Family Photo Tips All This Week. Day 4: Move Your Subject Into the Shade

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I am have fun getting my pictures and photo tips together for my talk on family photography at the Upper West Side Apple store on February 26th in NYC. 

While I am in the family photo mood, I thought I'd post some of my favorite family photos and tips here on my blog - along with some of my travel photographs that illustrate the same basic techniques.

Today's Tip: Move the subject into the shade.

On bright, sunny days, simply moving your subject into the shade reduces the contrast range in a scene, therefore eliminating harsh and unflattering shadows on a subject's face.

To lighten the subject's face, use a reflector to bounce sunlight onto the subject. 

Reflector info:

Two more tips: 
• The subject does not always need to be looking at the camera.
• Shoot as fast as you can. Know your camera controls inside and out so you can basically point-and-shoot on site.

These techniques also works when traveling, as illustrated by the photographs below, which I took during the Carnival of Venice in Italy, also known as Carnivale.



I am putting together a photo workshop to Venice for Carnivale in 2012. Shoot me an email if you are interested in joining the photo fun: ricksammon@mac.com.

Explore the light,
Rick
P.S. When I travel, I store my pictures on my laptop and on a Mini G-Drive. And here is another tip: Keep your hard drive with you at all times. That way, if your laptop "walks away" from your hotel room, your pictures are still safe. Click below for info.

Lights, Cameras, Action . . . Seminars, Workshops, Demos: Florida Here I Come!

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Just added to this post: Write a caption for this photograph. Suggested by Josh on facebook. My caption: Look! There is a photographer who is not using a Canon camera!) Post your comment here so all can see.

I'm looking forward to my March 2011 seminars and workshops in Florida. Always great fun!

Here is what's on the schedule. I hope you can join the photo fun - and photo learning!

Saturday, March 26

Sunday, March 27

Monday, March 28
(Before/After Photoshop and HDR Live Demo. Example Below.)


Tuesday, March 29
Please don't call my cell phone. Taking a break :-)

Photoshop World Schedule


Wednesday, March 30, 6:15 PM

Thursday, March 31, 1:15 PM

Friday, April 1, 2:15 PM


Also: Juan Pons and I will be recording stuff for our DPE Podcast. Stop us anywhere (except the men's room) and ask us questions for the podcast.


For the Tampa workshop, you'll need:
• Camera, wide-angle and telephoto zoom lenses, tripod and flash. If you have a reflector/diffuser kit, bring that, too.
• Back at your home, I suggest your process your HDR pictures in HDR Efex Pro or Photomatix Pro. Info here.

I hope to see you in the "Sunshine State."

Explore the Light,
Rick

P.S. Click the tabs on the top of this page for info on my workshops and seminars in the US and around the world.

Family Photo Tips All This Week. Day 3: Capture the Action

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Left: Peak of action shot of my son, Marco. Right: Basic action shot of Marco and his pal Adrian.
I am have fun getting my pictures and photo tips together for my talk on family photography at the Upper West Side Apple store on February 26th in NYC. 

While I am in the family photo mood, I thought I'd post some of my favorite family photos and tips here on my blog - along with some of my travel photographs that illustrate the same basic techniques.

Today's Tip: Capture the Action - and shoot for the peak of action.

Sports pictures that capture the peak of action are often more impressive than sports pictures that simply capture the action.

To capture the peak of action:
• Try to anticipate the action and be ready to shoot at that moment.
• Set your camera on rapid frame advance.
• Set your camera to AI Servo focus (focus tracking).

As you can see in the photographs above and below, capturing action also works when photographing animals.

Explore the light,
Rick


Family Photo Tips All This Week. Day 2: Use Reflectors and Diffusers to Soften the Light

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 My neighbor's photogenic daughter. Left: No diffuser. Right: Diffuser.
I am have fun getting my pictures and photo tips together for my talk on family photography at the Upper West Side Apple store on February 26th in NYC. 

While I am in the family photo mood, I thought I'd post some of my favorite family photos and tips here on my blog - along with some of my travel photographs that illustrate the same basic techniques.

Today's Tip: Use Reflectors and Diffusers.

Top left: No reflector. Top right: Reflector. Bottom: Me shooting :-)
Diffuser/reflector kits come in all sizes and shapes. If you are serious about taking good pictures of your family and friends, and even strangers in strange lands, don't leave home without a diffuser/reflector kit.

Here are the two kits I recommend:
and
Westcott 1032 6-in-1 Reflector Kit 42in.
Travel portraits from my Papua New Guinea Workshop. Diffuser plus fill-in flash.
One of my PNG workshop students making a picture with the aid of a reflector.
Okay, back to family photos. Below is another example of the effectiveness of using a diffuser.
My nephew William.
Behind-the-scenes shot of my photo session with William.
You'll find more tips on photographing people in my apps.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. My favorite lens for people pictures is the Canon 24-105mm IS lens:

Your Passport to Accurate Color

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Hey Gang

I don't know about you, but I am a nut about color.

Sometimes I want and need accurate color, as when I was working with the scientists on my butterfly book, Flying Flowers - which I turned into an app called Butterfly Wonders.

At other times I want more vivid color, as when I am working on a travel photography piece that includes several sunset pictures.

Here is a link to an article I wrote on getting Knockout Color.

And here is a link to an article (much more technical than mine) on color management by my friend, the King of Color Management, Eddie Tapp.

For those times when accurate color is a must, I use the colorchecker Passport from x-rite. Here's how it works: You take a picture (RAW of course) of the 24-patch Passport, load the included camera calibration software CD on your computer, open your target image in the program, makes a few clicks of your mouse (or taps of your stylus) - and you are on your way to accurate color. Actually, you were on your way to accurate color before sitting down at your computer. :-)

Enjoy your journey and explorations into the world color. 

Explore the Light,
Rick

P.S. As long as I am talking about passports, when I travel internationally, I pack a copy of my passport in my checked bags and in my camera bag (s). That way, if I lose my passport, I have a backup I can take to an embassy. Also, if my bags are checked by airport security, the agents can ID me quickly.