Your photos 53

Your photos (53)

Take Better Photos

Hints and tips
by Philip Grosset

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with comments from Philip Grosset

Photos from Hilda Fleming (Alberta, Canada):

Left: the couple don't look all that happy - and they don't seem quite in focus! It can be a good idea to catch people when they are lined up for someone else's photo (which I guess is what happened here) - but wait until they are relaxing or joking to get a more relaxed result.
Picture on right: this is really great! Both entertaining and original. Quite my favorite wedding picture!

This otherwise effective off-the-cuff shot (on the left) isn't really in focus. The man's shoe and hand seem sharper than his face. I've tried moving in a bit closer (on the right) and done what I could to sharpen up the picture - but, with a scene like this, you really need to focus very carefully on your subjects' faces.

Reply from Hilda Fleming: "Thanks Philip, I really appreciate your opinion. I'll explain the pictures a little more. In the picture of the newlyweds (groom holding the pitchfork) I was trying for a parody on the cereal commercial, the farmer and his wife, both very serious him holding a pitchfork. The photo of the bride and her dad smoking cigars is also my favorite, when I took the shot I told them I wanted a Clint Eastwood look. Using Photoshop I have made it look like a Bonnie & Clyde era photo. The bride's brother and girlfriend (leaning on the tree) was a fun shot. This was the first time I ever shot a wedding and it was my daughter's. So this is my family. Thanks."

"I wasn't really trying to do anything in particular. I'm just getting the hang of a new camera. Still trying to get the hang of lighting and everything. Let me know what I'm doing wrong and/or correct. Thank you! My name is Dawn and I live in Niagara Falls, NY."

These are perfectly pleasing pictures. You've got in really close and chosen dark backgrounds that well show up the roses. I think the pink rose photo comes out the best of the three, because it offers the most detail. However, I prefer the picture below ....

.... where the dew (whether real or added by you!) on your photo (on the left) helps to make this a more arresting and unusual picture. On the right, I've moved in closer still, losing the empty space above, so as to emphasise this dew. (Notice how changing the overall format also changes the appearance of the rose, making it seem wider.) It would have been even better if the background could also have been thrown just a bit more out of focus.
You're obviously getting to grips with your camera very well. The next stage is to try to communicate what you feel about your subject. As a start, try experimenting with side and back lighting, as these can be a great help in communicating mood.

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