Tips for Shooting on the Beach

Sea spray and salt can reek havoc on your lens and your images.  In the image above you can see in the red oval areas I forgot to check my lens for dirty spots before shooting.  Luckily I did notice the problem before I made all my shots that day.  Always remember to check your optics regularly.

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Elements of a Good Image

I just went to a presentation by David Middleton and he was describing his pre-shot workflow.  He takes the time to make sure the shot is right before he presses the shutter and it saves him a lot of time and effort in post processing.

He also described his thoughts on how to compose a good image.

1.  The image should be able to be summed up by one phrase.  Any more and you have too much stuff in your image.

2.  Every good image needs to have great

Light

Subject

Background

Conditions

if you have all four of these elements you will have a good image.

15 Tips for Taking Better People Pictures.

1.   Tidy up the subject’s hair without overdoing it.
2.   Have you subject stand tall or sit – slumping is a negative.
3.   Turn the torso at a slight angle to the camera so your   subject becomes a slimmer, more flattering photo.
4.   A slight tilt of the head can be pleasing as it softens the skin tones.
5.   Be especially careful of hand placement. When in doubt leave them out of the frame! Take particular care NOT to cut off a limb at the joints!!
6.   Avoid one of the most unflattering areas – the armpit!
7.   Generally, the eyes should be in the upper thirds of your frame.
8.   If your subject is a child, get down to their level. Never shoot down on them!
9.   If a catch light is involved, try to have it fall at either 11:00 or 1:00, if possible.
10.If your subject is wearing glasses, a slight tilt may reduce their reflections.
11. If your subject has prominent ears, have him or her turn until the far ear disappears.
12. Leave more room in the frame toward the front of your subject rather than the back.
13. Working with children, bring along a few toys – great props!
14. Try to shoot your subject at eye level.
15. Since the eyes are the focal points of any picture, focus on them.

Also don’t forget to register for my upcoming workshop on Photographing  Children.

Blogging Tip: Adding Flickr Galleries to Your Blog

Here is a sample of a collection I have on flickr called my favorite images:

1.  Create a Set of your photos on Flickr.

2.  Click on the Set, then click Play Slideshow.

3.  Click Share.

4. Optional:  click Customize this HTML if you want to adjust the size etc…

5.  Copy and Past the Embed code into your blog post.

Let me know what you think about this type of gallery?  Thanks!