Thanksgiving in Canada is coming at the beginning of October and it is a great time for family and friends. Many of us aim to capture these precious moments through videos and photographs. Unfortunately many people take photos improperly and then either spoil the mood of the party by taking too long trying to get the perfect picture or take bad photos and then are disappointed afterwards. So I thought I would offer you a few tips to get the most of your family time. Lets look at the most common actions done during a home party.
Use a tripod
If you are the type to take photos on a regular basis it may be worth investing in a tripod. I remember I was given a tripod before I started doing professional video and photos. A tripod not only gives you stable pictures that takes away the blur, but now allows you to use the timer function on your device so everyone can be in the picture. If you do any video work then a tripod is a must as you may think that you are holding a camera still but will notice what they call “camera shake” when editing afterwards. You can get attachments to accommodate smart phones, tablets, and other devices at your local photography shop or online.
Get good lighting
Good lighting is essential to good pictures and video. The basic rule is that the light should be facing your subject. So if you are taking the picture the light should be behind you and shining on your subject. If the light
is too bright it will put a shine on your subject and possibly cause you to drown out your subject with the light. Try moving your subject to remove the direct light if possible. If that doesn’t’ work try setting up lights at 45 degree angles that will give you frontal light and remove the harsh light on your subject. Be careful of using flash as that often does the same thing and throws too much light onto your subject.
Choose the correct camera orientation
This is an area that I see many people doing wrong. Basic rules of art is that if a subject is tall then portrait orientation is the best. If your subject is wide then landscape orientation is best. Of course people do the opposite for different effects, but that isn’t for most of us. For video no matter how you shoot it it is always processed in landscape mode. If you are shooting video with your phone or tablet always turn it landscape orientation for the best outcome. You will get a better video and bigger picture.
Tweak your technique for a good selfie
Selfies are still popular in fact my family calls me the selfie pro. There is a trick to taking good selfies. A quick tip is to give the camera to the tallest person in the group. A person with long arms can take better selfies because the camera will be further away from you making the picture look more natural. When taking selfies many people like to hold the camera up above their heads. This instantly tells people you are taking a selfie. What I prefer to do is hold the camera at the same level as you are standing, but out to the side. This makes the picture look more natural and as if it may be taken by someone else. Again holding the phone in landscape mode will help you get everyone in the picture.
I hope these few tips will help you take better photos while spending quality time with family and friends. They may be basic in idea but can help your photos be so much better. Since our next edition of his newsletter will come out after the Canadian Thanksgiving on October 10th I would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy!
About the Author
Bruce Outridge is an artist, author, and speaker. The services through his business Bruce Outridge Productions range from cartoons to video production. You can learn more about Bruce Outridge Productions through their website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com . If you would like to have articles such as this and other specials sent right to your inbox then why not sign up for the Bruce Outridge Production’s newsletter. Click here!
