Photo Courtesy of AlzoDigital.com

This is a great video series on what to buy when it comes to studio lighting equipment. It doesn’t give specific recommendations, but it does explain in detail all about the basics of lighting and the different types of studio lighting equipment. The explanation is thorough and you get to see each piece of equipment so it makes it clear and easy to understand….I thought it was very well done. This video series was created by Digital Photography 1 on 1.

The first video gives an introduction to the video series on what to buy when it comes to studio lighting equipment. It then goes into some basic principles of lighting. You can see the first video here: Intro Studio Lighting video

The next three videos explain in detail the different types of studio lighting equipment and how they’re used.

Video Episode 4a: Introduces the three categories of lighting equipment : grip, light modifiers and light sources.

Video Episode 4b: Talks about things you can use to control where the light falls.

Video Episode 4c: Talks all about light sources.

This video series is great for someone wanting to learn more about studio lighting so they can master the art of taking portraits. And once you start taking incredible portraits with your new found lighting knowledge, don’t forget to frame them in one of our wood gallery picture frames

Have Enough Resolution

With most people using digital cameras, often people end up with poor quality pictures when they go to enlarge them.  Often times, the problem is that the image doesn’t have a high enough resolution.

If you’re going to print out your pictures, make sure you use your camera’s highest resolution.  However, if you want more information on resolution, check out our blog post All About Resolution. Just remember, that if you’re shooting with high resolution, you can always resize the picture to a smaller size.

Have the Right Kind of Light

Good lighting is critical if you want great pictures. However, sometimes people think they have to spend a lot of money on lighting equipment in order to get quality light. Although this post is not about the basics of lighting, if you’re on a budget and want great lighting simply go outside.

Natural lighting is best when you choose specific times of the day such as the hour after dawn or the hour before sunset. Both of these times give soft light compared to the harsh shadows and bad bright glare of the sun at high noon. Obviously you want to avoid direct bright light (such as noon time) like the plague as it will wash out your pictures and generally give you bad results.

Composing Your Pictures

With photo composition there is lot to learn but one helpful tip you can start using right away is to “fill the frame.” Filling the frame means that you want to have the subject of your photo be the focus and have it take up the majority of the image. This allows your subject to be the focus and will usually result in a photo with more impact.

Often times, people will include a lot of extraneous “stuff” around the subject that is later cropped out. For example, if you’re taking a picture of Suzy swinging in the yard, you should zoom in on Suzy swinging and ignore all of the other activity in the yard like Grandpa barbequing or the dog playing with his toy. Simply by using this techniques you’ll start to see a noticeable difference in the appeal of your pictures. And once you’ve learned that, you can always learn other composition techniques like the “rule of thirds.”

Keep it Steady

It doesn’t take much movement to create a blurry picture and is a common problem with many pictures. With digital cameras, there is usually a delay from the time you press the shutter release and the time the picture is actually taken. This is called shutter lag and varies with each camera. So, the best trick to avoid blurry pictures is the following:

• Use a Tripod when using a slow shutter speed to make sure the camera is steady.
• Get used to the delay with your camera and keep the camera still until the green light on your camera flashes.
• Steady yourself by keeping your elbows down close to your body and your feet evenly planted on the ground.

Hopefully these tips will help you get improved results with your camera so you’ll have more pictures that you can enjoy displaying on your picture frame wall.

What is Resolution?

Resolution is the number of dots per linear inch in a printed photograph or could be the number of pixels on a display screen.So, when you hear the word “mega pixel” it’s referring to the number of pixels which ultimately impacts the quality of your resolution.

Either way, when you take a digital picture you want high enough resolution so you can have crisp and clear pictures especially when printing out pictures.

The problem is that sometimes people don’t realize the importance of resolution and are instead concerned with taking as many pictures as possible on their memory card.  That’s why many people shoot images in low resolution because it takes more memory to shoot in high resolution. And more memory requires more memory cards and ultimately costs more.

However, if you want to print out pictures for giving as a gift or for displaying in a picture frame you should be shooting in high (or at least medium) resolution.

Image Resolution

The best advice for getting high quality pictures is to use the highest possible resolution on your camera. As technology continues to improve, the resolution of digital cameras will continue to get better.  So, instead of giving specific mega pixels for printing different sizes of pictures, simply set your camera to the highest resolution possible (or the largest number of mega pixels) and you should be able to print a quality picture up to common photo sizes like 8×10 or possibly even larger.

Taking pictures in high resolution simply gives you more options for what you can do with your pictures. If you have a high resolution picture, you can always resize the picture for a smaller print. So, if you want to be sure that your photos will look good in a beautiful picture frame then make sure you’re always shooting your pictures in the highest possible resolution.

Photo Courtesy of UnderwaterCamerasPlus.com

I love the ocean and have always been fascinated with underwater wildlife.  I once tried to take some pictures underwater but didn’t have much luck.

So, when I saw this great article on taking underwater pictures I couldn’t resist. This article from the website, Underwater Cameras Plus, gives some great tips on underwater photography.  If you’re interesting in learning how to take great underwater pictures, then you should check out this underwater photography article. This article offers some practical tips to avoiding the following common problems that many underwater pictures have:

• Lack of vibrant colors- pictures have a blue or blue-green tint to them
• White circles or dots that look like snow covering the image
• Fuzzy or blurry pictures
• No sharpness between the subject and the background

If you’re interested in underwater photography, then this underwater photography article can certainly offer you some practical advice.

And, sorry about the fuzzy picture of the Dragon Moray Eel but I couldn’t resist his smile

For me, I got my first camera when I was five years old. It was a little Kodak Instamatic X-15F camera. I not only learned how to take pictures, but I also learned a lot of important lessons. At that time, not many children had cameras so it really helped teach me responsibility and to appreciate my belongings.

These days, kids are more accustomed to cameras so choosing a camera for a child is a lot different. These days, many kids are more concerned with how the camera looks than the sheer joy of taking pictures.

So, here are a few things to consider when shopping for a camera for your child:

• Ease of use
• Camera size
• Camera features

When choosing a camera for your child, the age of your child really makes a huge difference. The younger your child, the simpler the camera should be with large easy to use buttons. The size should also be something the child can easily handle. For younger children, a little larger camera is better while with older kids smaller cameras are better. That’s because as kids gets older their fine motor control improves. In terms of camera features, you should choose a camera with very few features for a young child, but the older the child is the more features it can have. And since kids these days are so comfortable with technology, they should have no problem learning how to use a camera.

Well, anyone can learn to take pictures of food, and there are many places on the internet where you can learn how:

Photographing food is a great article by Lara Ferroni with tips and tricks for taking great photos of food. In the article she teaches how to set-up and prep and make use of props. She also explains how to get the most out of your food photography by concentrating on angle, focus and lighting.

Wikipedia, as always, has a nice section on food photography and food stylists.

Is your tummy starting to rumble yet?  I know mine is.

For a final lesson, the the “phood bloggers” over at Cookography have been photographing food for a while now and put together a small tutorial on what they do to light up their food. While you are there check out some of the delicious recipes.

Now go out there and take great pictures of food! (And then eat it)

Since  insects often get a bad rap, here are some simple tips on how you can take some fascinating insect pictures.  So, let’s give these little bugs the attention they deserve.

Photo Courtesy of Luc Viatour

Tip #1- Macro Time

This may be stating the obvious, but you need to use a macro lens or macro mode. Stay within the macro range and keep the camera extremely still and you’ll get some nice sharp images. If you’re not sure how close to get, look at your camera manual.

Tip #2 – Don’t Breathe

When taking up close pictures of insects you will need to hold your breath. That’s because most insects are sensitive to carbon dioxide and will fly or run away if you breath directly on them. There are some exceptions to this rule as some beetles will actually freeze if you breathe on them. However, once you breathe on them and they take off it’s too late to get their shot so it’s generally best to hold your breath.

Tip #3 – Start Early

Insects actually slow down with cooler temperatures, so if you want to make it easier on yourself take pictures early in the morning or at twilight when the temperatures are cooler.

Tip #4 – Watch Your Shadow

Insects can see shadows very well so never approach them from the same direction as the light casts. They’ll spot your shadow quickly and will be sure to take off before you even get your camera out.

Photo Courtesy: Luc Viatour

Tip #5 – Proper Composition

Just like any close up picture you should use proper composition techniques. By filling the frame with the subject and using composition techniques like “rule of thirds” you can make sure to shoot an eye catching photograph.

Tip #6- Know Your Insect

Anytime you’re taking pictures of wildlife -whether animals or insects- you should have a basic understanding of your subject. By understanding their patterns of behavior and what types of plants or environments they prefer you’ll be more likely to get a good shot. You should also know if the insect you’re shooting is poisonous or dangerous as there are some types of spiders and insects with powerful or lethal venom. Sure, it may be unlikely but it is always worth knowing.

Insects can certainly be one of the most challenging subjects to photograph so hopefully these simple tips will help you photograph a truly eye catching image.

Thank you to Viatour Luc for the use of his two insect images!

Quality of Light

Lighting quality can make a significant difference in the quality and impact of your photograph. You want to get familiar with the different types and intensities of lights  so you can best use them to enhance your landscape photograph.

Here are some tips for how you can use different types of light:

• For lighting that is soft and has an even, warm look take your landscape pictures during the “Golden Hours” which is the first hour after dawn and the last hour before sunset.
• For more intense colors and subdued highlights, shoot under an overcast sky.
• For dramatic shadows, shoot under a cloudy sky.
• For extra eye catching appeal and added drama to your photograph, look for landscapes where there are contrasting colors or tones.
• For a super soft or ethereal effect, shoot on a foggy day.

Composition

Composition is one of the most important elements in photography and is critical to learn if you want to master landscape photography. There is a lot you can learn about composition, so here are just a few tips you can start applying to your photography right away.

• Fill two-thirds (2/3) of your frame or viewfinder with the subject of your landscape picture. Your subject could be a rock outcropping, a tree or a dramatic sky.
• Look for lines, curves or patterns that can draw your eye toward the subject in your landscape photo. For example, it could be a road leading to the subject of your photo or lines in the sand that lead your eye to the subject of your picture.
• Watch out for clutter or distracting items in the background. This could be anything from litter on the ground to power lines going through your scenic skyline.
• Compose your photo with a point of interest in the foreground that is separate from your picture’s subject. This is intended to draw the eye in and add interest to your landscape photograph.
• Position the subject of your photo using the “rule of thirds” so your subject isn’t always directly centered in your photograph. The rule of thirds is a technique where you imagine your picture divided into a grid pattern of 9 equal parts and focus on placing your subject and interest areas along those grid lines or intersections.

Although there is much more to discuss on lighting and composition, these tips will give you a starting point so you can start seeing a difference in the quality of your landscape pictures.

Landscape photographs courtesy of Byron Lee.

Digital Single Lens Reflexes (DSLR’s)

A digital single lens reflex camera (commonly referred to as a DSLR) is a professional style camera that can be  manually adjusted for greater control and flexibility. These types of cameras used to be exclusively used by professional photographers but now are becoming more commonly used by serious hobbyist photographers.If you’re really serious about photography then this is the type of camera for you.

Advantages of DSLRs:

• Being able to change your lens in order to take different types of shots such as using a macro lens for super close images or a telephoto for taking distance shots.
• Being able to manually adjust your camera settings like aperture and film speed so you can always be sure to capture the shot you want regardless of the light or the amount of movement of your subject.
• Large light sensors so you can increase your ISO and get shots in low light without getting digital noise (unsightly graininess in your picture) like other types of digital cameras.
• Lots of cool accessories, like external flashes, you can add to your camera in order to help you get the perfect shot.
• Super fast shooting ability with no processor lag like other types of digital cameras. This allows you to click the shutter and get your shot instead of having a time delay.
• Many cameras have high resolution video capture functionality.

Disadvantages of DSLRs

• Cost. DSLRs are the most expensive type of digital camera and require you to buy additional lenses for your DSLR in order to take different types of shots.

Point and Shoot Digital Cameras

Point and shoot digital cameras (often called automatic cameras or sub-compacts for the pocket sized version) are the most popular type of camera and are designed for ease of use. Here are the pros and cons of these simple to use digital cameras.

Advantages of Point and Shoot Cameras

• Easy to use. You really can’t find a more basic and easy to use camera as a point and shoot.
• Low cost. These cameras are designed for the average person so they have a very low cost so almost anyone could buy one.
• Very compact and portable so you can take them almost anywhere.
• Have preview or movie mode so you can see you can view your picture or even shoot a YouTube video with some cameras.
• Some models also give you a few manual controls like aperture priority and shutter speed priority.

Disadvantages of Point and Shoot Cameras

• No ability to change or alter camera settings- it’s simply a point and shoot camera.
• Some inexpensive point and shoot cameras may have a short lifespan as they are not built to last.

Point and shoot digital cameras are great for taking quick pictures and when you need to travel light but if you want to capture really great photographs without a lot of photographic gear then you’d be better off with another type of camera…the bridge camera.

Bridge Cameras

These cameras “bridge” a gap between point and shoot cameras and DSLRs. Bridge cameras (also called prosumer cameras) are a blend of the best of automatic cameras and DSLRs so here is a breakdown of their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Bridge Cameras

• Intermediate price point. More expensive than point and shoot cameras but much less than a DSLR since you don’t have to buy all the extra lenses.
• Have larger sensors than point and shoot cameras so you can make some adjustments to the ISO.
• Most have movie mode or preview LCD screens so you can compose your picture on the screen.
• Many have super zooms which means they have optical zooms in ranges of 10x-20x.
• Do have quite a few manual controls for greater control and flexibility.

Disadvantages of Bridge Cameras

• They have more adjustments than automatics but don’t have the manual control and huge flexibility of a DSLR.

Hopefully this has helped you get a better feel for the difference between these three different types of digital cameras so you can be sure to get a camera that is right for you.

If you love taking flower photographs but struggle with getting great flower photos, then here are some flower photo tips that can help.

1) Focus on the Detail

Always pay close attention to detail and look for slight imperfections in the flower or background. Look for tree branches, distracting backgrounds or anything that could take away from the flower. You also want to look for opportunities where you can have contrasting colors in your picture. This could be anything from having a yellow flower against a field of bright green grass or a blue sky.

2) Lighting is Key

Look for times of the day when there is great lighting with no harsh shadows or bright sunshine. The two best times of day for taking pictures are the hour after dawn and the hour before sunset. You can also get good lighting on overcast days when there is bright light with no direct sunlight. You should also be careful to avoid casting any shadows on the flower while taking your pictures. And if the flower is back lit, make sure to use a lens shade or a broad brimmed hat to prevent lens flare (light directly entering the lens).

3) Wind is Not Your Friend

Avoid breezy or windy days like the plague. Anytime you’re taking flower photographs, you need a still, calm day. The calmest time of day is at dawn so if you can’t shoot at that time, you may want to consider using a wind break. All it takes is the slightest breeze to move a flower which is one reason flower photography can be so tricky.  However, if the flower is moving slightly you can compensate for it by changing your camera setting which we’ll talk about next.

4) Check Your Camera Settings

Make sure you are using the right camera settings. Unfortunately, this is a common cause of bad flower photos. Depending upon how close of a picture you want, set your camera to either macro or portrait mode if you’re using an automatic. Or, if you’re using manual settings choose a wide aperture (small F Stop number) to sharpen the focus on the flower and blur the background.

5) Pretty Up Your Flower

Look for things on the flower that may not be noticed until the picture is enlarged. Look for small pieces of dirt, small insects (unless you want them in your picture) and ripped or damaged petals.  If the flower has any dust or aphids on it, brush off the flower with a soft brush (artist or make up brush). If there are any damaged or ragged petals look to see if the flower would look better without them. Normally if you have to remove more than one petal, it’s best to find another flower. And if you want to have a “dewy” look to your flower, try spraying the flower with a mist of water.

6) Know Your Angle

Anytime you’re photographing a flower, you want to get a unique angle that best displays the flower. This could involve shooting from above the flower or lying on the ground or some angle in between. But whatever vantage point you take, make sure you take time to consider how you want to compose your shot.  Just like any other type of photography, composition is always “king” when it comes to taking extraordinary pictures.

Have fun using these 6 flower photo tips and don’t forget to share your flower photographs with others by framing them for all to see!

Direct Sunlight

We all know that UV rays from the sun can be harmful to your health- and pictures are no different. Over time, direct sunlight on your pictures will cause fading and degrade your photograph. The best way to prevent sun damage is to avoid any direct sunlight on your framed pictures. But, if you absolutely can’t avoid it, you may want to consider framing your photo in a metal picture frame with UV glass. If you use a metal frame it won’t fade like wood and the UV glass has a special UV coating that helps to block the ultra-violet rays from damaging your picture.

Water and Moisture

Moisture is one of the biggest causes of picture damage because the moisture ruins the emulsion on the photo paper. Moisture can be caused by many different things like a liquid coming in direct contact with the picture, hanging a photo in a moist area like a bathroom or near a kitchen sink, living in a high humidity climate or even spraying glass cleaner directly on the glass of the frame (where it seeps underneath the glass).

So, try to always avoid hanging picture frames in areas where there is moisture like bathrooms or near kitchen sinks. Because once moisture gets trapped in the picture frame, the picture has no way to breath or dry out and the picture becomes damaged. If you live in a climate with high humidity there are a couple of steps you can take to minimize picture damage. The best thing is to prevent your picture from touching the glass of the frame. You can do this by using spacers or picture frame mats so an air space is created between the picture and the glass. And lastly, never spray glass cleaner directly on the glass of the frame. Often times, the cleaner will run down the side of the glass and come into contact with the photograph. With time, this can cause the photo to adhere to the glass. And sadly, if you try to remove the photo from the glass, it will peel off the emulsion of the photo paper and ruin the picture. So, if you want to clean the glass of your frame, remove the picture first and make sure it’s completely dry before replacing the photo.

Temperature Fluctuations

Never expose your pictures to big changes in temperature. Pictures are made out of paper and if exposed regularly to big shifts in temperature will cause the photo paper to degrade more rapidly. So, always try to keep your pictures inside your home where the temperature is more stable. Never store your pictures in an attic, garage or basement as these areas in many climates can experience extreme heat and cold.

Hopefully by being more aware of the impacts sunlight, moisture and temperature can have on your pictures, you’ll be able to enjoy displaying your favorite photos for a long time to come.

Tip #1: Never Look Directly at the Sun

This may seem like a rule you learned in kindergarten, but it’s important that you never look directly at the full sun or aim your camera at it. This can damage your camera’s image sensor and leave you with a very expensive repair. So, always wait until the sun is sinking below the horizon or wait until it is a dark red color.

Photo by Phil William

Tip #2:  Getting the True Color

With sunsets, it can often be tricky getting the true color of the sunset to come out in your photograph. Often times, that’s because the camera’s automatic white balance tones down the bright colors to make them appear more “normal.” So, here is what you need to do:

• If you have a camera with a manual setting, you need to turn off the automatic white balance and then set it to the warm side.
• If you have a camera with a color lens setting, or you have a SLR or DSLR, try using the red filter setting or attach one.
• If you have a compact camera, then set your camera to the “sunset” mode. This will shift the color balance to the warmer side and help it use the best focus and exposure.
• If your camera is none of the above, then use the “landscape” mode or “automatic” setting and use a photo editor to adjust the white balance manually.

Tip #3: Composition is Key

Really stunning sunset pictures require good composition, a lot of patience and a little luck. The most important of the three is most definitely composition. If you’re familiar with classical photography composition techniques like the “rule of thirds” then you want to put this knowledge into practice. If you’re new to photography, then here are a few tips for composing pictures (more late in a future post):

• Look for distracting elements in the viewfinder or screen that could detract from the sunset. This could be a building in the way, power lines, tree branches, people – anything that takes away from the picture and looks out of place.
• Identify the main focus of your sunset picture and have that take up 2/3 of the picture. For example if the main focus of your picture is the sky, then have the sky take up 2/3 of the frame of the picture.
• Look for elements that add interest to your picture. This could be a silhouette of a palm tree, a person walking on the beach, a rocky outcropping to help frame the image or a reflection off the water.

In addition to these tips on composition, patience is always an important factor when taking pictures. Sometimes our initial response is to immediately start taking pictures, but sometimes sunsets actually get more beautiful as the sun drops. So, take some pictures at first, but be willing to wait a little bit for the truly outstanding picture. And the last thing, is to make sure you’re starting out with a good setting. Sometimes by changing your position or location it can be the difference between a nice picture and an extraordinary one. The best location for sunsets is often places over water like the beach or even places like the desert or prairie where the dust in the air can add some amazing color to the sunset.

Hopefully these three tips will help you take even better sunset pictures.

Thank you to Phil Williams for the use of his photo:

There are exceptions to this as you’ll see in a second, but generally filling the frame is one of the easiest things you can do to compose interesting photographs.

One of the most common mistakes is to include too much in the photo and end up with a ho-hum photo where nothing really stands out.

For example, if you’re taking a picture of your child on a swing in the backyard, fill the frame with your child  and leave out the rest of the swing set and the other kids doing cartwheels on the lawn.  Otherwise your child will be lost in the clutter and the picture won’t capture the wonderful details of your child’s gleeful flight through the air on their swing.

A nice thing about digital cameras is that after you take the picture you can check for clutter in playback mode. Right away when there’s time for a retake you can see if something looks bad or if there is something like a stray piece of litter on the ground or a lamp post that appears to be growing out of some one’s head.

Sometimes leaving lots of empty space in the photo also works very well. Something like a meadow might fill two thirds of the photo for effect. Just be sure to get a close enough shot that your subject fills at least about a third of the frame. And that brings us to another important tip….

Rule of Thirds

Most snapshots have empty (or cluttered) space on either side of the subject, with the subject dead center. This makes sense because most people use digital compacts and they’re usually in autofocus mode with a center-weighted focus.

Professionally taken pictures rarely have the subject centered in the middle because they use manual focus and use classic composition methods. If you have a digital SLR (DSLR) you can manually focus too (we’ll even look at a way for some digital compact users can use).

The “Rule of Thirds” is one of the most popular classic composition methods used in the world of art. With this method, the photographer imagines six evenly spaced lines breaking the image into nine even parts.  Some cameras have a tic tac toe grid superimposed over your image in preview mode but if yours doesn’t you’ll have to imagine it.  Using this grid, frame the composition so that the subject (whether in individual, family, object, etc.) is on one of the intersections or on one of the lines.

This may seem tricky at first but with a little practice it becomes second nature.

Focus

Now lets first talk about getting your subject focused without placing them in the dead center of your frame.

This method works like a charm for subjects that are still. Here’s what you do:

1. Using the viewfinder’s focus point, move the camera until your subject is in the middle of the frame, and press the shutter release button half way down.
2. Wait for the green light to glow steadily signifying your focus is locked
3. Keeping your finger on the shutter release button so it remains pressed only half way, move the camera until you have the composition you want.
4. Holding the camera steady, press the shutter the rest of the way.
5. As always, wait for the green light to signal the camera’s captured the shot.

Remember to always focus on the main point of interest in your photo. And when you’re photographing people or animals, that usually means you want to focus on their eyes because that’s where people naturally look first.

And anytime you’re focusing on a subject in your picture, look for a unique angle. This could mean taking the picture while standing on a chair or lying on the ground- whatever gives you a unique vantage point that captures the subject best.

That’s it for now! Start using these tips and before long you’ll be getting all kinds of compliments on your well composed pictures hanging on the wall.

Avoid the “Police Line Up”

Instead of having everyone line up shoulder to shoulder, try something more natural looking and stagger the people in the picture.  For example, you might stagger your family members on the front steps of a porch or on and around boulders near a pond. You should also have some family members standing and others sitting to have varying degrees of height in the picture. By using a staggered pattern this also helps squeeze in more people if you have a large photo to take.

You should also try to avoid having everyone face their bodies directly at the camera.  Instead, have there bodies angled slightly and their heads looking directly at the camera. The simple trick of having the individuals at an angle in the picture will help improve the look of your portraits significantly as it’s a common technique used by most professional photographers.

Show Relationships

You can do this with the placement and proximity of the people in the picture. Show family togetherness by spacing relatives close together. And for large group pictures,  place couples, siblings or families together in the picture. For example, Grandma and Grandpa might stand next to each, a toddler could be in Mother’s arms, two siblings might have arms slung over each others shoulders. This will not only show the family relationship by grouping immediate family members next to each other but having them stand close to each will also help represent the closeness of the family.

You may also want to consider adding the family pet if they’re calm and will hold still long enough. If you have animals in a picture make sure to raise your shutter speed priority to 1/125 because even the smallest movements will be blurry.

Have the Picture Be Personal

Often family portraits or group photos don’t turn out very good because everyone in the photo looks unnatural. So, your job is to get everyone in the picture to relax enough where they look natural. One way is to use props of something that represents the family or that the family loves doing together. For example, if a family is into baseball you could have each member of the family hold a mitt, ball or bat. Or, if there is a special place the family spends a lot of time like a park or backyard this will also lighten up the mood of the picture.

You also want everyone to get rid of the forced smiles and “frozen” looking bodies. This may be tricky but if you’re good at telling jokes or telling a story this will help lighten the mood. The goal is to distract them enough so they’re smiling naturally. And once you’ve got the smiles and pose you want, tell them when you’re going to take the picture and give them a signal so they know you’re taking the shot.

Lighting

Lighting in a picture may seem like a minor point, but it can “make or break” your shot. Nothing is worse than having everyone posing perfectly and the lighting is bad and the picture turns out too dark or too bright. So, before you start positioning everyone for the picture, know if the lighting will be appropriate for the camera you have. For example, if your camera has a built in flash and you’re inside in a poorly lit room, you may need to find a different location. If you have a built in flash, the best lighting you can get is by going outside.

Outdoors lighting is almost always preferred because it gives more natural tones. And, if you decide to go outdoors avoid taking photos during mid-day as the shadows will be too harsh. The best outdoor light is an overcast or cloudy day or an hour before sunset and after dawn. If this isn’t possible for your group photo then find some shade outdoors that isn’t too dark.

Hopefully these four tips will help you the next time you need to take a family or group picture. Have fun taking pictures and don’t forget to frame them!