Hello and Happy New Year!
I hope you all had a great Christmas and used the time as a chance to unwind and enjoy a short break.
It’s 2016 and time for another newsletter from me. I know I have been stellar at sending newsletters managing to send a great number of ONE last year. Here is THE one for this year! It’s safe to say it’s probably going to be an annual thing.
USEFUL TIPS:
Below are some links I want to share in case you missed them. I hope there is one or two that you find useful… I have also recently joined the writers team on Digital Photography School, a site that helped me greatly when I was starting to learn digital photography. I encourage you to go on there and use the search bars to find answers to your questions about photography. It is a good free site and doesn’t use many sponsors on the page so it’s very focused on providing learning free for all.
If you are a parent of small children, you might find these tips helpful and interesting…
1. 10 tips for taking stunning winter portraits of your kids
2. 5 steps to creative storytelling in pictures
3. 5 tips in photographing children stress-free
Keeping my (our) sanity:
2. 4 things that drive me insane
Bright shiny things and people too:
2. Pamper yourself sometimes: my friend Asa’s NYR party
3. For the kitchen gods / goddesses: might this be the answer to all things cooking and baking?
4. For the health & fitness buff in you: there really is fun in pain
If you are thinking of having a photoshoot done in the future…
This page contains plenty of information on how to prepare, what to wear, and what to expect during a photoshoot
COMING UP:
I will be featuring more interesting and creative talents on my blog including wedding florists, event planners, hair & make-up gurus and more, so stay tuned. If you have any suggestions of super creative people especially local ones as I would love to support local businesses, let me know!
If you know of anyone getting married, here is a quick guide on choosing bouquets including a list of recommended florists.
NEW BONUS TIPS: {You get 2 this time as I promised to send these last year on newsletters 2 & 3 which never materialised so it’s a double treat on this one}
A. Blow out the candles!
Here are tips on how to capture photos of blowing out the candle on the birthday cake. Whether it’s baby’s first, grandmother’s seventieth, or the eldest’s tenth, these tips are sure to make your birthday photos extra special!
1. Capture the emotion: Keep your camera handy and turned on so you’ll be ready for those spontaneous expressions… you’ll want to capture all those grins, tears, surprises, and hugs that make for memorable pictures!
2. Show the candles aglow: To really capture the light from burning candles, turn OFF your flash. You’ll have to hold the camera extra steady for this, so use a wall or table for support if needed!
3. Get close: Fill the camera’s viewfinder with your subject! Step in close or use your camera’s zoom to emphasize what is important and exclude the rest!
4. Avoid red eye: Red eye is easy to remove these days with picture-editing software. But why not prevent red eye in the first place? Ask your subject to look at your shoulder rather than directly at the camera. Or, if your camera has a “red-eye reduction” feature, use it!
5. Stay within the flash range: The typical digital camera flash range is 6 to 10 feet, up to 15 feet for film cameras. Subjects that are outside the flash range will be either too dark or too light. Don’t forget to always use your camera’s flash if your subject is in front of a bright window or bright sunlight otherwise all you will get is a silhouette!
6. Give the gift of pictures: You’ll find many uses for pictures around birthdays! They make the perfect thank you cards. Or, better yet, with a digital camera and an inkjet printer, you can send guests home with a souvenir picture of the day!
B. Take better photos now: a few basic tips to taking better photos
You don’t have to be a pro to want to improve your photography. All the snapshots of everyday life are just as important as your annual portraits; here are a few easy tips to get you started!
1. The “Rule of Thirds”: It creates a better picture when your main subject is not right in the centre. In your minds eye, divide your photo into thirds (either horizontally or vertically), and place your main subject on one of the third lines dividing your picture. You’ll be amazed at the different feel you’ll capture by not having your subject exactly in the middle!
2. Draw attention to subject: Try to draw the viewer’s eye to the subject of the picture by using other objects, such as a fence row or a road. If you use other objects properly, the viewers eye will unconsciously follow those objects, and be drawn to your subject.
3. Watch Your Lighting: Avoid using direct flash, as it creates harsh shadows and red eyes in people and animals. Also, try to shoot with the light behind you. If the light is behind the subject, you will get a shadowy backlit effect that often throws off the whole picture and gives you unintentional silhouettes.If you shoot with the light behind your subject, use a flash or s reflector to bounce light back to your subject.
4. Pay Attention to the Background: We’ve all seen pictures with colourful clutter in the background stealing the limelight, or a pole sticking out of your subjects head! Glance at the background before taking a picture, and either move subjects or move in closer to eliminate things in the background that may be unsightly or distracting!
5. Get in Close: Too many snapshots are filled with the background and the subject is lost. While the scenery is beautiful, the most important thing you will want to see a few years from now are those missing teeth and crazy freckles. Don’t be afraid to get up close and personal, that’s where all the important stuff is!
6. Keep Shooting: The best way to improve your photography is to keep shooting! Especially with the cost-effectiveness of digital cameras, play with different lighting and poses until you figure it all out… your family historian will thank you for it!
THIS YEAR’S FREE GIFT:
For my valued clients and new clients recommended by you, I am offering a complimentary professional flush mount album for every Soulful or Dreamy photo session or a full day wedding booking on the 2016 packages because I am passionate about my clients printing their photos on an actual surface especially in a beautiful sturdy album that is long-lasting.
MY NEWS:
So much has happened last year, undoubtedly one of the most challenging years for a long time, both personally and professionally. Some highlights are below:
1. My website has a new look. You get a first peek as I haven’t launched officially yet. Teething problems being sorted, slideshows need adding and many more tweaks to do. I have included a personal area: my art currently adorning all empty walls in my house.
2. Talking of my house, one of my hobbies is decorating my own house: it’s a process that kind of never sees an end! Last year, on a whim, I applied to my favourite TV show Great Interior Design Challenge for fun. To my total surprise I got through stage by stage down to the final 16 chosen out of over 8000 applicants. And so following one too many sleepness nights and nerves I’ve never experienced before, I have come to accept and to face my imminent TV debut on GIDC on BBC 2. Series 3 starts on Monday 1st of February and my group airs on Monday 15th.
You’ve come to the end of the email – thank you for your time. If you don’t want to receive an email from me like this, please just reply and let me know {no offence will be taken}.
If you think this email has given you some useful tips, you don’t have to do anything at all and I will email you my next newsletter…
….or you could sign up to my newsletter here and receive a free stationery printable as a thank you for the effort…if you haven’t yet.
…or you can also reply to tell me briefly how this email has been useful to you. I would really like that too. I might even feature you (with your permission of course) in one of my future blogs.
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Warmest regards and thank you for reading,
Lily x