Babies - tips for good Photography

Once again it is the eyes that need the photographers attention. Make sure they are in focus and have that all important catch-light. Most babies cannot hold themselves up, so a watchful parent and a quick shutter release finger are also essential. Also getting down to them is very important, don't be afraid to roll around on the floor to get something a little different.

Mums and Dads work hard during a photo shoot, helping to keep the baby amused and photogenic. Sometimes photographing them asleep works really well with the right lighting. Resting them on some comfortable cushions and getting in close is good.

Always be prepared for the candid shot and the unusual angle that sometimes results. You cannot pose children, you just have to keep your eyes open to the possibilities.

It is always a pleasure photographing young ones, they only have to be themselves, something many adults struggle with.

Photographing bands - tips for good Photography

It was my pleasure last weekend to photograph a Manchester band called Rachael and the Red Socks. Despite the weather, their determination to be filmed for a website and have me do a few promotional shots carried them through the elements. It was also great when they played- being only one of two in the audience, not counting the sound and videographer, was a privileged position. If you want to get more information and to see and hear the band please visit their website at Rachael and the Red Socks. Perhaps when the weather is more clement I will get a chance to photograph them again with more time to think about the set up and atmosphere - perhaps look to do something more moody.

Photographing musicians is great because they love what they do and have beautiful instruments which make for an automatically photogenic pose and portrait even when they are not playing them. I am very lucky to be married to a beautiful harpist and enjoy photographing Oona with her harp. You can hear my wife play by following this link to Oona's website.

Live concerts pose a whole separate set of problems especially if it is an orchestra. A tip from an earlier post is that you try to get in close, but that's easier said than done. With a camera with a really good optical zoom you do stand more chance. Make sure it is an optical zoom though, digital zoom is not really more detailed, it is just the enhancement of the pixels through software. This is the Jan Modelski Orchestra who asked me to take some pictures. They are a friendly group and their website can be found at The Jan Modelski Orchestra.

Ask a musician if they would like a photo of themselves with their instrument, they might just say yes!

Amazing software - tips for good Photography

Modern software is amazing! I use 'Adobe photoshop CS4' but there are plenty of simple and more sophisticated programs out there to suit all abilities. One thing you can do in photoshop is merge pictures to produce a panorama. I did this recently of a place in Snowdonia called Cwm Idwal and this is the result.

To view this image properly click on it!

This image consists of 5 pictures that the program stitched together despite issues of perspective and variation in exposure. To do it personally would have taken hours, CS4 did it in seconds!

Cwm Idwal is one of my favourite places in the world and I have gone there nearly every year of my life. Have yet to climb Glyder Fawr, the mountain in the background, need to do it soon my bones tell me.

Statues make good models - tips for good Photography

If you want to practise your composition a good way to do it is to use statues. As models they work cheap, never answer back, can hold a pose forever and are not worrying over hair, make-up and clothing. Actually, the real life models I have worked with have always been extremely professional and apart from already knowing just how to stand and hold themselves, they are also lovely people always prepared to try a new pose.

Anyway, back to statues. Not only will they help you with composition, but they also allow you to work on your exposure control. In fact you can take a variety of shots of a statue playing with your camera's shutter and aperture to learn how they work together to give you the exposure and focus in terms of depth of field you want.

I have always enjoyed statues, impressed with the artistry and skill required to render rough stone into something so beautiful  and lifelike. It is the traditional lifelike statues which I prefer, although I do also appreciate some of the aesthetics of form, and the deep meanings sometimes given to more modern works.