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21 Sample Poses to Get You Started Photographing Groups of People

29 Aug

The post 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started Photographing Groups of People appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

21 sample poses for photographing groups

Are you looking for some group posing inspiration? Need some group poses for your next family or event photoshoot?

We’ve got you covered.

In this article, I’m going to share my favorite 21 poses for groups, ranging from fun and informal to serious and businesslike.

Let’s dive right in, starting with:

1. Everyone standing together, facing forward

When working with a large group of people, you won’t be able to control each individual’s pose or expression. This works out fine – as long as you pay attention to the overall composition.

So direct everyone to stand together, with no significant gaps. Ask them to face forward and cross their arms over their chests. Most importantly, make sure that all people in the group are visible.

group standing together facing forward

2. The standard full-body shot

When photographing large groups, the only composition that will include everyone into the frame is often a full-body shot.

These shots are usually formal and even documentary, so your primary objective is to ensure everyone in the group is clearly visible. Note the varied poses in the example below; feel free to direct heads and arms, but don’t obsess too much about it.

group standing businesslike

3. Businesslike from above

If possible, shoot from an elevated angle. You might use a balcony or climb on a car to get a higher viewpoint (and if you’re really daring, you could get on a roof).

The higher vantage point will definitely be worth the effort, because instead of an ordinary and common group shot, you will get a more interesting and inviting perspective. As with the group poses discussed above, make sure all individuals are visible.

elevated angle group pose

4. Staggered team

There are occasions when standing separately is more appropriate than keeping everyone tightly packed. It’s not the best way to take a friendly group photo, but it can certainly work well for a small team shot: a band, a TV show cast, or a small business staff.

If a group has a known leader, put them in front for an even stronger composition, then stagger everyone else behind and to the sides. Some overlap between bodies is okay, but ensure that everyone is given ample space in the frame.

staggered team group pose

5. The trio

This is pretty much a standard way to photograph a group of friends. Yes, it’s easy, ordinary, and common, but it really works.

Simply ask your subjects (three is ideal, but four or five can work, too) to position themselves around the tallest group member, shoulder to shoulder, arms around each other.

three people posing together

6. Heads leaning in

Here’s another great pose for friends.

Ask everyone to stand very close together. Then make them lean their heads in slightly – both toward one another and toward the camera. If they’re willing, group members might put their arms around one another.

five people leaning in

7. Head circle (on the ground)

This is another friendly one, and it works great for outdoor photo shoots. Ask the group to form a circle while lying in the grass, then shoot from above.

Make sure everyone is spaced out evenly – in other words, the circle should feel balanced – and looking toward the camera. You can try photographing from different angles: directly overhead, from the side, from a high vantage point, etc.

lying on the ground looking up

8. Over the shoulder

This is a fun and rewarding way to pose a small group of people. Choose a group leader and put them in front, then bring in the others one by one, staggered behind.

Note that each new group member should stand behind the previous person and peek toward the camera over the shoulder. Supporting themselves a little by leaning on the person directly in front adds to the informality of the composition.

people posing together informal

9. Peeking out from behind

A variation on the previous shot, this pose has a slightly sillier feel. Put a group leader in front, then ask the others to peek out from behind.

Pro tip: Take shots with different aperture settings, then decide whether you prefer the entire group in focus or only the leader.

posing with heads behind

10. Jumping in the air

This is a fun way to do an informal picture of a group of friends.

Simply ask everyone to hold hands and jump (ideally while raising their arms above their heads). For the best results, ask the group to make the jump after a short run.

holding hands and jumping in the air pose

11. Heads in a row

Here’s a very rewarding and interesting composition: a group of people in a row, slowly fading into the background.

Check that everybody is clearly visible, then shoot from a close distance with a wide aperture and be sure to focus on the first person. Yes, people farther away will be blurred, but the result is a very interesting and unusual-looking group shot.

heads in a row pose

12. Family on a couch

Now let’s look at some family poses.

The most common way to photograph a family is by asking them to sit on a couch in the living room. No, it’s not the most creative way for a family shot, but it can be done well and generally looks good.

The easiest way to improve these standard compositions is to simply crop tight. Don’t include the couch and room furniture in the shot. Instead, fill the frame with all the family members.

family sitting together on the couch

13. Family on the lawn

Another good idea for family photos is to simply get outside. A front lawn, a local park, and a beach are all excellent places to take some family shots.

Just remember that when subjects are sitting, you shouldn’t remain standing; instead, get low and shoot from your subjects’ eye level.

family sitting together on the lawn

14. Family on the ground

For an intimate family pose, ask everyone to lie together on the ground. Make them lift their upper bodies a bit and support themselves on their arms. Shoot from a low angle for the best results.

family lying together on the lawn

15. Family pile

Here’s a beautiful composition for a family shot, and one that’s tons of fun for kids and adults alike. Choose one family member to lie down flat against the ground, and ask the others to (gently) pile on top.

You can do this one outdoors on the ground or indoors in a bed; note that it works absolutely fine with any number of kids.

family piling on top of each other lying down

16. Family cuddle

This one’s a classic, though make sure the family is comfortable with it before continuing.

Ask the family to sit on their favorite couch and cuddle up tight. Keep everyone staggered enough that all facial features are visible.

family cuddling together on the couch

17. Behind the couch

For an unusual and interesting family picture, turn the traditional couch photo setting around. Simply take your shots from the back side of the couch and see what a huge difference it can make.

Ask the group to huddle together, with the “leader” at the bottom and the rest arrayed behind.

family looking over the back of the couch

18. Behind the couch, separated

Here’s a slight variation on the group pose shared above. Head around the back of the couch and ask the family to peer over – but instead of posing in a pile, have them sit more formally.

family looking over the back of the couch more formal

19. Piggyback posing

This one’s an absolutely beautiful way to create shots of a group of family members. Just ask the kids to hang onto the adults’ backs, then position the adults close together:

piggyback family pose

20. Full-body staggered

If you’re looking for a full-body shot, try this option, where you ask the tallest family member to stand in the back, then stagger the shorter individuals forward.

As you can imagine, this works well with any number of people, though the more folks you include, the more variation you’ll need in height.

staggered group pose full body

21. Walking forward

Here’s your final posing idea for groups:

Take shots of the family walking hand in hand. Make sure they’re spaced out relatively evenly (also, as indicated in the example below, younger kids can be carried).

Pro tip: Shoot in continuous mode and select the photos with the best leg movement and positioning. Make sure to control the focus while subjects are approaching from a distance.

group walking forward while holding hands

Group posing ideas: final words

Well, there you have it:

21 posing ideas to get you started with group photography. Of course, feel free to get creative and come up with different variants on your own. Think of ways you can transform these ideas for your particular shooting scenario and subjects.

Now over to you:

Which of these group poses do you like best? And do you have any group posing ideas of your own? Share them in the comments below!

Kaspars Grinvalds is a photographer working and living in Riga, Latvia. He is the author of Posing App where more poses and tips for people photography are available.

Table of contents

Portrait Photography

  • GENERAL
    • 15 Common Portrait Mistakes to Avoid
    • 10 Ways to Direct a Portrait Shoot like a Pro
    • How to Photograph People: 7 Tips for Photographers Who Never Photograph People
    • 10 Crucial Things You Need to Think About for Portrait Photography
    • 5 Portrait Photography Rules You Should Probably Ignore
    • Five Budget Portrait Photography Hacks to Save You Money
    • 8 Lessons Learned from My First Attempt at Portrait Photography
    • How Self-Portraiture Makes You a Better Photographer
    • The Photo Critique: Portrait Edition
    • 10 Shots, 10 Portraits, 1 Focal Length: Take this Photography Challenge
    • How I Got The Shot: Portrait Style
  • PREPARATION
    • Tips for Preparing for a Portrait Session
    • 8 Tips to Help Make People Comfortable for Their Portrait Session
    • Clothing for Portraits – How to Tell your Subjects What to Wear
    • How to Plan a Successful Sunset Portrait Session
    • 5 Secrets for Finding Great Indoor Photoshoot Locations
    • 10 Christmas Portrait Locations (with Bonus Lighting and Composition Tips)
    • How to Build a Bench Prop for Great Portrait Photos
    • A Beginners Guide to Taking Portraits of Elderly Clients: Part 1 – Preparation and Rapport
    • How to Scout for Portrait Shooting Locations
    • The Importance of Location for Outdoor Portraits
    • How to Choose Urban Landscapes for Portrait Photography
  • SETTINGS
    • The Best Camera Settings for Portrait Photography
    • How to Achieve Blurred Backgrounds in Portrait Photography
    • How to Bypass the Portrait Mode on Your Digital Camera and Get Great Portraits
    • Understanding the Focus and Recompose Technique
    • Overcoming Depth of Field Problems in Portraits
    • 9 Ways to Ensure You Get Sharp Images When Photographing People
    • Stunning Portraits: Manipulating White Balance
    • Shooting for HDR Portraiture
    • How [Not] to Take a Self Timer Portrait
    • How Focal Length Changes the Shape of the Face in Portraiture
  • LIGHTING
    • 5 Tips How to Set Up a Home Studio for Dramatic Portraits
    • Simple Portrait Setups You Can Create on a Tight Budget
    • How to Eliminate Reflections in Glasses in Portraits
    • Portrait Photography: How to Photograph People in the Harsh Midday Sun
    • 4 Ways to Shoot Portraits in the Middle of the Day
    • 6 Portrait Lighting Patterns Every Photographer Should Know
    • 3 Lighting Setups for Photographing Headshots
    • 6 Ways of Using Reflector to Take Better Portraits
    • How to Create and Shoot Night Portraits
    • How to Make Beautiful Portraits Using Flash and High-Speed Sync
    • How to Make a Low Key Portrait (Step by Step)
    • Fill Flash Photography: How to Get Beautiful Portraits (Even in Bad Light)
    • A Lighting Ratios Guide: How to Make (or Break) Your Portraits
    • How to Mix Ambient Light and Fill-Flash for Outdoor Portraits
    • How to Photograph Fantastic Portraits with One Flash
    • DIY How to Build and Use a Reflector to Take Better Portraits
    • Understanding Light for Better Portrait Photography
    • Tips for Doing Natural Light Headshots and Portraits
    • 3 Reasons to do Headshots with Natural Light
    • A Beginners Guide to Taking Portraits of Elderly Clients: Part 2 – Lighting and Posing
    • How to Create Stunning Wide-Angle Portraits (Using an Off-Camera Flash)
    • Tips for Making the Most of Morning Light for Portraits
    • 5 Ways to Use a Beauty Dish Light for Portraits
    • Beginners Tips for Sunrise Portraits : Part I
    • Getting to Grips with Fill Light in Portrait Photography
    • How to Use Flash for Night Portraits
    • What Size Beauty Dish is Right For Your Portrait Photography?
    • How to Create Catch Lights in Your Natural Light Portraits
    • Tips for Using Golden Hour Light for Portraits
    • Side-by-side comparison between reflectors and diffusers for portraits
    • 6 Tips for Taking Better Natural Light Classic Portraits
    • How to Use a Small Softbox With Your Flash to Transform Your Portraits
    • Simple Tips for Positioning Your Portrait Subject to Leverage Natural Light
    • The Importance of Shadows in Portrait Photography
    • So You Have No Model? Here are Ways to Practice Your Portrait Lighting With Toys
    • How to use Colored Gels to Create Unique and Creative Portraits
    • 3 Steps to Professional Looking Headshots Using One Flash
    • How to Use Two LED Lights to Achieve Moody Portraits
    • Made in the Shade – Why Taking Portraits in the Shade Can be Ideal
    • What Is Good Light? (And How to Use It for Beautiful Portraits)
    • How to do Accent Lighting for Portraits
    • Tips For Great Indoor Portraits Using Natural Light
    • 5 Reasons for Doing Natural Light Portraits
    • Review of the Westcott Eyelighter for Headshots and Portraits
    • How to Use Angle of Light in People Photography for Added Punch
    • High Speed Sync Versus a Neutral Density Filter to Overcome Bright Sunlight in Portraits
    • 5 Creative Portrait Lighting Tricks Using Only Phone Light
    • How to Use Off-camera Flash to Fix Lighting Problems for Outdoor Portraits
    • How to Create Awesome Portrait Lighting with a Paper Bag an Elastic Band and a Chocolate Donut
    • Tips for Using Speedlights to Create the Right Lighting for Outdoor Portraits
    • How to use a Gobo to add Depth to Your Portraits with Subtractive Lighting
    • How to Use Hard Lighting to Create a Dramatic Portrait
    • Portrait Comparison – Flash Versus Natural Light
    • Stealing Light – Using Street Lights for Portraits
    • Five Places for Perfect Natural Portrait Lighting
    • How to See the Light for Portraits: A Quick Tip for Beginners
    • Shooting with Available Light – Lifestyle Portraiture
    • 5 Ways to Light Your Christmas Tree Portraits This Festive Season
    • A Simple Lighting Technique for Couples Portraits
    • Awash In Light: High Key Portraiture
    • A Portrait Lighting Project for a Rainy Day
    • Simple Portrait Lighting Setup: Gorgeous Result
    • How to Achieve Great Portraits with Window Light
    • A Simple Exercise on Working with Natural Light in Portraits
    • Small Flash Portraits on Location with Adorama TV
    • Portraits on an Overcast Day? Use a Reflector
    • Tips for Using Flash for Beach Portraits
    • How to Find and Use Natural Reflectors for Portraits
    • How to Create Dramatic Portraits with Shadow Photography
    • Tips for Portrait Photography in Overcast Weather
    • How to Photograph People Outdoors Without Using a Reflector
    • How To Use an Outdoor Studio for Natural Portraits
  • POSING
    • Female Poses: 21 Posing Ideas to Get You Started Photographing Women
    • Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started
    • Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Men
    • Good Crop Bad Crop – How to Crop Portraits
    • How to Pose and Angle the Body for Better Portraits
    • Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Groups of People

    • Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Couples
    • Your Guide to the Best Poses for Engagement Photos
    • How to do Gentle Posing: A Collection of Prompts to Get You Started
    • Tips for Posing Large Families and Groups
    • How to Pose People for Headshots
    • Tips for Posing People in Outdoor Portraits
    • 20 Tips for Getting People to Smile in Photos
    • How to Avoid Fake Smiles in Your People Photography
    • Tips for Posing Muscular Female Body Types
    • Your Posing Guide for Maternity Sessions
    • Handiwork: How to Pose Hands
    • Your Guide to Posing Bands in Photography
    • Posing Tip for Portraits – Which Way Should Your Subject Lean?
    • Posing Tips – Waistlines, Thighs and Bustlines
    • 3 Posing Tips for Young Siblings
    • What Everybody Ought to Know About Posing for Portraits
    • Poser: Achieve Perfect Portrait Expression
    • Capturing Better Portraits Between Poses
    • A Posing Technique from A Girl With a Pearl Earring
    • Tips for Posing Men
  • COMPOSITION
    • 6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds for Creative Images
    • 6 Tips for Perfect Composition in Portrait Photography
    • How to Find Great Backgrounds for Outdoor Portraits
    • How to Make Colors Pop in Your Portraits – Without Using Photoshop
    • How to Use Foreground Framing to Improve Your Portrait Photography
    • How to Use Negative Space in People Photography
    • 3 Simple Ways to Use Framing and Layering in Portraits
    • Is Portrait Formatting always best for Portraits?
    • Portrait Tip: Don't Fill the Frame
    • How to Use Portrait Angles More Creatively: A Visual Guide
    • How to Use Facial View and Camera Angle to take Flattering Portraits
  • GEAR
    • Comparing a 50mm Versus 85mm Lens for Photographing People
    • Comparing a 24mm Versus 50mm Lens for Photographing People
    • 3 Tips for Taking Portraits with a Kit Lens
    • Best Fujifilm X-Series Kit for Urban Portraits
    • 3 Ways to Get Killer Portraits Using a Tripod
    • Photographing Portraits with Classic Lenses (includes Example Images)
    • Portrait Photographers: Do You Really Need a 70-200mm Lens?
    • Essential Portrait Photography Gear You Need When Starting Out
    • Portable Portrait Studio in a Bag: Now You Can Take Portraits While on the Road
    • How to Choose the Perfect Portrait Lens
    • Which 50mm Lens is Best for Portraits?
  • ADVANCED GUIDES
    • 13 Tips for Improving Outdoor Portraits
    • Create Beautiful Indoor Portraits Without Flash (NSFW)
    • 10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots
    • 3 Simple Ways to Create Stunning Eyes in Your Portrait Photography
    • 11 Tips for Photographing High School Senior Portraits
    • Tips for Doing Fall Portraits
    • 6 Tips for Photographing Large People
    • 7 Tips for Black and White Portrait Photography
    • How to Create Environmental Portraits (Tips and Examples)
    • Capturing Unenthusiastic Teens: Forget the Perfect Pose and Get Photos You Truly Love
    • Tips for Taking the Torture out of Extended Family Portrait Sessions
    • Self Portrait Photography Tips
    • What the Mona Lisa Can Teach You About Taking Great Portraits
    • 5 Tips for Musician Portraits (So You Can Hit All the Right Notes)
    • 5 Tips to Help You Take More Natural Looking Portraits
    • 15 Tips for More Powerful Portraits
    • How to Create Dramatic Portraits in Your Garage
    • 9 Tips that Make Couples Happy During a Portrait Session
    • 5 Tips for Taking Better Portraits in Nature
    • Snow Portrait: Behind the Scenes
    • Tips for Creating Dance Portraits
    • How to Take Better Beach Portraits at Any Time of Day
    • The Introverts Guide to Photographing People
    • 6 Ways to Take a Candid Portrait of Somebody You Know
    • 3 Body Language Hacks to Improve Your Portrait Photography
    • 5 More Tips for Making Better Black and White Portraits
    • Tips for Planning and Capturing a Creative Portrait
    • 5 Tips for Creating Romantic Portraits of Couples
    • 10 Tips to Create Emotive Portraits
    • 7 Tips for Photographing a Bridal Portrait Session
    • 3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project
    • The Ultimate Guide to Photographing People for the Shy Photographer
    • Tips for Getting Yourself to Relax as a Photographer and Have More Successful Portrait Sessions
    • Tips for Taking More Natural Engagement Portraits
    • 6 Tips for Better Portraits on Location
    • 7 Ways to Take Advantage of Autumn in Your Portrait Photography
    • 7 Tips and Etiquette for Taking Portraits in Public
    • How to Make a Unique Portrait in the City at Night
    • 3 Tips for Creating Outstanding Portraits, Inspired by the work of Dutch Artist Van Gogh
    • 5 Keys to Taking Beautiful Maternity Portraits
    • Photographing People: To do Styled Portraits or Not?
    • 7 Steps to Capturing Truth in Your Portraiture
    • Engagement Portrait Shoots: 7 Professional Tips to take your Engagement Shoots to the Next Level
    • Personalities and Portraits – and Getting Them to Mix
    • 3 Reasons to Have Your Own Portrait Taken
    • 5 Tips for Photographing Portfolio-Worthy Costume Portraits
    • 3 Critical People Skills Portrait Photographers Need
    • The Essence of Masculinity – Portraits of Men
    • 5 Corporate-Style Portrait Techniques
    • 5 Tips for Doing Portrait Photography in Busy Locations
    • Tips for Great Beach Sunset Portraits
  • CREATIVE TECHNIQUES
    • How to Create Portraits with a Black Background
    • How Using Props in Portraits Can Make Your Photos More Interesting
    • How to Take Unique Crystal Ball Portraits
    • How to Create a Hollywood Film Noir Portrait
    • How to Create this “Fight Club” Inspired Portrait using One Light
    • Dragging the Shutter for Creative Portraits
    • 5 Secrets for Creating Perfect Silhouette Portrait Photography
    • How to do Tilt-Shift Portraits
    • Copper, Prisms, and Orbs, Oh My! – 3 Creative Techniques for People Photography
    • Portrait Tip: Add Interest and Movement into Your Shots with Wind
    • Glitter Portrait: How I Took It
    • How to Create a Unique Bokeh Portrait for Under $ 10
    • 5 Ways to Use a Piece of Glass for Unique Portraits
    • Room with a View: How to Create this Window with Blinds Portrait Anywhere
    • 7 Steps to Perfect White Portrait Backgrounds in the Studio
    • How to Make Unique Portraits Using Light Painting
  • POST-PROCESSING
    • 11 Steps for Basic Portrait Editing in Lightroom – A Beginner’s Guide
    • Five Common Portrait Retouching Mistakes to Avoid
    • How to Create a Dramatic Cinematic Style Portrait Using Photoshop Color Grading
    • How to Edit Corporate Headshots in Lightroom
    • How to Create a Dark and Moody Rembrandt-Style Portrait In Lightroom
    • How to Retouch a Portrait with the Adjustment Brush in Lightroom
    • Photoshop: Red Eye Fix for Difficult Cases in People and Pets
    • 3 Steps to Photoshop Retouching for Natural Looking Portraits
    • How to do Frequency Separation Portrait Retouching in Photoshop
    • Basic Portrait Post-Processing Workflow Tips to Help You Save Time and Stay Organized
    • How to Add a Grunge Effect to Your Portraits Using Lightroom
    • How to Create Twinkle Lights for Christmas Tree Portraits in Photoshop
    • How to Enhance Portraits Using Gray Layers to Dodge and Burn in Photoshop
    • How to Blur the Background of a Portrait Using the Magnetic Lasso Tool in Photoshop
    • How to Use Photoshop Blending Modes for Fine Art Portraiture
    • Stylized Techniques for Editing Portraits Using Lightroom
    • How to Make a Bubble Portrait using Photoshop CS3
    • Creating a Black and White High Contrast Portrait Edit in Lightroom
    • How to Create a “Soft Portrait” Preset in Lightroom 4
    • Basic Photoshop Tutorial – How to Add Creative Overlays to Your Portraits
    • 3 Essential Photoshop Tools for New Portrait Photographers
    • How to Make Creative Lightroom Develop Presets for Portraits
    • 5 Reasons to Use Lightroom for Portrait Retouching
    • Advanced Portrait Retouch on a Male Subject in Lightroom 4 – Part 1 of 3
    • 3 Ways to Make Selective Color Portraits Using Lightroom and Silver Efex Pro 2
    • Correcting For Under Exposure and Boosting Dynamic Range with an Environmental Portrait in Lightroom 4
    • How to do Portrait Retouching With Luminar
    • Tips for Portrait Processing with ON1 Photo RAW 2018.5
    • 5 Tips to Cut Your Portrait Editing Time in Half
  • BUSINESS
    • Portrait Consultations: Two Questions That Make A Big Difference
    • How to Shoot a Self Portrait to Support your Brand Identity
  • INSPIRATION
    • 5 Examples of Beautiful Simple Portraits
    • DISCUSS: When you Photograph People in Black and White, you Photograph their Souls
    • 21 Inspirational Natural Light Portraits
    • 24 Photos of Perfectly Posed Portraits
    • 19 More Creative Mirror Self Portraits
    • 18 Stunning Self Portraits
    • Interview with Fine Art Portrait Photographer Bill Gekas
    • 11 Influential Portrait Photographers you Need to Know
    • Black and White Portraits a Set of Images to Admire
    • Nadav Kander on Portrait Photography [VIDEO]
    • 21 Spooky Portraits
    • Inspiring Portraits of Women – a Collection of Images
    • 12.5 Years of Daily Self Portraits [VIDEO]
    • Interview with Self Portrait and 365 Photographer – Anna Gay
    • Triptych Portrait Series
    • 8 Striking Portraits from Photograph Einar Erici [Shot in 1930]
    • An Interview With Underwater Portrait Photographer Sacha Blue
    • Masters of Photography – Yousuf Karsh Portrait Photographer
    • 21 Fun Images of People Laughing
  • RESOURCES
    • Portrait Photography: Secrets of Posing & Lighting [Book Review]
    • The Luminous Portrait: Book Review
    • The Portrait Photography Course by Mark Jenkinson – Book Review
    • The Perfect Portrait Guide – How to Photograph People – Book Review
    • Improve Your Portraits with these Courses from Ed Verosky
    • People Photography and Portraits: Best Resources Toolbox

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Over the shoulder”},{“id”:”peeking-out-from-behind”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”9. Peeking out from behind”},{“id”:”jumping-in-the-air”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”10. Jumping in the air”},{“id”:”heads-in-a-row”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”11. Heads in a row”},{“id”:”family-on-a-couch”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”12. Family on a couch”},{“id”:”family-on-the-lawn”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”13. Family on the lawn”},{“id”:”family-on-the-ground”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”14. Family on the ground”},{“id”:”family-pile”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”15. Family pile”},{“id”:”family-cuddle”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”16. Family cuddle”},{“id”:”behind-the-couch”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”17. Behind the couch”},{“id”:”behind-the-couch-separated”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”18. Behind the couch, separated”},{“id”:”piggyback-posing”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”19. Piggyback posing”},{“id”:”full-body-staggered”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”20. Full-body staggered”},{“id”:”walking-forward”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”21. Walking forward “},{“id”:”group-posing-ideas-final-words”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”Group posing ideas: final words”},{“id”:”everyone-standing-together-facing-forward”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”1. Everyone standing together, facing forward”},{“id”:”the-standard-full-body-shot”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”2. The standard full-body shot”},{“id”:”businesslike-from-above”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”3. Businesslike from above”},{“id”:”staggered-team”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”4. Staggered team”},{“id”:”the-trio”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”5. The trio”},{“id”:”heads-leaning-in”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”6. Heads leaning in”},{“id”:”head-circle-on-the-ground”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”7. Head circle (on the ground)”},{“id”:”over-the-shoulder”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”8. Over the shoulder”},{“id”:”peeking-out-from-behind”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”9. Peeking out from behind”},{“id”:”jumping-in-the-air”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”10. Jumping in the air”},{“id”:”heads-in-a-row”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”11. Heads in a row”},{“id”:”family-on-a-couch”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”12. Family on a couch”},{“id”:”family-on-the-lawn”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”13. Family on the lawn”},{“id”:”family-on-the-ground”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”14. Family on the ground”},{“id”:”family-pile”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”15. Family pile”},{“id”:”family-cuddle”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”16. Family cuddle”},{“id”:”behind-the-couch”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”17. Behind the couch”},{“id”:”behind-the-couch-separated”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”18. Behind the couch, separated”},{“id”:”piggyback-posing”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”19. Piggyback posing”},{“id”:”full-body-staggered”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”20. Full-body staggered”},{“id”:”walking-forward”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”21. Walking forward “},{“id”:”group-posing-ideas-final-words”,”permalink”:”https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/posing-guide-21-sample-poses-to-get-you-started-with-photographing-groups-of-people\/”,”title”:”Group posing ideas: final words”}] };

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11 Tips for Photographing High School Senior Portraits

01 May

The post 11 Tips for Photographing High School Senior Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

11 tips for photographing high school senior portraits

Looking for some senior portrait tips to take your photos to the next level?

In this article, I’m going to give you plenty of helpful tricks, techniques, and advice – so you can capture stunning portraits, consistently. Specifically, I’ll share:

  • A handy trick that guarantees you never run out of poses
  • A few easy ways to get seniors feeling comfortable in front of the camera
  • A step-by-step process for generating plenty of satisfaction and free advertising after your session
  • Much, much more!

Sound good? Let’s get started.

What to do before the senior portrait session

When it comes to planning for sessions, seniors are some of my favorite people to work with. Don’t get me wrong, I love families, children, engaged couples, and wedding ceremonies, but seniors are close to the top of my list.

senior portrait tips

Why, you may ask? It’s simple: seniors are excited to model, seniors are some of my best marketing tools, and seniors know what they want. They also have a great sense of style, which translates well in their photographs.

When a high school senior books a session with me, I get started immediately. I don’t wait for the actual photoshoot; instead, I take several steps right away to let my client know I am excited about working with them. I have found that if you do these things, your session will not only run smoothly, but you will have a client who loves to refer you to their friends.

So here are the key items to do prior to the photoshoot:

1. Communicate your excitement

First things first, before doing anything else:

Let the senior know how excited you are about working with them. Since seniors are all about social media, I send out a tweet explaining how excited I am to work with them and to plan their session – and I make sure to do this within a few days of the booking.

senior with guitar in woods

2. Really get to know your client

After sending out the tweet (above), I give the senior a tailored questionnaire so I can get to know them better.

Some of the questions found in the questionnaire include:

  • What are some of your favorite features about yourself?
  • What do you want to remember most about this time in your life?
  • Are there any specific locations you have in mind for your shoot?
  • How would you spend your ideal Saturday?
  • How would you describe your personal style?

This helps me tailor the photoshoot to their personality, interests, and needs.

3. Give clothing suggestions on a Pinterest board

Even though seniors are on top of the latest styles, they often need help deciding what to wear to their session.

So a week before the session, I send them a link to a Pinterest board – one that’s full of clothing and prop examples. This gives the senior specific ideas of what to bring. It helps your client, and it also helps you achieve the look you want in your own portfolio.

senior portrait tips black and white

What to do during the senior portrait session

In this section, I explain my session workflow – what I do to make the hours I have with my senior memorable and stress-free (and fun!).

You can have a great experience by following these tips:

1. Have a real conversation

Many seniors don’t feel totally comfortable in front of the camera. So to break the ice, talk to them, ask them questions, and find out what their plans for the future are.

Seniors are at an awesome stage in their lives; they have their whole future ahead of them. So encourage them and invest in them when you have the chance.

They will feel appreciated, valued, and confident after hearing reassuring words from an adult who isn’t their parent.

senior portrait girl laughing

2. Praise your client (and show them photos)

Most seniors have never been in front of a professional photographer other than for the cheesy pictures their parents had them take when they were younger. So make them feel comfortable.

Praise them when they look good in front of the camera. I love to turn my camera around and show them some little peeks of how well they are doing. They love this! It will encourage them to keep up the good work, and it will give them confidence in their appearance.

3. Keep plenty of posing examples on hand

You may have some go-to poses you use for your seniors. But since each person is different, you need to have several tricks up your sleeve.

Enter the smartphone.

Before your session, simply browse the web and take screenshots of poses you like.

Then, when you hit a rut during your senior portrait shoot, just whip out your phone and look at your saved poses.

It might feel like cheating at first, but seniors love this approach. They think it’s so cool that you’re invested enough that you planned for their poses. It makes them feel valued.

senior portrait tips

4. Make sure to bring props

I love to bring small props for my seniors to hold or sit on during the photoshoot. This could be an old folding chair, a cute beach hat, an old quilt, or even some books.

Props are a great way to spice up your senior portraits. Plus, some people feel really awkward in front of the camera at first, so little props will give them something to do with their hands while they adjust to your presence.

What to do after the senior portrait session

After a session, you can keep your clients excited, satisfied, and ready to recommend your services with these senior portrait tips:

1. Post a teaser

The day after a senior portrait session, I post a “teaser” or “sneak peek” photo from their session on Facebook.

Your senior will share that teaser with all of their friends through social media, which means more publicity for you and your business. (That’s another reason why I love seniors!)

2. Send out a handful of photos in advance

The following week, after I have edited all of the images, I will send ten files to them through PASS.

The senior will also share these images through Facebook, and it will help them understand why they should purchase a disc with all of their high-resolution images.

3. Give the senior a great gift bag

As soon as I have all of the images edited, I will order a custom book and send it to the senior – along with a really appealing package.

The package includes a handwritten note, business cards, and other little goodies. My seniors always love how personal I make the gift bag for each of them (another great reason to send them a questionnaire and to get to know them well during the session).

4. Post on your blog

After you’ve delivered all the final images, blog about the session, including images you didn’t include in the original ten.

This blog post will also be shared on social media with their friends and family (more free advertising!).

senior by the ocean

Bonus tip: Edit for longevity

When post-processing senior photos, always remember that you are photographing for the parents as much as you are photographing for the senior client. I keep “fad” type editing out of the equation because I know ten years from now the parents will want a solid (i.e., not overly processed) image on the wall.

Instead of using “fad” editing techniques, I always let style come from the locations I choose. You can do this by choosing old brick buildings, abandoned farmhouses, fields of cotton, etc. The seniors love this, and their parents will appreciate the timelessness of the photographs they receive.

senior portrait tips girl in forest

Senior portrait tips: final words

It is not hard to rock a session with your seniors. It just takes some extra things to go above and beyond – so the seniors know you appreciate them.

All of these extra things will make your client feel special and will translate into those coveted word-of-mouth referrals for you!

Now over to you:

Which of these senior portrait tips do you like most? Which will you try the next time you’re doing senior portraits? Share your thoughts (and photos) in the comments below!

This post was written by guest contributor Meghan Newsom. Meghan is a lifestyle and wedding photographer located in northern Alabama. When she’s not writing for her lifestyle blog, cooking up gluten-free recipes, or taking pictures, you can find her exploring outside with her husband and pup.

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Tips for Photographing Newborns: Do It Yourself

21 Jan

The arrival of a newborn into a family is an amazing and exciting (albeit sleep deprived) time. You can find yourself in this blissful bubble of just you and your little family as you adapt to life as parents. Most parents will attest to how precious yet fleeting these days are and its why so many choose to capture them Continue Reading
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Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Couples

12 Dec

The post Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Couples appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

poses for photographing couples

This is a guest post by Kaspars Grinvalds from Posing App.

In this posing guide series, we’ve looked at posing female subjects, posing male subjects, and posing children. In those individual portraits, the main subject is a single person with a single personality. But couple photography is more about connection, interaction, and above all, feelings between two people. Generally, you’re working with very deep and passionate feelings, which is what makes couple photography so delightful and positive.

Couples are pretty easy to engage in a photoshoot. If they are initially a bit shy or feeling uncomfortable, just ask them to show you how they felt and looked when they met for the first time. You will touch them on an emotional level, providing you with natural and loving expressions in their portraits.

However, creating strong couple poses presents its own difficulties. That’s why we’re offering 21 simple, easy poses for photographing couples – so you can get started taking stunning couple photos, today.

1. Standing face to face (but looking at the camera); one partner should hold an arm on the other partner’s chest

Make sure you take both close-up and vertical shots.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

2. Standing close together and looking toward one another

Ask the couple to stand very close to one another to create intimate close-up portraits. Don’t be afraid to zoom in and crop real tight!

intimate close up pose

3. Hugging from behind

This is a very easy and cordial pose, with one partner holding the other from behind. The couple may look straight into the camera or at each other. They can even kiss for a more emotive shot.
Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

4. Holding from behind

This is a fun and loving pose, with one partner holding onto the other partner’s back and shoulders.

Pay attention to hand positioning; it should be simple and natural.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

5. Holding from behind (alternative)

This is just a variation on the previous pose, with one partner holding the other from behind.

Remember that the couple doesn’t necessarily have to look into the camera. For better results, make them interact with each other by talking, offering flirtatious looks, laughing, etc.
Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

6. Holding and looking out

This pose creates a very romantic mood, and it works best when outdoors with some open space in the background.

Shoot only slightly from behind the couple.

And remember that you have to be far enough to the couple’s side to capture each person’s closest eye. Otherwise, you will create an impersonal, empty shot.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

7. Looking up

Find some elevation and shoot your subjects from above.

A common pose shot from an unusual angle is always creative and will often reward you with surprisingly good results.

shoot from above

8. Intimately holding hands

This is another romantic pose. It works best outdoors with some open space in the background.

It also works very well as a silhouette against a bright background (in front of a sunset, for example).

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

9. The gentle, staggered pose

This is an easy-to-create pose for a full-height shot. It’ll give your photos a calm and affectionate mood.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

10. The piggyback pose

This one’s a fun pose, but don’t assume that it only works with younger people. If an older couple feels fine with it, this pose will work superbly with them, as well.

Try different framings, take full-height shots, half-height shots, and close-ups.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

11. Standing face to face and kissing

This is a very nice way to show the affection a couple felt when they first met each other.

It works very well in crowded places, such as a famous meeting point in a city, at a train or metro station, etc.

couple kissing

12. Jumping and hugging

This pose offers a little bit of fun!

The crucial part is the leg positioning of your jumping subject; each leg should be bent at different angles.

Oh, and take a close-up portrait shot, as well.

woman jumping into a man's arms

13. Walking and holding hands

Take shots of the partners walking hand in hand as they approach from a distance.

Shoot in Burst mode only, because the majority of your shots will look awkward thanks to the leg movement. Therefore, the second part of your job is to select the photos with the best leg movement and positioning afterward.

couple pose holding hands

14. Walking and holding each other

This is another pose with a walking couple. This time, the couple should walk close together and hold onto each other.

As with the previous pose, take several shots and choose the ones with the most elegant leg positioning.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

15. Walking away from the camera

Never forget that there are often good opportunities when shooting from behind! This is a simple pose, but one that looks amazing when done right.

couple walking together

16. Lying on the ground

For this one, the couple should lie close together on the ground.

Ask them to lift their upper bodies a bit and use their arms for support. One partner might embrace the other partner gently. Shoot from a very low angle.

couple lying together on the ground

17. Lying on the ground and looking at each other

Here’s another variant with the couple lying on the ground, but this time with a little space between the partners.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

18. Cuddling on the ground

This is a nice example of an asymmetrical pose, with one person positioned slightly above the other.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

19. Lying together, looking up

This is an informal and fun way to pose – with the couple lying on their backs.

couple lying on backs

20. Sitting together on a sofa

Here’s a very cordial pose; ask the couple to sit comfortably on their favorite sofa.

couples sitting on a couch

21. The classic maternity pose

Shooting a couple may mean maternity photography.

Some poses from this couples series work pretty well for such an occasion. Simply adjust the pose accordingly to show the couple’s feelings about the baby!

This one here is a classic, and looks nice for pretty much any couple:

maternity pose

Grab our printable posing guide for photographing couples

Here’s 16 of our favorite couple poses for you to print and take with you on your next couple shoot:

Posing Guide for Photographing Couples

Also, make sure you look at these couple poses as a starting point only.

That’s the reason why they are rough sketches instead of real photos. You cannot, and should not, repeat the poses exactly; instead, adjust the poses creatively according to your shooting environment and scenario.

Check out the other posing guides in this series

  • Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Women (Part 1)
  • Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Women (Part 2)
  • Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Men
  • Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Children
  • Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Groups of People
  • Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Weddings

Grab our guide to portrait posing

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Couples

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Comparing a 24mm Versus 50mm Lens for Photographing People

28 Nov

The post Comparing a 24mm Versus 50mm Lens for Photographing People appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Meredith Clark.

24mm versus 50mm for photographing people
Image taken with a Canon 60D and a Canon 24mm lens.

How does a 24mm lens compare to a 50mm lens when photographing people? Both are great options, given the low price point, but they do have slightly different strengths when it comes to people photography.

In this article, I’ll show you several different images of the same model, location, and pose, photographed with both a 24mm and a 50mm lens. This will provide a good visual of the difference between the two lenses, and should give you insight as to when you might want to reach for each option.

Equipment used

For continuity, all images in this post were taken with a Canon 60D and either the Canon 24mm f/2.8 or the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens.

The Canon 60D is an APS-C (cropped-sensor) camera, so you’ll need to multiply the focal length of each of your lenses by 1.6x in order to determine their effective focal length on this camera (though if you use Nikon APS-C cameras, your crop factor is 1.5x).

So on a cropped sensor camera, a 24mm lens functions roughly as a 38mm lens, and a 50mm lens functions as an 80mm lens.

24mm shows off the background

When it comes to photographing people, a 50mm lens emphasizes the subject, whereas a 24mm lens shows the environment.

24mm versus 50mm for photographing people
Image taken with a Canon 60D and a 50mm lens.

That’s why a 50mm lens is great for head and shoulders portraits, while a 24mm lens is great for photographing people in the context of their surroundings. In the above example, you can see that the 50mm lens provided a tight shot of these two sisters, with a blurred background that keeps all the attention on their faces.

However, the context for this session is also important – it took place at a family vineyard, and the clients wanted to be sure that the grapes were visible in the background of some of the images. As you can see above, the grapes weren’t visible in the portrait taken with the 50mm lens, nor would closing down the aperture really give the perspective of the vineyard that my clients were looking for.

So after taking a few portraits with the 50mm, I switched over to my 24mm lens in order to capture a few wider shots.

24mm photo of two girls
Image taken with a Canon 60D and a Canon 24mm lens.

The shot above shows the same girls, the same exact location, and a very similar pose. The only real difference is that, with the switch to the 24mm lens, you can see more of the girls and the area around them.

In some instances, you may want to minimize the area around your subject, in which case the 24mm lens would not be ideal. However, in this case, it allowed me to capture images that highlighted both the girls and the vineyard, which was what the clients were after.

Bonus tip: Photographing sibling sets with a 24mm lens also allows you to see the height differences between siblings more easily (thanks to the wider perspective), which is something that a lot of parents really enjoy.

50mm photo of a young man
Image taken with a Canon 60D and a 50mm lens.

Think about the background color

Another thing to consider, besides the contents of the background in your images, is the coloring of the background.

In the image above, the deep-colored wood background brings a moodiness to the image that could be appropriate for a musician. However, the interesting thing is that the overall feeling of the image changes quite a bit when you look at it from the 24mm angle of view:

24mm photo of a young man
Image taken with a Canon 60D and a 24mm lens.

The second image, though in the same location, feels a lot less moody and dramatic than the first. The lighter stonework around the door brings a sense of balance to the image that just wouldn’t be achieved as well with the 50mm lens in this location.

In my experience, this balance is especially important when it comes to converting images to black and white.

24mm versus 50mm for photographing people in black and white

As you can see in the left image, the lighter stonework around the darker door serves as a frame for the subject and naturally draws your eye in toward him.

In addition, the increased contrast and texture provides some of the key ingredients for black and white images, which makes the image on the left more aesthetically pleasing than the image on the right.

24mm vs 50mm: Try using both!

Overall, while there may be instances in which the content or coloring of your background may cause you to reach for one of these lenses over the other, I’m very much in favor of using both of them whenever possible.

Here’s a quick example from my own life to explain why both are so great for their own reasons. I recently photographed my girls in their Halloween costumes. I started with the 50mm lens because it’s my favorite:

two girls in costumes at 50mm
Image taken with a Canon 60D and a 50mm lens.

I love this image of both girls – the 50mm lens really lets you see their faces and expressions, and the bokeh of the 50mm f/1.8 helped soften the construction site in the background of the image. However, the closer crop also means that only a small portion of their costumes is visible.

So I switched over to my 24mm lens to take a full-length photo (below) of my little monkey and lion.

Now I can really see them from head to toe. I can see the little fake feet of the monkey costume that freaked out my youngest daughter so much that she begged her sister to switch costumes with her. I can see the height difference between the two of them. I can see the black flats that my oldest daughter is so proud of and wears to any event that she deems remotely “fancy.”

Those are all things that I want to look back on and remember. I love both images for different reasons and am so happy to have them both, thanks to my trusty 24mm and 50mm lenses.

two girls in costumes at 24mm
Image taken with a Canon 60D and a 24mm lens.

24mm vs 50mm for photographing people: conclusion

I hope this has given you a good idea of how these two focal lengths compare when photographing people.

Have you tried a 24mm lens? How do you use it? Do you have a 50mm lens and do you use it for people photography? Which lens is your favorite? Please share your comments and images below!

The post Comparing a 24mm Versus 50mm Lens for Photographing People appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Meredith Clark.


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10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots

14 Nov

The post 10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sean Gannon.

Creating beautiful headshots can seem like a daunting prospect. To have one person in front of your camera, looking to you for direction and positivity, can be tough. Plus, people are generally very critical of themselves when in front of the camera and can feel very nervous.

However, there are some simple things that you can do to make headshots a lot easier for everyone.

Headshot on Black Background

So here are 10 tips to help you photograph headshots:

1. Have a pre-session consultation

Before your session, make sure you know how the images will be used and what style your subject would like. You can have this “pre-session consultation” on the phone or face-to-face. Talking to your subject will help them relax so much more than an email, and a consultation will allow you to help them prepare for the session.

Make sure they know what to expect and are as relaxed as possible.

Headshot on White Background

Find out what profession your subject is involved in; a corporate lawyer may opt for a clean white background look (above), while a more relaxed style of business (e.g., a yoga instructor) may prefer a more colorful, environmental image (below). Find out in the consultation what they want so you are prepared on the day.

Indoor Headshot

2. Help your subject choose the right clothes

Generally speaking, solid, neutral colors work best for headshots, as you want to avoid anything that distracts from people’s faces.

If you’re looking to achieve a formal style, make sure that everyone gets the message and remembers to bring formal work clothes with them. Men often forget their jackets, so for a consistent look, try to have a spare one on hand, even if you need to clip it at the back.

If you know you’ll have lots of time with a person, get them to bring a few items of clothing. Remind them to iron their clothes, as well.

Here are some examples of good clothing choices:

What to wear for headshots
What to wear for headshots
What to wear for headshots

3. Create separation from the background

For great headshots, make sure your subject doesn’t stand too close to the background.

If you are using a studio background (or the wall in an office) and you position someone close to it, you may see shadows on the wall, which makes the images look less professional.

For environmental headshots outdoors, I still recommend separation from the background. The resulting bokeh will create a nice, nondescript background, especially when you shoot at a wide aperture. Typically, I aim for an aperture of f/4 for environmental and natural light sessions, and f/8 for studio-style sessions with lights.

4. Starting the session

Whether you are photographing headshots for a single person or a whole team, make sure you have a general chat with each person first to help them relax.

This can be just a 10-second, confident handshake and a “How are you?” People generally feel very nervous about having their photograph taken, and talking about something within their comfort zone (where they live, if they have children or pets, etc.) will really help them to become (and to appear!) more comfortable.

5. Silly faces!

A great way of helping people relax in front of the camera – especially if you don’t have much time with them – is to ask them to pull a funny face for the first frame.

Use this as a lighting test for a new person, as well. It’s a great way to break the ice, and very few people will refuse to do it. Once your subject has pulled a silly face, everything else is easy!

person making a funny face
Headshot Photography example

6. Lighting and positioning

For business and actors’ headshots, I tend to light quite evenly. There are a few circumstances where the images are low-key, but for the most part, they are evenly lit. A classic beauty lighting setup works well, with one light above and a second light, or a reflector, supplying fill light from below.

Ensure the subject is turned with their body 45 degrees away from the camera and toward the main light source (if your lighting allows for this). Their face should be pointed straight toward the camera. You may need to guide people to look straight down the lens. It’s surprising how many people look off-camera, at the flash, or somewhere random.

Headshot setup
Posing example

7. Sit people down

People may be more comfortable sitting down, and by asking them to rest their hands on the tops of their thighs, it gives them something to do with their hands. It also ensures that the subjects all know where they need to be, and that they don’t move around too much.

8. It’s all about the little adjustments

What separates a great headshot from an average one is generally very small changes. These little adjustments can make all the difference. The slight tilt to the head, leaning forward, a gentle but intriguing smile. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to make very specific changes to their expression and position until you get the image you’re looking for.

Headshot Photography

9. Keep talking and be positive

When you’re in the midst of taking photographs, make sure that you keep talking to your subject. Reassure them that they’re doing it right and you’re getting great images.

Even if you’re not satisfied with the images you get when your subject turns their head in a certain direction or when the light falls in a bad way, never express those feelings. Silence will kill the atmosphere, so no matter what is happening, just keep chatting and being positive.

10. Shoot tethered

If you have all the necessary equipment, shooting tethered is a fantastic way to get great headshots. When people see a couple of shots on the screen, they can very quickly get an idea of what needs to be changed. The immediate feedback from the screen will help everyone massively.

Photographing great headshots: conclusion

I hope you find these tips for better headshots helpful.

Do you have any other tips we missed? Please share them – and your favorite headshot photos – in the comments below!

On Pinterest? Here’s an image to pin.

10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots

The post 10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sean Gannon.


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5 Tips for Photographing Wildlife in Low Light Conditions

08 Nov

The post 5 Tips for Photographing Wildlife in Low Light Conditions appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Will Nicholls.

NOTE: Check out our Ultimate Guide to Nature and Outdoor Photography.

Most wildlife is active during dawn or dusk, and photographing animals in low light can be frustrating when you’re pushing your equipment to the limit. Even if you’re shooting on the latest and greatest DSLR camera, you’re still going to reach a point where the light is too low to use the ideal settings. It’s at this point that you need to start calling on your skill and technique to improve your success rate.

Here are a few tricks that I use in my own wildlife photography to get better, more usable images in low light.

roe deer in low light

1. Choose the perfect aperture and shutter speed for low light

When shooting in low light, you should use the widest aperture you can (i.e., the lowest f-number) to let in the most light possible.

If you’re using expensive telephoto lenses, then you’ll probably have a maximum aperture of f/4 or even f/2.8. However, the majority of midrange and budget telephoto lenses have a maximum aperture of about f/5.6 or f/6.3. Still, keep the aperture as wide as possible to give yourself the optimum baseline.

With regard to the shutter speed, the rule most people learn is to use a speed of at least 1 over the focal length of your lens. For example, a 400mm lens would need a shutter speed of at least 1/400s to eliminate camera shake effectively. However, this rule often isn’t possible in low light conditions. So you’re going to need to break it!

Drop your shutter speed as much as you can while still keeping the image sharp. You can go much slower than you think. 1/100s is totally plausible.

To prevent camera shake, enable any image stabilization technology offered by your lens. It’s important to use a tripod, too, as it’ll keep things steady.

wildlife low light
This bear photo was taken at 1/30s, f/4, and ISO 8000.

Try panning

Once your shutter speed starts to get really slow, then you’ll almost definitely introduce motion blur from the subject moving. But if your subject is walking or running along, you can pan your camera along with it.

With practice, you can move your camera at the same rate as the animal and freeze its body – even with a slow shutter speed. You will get a blurred background, but it’s actually a rather cool effect (see the bear photo above!).

2. Don’t be afraid to boost your ISO

ISO might be the most feared setting among photographers. However, it shouldn’t make you tremble! I meet many photographers who don’t move the ISO above 400, even if their cameras are more than capable of handling the increase.

Sure, higher ISOs introduce noise into your photo, but a noisy image is better than a blurred one.

Test out your camera and see how far you can feasibly increase the ISO before shots become unusable. You can also remove noise in post-production, so you can sometimes salvage a too-noisy image.

The image below was taken at ISO 5000, but you’d be forgiven for thinking the value was much, much lower. The camera in question was a Nikon D4, which has notoriously good ISO capabilities. But this is an extreme example, and at ISO 5000 there was still noise. Even lower-level DSLR cameras can still be pushed to ISO 1600 or so while achieving fairly good quality images.

eagle in low light
An eagle photo taken at 1/100s, f/4, and ISO 5000.

Be brave and increase your ISO when you need a faster shutter speed. It’ll help you keep shooting as the light gets lower, meaning you’ll have more time to wait for wildlife!

3. Be careful when using a zoom lens

Zoom lenses sometimes use a variable maximum aperture.

What does this mean?

Zoomed out, you may have an aperture of f/4 – but as you zoom in, this can increase to something like f/6.3. If your lens has a constant aperture throughout, then you don’t need to worry. But if it doesn’t, then be conscious of the fact that you’ll have less light reaching the sensor when you’re zoomed in.

When your lens is limited by a variable maximum aperture, think about zooming out and taking a more atmospheric or environmental image. You’ll have a larger aperture to play with, and you may be able to achieve a more usable shot than if you zoom in all the way with less light.

bear in environment
If your lens has a variable aperture, try zooming out to utilize the widest option and take environmental images that don’t focus only on the animal.

4. Utilize burst mode

Don’t forget that you have a burst mode. If you’re worried about blurry images, fire off as many frames as possible. This will increase your chances of ending up with a usable shot.

You see, slower shutter speeds mean more chance for both camera blur and motion blur. If an animal moves its head, your shot may well be ruined. But if you’ve been shooting multiple images at once (via burst mode!), then chances are that you’ll get another shot, taken a fraction of a second later, that isn’t blurred.

Burst mode is honestly one of the most useful things you can do when photographing wildlife in low light. It really helps to get usable photos and works like magic alongside the other techniques in this article.

5. Don’t underexpose

It can be tempting to underexpose your photo, knowing that you can brighten it later. While this may give you a quicker shutter speed, the photo will likely need significant brightening in post-production. And lightening an already-dark scene will introduce a lot of digital noise.

low light wildlife photography
This photo was taken at 1/60s, f/4, and ISO 5000.

Instead, try to keep your exposure as balanced as possible. If you can keep your histogram happy, then you’ll have a smoother ride through the editing process. The worst thing would be to take an underexposed shot, only to find out later that it’s unusable because brightening it up ruins it.

I prefer to risk blur but fire multiple frames than to take an underexposed, sharp shot. Maybe that’s just me, but the technique frequently works in my favor.

Photographing wildlife in low light: conclusion

No matter how good you are at photography or how good your gear is, you’re going to have times when your shots are ruined by low light. That’s just part of the game – but, with luck, you will manage to capture strong low light shots some of the time.

With practice, you’ll learn when there’s no point battling against depleting light levels. And a combination of the techniques I’ve shared here should keep you in action for longer.

Do you have any other low light tips to add? Please share them in the comments below!

FURTHER READING: Check out our new Ultimate Guide to Nature and Outdoor Photography.

The post 5 Tips for Photographing Wildlife in Low Light Conditions appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Will Nicholls.


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Tips for Photographing Birds in Flight

01 Nov

The post Tips for Photographing Birds in Flight appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.

birds in flight

This article introduces some key concepts for photographing birds in flight.

One of the most necessary ingredients is patience; you may often photograph an entire day and not get a single usable image. In most cases, there is some luck involved – you have to be in the right place at the right time, after all!

But hopefully, this article will give you the tools you need to improve your luck and capture stunning birds in flight photos.

heron in flight

Choosing a location

Let’s begin with how to choose the best location for your birds in flight shoot.

Near rivers or lakes is a great place to set up, because of the abundant food sources for the birds. Find a position on a hill that will put you at eye level with the birds.

And check out the position of the sun, because you should not be shooting into it. Light coming from behind you or from the left or the right of your position is preferred.

Also, birds will generally take off and land into the wind, so knowing the wind direction of your location will help you predict the flight direction of the birds you are photographing.

canada gees in flight

Lighting

Good lighting plays a key role in successful birds in flight photography.

As with any other kind of outdoor photography, the golden light of morning and evening is best. However, because you are shooting birds in the sky, these times can be extended and you’ll still get nice lighting on your subject.

Make yourself invisible

Some birds will not venture near humans, so you need to make yourself as invisible as possible. 

In some cases, this might be as simple as not wearing brightly-colored clothing. However, avid bird photographers may also want to set up some kind of blind. Blinds can be purchased inexpensively from most hunting stores.

Also, sitting down will make you less noticeable to the birds than if you are standing.

Study your subject

Study the birds you enjoy photographing to learn their habits.

How does this help?

Knowing the birds can help you predict their movements. For instance, many birds, especially the larger species like herons or eagles, will relieve themselves just before they fly. Knowing this can help you be ready to shoot just before your subject takes off.

flying heron in fall

Lens

Choosing a good lens for birds in flight photography can be a challenge. I recommend you use the fastest and longest lens you can afford.

For your best chance at a great shot, you’ll need at least a 300mm lens, but a 500mm to 600mm prime lens is preferable.

(Unfortunately, these lenses don’t come cheap!)

Tripods

A great tripod head for birds in flight, especially if you’re using a large lens, is a gimbal head. It balances your camera and lens while requiring very little force to pan left and right or up and down.

A less expensive option is a pan head, which also allows for movement in all directions on two different axes. And while ball heads can be used for birds in flight photography, they’re not a very stable solution for large lenses.

sparrows

Exposure

When setting up your camera to shoot birds in flight, keep in mind how the exposure triangle of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO plays an important part in getting the perfect exposure.

  • Shutter speed – You need your shutter speed to be fast enough to freeze the bird’s wings in your photo. While small birds’ wings may flap at approximately 40 beats per second, larger birds, like herons and eagles, flap around 2 beats per second. Many species of duck are fairly fast flappers, at around 5 to 10 beats per second. So the question remains: How fast should you set your shutter speed to freeze wing motion? Go for at least 1/1000s to 1/2000s. Even faster is better, if possible!
  • Aperture – In order to gain as much depth of field as possible, you should use the smallest aperture you can afford. Select your f-stop (the aperture number) based on your lens’s sweet spot (where your lens focuses most clearly), which is probably around f/8.
  • ISO – You want to keep your ISO setting as low as possible to avoid digital noise (graininess) in your photos, although most modern camera models do a decent job with higher ISOs.
heron as a bird in flight

So how do you bring all three elements of your exposure triangle together to get the best exposure? You may consider simply using your camera’s Shutter Priority mode, in which you set the shutter speed and the camera sets the aperture (and ISO on some models).

However, I recommend you try this alternative method:

  1. Set your camera to Aperture Priority mode
  2. Set your aperture to f/8 (the sweet spot) to get the sharpest-possible images
  3. Using your camera’s light meter, check the exposure of the scene where you hope to photograph your birds in flight. You will probably find that some areas of the scene are darker than others.
  4. Using the exposure reading you get from the darkest areas of the scene, adjust your ISO to bring your shutter speed up to at least 1/1000s. It follows that when your bird flies by and you are panning your camera into a lighter area, your shutter speed will increase to above 1/1000, and when your subject is in the darker areas, your exposure will still be appropriate.

Now, here’s one final step to tweak your exposure:

Have you ever noticed how, when photographing birds in flight, your image will seem dark and be missing details, especially in dark feathers? To bring out more detail in dark areas, change your EV (exposure compensation) setting to +0.3. This will add a little more light (though depending on the lighting, you may need to add a bit more exposure compensation).

On the other hand, what if you are photographing a white bird, such as a swan? The white bird’s image will tend to get “blown out,” so that you’re missing detail in the whites. To compensate, adjust your EV value to -1.0 to -2.0. This will pick up the detail in those white-feathered birds. (If you are thinking that your background will be underexposed, you’d be right – but you are photographing the swan, not the background!)

Focusing

To keep your flying bird in focus, set your camera’s focusing mode to continuous focus.

In this mode, as long as you have the shutter button depressed halfway and are focused on the bird, the camera will continuously acquire focus as the bird moves. Canon calls this function “Al Servo,” while Nikon calls it “Continuous Servo” or “AF-C.”

Also, both Nikon and Canon will allow you to expand your AF points so that your camera can identify moving subjects at adjacent points (which will help you keep your moving subject in focus).

Nikon also offers two AF area modes that can work for birds in flight:

The 51-point Dynamic Area AF and the 3D Tracking area mode.

Both of these AF area modes will search at all 51 AF points for the movement of your subject, although these modes can be a little too slow when focusing in some situations.

bald eagle flying over nest

Composition

Composition can be the most difficult aspect of photographing birds in flight.

But all the basic rules of composition remain valid here. You always want to have more space in front of the bird than behind it; a good rule is to have a least two to three times the space in front of the bird.

One thing that helps maintain this space is to place your focus point in the center of the frame and try to keep it on the bird’s eye. This method works really well on large-beaked birds, such as herons.

Also, while most birds in flight images include just one bird, look for those occasions where you can capture two or three birds at once (for a great result!).

gull flying in snow

Technique

As the bird is flying toward you, quickly get your focus locked.

Then, when the bird is close and in a position you like, fire away. Keep panning even after you’ve stopped shooting. This follow-through motion will keep your last image in focus better than an abrupt stop.

When panning as the bird flies by, you want to match your panning speed to that of the bird. And depending on your shutter speed, this will help keep the bird in focus while the background may be blurred.

You want to keep the bird’s eye in focus and sharp; this is key. If you are handholding your camera, try to keep your left hand under the barrel of your lens and your elbows close to your body, as this will help you maneuver the camera as steadily as possible. If you are standing, keep your legs spread out to create a good sturdy base.

If you are planning to hold your location and position for a time, I recommend using a tripod. This will help keep your camera steady, especially if you are using a very heavy lens.

birds in flight duck

So stay alert and look for opportunities to capture great birds in flight images. It will take lots of practice to get that perfect shot.

But once you get it right, you will be hooked!

Also, if you’re interested in more bird photography tips, check out these articles:

  • 10 Incredible Bird Photography Tips for Beginners
  • A Turn of the Head – Creating More Compelling Bird Portraits
  • An Introduction to Bird Photography

The post Tips for Photographing Birds in Flight appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.


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Photographing Stars Using a Kit Lens

25 Oct

The post Photographing Stars Using a Kit Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adeel Gondal.

photographing stars the night sky
Nikon D5100 | 18mm | 20 sec | f/3.5 | ISO 1600

Have you seen those amazing starry sky and Milky Way photographs from professional photographers and wondered how to create similar results? Have you never tried because you thought you didn’t have the proper equipment?

Let me tell you, “You are wrong!”

If you own a normal DSLR or mirrorless camera, you can create stunning star photos with only a kit lens.

In this article, I will explain the whole process of photographing stars with your kit lens. I’ll give you step-by-step instructions in the easiest possible way – so that, even if you don’t have much technical knowledge, you can start capturing star photos like a pro.

Let’s dive right in.

The star photography basics

To get started, you need to have following points in mind:

  • You must shoot in a place away from the city lights. The less light pollution you have, the more chance you’ll have of getting clear stars.
  • You’ll want a moonless night. Stars can also be shot on a full-moon night, but the brighter the moon is, the more light pollution it creates, and the stars will not be as prominent.
  • You’ll need a normal DSLR or mirrorless camera with a standard 18-55mm kit lens (such as this Canon lens or this Nikon lens).
  • You’ll also want a tripod.

You can Google your surroundings to find locations that are far away from the city (check out Dark Sky for a helpful interactive map).

You should know beforehand in what direction, and at what time, the moon is going to rise. That will help you a lot with the composition of your images.

However, a moonless night is always best to shoot stars – so I recommend checking the current moon phase before heading out.

Additionally, you can use a compass app on your smartphone to locate the North Star for star trails. To get an idea of the stars above your location, you can download an app called Star Chart (for iOS or for Android) or Google Sky. Both of these apps also show you the direction of the Milky Way, so you can shoot it directly and get amazing results.

I also recommend checking out PhotoPills; this app offers an incredible suite of features for the beginner (or more advanced!) night sky photographer.

Anyway, these apps are pretty accurate. With their help, you can see Mars, even with your naked eye (I’m sure you’ve seen Mars before, but were likely unable to differentiate it from the surrounding stars).

If you want to plan a future shoot or look for an appropriate time to shoot the Milky Way in your location, you can download the desktop app Stellarium. Just pop in your coordinates, and it will show you the direction of the Milky Way at a specific date and time.

Thanks to Stellarium, you can know the exact time of year the brightest part of Milky Way will be above your location (so you can do some amazing star photography!).

stars over a mountain
Nikon D5100 | 18mm | 20 sec | f/3.5 | ISO 1600

Key camera settings for photographing stars

Now let’s get to the important part of photographing stars with a kit lens:

Camera settings.

You will need to take control of your camera, so you’ll want to keep it in Manual mode.

Change the shooting mode to Manual and adjust your setup to the following settings:

Focal length

Set your focal length to the widest possible option. In the case of a kit lens, this will often be 18mm.

While you can technically choose any focal length you want, the more you zoom in, the fewer stars you will be able to capture.

Plus, your optimum exposure time before star trails start to develop will decrease as you increase your focal length (see the 500 Rule, discussed in the shutter speed section below).

Aperture

Setting your aperture to the widest option is key here; for my kit lens, this is f/3.5.

By using the widest aperture your lens allows, more light will enter through your lens.

And this will result in brighter stars and a brighter Milky Way!

Shutter speed

If you are only shooting stars and the Milky Way, I recommend a shutter speed of 20 seconds.

Why 20 seconds?

Here’s the answer:

A shutter speed of under 20 seconds will result in less light reaching the camera sensor.

And a shutter speed of over 20 seconds will start to create star trails. In other words, the stars will move visibly across the sky.

In fact, there’s a handy equation for calculating your shutter speed, called the 500 Rule:

The optimum exposure before you start getting star trails is calculated by dividing 500 by your focal length (you’ll need to divide the answer once more, by around 1.5, if you are using a cropped sensor.)

So in the example of an 18mm lens on a cropped sensor, divide 500 by 18, for an answer of 27.78. Then divide this again, by 1.5, to get 18.52, which is roughly 20 seconds.

Make sense?

star photography with a car in the foreground
Nikon D5100 | 18mm | 20 sec | f/3.5 | ISO 1600

ISO

Start by keeping your ISO at 1600. You can then increase it later, depending on your results.

But keep in mind:

The greater the ISO, the more noise there will be in your image.

Now, this does depend on the signal-to-noise ratio of the camera body you are using; high-end cameras tend to offer the best high-ISO noise performance, and even modern consumer cameras feature decent results at high ISOs. But try to boost the ISO on an older camera, and you’ll end up with all sorts of unwanted noise.

Remote shutter release

You’ll want to have a remote shutter release to avoid camera shake from hitting the shutter button.

If you don’t have a shutter release, just use your camera’s 2-second or 10-second timer.

That will minimize any blur in the picture due to camera shake.

You should also switch off any “vibration reduction” or “image stabilization” technology included in your camera or lens, because this technology can actually increase blur during long-exposure images.

Focusing your lens to infinity

After dialing in all these settings, here’s the only important thing left to do:

Focus your lens to infinity.

Now, a kit lens doesn’t have an infinity marker on it, so you’ll need to use hyperfocal distance values to focus your lens.

Here’s what you do:

Mount your camera and lens on a tripod, and focus on any bright object at a distance of 20 feet or more.

(If you are in the dark and struggling to focus, you can point a flashlight toward your camera and use this as a point of focus.)

Once the lens is focused beyond 20 feet, its hyperfocal distance will project to infinity and your stars will be sharp. This will also help get everything in the foreground sharp, too.

Don’t forget to switch your lens to manual focus; otherwise, it will start to hunt for focus when the shutter is pressed.

You may be wondering:

Why is focusing to infinity so important?

If your lens is not focused to infinity, you will capture a Milky Way image. However, the stars will not be as sharp and they’ll appear bigger, like this:

example star photograph where lens was not focused to infinity
My lens was not focused to infinity.

And this:

Another example star photo where lens wasn't focused to infinity
My lens was not focused to infinity.

And this:

example photo where lens was not focused to infinity
My lens was not focused to infinity.

You’ll get a similar result if you use a too-long shutter speed and produce star trails.

So make sure you pay careful attention to both your settings and your point of focus.

A quick tip for photographing stars

Once you reach your location, it’s better to first sit in the dark for at least 15 minutes to let your eyes adjust to the surroundings. This will help you see a lot of stars (and even the Milky Way) with your naked eye. It will also help you compose your images better – because it’s easier to create beautiful compositions when you can see!

Plus, enjoying your surroundings for a while is better than simply shooting as soon as you reach the site.

Post-processing your star photos

When it comes to post-processing your star images, there are two things you should know:

First, always shoot in RAW. This will give you a lot of room for post-processing (that won’t affect the image quality).

Second, some post-processing is always needed to get optimum results. You can find many tutorials on how to post-process Milky Way images, including some here on dPS!

Capture stunning star trails

If you are satisfied with your shots, the next step is to capture star trails.

Simply locate the North Star using the Star Chart app discussed above.

Then keep the North Star in your composition, because this is the star that all other stars rotate around.

For star trails, all camera settings will remain the same, except that you can increase the shutter speed to 30 seconds.

Alternatively, you can go with faster shutter speeds (i.e., 20 seconds or faster, especially if there are lights in the area and 30 seconds results in overexposed images).

Keep your camera on its continuous shooting mode, and let it capture as many exposures as possible. The more pictures you have, the more clear your star trails will be. Of course, continuous shooting will only create a series of short star trails; later, you can join all the exposures in Photoshop or use special software to create full trails (such as StarStaX).

For instance, this shot is a combination of 18 separate exposures:

Star trails, a merge of 18 shots each at 30 sec

Alternatively, you can capture one shot of the stars and make star trails with it using the HM Technique:

Star trails via HM technique
Star trail created in Photoshop using the HM Technique

And you’re also free to have fun with Photoshop:

Zooming star trails
Fun in Photoshop!

Once you’ve nailed photographing the Milky Way, try including foreground objects for better compositions:

trees and the night sky
Nikon D7000 | 18mm | 20 sec | f/3.5 | ISO 1600

Photographing stars using a kit lens: conclusion

You’re all set to shoot your own stars!

With the help of a kit lens, you can create some beautiful star photography – the kind that’ll make you happy and impress your friends, too.

You could even try creating panoramas to get more of the Milky Way in your composition, like this:

Panorama Stitch of 4 shots of the night sky

So happy shooting, and keep me updated with your results! And if you need any help, let me know down in the comments.

The post Photographing Stars Using a Kit Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adeel Gondal.


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10 Ideas for Photographing Nature in your Backyard

11 Oct

The post 10 Ideas for Photographing Nature in your Backyard appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karen Quist.

Have you noticed how many photographers are fascinated with nature? Even if we specialize in another genre, few of us can resist a gorgeous flower or a branch of autumn leaves.

One of the best things about photographing nature is that it is so accessible. You don’t need to travel far to find it, because it’s all around you. You may take it for granted because you see it every day, but your own backyard is a treasure trove. Every hour of every day and every season brings something new.

lavender flowers photographing nature in your backyard

Summer lavender | 1/200 sec | f/3.5 | ISO 100

The term “backyard” needn’t be taken literally here. If you don’t have a backyard, you’ll find plenty of nature to photograph just by wandering the streets or public parks and gardens.

Tech details: All of the photographs in this article were shot on my Canon 5D Mark III. Unless otherwise stated, I have used my Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. I have included details of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed settings.

1. Flowers and leaves

Flowers and leaves are often the first things that come to mind when we look for subjects in our own backyards. They offer an endless variety of colors, shapes, and textures for you to photograph. You could create a collection based on a single color scheme, or try to find as many different leaf or flower shapes as possible.

orchid nature photo

Cymbidium orchid | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro | 1/100 sec | f/4 | ISO 640

photographing nature in your backyard

Violet leaves | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/30 sec | f/8 | ISO 800

photographing nature in your backyard

Geranium leaves | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/40 sec | f/8 | ISO 320

You should also experiment with different lighting and conditions. I love backlighting for leaves and flowers, as it creates a luminous, almost three-dimensional effect, and you can see details such as veins. Some shapes look better with strong, directional light, and I love how colors are enhanced by water droplets.

photographing nature in your backyard daffodils

Erlicheer daffodils | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/640 sec | f/4 | ISO 100

photographing nature in your backyard daffodils

The same flower shot with the sun at my back | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/800 sec | f/4 | ISO 100

photographing nature in your backyard backlit leaf

Backlighting a leaf reveals details you wouldn’t see if you lit it directly | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/250 sec | f/4 | ISO 100

Flowers are seasonal, and in temperate zones, spring and summer offer the widest variety. There are still flowers to be found in winter, although you may need to look harder. Don’t forget that weeds, such as dandelions, are also beautiful! Autumn provides the greatest color spectrum in leaves.

photographing nature in your backyard

Liquidambar leaves photographed en masse | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/80 sec | f/4 | ISO 640

photographing nature in your backyard

A single leaf isolated against a dark background | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/30 sec | f/4 | ISO 640

2. Fruit, berries, and seed pods

When the summer flowers disappear, fruits and berries are nature’s way of providing for birds and animals throughout the colder months. Many berries and seed pods ripen towards the end of autumn, bringing color to the winter garden. Citrus trees bear fruit in winter, and persimmon trees lose their leaves to reveal branches of shiny orange fruits. Think also of acorns, pine cones, and nuts.

photographing nature in your backyard kumquat

Kumquat | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/50 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 2500

photographing nature in your backyard

Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/500 sec | f/8 | ISO 800

photographing nature in your backyard

Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/1250 sec | f/5 | ISO 500

photographing nature in your backyard rosehip

Orange rosehip | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/160 sec | f/5 | ISO 500

photographing nature in your backyard berries

Bunches of red berries | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/100 sec | f/5 | ISO 500

3. After the rain

Raindrops are fascinating through the lens. Try photographing them from various angles and in different lighting.

When photographing a single droplet, or a string of them, isolate them by keeping the background uncluttered. You can do this by creating distance between the droplets and the background, and by using a wide aperture to ensure the background is blurred. Notice also how water sits in nice round droplets on some types of leaves, but on others it disperses.

photographing nature in your backyard arthropodium leaves

Arthropodium leaves after the rain | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/80 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 800

photographing nature in your backyard raindrops

Raindrops hang from the slats on the back of a garden chair | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/125 sec | f/4 | ISO 1000

photographing nature in your backyard

Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/125 sec | f/4 | ISO 640

photographing nature in your backyard raindrops

Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/125 sec | f/4 | ISO 1000

4. Mushrooms, toadstools, and fungi

These are abundant in autumn and winter, but some species pop up throughout the year after rain. Look in damp, mossy places, on the sides of trees, and in log piles for them.

My personal favorites are the red toadstools with white speckles. They are evocative of fairy tales and magic, and their colors are a nature photographer’s dream!

photographing nature in your backyard toadstool

Toadstool | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/250 sec | f/6.3 | ISO 1000

photographing nature in your backyard

Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/160 sec | f/6.3 | ISO 1000

But don’t ignore the tiny, dull-colored mushrooms and fungi. The mushrooms in the photo below were growing in a crevice on the side of my herb garden. You can see by the scale of the woodgrain how tiny they were. From above, they were nondescript, but when I laid on the ground beneath them and shot into the backlight, they became translucent and I could see their delicate structure.

photographing nature in your backyard

These tiny mushrooms were no bigger than the fingernail on my pinky finger! | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/160 sec | f/8 | ISO 800

5. Look up; look down

We have a gigantic tree in our backyard. It was probably planted when our house was first built in the 1920s, and its canopy is as big as the house itself. One of my favorite things to do in the warmer months is to put a picnic rug on the lawn and lie on my back gazing up into the tree’s branches. It is free therapy!

Watching the leaves change from bright spring green through to darker green in summer, the first blush of color in autumn, through to a rich claret just before they drop, never ceases to delight me. I have photographed it time and time again through the seasons. Even lying on the ground with my 35mm lens, I can only capture a small portion of the canopy.

photographing nature in your backyard tree

Sigma 35mm ART lens | 1/60 sec | f/11 | ISO 160

photographing nature in your backyard tree

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens | 1/100 sec | f/11 | ISO 160

If you are lucky enough to have trees in your garden, try standing or lying directly underneath them and shooting up into the branches. Notice how the light changes from early morning throughout the day into late afternoon and evening. Branches, whether they are naked or covered with leaves, contrast beautifully against a blue sky. They are also stunning at sunrise and sunset and on moonlit nights.

photographing nature in your backyard tree

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens | 1/200 sec | f/11 | ISO 200

If you don’t have any trees, look for interesting cloud formations to photograph. You can create a collection of skies to use as Photoshop overlays, which can add interest to other outdoor photos such as portraits. Look for vertical cloud formations, fat white fluffy clouds, and those lovely soft colors around the edge of the clouds at dusk and dawn.

You can also turn your attention downward. On the ground are a million microcosms among the moss, the lawn, between the paving stones, and in the fallen bark and leaves. You won’t see them until you get down to ground level, so lie flat on your tummy and peer into another world.

photographing nature in your backyard moss

The moss on a tree trunk | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/40 sec | f/4 | ISO 640

6. Black and white beauty

We tend to think of color photography when we think of nature, but don’t dismiss the idea of black and white images. Nature provides sculptural shapes and contrasting textures that make great black and white subjects. If you have succulents or cacti in your garden, they are often more interesting in black and white than they are in color (except on those rare occasions when they flower). Ditto with white flowers against a dark background. Smooth pebbles, rough bark, snail shells, acorns, and pine cones all look fabulous in black and white. Try strong, directional lighting and a high contrast edit.

photographing nature in your backyard

When I converted this file to black and white in Lightroom, I played with the sliders in the B&W panel. The photo on the left has the blue slider pulled all the way down to -100 to darken the sky. On the right, the blue slider is set to zero.

photographing nature in your backyard

 Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro | 1/100 sec | f/8 | ISO 100

7. Experiment with sun flare and haze

Your backyard is one of the best places to experiment with effects and new techniques. Firstly, you can become familiar with how things look at various times of the day and throughout the seasons. Secondly, you don’t need to travel far, so you can respond to anything on a whim. If you spot something amazing while you’re sipping your morning coffee, you needn’t even get out of your pajamas to capture it!

The subjects in the two photographs below are both visible from my desk. Every morning last summer, I noticed how this shaft of hazy sunlight would hit the planting of succulents on a pedestal, so I knew exactly what time to capture it at its best. Also sitting at my desk, I saw how the sun caught a spray of orchids just after the rain, and I rushed outside with my camera.

photographing nature in your backyard sun flare

Canon 85mm lens | 1/800 sec | f/4 | ISO 100

photographing nature in your backyard

Shot with sun flare and no lens hood | 1/1000 sec | f/4 | ISO 100

photographing nature in your backyard

For comparison, this is the same scene shot with a lens hood to reduce flare | 1/320 sec | f/4 | ISO 100

8. Snails, bugs, and spiders

For nine months out of the year, there are a million creepy-crawlies in my backyard. This includes butterflies, cicadas, crickets, praying mantises, caterpillars, moths, bees, wasps, and spiders (I could happily do without the latter two). At the time of writing, it is winter in Melbourne, so most bugs are hiding or dormant.

9. Birds and other wildlife

I’m going to begin this section with honesty.

Confession number one: Photographing wildlife of any kind requires more patience and a longer telephoto lens than I possess.

Confession number two: I have the greatest admiration for those who do wildlife photography. I have a Pinterest board just for animal photos (I have a clear bias towards squirrels), and on 500px I follow a number of photographers, one of whom only photographs squirrels!

The kinds of animals and birds you’re likely to find in your backyard obviously depends on which part of the world you live in and how built-up your neighborhood is. You will know which kinds of critters visit your backyard and what their habits are. With that in mind, find a spot where you won’t be too conspicuous and be prepared to wait. If you’re using a long lens, you might consider working with a tripod or a monopod to avoid camera shake. Have your ISO and aperture all set to go, plus a fast shutter speed to freeze motion. If you have been watching an animal’s behavior over several days or weeks, it may be possible to focus roughly on the area you expect them to appear (for example, the birdbath).

Also read: Guide to Attracting Critters to Your Garden for Backyard Wildlife Photography

10. Portraits in nature

Nature provides us with the perfect canvas for portraiture. Look for a bank of flowers, a bed of autumn leaves, or just a green hedge. The colors in nature never seem to clash.

When photographing children and pets, in particular, I almost always prefer an outdoor location over a studio. My eldest daughter usually runs a mile when she sees the camera, but the chance to roll around with the dog in glorious leaves was clearly too much for her to resist (see the image below).

I love how the soft hues flatter my daughter’s skin tone. If you are shooting outdoors with lots of colors, such as flowers or autumn leaves, pay attention to your subject’s outfit. These portraits might have been too busy if my daughter had been wearing a patterned outfit.

photographing nature in your backyard portrait with dog

Not even teenage daughters can resist these leaves! | 1/400 sec | f/4 | ISO 320

photographing nature in your backyard portrait with dog

1/320 sec | f/4 | ISO 320

Conclusion

So there you have it: Plenty of inspiration to get outdoors and photograph nature in your own backyard. It’s time to stop reading and get out there with your camera.

Here are some additional articles that will help improve your outdoor and nature photography skills:

  • 3 Habits Every Outdoor Photographer Should Develop to Avoid Missing Shots
  • 5 Tips for Better Nature Photography
  • 27 Serene Images of the Natural World

The post 10 Ideas for Photographing Nature in your Backyard appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karen Quist.


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