Helpful Tips from FarrahC (2peas)

What makes a photo look less like a snap shot and more like a professional photo and some tips on achieving more professional looking photos? First...let me say that this isn't a complete list, so anyone can feel free to add to it. =)

The first step for any photographer is to READ YOUR MANUAL and get to know your camera.

1. Correct exposure- Achieving the correct exposure will not always happen if your camera is set to Auto. Depending on the amount of light and specifically the amount of light where your camera meters off of, you can get a horribly incorrect exposure in Auto. What to do? Get off Auto! Either shoot in Aperture Priority or Manual mode. Personally, I use AV about 75% of the time. In either case, you'll start by setting the aperture you want and I'll discuss why a little later. The 2Peas 12 week course is a good place to start practicing getting the right exposure.

2. Focus- Getting tack sharp focus is more difficult to learn because honestly, the only way is to practice practice practice! Some tips: For quick moving children, try Back Button Focus (BBF) and AI servo because your camera will continuously focus until you push the shutter button. Also, only use one of the focus points and aim for the corner of the eye that is closest to you. Lastly, make sure you sharpen your photos for the web when posting photos.

3. DOF- I think this is probably the biggest difference between a snap shot and a professional looking photo. Don't be afraid to open that aperture up! I often shoot at f/1.4-2.8 and really love the look. You want the subject's eye/eyes in focus and the background OOF. If your camera is in Auto, it is likely going to choose f/9-11, which gives you a better chance of getting the subject in focus, but also the background. If your lens will only open up to f/ 3.5-5.6, or if you're shooting outside in bright sun and you are not be able to open up, you can also achieve nice bokeh by stepping back a ways and zooming in.

4. The WOW factor! this isn't the same for every shot or every person, it's something you'll have to develop for your own style. It's just something extra...more often than not, it's not technically correct and almost always it's something that either makes or breaks a photo. You can't generalize and say that a certain "something" works for every shot, so play around and see what you like. It could be interesting use of light and shadow, or an interesting angle or tilt, or an interesting use of negative space. It could be a certain type of action or post processing technique, or even selective color. Most often, when it doesn't work for that particular photo, it's the first thing I notice...but when it works...WOW! Other tips: If you're shooting outside in full sun, avoid harsh shadows or use fill flash. When shooting babies, always smooth their skin, the perception is that babies pop out all smooth and perfect with "baby soft skin" we know better, but parents don't want to see the diaper marks, rashes, etc, so do a little smoothing. =)