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Article Series: Photography Tips
I Want Some Photography Tips and Ideas
How
To Take Professional Looking Family Pictures
Everyone makes snapshots
of family members and close friends, but the problem is
making "real" photographs
of them. Sometimes it's easy to make the transition to serious
photography using your friends and family as models; sometimes
it's not. Advantages are that they are close and frequently
available, so you can photograph them over and over, and
at least sometimes get them to reveal their personalities
to the camera.
Some disadvantages are that, at the beginning anyway, your
family may not consider your photography important. You can
win them over by giving them copies of your best pictures.
Another problem is that family members become over-photographed
and camera-shy. Don't press too hard for pictures.
In addition, you must deal with people's feelings about
how they look, which may or may not be realistic. For example,
my sister, who was a good looking woman, complained that
my pictures of her made her look like an old turtle. The
problem, of course, was that she didn't like being old and
had really nothing to do with the picture itself.
The
best way of photographing parents, children,
siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even family pets
is to keep your
camera close at hand. You must be persistent, and be just
as polite to them as you would be to strangers. As with strangers,
approach family members only when they are in a receptive
mood. Then, clearly explain what you are trying to achieve,
and why it may take several rolls of film to get there. When
you are finished, make sure that you thank your "models" formally,
of course. Show them their flattering pictures later, and
give them prints or enlargements as thank-you gifts.
Examples
of great
opportunities for family group pictures
are at weddings, birthdays, graduations, name-giving ceremonies,
showers, holidays, family reunions and even on vacation.
Try to scout out in advance the place you want people
to
gather.
Place
senior
members of the family (or the bridal couple, the birthday
boy, etc.) up front and center, filling the frame, with everyone
else arranged as interestingly as possible. Check the viewfinder
carefully to make sure that everyone is included. Ask everyone
to look at the lens when you shoot. Take several pictures
of any big group; you should do this quickly so people don't
freeze up. If you use the flash, minimize hard shadows by
posing people away from walls, and using a bounce card or
dome over the flash head.
For outdoor settings, choose a shaded location for group
wedding and reunion pictures. Steps are great for posing
a large family. Since almost everyone treasures family group
photos, you should have no problem setting up these shots.
If you mount your best family prints in a good album, over
the years it will become a valued heirloom.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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