Try Switching Sides!

Try putting the flash on the other (back) side of the subject for a dramatic, way cool look.

This will probably require some sort of wireless flash system. For those of you who don't have that capability yet, the good news is that wireless is becoming more and more viable and practical with up to date equipment, so it is worth looking into.
- Bob The Camera Man
Hawaii Wedding Photographer

Bounce That Flash!

This photo was taken in a place with a ceiling where the flash was directed straight up. The light that then comes down is somewhat diffused, creating the pleasing, soft light effect on the face that you see here. The same principle also applies to flash that is bounced off of a wall or other surface to the side, it's just that the "mood" will tend to change with side lighting; it will probably be more dramatic, as shadows fall over faces in horizontal casts. Please see the second photo in this post.

- Bob The Camera Man, Hawaii Event Photographer

Don't Wait!

The very best expressions happen spontaneously. Do what you need to do to get ready for the portrait so that you can press the shutter release button and take the shot right away. This helps to ensure that the expressions are more natural and relaxed; the people are simply themselves, which is always the very best case.

"How do I get ready like that?" you might ask. Most camera allow you to lock focus and exposure by holding the shutter button down half way. Keep the pressure on the button while you are getting ready for the shot. Then, when the family or individual is aware that you are going to take a shot, you can take it at that instant.

- Bob The Camera Man, Hawaii Portrait Photographer

Experiment!

This image was a result of total "shot in the dark" experimentation. It was very dark out (night). The flash was about 20 feet away and pointed to a beach house that was about 50 feet away; the light was bounced off of that and came all the way back to the bride subject you see here. I took a series of shots, and most of them didn't turn out. But the one here is priceless. Grant it not everybody has a wireless system (I use Radio Poppers in case you were wondering); never-the-less, one doesn't need sophisticated equipment to do new things with what one has.

Be bold in your experimentation sometimes!

- Bob The Camera Man, Hawaii Wedding Photographer

Gorgeous Grads!

Three of my favorite tricks are all depicted here, in this high school senior portrait.

First, off-center your subject, even partially cut off, makes this image far more interesting.

Second, when you’re hurting for an interesting setting, I find any reflective surface makes for such a dynamic image, (i.e.: the car)

And third, tell a dumb joke, make a silly sound…your subject will crack up and I particularly like it when they turn their head profile to camera with a great smile….

- Laura Aguon, shootmelaura.com

Use That Aperture!

When taking portraits/pictures of people, try to do it with the largest possible aperture setting that your camera will allow. Some cameras have a manual mode or aperture priority mode or other type mode where it will allow you to specify the aperture setting. Set the aperture to the smallest possible number value. It may be "2.8"; it may be "2.0"; it may be "4.0". Whatever it is, give it a try when you take your next shot. It will yield two possible advantages: (1) the portrait may look more pleasing to the eye because of the shallower depth of field. In this type of portrait, the subject will tend to stand out from the background more because the background will be more out of focus. (2) the other goodie that you may get out of it will be faster shutter speeds (in aperture priority mode). When the aperture is wide open, it lets in more light, so the camera will compensate buy speeding up the shutter. This will help to make sure that your subject isn't blurry due to motion blur.

- Bob The Camera Man, Hawaii Portrait Photographer

Anyone Got a Mirror?

Hi dear Photography Tips for Everyday People blog followers! This is my first posting. Good to be on the blogesphere (sp.?)

When taking pictures with your pocket camera, try using a very small mirror to bounce the light from the flash on the camera off of the ceiling or other surface. Just hold the mirror right in front of the flash at an angle so that the light from the flash bounces off of another surface to illuminate your subject. This will yield some interesting results at the very least, and most times yield better results than if you were to just shoot the normal way, where the flash hits the subject directly.

You can get small mirrors from hobby stores, or you can grab one from a purse, where it might be a part of a small make-up accessory such as a blush container or such.

Note: this could also work with a small white card, such as the back of a business card.

- Bob The Camera Man, Hawaii Event Photographer