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.
