5 Tips for Great Photos for Amateur Photographers

Please note: I am an amateur!
These are things that work for me, but you may not find them
in a text book. *Wink*

If you're like me, 

you have enough hideous unflattering school pictures

of your children to fill a large box.

And while they're good for a laugh later,

if you want some really good pictures of your kids -

why not try taking some yourself?

For an activity, we took the church girls

to a pretty area & did a "photo shoot".

{Most of these pictures are from that day.}

This is my camera -

nothing fancy!

Here are a few tips:

Tip 1 - Foolproof Poses

There's a pose for girls that I think turns out great every time.

{Here it is with 3 different girls.}

Tip 2 - Hold Out for a Natural Expression

One trick I use is to ask the person to close their eyes &

think of something that brings them joy.

{If they're young, ask about that "special someone" 

they have a crush on.}

Then, when I think they've done it, I ask them to open their eyes

& I shoot. I always try to get some pics with toothy smiles,

but I also love other pleasant expressions.

Tip 3 - Try a Different Angle

Remember, vertical lines are more interesting than 

horizontal lines . . . and more fun.

So try tilting your camera.

I also like to shoot people looking up at me.

{But never down - a double chin is seldom beautiful!}

Tip 4 - Use Flattering Light

Light issues are way easier to deal with if you take 

your photos outside. 

All these pictures were taken in the late afternoon.

The light was not harsh & in the

photo above, the sun was setting behind her.

{See that halo effect on her hair?}

If you are stuck with taking pictures 

during the bright sunlit hours, seek some shade.

{That's what I did when I took a pic of Jamilyn at SNAP . . . }

I also asked Jamielyn to sit down 

so I could get the tulips in the shot.

Tip 5 - Have Some Fun with Editing

I took a min-class on Photoshop once & 

I thought my brain was going to explode!

There is an easier way.

PicMonkey has come close to replacing Picnic.

You can do lots of stuff like fix a blemish,

improve exposure, or

put a dark frame around your photos OR

use a cool texture like this . . .

Those are a few of my tips.

Please leave a comment & tell me yours!