Photographing Everyday Life: 2014

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Printing Photos.. Does it Make a Difference???

I often have people ask me if it really makes a difference where you print your photos from. Yes, it does. There can be a big difference from the image that I took with my camera, to the one you hold in your hand. The most optimum for printing is a professional lab. Most photographers offer the ability to purchase from a professional lab on their websites. The Shoreline Photography website uses MPix, a top professional lab, to print your photos. As you can see by the photo, other labs can vary the quality from the actual image taken. Drugstores and lower end photo processing places are ok if you just want basic prints, but if you are going to invest in a larger print or canvas, you might want to check the quality of the place you are ordering from first. Sometimes it might be cheaper, but you often get what you pay for.. it may not be quality print you were expecting for your wall.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Photographing Children

I find the best place to photograph children is outdoors. They are more relaxed and happier in the outdoor environment. All of the above photos were taken in a regular yard. The biggest tool you need when photographing children is patience. Just wait for them to be themselves. You may need to take many breaks.... sometimes you just need to begin again on another day if the child is fussy. Summertime is a great time to get some wonderful photographs. Get that camera out and start photographing!!!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Splash of Color

I want to encourage you when you are taking photos to think about processing... many time when I'm photographing I already am thinking "this would be great in black/white" ... using a color splash program allows you to add a splash of color to black and white... as you can see above, just using red for the apple makes the photo much more distinctive than full color..... or the other photo where the story is really about surfing, so I color splashed the surf board to really bring that out. Have fun when photographing and have some fun using a splash of color!! I'd love to know how you're doing this and even have you post some photos for us to see.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Finding Backdrops Around You

Since I don't have a studio... I find my backdrops everywhere around me... from the wonderful beaches here in RI, or lovely parks... wherever my clients feel comfortable. Usually if you can find an area in a yard that just has some greenery in the background, you're good. Not too many like the snow, but it can make a great background.. life is all around and so are backgrounds. Whether its a yard, a park, the beach or other area, be creative ... as long as the background isn't distracting, you're good. If you're photographing people, you always want the people to be the main focus.

Just your Christmas tree at home works great....

I want to encourage you to get out in your yard, park or anywhere you normally spend time and look for backdrops that would work. You'll be surprised at what you find and your photos will be unique and not a cookie-cutter studio backdrop.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Beach Photography

The beach is great for families...

Reflective sunglasses can be fun....

Beach writing in the sand....

Summertime is a wonderful time to photograph at the beach. I like to have people relax, be natural, and be themselves. I try to get them to forget I'm there... especially children. I find the end of the day to be the best time for lighting... you still have sunlight but it's not at it's peak... if you stay a little longer you can also catch sunset as well. Don't forget about props... I used this fake starfish with a little girl... there are great beach hats for props... buckets, writing in the sand is great too. If you live by the beach it's not too late to take advantage of the nice days that are left before the colder weather comes in... head down to the beach and start shooting photos!!!