How to Make an Infinity Curve for Product Photography

Tags: Shutterbug Photography,  Rookie Photography

By Chad Verzosa 

When you look at e-commerce images, do you ever wonder why you can’t find where the floor ends and the wall starts in the background? This is because product photography often uses a photographic term called the infinity curve.

In this article, We will show you how to create an infinity curve (or infinity cove) you can use for product photography at home or in the studio.

What is the Infinity Curve?

In simple terms, infinity curves are seamless backgrounds that do not have lines or corners. The main use of an infinity curve is to create a clean photo background with no corners. That way, your main subject is the only element in the image where your audience’s eyes can gravitate.

To help you envision what they do, we’ll compare it with an example of a regular background containing a wall and a floor.

And now, here’s an image with an infinity curve. As you can see, it has a smooth transition that you can’t see where the floor ends and the wall starts.

How Do You Make an Infinity Curve for Product Photography?

It’s common for a photography studio to have what’s called a cyclorama or an infinity cove. It’s usually made of wood, drywall, concrete, or similar construction materials.

Unfortunately, an infinity cove can be difficult to build, even for seasoned DIYers. The entire construction process needs a lot of equipment, not to mention various skills that will most likely require a team of people.

Infinity coves are also notoriously difficult to maintain. Since people step on them all the time, they often get dirty. Consequently, they often need to be repainted to retain their clean appearance.

Thankfully, there are other ways to build infinity coves apart from concrete, drywall, or wood. The best option is to use seamless paper as your background.

When people talk about the infinity curve, they often think about large cycloramas in studios. But product photographers use smaller options that are only as big as a table when taking pictures of small products.

Normally, photographers would often use a still-life table which you see below.

For Small Products

But you don’t have to buy one to create an infinity curve for product photography. All you have to do is set up a small table against the wall. Tape the upper part of the poster board to the wall, let the lower half rest on the table, and tape it so it doesn’t move around.

For Medium Products

The poster board background is perfect for small products, but how about medium-sized ones? This time, the best option is to use a seamless paper background.

Seamless paper backgrounds come in various sizes. For tabletop product photography, the most appropriate size is 4 ft  (1.22 m) because it fits most tables.

To set up your seamless background for medium-size products, you will need a background stand. The kit often comes with two stands and horizontal rods you can connect depending on the length of your seamless paper.

If you have an eight-foot seamless paper, you will need to attach all the rods. But since you are only using a 4 ft option, you only need to connect two to three—just enough to run the length of your background. Once you attach all the rods, insert them into the background tube.

Now, open up your two stands and set them about 4 ft apart. Grab the background and align the holes at the tips of the horizontal rods with the tips of the stands. Once the seamless paper is in position, screw the butterfly nuts to the stands to secure the background.

For Large Products

For large products, you will need longer, seamless paper. The best option for you would be an 8 ft (2.4 m) background.

Setting up an 8 ft seamless paper is technically the same as what you would do with a 4 ft version. The only difference is you will need to connect all the rods in your background stand kit to create an 8 ft pole.

You also do not need to use a table for your large backdrop anymore. Instead, you can let it drape down to the floor. Lay down at least 4 ft length of the seamless paper on the floor. That way, you have enough space to position your product to take photos.

Using a large white seamless paper creates a heavenly space appearance because it bounces a lot of light around. The clean background also ensures that your product stands out.

When using a large seamless paper, consider taking off your shoes and walk on the floor with your socks on. That way, you do not end up with messy shoe prints all over your background.

The corners of the seamless paper also tend to curl. To avoid this issue, you can use sandbags to weigh down the corners and the middle of the background. Alternatively, you can use tape. But we do not recommend it because there is a good chance you might end up tearing the paper.

Care and Storage

Using seamless paper for infinity coves is an affordable option. But since your background is made of paper, you need to be careful with it all the time.

We already mentioned earlier to not step on the background with your shoes on if possible. But you also need to make sure you do not place your products too close to the background curve. Otherwise, there is a good chance you might rip it.

If you need to store your background, make sure to do so vertically. That way, you don’t have to worry about the paper ending up with creases that are difficult to remove in Photoshop.

If you do not need to use infinity coves all the time, then seamless paper backgrounds are your best option. They are not only cheap but also easy to set up, even in a small room.

The best reason to use seamless paper is that it does not limit you to single color background. All you have to do is swap out the background, and that’s it! Apart from using white, you can use just about any other colour from yellow to black without repainting.

Of course, the seamless paper does have its limitations. But as long as you take care of it, it can last you a long time. And most of all, you do not have to pay a lot of money to use it.

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How to Choose the Right Camera Settings for Portraits

Tags: Shutterbug Photography, Rookie Photographer

By Natalia Robert

 

Choosing camera settings for portrait photography can be difficult. And knowing which lens is best is even more so.
Let’s take a look at each basic setting to know and lens options so that we can clear up some confusion for you.
 

Which Lens?

Before we even talk about camera settings for portraits, let’s discuss the lens. Many focus on the camera brand and model.
But the piece of gear that has a major effect on the final look of a photo is the lens.
It’s hard to know whether you want a telephoto lens, a mid-range prime lens, or a wide angle. To be honest, it often comes down to personal preference and what you have envisioned for the final look.
If you want a classic portrait look with a very soft bokeh, use a telephoto. The 70-200mm/f2.8 is a great example of a solid lens for this look.
If you’re tight on space or want to have the background play a bigger role in the photo, try a 50mm or 85mm lens.
If you’re looking for a more dynamic and off-beat effect, try a wide lens for portraits! You do need to keep in mind subject placement in the frame, though.
The lens distortion will be much stronger with a wide angle. It will become more noticeable on the edges of the frame.
I also encourage renting lenses before purchasing. A lens can cost just as much as, if not more than, your camera body.

Shooting Mode

You know what I’m going to say here. First, you need to get out of Auto mode!
You want to be shooting in full Manual mode. It gives you the most control and consistency. This can be tough at first, though. If you’re not quite ready to take the leap to Manual mode, try switching to Aperture Priority mode.
This will give you control over aperture. And it will let the camera choose the shutter speed. The ISO is set to what best fits your shooting conditions.
By controlling the aperture, you’re ensuring that you have a nice shallow depth of field. You’re most likely going to be doing outdoor portraits with a good amount of light. The shutter speed won’t be as much of a priority.
If you’re in conditions with low light, you’ll want to either be on a tripod or use Shutter Speed Priority. Keep in mind that you’ll need to check your focus to make sure that it’s on your subject. The aperture will be determined automatically by your camera.

Aperture

You’ll find that an f-stop of 2.8 or lower is the best aperture for portraits. The reason for this is that it creates a shallow depth of field.
Using a shallower depth of field directs the viewer’s eye. It blurs everything except the focal point. In portraits this should always be the eye closest to the camera.
By having everything else in the image off-focus, even if subtle, it also creates a flattering look. The skin in the rest of the face is a bit softer.
By having the rest of the face a tiny bit softer, it also makes the eyes pop a bit more. This helps create a connection between subject and viewer.
If you want both eyes in focus, you can position your subject’s face so that it’s looking straight at the camera. Both eyes are about the same distance from the lens.
If you’re doing a couple or group, use a bigger f-stop – somewhere around 5.6 or so. That way, you’ll get each person in focus.

Shutter Speed

If you’re in full sunlight, shutter speed won’t be a big factor. Typically, you want to be using a speed faster than 1/100th to avoid hand shake.
If you’re using a flash, you’ll most likely need shoot no faster than 1/200th of a second so that the flash unit syncs in the correct way.
Of course, if you’re not using a flash then you can use faster shutter speeds and be fine!
If you want to capture some motion, the ideal speed will depend on how fast the action being photographed is. To capture some motion blur, you’ll want to shoot as slow as you can to avoid hand shake.
This can be as low as 1/50th of a second for those with a steadier hand. A bit of experimentation will help find your ideal speed.

Metering Mode

Spot metering is usually the best for portraits. It gives you control over exactly what area is exposed properly. Spot metering will read the light in the center spot of the frame, and use that to evaluate your exposure.
If you’re not using a flash, then this point will most likely be your subject’s face. If you are using a flash, then you’ll want to expose for the background. Then the flash will illuminate your subject’s face.

ISO

Higher ISO is more light-sensitive and lower ISO is less so.
Higher ISOs always increase the appearance of grain, so keep that in mind. To avoid grain, you always want to use as low of an ISO as possible. I like to stay at either 100 or 200, but you can push the ISO higher if the light is low.
Different cameras will handle grain differently. An ISO of 800 in one camera may look clear, while another camera may be very grainy at ISO 800.
You’ll want to test out your camera in different light conditions. Try different ISOs before you’re at a shoot with a client.

Portrait photography can be incredibly varied and experimental. There are many options for gear and camera settings for portraits. These can be overwhelming!
Playfulness and experimentation are key in finding your groove.
But the basic settings and guidelines above will get your portrait photos started off on the right foot. 

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 # People, Images

12 Dos and Don'ts of Family Portrait Photography

Tags: Shutterbug Photography, Rookie Photographer

By Sarah Rodriguez-Martinez

 

A family photo shoot is a big responsibility for a photographer and can lead to some stressful situations.

However, when you know certain tricks, taking family portraits becomes fun and enjoyable.

They are a great opportunity to take photos that convey lots of love and joy.

I have put together 12 Dos and Don’ts that will help you successfully start with family portrait photography.

 

1. Tell Them What to Do to Make Posing Easier

If your clients are enjoying themselves, you’ll have a higher chance of beautiful family photos.

You might find a family that is experienced in photo shoots and who like posing in front of the camera. But it is not common.

Posing is not a natural thing for most people. Some of the family members (if not all of them) might feel a bit uncomfortable. This discomfort will appear in the photo and make it look fake.

Instead of directing and ordering them to pose, organise the session and plan things for them to do.

Ask them to walk, run, dance, play, lean on a wall, or hide behind a tree and peek from the sides. You could make them hug each other, make shapes, play games etc.

Take candid photos while the family is having fun. Your images will look beautiful and will also remind them of the great time they spent together.

2. Do Not Pose Your Clients Facing the Sun to Avoid Unwanted Shadows

If you can, avoid having the family looking towards the sun or strong light sources. A lot of people still believe that taking photos with the sun at the back of the subject is not right.

You might think that posing with the sun in front of them offers more light, but the end results can be extremely unflattering. Ugly shadows will appear under their eyebrows, nose and neck.

Direct sunlight is also not ideal because it’s a hard light. It makes the skin look older and less smooth as it enhances small flaws.

On top of that, the family will be annoyed by the light shining into their eyes. They will either close their eyes or squint until the torture is over. To avoid all this, just have them turn around.

Another way to avoid direct sunlight is to shoot family portraits in soft lighting conditions.

You can get great images if you choose a time of the day which is not too close to midday. Capture the family during a nice sunset and see how much it softens the light.

Or simply have the photo shoot in a shadier environment or during a bit cloudy day.

If you choose the first option, when it comes to settings, pay attention to exposure. Take into account the backlight entering into your sensor.

If you are shooting in semi-automatic mode, one trick is to meter the image using Matrix Metering (in the case of Nikon. Evaluative Metering for Canon cameras). Then overexpose 0.3 steps.

For Manual shooting, you can meter the light using the spot metering on the family. In both cases, the family will be well exposed and the background overexposed.

But as the important thing here is the family, a slightly burnt background is a fair price to pay for avoiding photos with closed eyes.

3. Communicate and Engage With Your Clients to Make Them Enjoy the Session

Most families don’t pose for professional photos often. They are not used to it and might feel a bit awkward.

You usually want natural-looking family photos. Besides the technical aspects of photography, you should also take special care to make the family feel comfortable with you.

I play and talk with the kids as much as I can. With the adults, I start a conversation about random subjects until I find something they like and we go from there.

I ask questions like how they met each other and encourage them to tell their story. This is a great step towards building rapport. Ask them personal but discreet questions.

I avoid potentially stressful subjects such as politics or job situation. I prefer talking about travelling, holidays or hobbies.

I also make it clear that if they don’t like a pose or feel strange doing something, they don’t have to do it. All they need to do is say the word and we’ll do something else.

Knowing that they are in control and won’t be forced to pose one way or another builds trust and makes them more comfortable.

Establishing a good relationship is important because you are a stranger to them. And they need to show intimate and personal moments and feelings in front of you.

4. Pay Attention to the Surroundings to Keep the Shooting Comfortable

Before pressing the shutter release of your camera, you need to take care of a lot of things. For example, composition, camera settings for the right exposure, and checking that your models are feeling fine.

It’s easy to forget that there are other things you also need to be aware of.

For example, if you are at the beach, you don’t want them to get their shoes wet by a surprise wave. Or you can’t tell them to move backwards without checking first if they are going to collide with something.

It is good to get used to always paying attention to the environment. Then it gets natural to do it.

5. Tell the Family How to Pose to Get the Look You Want

There’s always a chance that a family of three will interpret your posing directions in different ways.

If this happens, the situation can turn into a mess. Each person would be doing a different thing.

To avoid this, simplify your instructions and try to make them as precise and clear as you can.

Use your body to show how to pose, where to stand and so on. You can even go ahead and demonstrate poses yourself first if you can.

For example, I always show my clients how to lean against the wall by doing it myself first.

If you need to add instructions, use short sentences and reference objects instead of direction.

Avoid “to the right” or “to the left”. Your clients won’t know if you are talking about your right or their right.

Instead, you can refer to objects that you have around: “Turn towards the tree”, “Look at the sea”.

6. Do Not Go Overboard With Editing to Create Timeless Images

Family photos are meant to last for a long time. They are the type of images that we want to keep and check years later or show to the grandkids.

For that reason, I recommend avoiding trendy editing styles and effects. These will probably look weird or unappealing twenty years down the line.

Your aim is to create timeless images. So stick to classic editing styles and simplicity.

This doesn’t mean you can’t add a personal touch. But before finishing the editing ask yourself if you will like this photo 20 years from now. If the answer is yes, perfect! If not, try to simplify the editing.

7. Keep an Open Mind About the Results to Be Prepared for Changes

This is especially true if you are working with kids in the family photo session.

You might have a list of photos to take that, in your brain, work really well. But if the family doesn’t like them much or the kids feel like doing something else, you should adjust to the situation.

It is always better to take a beautiful unplanned photo showing a happy family than a forced one where you can see they are feeling uncomfortable.

8. Use Burst Mode to Make Sure You’ll Capture the Best Moments

Every photographer knows the terrible feeling of taking a group photo just to later realise there’s something wrong with it.

Someone had their eyes closed or otherwise wasn’t ready for the picture to be taken.

For that reason, with family photography, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Taking several photos increases your chances that at least one will have everyone coordinated.

You can set the camera to shoot in burst mode to take a sequence of images, just like in a sporting event.

Remember to adjust the shutter speed to avoid unwanted blurriness due to movements. Something around 1/250 s is a good starting point for this type of action.

9. Use the Environment to Add a Little Extra to Your Photos

It is not unusual to feel a bit weird posing in front of a camera in the middle of a park or a street. When it comes to outdoor family photos, you can use anything around to help them get over any initial awkwardness.

You can tell them to lean on a tree or a wall, sit on a bench or even on the floor (first make sure that it is clean enough). Keep an eye out for any natural frames, which will add a bit more to the composition of the image.

Location scouting that involves the family is a great idea. You can choose a location together that they like based on their memories.

It can be where the couple got engaged, where they first met, or where their children took their first steps. If they are connected to the place, your family portraits are going to be more joyful.

10. Do Not Set Your Aperture Value too Low to Avoid Blurring a Family Member

Portraits have a special vibe when you manage to get your models sharp and the background blurry.

You can create this effect by setting a low aperture value (a small f-number). Using an aperture around f/2.8 will give you a beautiful blur.

However, there’s a risk to it. If your models move, they might be partially or completely out of focus. This is true also for specific body parts of the same person. If your model looks to the side, one eye could be in focus while the other is blurry.

If you want the whole family to appear sharp in the photo, you might need to increase the aperture number. Choose a value around f/8.

You might not get the background blur effect as strongly as you wanted, but everybody in the family will come out sharp.

11. Offer Family Photo Outfit Advice to Bring Harmony to your Pictures

One of the most common questions before the photo sessions is: “What should we wear?”

The idea is that all the family members should look coordinated to convey a feeling of togetherness.

This doesn’t mean they have to be dressed in identical clothes. It means wearing the same style of clothes. All of them can look casual, or wear elegant clothes and with similar colours or shades.

I always recommend they wear natural shades and avoid bright colours that stand out. The person wearing it will catch all the attention in the photo (unless this is what you want).

The same can happen with big illustrations or signs on T-shirts which are quite eye-catching. Unless it adds to the photo, avoid them.

12. Meet at a Convenient Time for the Kids to Avoid Hard Times With Them

This might complicate the organisation process, but respecting the natural rhythm of the kids makes it totally worth it.

Tired, sleepy or hungry kids are difficult to handle. It is almost impossible to have them cooperate or even make them look happy for the photo.

I usually try to combine a good time for the kids and a frame of time with beautiful light.

This means that sometimes I arrange the photo sessions early in the morning. Kids are awake, just had breakfast, and I can use the morning golden hour.

But each family is different and their schedules will be different, so I adjust the photo session to each one.

With family photo shoots, you need to show both your best technical and social skills.

You have to adjust camera settings to get a good exposure. Learn how to use back light and natural light, adjust the depth of field to get the desired effects and so on.

You also need to have the right equipment for family photography.

However, above all, you need to make the family feel comfortable to show their love for each other.

If you keep all these points in mind your family photos will surely become wonderful memories. Kids grow up so fast. Besides being fun, your portraits will freeze a little part of the family’s life! 

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When you look back through history at the great Masters of Photography, you’ll see that they all broke the existing mold.

They step away from what everyone else was producing to create timeless and stunning images that broke out of conformity.

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How to Take Fun and Natural Family Portraits

Tag: Shutterbug Photography

By Anabel Dflux 

Nothing holds a deeper place in one’s heart than beautiful family portraits with loved ones. This can be anything from photos of the entire family or just portraits of a couple.
The photographer’s goal is to ensure that the bond and connection between each member of the family shines through every image.
Often times, posed shots can appear static and stiff. Natural family portraits are the ones that capture true personality. As a photographer, this is what you should be aiming for.
Here is how to make sure you get those fun, spontaneous moments at your next family shoot!

The Experience Makes the Difference

Family photography is possibly the most widespread and well-known photographic niche. Making your work stand out is just as important as producing beautiful, captivating photography.
The experience you offer your clients goes hand-in-hand with what kind of portraits you will produce – and how much fun you can bring out of your subjects!
The vibe sets the tone.
Through my own experience, I’ve noticed many of my first-time clients approach a photo shoot as a very stressful ordeal. It certainly doesn’t have to be like that.
A great way to change up that experience is to welcome your clients with a warm, optimistic, energetic, and friendly personality.
Don’t jump right into photographing. Ask your clients how they’re doing, maybe offer them a beverage. Reassure them that the photo shoot will be easygoing. And don’t forget about the kids! Ask them what they’re most excited about to ease their nerves.
Try to amp up the excitement about how much fun they’re about to have in front of your lens.
All of this helps ease any tension the family in front of your lens may be feeling and leads to more relaxed and spontaneous photographs.

Get to Know the People You’re Photographing

A big part of photography is psychology.
The best way to figure out how to bring out your clients’ character is to know their personality in the first place. Whether during the consultation for the photo shoot or the session itself, you absolutely need to get to know your clients on a very personal level.
Ask them questions about what they do, what they like, and what really brings that spark out of them. Even when you’re working with a group of people, ask everyone what relation they have to one another or what their favorite memory is.
From there, you can gauge how to bring the spontaneity out of them.
Some people are easily amused and very happy, telling a silly joke can get the natural laughter to come through in the shot. Others are a bit shyer, and some words of encouragement and comfort can aid in pulling a smile out of the subjects.
You can figure all of this out if you take the time to get to know your clients.

Lens Choice Is Important

The lens you choose will affect how adventurous your fun and natural photographs become. It will dictate how out-of-the-blue some of the photographs can be.
If you are photographing with a 50mm, you’ll have to be fairly close to your subjects. This means it may take a little bit of coaxing to get those natural moments out of them.
On the other hand, if you’re photographing with a telephoto or zoom lens, you can position yourself farther away. This might allow you to capture very spontaneous moments more easily.
Your clients won’t feel like you’re there, which might make them more comfortable.

Be Ready to Adapt

As photographers, we really are constantly changing and adapting to the situations at hand. Your family portrait shoot is no different.
Adapt yourself to what your clients feel most comfortable and confident with, whether it be how you speak to them or your demeanor.
With children, see what the child likes and adjust yourself to better match with what makes the kid excited to be photographed.
If your clients bring a dog, acclimate to the situation and adjust your surroundings to bring the best out of the family’s beloved pooch.

Make Them Laugh

Tell some jokes, play some music – allow your clients to forget the formalities of a photo shoot.
Your aim is to disassociate your clients from any preconceived notions of what a photo shoot should be like. This is possibly one of the best methods of pulling character out of a subject.
Try creating a fun distraction. This will let them escape the “I have to be posing right now because my picture is being taken” mindset.
Playing music helps subjects relax, especially adults who have favourite songs that bring an emotion out of them.
Make silly faces for kids to get them to laugh, or tell a wild joke for their parents.
Create an environment fit for conversation and friendship, rather than a stale client and photographer situation. This way, the facial expressions of your clients will show that they trust you, they’re enjoying themselves, and are feeling completely at ease.

Posing Children – Make It a Game

What kid doesn’t love games? The key to photographing children is to make the photo shoot more like a game. Often parents can stress out their kid by telling them to behave during a photo session. That can make some of the images look uncomfortable.
Children do not hide their emotions like an adult can, it’s written right on their faces. As such, turning posing into a game or something fun is a great way to turn the mood around.
Kids love showing off to someone new. Next time you pose a little boy or girl, ask them to show you how good they can stand on one foot. Or ask them to act out their favourite television character.
The more you engage and the more you make posing something fun, the better the shots.
Great pose ideas include playing with flowers, spinning in a circle, or show off their teeth! Take advantage of what children do naturally when posing them.

Posing Couples – Capture the Love

Couples come to a photographer to have their romance commemorated for a reason. Bring out the love by asking the couple how they met, their favourite things about each other, or beautiful memories that they both share.
When posing a couple, the more romantic, the better. Ask them to kiss one another, pick each other up, smile and laugh, pretend that the photo shoot is an epic date.
The key here is to capture the electrifying bond between the two!
Great pose ideas include kissing, hugging, and cuddling.

Posing Pets – Get Them to Play

When posing owners with pets, have the owner play and kiss their furry family member like they would at home.
Posing owners with their pets for family portraits can be challenging. You cannot direct a dog or cat like you can another person.
This hindrance can actually work brilliantly to your advantage. All the photographs will be naturally fun and spontaneous. Instead of trying to control the uncontrollable, let go of your expectations entirely.
Have the owners of the pets play, kiss, and talk to their furry companions as they would at home, and capture the love that ensues as a result!
Much like kids, take advantage of natural behaviors that pets exhibit.
Great pose ideas include belly rubs, hugs, and kisses. A good trick to encouraging a kiss is to hide a dog treat in the owner’s mouth and the dog will lick their lips.

Expect the Unexpected

Photographing families with children and pets will never go as planned.
No matter how much you try to plan the shots, the likelihood of the shoot not going as planned is great. Children and pets are unpredictable, and as such, your predictions will probably be proven wrong.
Don’t be discouraged! Take this as an excellent opportunity to flex your photographic muscles and creativity.
Expect that you’ll attend the photo shoot and have to change your entire plan. With this in mind, you can focus on simply bringing the personalities out of your clients by engaging with them.

Keep Their Heads Together

When aligning families, keeping their heads as close together as possible looks best.
A compositional trick that you can incorporate into your family sessions is keeping their heads as close together as possible. This is because that intimate proximity portraits affection the best in a static image.
You have to remember that photographs do not move. As such, you have to tell the story through one frozen instance.
If you focus on human body language and psychology, the closer you are to someone, the more feelings you have towards them. If everyone is close together, the photograph oozes with feeling.
Keeping everyone together is also good for composition. This way, you can have some control over spontaneity with a big group.
Depending on what lens you use, you can make sure that there is little chance for any of your subjects to move past your lens and cause you to miss a key moment.

Be More Spontaneous Yourself

How a photo shoot flows starts with you – if you become more spontaneous and less stringent, so will your clients. Be imaginative and fun yourself, come up with silly poses and ideas on the spot and act them out!
Professional photographers do this all the time, contrary to popular belief. This is your time to shine too.
If you see the family you’re photographing not really digging the poses or ideas you have planned, mix it up completely and try something new and fresh. They will appreciate the difference and you’ll love the new photographs you’re capturing.
As a photographer, you’re always learning something new. You can absolutely get a brand new inspiration bug during a fun and natural family portrait session!

Bonus Tip: Don’t Just Focus on the Faces

It’s natural to focus on the face and expression and miss the details. But these are important too!
Photographers have to break out of the habit of focusing only on faces. Some of the details can create an equally powerful and sentimental photograph.
If you see a couple holding hands, zoom in on those hands and capture that connection. If you see a child find a lady bug, use the lady bug in the photographs.
The small stuff can have a big impact. 

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Camera Settings for Portrait Photography – Free Quick Guide

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Are you ready to take the next big step with your photography?

Virtually everyone begins their photography journey photographing static unliving objects. You know we’re talking about – landscapes, barns, and such.

However, almost all of us catch the bug at some point to start photographing people.

Portraits are challenging and very rewarding.

However, if you’ve never done it before, where do you start?

That’s where this guide comes in.

Jo Plumridge has over twenty years of experience photographing portraits. She is going to lay out the basics of getting started photographing people.

You’ll get some suggestions on the following:

• Equipment
• Camera settings
• Lighting
• Posing
• Backgrounds

If you are dreaming of photographing people, this is where you start!

Get it here.

Photo Credit: Fantastic B

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Location Scouting for Landscapes: 10 Lesser-Known Locations

By Gil Gildner 

Are you drawn towards travelling, remote areas, and landscape photographs but are struggling to find great locations to shoot? Well, you may need some help with location scouting.
Not to worry. Below, I’ve curated for you a list of ten gorgeous landscape photography locations that most don’t know about, to help satisfy your wanderlust and give you an amazing shooting environment.
Everyone wants to shoot famous natural landmarks like the Grand Canyon, the Alps, or the Amalfi Coast, but there are other destinations worth going out of your way for that you don’t hear about every day.
Bring a wide-angle lens and a knowledge of panoramic stitching, and you’ll be prepared for all of these landscape photography locations and all the other ones your travels throw at you! 

10 Awesome Landscape Photography Locations

Wanaka, New Zealand

I’m definitely biased towards New Zealand, and it shows in this list. But there’s simply nowhere else I’ve found which offers the sheer diversity of climates and geography that New Zealand does.
Wanaka is a little lake town in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. In the winter it serves as a ski base, and in the summer it serves as everything else. It’s one of the more quaint and relaxing areas I’ve ever been to, and there are photos everywhere you turn.

Monteverde, Costa Rica

After an assignment for a nonprofit in Guanacaste, a province on the Pacific Coast, I spent a week riding the bus through rural Costa Rica.
While the beaches and coast are beautiful, you can find a lot of off-the-beaten-path areas like the Cloud Forest area near Monteverde, a town high up in the mountains.
It takes hours of winding up steep, gravely roads that snake up the side of the mountain, but it’s worth it once you’re at the top. It’s cooler than most of the area, due to altitude, and though it’s almost perpetually foggy, this can make for some beautiful photography.
Be sure to catch the Arenal volcano just a few hours away.

Cape Town, South Africa

South Africa is beautiful, but Cape Town transcends beautiful. Imagine craggy mountains on the edge of a tropical sea, with vineyards in between: that’s what Cape Town is.
As landscape photography locations go, it may not be as obscure as some of the other locations mentioned here, but the fact that the city is still not yet well known for the diverse landscapes in its surrounding terrain that has earned it a spot on this list.
For example, the famous Table Rock towers over the city, and is perfect for early morning fog shots.
And if urban/humanitarian photography is one of your interests, Khayelitsha Township is one of the largest slums in Africa: it spreads for miles, just outside of Cape Town.
Go a few miles east, and you’ll be in the Stellenbosch winemaking region, which runs along the coast. Strand, about an hour east, is a popular beach destination.

Thermopolis, Wyoming

It’s not your typical Western American destination, and due to the active thermal springs it smells like sulphur. Just east of the Grand Tetons is a little area called the Gateway to Yellowstone.
Thermopolis is an old hot spring resort town with a population of 3,000 and is nestled in between massive canyons and rolling plains.
Driving through the town recalls a heyday of long ago, but it’s still worth visiting. Directly west are the Tetons, and directly south is Colorado and the Rockies.

Buller Gorge, New Zealand

This mountainous area is one of the lesser-known areas of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s a long, remote road through the mountains, in between the Marlborough wine country and the rocky upper west coast.
Take the drive during a time in which you can catch either the foggy dawn or the sunset, and fill up with gas before you start driving. There’s only a couple of gas stations along the way.

Fish Hoek, South Africa

Just south of Cape Town, there’s a small fishing village called Fish Hoek on False Bay, with a picturesque harbour well-shielded from the elements.
Keep on travelling down the highway for a few hours and you’ll eventually come to the Cape of Good Hope, the traditional southernmost point of the African continent, where the Atlantic Ocean becomes the Indian Ocean.

Rajasthan, India

India provides plenty of options for exotic photography, the most interesting of which can be found by heading north, past the typical Taj Mahal shots.
I hired a driver for three days for 10,000 rupees (around $150). He drove me from New Delhi up to the Pakistani border, to the province of Rajasthan. It’s straight Middle East: camels, sand, elephants, street markets, and rolling red mountains.

Ireland-to-France Ferry

There’s a $60 overnight ferry that runs from Ireland to France. It begins in a tiny fishing village in the south of Ireland called Rosslare, and ends in a small city in the north of France called Cherbourg.
It takes a little less than a day, but it’s worth the experience and view. If you take it outside of vacation season, you might be one of the only passengers on board. It’s the cheapest way to get a legitimate ship ride experience that I’ve ever found.

Nile River, Uganda

The Nile River starts at Jinja, Uganda, where Lake Victoria becomes the source of the Nile. It’s quite rapid and swift throughout Uganda, and makes for some great photography as it winds through the bush.
An hour or two north of Jinja, a few locals have created an overlook in the corner of a horseshoe bend where people come to look at the rapids. In between it all, there are a thousand villages perfect for exploration and photography.

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

Blessed as it is with its abundance of landscape photography locations, New Zealand might deserve to be in this list ten times, but that’s hardly fair, so we’ll have to settle for three.
If you’ve always wanted to shoot in Iceland, but haven’t yet had the chance to pop over to Reykjavik, then an alternative might be the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
It’s remarkably Nordic: it’s almost the southern hemisphere’s mirror reflection of the North Sea.
Franz Josef is a massive glacier tumbling from the Southern Alps down into the Tasman Sea. It’s huge, the water is icy and blue, and at the base of the glacier is a rainforest: one of only two places on earth where a glacier is within walking distance of a jungle.
You can hike the glacier with a strenuous all-day trek, or take a helicopter ride up to the top.

Discovering breathtaking landscape photography locations is one of the most exhilarating things in the world for travel and photo junkies. And the world is a big place — there are plenty more photo-worthy places to find almost everywhere. The key is to keep an eye open for the unusual and rarely seen.

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Creating Stunning Landscape Photography During the Blue Hour – Free Quick Guide

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The Blue Hour occurs twice a day, just after sunset and just before sunrise. The light progression of the evening is the inverse of dawn.

The light during the Blue Hour provides a sense of tranquility that resonates with us as silhouettes and shapes drift from light to dark, or vice versa. A beginning and an end.

There is something extraordinary about experiencing the light during the Blue Hour.

Capturing Blue Hour landscape photos requires a little knowledge of light, weather, and gear.

Tomas Alvarez walks you through the necessary steps to achieving mind blowing Blue Hour landscape images in this free guide.

Here is what he covers:

• The types of light available during the Blue Hour
• How to use Blue Hour color
• Camera setup and optional equipment
• Processing Blue Hour images
• Experiments in Processing

Are you ready?

Click here.

Photo Credit: Tomas Alvarez

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