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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”}] };

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.


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11 Photography Tips for Absolute Beginners (How to Get Started)

24 Aug

The post 11 Photography Tips for Absolute Beginners (How to Get Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lea Hawkins.

11 photography tips for absolute beginners

So you’ve decided to take up photography – but how do you begin? How do you deal with gear, camera settings, and Photoshop? More importantly, how do you start getting beautiful pictures, fast?

In this article, I aim to share plenty of advice for photography beginners, including:

  • How to buy the right gear
  • Tips for improving your skills ASAP
  • How to choose the right camera settings
  • Where to start with post-processing

Are you ready to jumpstart your photography hobby? Let’s dive right in!

1. Research gear (but don’t go overboard)

Your gear does not make you a good photographer.

In fact, if you are just starting out, a top of the line camera will not only be a waste of money, but it will also make your learning process trickier. A bit like buying a race car to learn to drive.

When you want to buy gear – whether it’s your first camera/lens/accessory or your tenth – do your research. It’s helpful to take a look at some photography forums or articles for camera recommendations. Once you find something that sounds viable and fits your budget, read professional and user reviews to determine whether it’ll satisfy your needs.

man with a camera beginner

2. Take lots of photographs

“Your first ten thousand photographs are your worst.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

As with any skill, the more you practice, the better you get. So the quickest way to get better? Simply head out with a camera and start taking pictures.

Of course, knowledge does matter, but there’s something essential about holding a camera in your hands, looking through the viewfinder, and considering different compositions. Aim to spend at least a few hours every week behind the lens (and more is better!). It doesn’t necessarily matter what you shoot – as long as you’re shooting, you’re improving.

And don’t beat yourself up if your shots don’t turn out the way you’ve envisioned. Part of photography is about failing repeatedly; over time, you’ll learn how to get the result you want, and you’ll come home with more and more keepers.

3. Read the manual

Camera manuals are quite possibly the most boring thing you have ever read in your life, and reading the camera manual is certainly the most boring thing you’ll ever do in pursuit of photographic improvement.

That said, I suggest you do it anyway.

man reading a camera manual falling asleep

Camera manuals are not exactly a riveting read.

Why? It’s important to know how your camera actually works, especially in the beginning. And the information will become useful down the line, too. You’ll be out in the field and you’ll want to know how to change a particular setting; if you’ve read the manual thoroughly, you’ll be able to figure it out on the fly. On the other hand, if you haven’t read the manual, you’ll be forced to look up instructions on your phone, and by then your photo opportunity will likely have disappeared.

Of course, you don’t need to read the manual all at once. I recommend you place it where you can push through in small installments while you are killing time, such as the bathroom, the car, or at work during your lunch break.

4. Don’t start with workshops

So you’ve got the photography bug. You might be thinking, “Ooh! I’ll sign up to a bunch of workshops; that way, I can improve really fast.”

And workshops are great. But they tend to be geared more toward enthusiasts – photographers who understand the basics and are looking to level up their skills in composition, lighting, and advanced techniques. That’s why I don’t recommend going nuts with workshops right away. Instead, you should really start with the basics:

  • How to operate your camera
  • The meaning of different photography terminology
  • How to determine the proper settings for the situation

Fortunately, you’ve already taken a step in the right direction, because you are currently reading one of the most useful photography sites on the internet. There are more tips and tutorials on this site than you will ever need, especially for a beginner. Once you get the hang of things, then you’ll have a better idea of the type of workshops that would suit you, and you might consider that route.

So I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do a workshop – just that you should wait until you know what suits your needs.

5. Connect with other photographers

Learning photography with others is often invaluable – whether you sign up to an online group or you join a local camera club.

For one, your photography will progress faster, plus it will be far more fun with the help of your fellow shutterbugs.

Man photographing with someone else

Connecting with other photographers is a great way to learn and get inspired.

Camera clubs often have monthly competitions and may organize photo tours, exhibitions, and other activities. Talking with knowledgeable photographers or even fellow beginners will not only inspire you, but also keep you motivated.

Also, sign up to some reputable photography newsletters and Facebook pages, or even reach out to photographers you admire. Most professional photographers don’t mind answering a few questions, as long as you are respectful, polite, and don’t demand too much of their time.

6. Try everything

This piece of advice is short and sweet.

While you may have taken up photography with a certain genre or subject in mind, it can be helpful to try all genres. You never know what you might have a knack for, or what you will learn along the way.

So shoot landscapes. Shoot portraits. Head out to the streets and do some urban photography. Find a beautiful flower and photograph close ups.

You never know; you might find a genre that you absolutely love and hadn’t ever considered.

7. Get feedback

Your friends and family may love you, but they will lie to you about your photography (and they may not even know what to look for). Unless you have a very honest friend or family member who actually knows a bit about art, it’s often more beneficial to get feedback from strangers.

Signing up to a photo sharing site where others can comment on your work will get you mostly honest feedback (sometimes brutally so). Years back, I posted the image below on a feedback site. I knew the image had faults, but I was keen to hear what someone else could point out and how they could help me improve.

woman standing on a cloud

Well, one fellow submitted a lengthy comment, basically pulling the image apart. He pointed out what seemed like several million faults, and he really went to town on it. But while the comments were painful and borderline unkind, it was useful advice that I could then apply to my next portrait photo shoot.

8. Enter free competitions

If you have money to spend and confidence in your work, by all means, enter some of the big competitions – even as a beginner. You wouldn’t be the first to take a major prize within the first few months of picking up a camera.

Even if you don’t want to spend money to enter competitions, there are plenty of free options. Throw in some images, see how the contest goes, and hey – maybe you’ll win!

9. Aim to get off Auto mode

If you really want to be a good photographer, this is vital.

Because while Auto mode is useful enough when you’re just getting started, it’ll eventually hold you back, and it’ll certainly prevent you from realizing your full potential.

You don’t need to rush, though. At first, just enjoy photographing, even if that means using Auto mode all the time.

Then slowly move up the ladder as you familiarize yourself with Program mode, Aperture Priority mode, and eventually Manual mode.

photography tips for beginners woman with a camera

In truth, manual settings aren’t nearly as difficult as some beginners think. It can be a bit like learning to drive. In the beginning, it’ll be challenging to manage gears, indicators, and steering, all while trying not to veer off the road. But with a bit of patience and practice, it’ll become second nature.

(When you are ready to try manual settings, there are plenty of beginner guides and cheat sheets here on dPS!)

10. Get a post-processing program

To become a serious photographer, you’ll eventually need an editing program.

Why? Because these days, editing is an essential part of the photographic process. If you want your photos to look their best, then you must learn to edit.

laptop and food on a bed

These days, your “darkroom” can sit with you in bed (alongside some extras!)

Which post-processing program is best?

Well, there are free programs such as Darktable and GIMP, which are nice but have their limitations. Then there are the big guns like Photoshop and Lightroom, which can be daunting for beginners. Personally, I recommend just forging ahead with Lightroom; if you intend to eventually get serious with your photography, it’s a hugely useful tool to understand, plus it’s not as difficult as it might initially seem.

Alternatively, you might consider an option such as ON1 Photo RAW or Luminar 4, both of which are slightly more beginner friendly than Lightroom yet pack a lot of power.

11. Have fun

This is the best and most important part of photography:

The enjoyment of it!

Don’t get bogged down by unsuccessful attempts or by comparing yourself to professionals. Even the best photographers in the world were beginners at some point. Just keep taking photographs, keep learning, keep challenging yourself, and above all, keep enjoying the fun you can have with photography!

Photography tips for beginners: final words

Hopefully, you’re now feeling inspired – and you’re ready to continue the learning process.

Photography is an adventure, and it’s a fun one, too. Sure, there will be ups and downs, but in the end, you’ll be glad you persevered!

The post 11 Photography Tips for Absolute Beginners (How to Get Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lea Hawkins.


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Black and White Photography: A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started

22 Jun

The post Black and White Photography: A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.

black and white photography a beginner's guide

If you’ve never tried black and white photography before, you may feel a bit intimidated. After all, how do you get started? Should you be shooting black and white on your camera, or should you be converting color images to black and white? And how can you create stunning black and white images, anyway?

In this article, I aim to answer all those questions. I’ll explain the value of black and white, how to do it, plus I’ll share some tips along the way!

Black and white photography

Why is black and white photography important?

In the photographic world, black and white is an art form of its own. Some would even say the best photographers work in monochrome. It’s a medium with a rich history; look at the work of Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, or Henri Cartier-Bresson for some truly stunning examples.

Just as importantly, working in black and white can help you become a better photographer. 

How?

It’s all about seeing.

Color is very powerful. It tends to dominate photos – to the point that beginners struggle to see other key elements like contrast, texture, shape, form, and quality of light.

Experienced photographers instinctively see these things, regardless of whether they work in color or black and white. But if you’re just starting out, you may need some assistance. Black and white strips away color, allowing you to focus on the other elements that matter.

seaside black and white
Black and white emphasizes the textures of the rocks and sea in this landscape photo.

Naturally, there are certain subjects that tend to work better than others in black and white. In particular, black and white lends itself to landscapes and portraits.

So if this is your first time shooting in black and white, then those are great starter subjects!

black and white portrait
Black and white portraits emphasize expression and light.

How to shoot in black and white

Before digital photography, the only way to work in black and white was to use black and white film.

But these days, you have two options:

  1. You can shoot in color and convert your photos to black and white in Lightroom, Photoshop, or some other post-processing program.
  2. You can switch your camera to its Monochrome mode.

I highly recommend you choose the second option, and here’s why:

By shooting in black and white from the beginning, you’ll get black and white previews on your camera’s LCD. You’ll also be able to see in black and white via your camera’s Live View mode. And if you use a mirrorless camera, you can look through a black and white viewfinder – so you know exactly how the different colors will convert before you press the shutter button.

(If you’re not sure how to switch your camera to black and white, check your camera’s manual. Don’t worry; it’s not difficult!)

One last piece of advice here:

Shoot in RAW, not JPEG (or shoot in RAW+JPEG, which will give you a file in each format every time you press the shutter button).

RAW essentially offers you insurance. If you decide you don’t like your shot in black and white, your RAW files can be reverted back to color with the click of a mouse. And if you decide to extensively edit your photos in post-processing, RAW gives you a lot of flexibility.

However, if you’re new to photography, I recognize that you may want to work exclusively in JPEG, and that’s okay. Just know that you’ll probably want to switch to RAW eventually (it’ll deliver better image quality in the long run).

Working in Monochrome mode

As explained above, I highly recommend you set your camera to Monochrome mode. And to get basic black and white shots, that’s all you need to do.

However, once you’re in Monochrome mode, you may have color filter options. And through careful application of these filters, you can capture even better black and white shots.

Color filters

The color filter settings come from the days of film photography. Photographers would use color filters to alter the tones in black and white photos. These days, digital photographers rarely work with physical color filters – instead, they use camera software or post-processing to mimic filter effects.

Your camera likely includes a few color filter options. For instance, you might use a yellow or orange filter to darken a blue sky or a red filter to turn it nearly black.

Here’s a shot before adding a color filter:

black and white church with less contrast
This scene works quite well in black and white, but it’s not nearly as dramatic as it could be.

And here’s the shot after applying a red filter:

Black and white church with red filter
Applying the red filter setting makes the blue sky go much darker, creating a dramatic version of the same scene.

There is also a place for green filters, which can bring out more detail in green subjects like leafy forests.

Those four colored filters (red, orange, yellow, and green) have made their way onto most digital cameras as black and white settings.

Quick tip: Don’t forget about contrast!

If you take a photo in dull light – in shade, for instance, or under a cloudy sky – the photo may look flat (i.e., two-dimensional), especially in black and white.

So what do you do?

You compensate by increasing the contrast. A contrast boost will deepen the shadows, brighten the highlights, and make your main subject pop!

Here’s a portrait without a contrast adjustment:

b&w portrait with no contrast adjustment
The model was standing in the shade when I took this photo. The light lacks contrast, and the black and white photo is flat.

And here’s the same portrait, but with a contrast boost:

Black and white portrait with contrast adjustment
Increasing contrast creates a much stronger image.

To my eye, the final (adjusted) result is much more powerful.

You can increase the contrast after the photo has been taken (in Photoshop or Lightroom), or you can do it in-camera by adjusting the contrast setting (see your manual if you’re not sure how to do this!).

Composing in black and white

Remember how I said black and white forces you to think about other key elements, such as shape and form?

It’s true. And it’s the reason why composition becomes so important when shooting in black and white.

Unfortunately, there’s not really a quick solution to capturing good compositions; a lot of it just depends on your ability to see shapes, lines, and textures (which you can develop through practice or study or simply by looking at great photography).

However, there is one item that can improve your black and white compositions:

The aspect ratio.

You see, certain aspect ratios (such as the 1:1, or square format) make composition easier. Whereas other aspect ratios (such as most cameras’ native 3:2 ratio) make composition tricky.

So after you’ve set your camera to Monochrome mode, I recommend heading into the settings and changing the aspect ratio to Square. It’ll improve the way you frame scenes (and if your camera has an electronic viewfinder, it’ll let you see the new aspect ratio in real-time!).

Black and white photography in a square format
Cropping to the square format emphasized the shapes of these three pots.

Toning in black and white

Toning is the process of adding color to your images, but only after they’ve been converted to black and white.

This can give very cool effects – for instance, it can turn your shots yellow or purple or red.

Now, your camera may allow you to tone your photos when you take them. But the effect is usually very heavy-handed, which is why I recommend you avoid in-camera toning.

Instead, test out toning in post-processing. You can have lots of fun applying a single tone to your images (such as a nice sepia). And if you want to get really creative, you can add multiple tones, an effect called split toning.

Black and white photography: final words

Black and white is a beautiful medium to work in, one that you will appreciate even more as your skills grow.

In the meantime, have fun and enjoy yourself. You are following a path trodden by some of the most famous names in photography!

Now over to you:

Have you tried shooting in black and white before? How did it go? Do you have any favorite black and white subjects? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Black and White Photography: A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.


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Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started

29 May

The post Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

glamour photography poses

Looking for glamour photography poses that’ll give stunning results?

In this article, I’m going to share 21 glamour pose ideas. You’ll find a pose or two for every model – and you can also have fun tweaking the ideas to fit your subject’s interests.

Now, some of the ideas below are nude poses – after all, posing for nudes is a part of glamour photography. But if nudes don’t interest you, that’s completely okay; feel free to skip past.

So without further ado, let me share the poses you can use for your glamour portraits, starting with:

1. Lying down sideways

glamour photography poses

This is a good starting pose for intimate glamour shots. It works well in different settings and with different surfaces; for instance, your model might lie on a bed, on the ground, in the grass, or on a sandy beach.

Make sure you get a nice head turn, and pay careful attention to the position of your model’s hands.

2. Lying down at an angle

glamour photography poses

This is a variation on the previous glamour pose, and one that works well with all body types.

Simply ask your model to lie on the ground with their far elbow propping up their head and shoulders. Make sure they angle themselves toward the camera so that their feet are farther from the camera than their head.

3. Lying parallel to the camera with the legs up

glamour photography poses

This is a lovely pose with a more playful result. Ask the model to keep her upper body lifted, with her head tilted toward the camera and directed slightly down.

Make sure your model’s legs are up – and make sure her toes are pointed over her back.

And for the best results, shoot from a low angle.

4. Lying in a triangle

glamour photography poses

This is a glamour photography classic – and it’s pretty hard to pull off.

Ask your model to lie down, body parallel to the camera. Then have her lift her upper body using a single arm.

You’ll need to check a few items:

  • The supporting hand must be turned away from the body
  • The head should be turned toward the camera
  • The non-supporting hand should remain visible
  • The feet should be stretched

5. Body down, shoulders up

glamour photography poses

This is another challenging one – it’s not easy for the model, and it’s not so easy for the photographer, either!

To shoot this pose successfully, you’ll need to ask your model to lie parallel to the camera, their upper body pushed off the ground with their elbow. (Feel free to experiment with the positioning of the non-supporting arm.)

You’ll also need to check all body parts, including the head, hips, and legs.

6. Lying back

lying back stretched out

This is a beautiful pose for outdoor shooting.

Simply ask your model to lie down, curve their back, and stretch their feet. It works great on grass, on a beach, or in a chair.

The model’s body should be parallel to the camera, or the feet should be slightly farther away than the head.

7. Lying down, back to the camera

back to camera pose

Here’s a beautiful glamour pose for a model lying on her stomach.

The upper body should be slightly lifted, and the model should look back over her shoulder. Ask her to stretch out her legs.

This works well with all body types. Move gradually around the model while testing out different camera angles and positions.

8. Sitting with the back arched

glamour photography poses back arched sitting up

This is a simple pose to emphasize a feminine shape. It also works well as a silhouette against a bright background (though you’ll need to get low to the ground to create the silhouette effect).

Ask your model to sit with their legs tucked and back arched. Then have them lift their elbows.

9. The sitting nude

nude photography pose

For those doing nude photography, here’s a simple pose:

Ask your model to face the camera, then cross one leg over the other and drape an arm over the top knee.

If you’re after additional nude poses, try some variations; you can change the hand, leg, and head positioning for great results.

10. Sitting with the back to camera

semi-nude pose

This semi-nude pose is easy and gentle. The model should sit with both legs tucked. Their back should be angled slightly toward the camera, with their head looking over their shoulder.

11. Sitting parallel to the camera, knee up

glamour photography poses

This is another easy pose, one that works well in both indoor and outdoor settings.

(For a different result, try creating a silhouette against a bright background.)

Have your model sit parallel to the camera, legs out and knees bent. Ask them to raise an arm (though feel free to experiment with arm and hand positioning here).

12. Sitting and facing the camera

glamour photography poses

If done properly, this pose turns out amazing. But you’ll need to get the limb positioning exactly right – otherwise, you risk ending up with an awkward, imbalanced shot.

So ask your model to lie down and face the camera at an angle. Then have them partially sit up while keeping their legs stretched out.

This pose works well with all body types. Note that you should shoot from a slightly elevated angle.

13. Crouching parallel to the camera

high heels crouching pose

Now for a challenging pose:

Ask your model to crouch with their knees up. Leg positioning is a decisive factor here, so you’ve got to get it right.

High heels are a must. You can experiment with different feet positioning, but I recommend keeping the toe of one shoe separate from the heel of the next.

14. Facing away from the camera with a head turn

nude photography pose

If you’re after a simple and dignified nude photography pose, try this:

Ask your model to turn away from the camera, but with their head tilted back over their shoulder. Ask them to put one arm up and to wrap the other arm around their stomach.

Make sure the model’s face is not partly covered by their hand or shoulder. For a particularly romantic mood, the model can look down toward her body.

Also, her raised elbow should be pointing away from the camera.

15. Looking over the shoulder

nude pose with sheet

This one’s a nude pose for less experienced models.

Ask your model to turn away from the camera, but keep their head tilted back over the shoulder.

Remember that glamour and nude photography don’t exclude props, so don’t be afraid to add a piece of cloth (a sheet or an item of clothing works well); the model can hold this against their body.

16. Leaning forward against a wall

leaning against the wall pose

If you’re looking for some nice wall poses, start here:

With your model leaning forward against the wall, elbows out. Her body should be angled toward the wall.

Note that you can adjust her elbow and hand positioning for additional options.

17. Leaning back against the wall

leaning back against the wall

Here’s another easy wall pose:

Ask your model to lean back against the wall, head tilted toward the camera and arm up. For a more dynamic pose, they might bend one knee slightly (with the back foot resting against the wall or a ledge).

Again, endless variation and shooting angles are possible!

18. Against a wall, back to camera

glamour photography poses

For this one, have your model face away from the camera.

Ask her to shift her weight to one leg for a more dynamic pose. She can lean against the wall, or you can have her step off to the side (though feel free to keep the wall as a compositional element).

19. Facing the camera (full body)

glamour photography poses

Here’s another pose with many variations.

First, ask your model to face the camera. Then ask her to curve her body in an S shape, twist her hips, and raise her arms.

Ask her to experiment with different head positions (and you might experiment with leg positions, as well).

20. Angled body and flowing sheets

glamour pose with flowing sheet

Sheets and clothing work great as props. For this glamour photography pose, ask your model to angle their body toward the camera. Have her wrap a sheet around her stomach then throw it to the side.

(Especially marvelous shots can be made in windy weather!)

21. Facing away with a sheet

posing in a field glamour photography

I’ve already suggested several poses with your model’s back to the camera.

But if you want to create something unique, try taking your model to an open field – such as a farm field, a wildflower meadow, or even a desert landscape.

I highly recommend you bring a sheet or piece of clothing; your model can wrap it around her legs for plenty of interesting shots.

Glamour photography poses: final words

Hopefully, you now have plenty of glamour and nude poses to try during your next photoshoot!

But I’d like to emphasize:

Each of these initial sample poses is only a starting point. Every pose on this list has endless variations. You can ask your model to try different facial expressions, head turns, hand and leg placements, and body turns. A slight modification can make for a completely different (and potentially better!) pose.

Also, always remember to shoot from different angles (up and down, right and left). Try changing your distance from the subject. Try different crops and compositions.

Because in the end, posing is trial and error. The more variations you shoot, the better your results!

Also, if you enjoyed this article, check out our ebook, Portraits: Striking the Pose, which shares tips, tricks, and secrets for beautiful portrait poses.

Kaspars Grinvalds is a photographer working and living in Riga, Latvia. He is the author of Posing App, where you can find even more poses and posing ideas!

The post Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.


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Film Photography: A Guide (and How to Get Started)

10 May

The post Film Photography: A Guide (and How to Get Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

a guide to film photography

Film photography is gaining in popularity.

At the start of the digital revolution, film was the realm of those who did not want to move to the new way of working (and those folks were usually harassed on forums and message boards).

But these days, film photography has a much different reputation. While some photographers see film as the preserve of hipsters trying to look cool, for many, film is a more organic method of photography. It allows you to slow down, focus on getting the shot, and experience a wait before seeing the results.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the process, equipment, and reasons to start shooting film.

film photography 2 rolls of Porta film and one of HP5
Working with film means locking in your ISO and look for the next 36 shots.

What is film photography? 

Film photography is the process of using chemicals to create a photograph. Film in roll form has been around since 1885. The film roll was invented by Peter Houston, who then licensed it to George Eastman (of the Kodak company). Kodak still dominates film photography to this day. 

Without getting too complicated, film photography works by exposing silver halide crystals to light. The more light that comes in contact with the crystals, the darker the crystals become. Afterward, the film can be processed to create a negative (the inverse of the final image), and this can be exposed onto light-sensitive paper to create a final print.

Slide film is also available, which works slightly differently – but let’s not overcomplicate things too much!

Film photography of a bride on a balcony
Shooting with off-camera flash on a film camera can be daunting. Here, I used my digital camera as the meter for my film exposure.

Film vs digital: Why should you consider shooting film?

As I explained above, the process of creating a photograph on film is a science. It involves chemicals, darkness, and all sorts of other cool stuff. Anyone who has ever processed their own film images will talk about the feeling they had when they first saw a print come to life in the developer. It is a magical experience, and one that takes a lot of time and effort. But it is this time and effort that makes film photography so rewarding.

Let’s take a closer look at the many reasons you should shoot film over digital:

1. Film stops you from being sloppy

Film photography is much more deliberate than digital photography. Each time you press the shutter, there is a cost attached. So you quickly learn to nail the technical elements and the composition. Shooting a 36-exposure roll of film will cost you roughly $ 1 per image. So if you go out and shoot 200-300 images, as many of us do on a digital shoot, you will suddenly see how cheap digital photography is.

An out-of-focus film shot of a couple
This shot shows how sloppy technique will hurt you when shooting film. I captured it using autofocus – but as the light dropped, so did my ability to focus, leading to a blurry result.

Also, when you can shoot bursts of 100 images, you don’t really need to wait for the perfect moment to unfold. You just shoot until you get it. You don’t need to worry about exposure because you can check the LCD, adjust as needed, and fix it in editing.

Film photography, on the other hand, isn’t about shooting hundreds of images. It’s about shooting a roll of 36 pictures (possibly 2 rolls if you have a great photoshoot). It is about making each exposure count and getting everything right in-camera.

In other words: With digital, it’s easy to become a lazy photographer because there are rarely consequences. With film, you’ll always be on your toes.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin in space
The best camera is the one you have with you. For NASA, it was a modified Hasselblad. (Photo by NASA.)

2. Film saves you hours in post-processing

Film tends to look great straight out of the camera, whereas digital photos can require hours of post-processing.

In fact, most popular editing styles are film-based. So if you want the look and feel of a polished photo without spending tons of time editing, just shoot film!

Digital photographs edited to look like film are the photographic equivalent of laminate oak flooring. Yes, it’s cheaper. Yes, it’s more practical. But it just isn’t the same as the real thing!

I don’t mean to say that printing film photographs isn’t an absolute art. If you look at some of the notes of Magnum’s master printer, Pablo Inirio, you will see how the process of creating a print from a negative is something that takes a true mastery of the craft. There are definitely no auto buttons in the darkroom.

But overall, the “film” look is pretty stunning – and requires little-to-no actual editing.

A table setting for a wedding on white linen
I could have edited a digital image to look like this, but it would’ve taken time behind the computer. The result you see here is simply how the photo arrived from the lab.

3. Film makes you better at problem solving

In film photography, your ISO is fixed.

So you’re forced to think carefully when doing photography. If the light is dropping and you’re shooting ISO 100 film, you’ll have to figure out how to get more light into the camera, or you won’t get the shot. Should you slow the shutter? At what speed can you still handhold? Are you sure? Should you open the aperture and sacrifice depth of field? How can you still get a great shot in tough conditions?

Film photography throws up a lot of questions, and you only get the answers when you see the developed images.

A model against a black wall
Slowing down is definitely the way to get better film photos.

 4. Film is (potentially) cost effective

Here’s the thing:

As I mentioned above, it costs around $ 1 per shot to do film photography. And that seems like a lot.

But if you look at the cost of a high-end film camera compared to something like the Canon EOS R5 (which is around $ 5000 with a lens), you’ll quickly realize that film photography can be very budget friendly, depending on how frequently you shoot.

Even if you spend $ 1000 on a high-end film camera and lens, it leaves you with a $ 4000 film budget. Additionally, high-end film cameras will keep their value. In fact, many film cameras rise in value. So if you purchase a film camera and sell it 5 years later, you might make a nice little profit in the process. That definitely isn’t true of the latest and greatest digital cameras.

5. Film photography is enjoyable

Ask yourself: What do you enjoy most about photography? Is it taking photos, or is it wading through editing software to find the best image out of 100 almost identical files? Is your enjoyment in seeing the final image, or in spending hours of editing to make it look perfect?

Personally, I am not a fan of editing, especially when I compare it to the enjoyment of taking photos. For you, it may be different, but photographing film sharpens my skills. It helps me get more keepers and means I spend less time behind the computer. 

The easiest analogy I can draw here is with music. I love my phone with thousands of songs on it. The ability to carry every record I ever wanted to in my pocket is amazing, and it is how I listen to 90% or more of my music. However, when I really want to listen to music, I make a coffee, turn on my hi-fi system, and put on a record. It isn’t as convenient, and you have to get up to turn the album over halfway through, but it sounds better. And because I have invested more, I focus more, and I always enjoy it more.

6. It makes you cooler

Let’s face it:

Shooting film just makes you look cooler. 

What equipment do you need for film photos? 

You need a camera and some film. You then need a place to develop it. Pretty simple, really.

Let’s take a closer look at cameras and film:

A 35mm film camera: the Yashica T5. A film photography classic.
Don’t be fooled by the looks; this Yashica T5 packs a 35mm Zeiss lens for amazing image quality.

Cameras

There are three main types of film cameras:

  • Point and shoot
  • SLR/Rangefinder
  • Medium format

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The easiest way to get into film photography is with a good-quality compact camera. It’s the analog equivalent of taking photos on an iPhone. The camera will work out the exposure, leaving you to work on the composition.

There are many compact film cameras out there, ranging from the cheap all the way up to the incredibly expensive. If you want to try shooting film, this is where I suggest you start. You can pick up a decent compact film camera on a well-known auction site for under $ 100.

A film SLR is a lot like a digital SLR except not as good. There are those with autofocus and those without. SLRs without autofocus will add another layer of complexity to taking photographs. Generally, you can find a manual focus SLR for cheaper. Manual focus cameras are also more reliable mechanically due to the smaller amount of internal electronics.

Even if you do use an autofocusing film camera, note that old autofocus systems are not anything like those we enjoy today (though they can make film less daunting). The right option is something only you can decide. 

Finally, there’s medium format. Medium format cameras use much larger film, though with 12-16 exposures per roll. In the same way that a bigger digital sensor improves image quality and gives a shallower depth of field, medium format film creates ultra-stunning results. Many iconic photographs have been taken on medium format film, including shots of the NASA space missions. 

Medium format cameras have some advantages (e.g., many are able to change film partway through a roll). But they also have many quirks, and these can be overwhelming for photographers new to film. Medium format cameras are bulky, heavy, and expensive compared to the other types mentioned here, so I’d hesitate to recommend them if you’re new to shooting film.

If you really want to try medium format film on a budget, you can get a Holga. It uses medium format film in a point and shoot style body with a plastic lens. Holga cameras have a very specific look; just don’t expect images like those shot by a “proper” medium format camera.

A Canon film photography camera in its box
I bought this on a well-known auction site for under $ 50. It came fully working and even included the retro paperwork.

Choosing film

Your film will determine the look of your photography. It also fixes your ISO (i.e., if you put in ISO 100 film, you’ll be shooting at ISO 100 until the roll is finished). So make sure you carefully select your film’s ISO based on the day/time you’re shooting.

Now, each film has distinctive characteristics, such as color vividness and shadow softness. So the film you choose depends on the type of look you want to achieve. The main brands to check out are Kodak, Fuji, and Ilford.

Every film out there has an example photo or two on the internet, so get your Google on and see what looks good. I’d suggest buying a few different rolls of film and finding your own favorite. Trying a new film is part of the fun of film photography!

How to develop your film photos

A Lab-Box developing kit
Products such as this Lab-Box make developing film much easier. And there’s something magical about seeing negatives appear!

The easiest way to develop your film photos is to send them off to a professional film lab. If you’re just starting out with film photography, this is the method I would definitely recommend.

However, many photographers (myself included) like the experience of developing their film at home. It’s a relatively simple process, and if you shoot a lot, it can be cost-effective. The main equipment and chemicals can be bought at many photography stores – some may even offer a discounted kit to get you started.

How to develop film at home is a whole different article. However, if you think you might want to try it, a basic equipment list is as follows:

  • Film changing bag
  • Film tank
  • Developer
  • Fixer
  • Distilled water
  • Thermometer
  • Measuring cylinder

One quick tip for developing your film at home:

Dry it in the bathroom. The moisture from showering will decrease the amount of dust in the air, which will in turn decrease the amount of dust that will settle onto your negatives. 

If you want to take things even further, you can set up your own darkroom for printing – but it’s more expensive and requires a dedicated space.

A guide to film photography: conclusion

Shooting film is a great way to learn more about photography. It gives you new methods of thinking about composition, exposure, and editing; it might even be the thing that can break you out of a creative rut.

As you now know, you can start film photography for cheap, and it may take your photography in a whole new direction!

Over to you:

What do you think of film photography? Have you tried it yet? If so, do you have any advice for beginners? And if you haven’t tried film, what camera and film do you plan to use? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Film Photography: A Guide (and How to Get Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.


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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

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.


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What Is Abstract Photography? (Plus Three Ideas for Getting Started)

19 Nov

The post What Is Abstract Photography? (Plus Three Ideas for Getting Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

What is abstract photography?

The exact definition can be tricky to pin down. It seems that everyone has an opinion, but those opinions can differ wildly depending on who you talk to. Of course, there will always be regional and cultural variants, but let me try and tell you where abstract photography came from.

That way, you can decide what abstract photography means to you.

What is abstract photography?

Abstract photography is no one particular style or technique. It has varied in style and approach for the last century or so.

However, all abstract photographers do have one thing in common: They are always looking to avoid symbolic representation.

What does that mean?

Well, it means that abstract photographers reject the idea that a photograph must always be of something recognizable. Instead, abstract photographers focus on color, shape, and texture.

what is abstract photography
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM | 100mm | 1/320 sec | f/2.8 | ISO 100

It was in the 1930s that abstract photography really became recognized internationally. Early pioneers include Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, and Dora Maar. For some photographers, the process of making images was just as important as the result, which meant that new techniques and new ways of taking photographs were discovered during this period.

Much abstract photography today involves unusual framing and viewpoints in order to try and disassociate the object being photographed from the resultant images. Abstract photographers almost try and trick our eyes and minds into not being able to easily understand what they’re looking at. Such abstract images often use high contrast, sharp focus, and an emphasis on geometric structure.

Now that we’ve answered the question of what is abstract photography, it’s time to try and put the theory into practice.

Here are three techniques you can use to try and shoot your own abstract photos:

Make it out of focus

One of the first things we all learn in photography is how to get things in focus. In fact, our cameras will do this automatically for us if we want them to!

Accurate focus and good sharpness are two of the most desirable traits that most photographers look for in a photograph. So what happens when you subvert that traditional approach?

This bright red photograph (below) was created by using extension tubes to get right up close to a flower. I then ensured that the entire image was out of focus. The colors and patterns become the focus of the image instead of the flower itself:

flower abstract photography
Canon EOS 350D | Canon 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 | Extension tubes | 1/1000 sec | ISO 200

You can take this one step further by turning your image black and white to remove all of the color information. This abstracts the subject even more, moving the photograph further away from the original object and reality:

black and white abstract flower
Canon EOS 350D | Canon 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 | Extension tubes | 1/1000 sec | ISO 200

For a photographer who is trying to explore what is abstract photography, this approach of creating out of focus photos can be a great way to start. It forces you to think hard about the composition of your images as you play only with light, color, and shape.

Make it move

There are several ways to “make it move” when you’re doing abstract photography. You can move your subject, or you can move your camera.

Moving the camera can be as simple as panning the camera left to right during long exposures to capture the beautiful tones of a golden beach under blue skies. This will create smooth strips of horizontal color across the photograph.

An exciting way to shoot motion-based abstract photography is to attend sports events. The photograph below was shot at a classic car racing meet, the block colors of the barriers and curb creating stripes of colorful interest in the picture:

what is abstract photography? car in motion
Fujifilm X-T20 | Fuji 50-140mm f/2.8 | 140mm | 1/15 sec | f/22 | ISO 100

For creating abstract images with panning, first set a long exposure. You might need a very low ISO and a narrow aperture in order to get a shutter speed that’s long enough if it’s a sunny day.

Then move your whole body to follow the subject with your camera. It will take lots of practice!

what is abstract photography jar
Fujifilm X-T20 | Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 R | 35mm | 1/170 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 200| Layered images in Adobe Photoshop

Instead of moving your camera, you can also try moving your subject. The deceptively simple image of a glass bottle (above) is not quite as it seems. It was created from a dozen different shots, layered on top of each other using a Pep Ventosa technique. For each shot, the bottle was rotated slightly to catch the imperfections in the glass and the slight movement.

Make it repetitive

Repetition is a technique that can be used to great effect in abstract photography. It makes the viewer focus on the patterns and shapes rather than the subject.

abstract photography building repetition
Fujifilm X-T20 | Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 R | 35mm | 1/340 sec | f/8.0 | ISO 200

Try finding patterns in architecture and then isolating them, rather than photographing the whole building. This kind of approach of looking for details in larger scenes can help you really understand what abstract photography is all about.

If you want to shoot some architectural abstracts, modernist buildings are some of the best subjects. Their clean, smooth lines really lend themselves to abstract photography.

To remove your picture further from reality, you can experiment with color toning the image in Lightroom, or even turn it black and white.

Conclusion: What is abstract photography?

There are many different answers to the question, “What is abstract photography?” And there are many different ways to create abstract images.

What’s important is to try to move away from straight reproductions of scenes and objects that look just like reality.

Try introducing movement, repetition, or even making your images out of focus. Creating abstract photos is a great way to try breaking the rules and pushing the boundaries of what is usually seen as the correct way to do photography!

The post What Is Abstract Photography? (Plus Three Ideas for Getting Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.


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Film Fridays: How to get started developing B&W film on a tight budget

12 Sep
Photo: Sroyon Mukherjee

The two responses we most often hear when citing the virtues of developing B&W film at home are ‘Isn’t it hard?’ and ‘Isn’t expensive?’. We’ve covered the first question extensively in our guide Developing film at home: everything you need to know to get started (the answer is a resounding, ‘No!’).

As for the second, our friends over at 35mmc have proof that with just a little bit of cash and by making use of common household items, you too can begin your journey into home development without breaking the bank. For around $ 30, you can pick up the core equipment you’ll need, plus around another $ 25 to get set up with chemistry. That’s about the cost of lab developing 4 rolls so… you do the math.

Read: How to get started developing B&W film at home for £25 (or less)

About Film Fridays: We recently launched an analog forum and in a continuing effort to promote the fun of the medium, we’ll be sharing film-related content on Fridays, including articles from our friends at KosmoFoto and 35mmc.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Getting Started With Affinity Photo Editing Software

06 Sep

The post Getting Started With Affinity Photo Editing Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Affinity Photo is a powerful image editing software. It’s both affordable and enjoyable to use.

But, as with any program for custom manipulation of photos, there is a reasonably steep learning curve involved. If you’re used to editing your images with Adobe Photoshop, you’ll find the interface is different. This will take only a little getting used to.

I haven’t been using Affinity Photo for very long and have found it to be well designed, allowing for intuitive use. Switching image editing programs is not something I choose to do lightly. When you’ve been used to a particular workflow within a computer program, there must be a reasonable motivation to change.

My motivation was partly price. Affinity Photo is a product you can purchase outright without any monthly subscription fees. It’s also discounted from time to time, making it even more affordable. Even still, at full price, it is very reasonable for the quality of the product you receive.

Tone map persona in Affinity Photo
The Tone Mapping Persona interface in Affinity Photo

Opening files in Affinity Photo

The first step is to open a photo file you want to edit. This is pretty straightforward and there are a few options for making it happen.

For Windows users, you can right-click an image file in your file manager and choose Affinity Photo from the list. If Affinity Photo is not listed (and it probably won’t be the first time you use it), click Choose Another App. You’ll then need to locate Affinity Photo on your C:/ drive and select it. Here you can also check the box at the bottom of the panel to always use Affinity Photo to open the type of image file you have chosen.

Using a Mac, you can simply open Affinity Photo, navigate to File in the top menu, and click Open. This also works on a PC.

You can also drag and drop photos from your file manager onto Affinity Photo when it’s running.

Affinity Photo opens all standard image types, including RAW files. There is no need for two separate programs to open and edit RAW files. Affinity Photo combines functions that require both Lightroom and Photoshop. I am finding this makes for a great image editing workflow.

opening a RAW file in Affinity Photo
Opening a RAW file in Affinity Photo

Becoming familiar with the interface

Once you’ve opened your first photo, you have a massive number of options available to work with. Let’s walk through some of the most important features and where to locate them in the user interface.

Under the main menu at the top you have the Persona and Context toolbars. Here you’ll find buttons for various Personas such as:

  • Photo Persona (for photo editing)
  • Liquify Persona (for manipulating distortion)
  • Develop Persona (for developing RAW images)
  • Tone Mapping Persona (for mapping image tones)
  • Export Persona (for when you’re ready to export your image)

As you select a Persona, the Context toolbar changes to include only the tools you’ll need with that Persona.

With the Develop Persona selected, the Context menu shows a different set of tools.

Affinity Photo Develop persona tool bar

These tools allow you to control how you see your photo as you’re working on it. You can view a single instance of your image. There’s also a split-screen and a mirrored option. The mirrored option is shown below.

Split screen in Develop persona

Within this Persona, you have a set of adjustment tools in the right-hand panel. These allow you to make similar adjustments to your RAW files as you can in Lightroom.

Once you’ve finished making the adjustments to your RAW image, click the blue Develop button in the top left corner. The interface changes to the Photo Persona, where you can continue to refine the edits on your image.

Here is how the Context toolbar looks when you have the Photo Persona selected while you’re editing your photos:

Affinity photo personal tool bar

You have buttons for making auto adjustments to levels, contrast, color, and white balance.

When editing photos in the Photo Persona, you also have a specific set of relevant panels open. These panel sets make up your Studio of editing tools. They are also highly customizable. To show or hide various panels, go to View in the top menu, then select Studio.

Here I have the panels for Layers and Adjustments open:

photo editing persona in Affinity Photo

Getting a feel for Affinity Photo

As you can see, there are many similarities between Affinity Photo and other image editing software. I’ve found that working in the Photo Persona is very similar to my workflow in Photoshop.

The Develop Persona took a little more getting used to. But it offers a very well-designed interface and makes working on RAW images straightforward once you get used to how it functions.

Like anything new, getting used to Affinity Photo takes some commitment and practice. This is true whether you’re new to photo editing or have been using other software to manipulate your images.

Having everything you need to edit RAW images from start to finish, including the option to use multiple layers, has been very satisfying.

Not having an image organizer included means you need to work with your operating system’s file manager or use an additional program. There are many free and cheap digital asset management programs that you can use to organize your photos.

customizing panels in Affinity Photo

Conclusion

For any photographer with years of experience using a particular brand of editing software, changing is a big step. If you’re new to photo editing, learning to use any photo imaging software manually is a big step, too.

Affinity Photo provides an impressive set of photo editing tools all within one application. I find it to be well laid out and intuitive to use after using Adobe products for many years.

For people new to photo editing, take the time to learn Affinity Photo. You’ll be able to use it to edit your photos just as well as any other available software.

The post Getting Started With Affinity Photo Editing Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.


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DPReview TV: How to start a YouTube channel Part I – the gear you need to get started

29 Aug

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own YouTube channel? In this video, the first in a series, we talk about the basic gear you’ll need to get going – all for under $ 1000.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

  • Introduction
  • Camera
  • Lavalier microphone
  • On-camera microphone
  • Tripod
  • Memory cards
  • ND filter
  • Your basic kit

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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