We, human beings are emotional. Life brings out the best and the worst in us. And all that comes out through the emotions. Photographs are the best way to capture these emotions. And as soon as the emotions are captured in a photograph, they become memories. In fact, some of our best memories are from photographs.

Photographs make us stop and reflect upon those moments that we have already lived. They make us nostalgic and emotional, all at the same time. Birthday parties, weddings, Christmas with family, baby showers, anniversaries, natural disasters etc. whatever might have been the occasion, photos capture them in all their glory. They give us an opportunity to analyze how our lives have changed or remained the same. We can have a look at our lives through them more attentively because they force us to focus on a particular moment.

It is often said that a camera lies. But that’s not true. Every moment captured by the camera once existed. Otherwise, how would it have captured. But, there is no shying away from the fact that a camera can interpret. The composition, lightening, angles – all can be interpreted. But, therein lies the beauty of photography and also, its power. It is not accurate but it is real. A photo can inspire some, change the views of some, and shake up the ideals of some, may educate, and may inspire to act and so on. They can invoke the innermost feelings of human beings like fear, anxiety etc.

Photographs not only affect the personal lives. They may also affect the public. For example, the Vietnam war (1965-1975). The images brought back from the war affected the public opinion greatly. In fact, the US army even integrated photo journalists in their combat operations so that they could photograph for them.

In today’s modern world, the social media has increased the importance of photos even more. Just consider the example of Facebook. Sharing of photos is the most usual activity there. And, why not? They are the most interesting and powerful way of communicating one’s feelings. They allow us to convey something, which might have not been possible through words.

In fact, the importance of photos in one’s life is so much that if it is asked of people that what would they rescue from their burning house, most of the times, their answer would be the photo album or the digital images.

They grab our attention like nothing else. And, let’s put it this way. With time, our mind becomes fickle and we start forgetting things. The only way we can record them is through pictures. They have been and will remain the best way to store one’s memories and emotions. In fact, they are the prized possessions of one’s life.

Taking photos at a well-lit location is not hard, but when you are at a place where the lighting is not that great, you may find it hard to take photos that will come out great. Given below are a few tips that will help you get ready and do the photography a bit more easily. Read on.

#1 Dress Up
For post-production, you can put on whatever dress you like. However, for a special event, you should go for a dress that will help you blend in very well. We don’t mean you should wear a suit and tie at all times. For a really important event, men should opt for a suit coat with tie. On the other hand, women should opt for a blazer if needed.

#2 Take Pre-event Photos
It’s a good idea to take some pre-event shots. As a matter of fact, the event planner will thank you for capturing these shots before the arrival of the guests. The shots will beautify their portfolio and help them get more clients down the road. In return, they can recommend you to their clients. So, it will be a win-win deal for both of you.

#3 Don’t over shoot
If you are going to shoot photos for a special event, keep in mind that the attendees should have a great time. While it’s not a bad idea to take the photos of the attendees, make sure you don’t take photos of the same group of attendees over and over again. This will annoy them and you may end up spoiling their mood. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to keep taking photos even when you don’t need to.

#4 Be Quick
Whether you are going to be at a candids or a panel discussion, keep in mind that you will do the job yourself. So, when you are busying shooting candids, you should be all set to take photos quickly, without missing the moment or wasting the time of the attendees.

A good tip is to use the long lens when shooting an important panel discussion. While close shots taken through a wide lens will come out great, be careful and take the shots properly.

#5 Edit And Deliver Quickly
No matter how carefully you take the shots, you will end up deleting a lot of them. Usually, it’s not because the shots were bad. It’s because some photos were way similar. What you need to keep in mind is that your clients will need only the cream of the crop. Therefore, you should not be afraid of taking a lot of shots or deleting a lot of them.

As soon as you have a got a collection of the best photos, you should use your editing app and improve the photos. The great thing about business events is that you have to keep all the things consistent. Aside from this, you can process the photos in batches without any problem. Hopefully, these tips will work for you.

A lot of people may suggest you that portraits are the easiest type of photos to be clicked. However, there are some seriously tricky parts in this particular kind of photography that the beginners do not understand. As a result, they end up failing miserably.

If you are driven by the mistake that it entirely depends on the subject’s expression and look towards the camera, you are thoroughly mistaken. Nothing happens as quickly as you think of it. Just like landscape or nature photography, the light and background of the subject play their part in it.

The difference in between the best professional portrait photographers and amateurs regarding portrait photography is merely huge. Once looked, you will understand the difference quite clearly. If you are in the quest for learning about the ways to mitigate the difference and give a professional touch to your hard work, the following tips are sure to help you a lot.

Read on to find out the way to success.

· Choose your background wisely

Whether you are trying to click a tight frame or it includes other objects too, you are required to choose the background of your frame wisely. The backdrop helps in reflecting the light in the most proper way. You can either create a dramatic contrast or play with the light and shade, the background you choose for the photography will have a major role to play.

· Focus on getting candid pictures

Candid photos are the best when it comes to portrait photography. The candid moments bring out the best of your subject. Therefore, even if you are shooting in a studio, you are required to keep your camera clicking, and when you finally start analysing the pictures, you will realise that the candid ones are the best of the lot.

· Use the light wisely

Using the light does not mean that you are required to click the photos in bright sunlight with your model directly posing towards the sunlight. It will burn your picture. It is about intelligently using the light so that it can brighten up your subject without making it appear something artificial.

You can always process and edit the images using photo editing tools. However, if the original picture becomes too much exposed to the bright light, it will become impossible for you even to edit it.

· Take your time

Don’t hurry. It is about creating a single frame that stands out from the rest. It is difficult to use the image to tell a complete story with nothing else in the frame. In the case, it is a photo shoot; consider it essential to give brief details of the kind of look you want in advance. The more prepared you will be or the more homework you were probably be doing for a reasonable amount of time, your pictures will become full of conviction.

Bottom Line

It is always beneficial to read the blogs and articles written by eminent photographers associated with portrait photography. It will let you learn about different aspects of the particular style along with the relaxed rules that you are required to follow to make sure your attempts and hard work offer you a fruitful outcome.

Automotive Photography can be considered a niche in the photography industry. Hence, many are in dire need of good tips in order to produce professional level photographs.

Taking photographs of cars can be increasingly interesting. When shooting for car commercials, there are a few aspects or guidelines that need to be taken into consideration to get desired results. The secret to successful car photography is simple! Keep a few things in check!

Time of day

The time of day is of extreme importance when you want to take pictures of cars. Successful ads tend to feature cars when the sun is barely visible, preferably a few minutes after sunset or a while before sunrise. The soft golden glow bounces off every surface, giving the photograph a wholesome and glamorous vibe. The natural light also cuts down on post-processing time, making your work more authentic!

Look out for Reflections

Car photography can be tricky since hindsight can result in unwanted reflections on the car’s surface. Therefore, when you are getting ready for a photo shoot make sure you choose an open space. The shiny exterior of the automobile will mirror its surroundings, hiding its design lines. Reflections and shadows on the exterior can ruin the whole point of this product photography, if it obstructs the car’s curves and designs. This is why it is better to avoid areas with buildings and tall trees for such shoots.

And if your own reflection appears on the surface, then the best option is to use a tripod and timer.

Color and Background

Color and background need to be in perfect harmony; otherwise your picture will fail to catch the eye. Each color or paint reacts depending on the time of the day or lighting. Direct sunlight is a big no no! Most colors tend to hide their best features in direct sunlight; on the other hand, lighter colored cars can look stunning in sunlight.

According to your vehicle’s color and the theme of your photo shoot, it is vital to choose a contrasting background. The background’s sole purpose should be to highlight the car. Any objects that may serve as a distraction must be removed.

Driving Shots

The classiest car photos are the drive-by shots. Taking pictures of one moving car from another moving car is one of the coolest and most thrilling captures. Granted, it can be very dangerous!

Try shooting out of your car window while driving at 60 kilos per hour (40 m/h) with your shutter speed set at 1/100th of a second. This should capture the movement on the road and the wheels. Decreasing the shutter speed even more will create a blurry effect, which can seem nice too!

Another way of taking driving shots is to stand still and let the car drive past you. Use your lens to follow the car as it moves by, with shutter speed at 125th of a second. This method is easy and the pictures come out stunning! The effects obviously change depending on the speed of the car, so play around with it.

Night-time Shots

Contradictory to popular belief, it is possible to take good photos in the dark. For car photography, we simply need one extra instrument; a flashlight.

Firstly, you need to find a location which is Pitch Black. Street light, moonlight, billboards etc. can ruin the photo so be aware of any other sources of light. After you have reached this spot; set up your tripod, put your ISO to 100 and the shutter speed should be 30 seconds with an aperture of f/9.

Now, when the shutter is about to open you must shine your flashlight on the surface. Try to cover all sides of the car with the flashlight by walking around as the shutter opens. Experiment with the angles and sides, each photo will have a different effect!

Modern Digital Cameras are remarkable in that they can help you to take photographs that are almost perfect in a technical sense. The camera manufacturer has included software in the camera’s ‘brain’ which quickly analyses the picture you are taking, compares the result with it’s built-in library and then gives you what the manufacturer thinks is the perfect result. No matter who is taking the picture with that camera the result will be the same.

Digital cameras all over the world are producing millions and millions of pictures of an ‘acceptable’ standard based on the average results of the calculations of the camera manufacturers.

But, what if you are not content to be ‘average’? Perhaps you would like to capture images that are ‘your’ images alone. Unlike the images anyone else might take with the identical camera. You would like to be able to use your own creative instincts which would make your photography so much more rewarding than if you simply press the shutter button.

During my courses I have had many people say to me ‘I would love to be able to do creative exposures but I have only got a very basic point and shoot camera.’ There is no such thing! All digital cameras are just amazing in what they can do but most users just accept what they think are the limitations.

Exposure Value Compensation

I have yet to meet a camera, no matter how simple, that does not have this function built in to it. This is a fantastic, easy to use method of personalising your pictures and, judging by people I have had on my courses, I would estimate that over 90% of camera users have not even heard about it, let alone made use of it!

It allows you to adjust the automatic exposure setting of your camera to give you the type of creative exposure that you really want. Making your picture either darker or lighter than the automatic setting can make the world of difference – many times the difference between a snapshot and an excellent, creative image.

Being digital you can immediately see the result on your camera screen and re-adjust your exposure if necessary. This is all part of the fun!

There will either be a +/- button somewhere on the outside of the camera or else it will be easily accessible using the camera menu (read your instruction manual!)

It is really easy to use – if you want the picture to be darker move the pointer to the left and if you want it to be lighter move it to the right. Being digital you can see the effect immediately. It’s that easy to add your input to your pictures!

– = underexpose (darker)

+ = overexpose (lighter)

With some cameras you will have to turn the small dial from ‘A’ for Automatic to ‘P’ for Programme to be able to use Exposure Compensation. Nothing else should change.

Do not forget to switch back to zero!

The EV setting does not self correct when you turn off the camera. Otherwise you may get a lot of images tomorrow which don’t look as you expect them to look!

Camera owners often ask about ‘White Balance’ and the part it plays in digital photography. Is it important and can they perhaps use it to improve their photography.

Well, the colour of the light reflected from an object varies with the colour of the light source. The brain adapts to all these changes so that white objects appear as white objects whether seen in the shade, direct sunlight or under incandescent lights. Unlike film cameras, digital cameras can mimic this adjustment by processing images according to the colour of the light source.

With ‘automatic’ white balance the camera identifies the brightest element in the picture, assumes this is white and then adjusts or balances all the colours in the picture based on this.

Most of us just leave the White Balance setting on ‘automatic’ and the camera does a pretty good job of estimating the correct setting and we are generally happy with the results.

However, if we really want to improve our photography and add our own individual touches to our images it is really well worth experimenting with the various white balance settings available on your camera – AWB (automatic) Cloudy, Daylight (Bright Sun) Shade, Tungsten etc – and seeing the difference they can make to your pictures. Remember, you know what the prevailing light is. Your camera can only guess!

If you experiment with these, you will soon be able to see how to make the best use of them to help your photography. For example, if you use the ‘cloudy’ setting, even when it is not cloudy, it will have the effect of ‘warming up’ the picture – great for sunsets! The automatic setting may well remove most of that wonderful glow you wanted to capture.

The wonder of Digital Photography is that you can experiment freely at no cost – play around and experiment with your camera to your heart’s content – the more familiar you become the better you will get at taking pictures that actually reflect what you have seen and which are not just ‘postcard clones’ as it were!

Continual experimentation is one of the key secrets of digital photography. It can take people some time to get out of the habits of film photography where it cost money each time you pressed the shutter button! Once again – time spent reading the instruction manual for your camera will pay serious dividends in helping you to really enjoy your photography!

To be underexposed means that an image contains not enough light, so there is too much darkness that was recorded on the film or image. The darker the photo is, the more underexposed it is. Sometimes you can even underexpose a photo on purpose to make pictures more dramatic, so keep that in mind too – NOT ALL UNDEREXPOSED IMAGES ARE BAD. Underexposure can happen two times throughout the photography process: while taking the picture, and then while developing it. Typically, if it happens while you are taking the picture, it is at night and the lighting is very poor outside, therefore, not giving the camera enough light to capture the image that the photographer wants. If your photos are getting underexposed while developing it, then there are ways of fixing that too.

Ways to correct underexposure:

• Add more light to your canvas. One of the more simple ways of doing this is actually just turning your flash on, that is what it is there for so use it. Another way is by adding a reflector; this will help keep the lighting in the photo in a way that adds more definition to the scene or image.
• Adjusting your f/stop could very well be the problem too. Changing this will allow more light exposure to the photo, so just play with it until you find the right f/stop.
• Or change your shutter speed while keeping the f/stop the same. I only recommend doing this if you have a model that is not moving and you are using a trip pod. Switching your shutter speed from 1/60 of a second to 1/30 can really make a noticeable difference; it might feel like it’s only changing a millisecond but that period of time can make all the difference!

Overexposure is exactly the opposite of underexposure, you are letting too much light be recorded by the camera and that is causing the photo to be ‘blown out’ or ‘white washed’. When this happens, you lose a lot of the color in the photo and it can be too distracting to see what the photographer was trying to create. Some people overexpose on purpose to allow more details to emerge on a dark object and setting, but typically overexposing is not a good thing. Just like the definition of overexposing is the opposite of underexposing, the ways to correct overexposing are also the opposite.

• Take away light by moving to the shade or using a darker reflector. A darker reflector will absorb some of the access light, therefore, helping your photo from getting blah-looking. If you cannot find shade then find a cloth or something to block direct sunlight.
• Try changing your f/stop. Play around with it and get closer to f/11, see what works for the shot and use it.
• Shutter speed is another option. Move it up this time, go to 1/125 to let less light in to your sensor or film plane.

As a photographer, you may be called for wedding photography. If you have been looking for some event photography tips, this article can help you. Actually, your job is to shoot some amazing photos. Given below are 5 tips that can help you with your event photography. With these tips, you will be able to take amazing photos.

#1 Dress up

Before you leave for the event venue, make sure you put on the right outfit. People at the event should not feel that you belong somewhere else. In other words, you should be able to mingle with the crowd. And this can happen only if you are well dressed.

You don’t have to put on a suit and tie. You can also do with slacks, a nice shirt and black shoes. The idea is to be well-dressed. Being over-dressed means being on the safe side, but being under-dressed is a big no.

#2 Take Some Pre-event Shots

You may want to capture some shots of the main room before the guests arrive. The event planner will be able to use these shots in order to sell their business services down the road. The pictures will be very valuable for your client and they may hire you again for your services. Therefore, taking some shots before the event starts is a stroke of genius and it will help you grow your business.

#3 Don’t take too many photos

While you may want to take more shots than you need, taking photos unnecessarily is not a good idea. Taking amazing photos is the goal, but make sure you don’t spoil the mood of the guests. The attendees should be able to have a great time and it should be your priority.

The attendees would love to be photographed, but make sure you remember which ones you have had photographed. After all, you don’t want to take photos of the same guests over and over again.

#4 Be Quick

You have to be really quick when taking photos. For instance, while taking photos of candids, make sure you take three frames and then move on. Taking more than three shots may annoy the guests. Moreover, when taking photos during a panel discussion, make sure you takes lots of photos with your DSLR. Although close shots look great, you should make sure that the faces of the guests look clear in the photos.

#5 Edit Carefully and Deliver Fast

While editing, you may have to delete half of the shots. Usually, the shots are good but some shots may be a little better. Moreover, if you have taken three frames for the same pose, you may have to delete two of the frames. In other words, you want just the cream of the crop.

So, if you have been looking for some great tips for event photography, we suggest that you follow the photography tips given in this article. It’s also a good idea to consult a more experienced professional photographer for the same purpose.

Woo Hoo! You’re engaged! Congratulations!

Now comes the big question… do you have your photographer?

No?

Too daunting of a task to think of right now?

Not to worry, choosing a wedding photographer is really not that difficult if you know what to ask. Being educated about each photographer’s qualifications and offerings is the first step to narrowing down the list of choices.

We have answered thousands of questions from hundreds of couples and we have narrowed down the most important questions that everyone should know. This list is not 100 questions long! This is a relatively short list but these questions are the ones that are the most important ones.

So let’s begin!

1. How many weddings have you photographed? First off, why is this important? It is important because it shows experience. You want a photographer that has photographed more than a few weddings. Experience is necessary because you want a photographer who knows what they are doing! How to pose couples and groups. Knowing what photographs to take and how to take them is key to quality photography. You don’t want to have to tell your photographer what photographs to take and how to pose people you have enough to think about; and besides what are you paying them for?

2. Do you do photography full time? Not all photographers do this as their main job. More and more people are picking up photography as a hobby or to bring in some extra income. Weekend warriors are rampant in the photography industry. This is something you may want to know. To some couples, it does not matter, but if it does matter then this is a good question to ask.

3. Do you carry backup equipment? This also goes to experience. Every photographer who has been in business for awhile knows that anything can happen and usually does. Only carrying one camera and lens is just asking for failure. And you certainly don’t want that failure to happen at your wedding!

4. Do you have business insurance? Not only to cover equipment but liability as well. This is a sign of a professional. A professional business should always have insurance.

5. What will you wear to photograph my wedding? You would be surprised what we have seen photographers wear to photograph in. You should know going in if you can expect yoga pants or black jeans or professional attire. If you are having a casual wedding and don’t care then you do not need to worry. But if you are having a wedding where you do not expect to see yoga pants and flip flops then you should make that clear up front.

6. How long after the wedding will our photographs be available? Some photographers will take as long as 6 months to edit a wedding. You should know how long to expect before you book.

7. How many edited images can I expect? This is important because some photographers take 2,000 images but only edit and deliver 300. You should know in advance if you will receive all of your photographs, less bad ones of course, or only a selection of photographs taken.

8. Do I receive my high-resolution digital files and will they be watermarked and resized? A combination question but it all goes together. Of course, you want to know if you will receive your digital files. The vast majority of photographers do offer them in their packages but there are still some holdouts that will charge extra for them, so you should know. And along the same lines, some photographers will resize and watermark the digital files that they give you so that you are still forced to order prints from them.

9. What is your deposit and when is the balance due? Again, you should know this up front before you book. Every photographer will do this differently. The average options are; a specific deposit amount with the balance due before the wedding; a 1/3 now, 1/3 before the wedding and the final 1/3 upon delivery; payment plans etc. Just make sure you know when and how everything is due.

10. Are the photographs that I see in your samples a good indication of your style? This is important. You want to like the photographs that your favorite photographer is showing you. If you do not like the sample photographs then that is a good indication that you will not like the photographs they take for you. You cannot expect the photographer to shoot in a different style just because they have a price and personality that you like. Make sure you love the whole package!

11. Are there any additional fees I should be aware of? Taxes, editing, travel, meals, additional time etc etc. You should know these things before you book.

12. Do you have a contract? Never book a photographer without a contract! This protects both of you.

OK, so did I overwhelm you? I certainly hope not! Of course, there are other questions to ask, lots of them, but these are what I would consider the most important. And you should ask about packages and other details but this is the nitty gritty must know stuff.