Thursday, August 20, 2015

Saturday, August 15, 2015

TIPS FOR LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

So I'm doing my first paid job tomorrow and am very excited. I've been shooting a long time and I'm very glad to step it up a bit!

We're doing a lifestyle shoot, which is really a lot like old school photojournalism which I absolutely love and adore. Of course my style is totally Life Magazine all the way so I'll have to modernize it a little.

If you're not sure what lifestyle photography is its really capturing the beautiful small moments of everyday life! It's the kind of photos you take everyday of your family and friends, from first steps to 80 yr birthdays and yes everything in between!

Here's one of my favourite lifestyle videos, you may be familiar with Adele's very scripted video of Rolling in the Deep but this is the studio footage.



Ironically enough when youre shooting lifestyle you need some plans.....as much as a lifestyle session is unscripted, you need to discuss with the person, couple or family what they typically do. Do they love to bake cookies, do they have family game night or make homemade pizzas? Make a list of activites, poses, and basic compositions and choose a few to use on the day of shooting.

Lighting is probably one of the first things you want to figure out when you pick up your camera! It can be challenge when your subject is moving around so you may want to set your camera first, at least one setting for backlight and one setting for full light. Shade is your friend on a sunny day. Blurs and grains are totally acceptable if you have a beautiful shot.

Here's a great article if you need help with lighting settings for shooting people.

Before you shoot check your surroundings. Clean your area of clutter in the home or watch for ugly things when you're outside like poles, cars. I seem to be forever shooting around garbage cans, must be my thing!

Shoot one scene a variety of ways. I find it's always the last few shots that are the best so expect to warm up a bit, but also it helps to have a little list in your head of necessary shots to do. Wedding photographers do this all the time but it really helps when you are shooting to get every angle etc so you aren't saying to yourself afterwards that shot was perfect but if only I got more background in. If you're unsure of lighting do some bracket shots, ie change your aperture a stop up and stop down when you have a great moment. Get the details hands, feet, eyes, faces, taking numerous shots of one scene helps to tell a story.

If you're shooting your own children it's best to have your camera ready always. I used to own a wonderful little Olympus waterproof shockproof camera. I was able to take it everywhere and it took perfect shots with great saturation. I really didn't need to edit the photos, which meant they were ready to share anytime. If you don't have a basic camera like this I recommend buying one. Mine cost $100 and fit into my small purse. I had an extra battery and memory cards with me too.

If you want to become a better lifestyle photographer, start by photographing everything you do during the day. This will teach you how to shoot everything, so when you start doing shoots you know how to shoot each medium, food, details, people, places. Challenge yourself by finding new techniques and learning to use them.

Learn your camera. Little tricks like exposure compensation will help obtain more professional look shots greatly. Digital Photography School has some great cheat sheets free to download.



Here are some great articles you may want to read to get inspired.

Best camera settings for outdoor portrait photography

5 Camera Setting Tips for Shooting Great Portraits

6 camera settings portrait photographers always get wrong

7 Tips Your Camera Manual Never Told You About Portrait Photography

Getting sharp images: 7 techniques you need to know starting out

Using Shot Lists Will Make You a Better Photographer

8 Tips to Creating a Lifestyle Feel

What is exposure compensation: free cheat sheet for photographers

9 creative photo ideas to try in August 2015

7 daily exercises that will make you a better photographer

Photography Tips
 

Thursday, August 6, 2015

How to Make Tank Tops from T-Shirts

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There are some really hot, cool and sweet tank tops made from t-shirts! Here are our picks. How talented are these gals? All are no sew, and super easy so there is no reason not to make them! This is a really great summer project for a young designer in the making!