As I mentioned in my previous blog post, here is the Q&A post that I promised, since we didn't get to cover all of the questions due to time constraints. Here are the questions that Amy asked me during the show:
- Do we need a better camera to take better photos?
Not necessarily. It can help to a degree, but here is my opinion: it's not so much the camera, it's the photographer who knows how to use it well. If you don't have time to learn to shoot in manual mode, point-and-shoots are a great choice, as they have come a long way.If you have a DSLR, or if you are thinking of buying one, and you are only going to use it on auto, don't expect your photos to look spectacular. A DSLR is a better choice and will give you much better control over the final images, if you have the time and are willing to learn how to use the manual settings. Also, don't forget that in addition to shooting in manual, professional photographers also edit, or post-process their photos for best results.
- Can you give us some tips on how to capture those natural moments and emotions that make the best photos?
First of all, never tell your kids to say "cheese!" That never looks natural. Nagging, begging, and forcing doesn't work. They'll just look miserable in photos. The best approach is to interact with them, get their attention by being silly, playing games, making jokes, or talking to them about the things they like.
Another thing you can do, is just be an observer, and take photos of your kids while they are involved in an activity that they love. You don't need to tell them to look at you, just capture the moments.
- What tips do you have for better composition?
The simplest one is: don't put your subject smack dab in the middle of the photo. Place them off centre. Visually divide your frame into thirds, and place the important features at the intersection of the two vertical and the two horizontal lines. This is a basic compositional rule in photography, called "The rule of thirds."
Keep the eyes in the top 3rd of the photo. Another thing that most people don't do, is get down to the child's level, so you're looking them in the face, rather than looking down on them. Alternately, try to see the scene from different angles and choose the more interesting ones, the more unusual ones.
Also be mindful of your background, get in close if you want to avoid the clutter in the background. And watch out for tall objects, like a pole right behind the person's head, because it can look like it's growing right out of their head.
- What are the basics we should know about light?
The light is so important! It's good to learn to "see" the light. Pay attention to it, and notice it's qualities: is it harsh? is it soft and diffused? How is it reflecting off of surfaces and bouncing around? It takes time to learn to "see the light", but the best light is non-direct sunlight, such as in an open shade.
Turn your kids around until you see bright reflections in their eyes. This is called catchlights. When you get it right, you'll see it in the eyes, the eyes will come alive and sparkle. The type of light to avoid is dappled light, as well as direct overhead sunlight, like at mid-day in the summer. This type of light is very harsh and creates "raccoon eyes" or dark shadows in the eye sockets.
- Kids move around a lot! How do we take the best photos when there's a lot of movement?
Ok, so what you are referring to is motion blur. If you have lots of light, for example outdoors, this usually isn't a problem, although it can be an issue on darker days.
Motion blur happens when there is not enough light to capture the movement, and the camera's sensor registers blur, because the shutter has to stay open long enough to allow enough light into the camera. Often, this happens indoors, when shooting without flash, especially when there is fast movement, since there is less available light.
Some of the ways to avoid motion blur in your photos is to:
- Allow as much light into the room as possible, i.e, open up the curtains
- Turn on the lights (if you do this, also set your white balance to the little light bulb preset, if your camera allows this. This is because artificial light is very warm, and doing this will help you avoid overly yellow pictures)
- Get your kids closer to the light source, for example, the window, the sliding door, etc.
- If your camera allows, set it to aperture mode, and set it to the widest aperture possible, to allow the maximum light in.
- Also, if you can, increase your ISO
- If all else fails, turn on your flash. It's not ideal, but it's better than blurry photos of important events.
- What are the benefits of hiring a professional photographer for family photos?
Depends on who you hire. Each photographer is different. With my style of photography, you can relax and have fun with your kids while I do the job. It takes away stress from you as a parent, and allows you to be in the photos too. Your kids will want to remember what you looked like! Not to mention the professional quality photos that you would get to look back on and cherish.
There are many photographers nowadays to choose from. Before hiring someone, do your research. Look at their portfolios, compare the images from various photographers side by side, and notice the basic technical things, like are the photos too dark? Too bright? Are the eyes bright and sharp? Is the main subject in focus? Do people look happy and comfortable in the photos or do they look bored or forcing a smile? These are some of the mistakes that amateurs make.
Choose a photographer that has technically good, consistent images, and whose images "speak" to you. Decide if those are the kind of photos you would want for your family.
- What are some of your favourite locations in the Victoria area for taking family photographs?
Anywhere in Victoria is beautiful! I love shooting at any of the beaches, like Willows beach, Cadboro beach, Agate beach. Any of the parks - Beacon Hill is a favourite. Other locations that are also great are near The Breakwater, along Dallas Road, and Fort Rodd Hill, just to mention a few.
- What are some of the creative ways your clients are displaying family photos?
Most of my clients choose to display their photos in wall groupings and collages. Canvas wall groupings look amazing! Being a custom photographer, as part of my services, I have ideas for displays and sample groupings that I make available to my clients, and I help them decide on a display that is right for their home, based on the wall space they have.
A lot of my clients purchase custom-designed albums, or coffee-table books, which is a great way to display your photos, and a great conversation piece when the company visits.
Most clients purchase digital files as well, which they use to share on Facebook, make holiday cards with, scrapbook, etc. One of the products I offer is a digital slideshow, set to music, which the clients can share with family and watch any time.
Another great little product that everyone loves is a hard-cover, spiral bound brag book that is the perfect size to throw in your purse and show off the photos you love!
- What is the best way to store digital family photos so we can look back and enjoy them years from now?
My preference is two external hard drives, and an online backup system like Mozy.com. CD's and DVD's can get corrupted over time and are not as reliable. Also, with an online storage, if God forbid, something like a fire happens to your home, your photos will still be safe offsite.
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