Shooting, Lighting, Location, + Posing – Food for Thought

When I first began shooting, I can remember the feeling. I would sit in front of my computer hours before the shoot, pouring over online photos and photo forums.

I can still remember pulling my sessions onto my computer and knowing that what I was seeing didn’t hold a candle to the photos I saw online. Everything from location to lighting…posing and more were lacking. And I knew it. But I never gave up. I read…and read. I practiced. These things I’ve never quite. I still spend time every week dedicated to expanding my knowledge, finding inspiration (whether through art and design or photography) and practicing. If I want to improve my ring shots, I’ll ask a friend to let me borrow their wedding ring to shoot it. After all, the best way to get better is to work hard at it and never give up.

In a conversation that I had recently with a friend, I made a few notes that I felt would improve their photographs. Much of these tips were basic, things that come with experience and practice. After creating the list I decided it would be fun to share a few of these thoughts on the blog.

SHOOTING:

**As for camera settings, I shoot RAW. Yes, this topic has been much debated but I personally feel that RAW images provide a greater amount of flexibility in post-processing as well as the ability to export large file sizes. If your editing software does not provide the opportunity to edit RAW or if you do not feel comfortable, I suggest shooting at the largest JPG size so that you will not come to a crossroads where you’re thinking, “I REALLY like this shot and I wish I would have been less conservative when thinking of file sizes.”

**When you can lower your aperture to f/2 and get a sharp photo….YOU rock. Especially when shooting a portrait or a bridal (a photo with one person). However, when shooting groups of 2 or more individuals such as a couple or a family, I suggest shooting at an aperture of around f/4. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, especially if you’re wanting a certain person or portion of the photo to be blurry….this is just a general rule of thumb.

LOCATION:

**Before you choose ANY location, you should look at the lighting. Lighting 1st, Location 2nd. Once the location has been selected, it’s important to frame the photograph in a way in which it emphasizes or enhances the photograph.

**Lots of times the existing architectural elements near your subject will clue you in on how to crop and frame the photo. Also, make sure to look all the way through the scene to make sure there are no distractions. Yes, there are people seen beyond the door frames in the image below, but in my opinion they are adding to the feeling, rather than taking away. What I am referencing are things like trash, or even sometimes an object that may appear to “come out” of the subjects head if you’re not careful!! 🙂

POSING:

**Even the most beautiful…gorgeous women  would prefer not to be photographed straight on. By adjusting the position of your subjects slightly so that they are photographed at an angle to the camera, you can make a client feel and look as beautiful as they are. 🙂

**Also, no matter the position of their legs, it’s best for the female being photographed to have their weight shifted to the leg that’s farthest away from the camera. Darah (below) is blessed with stunning legs so we want to show them off in the most appropriate and photogenic positions.

** Hands are the MOST telling part of a photograph. They let the viewer know when the subject is nervous, so always try to have the clients do something with their hands: holding hands, hands on the hip, hands in their pockets with the thumbs out, hands on each other, etc.

**If the woman/women being photographed prefers their hands by their sides, ask them to pull their hand up slightly toward their waste so that there’s a space between their wasteline and the arm. It creates a feminine and natural feel for the photo.

MORE ON POSING:

**I love a photo in which the clients are doing something: looking at each other, laughing, kissing, talking. It makes the photo believable and gives the clients something to do in order to relax. 🙂

**If there is something architectural nearby, have them lean on or hold onto it. It makes the subjects a part of their environment and again, creating a photo as a whole..one that’s believable and natural.

Ask others for their thoughts and critiques. I learned while in architecture school that the best way to learn is to pinup your work and ask for help. It’s hard to accept the criticism but SO worth it. Shooting and evaluating is the ONLY and the BEST way to learn. The more you gain experience and knowledge, the better you’ll be. So, funnel your passion…and create beautiful images.