Many people have written articles about how to take better photographs. They go into technical detail about exposure, lighting, composition, etc. I’ve decided to share my expertise with tips for the everyday photographer. You don’t have to be a professional or even a hobbyist to get a good photo for your scrapbooks.
To start, I want to focus specifically on “focus.” I know it sounds simple, but frankly that’s what I’m all about, simplicity in life.
That being said, here are my two cents:
When you want to capture an event or moment, you want the focus of the photograph to be what you want to remember years and even generations down the line. With the age of digital, you have the opportunity to take tons of photographs, then delete or store later. You also have the advantage of viewing your image on the camera. I know you would rather take 50 pictures to get just one good one, but that, in the long run, is harder to sort through and thus causes the 50 images to sit on your card or computer without viewing, printing, and displaying. So, I ask, what was the point of taking even just one photograph, let alone 50, if it’s never going to be seen?
My suggestion is to take a second before making that click. Look around you and know what’s going on out from behind the camera. Many of us get caught up in being a photographer trying to capture that precious moment and forget to live life in the moment. This mentality will actually help you get that perfect shot without wasting time.
My secret is to plan just enough. For instance, when organizing your child’s birthday party (or any similar event), consider some non-traditional things in your to-do list.
First: Focus on the set-up and background. Obviously, the center of attention will be on your child, so consider the background behind them. Is there an unattractive setting that will be in every photograph like a messy kitchen or a construction site at the park? Is it too busy and distracting from your child, the focus? Even more detailed, is there a pole right behind where your child will be sitting that appears to come straight out of their head? Change the location of the presents and cake cutting to a simpler background like trees and bush or a solid colored wall.
Second: Make note of the lighting. You want to be able to not only see your child, but also your camera. Do a test run with the birthday candles so you know how to focus on your child’s face and not the candles. Auto-focus is wonderful addition to the camera, but it can have a mind of its own – just be aware of where it’s focusing. If your party is at night, think about setting up a tripod or at least rest your camera somewhere steady so you can get some non-flash, natural lighting images. These can be fun to scrapbook because they don’t get blown out and add a different tone all together.
Lastly: Do this planning before the guests arrive. Then once the guests are there, have fun and move around for a variety of shots. Remember to get photographs of the family and friends enjoying themselves! You may even want to consider hiring a photographer for your event so you don’t have to worry about these things and can simply enjoy the party.
Check back regularly for more tips and tricks for making better scrapbook photographs.
