Fall Leaves And Children
October 31, 2009
The Fall Leaves and Pictures of Children
It’s late October in Michigan and if you have leaves in your yard to rake and young children or grandchildren around, you would be well advised to take advantage of this setting, and use it at as an opportunity to create some picture memories that may never come again!
My grandchildren are getting bigger now, and the interest and excitement that they displayed about playing in the leaves when they were very little has waned. They have their own ideas now about what to do with their time, and I have found that if you have to push them too hard to do something, you are not likely to get good pictures anyway.
In addition to that, the weather in Michigan does not cooperate every year so that the leaves are nice and soft and fresh when they fall on the ground. Everything changes fast after we have had that first hard frost. The leaves turn into their beautiful fall colors of yellow, red, orange, and brown, and then “hang on” to the trees until it starts raining, or the wind blows strongly, or we even get “snow.” If we are very lucky, we may get one or two days of beautiful soft leaves to rake or blow into a pile for the kids to play in that isn’t soaking wet and cold!
Another Great Shot To Share With Family & Friends
My point is to make you aware of the “short window of opportunity” that you have with young kids and the weather and the leaves to be able to photograph some very special memories. The weather changes fast and little kids grow up fast too!
And so, be prepared and keep your Canon digital SLR camera ready to go when the weather is just right and the leaves are falling. Think about dressing your little ones in something complimentary to these fall colors, rake up a soft leaf pile, turn the little ones loose, and begin to take those pictures.
If you would like to pick up a few tips, I would invite you to go to “My Portfolio” and on each picture when you click on it; I have tried to give a little information to help you. If you are looking to capture a picture to put on canvas there is one really important thing that I have learned, and that is that you will most likely want to have your picture have your child’s entire body in it, while showing the activity they are engaged in.
Print Children's Free Spirit On Canvas For Your Home
This will make it more interesting for displaying in a special place in your home, or as a gift for a loved one. Have some fun and laughter with the little ones in the leaves this fall, and come away with a treasure to keep and to share!
Betty Muscott, Child Photographer
About Betty Muscott
Betty A. Muscott is an experienced child photographer and online entrepreneur for tools to capture great photographs of children by parents and grandparents. Connect with Betty on Google+
- Web |
- Google+ |
- More Posts (148)
Best Things to Look For When You’re Buying A Compact Pocket Camera
October 29, 2009
The technology behind digital cameras evolves so much from year to year that it’s hard to keep up with the latest models. A three year old camera is already ‘old technology’ even though it may still be taking great photos. The major names in digital cameras, like Canon and Nikon, bring out at least one new model a year in each of their ranges, usually with updated versions coming out through the year. So how do you know the best things to look out for when you’re buying a new compact pocket digital camera?
Size does matter: the whole point of a compact pocket camera is that it should fit in your pocket or at least slip comfortably into your handbag without weighing it down. It should be light too, so that you are more likely to take it everywhere with you to take photographs of your kids anywhere and any time.
However there is such a thing as too small. The camera should fit comfortably in your hand when you are taking a photograph and you should be able to press the shutter release without it being too fiddly. You also need the camera to have enough space for a nice wide screen.
The screen is important: the great thing about digital photography is being able to view your photos instantly on the screen. Having a clear wide 2.5 inch screen makes viewing the photos much easier, so that you can see if they are sharp and that you have all the detail that you want. A small screen makes it hard to see whether an image is in focus or not, especially if your eyesight isn’t as sharp as it once was!
Pixels: these days many new models of pocket cameras have at least 8 megapixels, which is ideal for getting quality images that will enlarge well. You don’t need more than 10 megapixels unless you are planning on poster size prints, but don’t choose less than 8.
A good zoom: Small cameras have to be versatile. You want to be able to photograph everything from a beautiful flower to your kids running across a stunning landscape. A 4x zoom is the best and if the camera also has a macro facility, that is even better for taking creative close-ups of all sorts of things from flowers to food.
A good place to start your search for a compact digital camera is the Canon Powershot range, which has loads more features besides the ones I’ve just mentioned. Start reading up on some user reviews to see what people like about them. Even better, go to a camera shop so that you can feel different models in your hands and see what you are most comfortable with.
Mum and Photographer
Top Photographing Children Tips
October 28, 2009
Everyone who has children or want to take pictures of children knows that children can be unpredictable. Being unpredictable can be frustrating, but it does not have to be. Use the top photographing children tips next time you grab your camera.
Have Fun
Children can often feel your frustration so relax for your sake and theirs. Remember when children reach walking age and beyond they are up and consistently on the move. Do not expect them to sit for long periods of time for posed photos. Posed photo often look unnatural and are fine when the occasion calls for it. I think everyone has experienced when a child gets to be a certain age and knows the camera is on them they make silly faces. Keeping children busy, whether it’s props or toys, helps them relax and forget about the camera. This also helps you associate what the kids are enjoying during this time in their life. Included their friends to help capture their childhood moments and they will be able to look back at who they knew. You can even have the children take pictures to tell a complete story. When taking pictures of children on the move being able to take continuous photos can help you get just the right picture. If you camera has a sports or action mode use it during this time. If you have a camera shy child or a camera who acts up for the camera, then downplay the camera. Get involved with what the kids are doing but be ready to take photos at a moments notice. Taking pictures at a moments notice is excellent advice for the teenager who does not want to stand around to have their picture taken. The use of a zoom lens if you have a DSLR camera or just the zoom on a point and shoot can take you out of their element for the natural shots.
On their level
Since children are all different heights, it is important to get on their level. We all have probably seen a picture of a child taken from adult height. The picture doesn’t usually show the child in the best way, maybe the top of their head is mainly in the picture or they look smaller then they are. Getting down on their level helps you focus on their world. The picture is more natural and contains backgrounds from their height. Take the time to focus on the child’s eyes. This draws people in when looking at a photo. Pictures taken of different body parts can capture a mood or illustrate how they are growing.
Since most of us, now have a digital camera or you can take pictures on your cell phone you can take lots of pictures. We now have the ability to delete the unwanted pictures and pick and choose the photographs we want to share.
Create Colorful Photo Calendar Gifts
October 27, 2009
Do you want to recapture the past year’s highlights? When you create a photo calendar gift you can share your family’s highlights with the ones you love. Are you afraid that you are not crafty enough or have the time to dedicate to a project? Do not worry merchandisers have something to offer for everyone.
Upload to a website
Type in ‘where can I create a photo calendar’ in your search engine you are over whelmed with the number of responses. The different websites allow you to upload your own photos to arrange your own personal calendar. Most can be created with three basic steps. First, pick the theme and style of the calendar you want. Some websites let you choose wall, desk, poster or magnet calendars. The second step would be to upload the photos you will use in the design. Depending on the design of your calendar, and the website, you can put up to four pictures in the design for one month. At certain websites, you can also personalize the important days of the month by placing a picture in that space. You can create a more personalized calendar by placing a caption in for that month. The third step is to preview and finalize your calendar. Once the calendar or calendars have been printed they will be shipped to your door. Pricing and shipping vary; make sure to check out several different websites that you trust.
Do-it-yourself blank calendars
If you go into most mass retailers, you can find the blank do-it-yourself wall calendars. There are even websites that offer this option. Some of the larger wall calendars have a 12 x 12 blank space that need to be filled every month. This gives you the option of creating a scrapbook page design for each month or you could simply place more than one picture in that layout. Yes, a scrapbook page design can be time consuming but it does not have to be hard. You can now purchase scrapbook kits, sold separately, that have everything you need to design pages. Scrapbook pages definitely personalize each picture and demonstrate that you spent time on the present. After the year is done, the recipient can place the scrapbook pages into an album to keep for years to come.
No matter which route you go, family and friends will have a memorable gift from you. The best part of giving a photo gift is the memories. Every month you will able to remember a special part of your family’s life.
Take Some Spooky Photos of Your Kids This Halloween and Share Your Pictures Online
October 27, 2009
Halloween is nearly here and kids everywhere are getting excited about their costumes and dressing up for trick or treating. This is certainly an opportunity not to be missed for catching their cute smiles and happy faces to send to the rest of your family so they can share in the fun. You also have the chance of getting creative with your photography at Halloween. Dark evenings and candle-lit pumpkins provide a special atmosphere which can be lost in the glare of a flash photograph. Give your older kids a chance to have a spooky portrait taken of them dressed up in their costume and share those pictures online too.
The flash on most compact digital cameras is fine when you just want to record a moment and the details of a costume, but it gives you no room for creating an atmosphere on a dark and stormy night. Try switching off your flash altogether and experimenting with different sources of light and see what you get. Older children will have fun playing along.
• First of all go to the flash options on your camera menu and switch the flash off.
• Now choose an ISO setting of 400 to help deal with the low light.
• Decide where you are going to take your Halloween photos. Have you got an area decorated with pumpkins and all the rest? Set up a few lit pumpkins to give an eery glowing light in the background.
• Find a stool or table that you can rest your camera on, to eliminate camera shake if you don’t have a tripod.
• Now get a flashlight with a strong beam.
• Have your child pose in front of your decorated background and have him hold the flashlight at different angles, below or to the side of his face to create spooky shadows. Take a few photos to try out and see the effects you are getting.
• Experiment with other light sources and angles: candles, flashlights shone through different colored tissue papers or cellophane.
• Try photographing your kids against a blank wall, with an anglepoise lamp set on the floor pointing up at them to throw enormous shadows on the wall. This works great if they are dressed up with accessories like broomsticks and witches hats which will make distinct shadows.
Your kids will have to be old enough to stand still for long enough for the photo to be taken and you may well get some blurred shots amongst them, but even blurry shots can have a fun spooky atmosphere and capture the spirit of Halloween far more than a straight flash portrait. You will notice a color cast from the artificial light and candle light making your pictures more yellow or orange than usual, but that is all part of the strange eery look. Do take some flash photos as well to record the costumes, but enjoy the fun of doing something different with your Halloween pictures of your kids and let them improvise all they want.
Mum and Photographer
