Tip #3

the first thing i do after a shoot is upload my pics. shocking, right? ;)  well, right after that, i go through and delete the bad ones.  in my click-happy state of deleting the duds, i have to check myself before i delete some that are salvageable.  i came across a perfect example recently and thought, "hey! i should do a post about fixing bad pics!"  genius, huh?!? :)

here is a pic (completely untouched at this point) i took while i was playing around with my settings and it came out a bit overexposed.

just before i clicked "delete", i stopped and took a second look.  it dawned on me that in black and white this pic could be really amazing.  here's what the finished product looks like.

i absolutely love this pic! i'm so glad it didn't wind up in the trash! ha ha!


most computers come with a basic photo editing program that is perfectly capable of doing this type of salvage work, so don't feel like you need to fork out a couple hundred bucks for photoshop.  just be sure to think before you delete!

Tip #2

it's not the size of the lens that matters, it's the person behind the camera.  too many photographers get caught up in who has the biggest lens and the most equipment.  while having a high quality lens and a fancy camera body can certainly add a professional touch to your photos, it is possible to take a good picture with an ordinary, every-day point-and-shoot or whatever camera you might have lying around.  for example, here is a pic i took when i was in high school.  it is one of my all time faves and do you know what i used to shoot it? 

a $30 film camera from walmart with a roll of the cheapest b&w film i could buy.  more important than how much you spent on your gear is what you put in the viewfinder.  composition is everything!  after you've found your subject, line it up.  you've probably noticed that i (and most other photographers) don't usually center our subjects.  that's because sticking them right in the middle is boring.  by using the rule of thirds you can create an interesting pic without spending a fortune.  the rule of thirds is simple and here's an easy way of looking at it. 

this is a graph that, when you lay it over a photo, breaks it up into thirds, both horizontally and vertically.  notice the green dots.  the rule of thirds states that the object of attention should be placed at one of the intersecting points (the green dots).  this is a loose rule.  in my opinion, it's more important to section out your pic than to pin point your subject with the dots.  most DSLRs have this grid already there for you. you just have to figure out how to turn it on.  if you don't have a DSLR, don't worry.  it's pretty easy to eyeball it.

so, next time you snap a shot, try using/imagining this grid and adjusting the composition accordingly.  good luck and let me know how it works for you!!!

Tip #1

the word "photo" literally means "light", so, naturally, one of the most important factors in taking a great pic is having great lighting.  personally, i always prefer to use natural light (though i do use a lighting set on newborn and other indoor shoots, but, even then, i still try to mix it with natural light from the windows).  however, the sun can be your worst enemy or your best friend when using her as your only light source.  you just have to know how to work with her.  for instance, taking pics in the middle of the day can be a nightmare if you don't have an arsenal of tools to soften her direct shine, which most people don't.  if you fit into this category, here's one simple rule to live by when taking pics of people: take them during the "magic hour".  (oooh! sounds kind of other-worldly, doesn't it?)  anyway, yes, i'm a dork and made up a name for it (does anyone even use the term "dork" anymore?), but it just means the hour before sunset.  have you ever noticed how pics you take of people outside usually give them dark circles under their eyes and their skin looks pale?  that's because when the sun is high in the sky, it gives off really harsh light that creates shadows on faces.  that leaves you with two options for taking pics of people:

A: get up really early and use the softer light of the sunrise. 
B: party like a rock star the night before, sleep in really late, and use the warm glow of the sunset. 

B looks like a winner to me!!!  when i have an upcoming shoot, i look up what time sunset will be on that day and schedule it for two hours before the sun is actually gone for the night.  shoots never goes perfectly smoothly, so you need to allow yourself some extra time and the light two hours before is still pretty decent. 

i hope this helps you in your photo taking.  if you have any special requests for the tips/how-to's feel free to leave a comment or email me.  i love to hear back from everyone!