Maui Photography Tips

10 Tips To Better Photography

May 11
2010

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10 Tips To Better Photography

So you are a photographer, and yet you still want to get better at your craft. Taking great photos are not as difficult as you may think. You don’t always need the best equipment or have the most experience than other photographers, but just 10 easy tips and you will be on your way to great photographs.

1. Use All Your Available Space

2. Get Closer To Your Subject

3. Put Motion Into Your Pictures

4. Study Forms

5. Learn To Use Contrasts Between Colors

6. Continuous Shots

7. Shutter Lag

8. Ability To Pan

9. Take Fantastic Night Time Photography

10. Have Fun

Use All Your Available Space

Many photographers are afraid to fill their full space in fear of clutter, but don’t be afraid. Go ahead and takes shots with no or very little background, but try to keep distractions out. This is a great way to really understand what is in your view.

Get Closer To Your Subject

One of the biggest errors that photographers make is not getting closer to their subjects. Usually it is out of fear that the subject may be too close for any contrast. Get up close and take that shot. You can always resize it later and make it a better photo.

Put Motion Into Your Pictures

If your intent is to shoot a stationary object, then try to avoid any motion in your shot. If your are trying to be creative in a life of motion, then by all means, do what you can do to capture that motion. Also, be aware of your horizontal line as you do not want to run it through the middle of your photo, try to keep it on the thirds.

Study Forms

This is a huge part of photography. Don’t view objects as objects, but rather as different shapes and forms and then shoot your photos from the best possible angle. Shooting different forms of an object will separate you from other photographers or from the average person that happens to have a camera.

Learn To Contrast Between Colors

Some of the best photos are when a subject has only one color focused on it, but when it is set up to be in contrast with other shades of colors is what gives it that highlight. Some of the best photos use the different shades of white, black and gray.

Continuous Shots

To take continuous shots, you will need a camera or an attachment that will allow you take this kind of photos. Having a continuous shot camera means you do not to stop and process after every shot. If you do have to process after every shot, it may mean the difference between getting boring or missed shots and getting “the shot.” Especially if you shoot any form of sports, a continuous camera is a must.

Shutter Lag

As mentioned in Continuous Shots, shooting actions shots with digital cameras can be difficult to shutter lag. This means that when you press the button to shoot your picture, it may take a second or two to actually take the photo. By the time your camera is ready to take the next picture, your subject as already moved. You then have to anticipate your subject’s next move and hope you get your shot.

Ability To Pan

While taking action shots, know your shutter speeds. If your shutter speed is slow, pan along with the object. Start with the object and pan at the same speed it is going until you get the shot you want. Take several this way, because usually one shot will not capture what you were trying to achieve.

Take Fantastic Night Time Photography

If don’t right, night time shots can be fantastic! Yet at the same time, if done wrong, they can be a big mess. You will need adequate lighting, otherwise your shots will not turn out the way you want them too.

Have Fun

Most importantly, have fun shooting photos. Whether it is for recreation or for business, the trick is to have fun and continue to hone your skills by practicing over and over again. Also, try to be creative, whether it’s something someone had done before or try to create something new as the sky’s the limit.

So as you can see, shooting photography is not rocket science. You just want to keep it simple while you continue to learn all aspects of you camera and what it will allow you to do. Remember, your camera is only a tool used to capture your vision of an object, but only you can give that object, or scene, life. So take your time, don’t get frustrated, study, practice and once again – have fun.

Maui Photgraphy Tips- Family Portraits

Aug 31
2008

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There are several approaches to photographing couples. As with all portraiture, you can pose the two people for a more-formal look. Or you can shoot a more-candid portrayal that will convey the strong relationship between them. For example, just watch through your viewfinder and click the shutter when you see a special look or gesture that passes between them. Whichever approach you choose, there are several steps you can take to increase your chances of taking successful couple portraits.

Careful Planning
You can improve your results by carefully planning your family photo shoot in advance.

Tip 1: Plan Your Photo Shoot In Advance
Spontaneity is usually a good thing, but you’ve got to do some planning before shooting portraits. The best location for photography, your subject’s clothing, what camera(s) to use, and how you want to pose your subjects are all decisions you must make in advance..

Tip 2: Shooting Posed Pictures
As opposed to shooting candidly where the subjects are nearly oblivious to the camera, it’s up to you to make some effort to arrange your subjects to create a dynamic composition.
Posed vs. Candid
Try shooting both candid images of your couple, as well as posed portraits with a more formal appearance.

Tip 3: Supplementary Light- A reflector is especially useful when you want to bounce light back into the shadow areas of your subject’s face. You may also want to experiment with fill flash for adding a little extra light. Again, however, be careful when lighting two people, as illumination on both faces should be even.

If you’re taking candid pictures of a couple, you’ll want to capture moments when your subjects are most involved with one another. Ideally, they should be relaxed and oblivious to the camera’s presence. The rapport between the two people can make it possible for you to photograph them at close proximity, or you can give them some space by zooming in on them with a moderate telephoto lens (I used one in the 80–105mm range). To increase your chances of capturing a special, fleeting moment, be ready with your camera. Preset your camera’s exposure (be sure to use a relatively shallow depth of field to separate your subjects from the background), and watch through the viewfinder so you won’t miss a thing. Take lots of pictures—some candids will undoubtedly turn out better than others.

Tip 5: Try Different Camera Angles
Once you shoot a variety of pictures at the couples’ level, try some different vantage points. Shoot from above or below. Position yourself on one side of the man and photograph the woman’s face looking at him. Get behind the couple and photograph the backs of their heads together. We don’t always consider all these choices when taking pictures, but give it a try. You have nothing to lose, and you may get some creative couple photographs while you’re experimenting.

Written by nicole in: Maui childrens photography, Maui childrens photos, Maui family portraits, Maui Photographer, Maui Photography, Maui Vacation photography, Maui- personal Photographer, Photography Tips, Professonal Travel Photos, Travel Photography- Maui, VACATION PHOTOGRAPHY | Tags: Maui Photography Tips

Jun 16
2008

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Exposure is the amount of light collected by the sensor in your camera during a single picture. If the shot is exposed too long the photograph will be washed out. If the shot is exposed too short the photograph will appear too dark. Almost all cameras today have light meters which measure the light in the given shot and set an ideal exposure automatically. Most people depend on the light meter which is fine, but if you know how to control your exposures you can get some creative and sometimes better pictures. (The photo on the left is with low shutter speed and narrow aperture (high f/stop).

The two primary controls your camera uses for exposure are shutter speed (the amount of time the sensor is exposed to light) and aperture (the size of the lens opening that lets light into the camera). Shutter speeds are measured in seconds and more commonly fractions of a second. (1/2000 of a second is very fast and 8′ seconds is extremely slow). Apertures are measured in something called f/stops (a very wide aperture is f/2.8 and a very small aperture is f/19).

You might wonder why there is not just a constant shutter speed or a constant aperture so that you would only have to worry about one control. The reason is that even though they both control the amount of light getting to the sensor they also control other aspects of the picture. Shutter speed for example can be used to freeze subjects in midair with a fast speed or it can be used to blur water with a slow speed. Aperture controls the depth-of-field which is what is in focus in the picture. Aperture can be used to draw attention to one subject (like the flower on the right) by blurring the background with a wide aperture (low f/stop). Aperture can also be used to focus everything in a picture with a narrow aperture (high f/stop). (The photo on the left is with Wide aperture (low f/stop) and corresponding shutter speed).

On most digital SLR’s (Single Lens Reflex) cameras today you can even change the sensitivity of the sensor when collecting light which is called the ISO speed. The common span of ISO speed is 100 to 800. The higher the ISO speed the faster the camera collects light but it also adds more noise to the photograph than the lower speeds. For example if your trying to take pictures in dim light without a tripod you might want to raise the ISO speed in order to get a picture that’s not blurry. Most of the time you should keep it at a lower ISO speed if there is enough light, but it makes a big difference when there isn’t.

Written by nicole in: Maui childrens photography, Maui Photographer, Maui Photography, Maui Portraits, Maui- personal Photographer, Photography Tips, Travel Photography- Maui | Tags: Maui Photography Tips

Maui Photography Tips

Jun 14
2008

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At the heart of composing good people pictures are a few basic decisions: what picture format to use, where to position the subject within the frame, what other picture elements to include, where to position those elements, and which camera angle is most effective.

Horizontal vs. vertical format
The majority of people pictures are horizontal in format probably because it’s easier to hold a camera horizontally. The horizontal format does work best for most group pictures. However, a vertical image can be very effective for pictures ranging from full-length portraits to tight facial close-ups. The unexpectedness of a vertical format can also give an image added impact.

Subject placement
To hold the attention of the viewer, give your pictures a bold and dramatic arrangement. Avoid putting your subject directly in the center of the picture unless you are striving for a formal arrangement in which the subject firmly commands attention.Rule of thirds: In candid pictures of people, it’s often wise to follow the traditional rule of thirds. Imagine a pair of lines dividing the picture into thirds horizontally and a second pair dividing it into thirds vertically. Place the most important visual element—usually the face (or eyes in a close-up)—on one of the points where the lines intersect.Open space: When a person moves across your camera’s field of view, the final image usually has much more impact when the subject is off-center. Leave the open space in the direction in which the subject is headed. Similarly, if a subject is looking off to the side, it’s best to leave more space in that direction.

Backgrounds
Indoors or outdoors, a plain background will focus attention on your subject instead of a dozen other things. Indoors, avoid distracting furniture, toys, patterned wallpaper, and bright lamps. Outdoors, don’t let tree limbs, utility poles, wires, signs, and other people distract attention from your center of interest.

Point of view
As you compose your picture in the camera viewfinder, think about what you want to include, other than your subject that will make the picture better. Simply changing your point of view can dramatically alter the mood of a picture.Eye level: Shooting at eye level, either head on or at an angle, is usually best for most people pictures. It’s the way we most often look at the world, so it conveys realism. Too low an angle in a close-up exaggerates the size of the nose, mouth, and chin. Too high an angle-often the problem in photographing children and seated subjects-exaggerates the size of the head compared to the rest of the body. When you photograph children, you may need to kneel or even sit on the ground.High and low angles: At times, however, you’ll want to use a different angle to create a certain effect. For example, in a full-length portrait, an eye-level view makes a subject look shorter. A picture taken from a squatting position more accurately indicates height and can lend an aura of authority and power. Even a high angle, which is generally unflattering, can sometimes add drama or eliminate a distracting background.

Close-ups
Close-ups convey a feeling of intimacy and focus attention on your subject.More distant views tend to emphasize the foreground and include too much that is confusing and distracting to the viewer.As you look through the viewfinder and move toward your subject to fill the frame, notice how you eliminate things that don’t add to the picture. Even though you can crop your picture later if you plan to enlarge it or manipulate it on a computer, it’s usually better to crop carefully when you take the picture.