Portrait Photography Tips: 10 quick ideas for better images

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 04/02/2012 08:00am No Comments

Do your photos of family and friends look more like snapshots than fine art? Its a common problem we all face when struggling with available light or stubborn subject. Who better to turn to for advice than leading UK lifestyle, portrait and wedding photographer, Brett Harkness. Below, Brett shares his 10 best portrait photography tips and photo ideas for improving your output. Bretts Top 10 Portrait Photography Tips

1. Stay short Try using a fixed short lens, such as 50mm, for your lifestyle portraits. This will help you to make more of the surrounding scene, rather than just focusing in on the subject. Longer zoom lenses can be great but, as youre further away from the subject, they can make it difficult to interact well with your models. Shooting with your lens wide open can give great results but this shallow depth of field will make it hard to keep focus if the subjects such as kids are moving around.

2. Start indoors When photographing children, start off your shoot indoors to get them on side in the comfort of their own home. Use your Canons Manual setting, which will give you accurate control over both shutter speed and aperture. Making use of a doorway or French doors to throw light onto the faces will help; or position them near the front door of the house, move outside and shoot back into the hallway. Overexpose by at least 1-stop, which will give lighter and better skin tones. Turn off any interior lights as they will cast an unwanted (yellow) light on the subject.

3. Time for reflection Always have a reflector with you. This fantastic and versatile tool can be used in many different ways. I use a Lastolite Sunfire soft silver reflector, which cools down warm skin and warms up whiter skin. Getting a small one will help indoors while a larger one will be better for outdoor use.

4. Clothes maketh the shoot Clothes can make or break a lifestyle portrait shoot! Dont be afraid to check out the wardrobe and find colours to suit your background; dont force people to wear what you want but gently guide them. Pick colours that go well together, and always try to

do at least one shot with the whole family wearing similar colours or tones. Getting your subjects to wear brighter clothing will help also when it comes to getting a faster shutter speed.

5. The light of day Schedule your shoot to utilise enough daylight; shooting family groups with flash after the sun goes down isnt easy and needs practice. If the light is fading then increase the ISO to compensate recent cameras are excellent at minimising noise, but even so try to limit your ISO to around 800. During the winter months, the sun will go down quickly so use your time wisely.

6. Itll be all white If your shoot overruns and you start to lose the light and have to go indoors, turn on all the lights and try to perform a custom white balance from whichever is brightest. Shooting RAW also helps because you can alter the white balance later. If your whites still dont look white, turn shots to monochrome for an easy way to overcome the issue.

7. Play the game Kids get bored easily so youll need to shoot quickly and with a plan. Make sure you play in the best light and in front of the best locations. If youre struggling to get the

entire family to look towards the camera, point to something in a tree or the sky and everyones attention will focus on the same thing. Using an assistant is invaluable for this: it takes the pressure off you having to entertain and shoot!

8. Be my baby Try putting babies in the bath with no water in it: a white bathtub is a fantastic reflective light source and keeps the subject from crawling away! Going in close with a macro lens enables you to pick out details; however, you will need to watch your depth of field; try to shoot at least f/5.6-f/8 to get more in focus. Another great way to capture babies is to use the downward light from a window. Put a couch up against the window, get a dark towel or cloth, lay the baby down on it, and underexpose by about 1-stop.

9. AI Servo vs One shot For 95% of my family shoots, I keep my camera on One Shot. AI Servo or continuous focusing is great for moving subjects, but can get caught out. Try prefocusing on a spot, such as a twig, and have a child run towards you. When they reach that twig press the shutter: great for perfecting your timing.

10. Flash? Aaa-aaagh! Using flash on families with kids can be tricky. Keep it simple; bounce an on-camera flash off a ceiling or wall, making sure its light in colour, white or cream! The larger the flash surface area the better the results, so try a softbox on your flashgun; Lastolite do great on- and off-camera soft boxes that enable a lot more shooting creativity. Try using your flash in high-speed mode when shooting outside in bright light; this will facilitate pushing some great fill flash into the face of the subject, creating a beautifully natural look to your portraits READ MORE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS Famous Photographers: 225 tips to inspire you 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks 13 tips for better pictures of babies, toddlers and teenagers Family Portraits: 10 tips for setting up your home studio 21 street photography tips from the professionals Digital camera effects from A-Z

Night photography tips: 9 essential steps for beginners 53 essential photo ideas for winter

13 tips for better pictures of babies, toddlers and teenagers

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 22/02/2012 15:27pm No Comments

All images copyright Brett Harkness Babies, toddlers and teenagers (oh my!). After the Panamanian kinkajou they might be one of the most challenging subjects to take a portrait of. Below weve spoken to leading lifestyle and portrait photographers, Brett Harkness, who does this day in and day. These are 13 of his best portrait photography tips for getting more creative pictures of babies, toddlers and teenagers.

Tip 1: Shoot when babys happy Babies make few demands, but those they do are important: food and sleep. If you want to catch a baby at their best, try to time your portrait just after a nap or feed. In the hour after eating or sleeping, babies will smile and coo for your camera. likewise, babies are at their most active first thing in the morning after theyve woken up. The later in the day you try to photograph a baby, the more of a gamble youre taking. Tip 2: Be patient Babies are best shot once they can support their own body weight. Theyre still easy to pose, but more likely to retain their position. Whats more, a baby will be more expressive when theyre a little older, because theyre more aware. Tip 3: Let teens choose their wardrobe When you photograph a teenager, you should pay careful attention to what theyre wearing. people at this age are very self-conscious, so to make them comfortable, treat it like a mini fashion shoot. encourage them to bring as much of their wardrobe as theyd like. Some guidance is necessary, though. Teens are typically fashion conscious, but for the best images youll want them wearing neutral clothes. Anything more will distract the viewer or date your shot.

Tip 4: Get teens away from their parents Adolescents always behave differently when their parents arent around. If you can remove them from the equation youll make a teen more comfortable. Start indoors and quickly ditch the parents, Brett says. go for a walk and look for interesting backdrops. You get a different response from an older kid when his parents are away, and they end up being some of the best subjects you can have.

Tip 5: Dont use flash It seems obvious in retrospect, but we never think about it until weve done it. And then were left with a baby screaming bloody murder and a shoot cut short. Flash frightens babies, and often spooks toddlers and young children too, so always use available light if possible. If not, and you really do want to use flash, another option is to use a flash diffuser: the bigger and softer the diffuser, the less noticeable the flash burst will be. you could also try using off-camera flash, as the child will normally be looking at you and the camera lens.

Tip 6: Use props Kids respond well to props, whether theyre toys, clothes or something else entirely. they give them something to connect with, and take a bit of the fear away from your clunky equipment. Brett, who shot the images used in this article, tells us: I like to tell kids my reflector is a magic carpet, then put it on the ground for them to sit on. This makes them less afraid of it when its being held next to them. You can also put teddies and stuffed toys on your lens when taking a childs picture, which gets them to look at the camera without looking at you.

Tip 7: Make a game of it Kids have too much energy. Because of this, theyre not going to want to pose for you. Besides, you can better depict a childs spirit by following them around and capturing them in action. Of course, a moving subject is always more difficult to photograph. To ensure the child is in focus, make a game of it. Concentrate on one tree in particular, say, then take the kid down to the tree you want them to touch and tell them to run as fast as they can to it then stop. This makes it a little more fun for the child, and youll be sure to get the picture you want. Tip 8: Under-expose for unusual baby photos For a surreal effect with babies, turn the lights off and use only natural light. move a sofa next to a window and put a dark towel on one of the cushions, then lay the baby on the towel. By under-exposing two or three stops, the top light will throw the background into black and the baby will look like its floating. Tip 9: Show them your pictures Its not always advisable to let your subjects see the shots youve taken on the rear lcD; people can get self- conscious about their appearance or try to take over the photo shoot and get you to take more shots. This is not normally so much of a problem with kids, however, and letting them see the shots can be a good way to get them engaged. Tip 10: Bring toys! Kids get bored easily, so turn your photo shoot into playtime bring along favourite toys for them to hold an delay with. This occupies them, keeping them still for a few seconds, plus youll get some interesting expressions on the little angels faces.

Tip 11: Mum & Dad Its essential when photographing babies and young children that mum or dad is on hand. This will keep the kids feeling comfortable. Get mum or dad to stand behind you and attract their childs attention with silly faces, dancing whatever it takes so that theyre looking in your direction.

Tip 12: Find the confident one If youre shooting a group of children or teens, whether siblings or friends, their collective nervousness is going to manifest itself in reluctance or stubbornness. You can combat this by singling out the most confident kid in the group and shooting him or her first. When they show that they enjoy it, this will demonstrate to the others that youre not there to humiliate them. Tip 13: Trust the older kids With older children and teenagers you might have to be a little bit of a psychologist, as well as a photographer. While in baby photography your main subject is quite happy to let mum or dad run the show, older kids have their own self-identity and vision of how they want to be seen. As a child photographer you need to tread a delicate line of how their parents want to see their children, and how the children see themselves. Be patient and trust the kids to show you their true nature. Ultimately mum and dad will love your photos because youll capture their child acting in a way they might rarely get to see!

READ MORE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS Famous Photographers: 225 tips to inspire you 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks Family Portraits: 10 tips for setting up your home studio 21 street photography tips from the professionals Digital camera effects from A-Z Night photography tips: 9 essential steps for beginners 53 essential photo ideas for winter

Family Portraits: 10 tips for setting up your home photo studio

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 23/02/2012 17:34pm No Comments

Whether youre taking portraits of your friends or youve been commissioned to photography a family or whether youre taking your own family photos working from your own home photo studio can be exceptionally rewarding. Below weve compiled 10 expert tips on how to set up your home photo studio, with fundamental photo ideas for how to light, pose and set up your camera to shoot family photos.

Tip 1: Family portraits Shooting any group of people is challenging, but photographing families can test even the most experienced professionals. You need to take control and be authoritative and clear about what you want everyone to do, giving you the best chance of getting everybody looking your way and smiling. Take multiple shots to give you the widest possible choice of images somebody will always be blinking or half-smiling/ halfgrimacing. To inject some energy and fun into proceedings, encourage your subjects to move around and interact with each other. The flash lights will freeze them in action, so youll still get sharp shots. Alternatively, split families up into pairs, to capture more intimate portraits. Tip 2: Home photo studio lighting kits ontrary to popular belief, you dont need to spend thousands of pounds to get a decent studio lighting set-up. Both Elinchrom and do good lighting kits for around 500, while Interfit and Lastolite have studio lighting kits starting at around 220 and 300

respectively. All come with two heads plus softboxes or umbrellas, so you can bounce and soften your light for more flattering and professional- looking portraits. The next step is to invest in backdrops; youll need a few rolls of different coloured paper, plus two stands and a roller holder.

Tip 3: Hiring a studio Booking studio space is a good opportunity to take some great portraits in a controlled environment. But ask about ceiling height, or you may struggle to put light stands up high enough to position softboxes. Can you use the studios lights and cables? What backdrops are available? Will somebody be on hand to assist? And if you only need a few hours of studio time, ask if they do a half-day or hourly rate, or share the cost.

Tip 4: Photographing children kids get bored easily, so turn your photo shoot into playtime bring along favourite toys for them to hold and play with. This occupies them, keeping them still for a few seconds, plus youll get some interesting expressions on the little angels faces. its also essential that mum or dad is on hand so the kids feel comfortable get them to stand behind you and attract their childrens attention (with silly faces, dancing whatever it takes!) so theyre looking in your direction.

Tip 5: Basic lighting set-up cheats If you dont want a studio set-up, you can also achieve professional-looking portraits with a pair of modern flashguns and attachments. our example portraits were taken using a small portable background and two off-camera flashguns, fired through white brollies. Tip 6: Shoot in Manual mode When using manual mode in your home photo studio, a good starting exposure is 1/200 sec at f/9 and iSo200.

Tip 7: Bright lights Your home photo studio lights dictate how bright or dark your subjects are. increase or decrease light power to brighten or darken them. Tip 8: Get to know your aperture Aperture controls depth of field, as well as how much the flash lights your subject. Wider apertures lighten subjects, while narrower apertures make them darker. Tip 9: Speed freak Your shutter speed controls ambient light. Set it higher to darken backgrounds, lower to brighten them. Maximum flash sync speeds are 1/200 or 1/250 sec, depending on your camera. Tip 10: Be sensitive ISo controls how far the flash light spreads pump up iSo if subjects (such as groups of people) are far away, or if you want to brighten up backgrounds further.

Win Digital Cameras Ultimate Guide to Portrait Photography

To celebrate the launch of Portrait Photography, the latest instalment in our Digital Camera Special series of beginners guides to photography, we are running a picturebased competition via Facebook. Simply visit our Facebook page and upload your best portraits. Well pick 5 of the best portraits posted on our wall and offer these readers an advice clinic as well as a free copy of Portrait Photography. READ MORE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS Famous Photographers: 225 tips to inspire you 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks 13 tips for better pictures of babies, toddlers and teenagers 21 street photography tips from the professionals

Digital camera effects from A-Z Night photography tips: 9 essential steps for beginners 53 essential photo ideas for winter

Free family portrait photography cheat sheet

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 19/04/2012 17:25pm 3 Comments Are you a frustrated family portrait photographer? While we cant offer much help in the way of crying babies, we can help with a number of common obstacles we face when taking pictures of family. In the latest of our Photography Cheat Sheet series (and dont miss our 11 most popular photography cheat sheets from that series) weve come up with what we believe are four of the trickiest conditions for shooting family portrait photography. Within each scenario weve crafted a handy little flow chart to get you through each challenging situation and come out the other side with a top-notch family portrait (see our 10 tips for setting up your home photo studio). Simply drag and drop this infographic below on to your desktop to save as a handy reference the next time youre called in to action as the Official Family Photographer (check out our 13 tips for better pictures of babies, toddlers and teenagers)! Hopefully our flow chart will not only help you save time the next time youre taking pictures of your family (you might also find these 49 awesome photography tips and time savers useful too), but improve your technique. If so, wed love to see your work. Why not post one of your images on our Facebook wall where we often have lively discussions!

Follow Us On Pinterest! READ MORE 99 Common Photography Problems (and how to solve them) 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work) 49 seriously good Canon DSLR tips, tricks, time savers and shortcuts Fine art nude photography: tips and techniques from lighting to posing 40 More Portrait Ideas: part 2 of our free downloadable posing guide Digital camera effects from A-Z

Fine art nude photography: tips and techniques from lighting to posing
dcworld | Photography Tips | Portraits | 12/04/2011 11:04am 4 Comments A beginners guide to the art of nude photography. Tips, techniques, lighting advice, help for sourcing nude models and more its your complete guide to taking fine art nudes.

Nude photography has been a popular subject since the very beginnings of the medium, and even before the invention of the camera, the nude has played a significant role in all the visual arts. Theres nothing nudge, nudge, wink, wink about this: its a celebration of human form, a study of the bodys landscape in all its beauty. Here, we focus on the naked female form, and give you all the expert tips and techniques you need to get started in fine art nudes plus a free downloadable guide to posing nude models. Getting started: finding a nude photography model Finding a willing model to pose for your fine art nude photography is perhaps one of the biggest challenges youll have. If youre lucky youll have a willing partner to assume the role, but this rarely seems to be the case.

The best place to find local models is online at sites such as www.modelmayhem.com, www.purestorm.com and www.onemodelplace.com. These sites are a meeting point for photographers and models. Youll usually be able to find a local nude model whos willing to work in exchange for prints or a disc of the images. If you go down this route, its good to be absolutely clear on whats expected from both parties, especially if theres no financial exchange. Experienced models will most likely charge for their time, but if you want to boost your portfolio, working with an experienced model could be a worthwhile investment. Its not just about finding someone whos happy to be photographed nude, its also important to find the right type of figure for an art nude so look at the models portfolio before you start. Theres a marked difference between an art-nude model and a glamour model. We used Ella Rose for our shoot. Her classic looks made her perfect for the genre, and she was keen to collaborate with us to get the sophisticated shots we wanted.

Do you need to hire studio for nude photography? You dont need a big fancy studio to create successful fine art nude shots, but you do need enough space to set up a couple of lights and a backdrop and be able to get far enough back to shoot a full-length image without a super wide-angle zoom. Your average sized living room should just about do it. We rented Pauls Studio in Reading, who were on hand all day. There are plenty of studios dotted around the UK that offer similar services and many also offer nude photography courses, day events and will also arrange the model hire for you. Rates and terms vary, but you can expect to pay around 50 per hour for a studio and a model, but theres no reason you cant share this cost with a friend if youre on a budget. Once youve found your space youll need to create a good environment to work in to increase your chances of success. Your model wont be wearing any clothes, so ensure the space is warm and comfortable. This situation has the potential to be awkward to start with so break the ice with a cuppa, and discuss ideas for the shoot before starting. Music is great for creating an ambience choose sounds that complement the style of photography youre hoping to achieve.

Nude photography lighting Studio lighting can seem daunting to the uninitiated, but it neednt be, especially these days when its easy to see the effects of the lights on your DSLRs LCD. The lighting guide on below is an excellent starting point, providing three setups to get you going. If youre new to studio lighting start with the more basic setup youll be surprised at how creative you can be with one light and a reflector. Once youre confident move onto some of the more complex high-key and low-key setups.

If you dont have any studio lights of your own, there are places such as the www.theflashcentre.com that hire them out. You can get a two-head kit such as the Elinchrom 300RX for as little as 14 (plus insurance and VAT) for a weekend. However, you dont have to use studio lighting. Daylight from a window ideally, north-facing can create beautiful effects. Even using your regular flashgun off camera can be an effective alternative. By far the best approach is to know your limitations and keep the lighting as simple as possible. The last thing you want is to ruin the momentum of a shoot while youre fiddling with the lights. If you can try your lighting ideas out on a (clothed) helper before the model arrives and have your first lighting set up in place, youll be off to a confident start. Dont be too ambitious. Even if youre a little anxious you want to appear that youre in control. Keeping it simple is the best way to achieve this.

Lighting diagram: basic setup for nudes This basic setup is a good start for a fine-art nude shoot. Place two studio lights at a 45-degree angle to the model at a distance of about 4 to 6 feet. Set one light as the main light by positioning it a little higher (about 6 feet high) and increasing the intensity of the flash using the dial. Locate the other light a little lower than the main light and reduce the intensity of the flash. If you only have one studio light a simple reflector makes a good alternative to the second light.

Lighting diagram: high key setup for nudes To create a soft even light, position one light with a softbox attached in front of the model on the floor pointing upwards. Position a second softbox above the first at about 7 feet pointing slightly downwards. Use a further two lights with umbrellas to light the background so its a clean white. To separate the model from the background, position two large black flats each side of the model (two large pieces of black card will do). This will create a lovely black rim around her.

Lighting diagram: low key setup for nudes Art-nude lighting is all about showing off the lines, curves and shapes of your subject. To create more depth and a sculptural feeling, set the position of the softboxes so theyre slightly behind the model pointing back towards the camera. Experiment with the intensity of each light using the dials on the flash heads. You might need to use a lens hood to avoid any unwanted flare ruining your shot. Just using one light can also work very well with this technique, especially for more abstract images.

Essential studio kit There are plenty of starter kits to ease you into studio lighting, such as the excellent Pro Line Apollo 300 (www.prolinestudio.co.uk). They usually contain these Flash lights Studio flash lights have dials on the back that control the flash output and a constant modelling light so you can see the effect of the light while youre posing your model.

Umbrella An umbrella is standard issue with kits. They usually come in white, and are used to reflect light onto They are easily attached to the most studio silver or gold the subject. flash.

Softbox A softbox fits onto a flash unit and diffuses light onto the subject. They come in different shapes and sizes and produce a softer, more even effect than an umbrella.

Lighting stands Lighting stands are vital for flash units. The flash units attach to stands, making them top heavy, so with a counterweight to increase positioning the top of the secure them their stability.

Backgrounds Art-nude shoots are best shot in monochrome, so keep your backgrounds simple and stick to black, white or grey paper rolls. Black velvet is even better for rich black backgrounds.

Camera equipment and settings For this shoot, we used three lenses on a full-frame Nikon D700 DSLR the Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR, the Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4 G, and the Nikon 60mm f/2.8 macro lens. The wide end of the 24-120 zoom was perfect for full body shots, while the macro was great for close-ups. But our favourite was the 85mm f/1.4. Its superb optical quality makes it perfect for half-body shots. When youre working in the controlled environment of a studio, your lighting is fixed, so theres no point using the full or semi-automatic DSLR modes such as aperture priority. Its best to switch to manual (M on the top dial), so the ambient light doesnt mess with your exposure.

For most of these photos, we used an aperture of f/8 at 1/200 sec, as lenses tend to perform best around this aperture. Obviously, the exposure is created primarily by the aperture and the intensity of the flash, but you also want to ensure the shutter speed is fast enough to hand-hold your SLR usually around 1/100 sec with a standard zoom lens. You also need to ensure you dont go faster than the sync speed this is the fastest speed you can use flash with. In most photographic genres, a tripod is essential. However, in this situation, ditch it. Youll be working with fast shutter speeds (1/200 sec ) with studio lights, so its unlikely that youll accidently create any camera shake by hand holding your DSLR. Youll be able to move around the model freely, and youll quickly start producing more interesting shots.

Your first nude photography shoot The studios lit, the models ready now its time to get creative If youre renting a studio and paying a model by the hour, you dont want to waste time working out what to do next. Apart from stifling the creative process, it will make you look unprofessional. So have a plan. It doesnt matter if you deviate from it, but have it in place before you start. Devise a workflow that, true to the description, flows. For example, if you plan to do three setups against a black background and two against a white, you only need to change the background once. Theres nothing worse than having to spend hours in the digital darkroom removing unwanted marks. Perhaps the worst offenders are the marks imprinted on skin from elasticated underwear. They can take a while to disappear, so its best if your model arrives without wearing anything with tight elastic. An experienced model should

know this. Make sure theres a private area for your model to change and also that theres a dressing gown so they feel comfortable between shots.

Composition tips As with all types of photography, composition is the most important element for a successful fine art nude image. The same general rules of composition such as the rule of thirds can be applied to an art-nude shoot. Its all about creating a sense of visual harmony in the frame. Look at the shapes that are being made by the light and the body. However, dont be afraid to deviate from some of these rules too its possible to create good images that dont necessarily adhere to them. The most important thing is to look through your cameras viewfinder, scan the edges of the frame and really look at the shapes being made. The slightest change of angle can make a huge difference to the composition. Dont be afraid to take plenty of

photos and move around a little, varying the composition and angle of view in each one. Memory cards are relatively cheap these days.

Nude photography poses Download our free nude photography posing guide it has some great suggestions for getting started with key poses. But to get the best out of these, its good to understand a bit more about the theory of posing your model. A good place to start is with the concept of contrapposto posing. This term, borrowed from the art world, refers to the way the human body looks when the subject is standing with most of their weight on one foot so their shoulders and arms appear to twist from the hips and legs. Contrapposto crops up all the time; check out the pages of todays fashion magazines or Michelangelos celebrated sculpture of David. Understanding the concept of

contrapposto is key to creating pleasing poses; even if your image is going to be composed from the waist up, its still vitally important to pay attention to how your models feet are positioned. It can also be helpful to have your model wear heels because these will also force the upper body into a more curvaceous posture. Conventions suggest that direct eye contact should be avoided when posing for an artnude shoot. A direct gaze is often associated with racier glamour shots. However, rules are there to broken, and sometimes the direct gaze can work well.

Black and white nude photography Mono is often used for fine art nude photography because the colour information can easily detract from the beauty in the lines, shapes, and textures of the subject. To help you visualise how your end images will look, switch the LCD on your DSLR to monochrome. This will enable you to see the images in black and white, which in turn

will make it easier to see how the final images will look. It also makes it much easier to see whats happening with your lighting. As long as you shoot in RAW your original file will be unaffected by the mono setting because the image on the LCD is essentially a JPEG of your RAW file. This means that when you download your photos youll see the original colour versions. So should you have a change of heart youll still be able to make colour images. You also may be able to use this colour information when processing the files.

Abstracts and details The art nude is a celebration of the shape and form of the human figure. Look for architectural shapes made by limbs and body curves. Focus in on specific parts of the body so youre creating a near abstraction. Use one hard light to create strong shadows for more distinct abstract shapes in the curves and folds of the body. For our nude abstract above, we used a 60mm macro lens on our full-frame DSLR, which

enabled us to get in nice and close to focus on details. Dont be afraid to make radical crops in-camera such as totally cropping out the models head. Abstract photography is about shape, form and texture so it doesnt matter if you cant instantly recognise what the subject is.

Try high key nudes Theres more to creating a good high key photo than just overexposing your shots. You need to artfully hang on to details in the highlight areas while pushing the tones as far as possible to the lighter end of the scale. Your histogram is the ideal tool to help you achieve this because you can see the tones on the graph. Ideally, youll need to expose as far to the right as you can without clipping. Your DSLRs highlight-alert feature is perfect for giving you immediate feedback on clipped highlights. Turn it on. To create the high key lighting effect, we used two large softboxes to light our model from above and below and a bright white backdrop lit with two additional lights. The risk of high key lighting is that the light tones of the models skin will blend with the light tones of the background. To separate the model from the background use black flats (a large piece of something black black card will do). Position them as close to the model as you can without getting them in the shot. The black will reflect on to the model creating a wonderful dark rim. In addition to separating the model from the background, this will also create a sculptural effect on body shapes.

Lovely Low key Dark and moody low key lighting is synonymous with art-nude photography. The human form looks great set against a mysterious and rich dark background, while strong side lighting can add to the effect with beautiful shadows accentuating the curves and shapes of the body. For strong shadows, set the lights slightly behind the model, pointing back towards the camera, it seems counterintuitive, but the results can be spectacular. Use your DSLRs LCD to adjust the lights to suit the pose. Youll notice instantly that the effect is more sculptural. As the lights are pointing in the direction of the camera theres a risk of lens flare so attach a lens hood to help prevent it. To create a rich black background a large piece of black velvet is ideal. The velvet absorbs light unlike other materials. If you dont have access to a large velvet cloth, a

roll of black background paper will work too just check that its not reflecting any light and showing up as a washed-out black in your image.

Make the most of the power of suggestion The art of nude photography is subtle, and often requires the photographer to suggest nudity rather than explicitly reveal it. Its this that in part differentiates art nudes from glamour photography. The implied nude is mysterious and suggestive. Turning the models head so shes looking away or into the distance is a great way to add a sense of mystery, or in the case of the low key photo below, crop it from the frame altogether. Use the models limbs to hide parts of the body. Be inspired Dont shy away from looking at the masters of art-nude photography. Some seminal figures in the historyof photography include the likes of Edward Weston, Bill Brandt

and Man Ray. Some more contemporary photographers such as John Swannell and Robert Mapplethorpe can also be inspirational. Dont limit yourself to photography either. The nude has featured in art throughout history a trip to an art gallery can spark off loads of ideas for both posing and lighting your model.

Nude photography model release Finally, its really important that you are clear about what you intend to use the images for to avoid any misunderstanding. Its good practice to get your model to fill in and sign a model-release form. Its also a good idea to ask the model to bring proof of ID so you can verify their age. While the copyright of the images remains with you as the photographer, be clear about what the model can use them for too. If youre working in exchange for services, its only reasonable to expect them to want to use the shots in their portfolios, and this usually means online galleries too. This is absolutely fair enough, but make sure you get a picture credit and if possible a link back to your site. Its all about working together with your model to achieve the best results

READ MORE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS Famous Photographers: 225 tips to inspire you 50 photography tips from jobbing pros to famous photographers 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks

13 tips for better pictures of babies, toddlers and teenagers Family Portraits: 10 tips for setting up your home studio 21 street photography tips from the professionals Digital camera effects from A-Z

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Posted on Tuesday, April 12th, 2011 at 11:04 am under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: black and white photography, fine art nude, fine art photography, nude photography, studio lighting

33 myths of the professional photographer

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 07/06/2012 04:00am One Comment 123Next The professional photographer is often associated with a glamorous lifestyle and lots of money. However, sadly this stereotype is not the reality. Professional female portrait photographer Kelly Weech debunks 33 of the most common myths of the professional photographer and reveals what life is really like for those who get paid to take pictures.

All photos copyright Kelly Weech Myth 1 To be a photographer, you just press a button, right? Many believe with the clever technology of digital cameras today you simply point and shoot; however, this is simply not the case. You can have the best camera in the world but if you only use it on auto you might as well own a compact (see our 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks). Myth 2 Anyone with a nice or expensive camera can be a pro

Being a professional photographer is more than just the gear and equipment we own. It is about running a business and making a living to survive not just taking pretty photographs (hear more professionals sound off: 50 photography tips from famous photographers to jobbing pros). Myth 3 When in doubt, 1/125sec @ f8 always works No it will not always work. Professionals know how to handle lighting situations and the problems you may encounter to still get the shot. Particularly at a wedding, there will be no second chances so you best know how to capture the dark church to the bright midday sun (check out our guide to Common mistakes at every shutter speed and the best settings to use). Myth 4 All pro photographers act in a professional manner Unfortunately not all professional photographers know or understand that to be a professional you are servicing the needs of a client and not your hobby. A true professional knows how to act and handle people in most situations that may arise.

Myth 5 A professional produces better quality image than an amateur I have seen many talented amateurs with a passion for photography who produce better quality images than many pros, but being a professional is a lifestyle choice as well as a career move. Some people really just do it as a hobby and for the love of technology or photograph (find out How to be a Getty contributor). Myth 6 Everything can be fixed in Photoshop

Photoshop is another skill set altogether and you cannot make a bad photograph good in Photoshop. However, you can make a great image exceptional if you know how to use it to the best of its ability (check out our 101 Photoshop tips you have to know). Myth 7 Qualifications guarantees a good photographer Becoming a professional photographer is like driving a car. The more experience you have the better you become. Qualifying is just the beginning. Myth 8 A wedding photographer only works on Saturday Photographing the wedding is the fun part; however, wedding photographers then need to edit the photographs, produce albums, market their business, find new clients, update a website and blog constantly, file accounts, handling enquirers, meet future brides and grooms, network with suppliers and compete against 22,000 other registered wedding photographers (download our free wedding photography cheat sheet). Myth 9- Nikon is better than Canon and vice versa This is a debate which dates back many years but in all honesty, just choose the brand or camera you personally prefer and be happy with your equipment. All digital cameras are very good these days. The megapixel war will always continue, but remember it is what you do with them that counts. Myth 10 That we always get paid Sometimes to get ahead you will have to work for free but what you need to do is evaluate what it is you will actually gain in terms of exposure and publicity (see our 10 tips for preparing and selling photo prints). Myth 11 Presets and Photoshop actions make up for a bad photo No. These should enhance a photograph but will not cover up a critical mistake such as exposure or focus (check out our in-depth guide to Manual Focus: what you need to know to get sharp images). PAGE 1: Myths 1 through 11 PAGE 2: Myths 12 through 22 PAGE 3: Myths 23 through 33 READ MORE Famous Photographers: 225 tips to inspire you 26 landscape photography tips every pro still uses 6 photo editing steps every photographer should know Download free photography cheat sheets

Posted on Thursday, June 7th, 2012 at 4:00 am under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: family photography, famous photographers, hot, portrait photography, professional photographers, wedding photography

33 myths of the professional photographer

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 07/06/2012 04:00am One Comment Previous123Next

Myth 12 Photography is a glamorous job Just like any other job, photographers have to undertake all the same mundane office tasks unless of course you are Rankin or Mario Testino and can afford to pay someone to do them for you! Myth 13 Your images sell your services Photography is a competitive industry. Amazing images alone are not enough to get you noticed, but hard work and determination combined will help you in the right direction. Myth 14 Size matters

Its not the size of your lens or camera that matters; its how you use it. People get caught up in the latest figures, but without a solid knowledge of how and why your equipment works, it doesnt matter what you have. Whats more, look at some of the most acclaimed images in history? How many were taken with the most expensive equipment on the market? Myth 15 A professional can photograph everything Most photographers specialize and become great in one subject if they focus their vision and skills. The saying A jack of all trades is a master of none stands true. Myth 16- Photography is easy money Those with this mind-set are in and out of the industry very quickly. Most photographers survive because they love photography. Its a tough industry but if you love your job you will make it work. Myth 17 Being a professional photographer is all about being able to take great photographs Many people can take visually stunning photographs but a professional can also deliver quickly, handle expectations and understand the preparation and execution to get the job in the bag. Myth 18 If you buy a better or the latest camera you will, of course, be as good as those top photographers The reality is you wont be. Master the equipment you already own before you move on to the next camera or lens. Dont fall into the trap of blaming bad photography on your equipment. Be grateful for what you have and hone your knowledge and skills (to learn more about your camera, see our guide to Digital Cameras: what the manual doesnt teach you)

Myth 19 If I tell people Im a professional then I automatically am Professionalism is about the way you conduct business and handle clients as well as the images you produce. Myth 20 Photography is a growing industry The industry is growing and every one is a photographer in his or her own right but it is not a service that is in demand. A true professional differentiates himself or herself

from the average Joe and offers an experience from beginning to end, as well as beautiful photographs. Myth 21 Price means quality but not always Many photographers new to the industry believe they need to charge the same amount as already established pros to prove their worth. However, they dont have the portfolio or experience to support this decision and then wonder why they are not getting any clients. Ensure your prices reflect your quality, but dont expect miracles overnight. Myth 22 Professionals dont go on other photographers workshops I know many full-time photographers who still attend seminars and workshops. No one is an expert in all areas and the key to making your business a success is to keep training and developing as a photographer and businessperson. PAGE 1: Myths 1 through 11 PAGE 2: Myths 12 through 22 PAGE 3: Myths 23 through 33 READ MORE Famous Photographers: 225 tips to inspire you 26 landscape photography tips every pro still uses 6 photo editing steps every photographer should know Download free photography cheat sheets

Posted on Thursday, June 7th, 2012 at 4:00 am under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: family photography, famous photographers, hot, portrait photography, professional photographers, wedding photography

33 myths of the professional photographer

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 07/06/2012 04:00am One Comment Previous123

Myth 23 People cant wait to read your blog A blog is not going to make you a renowned photographer overnight and it will take clever posts to get a loyal following. However, Google loves new content and blogs help Search Engine Optimisation, so it is an essential part of a professional photographers daily life. Myth 24 All professionals have assistants to carry equipment An assistant is extremely helpful but on a portrait shoot it is me, myself and I. Photography is a physically demanding job and lugging equipment about can be exhausting. Do not underestimate the toll this job can have on your back. Myth 25 Photographers can choose their own hours

Professional photography particular portraits and wedding involves working unsociable hours. I am often working evening and weekends, meeting clients and photographing them. Myth 26 All photographers are psychic Clients believe we know exactly what they mean when they say, We want something different, without offering any further explanation. But we are human and can only interpret what you want from the things you say. Myth 27 Photographers dont need to know about lighting; they just wing it Light is key to every image and knowing how to set up a shot is critical to a photographs success. If a photographer blames a bad shot on the light they are not a professional in my eyes. Myth 28 Every shot you take should be in your portfolio A professional understands the art of editing. Most photographers do a lot of work that are not going to ultimately end up in the portfolio. It is simply a part of what we do. Remember, quality over quantity. Myth 29 There is too much competition Yes the photographic industry is competitive, but look at it this way, if there is that much competition, there must be work to go after. Top professional photographers find their niche and stick to what they do best. I cannot think of a single career choice worth doing that doesnt have competition. Can you?

Myth 30 Professional photographers take pictures every day Of course, except for those days when you are editing, packing, unpacking, designing, travelling, scouting, cold-calling future clients, marketing, working on the portfolio, updating your website, sorting through receipts, finding locations, bidding for props and equipment, handling accounts, going to meetings, returning calls and emails and marketing. Myth 31 Your artistic eye will always be appreciated by the client Most of my clients have no idea what a good photograph actually looks like. The fact is most domestic clients will prefer a photograph of granny smiling to an artistic composition setting the scene any day. Of course there will always be exceptions to the rule. Myth 32 Being your own boss is great fun Of course there are perks, but being self-employed involves being your own slave driver. I work instead of watching my favourite programmes, take my camera with me everywhere just in case I see a shot, network when I am socialising because it is all about whom you know etc. Photography is a demanding job and it takes discipline, self-motivation, perseverance and sheer courage to do it professionally. Myth 33 Professional photographers lose their love of photography

I work on average 60 hours a week but for me picking up the camera makes all the hard work worth every minute because I love my job. I believe most professional photographers will continue their love affair with photography if they follow their true passionate and find a niche PAGE 1: Myths 1 through 11 PAGE 2: Myths 12 through 22 PAGE 3: Myths 23 through 33 READ MORE Famous Photographers: 225 tips to inspire you 26 landscape photography tips every pro still uses 6 photo editing steps every photographer should know Download free photography cheat sheets.

Posted on Thursday, June 7th, 2012 at 4:00 am under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: family photography, famous photographers, hot, portrait photography, professional photographers, wedding photography

3 must-haves for every home photo studio

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 30/05/2012 11:56am No Comments Working in a studio environment for the first time can be a very daunting prospect, even if its your home photo studio ( find out how to master your home photo studio) and even if youre extremely confident in your photographic abilities. There are so many questions that need to be answered; lighting gear, camera settings and, more importantly, what kit is essential for the shots that you have in mind. If you plunged straight into purchasing your equipment and are feeling a bit lost, never fear. Below weve suggested 3 must-haves for every home photo studio photographer. Youll find must-have lighting adjustments, camera settings and finally, must-have accessories that youll find essential to getting the pictures you want. Well tell you

what they are, and then offer some helpful tips to make sure you get the best from your photo equipment.

Must-have lighting adjustment

The key control on a studio flash head is the flash power, which enables you to adjust the strength of the flash when the head is fired.

You can use the power button on the flash to increase or decrease exposure without having to change the aperture setting on the camera (which you might want to leave constant for creative effect). Although a three-head Bowens kit retails around the 1,000 mark, a good beginners two-head kit can be picked up for just over 200.

Correct use Dont make the easy mistake of just moving the lights further away from the model in order to lower the amount of light thats hitting them. Although this will reduce the light, it also creates different effects of how said light falls on the subject (download our free portrait lighting cheat sheet for more guidance). Instead, use the power dial to increase and decrease light levels, giving you total control. For more on lighting, check out our 3 stupidly simple lighting techniques that will transform your family portraits.

Must-have camera settings

Forget the flash meter and use your cameras LCD to assess exposures instead. Getting the correct exposure simply means taking the shot, assessing the histogram and then adjusting the aperture or flash power accordingly to compensate.

If highlight clipping occurs, then youll need to close the aperture or reduce the flash power. Set the camera to Manual exposure mode and try an initial exposure of 1/100 sec at an aperture of f/8, making adjustments from there.

Maximum quality Set a low ISO value to keep pixel noise to a minimum and maintain the cameras optimum resolution. Set the cameras White Balance to Flash mode and shoot RAW files for optimum quaity from your digital camera. When shooting any portraits, whether youre in the studio or out in natural light, its best to keep camera settings simple and concentrate more on lighting and posing.

Must-have accessories

In order for the flashguns to fire, you need to make a connection from the camera to the lights. Most cameras have a PC cord socket to enable a lead to be connected. A wireless transmitter will enable you to move around the studio without any worries of tripping over the loose wires.

Cables come supplied with lighting kits, but infrared wireless transmitters can be picked up from as little as 50 although you should expect to pay much more for named brands.

Flash sync Digital cameras tend to have a flash sync speed of 1/250 sec for example, a Canon EOS 400D has a top flash sync speed of 1/200 sec. If you use a shutter speed faster than the flash sync speed the image will not be exposed fully. The frame will often a appear with a dark band where the shutter curtains have closedbefore the sensor has had time to successfully receive all the information. READ MORE 54 Portrait Ideas: free downloadable posing guide 40 More Portrait Ideas: part 2 of our downloadable posing guide Free family portrait photography cheat sheet 11 clever baby poses from birth to age 2 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks

Posted on Wednesday, May 30th, 2012 at 11:56 am under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: camera tips, home studio photography, portrait photography

40 More Portrait Ideas: part 2 of our free downloadable posing guide

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 29/05/2012 15:58pm 2 Comments Recently we shared with you our free posing guide with 54 different portrait ideas to try at home. It was so popular, we decided to share some more portrait ideas from that shoot! Our latest photography cheat sheet is another visual posing guide that you can download and use as inspiration for your portrait photography. Sometimes we can get too bogged down in the technicalities of lighting (check out our 3 stupidly simple lighting techniques that will transform your family portraits) or exposure that if we dont get it right the first time, we lose the ambition to shoot. We may find ourselves paralysed in our home photo studio (find out how to master your home photo studio setup, settings, accessories explained). Often, though, a simple, new pose youve never tried before can give you the burst of inspiration youve been needing. A creative pose and a willing subject can get you shooting again. To this end, in our infographic below weve suggested some portrait ideas for having your subject try a range of creative postures, such as posing on the floor. Weve also explored how different hair styles can add different moods to your portraits. And theres much more. Simply drag and drop our cheat sheet on to your desktop to save these 40 portrait ideas as a handy reference the next time youre in need of a posing guide. If you liked this, you might also like our free Portrait lighting cheat sheet and our popular family portrait photography cheat sheet.

READ MORE 99 Common Photography Problems (and how to solve them) Free wedding photography cheat sheet 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work) 73 photo locations to shoot before you die Digital camera effects from A-Z Fine art nude photography: tips and techniques from lighting to posing

Master your home photo studio: setup, settings, accessories explained

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 23/05/2012 15:34pm No Comments 12Next

The thought of constructing a home photo studio setup with lights can seem a scary prospect. But you can relax: the portrait lighting equipment you need has become much cheaper and easier to use and it wont take over your home.

The beauty of a home photo studio setup, especially for portraits, is that it gives you t the ability to control your light source you can decide which studio accessories you use, and where you place them. And its entirely up to you what kit you buy and how much you spend. You can get away with using a large polystyrene board as a reflector, or fork out for an almost lifesize softbox. The choice is yours. P Presuming youre eager to save money, basic two head home photo studio starter kits, such as those made by Interfit, can be picked up for as little as 250 and are perfect for getting started with studio portraits. These budget kits even come with added goodies like a silver umbrella for bouncing light or softbox for diffusing it a perfect package for headshots, full-length shots and group portraits. In this tutorial well show you some of the best camera settings, lighting arrangements and accessories you need to get perfect portraits at home.

Get the right exposure

Newcomers to home photo studio photography often worry about how to get a correct exposure from a flash source. The tried-and-tested method for taking a reading is to use a handheld light meter (find out how to use a hand-held light meter for perfect exposure), but you dont have to resort to this rather old school solution.

The histogram (learn how to read a histogram) that you can call up on your cameras LCD screen is ideal for checking and altering your exposure. Just make sure that the tonal distribution is balanced throughout the graph. In the infographic below weve illustrated three different exposures correct, overand under-exposure and reproduced their histograms to give you a better idea of what to look for in your own portrait photography.

Opening or closing the aperture is the best way of solving exposure issues (download our photography cheat sheet on when to use wide or small apertures), or try increasing or decreasing the power output of your flash unit to compensate for under or overexposure.

Add drama with your lighting

Most entry-level studio kits come with a reflective umbrella. This is a very useful accessory, and youll often see two placed either side of the model for a soft, even and flattering coverage of light.

For the shot above, however, we opted for a hard-lit, punchy effect by placing the umbrella high and to the left of the camera. Facing it down towards the side of our models face meant that only one side received direct exposure to the light. We made the other side even darker by placing a black polystyrene board to the models right. In the infographic below part of our ongoing photography cheat sheet series weve illustrated a few other sample way sto light your home photo studio setup to achieve different moods and effects in your portraits.

PAGE 1: Get the right exposure; Create dramatic lighting effects PAGE 2: The perfect camera set-up; Using flash sync; Essential accessories READ MORE Free portrait lighting cheat sheet 54 Portrait Ideas: free downloadable posing guide 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work)

Posted on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 at 3:34 pm under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: home studio photography, photography cheat sheet, portrait photography

Master your home photo studio: setup, settings, accessories explained

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 23/05/2012 15:34pm No Comments Previous12

The perfect camera set-up for your home photo studio

There are no fixed rules for setting your camera up for studio portraiture, but there are settings that will ensure better quality shots. To begin with, a good tip is to choose the lowest ISO setting on your camera; this will keep digital noise to a minimum. Next, set the White Balance to Flash to ensure punchy but accurate colours and tones (alternatively, find out how to use a color chart to set white balance for more accurate tones). Its best to shoot in Manual mode, as this enables you to specify both shutter speed and aperture, rather than relying on the camera to work it out for you. Finally, shoot in RAW even though you are using the on-screen histogram to read the exposure, its still possible to blow-out certain areas very slightly. S Shooting in RAW gives you the flexibility to use image-editing software, such as Photoshop, to rescue blown-out highlights a common problem when shooting blonde models (for more on situations like this, check out our solutions to 99 common photography problems)!

Understanding flash sync

In simple terms, if you choose a shutter speed faster than that of the cameras maximum flash sync speed, youll end up with a wide black band across your portrait. This band is the cameras shutter curtain, captured as it closes on the exposure. Obviously this is something you want to avoid, and you can do this by decreasing the shutter speed to within the cameras flash sync speed setting. Most modern digital cameras have flash sync speeds of around 1/200 sec, and a few have speeds as high as 1/500 sec.

Essential accessories

One of the most useful tools for any home studio is a wireless flash trigger, which you can use to fire your flash heads remotely. Simply fit the flash with a receiver, attach your trigger to the hotshoe on top of your camera, and now you can shoot without worrying about cables or pulling a flash-head over.

A large softbox is also recommended this versatile piece of kit can be used to create a number of different and dramatic lighting effects. But dont just plonk it in front of your model and fire away with it stuck in one position. Take a few frames, then move it around, side to side and from high to low. You can even try placing the softbox to one side of your model to cast dramatic shadows across their face.

PAGE 1: Get the right exposure; Create dramatic lighting effects PAGE 2: The perfect camera set-up; Using flash sync; Essential accessories READ MORE Free portrait lighting cheat sheet 54 Portrait Ideas: free downloadable posing guide 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work)

Posted on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 at 3:34 pm under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: home studio photography, photography cheat sheet, portrait photography Previ

11 clever baby poses from birth to age 2

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 18/05/2012 02:00am No Comments Photographing babies can be a very rewarding experience. Yes, they can be unpredictable but capturing their innocence, personality and testing your patience is all part of the fun. However, knowing the right baby poses can be difficult. Cheltenham wedding and portrait photographer Kelly Weech discusses some of the best baby poses to use during the first two years of a childs life. This time is marked by constant developments, and she suggests which baby poses will best capture a childs personality at different ages. Newborn photography In the first two weeks newborns sleep a lot. This is the perfect time to capture photographs with a sense of purity. Newborn babies can be very daunting to work with especially if you do not have children yourself. The Anne Geddes posing has become very popular but should not be attempted without proper training. But there are still lots of opportunities to capture priceless images without being hands on.

This image was taken over moms shoulder at just 2 two days old. She was sat down on a bed facing towards natural light and I cropped in very tight to capture those beautiful eyes and relaxed expression.

4 weeks old

This is another key date in a babys life for newborn photography. Babies at this age are now a lot more alert and sturdy. But remember their head still needs to be supported. Take the opportunity of posed group shots to get portraits of the baby and use the parents as the perfect posing cushion. This way you will ensure baby will be comfortable and relaxed in their parents arms.

This image was taken using my one of my favourite lenses a 24-105mm. I love that you can zoom into details from an already perfectly formed shot.

3 months Patience is a virtue for baby photographers at this age. Work out a pose and spend the time it takes waiting for moments such as a nose wiggle or yawn to happen.

These priceless moments make each pose unique to each baby.

4 months This is your last chance to take the popular baby sleeping in hands shots. From about 4 months your baby will become more alert and less tolerable of this sort of thing! Whats more, after four months your baby will also become too heavy this shot.

The shot above is very popular, but to do it safely baby should only ever be raised from a soft, padded surface. I will place the baby over the parents arms with the hand supporting the head and the other hand supporting the baby on the back. Remember sometimes the background may need to be extended to get the composition you want.

5 months Your baby can now sit up supported, which opens up a whole new range of baby poses and photo ideas.

This image was taken on a sofa with pillows to support the baby to sit up. I decided to convert this image to a high key black and white, and I love her expression and wide eyed look.

Close ups Dont forget to get in close and capture the feet and hands while theyre still little and immobile! From about 6 months many babies start hitting growth spurts and piling on weight.

I got these shots while baby was sat on moms lap. I later converted them to black and white to emphasise the lines and textures.

6 months Most babies are now sitting up and are much more interactive with the baby photographer in the room. This can be great fun, as the process becomes much more of a two-way street rather than you positioning and directing the previous shoots.

This image was taken at dinner time. I called his name and he instantly responded with this look. I love that this photograph is natural and shows the reality of lunch time. I used an 85mm lens combined with natural light to blow out the background, as I wanted all of the viewers attention to be on the babys expression.

Dont forget the details The childs nursery is the perfect place for a shoot, as it often has a nice colour scheme for simple background.

Usually after 6 months your baby can roll, but not move. As a safety measure we had mom just at the side of this shot to ensure he did not try to roll. Some people may also refer to this as tummy time, as usually babies enjoy being on their front. Always have mom (or someone equally hilarious) behind you for the best smiles.

8 months Your baby is now getting more active but still needs afternoon naps. These can be a great opportunity to capture some very sweet portraits.

Even older babies get tired, and during this shoot he needed to have a nap so I used props from his bedroom to add my composition for a cute twist. I got mom to put him down onto his side and returned 5 minutes later when he was in a solid sleep to capture this image.

1 year old

A massive trend in baby photography in America that is now crossing the pond to the UK is whats called the cake smash. The cake smash is a perfect way to capture a childs personality in good, old-fashioned messy fun.

These images were taken in a 2 metre by 2 metre space, with a wipe clean floor. We sat her in front of the cake and encouraged her to take a raspberry and then to put her hands into the cake. Once she realised she was allowed to eat it we were well on our way to a beautiful series of photographs. Mom was stood directly behind me and the baby was reacting to her mums reaction and encouragement.

2 years old

Children wont react well if you treat them like you would a grown up. As a photographer, you need to go back into the mindset of being a big kid yourself to earn their participation. Get down to their level and have fun with them. To put it simply, play with them and make everything fun. Run, skip, jump, pull faces, play catch.

When photographing children, if you gain their trust and let them run the show 50% of the time, they will want to do what you ask. If youd like to save these poses as a reference for the next time you photograph a baby whether its your own or someone elses weve stitched them together in a handy cheat sheet form, which you can drag and drop to your desktop.

To see more of her portrait and newborn photography, visit Kelly on Facebook. READ MORE Free family portrait photography cheat sheet 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks 99 Common Photography Problems (and how to solve them)

Posted on Friday, May 18th, 2012 at 2:00 am under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: baby photography, portrait photography, posing tips

How to use a reflector to control natural light

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 17/05/2012 02:00am No Comments

A reflector is undoubtedly a handy piece of kit, but when it comes to portrait photography its absolutely essential. Shooting outdoors using natural light can be tricky, with the position of the sun often causing harsh and unflattering shadows. Fillin flash will help, but if you want natural or warm tones a reflector will help to lift shadows, apply effects and tackle tricky light conditions. Reflectors are available with many different surfaces, such as gold (which adds a warm glow to faces) and white (which helps to lift shadows and balance light). You can even get reflectors with multiple surfaces. Whatever style of reflector you go for, here are a few easy techniques you can use to quickly lift your shots.

How to use a reflector for different effects

Lift the shadows To help lift ugly shadows cast by strong outdoor light, try holding a white reflector at an equal angle between the light source (the sun) and your model. If the sun is high in the sky, position the reflector at chest height to help lift shadows under your subjects eyes.

Getting warmer A gold reflective surface can be used to add an attractive warm glow to your subjects face. Depending on the brightness of the light, take a step back from your model to ensure that the influence of the reflected colour doesnt turn natural skin tones orange or yellow.

Add sparkle to eyes Eyes can often get lost in outdoor portraits, but a simple catchlight effect will add an attractive sparkle. To get the effect, use the silver or white sides of your reflector. Move it so that the reflected light catches the eye, creating highlights in the dark pupils.

Diffuse the light In a similar way to a softbox used with a traditional indoor studio lighting set-up, a diffuser can be used to soften the light and reduce harsh shadows created by the sun (check out our 3 stupidly simple lighting techniques for your indoor studio). Simply position the diffuser between the light source and your model to gently soften the lights effect. READ MORE How to eliminate harsh shadows when using flash 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work) 99 common photography problems (and how to solve them)

Posted on Thursday, May 17th, 2012 at 2:00 am under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: portrait photography

3 stupidly simple lighting techniques that will transform your family portraits

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 14/05/2012 15:41pm No Comments

Portrait lighting is an area that even the most confident photographers struggle with, but using it to get professional-looking family portraits is much simpler than it may first appear. Like most areas of photography, its simply a case of taking it one step at a time. In the following tutorial we will break the different areas of portrait lighting down and examine how each light affects the final result, as well as where to position them in your home photo studio (see also our 10 tips for setting up your home photo studio). We start by shooting with a single light, before moving on to a fill light that softens the shadows, and then introduce a light to illuminate the background (for more on family portrait photography in general, check out our free family portrait photography cheat sheet for getting great images in a range of situations). These are all 3 very simple portrait lighting techniques that you can use at home when shooting your own family portraits. Use these techniques and soon you can transform your family portraits from looking like this

to looking like the portrait on the bottom thus saving you a small fortune from getting them shot professionally. This tutorial will also hopefully give you the confidence to experiment with more complex lighting set-ups that will quickly improve the quality of not only your family portraits, but other genres of photography you like to shoot. So without further ado

Family Portrait Lighting Technique No. 1: One light set-up

We start this tutorial by positioning a Bowens flash unit to the right of where were shooting from. To soften the light from this flash we bounce the flash into an umbrella (see No. 4 below).

In manual mode, we set an aperture to f/4 to get a shallow depth of field, and a shutter speed of 1/200sec to prevent motion blur from any ambient light. We then adjusted to heads power to get a good exposure (in this case 1/16th power). We start with our subject, Henry, sitting on a chair, so that he doesnt move around too much while his father fires off a few frames to get a feel for how this simple portrait lighting set-up works. There are several shots in which the back of the chair is visible, and when Henry inevitably faces away from the flash unit, there are too many shadows on his face. But despite these limitations, a single light works well.

With just one light weve done a good job of capturing expressions, but there are some noticeable shadows across his face, and the background is quite dark. It helps that the room is mostly white, as it softens the light by bouncing it back into the shadows. To soften the light further, we also try using a reflector to bounce light back into the shadows, but this needs an extra pair of hands, so we decide its time to add another light.

Family Portrait Lighting Technique No. 2: Adding fill light

Henry is doing a great job as our model, but hes understandably getting a little bored, so we decide to give him a break while we set up the next light. The second light we need is used to lighten the shadows created by the first light. For this we fit a softbox to one of our flash heads, and place it above our shooting position.

T This flash unit is half the power of the main light, so we set it on the same 1/16th power to give a lighting ratio of approximately 2:1. This simply means that the first light we used (called the key light) is around twice as bright as the second light (called the fill light). This set-up also lights a larger area, which is ideal when shooting kids because they dont stay still! To learn more about how to pose children, see our 13 tips for better pictures of babies, toddlers and teenagers. With the new lighting in place, we decide to do without the chair and let Henry loose a little. This gives us the opportunity to shoot several different crops, from the classic close-up portrait to full-length shots (learn more about classic portrait styles and poses by downloading our free posing guide cheat sheet). This presents a much greater challenge than the previous sitting portraits because we have to frame the shot, focus, and capture Henrys best expressions. But we manage to master all of these disciplines, and capture some great shots as Henry pulls poses like a seasoned model.

Here the poses are much more fun and dynamic, but the background could do with more light

Family Portrait Lighting Technique No. 3: lighting the background

Now that were getting good results from the two lights, we need to take a look at the background. We set up one of our lights on a low-level stand, and point it towards the white backdrop were using. Unlike the other two heads, this one doesnt have any light modifiers fitted to it, so even on minimum power its much brighter than the existing lights. After taking a quick test shot we decide to increase the power of both the key light and the fill light to balance the exposure between these and the background light. This means that we have to reduce the aperture to f/7.1 to compensate for the increase in light. The depth of field is less critical with this set-up because the brighter, over-exposed background means that any distracting marks and creases on the material are already less visible (find out more about depth of field and what every photographer should know about using it). Again, we let Henry roam free with this set-up because the usable area lit by the two front lights is big enough for Henry to move around in. This proves to be a good idea, as he poses for us without too much prompting. We still have our work cut out for us, though, in keeping up with the movement, and on a few of the shots some of the light from the background spills onto the side of Henrys face, but even these are successful and produce some modern-looking highkey portraits.

With things going so well we decide to try one last change to the lighting set-up by putting a snoot on the background light, creating a pool of light behind Henry. But t trying to get Henry in the right position and with a natural-looking expression proves to be a challenge too far, so we decide to call it a day while were still ahead, and Henry can have a well-deserved rest.

Family Portrait Lighting Technique No. 4?

Using flash modifiers Can we squeeze in a 4th? Technically this isnt a lighting technique, but its very useful to know (and own) so we thought we should include it. Theres a vast array of accessories available that can change the quality of the light from your flash unit to give your family portraits a range of different effects. Here are three of the most useful that we can recommend

U Umbrella There are two types of umbrella: reflective ones that bounce flash onto the subject, and translucent ones, which you fire flash through. Both types soften the flash light (see our quick guide to bounce flash photography in 4 easy steps).

S Softbox A softbox is attached to the flash and the flash is fired through layers of diffusing material. This produces a very soft light, but unlike umbrellas, its easy to control where the light falls because the sides prevent the light from spilling out.

Snoot A snoot is an attachment that is used to produce a narrow area of light. This is i particularly handy if you want to highlight specific areas of your subject. However, this accessory can produce very harsh shadows, because the flash is pointing directly at the subject (find out how to eliminate harsh shadows when using flash). READ MORE 99 Common Photography Problems (and how to solve them) Free portrait photography cropping guide 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work)

Posted on Monday, May 14th, 2012 at 3:41 pm under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: family photography, hot, portrait photography, studio lighting

Free portrait lighting cheat sheet

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 08/05/2012 12:53pm No Comments Feeling in the dark about portrait lighting? Whether its a flashgun or a softbox, offcamera lighting has confounded many aspiring portrait photographers. But your portrait photography doesnt need to suffer because of this. Portrait lighting need not be so complicated. Whether youre in a professional studio or shooting a model in your home photo studio (see our 10 tips for setting up your home photo studio), often the simplest portrait lighting set-ups yield the most classic and dramatic effects.

By experimenting with different poses you can see what works and get new portrait ideas to apply to your next shoot. To help you along weve put together our latest photography cheat sheet, a visual guide taking you through several simple portrait lighting set-ups, and showing the different effects they create. Our cheat sheet shows you how to use different kinds of off-camera lighting, from soft boxes to reflectors, and at the end we suggest a few striking poses to use with these portrait lighting effects (you might also like our portrait photography cropping guide to use when editing your portraits). Feel free to drag and drop our infographic on to your desktop and save it for a handy reference the next time you have someone in your home photo studio. Finally, if you like this infographic, you might also like our free family portrait photography cheat sheet, as well as our free posing guide with 54 cool portrait ideas.

READ MORE 99 Common Photography Problems (and how to solve them) 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work) 73 photo locations to shoot before you die Digital camera effects from A-Z Fine art nude photography: tips and techniques from lighting to posing

Posted on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 at 12:53 pm under Photography Tips, Portraits.

Tags: photography che54 Portrait Ideas: free downloadable posing guide

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 02/05/2012 12:00pm No Comments

Are you stuck for portrait ideas? Sometimes weve found that you can over-think these things. When you put so much thought into backdrops and colour schemes, etc, you can overlook some of the fundamentals of portrait photography, such as your subjects pose. A great way to reignite you portrait photography is to shoot a model in your home photo studio (see our 10 tips for setting up your home photo studio), using as minimalist a set-up as possible. By experimenting with different poses you can see what works and get new portrait ideas to apply to your next shoot. To help you along weve put together our latest photography cheat sheet, a visual posing guide that you can download and use as inspiration. To create our posing guide we shot our own examples of some of the more traditional portrait styles full-length portraits, seated portraits, high and low perspectives and head-and-shoulder shots and then some suggested poses within these genres. Weve also included some short tips on how to achieve these shots to get the best results.

Click here to download the large version of our portrait photography posing guide. You can also click directly on the low-res version of the posing guide posted below to download the hi-res copy, which you can then print it off and use for ideas the next time youre struggling for inspiration. And dont forget to send us an image you captured as a result! If you liked this, you might also like some of our other infographics, such as our Free family portrait photography cheat sheet, our Portrait lighting cheat sheet or our Free wedding photography cheat sheet. UPDATE: due to the popularity of this posing guide weve put together a part 2 from more images from this shoot. Click here to download 40 more portrait ideas, our latest portrait photography cheat sheet.

READ MORE 99 common photography problems (and how to solve them) 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work) 79 travel photography tips you shouldnt leave home without Digital camera effects from A-Z Fine art nude photography: tips and techniques from lighting to posing

Posted on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 12:00 pm under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: hot, photo ideas, photography cheat sheet, portrait photograph at sheet, portrait photography, studio lighting

Best flash settings for baby photography

jmeyer | Photography Tips | Portraits | 02/05/2012 07:00am No Comments Do you have a baby due soon and youre keen to shoot some nice newborn baby photography at the hospital. Any photographer who doubles as a parent likely will be, and youll likely be wondering what are the best flashgun settings to use? The relatively hard light of a flashgun generally makes for poor baby photos. To shoot baby photography, youre then better off sticking with ambient lighting.

Most current SLRs are capable of low-noise images at high ISO settings, so increase the sensitivity to around ISO1600 or ISO3200 to avoid camera shake. Room lighting usually provides pleasant soft lighting, but keep an eye on white balance and switch to a Tungsten or Fluorescent setting if the shots look yellowish. One neat trick is to use an angle-poise bedside light, which you can reposition for the best effect. If its daytime and youre near a window, try using daylight as the main light source. A sheet of white card or A4 paper can work well as a reflector to fill in the shadows.

Shot at f/5.6 for 1/50 sec using ISO1600, this softly lit baby portrait uses the hospital beds angle-poise lamp as the main light source

Posted on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 7:00 am under Photography Tips, Portraits. Tags: baby photography, flash photography tips