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How to photograph family and bridal party portraits quickly at weddings

22 Oct

Wedding days are filled with details. While the bride and groom portraits are the most important pictures you’ll photograph during the day, family and bridal party portraits come at a close second.

These tips help you photograph family and bridal party portraits quickly and beautifully, giving your guests great photos without taking up valuable time.

How to photograph family and bridal party portraits quickly at weddings 1

If you have time during the bridal party photos, get creative!

Family portraits

Make use of a consultation to speak with your clients before the event to find out if any of their parents are divorced and note this down on a wedding info sheet.

I lead with this because it can change the order in which you photograph family portraits, especially if there are parents who choose not to see each other.

Unfortunately, this is a reality and should be handled with care.

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Ask about divorced parents before the wedding because it can affect family portraits.

During the consultation process, you should also create an itinerary so that you have at least 30 minutes for family portraits. The more time you have, the more variety in posing you can get, however, 30 minutes is enough time to capture the family.

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Both family portraits in the same location.

When photographing wedding family portraits before the ceremony, make sure you confirm if both the bride and groom families will be present or if you will be photographing them separately.

Either way, this list provides different combinations to use with each family; all achievable in under 15 minutes.

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Build portraits by adding people gradually.

Bride/Groom with parents (If they are divorced, photograph with new spouses or simply keep them separate portraits)
Bride/Groom with entire immediate family, including brothers, sisters, including spouses and children
If grandparents are present, take another photo of the entire family including grandparents
Bride/Groom with mother
Bride/Groom with father
Bride/Groom with nieces and nephews only
Bride/Groom with siblings
Bride/Groom with grandparents
Bride/Groom with important uncles/aunts/extended family

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Build portraits by adding parents and without moving them, add in the rest of the family.

Keep the portraits of the extended family until the end.

They may be eager to get family portraits after the ceremony but make sure that you express to them that the most important photos are of the immediate family.

Of course, make sure to ask the bride and groom if there is anyone in the extended family that is a must-have during the family portraits.

At small weddings, you might have a chance to photograph all of the guests with the bride and groom.

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Take photos of each family individually and don’t forget to add the bride or groom.

The family portrait formula

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To do this and all of the family portraits quickly, follow this formula:

Find a big space with a neutral or pleasing background, like pretty landscaping, an interesting building, or a clearing in the venue/location. One great option is to photograph close to the ceremony where family members are all together and present. This helps keep people from wandering off and missing out on the portraits.
Begin with the family that is present. For example, if the groom’s family is ready, begin with them so that you don’t waste time waiting. Set up the bride and groom in the center, tummy to tummy, holding the bouquet. From here, build out until you get the entire family in the photo. Remember to also take photos of the bride and groom with their respective families alone.
From there, it is easier to keep the bride or groom in the center and add or remove people as needed.
Always show a connection by having people put their hands on the arm of the person next to them or if they are spouses, holding hands. Putting hands on the shoulders of children or holding their hands also helps.
For babies and children under 3, they are best when being held as sometimes they might be too small if they are standing in the portrait. If you have time, photograph both options.

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Both families are in one portrait.

Family portraits are the ones that guests always download the most as many family members do not live nearby. Weddings act as a mini-reunion for families, which is why it’s important to get solid portraits of them.

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Grandparents are very important guests, make sure to take portraits when they are present.

Taking family portraits using the formula above ensures that you can work quickly and not take up time from the cocktail hour or even the bride and groom’s portraits!

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Connect family with hands to arms or on shoulders.

Once you take the solid portrait of the family, if you have time, get creative or have fun with it.

Get a photo of the family hugging or siblings doing something funny.

Doing this also helps keep the mood light and ensures that everyone has fun during the family portraits.

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Bridal party portraits

Bridal party photos should take anywhere from 45 minutes to one hour to photograph to get as much variety as possible. Begin photographing the entire bridal party together to ensure that no one is missing and everyone is present.

Begin with photographing the entire bridal party together.

A few quick tips for bridal party portraits

Make sure that all boutonnières and bouquets are ready and each person has their flowers pinned or in hand. Place bouquets at belly button height because this keeps the arms slightly bent, and the flowers visible without being too high or too low.

For the groomsmen, ask them to take out all of their belongings from their pockets as this can create hard to edit shadows on the pants. If there is something special, like a gift from the bride or groom to their bridal party, take a photograph of that too.

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Take the following series of photos for the entire bridal party portraits:

Bridal party standing in line – placing bridesmaids on bride’s side and groomsmen on the groom’s side is a classic and sure portrait of the entire bridal party. Place the tallest people on the outside as they can distract from the bride and groom if they are shorter. Then line them up according to height.
Create a ‘u’ shape forward or try to use a ‘v’ shape to create more depth.
Stagger the bridal party and turn some people away from the center, creating more depth in the portrait. You can sometimes have the bridesmaids interlocking arms or the groomsmen holding shoulders or leaning against each other. Try different ideas with them standing.
If you have access to chairs, place a couple in front to create differences in height and create a similar portrait but with a few people sitting. It makes a much more interesting photo.
If there are steps, use them to stagger the bridal party across, keeping the bride and groom center.
Get a photo of the bridal party walking toward the camera having fun.
Ask the bridal party to mix and get a group photo of them having fun.
Get a group hug if the bridal party isn’t too large. Doing so creates authentic smiles and breaks-up the stiffness or seriousness of the portraits.

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Bridal party portraits should be fun and keeping the mood light always helps.

If you find yourself having a hard time getting them to focus, try letting them know that the faster you photograph the portraits, the faster they can get to the party.

This usually motivates them to cooperate faster.

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Once you have the entire bridal party portraits, take photos of the groomsmen. The bride can take a break to touch up makeup, take a sip of water, or rest for a moment.

Groomsmen usually want to get the portraits over as quickly as possible so beginning with them makes everything run smoothly. If you have a second photographer, ask them to take the groomsmen aside and photograph them while you focus on the bride to cut time as well.

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Photographing the bridesmaids and groomsmen separately is much more fluid and can be more fun. Have them line up, hug, do something funny, and take individual photos of the bride or groom with each person.

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Have fun during bridal party portraits.

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How to photograph family and bridal party portraits quickly at weddings 20

Take individual photos with each person in the bridal party.

Make sure to take waist-high portraits as well as full-length with enough room around the frame just in case they print the photo at different sizes that may crop the image.

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Try and keep the bridal party photos in one location so that you don’t have to move so many people around.

Another tip is to photograph the bridesmaids and groomsmen separately earlier in the day and come together after the ceremony for the larger portrait.

Sometimes this can save time as well.

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Extended family bridal party portraits

After the ceremony, as guests congratulate the couple, do not get caught in the trap of photographing extended family portraits. Make sure to let the guests know that during cocktail hour or the reception, you will have more time to photograph guests with the couple.

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Extended family photos during cocktail hour saves time from the bride and groom portraits or other events during the wedding day.

The reason for this is because taking portraits of guests with the couple immediately after the ceremony, or while the guests are congratulating the couple, can cut time from the family portraits.

It is okay to get candid/photojournalistic photos during this time of the couple with the guests.

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Photos during the reception for extended family is very ideal.

However, make sure to get a few before heading to the location where you are taking the family portraits. This gives you time to set up and get your camera ready for the quick family portraits.

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Keep a checklist

Use the Notes app on your phone or carry a printout of a checklist with all the combinations to use to photograph the family and bridal party portraits. Doing so helps you keep track of what you’ve already photographed and what you need to do, so you don’t waste time wondering what comes next.

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Weddings are all about the guests, and the guest list is meticulously planned, so make sure you take the extra step and ask the bride and groom if there are any guests they specifically want photographing.

Doing so makes all the difference when they look through their final images. Make sure to include these VIP guests in your checklist and note when would be a good time during the day to get their portrait.

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Once you have more wedding experience, these portraits become easier and quicker to set up, photograph and pose. Soon you’ll be doing them in under 15 minutes, giving you more time to experiment and get creative!

Put a family member or someone close in charge

It can be stressful making sure all the family members and bridal party are present where and when they need to be. This stress should not fall on either the bride or groom.

On the day of the wedding, find someone who is a family member or bridal party member who is familiar with both sides of the family be in charge of making sure that all family members and bridal party are where they need to be during the portraits.

Since they know who the key players are, this helper can cut time by making sure everyone who needs to be in the portraits is present, making the portrait time more fluid.

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Take photos of gifts the bridal party receives from the couple.

Keep the portraits moving

Sometimes, you’ll have to wait on a family member or bridal party member, and that is okay. You always want to make sure the bride and groom stay as calm and stress-free as possible. When this happens, keep the portraits moving.

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For example, if the groom’s family isn’t ready, then begin with the bride’s family. If you’re waiting for a bridesmaid, take individual shots first and then move on to the groomsmen.

Making sure the portraits continue allows the person who is missing to arrive, all the while you are still creating beautiful portraits for the bride and groom.

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Allow the bridal party to have fun.

If there is a circumstance where someone essential is missing or unavailable for the photos, ask the bride and groom to move the portrait session to a different time.

Perhaps you can do the bridal party portraits during the cocktail hour or carve out some time during the reception to get family portraits.

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If you have access to chairs use them to pose the bridal party or family.

Make sure to note any changes to the portrait sessions and anyone still to be photographed. Ensure that you get the photo during the day to help the bride and groom feel less stressed and more confident in you to achieve all the crucial portraits.

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In conclusion

Family photos and bridal party photos are a huge part of every wedding day and can be stressful when trying to pose large groups of people.

Using these tips can help these portraits to be more streamlined so that the guests, as well as the bride and groom, can enjoy the party.

You’ll get fabulous portraits that everyone loves without having to take up too much time.

Do you have any wedding portrait tips you’d like to share? If so, leave them in a comment below.

For more information on wedding photography, read this article on What Are the Real Responsibilities of a Wedding Photographer or What to Bring to Photograph a Wedding Besides Your Photo Gear

The post How to photograph family and bridal party portraits quickly at weddings appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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5 Ways to Photograph Travel Icons

04 Oct

Travel photography is one of the most popular genres of photography and for good reason. Travel provides an opportunity to see and experience something new. It evokes feelings of excitement and anticipation and gives a sense of adventure and pleasure.

Travel icons are a major draw for people on their travels and for people interested in travel photography. In their simplest form, they represent :monuments or landmarks that are iconic to a place or country”. If you are wondering how to photograph them, here are 5 tips to help you.

Travel Icons - grand canyon

1) Different Angles

The first hint in photographing travel icons is to choose a famous landmark or tourist sight you may like to visit and shoot it at different angles.

The world has an abundance of amazing travel icons. These landmarks are the first places you may think of when planning a trip to a certain country and often feature in travel brochures, books, magazines and postcards. In fact, the world’s great monuments are visited by millions of people every year, for example, Big Ben, The Pyramids, The Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, the Grand Canyon and the Great Wall of China.

When photographing these scenic structures, you could try shooting with a wide angle of view to encompass a larger scale of the attraction.

With this shot of London’s Big Ben, I decided to include more of the surroundings such as the House of Parliament, to show some additional architecture. Shooting wide gives a broader overview of the icon and takes in more than just the tower.

Travel Icons 03 - Tower of London Big Ben

Some travel icons are huge in scale, especially when you are standing near to them. Sometimes, it is difficult to capture the whole landmark so use a wide -ngle lens to include as much of the icon in the frame as you can.

Alternatively, you can shoot close-up and focus your camera on some of its details. Identify any patterns that appeal to you or some details on the structure. Details can highlight an interesting feature of the building. Photographing a particular aspect of the icon that you enjoy could help make your photograph more visually striking.

2) The Classic View

Have you ever seen a beautiful world landmark in a travel brochure and felt inspired to visit it? Well, this is usually the classic view of an icon, a standard image of a sight that is instantly recognizable.

You should definitely try to capture the classic travel shot of the world’s best landmarks. After all, this is likely to be what inspired you to visit in the first place.

3) Different Viewpoint

You could photograph your selected travel icon from an alternative viewpoint to give another perspective of an iconic landmark. The picture you create should be entirely from your own interpretation of how you see the icon.

You can produce interesting images just by changing your viewpoint. Find another vantage point and photograph what you see. Be sure to choose a viewpoint that appeals to you.

I took this shot of Big Ben from the other side of the bridge which shows a slightly different angle of the clock and the Thames River with the bridge on the opposite side of the picture.

4) Choose Your Moment

The time of day can have an impact on the photography you create. If you shoot early or late in the day you may benefit from some nice warm light.

Alternatively, you may be on a scheduled tour and choose to photograph the icon during the daytime. This can also be a good time to capture a landmark under bright blue skies or even in poor weather under dramatic light.

5) Include an animal or an object in the image

You don’t have to shoot the world’s best landmarks entirely on there own. They do look great when captured individually but throw an animal or object into the image to help create something original and add context.

I photographed this image of the famous ruins of Machu Picchu with some llamas in the frame.

Conclusion

In summary, however you decide to photograph travel icons, try photographing them from different angles, the classic view, and a different viewpoint. Include a subject with the icon in the frame and choose a suitable time to capture the landmark.

Now it’s over to you, put these tips into practice and see what you can capture. Share your photos, tips, and comments on photographing travel icons below.

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How to Photograph Your Everyday Family Life

26 Sep

Raising kids is beautiful chaos

From breakfast to bedtime, raising kids is chaos. But there are hundreds of beautiful moments along the way if you train your heart and eyes to see them. Right in the heart of the chaos, you can beautifully capture mundane everyday moments of family life in photographs.

Golden hour family photo - How to Photograph Your Everyday Family Life

In order to capture your everyday family life in photos, there are four areas you will want to cover:

Gear to use.
What to photograph.
Creative skills.
Discovering lifelong projects.

1. Gear

“Photographers, like few other kinds of artists I can imagine, have an insanely personal relationship with their gear.” – David DuChemin

I will begin with gear because you will dramatically increase your chances of great photos throughout the day when you are well prepared.

Minimal Gear

I’m a fan of using minimal gear for anything that I’m photographing, including my own family life. You might find that constantly worrying about upgrading your camera or using too many different lenses will actually distract you from the little moments that are happening all around you.

Settle on a camera and then forget about all the new options that come along. Pretty soon you’ll discover which lens is your favorite. Use that lens often, but try a different one every now and then to expand your creative abilities.

iPhone

“The best camera is the one that’s with you.” – Chase Jarvis

Many families invest in a DSLR camera such as the Canon Rebel, but then it’s too difficult for them to use. So they often find themselves using their phone instead.

Don’t feel bad about using your smartphone to take pictures. Though the technology may differ, any camera is better than no camera. The principles of creative photography are the same no matter what camera you’re using.

Because it’s so easy to carry, your phone is normally the camera that you are ready to take a picture with any given moment.

A silhouette of two children playing in curtains. - family life

I began capturing family moments with my iPhone 4s as a challenge to take interesting photos no matter what camera I had with me.

Keep your camera close

Whatever camera you’re using, make sure that it’s normally within arms reach. When you see a great moment happening you can reach for your camera and turn it on as you’re lifting it to your eye. I also leave my lens cap off at all times. I’ve never damaged a lens and don’t want to fumble over lens caps while a great moment passes me by.

Keep your battery charged

How many times have you seen a family member miss a great photo because their camera battery died? I see this happen during every single special occasion just as the best moments are happening!

You should always have a spare battery and have it charged and ready. I don’t wait for my first battery to be drained before I charge it. As soon as it begins to drain I switch them.

Don’t leave your camera in manual mode

How many times have you quickly picked up your camera to take a few pictures only to discover that the settings were totally wrong? Perhaps you used your camera in manual mode outdoors in the bright light and then forgot to set it before capturing a quick moment indoors.

The indoor photo will be underexposed or completely dark. To avoid this I always leave my camera set on aperture priority. I do this because I don’t want to forget to adjust the settings if it was left in manual mode.

A clean 50mm lens

I recommend that everyone own a 50mm lens. They are wonderful for achieving bokeh and perform well in low light.

Portrait of a girl at a fair. family life

This photo was taken with a 50mm lens at f/2.5. The background is blurred, but you can still tell the context.

But no matter what lens you are using, make sure to keep it clean! The easiest way to improve photo quality is to keep the lens clean from fingerprints and dust.

Picture of a toddler with messy fingers trying to touch the camera. family life

Messy toddler hands force me to clean my lens several times a day!

2. What to photograph

With minimal gear, charged batteries and a clean lens the question then becomes, “What should I photograph?” The answer is literally, anything.

Capture the obvious moments that are important to you. Maybe first steps, first foods, siblings playing, day trips to the beach. But begin to consider the less obvious moments as well.

“I look around the edges for those little askew moments — kind of like what makes up our lives – those slightly awkward, lovely moments.” – Keith Carter

Breakfast

“If the home is a body, the table is the heart, the beating center, the sustainer of life and health.” – Shauna Niquist

A child coloring at a restaurant. family life

Remember going to restaurants with your parents and the server would bring you a coloring book? Those are the little things to photograph.

Chores

I love it when the kids help with the chores, especially when it adds to my series of window photos.

Playing outside

Especially when photographing outdoor adventures, consider taking enough photos to tell a story.

Two kids using a swimming pool as a boat. family life

One year the bay flooded and came right up into our yard. The kids got the idea to drag their swimming pool along and use it as a boat! I wasn’t about to miss out on that photo op!

Discovering huge fish in our yard. family life

After launching their boat they discovered that some huge fish had come to live in our flooded yard!

A photo taken from within the water. family life

Wanting a different perspective, I decided to wade into the water myself.

A low angle photo of a girl holding a worm!

To come up with an interesting series of photos, try to capture events from beginning to end. Use a variety of angles and perspectives, and go for the close-up!

Snacks

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” -J.R.R. Tolkien

Grown-ups eat without thinking, but snacks really make kids cheer up! She is lit by a window off to the side and warm colored light just above her head.

Playing inside

Is there a child alive who can resist playing the piano? One thing I was careful to do with this photo was to frame it in such a way as to cut out the background clutter. It forced me to get nice and close.

For a totally different perspective try looking through toys to take the picture.

My kids love glow sticks and I love the challenge of low light photography! This is when a 50mm lens with a large aperture of f/1.8 comes in handy! I bumped up the ISO to 5000 and slowed the shutter speed to 1/15th of a second to get this shot.

The texture in this photo is brought out by a window back-lighting the scene.

Day trips

Sometimes play for me is photographing a challenging scene like this.

Museums are a way to work exciting new things into your photos.

My son loved playing with his toy roundhouse and crane. This photo allowed me to capture the real-life versions of the toys my son loved playing with.

Dinner

“The shared meal is no small thing. It is a foundation of family life, the place where our children learn the art of conversation and acquire the habits of civilization: sharing, listening, taking turns, navigating differences, arguing without offending.” – Michael Pollan

Backlight or sidelight helps to capture steam in a photo.

Golden Hour

I love to time our family walks so that I can take some golden hour photos.

A child playing with toys indoors as the sun sets outdoors.

I love golden hour so much that I’ll even photograph it indoors.

Sick days

Even when my daughter is sick, she lets her funny personality shine. We kept a bowl by her bed just in case, but it made a good helmet too!

Sunsets

Photographing a sunset outdoors is the obvious choice. But when your living room window offers a good view, don’t miss the chance for a different perspective.

Kids sleeping

This is a perfect example of using an iPhone to take photos of your family life. My DSLR would have made a lot of noise. So I grabbed my iPhone 4s and turned the sound off to take this photo.

A higher ISO and slower shutter speed were used to capture this low light photo.

3. Creative Skills

“The real tools of our craft are not the camera and lens: they are mood and composition and the visual language of the photograph. Spend more time learning those and no matter what camera you use, you’ll make compelling photographs.” – David DuChemin

In order to capture all these moments, you need to master some essential skills. We’ll discuss creativity, basic camera settings, patience, and editing.

Angles

Choosing different camera angles will instantly make your photos more exciting and add variety to the hundreds of moments you’ll be capturing.

Try angles such as bird’s eye view, face to face and low angle.

I used a bird’s eye view to photograph this scene of my kids drawing.

I used a high angle to capture the scene as it began to turn chaotic!

Finally, I came in for a slightly low angle “face-to-face” shot before things spun completely out of control. By using a variety of angles and getting in close, everyday family life can be just as fun for the photographer as the kids!

Background

Backgrounds are good for two things; telling a story or getting in the way.

If the background does not help add anything to your photo then try to make it disappear. In all the photos in this article, I tried to eliminate the background as much as possible, or use it to create a context in the photo. Look back and decide which one you think I chose.

If your background is beautiful or adds to the story of your photo then be careful to make the background a strong part of your photo. Allow me to illustrate with Lego!

This shady Lego character was photographed with a clutter-free neutral background.

This is the same Lego character, but this time there is a Lego train in the background adding some context to the photo.

ISO

When you are in low light situations and you’re using a new camera you should raise your ISO as high as possible (3200 or 6400). A higher ISO will help your camera to absorb more of the dim light and help your photo to be brighter.

True, a higher ISO may introduce some grain or digital noise into your photo, but isn’t a grainy photo better than a blurry photo or no photo at all?

This naptime photo was captured with an ISO of 3200.

Sharp photos

If you’re in low light and using a lens with a large aperture (f/1.8) and a high ISO (3200 or 6400) then the last thing to consider is your shutter speed. If your shutter speed is too slow your photos might become blurry for two reasons. Perhaps your subject moved. This happens all the time with kids! Or perhaps you moved the camera, even slightly, as you took the photo.

You need to steady yourself as much as possible while you take the photo and wait for the moment (however brief it may be) when your subject is still.

You could also embrace the creative side of a slow shutter speed!

This was taken with the iPhone 4s on a cloudy evening. I knew the shutter speed would be slow. I walked backward while my daughter walked toward me. This kept my daughter sharper than the moving background. Motion blur is fun to experiment with, try it!

Inspiration

Look for inspiration among street, food and portrait photographers. Anything you can learn from different photographers will help you to photograph your everyday family life better.

Patience

I cannot over-stress the absolute importance of patience as you photograph your everyday family life (especially with toddlers). So many possible moments and photos will be ruined if you refuse to be patient.

Perhaps you have a photo in mind but the kids aren’t cooperating. Losing your patience will only lead to anger on your part and frustration from the kids. Your kids will learn that picture time is no fun and cringe every time you bring out your camera.

Edit and Print

Finally, you need to prepare your photos for print. Consider adding your favorite photos to a photo book or making larger prints for your home. Do not skip the printing stage, this is what gives your photos a real life of their own rather than just existing on a hard drive.

4. Discovering Lifelong Projects

As you sift through your photos over the years, you may notice that patterns begin to emerge.

Many people start photography projects from scratch, but you can also create photography projects based on photos you have already taken.

I had taken a number of photos of my kids playing near our living room window. When I put them together, I realized I had been working on a series without even realizing it! After that I began to think of that window as a canvas, waiting to see what would happen on it.

This is a small number of my living room window photos. When the collection is complete I’ll figure out how I want to present it. Perhaps a photo book, or a series of large prints in a recreation room. Maybe I could use them to illustrate a collection of essays.

Conclusion

Your life and family are unique. Whatever gets you excited to grab your camera, do it. Whatever will keep you up late at night sorting and editing. What will get you printing your images? Those are the things worth photographing.

Whatever chaos your family produces around you is an opportunity to create beauty with your camera.

I would like to know which tip has been most helpful to you and I’d love to see some of your prized family life photos in the comments below.

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5 Ways to Photograph Birds

18 Sep

Birds are beautiful animals to look at and are graceful in flight. However, it can be challenging to photograph birds due to their fast-moving nature.

Here are 5 methods to help you capture better bird photos.

5 Ways to Photograph Birds

1) Go Wild

Have you ever wondered where to find birds and which are the best places to photograph them? My first tip is to seek out locations where you can photograph birds in the wild.

The great thing about birds is that you may come across them anywhere you go when on holiday or at home. Birds live everywhere in the wild, wherever there are nature and a place they can build a nest.

5 Ways to Photograph Birds

Next time you are out walking in your local neighborhood, park or woods look up and listen out for birds in the local environment. Capturing birds in the wild offers you the opportunity to photograph them in their own natural habitat and therefore you can photograph them in their surroundings such as on a branch, in a nest, or in a bush.

5 Ways to Photograph Birds

It is not easy to photograph birds of prey in the wild.

If you are really keen to capture great images of birds you may want to consider investing in a commercial hide to give you a better opportunity to capture rarer species that are likely to visit. Hides can provide camouflage and cover for you and will assist in preventing birds from getting scared and flying away which they may do when they become aware of your presence.

2) Get Close

5 Ways to Photograph Birds

Zoos and bird of prey centers allow you to get really close to birds in their enclosures. They are brilliant places to practice your bird photography skills. Enclosures provide fairly limited space meaning the birds are more visible and cannot fly as far as if they are out in nature.

At centers, the advantage is that birds are trained to fly near to visitors. This gives you the chance to capture images of birds of prey in flight and their natural behavior.

Most birds have amazing details such as their eyes, beaks and colorful feathers which are great subjects on which you can focus your camera.

5 Ways to Photograph Birds

3) In your garden

It can be easy to ignore a photographic possibility right on your doorstep, but rewarding bird photography can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. Where woodland birds can be trickier to approach, birds visiting gardens can be enticed by providing food in your garden.

Leaving food out in your garden is a great way to attract birds living in nearby trees and bushes. Birds often have families to feed and will return regularly to your garden if they know it is a reliable food source. If you are lucky, you may witness birds feeding their fledgling young from the ground.

You can lay food on the ground or place it on an elevated bird table or feeder to capture more eye-catching pictures from higher up. A wide food choice will attract a greater diversity of birds. Blackbirds and song thrushes like sultanas while others like peanuts, seeds, or fat.

5 Ways to Photograph Birds - bird on a tree branch

Mornings are good for bird activity, while late autumn to early spring is the best season when there is a great opportunity to photograph rarer species.

4) Birds in Flight

The next recommendation for photographing birds is to capture them in flight. Birds are creatures of habit and will generally take the same flight paths to and from their nests. If you can, try and photograph them when they are moving whether at take-off, during landing, or mid-flight.

5 Ways to Photograph Birds - birds in flight

If you want to capture a good shot of a flying bird, you will need a fast shutter speed and will need to focus accurately.

In terms of equipment, you will generally need a lens with a longer reach to capture birds in flight.

5) Flocks

5 Ways to Photograph Birds - flock of birds

Birds tend to migrate in winter months and this allows the chance to photograph them all together. Groups of birds flying overhead can make interesting photos rather than when photographed individually as they form different shapes and patterns.

5 Ways to Photograph Birds

Sometimes, birds such as starlings flock together to protect themselves from predators. By joining together they make it difficult for falcons and sparrowhawks to target one bird and make great formations worth photographing. Flocks of birds can be photographed as a group either in motion or static.

Conclusion

Next time you go out with your camera to photograph birds, put these tips to the test and share what you capture. Add your photos and tips in the comments below.

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Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

14 Sep

There are the stories, I’m sure you’ve heard them. Annie Leibowitz hanging out with the Rolling Stones. Bob Gruen photographing John Lennon on New York rooftops.

Let’s face it, second to being an actual rock star (we’ve all used a hairbrush as a microphone at some point, right?) being a music photographer and capturing all of the action, has a certain allure to it that for many of us, is hard to shake. But how do you actually do it? How do you photograph a rock concert or show?

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show - wide shot from the stage

Let’s start by getting one thing straight, your first show is not going to be a recording artist at the height of their fame. Even if it was, you will not have the skills you need to be able to do it justice. These shows come with time, effort and a good portfolio. The best thing to do is start with lower expectations.

Step 1. Find a band to shoot

Although it may seem a little daunting, this is pretty simple. There are two ways to go about it.

Firstly there is Social media. Search for musicians in your local area. Many towns and cities will have Facebook groups for live music, which is a great place to start, and most bands will have some sort of Social Media presence. You can check out their music, see what photos they already have and find out where they are playing. From here, you can simply send them a message and see if they would be happy for you to take photos at their next gig.

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

The other way is to go to venues in your local area that put on bands. Get out there, talk to the bar staff, talk to the locals. Ask if they have any restrictions on photography in the venue, etc. This way you can see what the venue has to offer in terms of lighting, as well as being able to approach bands directly and build relationships with people who can help get you in front of bands you want to photograph.

It is simply is a case of speaking to people. Being an introvert myself, I know this can be hard, but sometimes you need to suck it up and put yourself out there.

Step 2. Know your camera

This is the key technical thing you need to be aware of. Do you know how to change your ISO with your eyes closed? If not, you should so practice until you can. Shooting live music means you will generally be in very dark conditions and unless you are able to access things quickly, you may miss the perfect shot.

It might seem pretty boring learning this stuff and, to be honest, it is, but consider it the homework you need to do in order to begin your journey into music photography. Imagine the lead guitarist hitting their rock god pose only to find that you have been staring at your camera, trying to remember how many clicks you need to change your ISO by one stop and completely missed it.

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

While we are on the subject of knowing your camera, you really need to shoot in RAW. Live music images generally need to be processed to get the best color from them and RAW gives you the largest amount of data to work with.

Although there is technically no pressure to deliver amazing images for a shoot like this, you should approach every shoot like a dream assignment and deliver the best images possible. Seeing the band members reactions to your amazing photos will make all the memories of the boring stuff fade away.

In the same way, learning the exposure triangle is never the most fun but it is the thing that really helps you cope with the demanding situations you will face when shooting live music. Which brings me nicely to my next point.

Step 3. Learn to shoot in Manual Mode

Lighting in live music is complicated at best. At worst it is downright terrible. Camera meters will generally struggle with the type of lighting you are going to be facing. While aperture or shutter priority is great, what happens when those fail you?

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

Shooting in Manual Mode means that if you find there is heavy backlight on the performer, you know how to move past it. It is the difference between looking at the back of your camera and wondering what is going wrong, to looking at the back of your camera and knowing how to fix it.

Manual Mode is something that will really help you up your photography game no matter what you shoot. It is the basic principle of photography that you really should take the time to learn. There are so many great resources available for this, it simply needs practice and isn’t as hard as it seems at first.

Having the knowledge to be able to fix exposure problems is something that takes your photography game to the next level. Why? Because you have the confidence to be able to handle the lighting, rather than hope that it is going to be okay.

Step 4. Gear

While I am no means a gear nerd, or an advocate of buying gear for the sake of it, if you are wanting to do this regularly you really need to consider a lens with a fixed f/2.8 aperture.

Most music photography means almost exclusively low light shooting situations and having a lens with a wide aperture means you can get more light into your camera. In terms of focal length, the 24-70mm (or 17-50mm if you are on a crop sensor camera) is the most used lens in almost every music photographer’s bag. The wide aperture also has the advantage of blurring the background, which is useful in venues that don’t have the most attractive backgrounds.

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

You can purchase these lenses reasonably second hand, or you could always rent them. A cheaper alternative is the legendary Nifty Fifty lens, but it has big limitations for shooting music and even more if shooting in a small venue. While I love the 50mm lens I can’t really recommend it as a one to purchase for music photography when starting out.

I must stress though, these lenses are nice to have. You can shoot a show with any lens and any camera, but if you are considering this in the longer term, it will be a worthwhile investment.

Step 5. Shoot Day

It’s here. You’ve found a band to photograph, you know your camera and have learned how to shoot better in Manual Mode. It is time to go to the show.

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

The first thing is to make sure you get to the venue in plenty of time. This means you will not be rushing around and it also means you can check the venue, say hello to the band, and get yourself prepared. You may be tempted to have a drink for some liquid confidence, but I would advise against that. You need to be at your best and a few drinks aren’t always helpful.

It is always a good time to check the basics. Format your memory card in the camera. Make sure you have a spare card at hand, check your camera is in the right mode and the lens is clean. It sounds really simple when you are reading this, but honestly, this is the sort of thing you will easily forget due to nerves.

On one of my first shoots, I forgot to put a memory card in the camera, so when the show started, I had to rush into my bag and sort it out. Luckily nobody noticed and the shoot went well, but this mistake is the reason I am so anally retentive in my pre-shoot ritual and you should be too.

Step 6. Etiquette

This is a big one!

You need to make sure you behave appropriately. The most obvious thing is to be mindful of those who are watching the show. You need to be aware of them and make sure you are courteous. A general rule of thumb is to not stay in one place too long. People generally want to see the band, not just the back of the photographer’s head.

Some fans will also be quick to let you know. I have been sworn at, had beer thrown at me and been threatened with violence. While you want to tell them off or snap back, you must remain professional and rise above it. To the band, their fans are number one, so make sure you treat them the same way.

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

If there are other photographers shooting the show, always say hello and be polite. It is nice to see people you know when shooting shows and having friends to bounce ideas off, etc., is always a great thing.

When shooting the show, the general rule of thumb is if you want to go behind someone while they are taking photographs, gently tap them on the back and carefully walk behind them. It is a simple gesture, but one that people always appreciate. Again make sure that you don’t stick in one spot, make sure the other photographers can shoot from the same place as you. Get your shot, move on, and let others have their chance.

Now we come to one of my pet peeves. Please, pretty please with a cherry on top, don’t hold your camera over your head and blindly take photos. While it may get you a shot you like, it is the most annoying thing for the fans, for the other photographers, and for the band themselves. It also screams “I don’t know what I am doing”. Just don’t be that person, please.

Step 7. To flash or not to flash

The next thing to consider is using your flash. Now many smaller bands will not mind this, or at least they will say they don’t. But imagine being in a dimly lit space and having someone fire off a camera flash at you 10 times a minute. It soon becomes annoying!

The best solution is to try and avoid flash wherever possible. Modern cameras hold up really well at higher ISOs, so you should not have a problem. Photographing live music, generally means shooting at ISO 3200 or even 6400, but this is something most newer cameras can handle well enough.

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

Shutter speeds should be 1/125th or higher and your aperture will generally be as wide as your lens will go.

Now having said all that, what if you do need to use flash because the lighting is just that bad? Firstly be frugal. As tempting as it is to fire off hundreds of shots, it will just annoy everyone. Pick your shots carefully and shoot sparingly.

The other thing when shooting flash is to make sure you pick up some ambient light or your shots will lack atmosphere. Start with an exposure that gets close to where ambient would be, then add flash as a small fill. This not only means you get more atmosphere in your shots, it also lessens the flash power, which is better for the artist you are photographing.

Don’t be afraid of slowing your shutter speed down when using this technique. 1/30th of a second or even slower can add some cool effects to your shot and will help keep the atmosphere.

Once you move into bigger bands, it is a simple rule, first three songs, no flash allowed. Break this rule and not only will you be removed from this show, but you will find it hard to get your next pass. The music business is a small world and lots of promoters know each other, lots of tour managers talk and if you annoy one, your name may spread. Practice not needing your flash now, then when you move onto bigger bands, you will be more confident and be able to do the show justice.

Step 8. Composition

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

Composition is incredibly important in music photography. Simply put, there are shots to get and shots not to bother with. The most common shot that I see from those starting out in music photography is one of the singer’s face covered by the mic. This shot is considered a no-no in professional music photography, simply because it hides the singer’s expression.

When shooting, you need to pick your moments and move around frequently to be able to capture the best images possible. Do your research before the shoot. Look at popular music websites, look at professional music photographers and see what the best in the business are doing, then apply this to the band you are photographing.

Every band wants to be on the cover of Rolling Stone. While you can’t provide them with this, you can give them photographs that look like they could be in the magazine.

Step 9. Post-Processing

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

This could be a whole tutorial in itself, so I will keep it brief. You will need to work with the color. By shooting in RAW this will give you the best data to work with later. You generally will need to tweak live music images, especially the color balance and JPEG simply does not give you enough scope to do this.

The most important thing is getting the images out quickly. When shooting professional bands, this means as soon as possible after the concert. When you are just starting out it is still a good idea to get the images to the band while the gig is still fresh in their minds.

Step 10. Practice

You’ve done it. You’ve now photographed your first show. I am sure you had a blast and the band loved the images. So what now?

Do it again and again, and again. Get out there and shoot! This will make sure you are constantly improving, but also allows you to start to build a reputation in your local area and building up a portfolio. This is key in moving to the next level and shooting bigger bands. They want to know you will take photos that make them look good.

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

So how do you shoot bigger bands? Well, that’s a story for another day. For now, you need to get out there and practice. What’s stopping you? I can’t wait to hear how it went. Please share your rock concert photos and questions in the comment area below.

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How to Photograph a Wedding – A Guide to Equipment, Shooting, Editing and More

07 Sep

Have you ever entertained the thought of being a wedding photographer?
Or have you ever been asked by a friend to photograph their wedding?
Or have you already taken the leap into wedding photography and it’s not quite going the way you hoped?

If you you answer yes to any of these questions – our brand new Wedding Photography ebook is for you!

Best of all – if you grab it this week it’s 50% off the normal retail price – so it’s your for just $ 9USD!

This beautifully designed eBook was written by Lily Sawyer who many of you will know as a regular writer for dPS.

Lily is also a professional photographer and draws on her experience of photographing more than 500 weddings, events and portrait sessions to share some practical advice for anyone hoping to embark on a similar journey into wedding photography.

7 Chapters of Practical Wedding Photography Advice

Included in this eBook are 7 chapters covering:

How to be a good wedding photographer
Equipment for wedding photography
A step-by-step guide to photographing a wedding day
Editing and batch processing
Products you can offer your clients
Pricing and how to find your happy place
Marketing your business

Click through for more details and to preview sample pages and to grab your copy of the eBook.

We think this is one of the best risk-free instantly downloadable resource you can buy to help you on your journey as a wedding photographer – no hype, no over-promising or relentless hustle speak – just realistic advice and practical tips.

Download it Now $ 9USD

P.S. As with all our books and courses, we offer a 60-day money back guarantee, so you can buy it confidently today, risk-free.

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Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

03 Sep

One of the problems, when you photograph couples, is that they can be really awkward and uncomfortable in front of the camera. But photographing these couples can be especially fun for them and for you!

In this article, I’ll show you how to understand awkward couples and find out what makes them tick so that you can make the lighthearted, romantic photos you’re both hoping for. As you overcome the challenges, you may find yourself taking some of the most cherished photos of your life or career.

Candid couples photography - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

Sometimes having an audience staring at a couple makes them severely uncomfortable. And sometimes being so uncomfortable leads to playful behavior. Be ready for any real expressions that come out.

1. Camera Settings

First, just a quick word about camera settings. If you’re already perfectly comfortable with camera settings, please skip this part.

You want to use your camera in such a way that allows you to put all your focus on the couple – not your settings. So manual mode may not be the best option for you.

Many photographers, both pro and amateur, prefer aperture priority (A or Av). Setting your ISO and then choosing your aperture based on creative preferences is perfect for photographing couples. You can then use exposure compensation to make quick adjustments as you move through the session.

Don’t let fumbling over settings get in the way of interacting with the couple.

Silhouette photo of a couple. Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

Exposure compensation was used here to get just the right look for this silhouette. It took a little warming up to get this couple to dance and kiss.

2. Ugly Locations

We’re going to dive into the minds of awkward couples, but first, let’s consider ugly locations.

Couples seem to have a knack for choosing ugly locations. Yes, the place is meaningful and beautiful to them, but they’re looking at it through the eyes of love, not the eyes of a photographer!

However, I have come to realize that the entire location you’re photographing does not need to be majestic – you only need to find pockets of beauty. Just little pockets of nice light, and tiny patches of background that look nice.

Candid couples photography - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

Normally, this is a majestic location but it was a tough time of day for light. The exact scenery was irrelevant to this photos since I got in close to capture the expression of the moment. At this point, I wasn’t even telling the couple what to do, there was just a lot of fun at the moment. Often people find it difficult to “smile naturally” for the camera. But not when they forget that the camera is even there.

3. Awkward Couples

Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. – Brian Tracy

Some people are simply as “cool as a cucumber” and perfectly comfortable in new situations or in front of the camera. But when it comes to the awkward couples, one or both of them tend to be a little neurotic or disagreeable.

You’ll know the signs when they tell you they’re nervous, begin saying self-critical things, or simply refuse to adopt a pose you’re asking them to do. Now, you have no idea what they’ve been through in life and what has led them to be uncomfortable like this. Even though they’re nervous and maybe a little difficult to work with, it’s still your job to take some great photos of them.

I always consider the first couple of scenes to be throw away photos. Everyone needs time to warm up. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself or the couple. Who cares if the first few photos turn out or not?

Romantic black and white photo of a couple - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

This was exactly the photo I had in mind for this couple. It should have been easy too. It normally is. But there was drama leading up to it.

The Director

You need to think of yourself as a director with a couple of stubborn or uncomfortable movies stars. The audience wants to see drama and romance and you’re going to have to get this couple to play along.

So set the scene in a nice pocket of light with a good background and don’t be distracted by camera settings.

Sunburst during golden hour - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

This was the scene I wanted. I got my camera settings dialed in before I told the couple what I wanted them to do. I told them that this was a silhouette photo so that there would be no pressure to have the right expression on their faces.

Set up your couple the best you can and start clicking. Don’t worry that it’s not perfect off the bat. Give them some direction, be kind and playful in the way you speak (keep your humor appropriate). Most importantly, watch for the outtake moments. The magic is always in the laughter and the expressions.

A couple dancing during golden hour. Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

When I told them to dance, they looked at me like I was crazy. She even had some choice words for me. I finally convinced them to twirl and we all loved the photo.

Improvise

If both of them are uncomfortable in front of the camera and disagreeable toward each other, you may witness an awkward dispute or fight between the couple. They may be distracted, unhappy, and even unwilling to follow your directions.

At this point, it will be a little less like directing and more like being in an improv sketch. They’re going to throw surprising lines your way and you’ve got to respond creatively. The scene will change quickly and be full of surprises. But this may lead to the photos you love the most.

You can see why you need to keep your mind off of camera settings and on the couple. Don’t stress about anything, just roll with the scene.

Candid couples photo - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

This was a fun moment as they were trying to understand how I wanted them to pose.

Couples photo - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

But it didn’t take long for the fun to wear off. There may be a lot of moments like this leading up to all those perfect Pinterest photos you see.

The Magic Ingredient

Neurotic and disagreeable behavior leads to drama – and drama is the magic ingredient in your photos.

No matter what happens, your job is to turn this ordinary couple, who feels uncomfortable in front of the camera and disagreeable with each other into a Pinterest dude and a beautiful belle. He may be stiff and expressionless, she may be less than encouraging, but you’ve got to work the scene to bring out the best in them.

As we pushed through the scene trying to get the pose correct, I decided to keep taking pictures. I saw something here. Certainly not the moment I was after, but it was the moment I was given. Something deep and human was coming out.

Couples photo smack - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

This is one of the truest and most human photos of a couple I’ve taken. It was the perfect combination of directing and improvisation. He wasn’t living up to the Pinterest standard of a romantic photo, so he got a whack. It was a playful whack but added a level of drama to the photo that I had never achieved before. This is the way it works for couples in real life. Trying something new, struggling through the frustration of trying to get it right, and finally – hopefully – overcoming.

Couples photo walking between blossoming trees - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

After the tension is released and the challenge overcome, they will have their “happily ever after.”

The Awkward Photographer

Of course, the awkwardness of the photographer plays a role in this too. Perhaps you know exactly how uncomfortable it is to be in front of the camera. This is good because it means you can empathize with the people you photograph.

Unless they’re trained models (and perhaps even if they are), they don’t know how to be in front of the camera. They feel or look awkward because it is a truly awkward experience. But you can embrace the drama of the moment and lead your couple through both the fun and the difficulty in order to achieve the photos you’re all hoping to make.

Awkward is Real

Remember to use your camera in such a way that it does not distract you from the couple.
Don’t stress over the location. Simply look for little patches of beauty and put the spotlight on your couple.
Be the director that is willing to join the scene, embrace the drama, and capture it for them.
Don’t think of awkward as a bad thing, but a fun thing.

I’d love to hear your awkward stories below.

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How to photograph fireworks

04 Jul

For folks in the U.S., July 4th represents an opportunity to capture the night sky all dressed up for summer’s biggest party. Whether you’re photographing fireworks for the first time or looking for some new techniques to try, we have a few pointers that might help.

Just getting started? Here’s a guide that covers all of the basics, from veteran fireworks photographer John Cornicello.

Tips from a pro: photographing fireworks with John Cornicello

We cover the ground rules as well as some extra ideas for creative opportunities in our guide to shooting fireworks.

Photographing fireworks: The basics and then some

And if you’re looking for a challenge and you have access to a great viewpoint, take a look at photographer Dylan Schwartz’s timelapse of Los Angeles from last year for a little inspiration. But however you choose to take in your local fireworks display – with or without your gear – be safe and don’t forget to enjoy the show.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How to Make and Photograph Rainbow Water Droplets on a CD

02 Jul

Do you enjoy doing a nice experiment, that gives you colorful photographs? In this article, you’ll discover how you can create a photo of rainbow water droplets using simple household objects and your imagination. The technique uses the principles of refraction and applies it in an easy to use way.

A nice experiment to do while it’s raining outside, create your own water drops and photograph them in an experimental way. So it’s time to setup your home laboratory, and photograph droplets on a CD!

colorful CDs - How to Make and Photograph Rainbow Water Droplets on a CD

You can make some captivating rainbow colors by using this technique.

What you need to photograph water droplets on a CD

As mentioned, you’ll need just some simple household items to carry out this photo of rainbow water droplets. You’ll also need some camera equipment as well!

CD – This is what’s needed to create the rainbow effect, make sure the shiny surface is clean.
Water dropper – Any simple dropper will do, you could use an eye dropper perhaps.
A glass of water – You’ll need a supply of water handy.
A flashlight – Any flashlight or headlamp will work for this technique.
A camera – Your camera must be capable of doing long exposures.
A macro lens – This works best with a macro lens or a camera with a built-in lens capable of close-up photography.
A tripod – This is a long exposure technique, so you will need a tripod.
External shutter release – In a pinch, you could use the camera’s self-timer, but an external shutter release will be better.

How to Make and Photograph Rainbow Water Droplets on a CD - gear needed for this technique

These are the items you’ll need for this technique.

The method

The following describes the simple method you’ll need to follow when creating this style of photo. The most important thing is you’ll need a dark room.

Place your CD on a flat surface, this can either be a tabletop or the floor.
Add water droplets to the surface of the CD using the dropper. Make sure they make a nice pattern.
Now put your camera on the tripod.
Position the camera and tripod so that the camera is looking straight down onto the CD.
Focus the camera using manual focus and live view. Keep the camera in manual focus so that you retain the focus position. If your camera is on autofocus, when you turn the light off and hit the shutter, you will lose the focus.
Your camera should be set to expose for around 20-30 seconds, the aperture will need to be around f/10-14. This aperture allows for both the long exposure and keeps the depth of field for the water droplets wide enough to ensure they’re all focused.
Now switch the light off. Ensure the room is as dark as possible, so avoid one where there might be light seeping in from outside.
Hit the shutter or trigger to begin the exposure.
Turn your flashlight on. Make sure the light does not shine up directly into the lens element, use a lens hood if you have one.
Keep the angle of the light roughly vertical and slightly down towards the surface.
Now circle the light source around the CD, and let the magic happen! Adjust the length of time you do this for depending on how bright you wish the photograph to be.
Repeat and adjust as necessary. You may wish to try different angles for the torch (flashlight), the higher the torch the more light you’ll see on the reflective surface of the water drop. Using different camera angles may also work well too.

How to Make and Photograph Rainbow Water Droplets on a CD - camera setup

The basic setup for this photo looks like this. It will of course be dark when you expose the image.

Other water droplet experiments

This is not the only way to photograph droplets, there are in fact a host of different methods out there. Here is a brief list you could also try out.

Water droplet – Taken using water dripping into a tub, and captured using a strobe. This is a great technique to try out.
Water droplets on glass – Use refraction to make amazing photos with water drops, and repeating patterns.
Water droplets after the rain – This one you’ll need to go outside for. Photographing droplets on flowers or spiderwebs always looks nice.

How to Make and Photograph Rainbow Water Droplets on a CD - color water drops

There are lots of other ways you can photograph droplets. This is taken with droplets on glass.

Start creating your water droplet photos!

Photographing droplets is a lot of fun, and I hope you enjoy trying out this idea. Have you ever tried photographing droplets before? Did you use a CD to do it, or one of the other methods mentioned in this article.

As always I’d love to see your images in the comments section, together with any comments you may have.

How to Make and Photograph Rainbow Water Droplets on a CD

Using closer framing, or different angles can change the look of the photo.

Changing the angle of the flashlight to a higher angle means you’ll catch the light reflection on the CD’s. Play with it until you get the look you like.

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Waiting to Photograph Sunrise – What to do Before the Sun Comes Up

28 Jun

A beautiful sunrise is, hands down, one of the best photography subjects and most beloved by photography viewers and photographers alike. They differ from sunset in the amount of pre-planning that aids a successful shoot. It’s no wonder that sunsets are easier to prepare for, as it is light out and you’re awake. So what do you need to do to photography sunrise?

Waiting to Photograph Sunrise – What to do Before the Sun Comes Up - dramatic sky

It’s a good idea to break down the pre-planning for a sunset shoot into three separate task groups:

The day before you shoot
The night before your shoot
Day of the shoot

The Day Before

Planning for a sunrise shoot starts well before the sun goes down the day before. You can’t change the weather, but providence favors the prepared soul.

Seattle at sunrise - Waiting to Photograph Sunrise

Seattle and Mount Rainier Before The Sun Comes Up

Scout

The most important part of planning a sunrise shoot is pre-visualization. This is the act of looking at a scene and imagining it at the time of sunrise. There are a number of apps to help with pre-visualization, such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris and LightTrac. They can point directly to where the sun will rise and help you decide camera angles and compositions.

These apps often let you mark your favorite locations to help you find them quickly the next day. So don’t guess! Go, scout.

Talk to Locals

If you are in a new location, ask around about great locations for sunrise. You don’t have to state you are a photographer, you can be just another tourist (even if you are in a town next door). Restaurants and bars are a good bet for easy places to start a conversation. You might be amazed at how easy it is to get people talking; everyone enjoys a nice sunrise.

Waiting to Photograph Sunrise - planning tips

Front side and back side of Delicate Arch in Utah

Some other local options and organizations to try:

Camera clubs
Audubon Society or birding groups
Outdoor gear and apparel stores
The local Chamber of Commerce

Other Odds and Ends

I suggest taking care of other odds and ends the day before, like packing a snack for the morning. If you’re not used to getting up before the sun, you’re going to be fairly hungry by the time you’re done shooting.

Also, fill your gas tank the day before if you are going to be driving. Anything you can do to reduce the odds of something simple going wrong will help you have a successful photo shoot.

prayer flags Nepal - Waiting to Photograph Sunrise

Prayer flags before Ama Dablam in the Himalayas of Nepal

The Night Before

Charge Batteries

More than once I have hit the field with only 25% battery power because my Canon doesn’t shut off the GPS when the camera powers down. It’s frustrating to have to ration something that can easily be topped off the night before. It’s a good habit to get into charging all your batteries ahead of time.

Waiting to Photograph Sunrise - sunrise in Hawaii from a cruise ship

Opportune sunrise over Maui, Hawaii on UnCruise Endeavour.

Clean your gear and wipe your cards

It’s the little things that matter most. Who hasn’t taken a few choice photos only to find dust spots or streaks that need to be sometimes painfully removed in post-processing? Take care of those things the night before. Clean your sensor, clean your gear and make sure it is all working perfectly.

Also, organize your cards and make sure you have fresh, empty memory cards before heading to bed. If you’re on a trip of multiple days, ensure your cards are backed up or at least have enough space available for your anticipated shoot the next morning.

Remember, sunrise scenes are aided by bracketing your images, so they tend to require more space than normal.

Waiting to Photograph Sunrise - colorful sunrise shot

Organize

Put on a blindfold or close your eyes right now and point to where everything is in your camera bag. Can you do it? Do you know where your spare batteries and cards are? Your second lens or the Allen wrench you need to adjust your tripod? What about your filters?

Being well organized and knowing your bag front to back by touch is valuable when the sun hasn’t yet risen. Depending on your latitude and cloud cover, it may be quite dark until just before sunrise so it is important to not be fumbling with gear or hunting for your flashlight.

Pack it all up the night before and set your bag by the door, ready to go in the morning without another thought.

Dunes at sunrise

The Day of Your Shoot

Arrive Early

I can’t stress this enough.

ARRIVE EARLY!

Often the best show of colors comes before the sun breaches the horizon if you have decent cloud cover. Arriving 30 minutes before sunrise might mean you miss this colorful show or are scrambling to get set up and shoot before the colors are dashed.

My rule of thumb is to show up an hour before the actual sunrise time. Maybe you can arrive a little later than that in places with deep valleys, like the Himalayas. The reverse is also true if you are on a mountaintop. With a little time on your hands, you can let your eyes adjust to the growing light and look for opportunities and compositions you might have missed on the previous day’s scouting mission.

Waiting to Photograph Sunrise -Taj Mahal at sunrise

Good timing at the Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Setting Up

Tripods are a big help for sunrise shoots and it’s best to set up early. Getting your camera out and mounted on a tripod can also help it acclimate in colder weather. Plus getting set up before the sun arrives gives you time for last minute scouting of the area.

If the weather is cold, it’s also a good time to bring out any filters you may need, such as graduated neutral density filters. I prefer to keep filters in a nice wallet, like the Tiffen Belt Holder so they stay secure and clean while acclimating.

Waiting to Photograph Sunrise - canyon in Utah at sunrise

Canyonlands National Park as seen from Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

The Shoot

We have a number of excellent articles here on Digital Photography School to help you with shooting sunrises. Here are some of my favorites:

8 Simple Guidelines for Capturing Spectacular Sunrise and Sunset Images
How to Shoot Stunning Photos at Sunrise and Sunset
5 Reasons Why Your Sunrise or Sunset Photos Don’t Look So Stunning

Waiting to Photograph Sunrise - ferry in Washington state at sunrise

Washington State Ferry Chelan in front of Mt. Baker, Washington

Editing Those Wonderful Shots

DPS also has many beneficial articles on processing your sunrise photos (the same techniques are used for sunrise and sunset).

Lightroom Workflow – from Setup to Finished Sunrise Photo
How I Shot And Edited It – Mesa Arch At Sunrise
4 Tips for Post-Processing Images on the Road

Waiting to Photograph Sunrise - mountains in Nepal

Spindrift catching the morning’s rays on the Himalayas, Lobuche, Nepal

Conclusion

Being prepared and planning ahead is a great way to enjoy sunrise photography without the rush. Take the time to scout and plan ahead by having your gear ready. The tips listed here will help you take your sunrise photography from accidental to purposefully beautiful art.

The post Waiting to Photograph Sunrise – What to do Before the Sun Comes Up appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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