Photography Tips

Here are a few tips to help your photographs look their best on your site.

Use a tripod if you can:

The hardest thing to fix in a picture is blur. If you can use a tripod or something to steady you, your pictures will look much better.

Consider your lighting:

The next hardest thing to fix is lighting. Too bright or too dark, and you lose details. Many of those details may be impossible to get back. If you're outside, consider adding an artificial light (flashlights, mirrors and headlights can work if you don't want to bring in an outside light source. If your picture is of something bright or reflective on a bright day, try to shield it. If you can't, try lowering your exposure time.

Watch your flash! Especially on shiny surfaces, like glass or polished metal, flashes can make an otherwise usable photo unusable. If you can, take your picture without a flash. If the scene is dark, try adding normal lights. The wider your light, the less it will glare. You may also consider using a large mirror to reflect sunlight. If you are taking a picture of a matte surface, glare shouldn't be an issue.

Consider your background:

If your picture is great, but your background doesn't compliment it, it may be a lot of trouble minimizing the background. Consider using a backdrop on smaller objects. Neutral colored cloth (sheets, towels or any plain fabric) works wonders. Don't be afraid to have a few wrinkles, to give it depth. Just don't go with a wacky pattern ...unless you want the subject to seem wacky, too. Even then, try to put the attention on the subject, not the background. Outside, you may want to get a big sheet, or a tarp, or simply take pictures against a wall or a field. A place where there is nothing much going on will help keep people focused. Remember that high contrast things, even if they seem boring to you, will draw the viewer's attention.

Smile:

When you are taking pictures of people, especially close ups, try to look happy. This is only a general rule, as there are situations which call for a variety of expressions. However, if you're using your own picture on your site, and you look like you're not happy to be there (taking the picture) the feeling will be conveyed to the viewer, who will assume you're unpleasant. You don't need, and usually shouldn't have, the biggest, goofiest smile you can manage. Rather, just smile naturally. Try not too squint too much. If it is too bright, consider taking the photo in another direction (but avoid taking a photo with the light in the background, as that will make the subject very dark and colorless. If you can't get a good shot of yourself smiling, consider a shot of you working. This will let people see you in an element in which you might be more comfortable. You won't need to be smiling, necessarily, because, for some jobs, people want a serious worker. If you're a Pastor, be careful to convey the mood that best reflects your personality, as many people will put a lot of stock in these kinds of things.

Try getting shots from many angles:

If you're showing off an object, try to get several shots from several angles. Even professional photographers take many pictures for the same reason. You may be surprised that a shot you think should be fine doesn't work, or a shot you didn't expect shows your subject at its best. If it's small, consider placing it on a table or a turn table, anything you can rotate or get around all sides of. Sometimes people like to see the back of an object.

Take lots of pictures, and when you are getting ready to send them, send large pictures. Remember, you can always make a picture smaller, but when you make it larger, you'll lose quality and detail.