In-Depth Guide to Taking Pictures of People

By Jackie Lamas

Do you have no experience with portraits? Have you never photographed people before?
Read on.
These 12 tips will show you everything you need to know about taking pictures of people. In any setting.

1. Research and Gather Inspiration in a Mood Board

Check out Pinterest and Instagram for portraits that inspire you. Creating a mood board is also a good idea when researching.
You can share this with your client.

Once you gather images of people that you like, begin to inspect them and take them apart.
What was the lighting like? What type of lighting did they use? How is the subject posing? Are they standing, sitting, how are their arms posed?

All these details can help you think of posing and lighting rather than the settings on your camera.

2. Save Poses You Like on Your Phone for Reference

Posing isn’t easy, and we’ll get into posing for individuals and groups further on. At the beginning, bring a source of inspiration with you on your phone.
Download and save the images that inspire you. Look for poses you’d like to try, lighting you’d like to experiment with or a certain look that you like.
During the session, use those great photos to pose your subject. By no means do I mean copy.
These photos are only to serve as inspiration to help you create your very own photographs. Use them as a guide to posing and lighting.

3. What to Do On Location

On location offers you more variety when it comes to people photography. Whether you’re photographing individuals, families, or groups.

The best way to determine which type of location is perfect for your session? Ask your client what type of feeling they envision for their portraits.
Do they want their photos to feel warm and inviting? Or something a little more fashion forward and urban looking?
This can help you choose where the session should take place. You can then suggest a park, field, or a downtown area with big buildings.

This will also help you determine the time of day that would work best for your session. If you’re in an urban setting with high buildings, the sun tends to set earlier. That’s because it is hidden behind the buildings.
In contrast, a beach offers you more time since the sun goes directly behind the horizon.
The location can also determine what your client should wear to the session. The wardrobe can match or create more contrast with the background.

4. When to Photograph in a Studio

A photography studio offers you more control over the lighting, backgrounds and final image.

You can use a studio for individuals, families, groups, etc.
If you are renting a studio, make sure to book it early and for at least one hour extra to set up and tear down the set.
Some studios also offer a space for makeup and hair.

Posing in a studio can be a little tricky. Use stools, chairs or benches to help your subject pose.
Use gaffer tape mark spots for your client to stand on. This is especially helpful if you are looking to do composite photographs later.

5. Posing and Photographing Individuals

Taking photos of one person, versus a group, can be easier.
If you’re in a studio setting, aim to have a bench, chair, or some type of stool for the individual to sit on.
They can try different sitting poses, standing with their hands on the stool or foot on the footrest. It can also add height and change the angle of the pose.

You can also use chairs or stools on location. This, of course, depends on the look that your client wants.
Outside, you can use stairs, walls, curbs, benches, and railings for your subject to sit on. Walls are also good for your subject to lean against.

If you are posing your subject standing, give their hands something to do.
Have them put their hands in their pockets, adjusting their shirt or watch, or in their hair.

Make sure that the poses that you’ve chosen are flattering. This may mean that one pose may work for one individual may not work for another.
Try them out and see which angles work best for your client.

Once you see an angle that works, get different focal length photos of the person.
Get full-length photos, mid-length photos, and up-close photos of each pose.

The great thing about photographing individuals is that you can have more time to experiment with lighting, locations, and poses.

6. Photographing Couples

Romantic couples are easier to pose since they are usually holding hands, hugging, or touching in some way.
Have about 5-10 poses that work for all couples. These are going to be your base poses. You can build, change, and move around from these.

For example, start with the base pose of one person leaning on the other’s shoulder facing the camera.
From there you can build the following poses:

1. The couple looking at the camera;
2. One person looking at the other while one looks at the camera;
3. The couple looks at each other;
4. The couple kisses;
5. You photograph the same pose from behind the couple as they look at each other;
6. From behind the couple, have one person look at the camera and the other person looking down or up at the person who is looking at the camera.

From one base pose, you can get anywhere from 5 to 10 poses. All you have to do is change where the couple is looking and your own camera angle.
You can also change focal lengths and this will expand the variety in poses and photos.
With at least 10 base poses, you can easily get anywhere from 150 -200 photos. This will give the couple enough variety for an engagement album or slideshow and for professionally printed photos.

Allow for moments to develop organically or take candid photos as well. If the couple starts to laugh or joke, capture it as it unfolds naturally.

Giving the couple space to just walk or be together can also help them loosen up.

7. Taking Family Portraits

Photographing families can be a little tricky. First thing is to stick to the posing triangle rule and you will be just fine.
This rule allows everyone to be seen in the photos and also creates a nice path for the viewer’s eyes to move through the photo.
You can use the triangle rule with the family standing, sitting, or walking.

Allow the family to walk or talk while you get your exposure and settings ready.
It is an important element because this can help them settle. It will also let the children explore the surroundings, especially if you are on location.

Pose families with each member connecting with another. This gives the photos a more emotional feel.
If they are posed far apart, have them face inward toward each other at a 45-degree angle.
This way the family pulls the viewer’s eye into the center of the photo.

After you’ve taken various photographs of the entire family together, break up the session with photos of individuals and then smaller groupings.
Take photos of each child, then photograph the parents together without the children. Then take a photo of the dad or mom with the children.
If possible, also take generational photos of family members of one gender or the other.
And make sure that if a grandparent is at the session, you get those photos too.

8. Photographing Children Up to 10 Years Old

Children are a bit more tricky depending on their age. Here are some tips for each age bracket so that you can photograph them without a hitch.

Newborns

It is really important that you are first and foremost comfortable with handling newborns. If you are not, let the parents handle the baby.
Newborn sessions aren’t too difficult except for the fact that they run a bit long.

This also goes for babies up until walking stage. Babies can hold their head up at 3 months.
At 7 or 8 months they should be able to sit up on their own, and at 10 months they can begin standing and walking.

Children 1-3 years

Children during this stage are walkers, runners, and natural explorers.
Photographing them playing, interacting, exploring, or doing an activity can help to loosen them up in front of the camera.

After building a little rapport with them, they may begin to look at you if you do something funny or unexpected. Or have mom or dad behind you doing something funny.
This can set off laughs and get them looking in your direction.

Don’t put your camera down. Kids move quickly, are usually done with photos around 30-40 minutes, and don’t really care if mom or dad paid you to be there.
Take breaks, allow time for play, and always bring snacks and drinks for them.
Also, make sure to schedule the session during the time of day when they are the happiest. This may mean before nap time, after nap time, before dinner or right after lunch.

Children 4-6

This age group is a little more fun and will ask you questions and be more talkative.
Joking, playing games or making funny faces can help get real expressions out of them in different angles.
They are also more aware that you’re a stranger. It might take a little bit of time for them to warm up to you.
You’ll find that some children this age may be a little shy and won’t smile, that’s okay!
Photograph them anyway in a more serious tone and it will create a timeless portrait of them.
Make sure to tell the parents to not force them or say no to their requests or if they are being silly.

During the photo session, you may have to remind the parents to let them be children.
This can help the session run more smoothly and avoid meltdowns.

Children 7-10

These children feel silly in front of a professional camera and are more aware of how they look.
Try and talk to them about things they might like, music, activities, etc.

Also, children on the older side of the spectrum can sometimes feel more comfortable if mom or dad are not watching.

This also allows the child to be more themselves without hearing comments or commands from mom or dad.
You’ll find that children this age can sometimes smile the whole time or not at all. The best tip for any age group is to not pressure them to smile.
Sometimes simply letting them get their nerves out and showing them a good portrait of them during the session can help them open up.

9. Best Aperture for Portraits

As with any portrait, be aware of your aperture and make sure that you are choosing one that best suits the individual and the concept of the photo shoot.
Photographing an individual at f/2.8 is a great aperture, especially for an up-close portrait or headshot.

If you’re going for something more commercial and also want to get the items or wardrobe in focus, close the aperture to at least f/11 to make sure the focus is ample enough.
Photographing a couple can be a little tricky at any aperture wider than f/3.5. You want to make sure that you have both people in focus and can clearly see their faces.
Try to avoid photographing at wide apertures like f/1.8 unless you’ve had lots of practice nailing down the focus for both subjects.

It can be really distracting to see a photo of a couple facing the camera and only one eye of one person is in sharp focus.
Stick with f/3.5 or higher to keep everyone in focus and see more detail.

For groups, you will want to have everyone in focus from the center out to the edges of the frame.
If you stick to an aperture for groups larger than 5 people at f/8 or higher, it can help you to get everyone in the portrait in focus without losing some of the blurred backgrounds.
For large groups, like bridal parties or multiple family portraits, use an aperture of f/11-f/20 to have everyone in focus.

Using smaller apertures will also cause your shutter speed to slow down.
Bring a tripod or extra lighting to make sure that you have everyone lit evenly and can create a solid portrait of the entire group.

In this photo the aperture is f/6.3

10. How Much Retouching Should You Do

Retouching largely depends on your photographic style and what kind of look you like to give your final photos.
When it comes to people, keep skin tones as even as you can and don’t over-retouch the skin.

Doing too much smoothing or “perfecting” of the skin can sometimes change how the person really looks in real life.
If you’re photographing something commercial or editorial, the client will do their own retouching. For regular clients and photographs of real-world people, keep it to a minimum.
Retouching out blemishes on a person’s face or something specific that your client has asked for is okay. This being because blemishes are usually momentary, so taking them out is recommended.

Some clients may ask for no retouching and that is okay. You can do the normal color correcting, curves, contrast, and apply your signature look without taking out anything from the skin or modifying the person at all.
For maternity photos, ask your client if they would like to keep the linea nigra. This is the dark line that goes down the belly when a woman is pregnant.
Even if they don’t say anything before you ask, it can save you double the work if you retouch it out and the mother wants to keep it natural, or vice versa.

A good rule of thumb is to ask before you do any heavy retouching. Let your clients know upfront what your retouching style is like so that they are aware as well.
Luckily, the clients who hire you will be more than excited to have your style. This shouldn’t be much of an issue, unless it’s something specific like maternity sessions or commercial projects.

11. Why Great Client Experience Is Important for Your Business

I believe this is probably the most important of all photography tips in the whole article. The client experience is what will ensure that your new clients becoming returning clients.

When you are dealing with people, giving them excellent customer service should be your number one priority. This does not mean that you must bend and give in to every request that they have, but give them the best service possible.
Guide them through the wardrobe process. Give them advice on locations or help them choose a location that best suits the needs of their session.
During the selling process talk to them as you would friends and help them choose the best products for their home.

Giving this type of service before the session even begins will create more excitement and most importantly, trust.

During the session, be patient with children, allow for play and snack breaks. Help the session move smoothly when families disagree or are clearly uncomfortable with photos.
Try and stay positive throughout the session. Don’t allow your clients to see that you’re struggling with exposure or poses for whatever reason.

After the session, send them a quick thank you note with a watermarked sneak preview image to get them excited for the rest of the images.
Anytime you correspond with your client after the session has been photographed and delivered, always do so in a friendly manner. You are now their go-to photographer!

12. How to Keep Your Clients Coming Back

The most rewarding experience for you will be seeing your clients return to you for all of their photographic needs.
Returning clients also tend to be the ones who make bigger purchases because they believe in your work as a professional photographer.
There is also less work involved to get them booked time and time again.

Anytime you run a promotion, send your current client list an early bird special or email so they can book with you first.
When you post to social media, tag them in the photos so that they can share and like the photo. This will remind them they should probably update their photos.
If you run a print special, send them all of the information and a link to their gallery already ready. Or a link to an appointment calendar so they can come into your studio and get the most out of the promotion.

On the anniversary of their session, send a reminder email that you’d love to photograph them again to catch up and update their portraits.
People often need reminders for services that aren’t a need but more of a want. Photography is a luxury but it has a really important purpose, keeping your clients’ memories alive.

Sending clients holiday cards or emails can also help keep you in their minds. Blog posts, social media, and especially when the photographs are featured in a publication both online or written can help keep you active.
The point is to keep your business in their view at all times throughout the year.

Photographing people can be really exciting but it’s best to experiment before you begin charging for sessions.
Getting familiar with the different types of portrait photography, posing, and what you like best can help you best serve your future clients and gain more business in the long run.
Give clients the best experience and chances are you’ll be seeing them again and again for many years to come.

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10 Tips for Becoming a Candid Photography Pro

By James Maher

Candid photography is a great tool at your disposal. However, there is a big misconception that candid photography is about hiding in the bushes, hiding and waiting. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
You can get close, engage your subjects, and still take advantage of candid photography techniques. This works for all types of photography to make your photos feel like part of the moment.
Read on to find out how to take great candid shots, from how to set up to how to shoot candid wedding photography.

What Does Candid Photography Mean?

The important first question to ask is what is candid photography? Candid photography is any type of photography that is real and in the moment.
There is no posing, no fake smiles—only true, genuine feelings. The subjects may know you are there photographing them. But they are not taken out of the moment by a camera’s presence.
It is so easy to spot a fake smile or fake look, and that is the quickest way to a mediocre photograph. But a candid photo allows genuine emotion to shine through.
You could be doing portraiture, event or wedding photography. Or travel or street photography, or family photography. Learning how to get candid shots will take you to a new level as a professional photographer.
Candid photographers know how to look at each scene. And they use the surroundings or other ideas to their advantages. This all comes with practice. Candid moments are shots of decisive moments.
Here are some tips to help you along the way.

Candid Photography Tips

10. Shoot in Burst Mode

People are unpredictable and you only get one chance when taking candid photography: take lots of shots. Your camera, whether Nikon or Canon digital cameras are able to take great photos.
You’ll be surprised at what you find. I often end up with something fun and spontaneous. And shooting in burst mode increases the chance of capturing that perfect shot.
Family moments can be the best time for candid photos. You can find great tips for those moments here. For more candid photography tips, you need to read on.

9. Shoot From the Hip

If you’re worried about being seen taking photos of someone who may not want their photo taken, try shooting with your camera at hip height.
This gives a new and exciting perspective on a situation that you won’t be used to, also adding to the ‘candid photography’ feel of the shot. These images offer a different angle than from eye level.
If you’re ending up with a lot of bad photos, try using live view to compose a shot first. There is no best lens for this candid photography, but wider is easier.
For more on street photography, read our article here.

8. Move Around Your Subjects

If you’re taking a candid photo of someone, you’re unable to ask to them to move for a better composition. It’s also pointless asking them to look natural – this creates the most awkward shots of all.
Get up and walk around your subjects until you have them positioned how you’d like, then take the photo. Have your candid camera ready.
An entire set of photos taken from the same seat tends to be boring and predictable. Movement helps to mix things up.

7. Lose the Flash

Using a flash is a dead giveaway – if you want to go unseen, widen your aperture and raise your ISO. You will be able to take well-exposed photos in low light conditions such as indoors.
I recommend an ISO of about 400 and you can widen the aperture as much as you want. This gives your photos a nice, shallow depth of field, meaning the focus will be on the subject rather than its surroundings.
This is one of the most important candid photography tips.

6. Ask Questions and Engage in Conversation with Your Subjects

The camera will often act as a barrier between a photographer and their subject. It has the ability to make your subject feel very self-conscious and exposed. Use your conversational skills to break this ice.
Portrait candid photography may seem like a strange term. How can you take a candid portrait shot of someone during a session when they know you are photographing them?
But there is a way to photograph your subjects so the moments are real—and feel candid.
If you have ever noticed great candid photographers working, one of their best qualities is how they interact with their subjects. They know how to keep them comfortable and bring their personalities out.
Think of questions ahead of time or search for some common ground to talk about. If you don’t know what to say, ask them a simple question.
Keep the focus off the fact that they are being photographed. When you get a person talking, they will begin to forget about the camera.
They will start feeling real emotions and showing them in their facial expressions when they talk.
This is a way to get natural-feeling candid photography shots within a setting that is not conducive to that type of image.
Wait for the moment in-between the moments. Often your subjects will wait until they don’t think you are photographing to allow their true personality to shine. I call this the moment in-between moments.
Pay attention when you are not pointing your camera at your subject. Keep your eye out, and be ready to shoot.
You can even trick them. Take a posed photo and then tell them that you are changing your settings. Or try putting your camera down as you make a joke.
The second they get that real look on their face, go for it and take the shot.

5. Get Close and Watch Your Subjects Without Looking at Them

During events or weddings, there are many photographers that will lurk from afar with a long zoom lens. This works for sure, but often you will still be noticed when you point that huge zoom lens at a person.
I prefer the opposite approach instead. There is no best lens for candid photography, just which one gives you the best images.
Get into the middle of the action. Be part of the fun. By doing this, people will become more comfortable around you. They will be more willing to let their guard down.
From here you can survey the room and wait to see who looks like they are having a great time. Don’t look at them before you are about to take their photo.
Humans have an evolutionary tendency to notice eye contact, so this will take them out of the moment. This is one of the best candid photography tips, straight from the book on how to take candid photos.
You need to do this by blending in and keeping quiet. Sometimes, the attention is away from you and you need to use this to your advantage.
This is especially important if you’re working on a corporate job as it’s best to go unnoticed. Move slowly and quietly, and blend in by wearing similar clothes to the people you will be taking photos of.
Another good tip is to use live view on your camera where possible; this lifts the shutter up before the photo is taken, reducing the sound of the exposure.

Instead, act as if you aren’t paying them attention to throw them off your scent. Wait for the right moment to happen before finally pointing the camera at them.
When they’re laughing or in some type of emotional moment they will not notice or be affected by the camera pointed at them.
For conferences or quiet events where you are waiting for people to open up, consider putting your camera down for a while and watching.
Keep the camera ready, of course, but know that people will start to relax more if it’s out of sight. For candid photography, this means you may need to wait a long time.
Sit and wait for someone to make a joke or comment that allows the room to erupt in laughter or show their natural emotions. Then start shooting like crazy.
Sometimes it takes time for these moments to occur, so sit tight and wait for them.

4. Use a Prime Lens

As I mentioned in the last point, zoom lenses will work fine, but I prefer to also use light primes.
Light prime lenses will make your camera so much more compact, much less noticeable, and easier to use. It will allow you to walk around an event, blend into the background, and raise your camera to snap a photo without anyone noticing.
A 50mm, 35mm, or 28mm prime with wider apertures (in the f/1.4 to f/2 range) will serve you well in these shooting scenarios.
This doesn’t mean you have to ditch the zoom lens. Use both or interchange between the two. This is why you will notice many wedding photographers using two cameras—one with a zoom and one with a prime.
If you’ve got one, telephoto lenses are a great way to go unnoticed. You can stand far away and still capture a subject as though you were up close.
A telephoto lens also forces the perspective onto your subject. This makes it less about the scene and more about the person, This is why telephoto lenses are often used for portraits.
In terms of best lens for candid photography – go with what you are comfortable with. This way, you will be able to take more candid photography shots.

3. Tell People to Get Comfortable and to Pose Themselves

When taking someone’s portrait, the easiest way to pose them is to take them out of the moment. Instead, ask them to pose themselves. Ask them how they would stand if you weren’t there or ask them to suggest some poses.
It is amazing the comfortable and elegant poses that people will do when you ask them this. They just needed the prompt!
These are not candid photography shots per se, but they will have that candid or real feeling. When you mix those poses with natural emotions that come from a conversation with your subject, the possibilities are endless.
And if your subject starts to become uncomfortable again after a while,  move them off that pose. Have them stand somewhere else or ask them to try something different, and the cycle will start all over again.

2. Tell People to Pretend You Are Not There

Often with event or wedding photography, people will be uncomfortable with a camera around. They will have a hard time getting into the moment and will wonder if they should be looking here or there. They will try to half pose or do things that look awkward.
In these specific cases, tell the group that you are going to take some candid photographs of everyone hanging out. Ask people to do their best to pretend you’re not there.
For portrait sessions, have the subjects act out a particular scenario or conversation. Tell them that if you want them to do something specific or to look at the camera, you will ask them. Otherwise they can forget about your presence.
Sometimes all it takes is that prompt and the room will immediately get more comfortable. It gives them permission to forget about you.

1. Taking Street Candid Photography? Be Where the Action Is and Blend In

Shooting in a candid manner is very important for candid street photography and travel photography.
Sometimes you want to capture photographs of people in their surroundings. Without them knowing or without ruining the moment. There are a few major tips that will make your life much easier trying to get this type of shot.
The first is to put yourself in the middle of the action. Go where interesting things are happening and hang out there. Pick a spot and let your subjects come to you.
By doing this, people will be entering your personal space instead of you entering their space. They will notice you less. This will also allow you to get closer to people.
You will be right in the middle of things and they will be coming towards you.

Next is to do a little acting. To keep that candid meaning in photography, I like to act like I’m a tourist. I’m photographing the buildings or scenery around a person.
Sometimes I even furrow my brow and act like I don’t know how to use my camera!
Aim up at a building above them or at the scenery to the side of them, and at the last second aim the camera at them to take the shot.
When you want to photograph people coming towards you, be careful of what I call the camera snap. The camera snap is when you take the camera away from your eye right after you take the candid shots.

It’s instinctual and everyone does it, and this is what lets the person know that you took their photo.
Instead, take the person’s photo as they come towards you. Hold the camera there as they walk through the scene as if you’re waiting for them to get out of the way.
This will keep the moment as candid as possible.

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Sports Photography Equipment Essentials

By Darina Kopcok

When it comes to shooting sports, putting together a sports photography equipment kit can be a challenge. There are so many different environments that you’ll have to deal with.
Gear is not usually a one-size-fits-all scenario. A lens that may be ideal for one situation, won’t be the best choice for sports. You need a tripod for product photography. But it would be cumbersome for event photography. What about sports photography equipment then?
Here is the basic gear you might need as well as some recommendations for accessories.

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Cameras

Nikon and Canon have been the top choice in cameras for sports photography. Their flagship full-frame cameras are popular for a reason. They have the fastest auto-tracking and continuous shooting features available on the market.
This might change with some of the current and upcoming mirrorless and micro four-thirds options. For now, the current DSLRs are dominating the worlds of sports.
No matter the brand, when it comes to camera bodies, there are two things you’ll need. These are high-ISO performance and autofocus tracking and continuous shooting.
The big decision here will be whether you’ll go for a cropped sensor or full-frame.
Cameras with a cropped sensor are less expensive. They are cheaper for camera manufacturers to make. If you’re starting out, this will likely be a better choice for your budget.
There’s another advantage of this size of sensor. The crop factor actually makes the lens “longer” than it is on a full-frame camera body. This gives you extra “reach”, or a wider field of view.
But keep in mind that full-frame bodies are more robust and will give you better performance.

Cameras for Sports Photography

Canon 1DX – This is Canon’s top tier DSLR for any genre of photography. With a rugged built, this is a high-performing workhorse. It has excellent ISO performance and body that will withstand the elements and a bump or two.
Nikon D4 – The equivalent to Canon’s 1DX.
Canon 5D Mark IV – Canon’s most popular camera, the latest model in the 5D series is great for sports photography. It’s also great for shooting across all genres, which makes it a versatile body to have.
Nikon D850 – The equivalent to the Canon 5D Mark IV.
Canon 80D – This camera sits at the top of the range of the variety of entry-level cameras that Canon makes. It has live view and a touch screen, as well a Dual Pixel CMOS AF sensor. The dual-pixel AF on the 80D functions in continuous (AI Servo) mode for stills shooting. This is unlike any other Canon camera.
Nikon D7200 – The equivalent to the Canon 80D.

Lenses

No matter what photography genre you shoot, lenses should be where the bulk of your budget goes. You need high-quality fast glass for shooting sports photography.
The challenge is deciding whether you’ll go with a zoom lens or prime lens.
There is no doubt that a prime lens is your best option for getting tack sharp pictures. This is especially important when shooting sports. You’ll often be at a distance from your subjects, which will be moving. You don’t get a second chance to re-shoot a blurry photo.
You might want to carry both a prime lens and a zoom lens with you to games. Many pro sport photographers shoot with two cameras. There is no time to be switching out lenses.
If you’re getting started, you might only have one camera and one lens. In that case, you’ll have to make a decision on the best one for the sports you’re likely to shoot.
Prime lenses are sharper than zoom lenses. They don’t have the moving parts that contribute to lens diffraction. The aperture is fixed, so you’ll be able to get sharp images in less than ideal lighting conditions.
The drawback is that they’re not as flexible. They can hamper your ability to get the shot if you are too close or too far from the action. Even if you move around, the action might be a lot wide ranging and faster than you manage capture.
Since zoom lenses allow you to zoom closer or wider, they can make your job a lot easier. Know that you will lose sharpness if you go for this feature.
That being said, there are some zoom lenses that are pretty sharp, regardless. For example, I have the Canon f2.8 24-70mm and find it quite sharp. If you have a cropped sensor, this would be a good option for indoor sports where you can get close to the action.

Lenses for Sports Photography

Canon F/2L IS 200mm d/2.8L – This is the lens famous for having a white body, and is one of the most popular lenses for sports. It can be a bit too long if you’re in a small gym, like at a high school. Otherwise, it has good reach while also allowing you to get tight shots. The aperture will allow you to get more light into the lens, which will be vital for indoor sports. But good quality glass comes at a price.
Canon 100mm f/2- If you’re on a tight budget and need to find the best quality lens for the best price, this might be the on. This lens can offer you great performance for relatively cheap.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II – This telephoto lens is one of the best and most versatile lenses out there– just for sports photography. A comparable Nikon lens is the 70-200mm f/4 G, although at f/4, it’s best left for outdoor sports.

Accessories

There are some accessories that are necessary when shooting sports photography. These include several SD cards and lens cleaner.
And then there are those that will make your life easier.

Rain Covers

You can’t avoid being in the rain for outdoor sporting events, so make sure you’re prepared. Cover yourself and your camera well.

Check out the ones from Think Tank such as the Hydrophobia covers. Another great option as are the covers from LensCoat.

Bags

A good quality backpack will be worth its weight in gold.  Check out the Lowepro Flipside line. You can also consider the convenience of roller bags. These include the Think Tank Airport Series, Lowepro Roller,  or the Manfrotto Professional Roller Bag. 

Monopod

A tripod can be awkward and they are often prohibited in many sporting venues. A monopod can give you a third point of stabilization. It will help you hit those slower shutter speeds without being cumbersome.
Manfrotto is a brand that delivers high quality for a relatively affordable price. Check out the Manfrotto XPRO 4-Section Aluminum monopod. It’s a bargain and hard to beat, and the carbon model is only a touch more expensive.

Conclusion

No matter what your budget is, there are many options in camera bodies and lenses. They can all help you get great images.
It’s more about understanding the sport you’re shooting. And knowing how to get the most out of your sport photography equipment in a wide variety of circumstances.

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8 Secrets for Highest Quality Photographs

By Darina Kopcok

Related course: Photography for Beginners

Photography is the perfect marriage of science and art. Some photographers revel in the technical side. For others, it’s all about creativity and aesthetics.
They’re both important. You can have all the style in the world, but if you don’t have the technical side down, it can hold you back.
To make high quality photographs, you need to understand how to work with light, and know your camera inside out.
Here are 8 secrets for taking high quality photographs.

Shoot In Raw for Quality Photographs

You have heard this one a million times before, but for high quality images, you need to shoot in RAW.
This is not to say that JPEG files don’t have their place and that you should never photograph in JPG. You might be a high volume shooter like a wedding photographer. For you, it can sometimes make absolute sense to shoot in JPG. The files will take up a lot less space on your SD card and JPEG files are already processed.
The drawback of JPG is that you’re limited by how much retouching you can do. Every time you retouch a JPEG file, you lose information. A couple of edits can result in an image of very poor quality. RAW files preserve most of the information form the camera, like sharpness and contrast. It does this without processing and compressing.
This will give you more control over how your image looks. It will allow you to correct the white balance in post-processing.
You can retouch the file as much as you like without affecting its quality. And you can convert it to JPEG or another file type upon export.
A RAW file has 68 billion more colours than a JPEG file. It offers increased brightness and a higher dynamic range.
JPEG is a convenient file format that is easy to open and share. But a RAW file will give you much better quality photos.

Understand Your Light

Light is the foundation of photography. After all, it’s referred to as “painting with light”. Without it, the photograph couldn’t exist.
But many new photographers don’t pay enough attention to it.
Being able to “read” the light and set your camera is very important for getting good exposure.
You need to know how to get the correct amount of light into your camera. And you also need to understand how the direction of light will affect your final result.
Study incident light and reflected light, as well as basic principles of physics such as inverse square law. This will help you predict how the light will fall off when you’re shooting.
The more you understand how light behaves, the better the quality of the images you’ll be able to shoot.

Understand the Exposure Triangle

The exposure triangle is the combination of aperture, shutter speed an ISO that gives you your exposure. You need to balance all three.
When you change one setting, it affects the others. Understanding the exposure triangle is fundamental to photography.
ISO relates to how sensitive the camera is to incoming light. The lower ISO number, the more light you need to achieve a good exposure. For example, ISO 100 is best used with studio lights or bright sunshine. A lower ISO will also give your image less “grain” or “noise”.
Shutter speed refers to how long the shutter in your camera stays open. Thus, how long it lets light into the camera.
Aperture controls how much light is allowed into the camera. We measure aperture in f-stops.
It can get confusing because a large aperture is represented by a small f-stop number. For example, f/2 would be considered a large or “wide” aperture because it lets a lot of light into the lens. But f/22 is a small aperture because it only lets a small amount of light in.
Aperture also affects your depth of field. This is the zone of acceptable sharpness within a photo that appears in focus. An image shot at a small f-number such as f/4 will have a much shallower depth-of-field than an image shot at f/16.
The aperture you choose will depend on what you’re shooting and your desired end result. A landscape image should be sharp throughout, requiring a small aperture. Portraits and some still subjects look best with blurred out backgrounds. This comes with a wider aperture.

Shallow depth-of-field used to isolate the subject

Don’t Over Rely on ISO

Adjusting ISO instead of the aperture and shutter speed is a mistake. A lot of new photographers do this when they’re in a low light situation.
Raising the ISO on your camera can lead to noise. This gives your images a grainy look and reduces their quality. Some cameras have great ISO capabilities. You can push them quite far before this noise becomes obvious. In general, it’s a good idea to refrain from using high ISO whenever possible.
Most images look best when the ISO is in the 100-1000 range.
ISO controls your camera’s sensitivity to light. Aperture and shutter speed are more important exposure controls. Since ISO is so easy to change, people rely on it way too much when in lower light situations.
When faced with a low light situation, use a tripod if you can. This way you can decrease your shutter speed without getting camera shake.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t raise your ISO when you have to. A lot of times you can’t work with a tripod or your lighting situation is too dark. This can happen when shooting a wedding ceremony inside of a church.
Start by adjusting the ISO and see if you can get good results without pushing it up too far.

Watch Your Histogram

The histogram is another important tool. A lot of new photographers tend to skip over it, mostly because it can be confusing. But the histogram is crucial in helping you check whether you have proper exposure.
A histogram is a mathematical representation of the number of tones between the darkest part of your image and the lightest. It maps out brightness on a grayscale. Black is on the left, while white is on the right. You can find all the shades of grey between them.
Each image file has a scale of values of brightness. The histogram maps it out in pixels. Each pixel from the image is assigned to a value. The height of each column on the vertical (Y) axis is determined by how many pixels are assigned to that column.
If you have a dark and moody image, most of the tones will be on the left of the image. If the assigned brightness values touch the end of the histogram, then it’s underexposed.
In a light image, most of the brightness values will fall on the right. If they touch the end of the histogram, the image is overexposed.
In either of these cases, you’re missing details you can’t recover in Photoshop. At this point, you should adjust your exposure and re-shoot.
It’s always best to get your exposure as correct as possible in-camera.

Use Compositional Principles for Quality Photographs

Composition is how you arrange your subject and all the other elements in your frame.
Good composition leads the eye through the image and keeps it interested in the scene. There are many compositional principles that can help you create stronger imagery.
When you start learning about photography composition, you will learn about the rule-of-thirds. This compositional guideline divides an image into nine equal sections. It does so using two horizontal lines and two vertical lines.
The important elements in the scene fall along these lines, or at the points where they intersect.

The rule of thirds helps you place main elements and focal points within the composition. Think of an imaginary grid that divides the image into nine equal parts, like a tic-tac-toe grid. The ratio is 1:1 per rectangle.
The rule of thirds is a great place to start. It helps add harmony to your images. It aids new photographers in their first steps in composition. It can work very well or many images, particularly landscapes, but relying on it too much can be limiting.
There are other principles like the Phi-Grid, the Fibonacci Spiral, and the Golden Triangle. These are all expressions of the Golden Ratio. They can help you create balanced images that are pleasing to the eye.
Concepts like texture, pattern, leading lines and even colour all contribute to composition and quality in your photos.

Manage Your Colours

To get high quality photos, you need to manage your colours.
Color accuracy will differ from device to device. It doesn’t matter if you’re using a smartphone, tablet, or monitor. What you can do is ensure that color is accurate on your end through monitor calibration.
Regular monitor colour calibration allows you to be sure that the true colours of a particular file are being represented. You know you’re not seeing colours your monitor’s settings has adjusted.
A non-calibrated monitor can lead to colour inconsistencies. This will happen when you print your work, or even when you are viewing your work on another monitor.
One of the most important aspects of colour management is the right colour space.
Colour space is a specified range of displayable colors.
There are two colour spaces you’ll be most concerned with:

• SRGB is the correct colour space if your work will be posted on the web. 
• Adobe RGB is the correct colour space if you’re looking to print your work. 

SRGB is the industry standard colour space for web browsers and web content.
The Adobe RGB colour space is larger than the sRGB colour space and includes more shades of green and red. Adobe RGB is only used for printing. It allows you to take advantage of the larger range of displayable hues.
If you’re using Lightroom, you can choose the appropriate colour space upon export. You can see this in the image below.

Edit With a Light Hand

How you approach post-processing can make a huge difference. All RAW digital files need a bit of processing. They come out of the camera looking a bit flat and lacking in contrast.
Until you get comfortable with Lightroom or Photoshop, you should keep your editing and retouching minimal. This will result in the most natural look.
After that, you can go more in-depth with certain toning and colour grading techniques if you wish.
Lightroom can seem overwhelming at first, but it’s relatively user-friendly. You can develop your skills with a bit of practice. Plus, there are tons of free tutorials and articles online.
Sifting through the mass of information on the web might be too much for you. Then you can pick an online Lightroom editing course. You can choose a general program or a class that is more tailored to your preferred genre of photography
You can also buy ready made presets. These are “recipes” of a combination of settings that will give your image a certain look.
You can apply these settings with a single click. Your results will vary and presets are best used as a starting point, and even a learning tool. You’ll most likely need to tweak them for optimal results. And to create your own signature editing style.
You can save these as “User Presets” in the Develop Module. Or you can make your own presets from scratch if you want to mimic a certain style from shoot to shoot.
If you prefer to work in Photoshop, you can buy “actions“, which will work similarly. The great thing about actions is that you can reduce the opacity on them to get a very natural look. And it’ll save yourself the time it takes to hand edit every image.

Digital cameras have made taking high quality photographs much easier in some respects. But photography still has a steep learning curve.
Digital photography has made it possible for anyone to get a decent image. Getting a great image, however, requires skill and practice.
These tips will help you immediately improve the quality of your photos. And they’ll give you some inspiration for areas where you can practice more.

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Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs

By: Ana Mireles

Want to know how to balance exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to improve your photographs without causing white or black clippings?
Have you ever faced a scene so contrasted that it’s impossible to achieve balance in the exposure?
If you shoot in Auto mode, you may have seen this quite a bit. If you were not able to solve this problem while shooting, this is the tutorial for you. I’ll show you how to balance exposure in Adobe Camera Raw using helpful post-processing techniques.
For this exercise, I’m using a photo with extreme problems to really highlight the adjustments I’m making. Images with less-obvious exposure problems can still be improved using this same technique.

Firstly, let’s clarify that this works best with a RAW file, but even if you shoot in JPG format this tutorial can help – so keep reading!
A RAW file is a ‘digital negative’ that contains all the information without being processed, so it won’t open directly in Photoshop. Instead, it opens in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), which is where the editing is done for this tutorial.

If you are working with a JPG file, open the ACR manually. To do this, go to Photoshop ->Menu -> File -> Open. From the browser window choose your JPG file and select ‘Camera Raw’ from the ‘Format’ drop-down menu. Click ‘OK’ to open in ACR.
If you are not sure whether to shoot with RAW files or JPG Files, read this interesting article.

*From this point, you can follow the same steps for both RAW and JPG files.

Activate your clipping warnings

To help balance your image, activate the clipping warning in ACR.
To do this, go to the top corners of the histogram where you have a white and black clipping alert. Click on the one you want to view first.
Once activated, this highlights any pixels that exceed the intensity represented.

The Shadow Slider

The order in which you decide to tackle different problems doesn’t matter. You have to go back and forward through the adjustments until you reach the balance that works for you anyway.
In this case, I’m going to start brightening up the bottom, so my first instinct would be to lighten the shadows.
Adjust the ‘shadows’ slider until you achieve the desired look.
Look at the changes to the histogram as well.

The Black Slider

Now we can see much more detail in the lower part of the photo, but now the contrast has lowered so much that the image has become quite flat. You can correct this by moving the ‘Black’ slider, which determines the darkest black of your image.
Adjust the ‘Black’ slider and see how the darkest areas are now being highlighted in blue to show you the clipping areas because you’re exceeding the range.
Be careful not to exaggerate.

The White Slider

Now it’s time to fix the lightest parts. The sky is completely blown out and has little detail; therefore I’ll lower the brightest white possible by moving the ‘White’ slider.
Adjust the ‘White’ slider until you achieve the desired look.
Notice how the red spot in the sky that represented the clippings is getting smaller.

The Highlights Slider

The image looks better but it hasn’t completely solved the problem.
The next step is the ‘Highlights’ slider to add more detail to it. Be careful not to render the image too dark now.
Adjust the ‘Highlights’ slider until you achieve the look you want.
You’ll need to go back to the Shadows and Blacks to balance them according to the new sky. You can go back and forth through these until you find a balance you are happy with.
Notice how all the clippings have gone:

Before and After Previews

Apart from the clippings you canals keep an eye on the histogram, look how the original had very high points in both ends and was very flat in the middle while the current one is much more balanced.
To view before and after previews, press the P on your keyboard, allowing you to make comparisons without losing any of your adjustments.

Balance is not necessarily all there is to it.
In this case, it resulted in a flat and muted image.
To give it that extra punch you can boost areas such as contrast or saturation.
Keep in mind that these can create clippings again, so always keep checking the entire image.

If you worked through this process with a RAW file, it is non-destructive, so you can keep editing until you’re satisfied without losing any pixels or lowering the image quality.
I advise you to save your file as a copy to always keep your original intact.
If you want to learn more about the basics of ACR, I invite you to read my tutorial ‘Quick Beginner’s Guide to Processing RAW Files in Photoshop Adobe Camera Raw‘.

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