Photo tip - Details - Katherine Wheeler Photo Retouching

Photo tips - Little details

4/26/2018

You're here because you are enjoying your DSLR camera and taking photos of your family but perhaps when you look at your photos something seems off. For instance, there may be too many shadows, you don't know how to position yourself in relation to the sun, or you may be missing on important details that you'd love to cherish decades later. Maybe you're new to photography and would like some help. The trick to making a great magically enhanced photo art is to start with good and eye candy photography.
Then there are the fun projects of putting together a photo album, a wall of photos or collage. What should be included?
Today's topic is about DETAILS....

BABIES
Don't you just love those gorgeous eyelashes of your little one? The little hands and feet?
Details like these would make a great accents to your photo wall or album.
Definitely get up close. When photographing a closeup of a sleeping baby's face, be sure to be real still, using your phone tap on the eye closest to you to set focus, and click. Don't forget to consider the tip above, lighting. See the photo of my baby's feet. We were outside on the grass in between apartment buildings. The sun wasn't shining right on us but there was natural light around. Make sure there are no hot-spots of sun near the baby otherwise it'll mess up your exposure. Even lighting all around is key.
To capture a feet photo like below, hold your baby's feet and aim the camera to where the feet and your hands are more to one side of the photo and have your baby lilting to the other side. Make sure to focus on the feet. The closer you get the more blurred the rest of the baby will be. And that's ok. The point is to capture the cute little feet.

My little girl's first Eclipse.

FAMILY LIFE
What makes making memories special is everything that reminds us of who we are. Yes we'll have photos of our family, but what tells more about each of you? How about some photos of favorite books, favorite toys, vinyl records you still have, favorite blankey etc. What about memorable special events like blowing out the candles of a birthday cake? A messy face of said cake? A closeup of you and your companion at your first concert? First date? A child's first day at the beach? And a photograph of his hands and feet in the sand.
Or a messy face of sand. And my personal favorite is a photo of my daughter napping on me.
These special candid detailed moments would make great fill-ins to your wall collage and photo books. Photograph anything that says "you" so you'll always have it to remember what your family was like at this time.

Our first date back in 2003.

Baby feet!

WEDDING
This can be for a wedding or any celebration. Many will photograph the typical poses of a wedding. But what about the in betweens? The details? What was the embroidery of the bride's dress like? Her shoes? How did she paint her toes? How did the mother enjoy putting the veil on her daughter? The details of the tables, party favors, the cake? Oh yes, the intricate artwork of the cake or cupcakes. One detail I like to capture is some of the writings on a memory frame or card the guests have written in. How about the guests? 10+ years from now you'll love to see your dear grandmother who passed away or your niece who moved to a far away country on a missions trip. I like to enjoy photographing the hugs, hand shaking, smiles and tears.

When photographing intricate details, try to get in as close as possible for one perspective. Another one is to get down low and try to get multiple items in one shot with having one item up close while the others are at a soft focus further away. Notice the guest table photo in the slideshow. Have fun creating photo art like in the bridal dress photo staged with the bride's bouquet. When something is down low, avoid photographing from standing up. Get down low. Yes even on your knees if possible. Or even lower depending on what you're shooting. You may end up looking funny positioning yourself to get your shot, but who cares? Because your final photo will look spectacular and worth every awkward twist and bend you had to do to get it.

As you're utilizing these photo tips in your own photography, you'll start to realize that you are becoming a photographer similar to the pros. Go you! And when you've achieved your special, memorable, adorable, sweet, photos, then you can have them perfected (just like the pro's) and have a Professional Photo Retoucher give them that magical touch. *wink*