18 Nov 08 Fantastic Family Holiday Photos

When it comes to family photo opportunities, few events can top the holiday season. These special moments were meant to be cherished and to grace fireplace mantels and scrapbook pages for years to come. Here are a few tips to help you capture the essence of your subjects and the authenticity of the moment.

Stake Your Claim: If you’ve ever watched a wedding photographer at work, you’ll realize there is often a very specific plan in place, and this includes knowing which photos will happen in which locations. Even if your entire family will remain in one place for the day, decide which setting(s) will be most appropriate for photography.

For example, you may decide to take photos in front of the family fireplace or near the Christmas tree. Are there items that need to be removed that would prove distracting in the background? Will you need to set up chairs, and if so, who will sit where? Feel free to grab a pen and jot down a few ideas. This forethought will greatly assist you in getting those fantastic photos because your subjects realize that you have a plan and will get the job done efficiently. Little ones will more likely cooperate as well because the process will flow quickly. You don’t need to be a drill sergeant, but being deliberate and having a vision will help tremendously.

Elevate Your Status: When it comes to shooting large groups, it helps to be creative. One inside trick used by professional photographers involves a chair. Grab one and stand on it! You’ll be able to accommodate larger groups and create a portrait that’s more visually interesting using this technique. The novelty of this approach may also keep your subjects captivated long enough to ensure everyone is smiling when the shutter snaps!

Take a Tripod… Here’s a chance to pick up a present for yourself! A tripod is one of the most valuable and affordable accessories you can have in your photo toolkit. A tripod will instantly improve your photographs by stabilizing your camera and eliminating ‘camera shake.’ In addition, having your camera attached to a tripod allows you to better focus on getting smiles from your subjects as your attentions won’t be so divided between balancing the camera and posing your subjects.
You can learn more about the quality tripods we offer here: http://tinyurl.com/68l85t

…And a Remote Trigger: Make the most of your tripod by adding a remote trigger, which will free your hands and allow you to interact with your subjects while shooting. Imagine how much easier it will be to recognize those perfect moments with a remote trigger in hand; your focus can remain on your subjects, and you’ll be in perfect position to record that one image when all eyes are open and on you! Here are some we recommend: http://tinyurl.com/55kxa5

Perfect Timing: Make sure you understand how to use the timer on your digital camera. Toss your camera’s manual in your bag and review it before setting up your photo shoot. If you can’t find your manual, don’t worry. Just do an online search for your camera model and add the words ‘delay timer’ to the search. You should be able to retrieve instructions to use immediately.
Take a couple of test shots to make sure you’re comfortable with the process. Delayed timers are actually quite simple to use in most cameras.

So much effort and love have gone into getting your family together during this very special holiday. By taking a few minutes to prepare, you’ll ensure that your photographs reflect that very sentiment and serve as a continued reminder long after you ring in the New Year.

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07 Nov 08 Cooperative Kids Make Magnificent Photo Moments

by Laura Oles, Digital Photography for Busy Women

Children are notorious for being less-than-fully-cooperative when it comes to taking pictures. As the mother of twin boys, I marvel at how two kids who share the same DNA can still go opposite directions the moment my lens is in view. My theory is that this is a hidden skill kids learn in kindergarten—‘Picture Avoidance 101’—something taught between snack and recess.
With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, now is the time to prepare a plan so your kids are the picture of cooperation when the time comes to take family photos. Take these techniques on your Thanksgiving trip, and return with some fantastic family photos:

To Go Faster, Slow Down: This may sound counterintuitive but it really does work. When you’re trying to arrange a photo of your children with other family members, our instinct is to hurry and try to get everything done as quickly as possible. If you can remain calm and unhurried during the posing process, little ones are more likely to sense that calm and remain in the same state of mind.

Bring on the Bubbles: Many professional photographers keep canisters of bubbles in their studio, and for good reason—they are a great way to elicit natural smiles from children while keeping them looking toward the camera.

Mean What You Say: If your kids had a quarter for every time they hear “just one more picture” when you’re snapping those shots, they’d probably have enough money for a Toys-R-Us bender. Let them know ahead of time what to expect by asking them to stay still for five photos in a row. When it’s time to say, “Just one more,” take the last shot and keep your word. Your kids may cooperate more in the future knowing that what to expect and when it will be over so they can go back to playing Freeze Tag.

Forget Perfection: Everyone might pose perfectly and they might not; the more people you have in a photo, the trickier it can be to achieve perfection. That’s okay. If someone is looking away or one of the little ones is a bit fidgety, don’t sweat it. You’ve still captured the true essence of your loved ones and the authenticity of their smiles will show though. And that, my friends, is true picture perfection.

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03 Nov 08 Stress-Free Scrapbooks:

Digital Photography for Busy Women by Laura Oles

I marvel at how much straightening and organizing I need to do at the precise moment I sit down to tackle a tough task. I’ve been on a mission to teach my grade school daughter the importance of tackling the most pressing issue of the day first. So, if she’s dreading cleaning her room or finishing a particular homework project, I tell her to do it now so she’ll spend less time worrying and more time enjoying the fact that the task is now complete.

Let’s just say that Mom’s still a work in progress where this lesson is concerned.

One such project that people tend to avoid is organizing their digital pictures for a scrapbook. It seems like such an overwhelming task that few have the intestinal fortitude to start at all. I’m here to tell you that you CAN do this, and not only can you do it, you might even like it! And the best part? Once you’ve completed the task (in far less time than you thought possible), you can order several copies for loved ones and check off multiple shopping ‘to-do’ items off your holiday list.

Decide on a Theme: Some people fret that creating a scrapbook requires ‘going back to the very beginning’ and organizing all your pictures on a chronological level. While this works for some, others find the process far too constraining (and exhausting). You don’t have to cover an entire year if that’s too much of a challenge. Maybe you just want to highlight your favorite pictures from the last few years and note the stories behind why those pictures are so special. Take ten minutes to skim through the pictures you have on the computer. Which ones would you like to include and why? Once you’ve made a few notes, a general theme or format will present itself. Now that you know where you’re going, you’re on the fast-track to having that beautiful book in your hands.

Software Shortcuts: There are so many great software programs available today that will help you ‘tag’ your favorite images so you can quickly find the images you care about the most. If you don’t want to use a software program or fret it may take too much time to find the right one, consider asking your trusted photo retailer which ones would be worth considering. Another alternative would be to create a separate folder on your computer hard drive, name it ‘Favorite Photos,’ and then copy your top picks to that folder.

Get it on Your Calendar: Wouldn’t it be great to have this project completed by December 1st? Yes, it’s possible! Put this order date on your calendar. You can then work backward and pick two time slots to dedicate to picking and organizing your favorite photos.

Let Your Photo Shop Do the Hard Work for You: Your local photo retailer can give you great advice regarding which scrapbook options are available and how long they take—which isn’t long at all these days! Treat yourself to a visit to the shop to discuss your scrapbook ideas. Their knowledgeable staff can guide you through the process and show you just how easy it is to create this amazingly personal and cherished present.

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30 Oct 08 I Didn’t Mean to Delete Those Photos!

If you’ve found yourself the victim of an itchy trigger finger which caused you to delete all the latest photos off your digital camera card, don’t fret just yet. We have a few tips that may help you recover those images. And if it makes you feel better, plenty of people who are considered ‘computer experts,’ have made the same blunder, so don’t berate yourself too much! You may also lose images due to your media card becoming corrupted through no fault of your own; technology doesn’t always behave as it should. These things sometimes happen; here’s what to do if it does:

• Stop Everything! As soon as you realize what happened, DO NOT attempt to do anything further to the camera card. If you continue to take pictures, it will begin overwriting the files on the card. Deleted images may still be on the card (although you won’t see them listed) but taking more pictures will write the new images over that older data.

• Get to the Computer: There are many companies that offer inexpensive ‘digital photo recovery’ software and you can use this phrase as a search term online to identify the best solution.

• Choose Wisely: Before choosing a software recovery program, check to make sure that the company’s website is current and that they have positive reviews from industry magazines or associations. Make sure that the software program doesn’t write any data to the memory card as this altering can hinder recovering your photos. Most companies explain (on their website) how their product works to retrieve digital photos.

Stop by the Store: Come by our store and bring your digital camera with you. We’d be happy to take a look at the digital camera card to see if we can get those precious photos back for you.