, you’ll get great results at the weddings you attend. So bring along your camera ... and enjoy. Prepared by the New York Institute of Photography. For more tips, visit www.nyip.com.

Get up to date

Be honest, how old is your camera? Digital cameras have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. If yours is a little ancient it could be what's holding you back. Today's models have superb picture quality and easy to use features to give your images the edge. You could even cash in at the airport if going overseas by claiming the GST on any camera bought within a month of departure.

Plenty of pictures

Any photographer will tell you, to get great results it helps to take lots of pictures. Packing a spare camera battery and your charger will ensure you've plenty of power. With memory cards it's a case of the more the better. These are now great value so there's no excuse for not having enough.

Get inspired

Take a look at local postcards to give you an idea of where you can find the most interesting photo opportunities and note how professionals have captured local highlights. You don't have to copy what they've done but it will certainly inspire you. The most important thing is to make sure that you or your family or friends are in as many photos as possible, this is what will make your photo book your own unique photobook. You can always buy postcards or printed books if it is just about the view, building, animals etc. Take one of those small travel tripods (available at Fotofast) with your camera self timer you too can be in the photo.

Early start

Get up early on holiday! Don't worry, you don't have to do this everyday, but catching the flattering early morning light will be a great asset to your images. Starting early also means there are fewer people to cause distractions. If you have to work in harsh daylight try putting your subject in the shade, or using fill-in flash to disguise unflattering shadows.

Practical color photography wasn’t available until 1907. Until then, we lived in a black and white photographic world. The use of color in photography changed everything, and while many photographers study composition, posing, gear, and lighting, not enough study color.

Color can accomplish many things in a photograph. It can set a mood, draw attention to a subject, and even convey a story. Knowing that color works in these ways can help photographers plan their shots more effectively.

Start by looking at the natural color palette of the scene. What are the dominant colors? What are the supporting colors? One way to do this is to shut your eyes and squint at the scene so details are minimized and the colors show through.

In your mind’s eye, separate the colors that are dominant. Then think of colors in the scene that may complement the dominant color. Ask yourself what mood you want to set using these colors. For instance, warm colors are often used to convey sensitivity or safety. Cool colors are more “in your face” and more businesslike. Ask yourself which message you want to send, and compose your image with the colors that express the relationships, mood, and impact you want the viewer to see.

One way to improve your photography is through better “composition,” which only means thoughtfully “composing” the image in the viewfinder for the greatest impact.

One way to improve your photography is through better “composition,” which only means thoughtfully “composing” the image in the viewfinder for the greatest impact. After learning a few basic rules, it is easy to do because these rules focus your attention on the subject and its surroundings in the viewfinder. Digital photographers have a distinct advantage of seeing the picture just taken on the LCD monitor of the camera. You can immediately reshoot an improved version of the previous image.

This is not complicated, but it means paying attention to what you are doing. If you read a book on composition, one of the first things covered is the “Rule of Thirds.” This rule suggests the viewfinder image should be divided equally into three imaginary horizontal sections and three imaginary vertical sections. In scenic photos, never have the horizon or the subject directly in the middle of the photo. Rather, two-thirds of the photograph should show the sky (hopefully with some interesting looking clouds) or two-thirds should show the landscape, seascape, or cityscape with one-third (or less) as sky.

Why? Because most scenic pictures with the horizon in the middle are boring. The same rule applies to subject placement in the photo. For example, if you are taking a seascape and place the lighthouse in the middle of the picture, the image is very static and uninteresting. However, if the lighthouse is moved to one of one-third or two-thirds location on the imaginary grid, the overall image becomes more dynamic with greater appeal. The viewer’s eyes will travel back and forth between the open expanse of sea and the lighthouse on one side of the photo. To prove this to yourself, take a look at a book illustrating the works of realistic fine-art painters or a photo annual displaying the work of professional photographers, both of whom regularly employ the Rule of Thirds.

Another composition “rule” is the use of the “S” curve, such as a serpentine road, river, railroad tracks, etc., winding out of the photo into the distance. If available, this visual device will give the photo “depth.” There are other visual devices that create depth. Some visual element (even out of focus) near the camera, along with a sharply focused middle ground and background image, also provides the illusion of depth. For example, in a photo of the Grand Canyon, tree branches in the corner or a silhouette of a hiker standing near the rim make a more interesting photo than the Grand Canyon alone. The branches provide a reference point for the distant scene, and the hiker helps relate the viewer to the size and expanse of the panorama. Remember to keep the Rule of Thirds in mind when it comes to the horizon and placement of the secondary subjects.

Perspective is another composition tool. For example, a line of trees, a line of telephone poles, or a narrowing roadway receding into the distance also indicates depth. If the main subject is in the foreground, be sure there is something in the distance to which the viewer can relate, such as a smaller or less important secondary subject. If the foreground subject is a person, try to include a meaningful object, building, monument, mountain, etc., in the scene to provide additional interest and depth to the image through perspective.

Rules are made to be broken, so don’t worry if you don’t slavishly follow them all the time. But it is important to remember the rules and be very aware of what you are composing in the viewfinder. Too many snapshot shooters pay little attention to what they see or don’t see in the camera viewfinder. For example, if photographing one or more people, make sure tree limbs or traffic signs aren’t growing out of the top of their heads. Usually, the camera can be moved to avoid disturbing background elements. It just takes a moment to notice what you are doing and move your camera position for a better shot.

Outdoors, the same thing can be said about lighting. If a group of people are squinting because of bright overhead sunlight, move them into the shade for a more pleasant portrait. Or ask them to turn around, and place the sun behind them. Then select the “fill flash” or “force flash” setting on the camera for a close-up flash portrait of the group. The flash with sunlight will fill in any shadows on their faces and produce a very nice portrait. (When it comes to composition, I can’t figure out why so many snapshot shooters tend to take full-length pictures of their friends and family. Are their subjects’ shoes that interesting? It’s much better to fill the viewfinder up with just faces. I really think many people are just too shy to get up close to their subjects – and that’s a mistake.)

Concerning portraits, it is probably one place the Rule of Thirds doesn’t necessarily apply all the time. Here, the portrait subject is the center of interest. There are really two kinds of portraits – formal and environmental. Formal portraits are mainly in a controlled situation, frequently with muted or out-of-focus backgrounds, so the subject is the only point of interest. Usually a head-and-shoulders view, the formal portrait is designed to provide an attractive depiction of the subject that can be enjoyed for years to come; therefore, the portrait subject is usually centered in the photograph.

Taking great photos of children – from newborns to teenagers – is easy if you remember a few tricks and keep the subject’s age uppermost in your mind.

In a sense, babies are easy to photograph. They’re too young to be aware of what a photograph is, so they can’t react to the idea of being photographed. Being “camera-shy” comes later. It’s a good idea to avoid using the flash when taking pictures of newborns, since it’s not known how much the bright light might disturb them. Work by available light. Indoors, during the day, have a parent hold the infant near a window without placing the child in direct sunlight, which will be too harsh. Take photos up close of just the cradled infant, and also take some pictures from a greater distance showing the child and the proud parent.

Be very careful with infants. Don’t prop them up or leave them unattended on a table while trying to take a photograph – even for a second. The safety of the young child must always be paramount. Also, be aware a person holding a camera in front of his or her face can frighten a small child. Put the camera down every 30 seconds or so, and talk to the subject to offer reassurance.

When children get a little older and have seen photographs of themselves and others, they start to be a little more self-conscious. Some will become shy of the camera, while others will ham it up and play to the camera. Both reactions make it difficult to get a true portrait of the subject. This is the age when getting good photographs becomes tougher, and for most subjects, that challenge will last through the teenage years when self-consciousness often peaks.

Try to take candid photos of kids when they’re immersed in some activity, so they’re unaware of your presence. Use a fast shutter speed to freeze action, and don’t ask them to pose. It’s possible to interrupt an activity and say, “Look at me for a second,” or “Hey, look this way,” when the child is in the midst of an activity, but don’t ask them, or expect them, to hold a pose.

example no.1

Before and After: These two images were made with a digital point-and-shoot camera. I intentionally included these before and after pictures to prove one doesn’t need to spend thousands of dollars on sophisticated lighting equipment to net a pleasing image. This is a photo of a participant on my nature photo tour to Hunt’s Mesa and Capitol Reef National Park. When I saw how the fall foliage and the red vest blended, I knew there was a photo opportunity, but the light falling on the subject was awful.

Out from my pocket came my little point-and-shoot. I knew I had to use fill flash to counteract the high-contrast light falling on the subject. I set the flash mode to “Forced On” as it otherwise would not fire due to the intensity of the ambient light. I made the image, but the result was still less than ideal. I showed the photo to the “nature-walk class,” and the realization was the flash on the point-and-shoot was not powerful enough to overcome the harsh sun. I then asked for two volunteers to stand to the subject’s right side to cast their shadows across her. This softened the light to the point the flash on my trusty point-and-shoot worked just fine, as evidenced by the result in the “After” photo. Moral: A combination of flash technology along with a bit of ingenuity and two volunteers worked together to provide a nice souvenir portrait, even with a point-and-shoot camera.

example no.2

Overhead Sun and A Large Hat – Two Major Obstacles: When the sun hovers directly above, deep shadows appear in the eyes, under the nose, and under the chin. To make matters worse, the lit portions of the face tend to be washed out. Add to the mix a hat that creates its own havoc-filled shadows, and the photographic nightmare begins. Thankfully, the fix is as basic as the pop-up flash on a DSLR, providing the photographer is close enough to the subject. As an instructor for the Panasonic Digital Photo Academy, I went to New York City for an orientation. During this orientation, one session included a photo shoot in Central Park with live models. I positioned one of them by an iron fence, as the setting matched her outfit.

As you might imagine, the light was horrendous because the hat created a strong shadow directly across her right eyebrow and left eye. I set the focal length of the lens on my Panasonic L1 DSLR to 50mm and moved in close so the pop-up flash would be strong enough to offset the harsh ambient light. I had to set the aperture to f9 because of the strong ambient light, but in checking the depth of field, this was not a problem in that the background was far enough away to throw it out of focus. I set the compensation on the flash to +2/3 so it would act more as a main light rather than a fill, which was necessary to overcome the shadow cast by the hat. Look closely at the image to see how the shadow line of the hat crosses just above the eyes but even the light is a result of using the flash and moving in close to overpower what would have otherwise been a poorly lit photograph.

recovery steps that can help

Most photos, negatives and color slides can be cleaned and air-dried using the following steps:

• Try to dry the photos inside if possible, as sun and wind will cause photos to curl more quickly. If you don't have time right away to dry your damaged photos, just rinse them to remove any mud and debris. Carefully stack the wet photos between sheets of wax paper and seal them in a Ziploc type plastic bag. If possible, freeze the photos to inhibit damage. This way photos can be defrosted, separated and air-dried later when you have the time to do it properly.
  

  The childhood photo shown is owned by a family friend from Graceville Brisbane, retrieved on Saturday 15th January 2011. Below is the fully restored photo done by Fotofast.
  

• If they are stuck together, place them in warm water for 5 minutes and carefilly lift apart. Gently rinse both sides of the photo in a bucket or sink of clear, cold water. Don't rub the photos and be sure to change the water frequently. If you have time and space right away, lay each wet photo face up on paper towel. Don't use newspapers or printed paper towels, as the ink may transfer to your wet photos. Change the paper towel every hour or two until the photos dry.
  

• Carefully lift the photos from the mud and dirty water. Remove photos from water-logged albums and separate any that are stacked together, being careful not to rub or touch the wet emulsion of the photo surface.
  

• Film including cine film and slide (if wet) cleaning, wash the film in clean warm water, next rinse off in clean water and drop into a bath of 5% acetic acid mixed with water to harden the emulsion for a few minutes. Final step, useing a few drops of Kodak Photo-Flo or similar in water, drop in and squeegee off any excess water. You can carefully use your fingers for this is you don't have a proper film squeegee.
  

• Slides, even if they are not actually water damaged they may be affected by mold & fungus after being exposed to such high humidity, having them scanned is a good solution.