Hello ! Today we will talk about shooting everyday moments - your life, your family, your lifestyle or maybe your special moments. I believe we should treasure every moment like special, but sometimes we have particularly special moments – like on a wedding day or catching baby’s first smiles, first steps, or first impression when travelling around a new country or an unusual place.
It’s a lot to talk about, so let’s concentrate on main tips and everyday moments - personal, family, social.
1. Have the camera ready! Sounds simple, but we really often don't have it with us and easily miss a moment what we want to capture. If you don't have a camera you can always use your mobile phone. I'm so used to my camera with 365 Project (Daily shooting), so I forget about my mobile that I can easily use too! :)
2. Know your camera. Believe me you should have time to work out how to shoot in different settings - manual, shutter speed priority, aperture priority or other ones, single or continuous shooting (good for moving subjects), focus points etc. Take a peek in your camera manual. For example if you are shooting moving subjects (kids, sport etc) you could use shutter speed priority and choose it not less than 1/125-1/250 sec, faster sometimes even better. :)
Aperture priority good if you want a blurred background (f 1,4-2.8 - what I like) or make it clear (over 3.5 etc.). Of course it’s just a general tip, you can use special calculators that show you how much space will be in focus depending from the distance to a subject, f-stop etc. And you can just practice and work it out beforehand.
3. Watch for the light! Light makes pictures special. You obviously don’t want to shoot on a really bright sun, but if you have to then watch for deep shadows and hot spots on the face and for subject not blow away on the picture, you can also use covered spaces (open or covered shade, good to have sun from the side or back of the subject), morning and afternoon time are much nicer and give more diffused light. I especially appreciate the Golden hour - beautiful light just after sunrise and before sunset.
Window light is good to use when you are working at home with your family everyday moments, you can just use best light in your house (sun at the opposite side of the house) and position your subject at the end of the window or a little bit further (where it’s not too bright), also you could put additional blinds or open them for more light if you need it.
Of course when we talk about kids, it’s hard to imagine we could position a toddler at any spot, we just need follow them, watch the light and choose the best side and position to shoot, be flexible and changeable. So move to next tip:
4. Be ready for changes! Situation changes really fast and you need to be the same – fast! And go with the flow.
5. Use different angles and sides. Use different angles and sides. You see the shot what you want, you are ready, you get it - click! Don't be so fast, look from the other side, direction, perspective, angle. Maybe you missed something important. Practice a lot and you will get your best shot!
Here is my recent shoot for today, when my little one was drawing at the table. I love how concentrated she was on her task!
6. Look outside the box, be creative! This one connects with the previous one. You took pictures from all sides. Have you tired from the top, and bottom too? Did you move out from your comfort zone and did something unusual for you? You should!
7. Picture in details! You are shooting a scene and you see the picture, its great! But what is the special part of this picture that created this feeling? Emotions on the faces at a sport game, hands and rings at the wedding, little kids fingers and toes, baby's smile etc. Also you can photograph details and decorations of the event that make you move back in memories when you look at pictures in 5-10 and more years.
8. Share your pictures - print them out and arrange into albums, show them to friend and family (I’m hopeless - still haven’t printed my one, But I promise I will do!), share on Internet - Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest etc, just show, share, discuss them with friends, get some feedback. See which one you like. And I want give you an advice - take part in 365 Project - daily photos for a year. It’s a personal project and it motivates you to shoot everyday and capture you life. I’m happy I decided to do it this year (not that easy, but I love it! and it’s great to have support and ideas from other participants). It’s actually really hard to choose the best pictures. They are all yours, you like them all! But just try to choose one or two a day, share it and then after some time see if you still like it, see how your style changes, how your shooting subject changes, and how you grow. So it’s not only memories, it’s your photography journey!
There are so many other tips and questions so - Just Do It! Go and capture real life moments, shoot every day, enjoy it, document your life, do family storytelling. Doesn't matter how professional your pictures are – it’s YOUR voice, your story, your life.
And you will Progress with Practice, move forward step by step. And I’m happy to be with you on this journey! Just ask if you have any questions. :)
Contact me info@levienphotography.com