FixAPrint Retouching - Photography Tips


Sometimes the difference between taking a good photo and a great photo can be a simple change in your technique. Our experts are glad to share their knowledge of professional photography with you. Look for frequent updates and new tips & techniques in the future. We hope you find this information helpful and welcome your feedback and photography questions.

Photography Tips For Fall & Winter:

Taking Informal Portraits

Now that the cooler months are here there will be plenty of opportunities for digital photos of your friends and family at gatherings. Here are a few tips to help assure that the photos you take this season will be your best ever:


1.	The very best way to improve your photos is to press the button gently when you take a picture. Pressing it hard or fast can cause camera movement, making the picture appear blurred or out of focus.

2.	If you shoot outside in the snow, look to see if there's a snow/beach exposure setting on your camera and use it. Or if that's not available, you might be able to set the exposure compensation to adjust for the brighter scenes. Add 1 or 2 stops exposure for a beach scene. The rule of thumb for correcting for too light & too dark subjects (as compared with average subjects) is if it's light, make it lighter (add F stops or exposure) and if it's dark, make it darker (subtract F stops of exposure). ALSO: Be very careful to keep your camera dry and reasonably warm. Holding it inside your coat near your body will keep it from getting too cold. Be sure to allow the camera to warm up inside before taking interior pictures or your lens might fog up with condensation!

3.	Resist the urge to shoot at a downward angle when taking photos of children, pets or any subject that is much smaller or shorter than you. Either bring the subject up or bring your camera down to the subject by kneeling.

4.	To emphasize the main subject (the people in your photos), keep the background as uncluttered and simple as possible.

5.	If you have a zoom lens on your camera, step further away from your subject and zoom in. This will cause the background to blur more, thus emphasizing the people you're focusing on. This is a common technique all portrait photographers use!

6.	Use a flash, if possible, to supplement your outdoor daylight portraits. It will help you achieve a flawless look by minimizing wrinkles and harsh shadows. (if you still see wrinkles in the picture afterward, we can help!)

7.	When photographing a person, try shooting them from an angle. This not only helps them look slimmer (something many people appreciate) but also creates more interesting angles in your photo.

8.	Try including props, particularly something appropriate to the season or holiday. Adding a splash of color from decorations or using holiday lights in the background, especially out of focus, is a great way to add pizzazz to your photo albums!