Couple Photography - 7 Tips and Ideas

Now-a-days just about everyone has a camera of some sort. Here are some tips that will help you take great photos of couples.

Tip #1

Photographing couples when they are sitting around chatting is a good way to get the natural side of anyone. Using your zoom from across a room with a fast aperture setting (sport setting) will help you fill the frame and separate them from their surroundings.

Tip #2

Kneeling down or standing on something higher than the couple and not putting them right in the middle of the frame is another idea. We like to call this the rule of thirds.

Tip #3

Costumes are always a good way to photograph couples who are looking for that not so normal photo session, Halloween Monsters, Easter Bunny's and Mr. & Mrs. Santa are all good ways to brighten any wall.

Tip #4

Outdoor photos with couples holding hands around a tree or sitting on a boulder facing each other are other great ideas for couple photography.

Tip #5

Using Black and White film or setting your camera to take Black and White photos is another good tip. This allows you to be able to capture couples with a timeless look to them.

Tip #6

Lighting is particularly important since you don't want the couple to cast shadows on each other (outside settings are usually the best for this.) Trying a morning or afternoon shot is usually a good way to get your desired lighting.

Tip #7

If you need to use a flash, try to stand at least 2 or 3 feet away from the subjects so the flash isn't too bright. Another tip is to put a tissue over the flash to soften the light.

Couple Photography - 7 Tips and Ideas

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Video Clips. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

In portrait photography, the goal is to create the impression of three dimensions by lighting the "mask" of the face with a soft light to accentuate a profile. Light portrait photos with the tips in thisfree video on photography lighting techniques from a professional photographer. Expert: Mark Bowers Contact: www.bowersphotography.com Bio: Mark Bowers runs Bowers Photography, located in American Fork, Utah. Bowers earned a Certified Professional Photographer degree (CPP) in 1986 from the Professional Photographers of America. Filmmaker: Michael Burton

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Digital Photography Tip - How To Photograph Christmas Lights

Christmas is coming and so is the urge for us who love digital photography to get out there in the burbs and photograph the beautiful Christmas lights. It's a beautiful time of year and when you are as passionate about digital photography as I am, then this is the time you whip that digital camera out.

Taking photos of Christmas lights with your digital camera can be a very disappointing experience for digital photography enthusiasts. Pictures of Christmas lights in digital photography are aimed at being crystal clear with beautifully bold colours and hopefully we can capture the delicate glow that radiates from the lights themselves.

But...Christmas lights don't always provide the ideal digital photography experience does it? J In fact, in digital photography, Christmas lights can turnout to be smudged dots of colour, like water over ink and way too dark. The first time I took a digital photography image of Christmas lights the flash went off accidentally causing a flattening out of my images not to mention the lovely colours disappearing and it ended up just being a digital photo of the neighbour's front lawn. Not to mention how it set the dog off barking!

So just what is the digital photography secret to getting crystal clear shots of our suburban Christmas lights?

Okay now I'm going to share a secret with you. The best way to get suburb results of sharp, colourful Christmas lights is to choose the house you are going to photograph. Depending on where you live and how fast you can run, you may need to tee it up with your neighboughs first and offer them the photo. The same rules apply with your Christmas tree.

Take your tripod with you. Take your digital camera off "auto" and take it off "auto flash".

Now try a method called bracketing. Set the aperture at a wide f stop, such as 2.8 or 3.5 for example. Then proceed to try some different settings. Set the shutter to 1/30 or higher. I'd recommend, if it's really dark in the street something around the one second, two seconds or three seconds shutter speed.

There is a groovy little trick you can also do for helping you learning faster, about what works in digital photography and what doesn't. That's recording and documenting your digital photography experience. I usually take a note pad with me and write down the number photo and the f stop and shutter speed so when I look at the photos I know which digital photo has worked and what has not.

But in the dark it's very hard to write down anything so you can do what I sued to do, and that is record on Mp3 what your settings you had on what photo. For example you can record yourself saying "picture one, f stop 2.8, shutter speed 2 seconds." Then again as you have tried another setting "picture seven, f stop 22, shutter speed 1 minute."

These are just examples but they really work. Don't forget the basics with your night time photography such as wide aperture and slow shutter speed and the necessity of a tripod.

If you are in a moving vehicle for example and you are taking shots of Christmas lights from a bus or car, then you can always use the maximum aperture and a smaller shutter speed. For example f stop 1.4 and a shutter of 1/350 or higher.

And don't forget if you do have the time to set up a tripod and try the bracketing technique (ideal) also remember if you have the shutter open for a while the light can bounce off other objects such as windows and roofs. If you get too much reflective light, simply reduce the time the shutter is open.

Good luck and may you have a beautiful Christmas!

Happy Shooting,

Amy Renfrey

P.s Take a look at the photo used to describe the article; http://www.nomorebadphotos.blogspot.com

Digital Photography Tip - How To Photograph Christmas Lights

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Tube. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Maternity Portrait Sessions - Ten Tips For Better Pregnancy Photos

Schedule your photo shoot for between weeks 31 and 36 if possible. Your belly may be too small before then. Of course, you don't want to risk running out of time, either. About two hours before your photo shoot, remove any clothing or accessories with elastic. Such items as bras, pants with elastic waistbands, even socks, leave marks on your skin that will show up in your pictures. Discuss with your photographer ahead of time the look and style of the portraits you desire. Do you plan to be clothed the entire time? Do you love the intimate look of skin on skin? Will someone else be in the photos with you? If someone else will join you in the pictures, be sure to select clothing and accessories for them that do not distract from the main subject: your belly. Bright-colored clothing and shiny accessories (watches, belt buckles, etc.) attract light and lead the eye away from the main focus. What should you wear? Many women choose to go au natural, or at least topless with a pair of cute undies. If that's not your cup of tea, try to choose a fitted top-something that accentuates the bust line and belly. If your clothes are too big, your belly will not be highlighted, and that's the main idea of these pictures. Right? If you despise your pregnancy jeans, the ones with the panel, bring a pair of regular jeans and unzip them. That looks really cute with a tank top or a bikini top. Be adventurous! You don't get a lot of opportunities to take these kinds of photos! You may want to bring a few of your baby's things to hold in your photos. Maybe you have already purchased an adorable pair of shoes, someone may have given you something at your shower that means a lot to you, or maybe there is a family heirloom that you would love to memorialize in your pictures. Avoid rubbing lotions on your belly before the shoot. You don't want the light to bounce off the shiny surface of your belly. Do, however, consider moisturizing your elbows and feet. Your hands will likely be in the pictures, so consider a manicure, or at the very least, be sure your nails are trimmed. This rule also applies for toes. Bring powder and lipstick or tinted Chap Stick for touchups during the shoot. Bring your brush or comb and several changes of clothes. Last, allow at least two hours for your photo shoot, and try not to schedule anything for immediately afterwards. Most maternity shoots, like weddings, cannot be re-shot, so don't rush yourself! Enjoy yourself!

Maternity Portrait Sessions - Ten Tips For Better Pregnancy Photos

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Tube. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Head Shots and Portrait Sessions - What to Bring, What to Wear

If you're getting professional headshots taken, or if you're having a professional photographer do a portrait session for you, here are the things you might find useful to know in advance...

HOW TO PREPARE BEFORE YOUR SHOOT:

- Get a good night's sleep the night before. This isn't always the easiest thing to do, but it's really important to try. The more rested you are, the better you'll look.

- Drink plenty of water at least an hour or two before your session. Hydrated skin looks much healthier than dry skin. Try not to drink too much coffee that day and avoid eating greasy, salty or fatty foods for at least a day or two before your shoot.

- Apply moisturizer. Men as well as women should use this tip. Moisturizer prevents your face from looking dry and it gives your skin a fresh, smoother texture. Use a plain moisturizer without any color or shine in it. Be sure to do this before you apply any makeup or powder.

WHAT TO BRING:

1- A comb or brush and a light hair-spray. Heavy sprays and gels make your hair look unnatural and stiff, so something with a light hold is a better idea.

2- A light face powder (yes, also for men) and a powder applicator. This is to reduce any shine on your face that may build up during your shoot. Make sure the powder is a good match for your skin tone.

3 - A plain lip-balm. For men (or women who prefer not to wear much or any makeup), bring a lip-balm. Dry lips show up very badly in photos. A non-shiny, non-waxy, no-color lip-balm is essential! Avoid chapsticks and beeswax lip-balms, as they tend to leave a white residue.

4- If you normally wear makeup, bring it with you. Blush, concealer, eye-shadow, mascara, lipstick etc. Be sure to bring a few different shades of eyeshadow and lipstick, as some colors may not look as well on camera as others. Avoid anything with too much gloss or shine. In particular, don't wear high gloss lipsticks or very shiny lipgloss. Also avoid any face creams, bronzers or blushes that contain any sort of shine or sparkle. These often look too unnatural and reflect too much light in photos.

5- Deodorant. If your session is indoors or in a studio, you can usually expect to be under warm lights for quite some time. You don't want to have perspiration stains in your photos, so remember to apply an extra 'layer' of deodorant right before your session begins.

6- A toothbrush or dental floss. Just in case you have the remnants of your last meal stuck in your teeth!

7- Eyedrops. Sitting and not doing much blinking for any period of time, can be very irritating for your eyes. Especially if you're in bright light of any kind. Red, watery or puffy eyes will ruin your photos, so having eyedrops with you is essential for your photo session. Chances are, you won't need to use them, but it's better to have them just in case you do.

WHAT TO WEAR

For headshots, it's usual to have at least two or three different 'looks'. These tend to be
1: Casual and informal.
2: Elegant and slightly formal.
3: Edgy and/or unusual. This means you should bring the following clothing choices:

1- Casual and informal clothes. A simple shirt (or sweater) and jeans, is always a good bet here. IMPORTANT: Do not wear shirts with logos, brand names or any obviously printed words on them. These draw the eye away from your face, which is the last thing you want in a head shot! Do not wear work-out clothing or sweats, although a plain hoodie is fine. Make sure your jeans are basic as well. No applique, no artfully splattered paint or bleach marks and if there are rips or holes, make sure they're small and fairly unnoticeable.

2- Elegant and slightly formal clothes. A well tailored jacket and a well tailored shirt is a very good choice for men. For women, a fashionable, figure-flattering top, dressy sweater, nice trousers, or casual cocktail style of dress is a good choice.

If your headshots are for acting, online dating sites, etc., you don't want look as if you're going to a job interview. You do want to wear what you would for a nice dinner party or event. Dark colors are best for this look.

When you're choosing what to wear, ask yourself whether you want your photos to look corporate or not. Women: If you don't want a business-like look, don't wear button-up shirts. Men: If you don't want a business-like look, don't wear a tie.

3- Edgy and unusual clothes. Particularly for actors, musicians and entertainers who have a unique look or play a broad range of performances of any kind. For this 'look', bring the clothes that define your particular style. If you are from a specific ethnic background and have traditional clothing (saris, kimonos, sarongs, etc.), bring those! If you prefer to dress in vintage clothing, bring your favorite vintage suit or dress. Whatever your style, bring the outfit, accessories and makeup that you feel really exemplifies your individuality.

As for what to wear for a portrait session, the range is a bit more broad. It depends entirely on what type of portraits you're getting. However, the following rules will still apply...

A FEW BASIC RULES FOR ANY PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION:

1- Colors which look great on almost everybody: White, black, and greys are always a good choice. For color, choose earth-tones (reds and browns) and jewel-tones (turquoise and most blues). Certain pastels are also good: light blues, lavenders and pinks.

2- Colors to avoid: For most people, khakis, greens, oranges, dark purples and yellows are not flattering to the skin and should not be worn for photos. (However, if you are an exception to that rule, by all means, bring the colors that suit you best.)

3- Clothing choices to avoid: Large, bold prints, logos or patterns. Again, these draw the eye away from your face, which is not a good thing. You don't want your outfit to dominate your photos. Don't wear clothing that is too loose or too clingy. Very loose clothing and very tight clothing both have the effect of unflatteringly altering the shape of your body. Shiny fabrics should generally be avoided as well, anything with a lot of shine will reflect light and tends to overemphasize the figure.

4- Do not over-accessorize. Keep it simple. Too many extra visuals will detract from your face, which should be the only focal point in your pictures. If you have one particular piece of jewelery you'd like to wear, don't wear any other pieces with it. A big, bold necklace can sometimes look really wonderful, but not if it's also worn with big, bold earrings. Small, basic earrings, one or two simple rings, and no necklace are usually the best choice for women. Just a watch and one ring (if you wear any) is usually the best choice for men.

5- Heavy application of perfumes or body-sprays before your session is not a good idea. If you must wear a scent, wear much less than you normally would. Many people have allergies to scents, and you don't want a photographer who is trying to take your photo through watering eyes and sneezing fits.

Although there are a lot of things to factor in here, they're all quite simple. If you keep these tips in mind, you're certain to look and feel your best for your professional photography shoot!

Head Shots and Portrait Sessions - What to Bring, What to Wear

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Video Clips. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Head Shots and Portrait Sessions - What to Bring, What to Wear

If you're getting professional headshots taken, or if you're having a professional photographer do a portrait session for you, here are the things you might find useful to know in advance...

HOW TO PREPARE BEFORE YOUR SHOOT:

- Get a good night's sleep the night before. This isn't always the easiest thing to do, but it's really important to try. The more rested you are, the better you'll look.

WHAT TO BRING:

1- A comb or brush and a light hair-spray. Heavy sprays and gels make your hair look unnatural and stiff, so something with a light hold is a better idea.

6- A toothbrush or dental floss. Just in case you have the remnants of your last meal stuck in your teeth!

WHAT TO WEAR

As for what to wear for a portrait session, the range is a bit more broad. It depends entirely on what type of portraits you're getting. However, the following rules will still apply...

A FEW BASIC RULES FOR ANY PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION:

Head Shots and Portrait Sessions - What to Bring, What to Wear

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Video Clips. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

10 Tips For What to Wear For Your Portrait Session

Do the clothes make the person? Hard to say... but they often make the portrait. When planning for a portrait session stick to these 10 tips when deciding what to wear and you'll be on your way to awesome portraits.

Be comfortable: Good pictures will require a certain comfort level from you, the subject. If you are scared of losing your balance in high heels or sweating under that polyester shirt then good pictures are going to be harder to come by. Stick to clothes you like, that build your confidence and are functional and comfortable. Clothes are a statement: Outfit changes are the norm in a portrait shoot so mix it up with some clothing options that will make for more fun, sassy portraits. Bring along other outift options that are more formal to ensure a more broad choice of pictures showcasing the various parts of your personalities. Keep it simple: Dark, plain fabrics usually work best. Avoid crazy patterns, designs and logos too. Clothing with distinct lines, dots and bright patterns can be troublesome too. Same goes for shiny fabrics. Keep your jewelry choices simple and minimal. Avoid short sleeves and shorts: Long sleeves and pants are the superior choice. Skin tones can vary a bunch on various legs and arms not to mention the lighter complexion can distract the eye when viewing the pictures. Not too many choices and changes: You should feel welcome to have a few clothing changes but don't overwhelm yourself and your photographer with choices. It takes a little time for your photographer to get the creative ball rolling. Stopping for multiple outfit changes can disrupt that process. Ask before wearing whites: Yes, dark solid print clothes are generally better, but rules are made to be broken. Talk with your photographer before the shoot if you are considering a white shirt. It can look awesome in certain kinds of backgrounds and environments so let your photographer know and they will be better prepared to make excellent photos. Props (nothing hokey here): Does your lovebird indulge you with an old-fashioned picnic once in a while? How about a tune on the guitar? Bring along a few items that reveal unique aspects of your relationship. Talk it over before the session with your photographer. Suitability to locations, or not: If you and your photographer are hiking about on nature trails to get to your locations then you will want to consider clothing that is practical and appropriate for that surrounding. Or, for a little extra contrast, maybe really dress it up with a suit and tie for him and wonderful dress for her to strike a visual contrast with the rustic surroundings. Again, talk with your photographer beforehand about such ideas and get their input. A little planning always helps. Classic, timeless styles: Great pictures last a long, long time so be sure your clothing choices will age gracefully. What is the fashionable trend today can easily be tomorrow's parachute pants so stow away the Ed Hardy shirts. Hats, scarves and accessories for extra cute children's portraits: An oversized ball cap or a football jersey from Mom and Dad's alma mater always works well.

Following these guidelines will help with the mystifying task of selecting what to wear for your portrait session. But remember, photography is a creative collaboration. So some rules are made to be broken.

10 Tips For What to Wear For Your Portrait Session

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Tube. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

5 Tips For Outstanding Corporate Headshots

For most companies, a corporate headshot is a requirement for the executives as well as the employees. These photos are used on company websites; business cards and promotional materials. This usually means that a lot of people are going to see your photo, and it may not be presenting you in the way that you feel most attractive.

A lot of people don't enjoy having their photo taken anyway, and when it's 'picture day' at the office, they dread it even more. The most common complaints are that corporate headshots are too generic and unattractive. Well, with these 5 basic tips, your corporate photos can go from 'ow' to 'wow'...

1: Avoid office lighting. Most corporate headshots are taken in your office location, where the light is a combination of overhead and fluorescent. Both of which are extremely unflattering. If at all possible, arrange to have your photos taken outside, or in a room with plenty of natural light. Even if your photographer brings additional lights, combining those with natural light is always preferable to office lighting.

2: Schedule your photos in the afternoon. People rarely look their best in the morning, especially not when they've just arrived at the office and haven't even had their coffee break yet! The best time of day to book your photo session, is right after lunch.

Having a corporate headshot session can be stressful for a lot of people. To reduce that stress, plan for the photos to be done when everyone has had a bit of time to relax, to eat and to get ready to have their picture taken.

3: Allow plenty of time. A common mistake is to schedule for about 5 minutes per person. In most situations, it's much better to schedule for 10-15 minutes for each individual or group. If employees are feeling rushed and the photographer is feeling hurried, that's going to show in the photos, particularly in people's facial expressions.

It takes a while for most people to relax and look natural in front of a camera. It's definitely worth scheduling enough time for that to happen. Remember, these photos are a representation of your company, so it's important that everyone looks happy to be there!

4: Give people some privacy. If someone is already feeling tense about having their picture taken, it's going to be even more difficult for them if their co-workers are looking on. Arrange to have people go into the session one at a time, or one group at a time. And whether it's indoor or outdoor, choose a location that's an enclosed area.

5: For unique corporate photos, avoid generic backdrops. If the tone of your business is friendly and personable, your photos should reflect that. Instead of one bland background for everyone's picture, have your photographer take shots of people at their work areas, or outdoors or in front of the company logo.

If your company is youthful and creative, then get creative with your headshots! Have photos of your employees holding your company products, or holding up something that symbolizes their job skill or their personality. Fun, attractive, appealing shots of a company's employees and executives, can often make all the difference in attracting new clients.

5 Tips For Outstanding Corporate Headshots

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Video Clips. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

12 Creative Photography Ideas

Here are 12 ideas to get your creative juices flowing and increase your skills and value as a photographer.

TIP 1 - Time Lapse photos. I showed my niece how to do this with clay figures and stitch the resulting frames together into a video file, and she was busy for days. If you control the exposure consistently to keep the images consistent with one another, you can do some really fun stop-motion animation. Or, you can set up your camera to capture other slow motion effects such as flowers opening and seedlings growing.

TIP 2 - Night Lights. Things look very different at night. Shooting city scenes with available light creates some interesting images. And shooting outdoor images under moonlight or with "light painting", where you open up the camera shutter for an extended exposure, and "paint" your targets with colored or plain light, can create some truly bizarre images.

TIP 3 - Astrophotography. Hook that SLR up to a telescope, and you are ready to peer into the depths of space and time. You'll need some adapters, and ability to compensate for the earth's rotation for really long shots. Start with the moon and move on from there.

TIP 4 - Macro photography. From flowers to coins to stamps, you can polish your skills at close-up photography and capture some really detailed images. Often a macro lens or close-up attachment will help. See my tips on Flower Photography to get more information.

TIP 5 - Micro photography. If you can interface that camera with a microscope, you can get some really crazy images. Or, stack up a bunch of close-up magnification and try your hand at turning salt crystals into surreal imagery.

TIP 6 - Insurance Photos. OK, maybe a bit boring, but you and your friends and relatives will thank you. Take a couple hours and touch and photograph everything of value, with a full shot or two if each item of value, accompanied by a shot of the identifying marks - manufacturer model or serial number. Then burn a CD or DVD and store it off site. If you have a fire or other loss, this could save the owner thousands of dollars.

TIP 7 - Family Recipe book. Anytime those family favorites are prepared, copy down the recipe and take some photos of the food. You can produce a printed or electronic cookbook of family favorites that everyone will love.

TIP 8 - Stock Photography. This is a very busy market niche, but the cost of entry is low. Specialize in things you love, and you may be able to generate some income from your stock images. Search for stock photography sites, and make sure you understand your rights before you post images.

TIP 9 - Special Effects. Maybe you want to specialize in high-speed images of athletes, or surrealistic collages. Try your hand at using your editing skills to put someone in a soda bottle or floating on a candy lifesaver. Often more artistic than photographic, it will test your composition, lighting and editing skills to come up with believable artificial realities.

TIP 10 - Still Life. Ahh, the bowl of fruit. Sometimes a simple object or collection, properly lit, shot and edited, is a thing of beauty. It's a great way to study light. Start with an egg on a light background, a lamp and a window and see how you can learn about lighting and composition.

TIP 11 - Computer Control. Many cameras have a USB interface and remote control software. You can actually control the camera from the computer. See if you can get it to work to your liking, and maybe even program some time lapse or exposure bracketing experiments.

TIP 12 - Be Like Andy. Take some images of everyday items and try to create those neat colored backgrounds like Andy Warhol used to make. Create a 4-up print of the same image and change the colors of each quadrant to make an interesting square print.

Have fun with these ideas, and let me know when you become famous!

12 Creative Photography Ideas

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Video Clips. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

How to Shoot Portraits - 5 Camera Setting Tips For Great Results

Camera setting tips for portraits:

Portrait photography delivers best results when you focus attention on the subject and control the background. Avoiding distracting elements or blurring the background draws the attention on your subject. Besides making your subject "the star" of the frame you also need proper exposure and focus, showing right skin tones and details.

Whether you are shooting for posed portraits or moving children, if you can control 5 camera settings you will capture excellent portrait shots.

Control 5 Camera settings for superb results:

1) Shooting Mode
2) Focus Settings
3) Exposure
4) Metering
5) White Balance

SHOOTING MODE

Aperture priority is the most popular shooting mode for portraits. Using this mode Photographer sets the f-stop and the camera chooses the shutter speed.

Aperture priority mode gives direct control of depth of field. Controlling depth of field means that you can blur the background to draw attention on your subject.

Alternatively you can use Manual Mode. Using this mode you can you can control both aperture and shutter speed. If there is a consistent light source use manual and you still be able to control surroundings of the subject.

EXPOSURE

When you shoot portraits and slightly overexpose you will notice that your background details will be washed out and your subject's skin tones will appear lighter. After your camera meter suggests exposure values,first shoot with suggested settings. Later shoot couple extra using plus 1EV or plus 2EV of exposure compensation to see what they look like.

FOCUS SETTINGS

Single-Shot AF (Auto Focus) mode is perfect for shooting portraits. When using Single-Shot AF Mode, select a Single Auto Focus point. For example for portrait shots, focusing closer to the subject's eyes works best. When focusing on the target point, you may use either Centre or Off-Centre settings. This way you will get sharp focus.

One of the most difficult portrait shot is a moving subject. If you are photographing moving children use Continuous AF mode. In addition choose multiple focus points. Combination of continuous AF mode and multiple focus points will increase the chance of capturing a sharp image.

METERING

For general portrait shots Multi-Segment Metering works just fine. However, if you are shooting a back-lit subject, Multi-Segment may not work properly because this mode will underexpose the subject's face. In such case take a reading from your subject's forehead or cheek using Spot Metering. Then use the values and shoot in Manual Exposure mode. Make sure that you are not shooting in Aperture Priority mode - (you will need to set both aperture and shutter speed values manually since you have use the spot metering and received new exposure values).

WHITE BALANCE

Auto White Balance is good for general shots. However shooting in different environments things may go wrong. For example if you are shooting in a shady area you will not get the proper white balance. Or if you shoot in scenes with predominant white blue or green (beach, botanic garden, forest etc...) your subject's face will reflect that predominant color. In such you can take a custom white balance reading and use it.

Keep in mind that you have the option to change white balance settings and apply correction if you are shooting in RAW mode. So if that portrait shot is quite important for you, shoot in RAW so you have an option to correct white balance later on.

How to Shoot Portraits - 5 Camera Setting Tips For Great Results

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Video Clips. Duration : 1.57 Mins.

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

No URL Photography Lighting Techniques : Lighting for Portrait Photography

In portrait photography, the goal is to create the impression of three dimensions by lighting the "mask" of the face with a soft light to accentuate a profile. Light portrait photos with the tips in thisfree video on photography lighting techniques from a professional photographer. Expert: Mark Bowers Contact: www.bowersphotography.com Bio: Mark Bowers runs Bowers Photography, located in American Fork, Utah. Bowers earned a Certified Professional Photographer degree (CPP) in 1986 from the Professional Photographers of America. Filmmaker: Michael Burton