Find someone who wants to have their picture taken - tips for good Photography

Last weekend I had the great pleasure of photographing a beautiful young woman to help me develop my wedding portfolio. It is so much easier when people are prepared to spend some time with you getting a good photograph. Candid shots are excellent of course, capturing the moment. However, there is also something profound about a well taken portrait that shows off a loved one in literally the best light.

Here is a project for you - ask someone close if you can take a photograph of them where taking the photograph is the most important thing. Perhaps it can be taken with their favourite belonging, a book, musical instrument, etc. Make the photograph the important thing and take the image just a little more seriously than you do normally when at a family occasion or event.

Make the next one more than a snap shot.

Best wishes,

Richard

Finding a high or low viewpoint - tips for good Photography

Standard full length or head and shoulder shots from eye level is how most 'snap' photography works. However, to put a bit of flare into your pictures why not deliberately take shots from bended knee or from the top of the stairs, or even, risk assessment allowing, by standing on a chair or step ladder!

Photographing children really does require you to get down to their eye level. See the world as they see it as in this picture.

By getting down low there is added atmosphere as in this wet street scene in Chester. Getting low accentuates the texture of the cobbles and gives a very different perspective.

Oona asked me to take some shots of her for a 'day in the life' article. She was setting up in the hotel readying to play at the drinks reception when I noticed a stair and balcony behind her. Looking over the balcony gave me an interesting and fresh angle on the harp.

Feel free to email me examples of where you have used an idea in this blog and I will include it in a future blog, full credit given.

Best wishes,

Richard

PS Sorry the blog is late, too much work and when I have had the chance too tired to do it justice!

Turn some of your images into black and white - tips for good Photography

When I first started taking and developing pictures it was in black and white. Only required three chemicals and a red lit dark room. Absolutely loved the magic of seeing the latent image appear on the paper. Digital cameras and software make it so easy to get a reasonable black and white image today. The following picture which I call 'The Awakening' is an extreme example of what can be done with an originally not very promising image taken with a rather slow lens, if you want to know what a slow lens is please leave a comment. As you can see I think it made rather a good conversion to black and white.

What is it about black and white that still makes it attractive? I feel it is the simplicity and a clearer sense of depth and separation that you get with just the dark and light tones.

The following landscapes illustrate how this works in situations when the light is bright and with a subject where the colour was not the most important thing.

Architecture can also lend itself to a simplification in black and white. This is the Radisson Hotel lobby in Liverpool which I call 'Black and White Balconies'. The simple geometry accentuated in the pattern, repetition and perspective adds a great deal of interest.

Portraits in black and white certainly have an atmosphere that one could argue is not always there when in colour. I took this last picture at a christening and the purity of the black and white image seemed to reflect better the strength of the mother-daughter relationship.

If more moody is what you are trying to achieve in your photography, then have a go at using the black

and white setting on your cameras controls, or have a go in the software that came with the camera. There are also programmes on the internet that will do it for you very quickly and easily.

Happy shuttering!