Photography Tips, Art, and Music
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Optimize Your Photography Website for Google
Feb 26th
It’s just a few days until Christmas so I thought a quick tutorial on the topic of Christmas Photography might be appropriate. Hopefully this will give you some good Christmas photo ideas.
Here are 16 Christmas Photography tips and ideas to try that come to mind for digital camera owners wanting to capture the big day:
1. Prepare – Making a List, checking it twice….
Making sure you’re ready to capture any planned event is part of the key to a successful shoot. Getting yourself ready but also the location of your shots is worthwhile.
Pack the camera – goes without saying? I forgot mine last year in the rush to get the car packed. Make sure your batteries are charged and you have extras and/or the recharger packed. Pack extra memory cards – have them empty and ready to fill up Put someone on ‘photos’ – our family has someone on drinks, main course, dessert – why not put someone on ‘photos’ so that in the craziness of the day they don’t get forgotten. Consider the light in the room that you’ll be photographing in. Is there enough light? Will you need a flash? Are the backgrounds too cluttered and distracting? 2. A White Balance Christmas
Here in Australia we often celebrate Christmas outdoors, but many people around the world do it inside in unnatural lighting. Pay attention to what type of light you’re shooting in and set your white balance settings accordingly. Alternatively, if you’ve got a camera that shoots in RAW you can shoot away and set your white balance later.
3. Set up a DIY ‘Photo Booth’ The shots were great – people went back to it throughout the party and the photos got crazier and crazier as time went on. It was the hit of the party. 4. Capture the preparation stages Photo by paper by design
The actual Christmas meal or party is obviously the best part of the day, but there are other photographic opportunities, particularly in the preparations stages of the day.
Food preparation Putting up decorations Wrapping gifts Kids throwing a tantrum while getting dressed in their Christmas outfits Setting the table
The shots before the event starts properly are often great because they show everything at it’s best before everyone descends on your party zone.
5. Before and After Shots
Speaking of shots before the party starts, why not set up some before and after shots both of the place you’re holding your party and what it looks like afterwards. Make sure you take the shots from the same position.
6. Time-lapse Christmas series
I have one friend who set up his computer with a web cam in the corner of the room with the camera looking down on the Christmas table. He set the camera to go off every 5 minutes over the day and ended up with one of the most wonderful series of shots that I’ve seen for a long time.
Photo by rachel r 7. Christmas Lights
Photographing Christmas lights is something that can be tricky to do. David Hobby from Strobist has put together a great tutorial on how to do it. Check it out at How to Photograph Christmas Lights.
8. Find a Point of Interest – but just per shot
All good shots should have a focal point that holds the attention of those viewing your images. The problem with Christmas is that there can often be too many competing focal points in shots with people, color, decorations, food in every shot. Work hard and de-cluttering your images. Check out this post on minimalism which contains some tips on de-cluttering images.
9. Fresh Group Photos
One of the most common types of shots at Christmas is the ‘group photo’. It’s usually taken at the end of the evening or day when everyone is looking at their worst. For a ‘fresher’ shot take it once everyone has arrived. Also think before hand about how you might pose everyone and where you might take the shot. I’ve posted 12 tips for taking a great group photo previously.
10. Opening Gifts – Shoot in Continuous Mode
There are certain moments during a Christmas gathering that are filled with all manner of photographic opportunities and the opening of gifts is like no other in that it is filled with an array of emotions, facial expressions and excitement – especially if you’ve got kids around. Switch your camera to burst mode (sometimes called continuous shooting mode) and take lots of shots at this time of the festivities. You’ll find you end up with some excellent series of shots when you do this that capture everything from the anticipation of getting the wrapped gift, through to the excitement of unwrapping to the joy (or occasionally disappointment) of seeing what’s inside. Don’t forget to shoot the reactions of those who GIVE the gift as well.
Photo by grace*c* 11. Fill your Frame
One of the most common mistakes I see in Christmas photos (or any party/even photography) is that people often end up with shots of their subjects off in the distance on the other side of a room with lots of space around them. Fill your frame with your subject either by using your zoom or getting up and moving yourself closer. While this is one of the simplest tips I ever give it is one that can have the most profound impact on your shots.
12. Diffuse/Reflect Your Flash
- Another common problem with Christmas shots is ending up with shots where the flash is so bright that subjects look like rabbits in a spotlight with harsh shadows behind them. One way around this is to use some sort of a flash diffuser or reflector. If you’re lucky enough to have an external flash try bouncing it off walls or the ceiling. Another way to reduce the impact of your flash and to create some interesting effects is to switch your camera into ‘night mode’ (slow sync mode). This will tell your camera to choose a slower shutter speed but still fire your flash. In doing so it’ll capture some of the ambient light of the room as well as freeze your subject. Be warned, you can end up with some wacky shots doing this (but they can also be lots of fun).
13. Go Macro
Most digital cameras come with a macro mode and an increasing number of DPS readers are buying macro lenses so flick to that mode, attach your lens and photograph the smaller things around your party. Ornaments on the tree, table decorations, sweets in the bowl on the table, a nativity scene on the mantle piece, holly above the doorway – sometimes it’s these small things around your party that are the real ‘money shots’. Don’t forget our Macro Hacks for compact cameras.
Photo by Splat Worldwide 14. Watch Your Aperture
I quite often shoot in Aperture Priority mode on a day like Christmas and am constantly changing the aperture depending upon my subject. For example when taking shots of a christmas decorations on the tree I’ll select a large aperture (a small number like f/2.8) so as to throw the background out of focus, but on a shot taken from the end of the table of everyone sitting down eating I’ll choose a small aperture (like f/8 to f/11 or more) so as to have a larger depth of field and keep everyone in focus.
15. Explore Your Neighborhood
If your neighborhood is anything like mine there is an almost unlimited number of photographic opportunities presenting themselves all around you. Christmas carols services, houses covered in Christmas decorations, shopping malls filled with busyness etc. Get out there with your camera and capture it. What a wonderful time of year to practice using your camera. Have fun!
16. Related Reading:
Here’s another tutorial and discussion thread you might like to read in preparation for your Christmas Photography this year.
Share Your photos - Looking for some inspiration or wanting to share you Christmas shots? Head to the Christmas Assignment in our Forums to see what shots others are taking this Christmas and to share some of your own images. Candid Photography – this tutorial on candid photography might be helpful as much of what you’ll be doing at a Christmas even will be in this style. Christmas Wishes from DPS
Lastly – let me wish all Digital Photography School readers a very happy holiday period. It’s been a great two and a bit since we launched this blog and while I’m looking forward to a few days off over Christmas I also can’t wait to get back to DPS and to take it to the next level in 2009. Have a great holiday period and we’ll see you in the new year!
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Article from articlesbase.com
Watch the video related to strobist photography
This is a brief introduction to basic gear and terminology for the beginning strobists, photographers using small off-camera flashes to take their photos to the next level.
Help answer the question about strobist photography
Fellow photogs: Ever hear of the ‘Strobist’ movement?
I’ve been doing some hot linking from a few of my other photography groups and from flickr and I ran across the ‘Strobist’ group. It sounds pretty cool, at least they think so, but I wanted to get the opinion of other photographers.
What is your thought on off camera flash lighting with small speedlight external flashes, as opposed to big and expensive pro studio lighting?
Has anyone ever heard of the strobist?
My opinion is that so far I have no opinion because I can’t say I’ve given it much thought. I have a need to improve my work with better lighting, but is this strobist ‘thing’ hype, or something that a lot of photographers have been doing all along?
And do we really want to snub our noses at our trusted i-TTL equipped speedlights?
Give me your opinions…
About Author
Terry Divyak -
About the Author:
Terry Divyak has been an avid photographer for over 30 years. With publisher photos featured on two magazine covers, he was also featured in Photo District News Magazine as a winner in the Pro Division of PDN’s World in Focus Travel Contest. This work appeared in Photo District News February 2008 issue. His current project is the photography informational site, www.piqfire.com
When Food And Photography Meet
Jan 31st
Photographing food is probably one of the most challenging kinds of photography out there. It is considered difficult by most professional food photographers because there is a time constraint in the whole photo shoot.
And since the marketability of the food itself depends primarily on how it is seen in print, food photographers should be well trained and skilled in order to come up with satisfying results. More >
Hints And Tips For Creating Mouthwatering Food Photography
Jun 27th
Food photography is a huge undertaking that is never valued and respected to the level that it truly deserves. Photographing food and products with the highest level of quality requires several knowledgeable people working together. An expert food stylist and chef work together with the food photographer to create a work of art made specifically to market the product.
Food photography is a necessary component in marketing campaigns for any company that deals with food and beverages. In fact, restaurants that utilize photographs in their menus will sell more food than those who use only food titles and written descriptions. This is the main reason marketing and advertising companies use food in their campaigns today. Simply photographing food and products will not work unless viewers find them particularly tempting. To ensure effective food photography that entices a craving from viewers, follow these simple tips and tricks:
Tricks Of The Trade
There is more to photographing food and products than simply dishing up a nice meal, setting it on a tablecloth, and taking a picture. The advertising will not lure in customers if the edible focal point does not look like the tastiest thing they have ever seen. For example, if you require a photograph of a vegetable such as a tomato, the food stylist might only use two out of an entire case. Substances such as glycerin can be added to lettuce or a tomato to make the vegetables appear to be fresh, cold, and moist. When working with a steak in food photography, for instance, the chef is instructed by the food stylist to prepare several at once so that only the best ones are used in the photos. To make perfect grill marks on the steak, a wire is used with a propane torch.
Using Props
The use of props is vital for successful food photography. When photographing food and products, a stylist will often choose several items to compliment the main object. A photo of ice cream in a plain bowl will get the point across, but adding props such as nuts, chocolate sauce, fresh whipped cream, and a plate of cherries will tantalize the viewer. Every detail of the photo shoot is decided on between the photographer and food stylist before anything else can occur.
Lighting
When photographing food and products, the use of lighting to create a certain feel can have a major impact on the pictures. In food photography, substitutes are often used when setting up the lighting to keep the actual food as fresh as possible. In addition, some lighting is specifically designed to enhance the texture of a food to make it look more appetizing.
Have Perfect Timing
Timing is everything when it comes to effective food photography. For most successful food photographers, on-site photo shoots are preferred over studio sessions simply because it allows the pictures to be taken with the freshest food possible. The photographer and stylist will use substitutes to perfect the setting and lighting while the chef is preparing the actual food that will be used in the shoot. This way, rather than being dried out from the heat of the lights, the food will be fresh and juicy. For food photography involving fresh fruit, the food stylist will cut it during the last seconds before a shoot and then apply ice or glycerin to give the freshness an extra boost for the picture.
There is more involved in food photography than simply cooking and taking a photograph; it requires the knowledge of a team consisting of a food stylist and chef along with an expert photographer. When looking for a team to produce high-quality advertising materials, choose one that is skilled in the art of photographing food and products.
Food Photography – Important Aspects To Concentrate On
Jun 12th
When you see an image of a tasty dish in a magazine you wish you had shot your self – keep in mind that a lot of planning must have gone behind that shot. If you wish to shoot similar images you too could get started with this article,
Lighting
You cannot have a good photograph without the right lighting. Do try and visit the place you are going to be shooting beforehand. Have a look at the lighting and remember that ambient light can be enough in most kitchens, since they are very neatly lit up. On the other hand if you prefer to have a little more control over the lighting you could carry one flash and even a few slaves for high lights. Also, you may have yellowish hues when you are shooting under bulb lights (ambient). If you want this then leave it just like that. Alternatively, a high shutter speed and flash would remove the yellow haze, and you could work on it on Photoshop as well. Just use the color balance option to decrease the yellow there.
Tripod
If you are shooting under ambient light then you may need to use a slow shutter speed. This makes it inevitable to use a tripod. Get the sturdiest tripod you can afford to carry to the venue. And then you will probably be shooting close ups of the food. Here again the importance of a tripod becomes more than necessary.
The Food arrangement
Where you are photographing food, presentation is everything. Take the time to symmetrically arrange the food items, and the cutlery around it. Make sure you let the best thing about the food stand out. For example, if its chocolate pudding you are photographing, let the chocolate sauce flow well over the pudding to give it that special feel that makes you taste chocolate just by looking at the image. It it were a burger, you would want to make sure the ham is stuffing out of the sides of the bun.
Depth of Field
Professional food photos almost always have a shallow depth of field. In fact if you are using a professional view camera you could get everything out of focus except for a few inches in the area the food is kept in. Out of focus table cloths and chairs are classic food backgrounds. Auto model cameras will not allow you to adjust this, but you could get the effect on computer later. However it is much better to shoot so as to get that shallow depth of field – a computer cannot get quite the same effect.
Finally remember, the food doesn’t have to taste good when you are shooting – it only has to look good. Professional photographers sometimes go as far as to blow torch certain areas of a barbecued chicken to make it look better!