Photography

Disclaimer: I’m not a professional photographer, have never taken a photography class and don’t get paid to take pictures, so please take what I say with a grain of salt. I can only tell you what I’ve learned through a lot of trial and error. Mostly error.

My camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT, no extra lenses, just the original. When researching new cameras, it was a tossup between this one and a similarly priced Nikon. The Nikon was more of a sentimental choice because my paternal grandfather always used that brand, but I finally decided on the Canon after some advice from a pro. Still, it’s a personal decision and both brands are fine.

My personal approach to taking pictures

One of my favorite parts of blogging is taking and looking at photos. When I started this blog, I only had my husband’s little point-and-shoot to use. After a while, I was able to upgrade to the Canon. I don’t think you need a $1000 camera to take good pictures; your skill is probably a better tool. However, as with any craft, I always suggest buying the best you can afford. The following is just a brief on how I approach taking photos for my blog.

1 – Time it right: You probably already know about taking pictures in natural light — I’ve read this tip about a hundred times just today. What this means for me is that I don’t haul out the camera any time of day. Depending on the time of year, I sometimes take pictures at 10 am, other times at 3 pm. I take most of them outside, on our back patio or in my bedroom — I’ve found that these locations offer the best light for me. Look for your best location.

2 – Pretend you’re Clint Eastwood: I take a lot of pictures of the same object, usually from many different angles. If you’re using a digital camera, you don’t have to worry about wasting film, so get your Eastwood on and shoot, shoot and then shoot some more! If it helps, tell that project “Go ahead, make my day.” And then shoot it. With your camera, of course. I may take 30 pictures of one thing and then edit it down to the one or two photos I think are the best.

3 – Get it right the first time: The majority of my blog pictures are untouched. I don’t really like messing with them if I don’t have to, especially because having to go in and fix color, exposure, that overflowing laundry basket in the background, etc. takes time, and as a work-at-home mom, I don’t have all day to fix what I can do right from the beginning (this is where the time of day tip is all-important). This means you should at least read your camera’s manual and get familiar with all the bells and whistles. Learn the settings and apply them as needed. Yes, this means the actual photography session lasts longer, but once I’m done taking photos, I rarely have to edit them afterward. If I do edit, I use the free Picnik tool.

4 – Keep steady: I don’t have a tripod, but I steady myself as much as possible before pressing the button. This sometimes means I brace myself on both elbows, or get into a comfortable kneeling position if I’m on the floor/ground. I hate going through all the trouble of setting up a shot and then getting a fuzzy picture as a result.

5 – Get up close: I love a closeup. Instead of zooming in, I move in. Projects don’t have personal space, so don’t worry about invading it. Get right up to that yarn or bread or child and focus. (Bribe children with candy if you have to because as steady as your hands are, kids’ll move and mess you up on tip #4).

6 – Practice, practice, practice: Yes, Mom was right – you have to practice to get better, whether it’s with photography, piano or nagging your spouse into an early grave. Take your camera with you whenever you leave the house and just shoot pictures. Pull it out at home and just snap whatever doesn’t move. Stand up, kneel, lay on the ground — whatever it takes to get the shot you want. You may take 100 pictures and only like one, but the more you practice, the better you’ll get.