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Triangle Composition in Photography: A Quick Guide (Plus Tips)

13 Apr

The post Triangle Composition in Photography: A Quick Guide (Plus Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

triangle composition in photography a quick guide

Speaking about triangle composition, artist Wassily Kandinsky once said, “The impact of the acute angle of a triangle on a circle produces an effect no less powerful than the finger of God touching the finger of Adam in Michelangelo.”

Recognizing the momentum within a triangular shape, painters have regularly capitalized on the visual drama of triangular structures. But painters aren’t the only ones to utilize triangles; photographers have also made extensive use of the shape to add impact, lead the eye, and emphasize spirited angles unfolding within the photographic frame.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the dynamics of triangles in photographic composition.

What is triangle composition in photography?

Triangle composition relies on the use of triangular shapes or concepts to create a better image.

Triangles can be found everywhere. Signs, architecture, geography, sailboats, food, arrows, aviation, wallpaper, optical illusions (see the Penrose triangle); the list goes on!

Why are triangles useful?

Triangles are useful in composition for many reasons. Perhaps one of the most obvious selling points of triangles is their striking versatility.

For instance, triangles can represent direction and orientation; they can signal stasis or momentum. A triangle that recedes into the horizon creates the impression of perspective and depth. Off-kilter triangles paired with vivid colors create impactful shapes that express energy and dynamism. And depending on whether a triangle is facing left or right, it can represent progress, forward motion, or backtracking (just think of the symbols on a TV remote!).

Triangles in composition can also create order in chaos. That’s why triangles can be helpful in planning a photograph or figuring out why an image works the way it does.

Over time, artists have developed different compositional concepts to help create appealing imagery. The golden triangle is a visualization that divides the frame into four triangles, like this:

A diagram of the golden triangle composition rule

The golden triangle suggests one of three approaches:

  1. Fill one of the triangles with a main subject.
  2. Align some diagonal subject matter with at least one of the diagonal golden triangle lines.
  3. Line up a significant point in the composition with a point of intersection.
A web with the golden triangle composition rule overlay
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II with extension tubes | f/2.5 | 1/50s | ISO 100

Triangles found in both the natural and modern landscape can visually unite or disrupt a photograph.

And by incorporating triangles or the golden triangle overlay into a photographic composition, you can control the energy and focus of an image.

Common triangle types

There are several types of triangles you should know:

Self-contained triangles can be found throughout the natural and urban environment. These distinct shapes can command attention and often serve as a key component or structural element within a photograph.

(Interestingly, some triangles do extend beyond the frame, thus becoming more indirect triangular compositions.)

Other triangular formats include triangles with rounded edges, which deliver a softened visual effect.

Triangle composition leaves in the rain
Triangular patterns found in nature.
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/5 | 1/160s | ISO 100

Implied triangles are more subtle arrangements of subject matter that can generate the impression of a triangle composition. Implied triangles aren’t a single specific triangular subject. Instead, they borrow from different elements in an image to form a triangle-like arrangement.

Out of focus lights arranged in triangle patterns
Implied triangles formed from points of light.
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/4 | 1/100s | ISO 250

The type and behavior of triangles can significantly impact a photograph.

To create stability or instability within an image, triangles can teeter on a point or rest firmly on a vertical line. Symmetrical triangles can signal equilibrium whereas asymmetrical triangles can represent an object to overcome or act as a symbol of intensification.

A triangle pointing at the sky can represent the peak of a goal or journey toward success. A triangle pointing at the ground can represent direction, a downfall, or a lessening of intensity.

Other triangles can point to specific subjects or even represent the main subject.

Tips for working with triangles

Triangles are intriguing shapes, and working with them doesn’t have to be hard.

Here are a few tips for creating beautiful triangle compositions in photography:

1. Use variety

Triangles come in many shapes and forms. To add variety to your photos, include different triangle sizes, types, and orientations (this will also help you develop an eye for the shape).

triangles on a sidewalk
Triangles can disrupt patterns and direct the viewer.
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/8 | 1/125s | ISO 100

2. Try the golden triangle rule

As I explained earlier, the golden triangle is a visual device used to help create harmonious compositions.

While the golden triangle takes practice to visualize (see the overlay displayed above), it encourages you to make the most of the available subject matter. The rule also draws attention to areas in a composition that might otherwise be ignored.

3. Rules can be broken

Although triangle composition is an engaging approach to photography, compositional rules can be bent and broken.

The golden triangle serves as a guide or exercise rather than a definitive rule – and can therefore be manipulated or ignored.

And using triangular subject matter in a composition is pretty flexible. For example, rounded points or points that extend off the edge of the photograph can still suggest engaging and cohesive triangle-based compositions.

Triangle composition in photography: final thoughts

Over the centuries, triangles and triangle composition have come to represent strength, vitality, energy, and momentum.

By incorporating triangles (and the golden triangle rule) into your compositions, you can create dynamic, eye-catching photos.

So the next time you’re out with your camera, look for triangles – and create some powerful compositions!

A utility pole with triangle composition
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/9 | 1/250s | ISO 100

Triangle composition FAQ

What is triangle composition?

Triangle composition is either the incorporation of triangular shapes into photographic work or adherence to the golden triangle compositional rule.

What is the golden triangle?

The golden triangle is a compositional device. By mentally dividing an image into triangular sections, you can arrange elements to create beautiful compositions.

Where can I photograph triangles?

Triangles make up our world in many ways. Triangles can be found in the urban landscape as well as the natural environment. Once you start looking, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to photograph triangles.

How can I use triangle composition?

There are several ways to incorporate triangular compositions into a photograph. The most obvious ways involve photographing triangular shapes themselves and using the golden triangle rule to guide your compositions. You can also use implied triangles to loosely organize subjects in a triangular format.

The post Triangle Composition in Photography: A Quick Guide (Plus Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.


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Your Quick Guide to Understanding Photoshop Adjustment Layers

09 Dec

The post Your Quick Guide to Understanding Photoshop Adjustment Layers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

photoshop adjustment layers a quick guide

Adjustment layers are one of the most essential aspects of editing images in Photoshop. They let you apply rich, detailed edits to your photos that go well beyond what you can accomplish in other programs.

Now, adjustment layers can be a bit difficult to understand if you’re used to a more streamlined application like Lightroom, Apple Photos, or Luminar. But with a bit of practice, you can easily master Photoshop adjustment layers and take your photo editing to the next level!

Photoshop adjustment layers magnolia seed
Nikon D7100 | 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/500s | f/2.8 | ISO 250

What are Photoshop adjustment layers?

When you open a picture in Photoshop, you can’t just start dragging sliders to change its appearance. Before you can do much of anything, you need to start with layers, which serve as the bedrock of everything that makes Photoshop so powerful.

Photoshop adjustment layers leaf
Nikon D7100 | 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/250s | f/2.8 | ISO 450

To help visualize the concept of adjustment layers, think about a physical picture sitting on your desk. If you wanted to give the picture a green tint, you could simply drape a sheet of green cellophane over it.

That’s exactly how adjustment layers work in Photoshop: They let you change the visual properties of your image without destroying the underlying file. You can add as many adjustment layers as you want and use them to change things like white balance, exposure, hue/saturation, and over a dozen other properties.

In other words:

Photoshop adjustment layers are like stacking sheets of digital cellophane on top of your images. Each layer can be controlled individually and combined with layer masks to apply edits to specific parts of your images. All of this might seem needlessly complicated compared to the simplicity of other programs, but once you get the hang of Photoshop adjustment layers, you’ll never want to go back.

Photoshop adjustment layers dandelion
Nikon D7100 | 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/2000s | f/2.8 | ISO 100

Another way to think about Photoshop adjustment layers is by comparing them to panels in the Develop module of Lightroom.

However, the Develop panels only offer a handful of adjustments that you can use. Photoshop lets you stack as many layers as you need – even multiple layers of the same type of adjustment – so you can tweak your images as much as you could possibly want. There is a bit of a learning curve, but the results are well worth the effort.

How to add an adjustment layer

The first step when working with adjustment layers is to load an image into Photoshop. Then click on the Adjustments panel, which is usually located above the Layers panel.

(If you don’t see the Adjustments panel, go to the Window menu and choose Adjustments.)

Photoshop adjustment layers
Load an image into Photoshop and then click the Adjustments panel.

The Adjustment panel offers sixteen adjustments to choose from, and sorting through all of these can be overwhelming (especially if you’re used to the simple, straightforward editing parameters available in Lightroom).

Photoshop adjustments
Each one of these icons is a specific type of adjustment. Hover your cursor over each one to see a brief description.

Some of these adjustments are similar to what you might find in Lightroom, such as Brightness/Contrast and Color Balance. But using the adjustments is much different from working in Lightroom and, in some ways, more complicated. Fortunately, that also means you can get much better results.

To see how this process works, I’ve included an image (below) that clearly needs some editing. Thankfully, Photoshop adjustment layers are here to help!

Photoshop adjustment layers Minnesota
Fujifilm X100F | 23mm | 1/4000s | f/8 | ISO 200

I’ll start by adding a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer, which is a simple matter of just clicking the Brightness/Contrast icon in the Adjustments panel. Immediately, two sliders appear, which you can use to make the picture brighter or darker and to add or remove contrast.

Brightness/Contrast editing parameters
After clicking an adjustment layer icon, the available editing parameters show up for you to start working with.

A few seconds later, my picture is much improved, thanks to a brightness boost. However, there is still a lot of work left to do.

Photoshop adjustment layers Minnesota
Brightness +75, Contrast -5

One other thing happens when you click an adjustment layer icon that you might not notice but is critically important:

The Layers panel will create a layer specifically for that adjustment.

adjustment layers
Clicking an adjustment icon automatically adds a new layer to your image with the selected adjustment as its title.

This new layer, along with all the icons associated with it, is what gives an adjustment so much flexibility. In Lightroom, you can enable and disable individual panels in the Develop module, but you don’t have this level of control over your adjustments.

masking icon

Note the different icons in the short screen capture above:

  • Indicates layer visibility: Click this to hide or show the adjustment.
  • Layer thumbnail: Double-click this to show the editing parameters (sliders, eyedroppers, etc.) for the adjustment layer.
  • Indicates layer mask is linked to layer: Click this to unlink the adjustment layer mask from the adjustment. If you’re new to adjustment layers, you can just ignore this altogether.
  • Layer mask thumbnail: This is a very tiny preview of the layer mask that is created by default when you click on a new adjustment layer icon. Click this to show the editing parameters of the mask.

While my picture of the Minnesota sign is better than when I started, it still needs a lot of improvement. The next thing I want to do is set the white balance, but this option is missing from the Adjustments panel.

Instead, you have to use the Curves adjustment, then click the gray point eyedropper. Next, click a neutral or slightly gray portion of your image to counteract any color casts. Note that this process essentially replicates the White Balance function of Lightroom.

curves adjustment
Select the gray point tool, then click a slightly gray or neutral area of your photo to set the white balance of the image.

One thing you might notice is that the Curves options in Photoshop are much more comprehensive than the Curves options in Lightroom. This should give you an indication of how much more flexibility you have with adjustment layers. You can use Curves to do everything you would do in Lightroom, along with much, much more.

The final operation to fix this image involves a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. Click on the Hue/Saturation icon to bring up a panel that looks like this:

Photoshop adjustment layers
The Hue/Saturation adjustment layer parameters

The key to this panel is the hand icon in the top-left. Click it, then click on a part of your image that you would like to saturate or de-saturate.

In this case, I want to start with the grass below the sign. Clicking and dragging to the right makes it much greener, and gives a sense of vibrance that is sorely missing from the original.

Photoshop adjustment layers Minnesota
The grass and foreground elements really pop, thanks to a quick tweak with the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer.

This is a good start, but I need to fix the sky, and that is where a layer-based approach really starts to come in handy.

Instead of editing the sky with the adjustment layer I just created, I can add a new adjustment layer and use that for the sky. This allows me to control my Hue/Saturation edits for individual parts of the image, instead of having just one Hue/Saturation adjustment layer that affects the entire scene.

Minnesota statue with boosted sky colors
The sky colors are now improved. These edits are applied using a layer separate from the grass edits, and thus can be controlled independently.

While the resulting picture is much better than the original, there is still some tweaking that needs to be done for it to truly feel finished.

Adjustment layer masks, explained

Eagle-eyed observers might notice something amiss with the picture above:

The Minnesota sign now has a purple tint to it.

Never fear, adjustment layers are here! Click the white rectangle next to a layer name to edit its mask:

layer masks

You see, by painting black onto a layer’s mask, you prevent that area of the photo from being affected by the adjustment. So if you don’t want the sign to be affected by the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer, simply paint black over the portion of the mask that covers the sign!

Here’s how it works:

First, select the Brush tool (press B or click the Brush icon in the left-hand toolbar).

Make sure your foreground color is white and your background color is black (to do this quickly, just hit D).

Now it’s time to actually paint the mask. Press the X key to switch between white (revealing) and black (hiding), and the [ and ] keys to increase or decrease the size of the brush.

For tricky shapes like the sign, you can use the Magic Wand tool to select the shape. Then, with the shape still selected, use the Brush tool to mask (remove) the adjustment from that portion of the image.

Photoshop adjustment layers Minnesota

A closer inspection of the Layers panel now shows a black silhouette over the portion that has been masked out of the top Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. I have also renamed the top two layers so as to accurately describe the type of effect they have on the image.

(Double-click a layer name to rename it, and press Enter when you finish typing.)

Photoshop adjustment layers
The mask for the Hue/Saturation Sky adjustment layer shows a black patch where the adjustment has been concealed.

Nondestructive editing

One mistake some beginners make when editing images in Photoshop is applying adjustments directly to the original photo. This can be done using the Image>Adjustments menu, which gives you common editing options such as Brightness/Contrast, Hue/Saturation, and more. Unlike adjustment layers, these edits are not easy to work with, nor are they easy to alter once they have been implemented.

Photoshop adjustment layers, on the other hand, are nondestructive. You can tweak and change layers after they have been implemented, and you can easily delete them. That’s why layer adjustments are much more flexible than edits applied directly to an image.

Photoshop adjustment layers
Adjustment layers can be renamed, re-sorted, locked, disabled, and made transparent. And that’s just the beginning!

You can perform all manner of custom tweaks and changes to adjustment layers, such as:

  • Showing/hiding a layer by clicking the eye icon
  • Editing the adjustment by clicking the light/dark circle icon
  • Adjusting the opacity of a layer
  • Changing the blend mode, which adjusts how the layer interacts with layers below it
  • Adjusting the order of the layers by clicking and dragging
  • Locking a layer to prevent further changes by clicking the lock icon

Photoshop adjustment layers open up new editing possibilities that simply cannot be achieved in Lightroom. For example, the image of a leaf from the beginning of this article can be altered with a selective color adjustment in a matter of seconds. All I need to do is add a Black & White adjustment layer. I can then select the leaf with the Magic Wand tool and paint over the selection on the layer mask.

leaf in color with black and white background
Adding a selective color black and white effect took about four seconds.

Photoshop adjustment layers: conclusion

If you have a Creative Cloud Photography subscription, you can use Photoshop in addition to Lightroom at no extra charge. Now, if the sheer level of options and buttons in Photoshop makes you want to run to the comfort and safety of Lightroom, I get it. I have been there, too, and I still have that feeling from time to time.

However, learning to use Photoshop adjustment layers is one of the first steps in understanding how powerful and flexible Photoshop can be. If you have not yet tried working with layers, take a moment to test them out. See what layers can do for you.

You might be surprised at how easy it is!

The post Your Quick Guide to Understanding Photoshop Adjustment Layers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.


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Using Lightroom vs Photoshop: A Quick Reference Comparison

21 Oct

One of the most common questions we get from photographers that are just starting out is about photo editing software and which one they should use. Most people have heard of Adobe and its Photoshop and Lightroom software but are confused to what the differences between them are and exactly which one they should be using. Let’s take an in Continue Reading

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5 Quick Reasons to Use the Nifty Fifty for Landscape Photography

30 Aug

The post 5 Quick Reasons to Use the Nifty Fifty for Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.

The 50mm prime lens, commonly known as the Nifty Fifty, is a lens that even inexperienced photographers have likely heard of. Most of us know it for its outstanding qualities; it’s an inexpensive, high-quality, prime lens that is in plenty of photographers’ bags around the world and is one of the most popular lenses of all time.

What we might not think of a Nifty Fifty as, however, is a lens normally used for landscape photography. The field of view is tight, and the lens doesn’t possess a focal length wide enough to usually be considered proper for this sort of work.

But I have. For four years, the 50mm f/1.8 has been my workhorse for portfolio building (which is primarily nature and landscape), and even though I’m branching off with other lenses, I can’t stress the usefulness of the Nifty Fifty. And I’m not alone.

50mmLens

My primary reasoning for using the 50mm instead of going out and buying a proper wide-angle lens such as a 35mm or even wider?

Cost.

I was diving back into photography, and I was on an extremely tight budget. After buying my camera, spending $ 500 on a lens simply wasn’t an option. It didn’t take long for me to hear my fellow photographers sing the praises of this wonderful lens: cheap, fast, and sharp. Right up my alley.

There are no tricks or immaculate revelations here, and you won’t likely become famous for taking only landscape shots with 50mm lenses. But there are a few reasons why shooting landscapes with a 50mm lens can produce great results.

Giving it a try can only improve your photography and make you a better observer of the world around you.

Focus on what’s important

We think of landscapes as sprawling, wide shots that include many elements in one frame, but do they have to be that way? Can we not capture the beauty of the area around us in a tighter package? The rolling hills and an interesting tree in an outdoor scene are more than enough to create a photo that provokes thought.

The Nifty Fifty makes it easier to focus on whatever is most important in your photo, while still capturing enough around the subject to lend it scope.

The Nifty Fifty makes it easier to focus on whatever is most important in your photo, while still capturing enough around the subject to lend the shot scope.

Shooting at this focal length forces us to focus on the most important parts of what we’re seeing around us. Trimming the fat, as they say. In doing this, we’re also training ourselves psychologically to do the same in all of our shots.

Quality

Landscapes usually require very good sharpness, and 50mm prime lenses excel at that. No extra moving parts normally required for zooms makes for a crisper, sharper result. As with most lenses, the Nifty Fifty sweet spot isn’t wide open, but more in the f/4 to f/5.6 range. And narrower apertures will still yield excellent results.

The 50mm prime allows you to capture very sharp images

The 50mm prime allows you to capture very sharp images.

Take your time

Since the 50mm is a prime lens, you’ll get an added benefit (or detriment, depending on how much you care for walking): The single focal length means you can’t just shoot from anywhere. Instead, you’ll need to move around to find the best angle and distance. This automatically forces you to think about your shot a bit more, which is always a good thing.

The 50mm allows you to think differently about the landscape or subject you're framing, and to make more creative choices.

A 50mm lens allows you to think differently about the landscape or subject you’re framing and to make more creative choices.

With a zoom, you’d adjust focal length without even thinking until the scene is framed in a way that looks good. But what if that isn’t the best angle or distance? The Nifty Fifty will give you the incentive to take a chance and try something different, whether it be an angle, a distance, or a perspective.

No wide angle…or can there be?

Of course, there can! The 50mm gives you a gentle push into playing around with some panoramic shots. Three, four, five, or more shots can be stitched into a flattering wide-angle composite, sometimes with even more dramatic results than a single wide-angle shot.

By stitching together shots, we can create a panorama that gives us the wide field of view we're looking for

By stitching together shots, we can create a panorama that gives us the wide field of view we’re looking for.

Lightweight is king

If you’re serious about landscape photography, you’re probably already lugging around a considerable amount of gear. Camera bodies, other lenses (you don’t go out with just one lens, do you?), tripods; the list goes on.

The last thing you need is more heavy lenses when you’re out and about, right? Do you know what the Canon 50mm f/1.8 weighs? 4.6 ounces (130 g). It’s short, sweet, and light to boot.

At the end of the day, all lenses and focal lengths have advantages and disadvantages, and the case can certainly be made for using wider glass. But, as a teaching tool, the 50mm prime lens is a great option for your landscape photography; it will make you think a bit differently about your photos and easily provide you with clear, sharp images.

The post 5 Quick Reasons to Use the Nifty Fifty for Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.


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15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

04 Jul

The post 15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

dps 15 poses for family photographs

In this article, we’re going to share 15 quick and easy poses for family photographs to try at your next family photo session to keep it moving smoothly. You will also have great poses to choose from when it comes time to deliver the images to your clients.

These poses are useful for all family sizes and types so that you have a great variety to deliver once complete.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM, 1/250th, f/2.8, ISO 250

1. Standing poses

When it comes to photographing families, a standing pose is a great choice. This way, you’ll be able to see all family members in the portrait.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/1250th, f/2.2, ISO 400

You can vary the standing pose with the family close together, connecting in one way or another with hands. Having the family get close can help to create more of a connection between the family members.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 28-105mm F3.5-4.5 USM, 28mm, 1/160th, f/8, ISO 400

Another great standing pose is where you give each person a little bit of space and take a wide shot. This works for small and large families!

2. Group squeeze

A group squeeze is another of the great poses for family photographs given that it can bring about some genuine smiles from the family, which is the real focus of the pose.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Ask your clients to get close and hug each other while still facing the camera, then ask them to squeeze tight and watch the laughter happen! Take as many photos as possible of the moment as the family will love to see these natural expressions caught on camera!

3. Sitting pose

Sitting is another great pose to try. First, ask if there is anyone who has problems sitting or getting low. If there are family members with issues, try and use a chair or a posing stool.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Otherwise, have the family sit comfortably and get variations of the family looking at the camera, looking at each other, perhaps sitting a little further apart, or try to have the children behind the parents sitting a bit taller.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

If you are going to use a chair or stool, it can bring about many different levels in a photograph that will make the poses more interesting. Try people behind the person sitting on the stool, move the stool/chair to the side, and have everyone fill in around.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/1000th, f/2, ISO 400

If you’re photographing a big family, you can even pose family members beneath the stool/chair to add to the levels.

4. Walking together

When looking for poses for family photographs, you can’t go past them walking together. It is a great pose for all families, especially if they feel a little nervous or stiff. Have them line up and walk towards you while they look at each other and laugh.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Encourage them to talk and joke amongst themselves to make the shot look a little more natural.

5. Smaller groups

This pose is for big family sessions where you’re photographing smaller groups that make up the big family. Get each smaller family alone and photograph them in two to three different poses each. Use the same poses for each family to keep the session consistent. When all the family photos are put together in a wall gallery, for example, the photos fit well together.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

You don’t have to use the same pose for all, you can change it up depending on the feeling each smaller group gives you. However, when we say keep it consistent, we’re talking about the lighting, background, and focal length.

6. All mixed up

A fun way to photograph the family is to have them mix it up and then get together for a portrait. This can get the family scrambling and laughing; allowing you to get more natural smiles from the entire family.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/320th, f/5.6, ISO 250

7. Jumping

Jumping is another of the great poses for family photographs. Capturing a jumping shot is a great way to loosen up client nerves. More than actually getting the best shot, the jumping photo is to get everyone laughing and having fun.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

You can photograph the jump with the family facing you or away from you. Make sure you get low so the jump looks more dynamic.

8. Just the kids

It’s good to also get a few photographs of the children without any adults in the photos. For siblings, get them playing or hugging.

For larger groups of children, like grandchildren, get them all in a group squeeze or on different levels like piggyback, sitting/standing, or all lined up so that everyone is seen in the portrait.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

You can also break down the groups of children into girls, boys, older and younger, and maybe all playing together.

9. Exploring

Nothing says meltdown like telling children to hold still and pose. To avoid a potential meltdown, allowing kids to explore their surroundings helps to keep them moving and engaged in the session.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Get the parents involved in exploring the location. It could be smelling flowers, picking up sticks, and taking in the surroundings.

This works perfectly for kids who are more sensory and for younger children. It can also help older kids feel less nervous and less focused on during the session.

10. Playful

Having fun is one of the best parts of the client experience. Making sure that your clients, especially the children, have a good time is really important.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Photograph the children building sandcastles, enjoying the playground, throwing a ball, or playing a game with their parents to help keep everything light and fun. It’s not a pose exactly that you direct, but you can choose where to have them play.

Having playful photos of the family completes the story of the session and also shows a more lighthearted side to the family. It also makes the session less stiff and serious.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/120th, f/5.6, ISO 400

Even if you’re in a studio, you can blow bubbles, play songs, have a dance party, and play with sounds to make the session more playful. Toys are a wonderful idea for smaller children.

11. Just the adults

While getting photos of the whole family is important, getting one or two poses of the adults by themselves also works to add variety to the whole session.

If the adults are a couple, pose them together in the same location. Take one with them looking at the camera and one looking at each other. Then have them walk a little while as they talk to each other.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

If they are able to sit, get a couple of photos of the couple sitting, either on steps, benches or on the grass/ground.

12. Holding hands

Holding hands is a good way to show a connection among the family members. Choose different poses, either sitting or standing, where the family is holding hands. You can vary it with big groups where some are holding hands and others are not.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

This works for children to get them to stand in the same place together. It can also help to hold hands with younger children so that they don’t stray too far and are engaged in the session.

13. Being themselves

Allowing your clients to simply be themselves as a family can be just the thing to calm nerves and help the session flow much more naturally. Help them by choosing where you want them to sit or stand and then have them talk amongst themselves.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

Perhaps tell a joke, dance or play. Allow the family to get natural expressions, which adds more variety to the final gallery.

14. Kisses

Families love each other and often show affection for each other. Kisses are natural and can show a real connection. You can choose to have the parents kiss while the kids make funny faces, have siblings kiss and hug, or have grandparents give kisses on the cheek.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

This works best with young children like babies and toddlers to show affection and draw the baby’s attention to the parents. It also works with group squeezes with smaller family units.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

15. From behind

Complete your session images with a final shot of the family from behind. This can be a silhouette or have the family overlooking the location where they are, like a beach, for example.

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

It can be a great photo to finish your client’s gallery with a nice contemplative photo of the family simply looking and being themselves.

In conclusion

15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs

It’s great to have 15 poses for family photographs that work for all families and all situations. Use these 15 poses, and you’ve already got a great start to your client’s gallery! Do you have any go-to poses that work for all family sessions? Share in the comments!

The post 15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.


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baselining your strobe for quick exposures

08 Jun

Digital cameras have been a great boon to photographers working with off-camera lights.  The ability to review an image instantly on an LCD (with histogram!) has obviated the need for tedious polaroiding and exhaustive metering of every inch of a scene to ensure correct light ratios and eliminate unwanted shadows.    So much so, in fact, that many photographers have begun to eschew the use of a flash meter entirely – relying on the LCD and histogram via trial and error to set their lights correctly.   Now while quick and easy, this method has it’s drawbacks, particularly for young photographers.   The question that frequently arises is:

“well, I’m essentially just guessing what power to set my flash on then chimping the exposure and adjusting accordingly but how do I know *where* to start with my flash”

Essentially this comes down to a combination of making an educated guess about the exposure and *knowing how much light your flash will put out*.

The beauty of light is that it is predictable.  Whether from the sun, a lightbulb, or a flash, given the same source and conditions, you will always get the same light.    We can use this to our advantage!

When working with flash, we have fundamentally 2 variable that we control to determine how much light falls on our subject – power and distance.   Power meaning how much actual light our flash is outputting and distance meaning how far away it is from the subject (remember that light falls off predictably according the inverse square law).    Since we know that light always behaves the same, we can be certain that at a given power and a given distance from our subject our flash will give the same result every time.

Now also remember that light from a flash behaves linearly – going from 1/4 power to 1/2 power is doubling the amount of light that it puts out and vica versa.  Thus if our flash exposes properly at f/8 at 1/8 power, it will give us f/11 at 1/4 power, f/5.6 at 1/16 and so forth (given the same distance to the subject).

Armed with this knowledge, we can quickly and easily estimate a “starting point” for exposure in almost any situation.  We do this by establishing a “reference point” at which we *know* the exposure of our flash, and can calculate from there.  I like to call this “baselining” the flash.  To do this:

  1. start with the flash on a medium power, which gives room to adjust up or down.  1/8 power is a good starting place
  2. now we need to ensure that we can replicate a consistent flash->subject distance.  You could carry around a tape measure but a fantastic trick I learned from the inimitable Don Giannatti is to measure using your outstretched arms.  Given that the average (male) photographer is probably between 5’5″ and 6’something, your outstretched armspan or “wingspan” is somewhere around 6′, which is a comfortable working distance for lights.   This also has the advantage of being quickly and easily reproducable “on set” – you simply stretch our your arms from subject and place the light at the end.
  3. Meter your light at your set power, at “wingspan”  – if you don’t have a flash meter, you can approximate by photographing an 18% greycard till the histogram spikes dead center and recording the appropriate aperture.
  4. adjust your light till you get a “comfortable” baseline.   Let’s assume that at “wingspan” we find our flash gives us f/8 at 1/8 power.   This is our baseline – we write it down (or just remember it).

Now lets put this info to use!

Let’s say we’re in the studio.   We want to do a shot with a key and fill light in a 2:1 ratio.   We want to shoot at f/11 to give  good depth of field for our subject.  What do we do?  We place our lights in the desired position, both at “wingspan”.   We know that each of them gives f/8 at 1/8 power at that distance.  f/11 is one stop up from f/8, so we set our main light to 1/4 power (one stop more power).  Our main light is now already double the light of our second, so we have our ratio right there – the second light stays at 1/8.   We shoot at f/11,  and our main light should be spot on with the second 1 stop under.   now if we want to “blow out the background” we simply add another light on the background at 1/2 power, giving us an exposure of f/16 – one stop over main. Of course this is not as “exact” as using a meter, but this gives us our starting place and we can adjust the lights from there based on the histogram.

It’s that easy!

This technique becomes particularly powerful when balancing ambient and flash outside.   Combined with the sunny/16 rule, we can use our baseline to roughly estimate the combined exposure of flash and ambient without chimping a single frame!

consider the common situation:  We are shooting outside and want to drop the ambient by 1 stop.  We see that it is mildly overcast – the sunny/16 rule says that our exposure should be approximately f/11@1/100 sec.   Again, we know our flash give f/8 at 1/8 power, so we set it at arms length from our subject.  In order to drop our ambient by a stop we increase our shutter speed to 1/200 (still at f/11) and adjust our flash up one stop to 1/4 power to give us f/11.    Done and Done.  Chimp, and adjust as needed.  If we are in situation where we can’t drop the ambient by shutter speed (already at sync limit), we can simply adjust the flash power to compensate.   Assume the same situation (ambient is f/11).   to keep the shutter speed the same and still drop the ambient by 1 stop, we need to shoot at f/16.   Again, knowing our flash gives f/8 at 1/8 we simply bump it up 2 stops to 1/2 power (f/8->f/11->f/16 = 1/8->1/4->1/2)

This may sound complicated, but once you  are comfortable estimating these exposure, it becomes almost second nature.  by using your baseline you will find yourself able to get exposure dead on within 1 or 2 “chimping” shots.

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DPReview TV: A quick hands-on look at the Sony ZV-1 vlogging camera

26 May

Sony just announced the ZV-1, a modified version of the RX100 series aimed specifically at vloggers. We take a look at six important features you may have missed from the announcement.

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  • Introduction
  • Built-in microphone
  • Sony 'real time' autofocus
  • Audio monitoring
  • Recording time limits
  • Color profile tweaks
  • Image stabilization
  • See you soon!

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Camera strap manufacturer Lucky introduces new quick release system

25 Apr

Australian accessories manufacturer Lucky has announced a new line of camera straps that feature new alloy clips that allow the strap to be taken off in a matter of seconds. A hoop of webbing is passed through a sprung clip and hooks on to the new clip and a safety latch is activated to ensure the clip doesn’t open by accident.

The company says the idea was to produce a quick release system that doesn’t need any attachments that have to be left on the camera when the strap isn’t in use. Users can then fit the camera into underwater housing for example without having to remove attachments from the camera’s lugs to make it fit.

Lucky has manufactured the webbing on the straps from a non-woven material called Dyneema that is claimed to be very strong and which makes the Lucky straps cut resistant. The company says the webbing isn’t cut-proof but demonstrates in a video that it can withstand rough treatment from a pair of scissors with only minor damage.

The straps are designed to be worn across the body and feature leather shoulder grips which can be personalized or there’s a choice of cotton. As well as regular and long length straps the company has introduced a wrist strap that uses the same quick-release system and webbing.

It’s worth noting the quick-release system bears a striking resemblance to that found on Peak Design’s Clutch hand strap, which also uses a carabiner-style quick-release system for attaching and detaching the strap from the camera.

The straps with the new quick-release system cost up to AUS $ 140/US $ 91, while the wrist straps are AUS $ 95/US $ 62.

For more information see the Lucky Straps website

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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10 Quick Beginner Tips for Fantastic Mobile Phone Photography

24 Dec

The post 10 Quick Beginner Tips for Fantastic Mobile Phone Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

mobile-phone-photography-tips

Photography is such an important part of our everyday life, and now we have photography at our fingertips with mobile phones. This article will share with you some simple tips so you can achieve awesome, and memorable mobile phone photography.

Photography is an incredible medium to document, share and preserve all those fleeting moments in time that seem to go by so quickly. I have to admit, I am a complete sap when it comes to taking pictures. I take way too many of my family because I really want to preserve each and every moment. Like the time when my husband surprised me and took me to New Zealand for our honeymoon, or the time when my kids hung out with their grandmother taking photos right by our front porch.

Little did we know that this would be the last time we would get to spend time with my mom. She lost her battle to cancer later that year and those images are priceless to me!

10 tips for mobile photography by Karthika Gupta

And even though I am a professional photographer, I find that I use my phone more often than not to capture precious everyday moments. After all, they say that the best camera is the one that you have with you, right?

So here are 10 tips to improve your mobile phone photography to make the best of your images. And just to be completely transparent, all the images shown in this post are through my iPhone (a mix of the 6s, 8 and 10 versions).

1. Clean your lens

This one is really basic, but you will be amazed at how many times I have reached for my phone only to find lots of smudges and dirt from little hands that think they are helping with everything and anything.

So, do yourself a favor and get into the habit of quickly wiping your phone camera lens before taking a shot. It does make a world of difference to the picture quality.

2. Manually set focus

Just like a real camera, your phone camera is also a sophisticated piece of technology. A lot of times, it is too smart for your own good! Typically when you point your phone camera at something, the phone will take an educated guess at what you want to photograph. If it recognizes faces, that’s what it will pick. To manually change focus from one subject to another, simply tap on the phone screen and choose your focus point.

Karthika Gupta 10 tips to improve mobile photography

3. Don’t use flash

Your phone camera has a flash, and it sucks! Sorry, there simply isn’t a way to sugarcoat this. The flash on your phone camera is not the most flattering for photos, and if you use natural light, also known as daylight or sunlight (take photos during the day), there is no reason to use flash.

Simply tap on the flash button to turn it off and use natural light (sunlight or ambient light) creatively. If you have to use flash, try not to point it directly at the subject. One way to avoid this is to have a second phone flash, a mobile phone light, or even flashlight pointing to the subject from the side. That way, you are avoiding that harsh flashlight from pointing at your subject.

4. Manually set exposure

Just as tip #2, you can adjust the exposure (also known as brightness of the photo) manually on your phone camera. This helps control how dark or how bright the photo will turn out when you press the shutter.

To adjust, simply tap on the screen and when you see the sunburst symbol or sunlight symbol, use your finger to swipe up or down to adjust or reduce the exposure accordingly.

Karthika Gupta 10 tips to improve mobile photography

5. Compose your photos creatively

This simply means avoid placing your subject in the center of the image all the time. There are many different creative composition rules, but the most famous of them all is ‘Rule of thirds.’

Here, the subject is placed in just one-third of the image, so the eye is drawn to that part of the image to make it aesthetically pleasing.

Karthika Gupta 10 tips to improve mobile photography

6. Rule of odds

Another tip for fantastic mobile phone photography is using the Rule of Odds. This means that when you have many subjects, try to have an odd number like 3, 5, 7, etc.

An odd number of subjects or focus elements are also perceived to be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye than an even number of elements in the frame. Do keep in mind that these rules are simply suggested photography concepts…not following them does not make the photo bad!

7. Straighten the horizon

One of the most aggravating things in a beautiful image is a crooked horizon. It throws the whole image out of whack! So take a moment and straighten any horizon lines in the frame. This can be done by selecting the grid function on your phone and making sure that horizontal lines are in line with the grid lines.

8. Use leading lines

Leading lines are a great way to lead the viewer into the frame and drawing attention to the subject matter. Roads, buildings, or even furniture placed creatively, can act as leading lines to draw the viewer into the image – almost inviting them to stay awhile and rest their eyes.

Karthika Gupta 10 tips to improve mobile photography

9. Photograph in natural light

There is something so pure and clean about photographing in natural light.

Natural light is simply outdoor light. No matter what the time of day, natural light has a very distinct quality. Photograph at different times of day outdoors and see how light affects the image.

The image below of a foggy morning out on Lake Michigan was actually taken from a moving car in burst mode. I really wanted to capture those orange posts against the blue-green water. You can also edit your images using a variety of mobile apps out there.

My personal favorites are SnapSeed and VSCO.

Karthika Gupta 10 tips to improve mobile photography

10. Try not to zoom

My final tip for fantastic mobile phone photography is to try not to zoom. The digital zoom of the phone camera is not very powerful – no matter what phone companies will have you believe.

When you use the digital zoom, a lot of noise and distortion is introduced in the frame. If possible, try to move your feet to get closer to the subject as opposed to using digital zoom.

Conclusion

There you have it – 10 quick and easy tips to help you improve your mobile phone photography and take it up a notch. Remember, oftentimes the best camera is the one you have at hand. And if you are like me, that phone literally lives with you 24×7, so might as well use it as a tool to not only document your everyday life but also improve your photography skills.

The post 10 Quick Beginner Tips for Fantastic Mobile Phone Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.


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DPReview TV: Fujifilm 16-80mm F4 hands-on quick review

19 Dec

The Fujifilm XF 16-80mm F4 R OIS WR is a versatile, everyday lens for X-mount cameras. We show you how it compares for image quality, and Jordan tells us why he thinks its a great lens for shooting video.

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  • Introduction
  • Design and build
  • Sharpness
  • Chromatic aberration
  • Image stabilization
  • Video performance
  • Noel Festival
  • Bokeh
  • Close focus
  • Conclusion

Sample gallery from this episode

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