shadows on the beach
Top Ten Photography Tips by Kodak
I can’t take credit for these tips. I found them on the Kodak site. They did such an excellent job of simplifying and showing examples so I decided to just guide you to the site. The top ten simple tips are:
1. Get down on their level
2. Use a plain background
3. Use flash outdoors
4. Move in close
5. Take some vertical shots
6. Lock the focus
7. Move it from the middle
8. Know your flash range
9. Watch the light
10. Be a picture director
Follow these few simple rules and you will look like a pro in no time.
Credit for this post and information goes to Kodak.
Photography Tip by Myrtle Beach Photography: Do you need a filter?
If you only buy one filter…
…make it a polarizing filter. This filter will protect your lens in addition to giving you a nice contrast to your images. This is the perfect beginner’s filter, and one that will have the best effect on your day to day photography. A polarizing lens will give your skies a vibrant blue tone, your green grass more contrast and give all your images a greater texture.
Who Wants to be a Photographer?
As many of you know, I own a photography studio, Myrtle Beach Photography, but I am not a professional photographer. I post tips that I have learned from owning a studio and seeking answers from my staff of brilliant professional photographers. I know there are many photography tips out there from professional photographers that are much more technical but I am trying to take this information and translate it for us “want to be photographers”.
I really would like to know how many of you want to be photographer?
For those of you who want to become professional photographers, what are some things that you would like to know?
It has been my experience, while working with many professional photographers, that they know how to take beautiful images but the business side is baffling to them. I guess I would really like to know if posting about the business side of running a photography studio would be of interest to you.
I will await your responses.
To Flash or not to Flash
Fill Flash
The biggest misconception in outdoor photography is the use a flash. Most people know that if they are indoors, they use a flash. Most point and shoot camera flashes default to auto flash, meaning, if the camera detects there is not enough light for a good picture, the auto flash will kick-in, in low light. What most people don’t know is when you are outside and your camera is set to auto flash, it will automatically shut down your flash. This is perhaps when you need your flash the most. For example, you are out of the beach and it is 5pm, shadows are heavy and your subjects faces are shaded. This is where your fill flash can help. Go to your settings, override the auto flash(make sure that the flash icon does not have a line through the lightning bolt or flash symbol) and force your camera to flash. This will fill in the shadows (often cast by hats, glasses, noses etc) and light up the faces of your subjects. On the other hand, if your subjects look overexposed and washed out, you can’t decrease the flash strength try moving back a little from your subject and using your zoom to get a tighter framing as this will decrease the impact of the flash. Also remember, with most cameras, about 6 or 7 feet is a normal flash range. Experimenting is the key. Sample images above show the difference between an image outdoors with the flash on and the flash off.
Tips For Better Quality Photographs
* Take high-resolution photos. Getting more images on your memory card in the past was an issue because they were expensive. Today, you can get very large memory cards at a fraction of the cost. If you are only interested in putting your photo’s on the Web or e-mailing to family and friends, by all means, set you camera to a lower resolution. If you plan to print your photo’s, set your camera to the highest resolution to ensure you capture enough detail to provide good print quality.
* Edit your photos before printing. The digital imaging age is wonderful, giving you the opportunity to take as many photos as you want and not worry about quality or wasting film. When you print your photos, though, quality matters. If the color levels in your photo are off, touch them up in editing. If your photo is off-center, crop it. More advanced photo-editing software gives you the opportunity to apply filters and special effects to your photos for a truly unique memory. Take advantage of the ability to edit digital photos to create the best possible photo to print.
* Make a test print. You can do this with your printer set on a lower quality print function to save on ink. Make a test print on regular paper. Decide whether you need to make any adjustments. After you have a proof done, then set your printer to the highest quality for your final print.
* Consider your ink. Some photo-quality printers use inexpensive ink for everyday printing and special photo ink for photo-quality reproduction. If you’ve got a photo printer that uses special photo ink, invest in the high-quality ink for your photo prints.
* Use good paper. When possible, use the manufacturer’s paper. Manufacturers know what paper works best with their printers and can offer specific paper stocks for the best-quality prints your printer can produce. If you want to use a third-party brand of photo paper, buy a small pack first and test it with your printer to ensure good-quality prints.
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