10 Family Photography Tips for a Memorable Vacation

Lifestyle / Portrait

10 Family Photography Tips for a Memorable Vacation

January 25, 2023

Photography is a great way to capture family memories, especially on vacation. Whether you’re travelling with loved ones or want to document your adventures, here’s how to ensure you don’t miss any potential photo opportunities:

Posing and interactions

The family is posed in a way that highlights their unique connection to one another. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to remember that your family is not the same as any other family. That’s why it’s essential to have fun with your poses, let go of the desire for perfectionism, and instead focus on creating an image that reflects who you are as a family. If you’re worried about not looking right, ask an artist friend or relative for feedback before taking snaps. You’ll have plenty of time later on when editing photos, so don’t waste any now!

Planning

Planning is one of the most critical factors in whether or not your family portrait session will succeed. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you plan:

The location should be easy to get to and have plenty of space for everyone, including children, who may be running around.
Look at the time of day; early morning or late evening light can provide beautiful images with soft shadows and long shadows.
If it’s too hot outside for your liking, consider going indoors where no moving air conditioners are blowing at face level (and possibly knocking off hats) or weather-resistant clothing that won’t stick together when it’s humid out (we’ve all been there).
Bring props—even if they’re just balled-up socks posing as fish! This will help add interest to otherwise dull photos and give them more personality than if they had been taken on actual fishing trips instead!

Attention span

Attention span is a significant issue when photographing kids. They’re easily distracted and will not stay still for long, so keep the shoot moving quickly. You may want to consider having your subject(s) wear something that makes them stand out as individuals (i.e., a shirt with their name on it). This way, they can be easily identified in photographs, and it doesn’t matter if they move around too much since all the pictures will be grouped by a person instead of a location or occasion. Or perhaps consider hiring a professional who specializes in photographing children; these individuals have experience working with young subjects and understand how best to get them smiling naturally!

Location

Choose a location that is unique, interesting, and fun.

Look for a place with good light.

Look for a home with a good background.

Look for a position with an excellent foreground.

Look for a place to get the whole family in one shot (or at least close to it).

Tuck in your shirt tail

Tuck in your shirt tail – Nobody wants to see your underwear, so tuck that shirttail in! This is an excellent habit to get into because being more presentable can help you make a more favourable impression on others. You can always unbutton it later if you find yourself too hot or uncomfortable, but at least start with the tucked look and see how it feels.
No flip-flops on vacation – Whether hiking through nature or strolling along the beach, no one wants their toes stepped on by flip-flops! Flip-flops are undoubtedly appropriate for lounging around by the pool or going to dinner at night. Still, sandals aren’t ideal for walking long distances or outdoor activities (especially not climbing over rocks). A simple pair of tennis shoes will protect both feet from getting hurt while still keeping them cool since they breathe better than closed-toed shoes would do in warmer weather conditions like these here near Lake Tahoe, so if flip flops aren’t an option, then keep those toes safe from cuts & bruises by wearing sneakers instead!

Get at their eye level

A family photo is worthless if it doesn’t capture the unique bond between you and your loved ones. There are many ways to do this, but one of the most effective is to get down on their level: literally!

Use a stool or step to be at eye level with them.
Try getting low—a great way to show some action and movement in your photos is by using a lower camera angle.
Get close with wide-angle lenses that allow you to get more into the frame without stepping back as far away from your subject (and risk missing out on an essential part of the scene).
Take advantage of an elevated position—if there’s something like stairs or maybe even a ledge around where your family members are standing, use them as part of your composition so that everyone looks comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera together!

Candid moments

Candid moments are crucial to capturing the essence of your family. As you explore, don’t be afraid to take a few shots of the exact moment. After all, no one has ever complained about having too many photos from their trip.

Be sure that none of your family is in any photos except for yourself! If everyone is posing for the camera, it detracts from what makes a candid so unique—the fact that it is unexpected and natural. It’s okay if someone doesn’t want to be photographed; let them have their privacy without making them feel awkward about it.

Capture connections

Your family vacation is an excellent opportunity to capture connections between family members and their surroundings, pets, activities, hobbies, and interests. These images will help you relive the memories for years to come.

Get goofy

Once everyone is in the shot, it’s time to have fun with it. Don’t be afraid to get silly! Try something unexpected, like having someone put on an animal mask and act out an animal’s movements. If you don’t have fancy covers, one of your kids’ stuffed animals will do. Or grab a fluffy blanket and make it look like someone is dragging a bed out of their house (and then find a way to capture that moment).

These are just some ideas that can help loosen up your family during this process—but remember: don’t take yourself too seriously! You want these photos to feel natural and spontaneous to capture the true essence of your family’s personality and relationships.

Location, location, location!

When it comes to choosing a location for your family portrait, you have a lot of options. It can be hard to narrow down the possibilities and decide on the perfect spot to capture your family’s personality and spirit. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a location:

Location with meaning
Unique or attractive location
An accessible place for everyone in the family (including elderly members)
Safe environment for kids and pets

Family photography is a great way to capture family memories.

Whether you’re travelling, at home, or on vacation, the photos can use to create a lasting memory of your family and the essence of what makes it unique.

Family photography is a fun and creative way to capture family memories and can also be used to teach children about art!

We hope these family photography tips will help you capture more memorable moments on your next vacation. With some planning, attention to detail, and creativity, you can create lasting memories for your family and friends to treasure for years.

Landscape / Lifestyle / Portrait

6 Quick Tips to Make Your Aurora Photography Awesome

January 20, 2023

Aurora photography is a unique challenge to newcomers, but it’s not as hard as you think. You can capture beautiful shots of the Northern Lights from your home or hotel room with the right equipment and settings. You don’t need expensive gear or fancy post-processing skills—just these tips for photographing the aurora borealis in all its glory:

Use a sturdy tripod

One of the most important things you can do to improve your photography is to use a tripod. A sturdy tripod will help reduce camera shake, allowing you to take long exposures without blurring your shot. Using a tripod will enable you to keep both hands free and adjust settings, making it much easier for beginners.

However, tripods don’t come cheap! Most good ones cost over $100, and some can be upwards of $1000 depending on what features are important to you (like how many pounds they can hold). But if budget isn’t an issue and you want something high-quality right away, look no further than our favourite: Manfrotto Befree Tripod!

The Manfrotto Befree is an excellent choice because it comes in at under $100 while still being sturdy enough to support heavier camera setups like DSLRs or mirrorless cameras; it also folds up into itself so that when not in use, takes up less room than other models — this makes it perfect for travelling since there’s no need for extra space in your bag just for storing your equipment! Thanks to its fluid head system, you’ll also love how smooth all movements are, allowing easy panning motions with minimal resistance from friction caused by moving parts rubbing against each other (like when turning on/off any appliance). Last but certainly not least…this baby doesn’t weigh much either — just two pounds total weight, including both legs attached together, which means if need be…you could easily carry it around all day long without feeling weighed down by these heavy-duty sticks!

Use manual focus

When taking photos of auroras, you must remember that the eye does not naturally see everything in focus. An image that is out of focus will look blurry and unappealing.

Using manual focus is the best way to ensure that your images are sharp. In this case, “manual” means doing it yourself—not letting your camera do all the work by choosing automatic settings.

Once you’ve selected your shot and set up your tripod (tip #1), pick a fascinating subject and center it in your viewfinder or monitor screen if using a digital camera with live view functionality. Then use the hyperfocal distance formula (this page) to figure out how much depth of field will be captured by any given aperture setting on your lens: f/2.8 gives approximately 1/3rd depth; f/4 gives approximately 2/3rds depth; f/5.6 gives 95% depth; f/8 gives 98% depth; f/11 gives 99% depth; etc., up until infinity (which would capture 100% infinity).

Set your camera to the correct settings

When shooting in Aurora, setting your camera correctly is essential. This will help you achieve good exposure and give you room for error if something goes wrong.

We recommend setting your camera to aperture priority mode (A or Av). If a scene is too dark, adjust your aperture accordingly — this will also allow you to use faster shutter speeds. On the other hand, if a location is too bright or overexposed, close down the aperture until everything looks right on the screen!

Also, make sure you’re using manual and locking focus before pressing that shutter release button! Your lens should be set to its widest aperture — this allows for more light into the camera sensor without sacrificing the quality of the image produced by diffraction effects (which occur when using smaller focal lengths). The best way around this problem is by using a wider lens like 16mm f/2 or 24mm f/1.4 prime lenses with an APS-C-sized sensor rather than buying expensive full-frame cameras.

Use a remote shutter release or the self-timer to reduce camera shake and get sharp images

To minimize the effects of camera shake when taking pictures, you should use a remote shutter release or the self-timer to reduce the impact that pressing the shutter button has on your image. If you don’t have either of those options available, try setting your delay time to at least ten seconds and pressing down halfway before fully depressing it. This will allow a slight vibration from pressing down halfway that won’t be transferred into your image once it’s taken.

Another good way to minimize camera shake is using a tripod when shooting long exposures in low-light situations. Tripods are handy for Aurora photography because they enable photographers to take longer exposures without worrying about motion blur caused by shaky hands or windy conditions affecting their images negatively—and with all that extra time in front of them (without having their hands complete), photographers also have more freedom when experimenting with different compositions!

Finally, set all of your camera settings manually using manual focus instead of relying on autofocus whenever possible; this will allow you greater control over how things look while also giving you an extra layer between yourself and any potential problems that can occur during operation!

Try light painting for a unique look

Similarly, light painting can create trails that add to the atmosphere. Light up objects in your shot with a flashlight or LED light, and then use a long exposure to capture the outline of your handiwork. You can also try different angles and ways of holding your light!

Shoot at the golden hour for more colour in your sky and reflectivity on water or snow

The golden hour is correct before and after sunset or sunrise when the light is warm and soft. This is a great time to photograph waterfalls, lakes, and other reflective bodies of water that show off the golden tones.

The best way to ensure you get a beautiful shot of your subject is to shoot during this magical period, where everything looks better than any other day!

You don’t need fancy equipment to take amazing Northern Lights photos!

In this section, you’ll learn how to take amazing photos of the Northern Lights with your DSLR or mirrorless camera.

You first need to know that you don’t need fancy equipment to take photos of the Aurora; you only need the camera (and lens) you already have!

However, if you want to take better photos than possible using a smartphone or point-and-shoot camera, I suggest buying yourself a sturdy tripod for each photographer and someone who can help hold it steady. You should also invest in manual focus so that your images are sharp, no matter the light conditions. Finally, ensure that when it comes time to shoot, everyone has their batteries charged up fully, so there’s no chance of running out during a crucial moment.

So there you have six easy ways to shoot the Northern Lights. Now all that’s left is for you to get out there, get creative and start shooting! And remember, this list is by no means exhaustive—there are so many different things you can do when it comes to aurora photography, so experiment with other techniques until you find one that works best for you.

Lifestyle / Portrait

How To Take Amazing Newborn Baby Photos

January 15, 2023

Photographing a newborn baby is one of a photographer’s greatest joys. Newborns are squishy and sweet, and as they sleep most of the time, you can follow them around with your camera all day. It’s about more than finding the proper lighting and backdrop for photographs. The babies are the show stars, and it’s up to you to make them comfortable on set. When taking pictures of newborn babies, you might want to take photos of the following:

The baby in its crib or bassinette (with props)
Close-ups of feet or hands
Portraits from above

Photographing a newborn may seem daunting because babies are so small – but it’s easy once you get comfortable! Just set up your shot and try taking pictures every few minutes until you capture that perfect moment.

Newborns do not stay still for long! To capture those precious moments, you need to be quick and ready. You may need to take several shots of the same pose or action before getting the perfect one.

Take a lot of photos. Some babies will be more cooperative than others, so don’t get discouraged if your first attempt doesn’t turn out well. It may take several takes before you get a photo worth sharing with your family and friends!

Try different poses and angles. Try different poses and angles to see what works best for your subject and yourself as a photographer/videographer. If one pose isn’t working, try another until you find something that makes everyone happy!

Get your camera ready. If you’re using a digital camera, make sure it’s set to manual mode to control the settings manually. This will allow you to adjust them as needed throughout the shoot without messing up any previous shots. Set your image based on what works best for babies and parents (if they’re present).

Make sure you fill the house with soft light

Pull back any heavy drapes from windows and turn off any bright lights. This is the most crucial step in achieving great newborn baby photos. To create a peaceful and soothing environment, ensure that your home’s lighting is even and consistent throughout the session. The best way to do this is by using natural light from windows or lamps with low-wattage bulbs. Avoid any harsh lights (harsh can be anything from fluorescent to LED), bright lights (such as those found in offices and factories), and dark lights. Also, try not to use red lights!

If you’re photographing in your home, pull back any heavy drapes from windows so that there are no shadows on your subject.

Make sure all props are safe for babies

Make sure all props are clean, soft, and safe for babies. For example, your braces should be made of natural materials, such as wood or cotton, to minimize chemicals and contaminants.
Be careful about what you put on the floor. You don’t want anything dangerous for a baby crawling around with toys.

If you have a blanket or rug on the floor, ensure it is not too thin or slippery. If you use a carpet, ensure the texture is not too rough for babies’ tender skin and that no loose threads are sticking out.

Keeping your photos candid is sometimes better than positioning a sleepy newborn baby in a cute pose.

Newborn babies can be highly unpredictable and difficult to pose, but they also have a habit of being very cute in their sleep. They don’t always cooperate with your ideas for how you want them positioned, so you should take lots of candid shots by following them with your camera.

Ultimately, it will be worth it because newborn baby photos are some of the most beautiful images you can take as a photographer!

During our first photo shoot with a newborn baby, I remember thinking this was my chance to get those iconic shots of a baby in its dad’s hands or wearing a tiny hat. But I quickly realized that babies don’t always cooperate when dressed or posed. While you may think your baby is the most beautiful thing in the world, it’s important to remember that they’re not a prop. Your newborn baby is the star of the show! So, when photographing them, it’s imperative that they feel comfortable and safe in your arms. If they are crying, try changing their diaper or letting them sit on a blanket instead of holding them up in your arms (this can cause strain on their neck).

If you want to keep things simple, opt for a clean white background with nothing distracting. This will allow for more focus on capturing those adorable little faces and cute outfits!

You can expect to have a lot of fun photographing your newborn baby. It’s amazing what you can do with natural light and a few props. This article has given you tips on creating a perfect environment for photographing newborn babies at home, but the best thing about these photos is that they are authentic and unique!