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Quick tips:
- Use the flash to remove shadows and to capture fast-moving action.
- Don't centre your subject.
- Play around with angles and positioning.
- If you're shooting outdoors, make sure the sun is behind you or your subject will be too dark.
- If you're shooting indoors, don't shoot your subject in front of a sunlit window, for the same reason.
- Use your sleep setting to have your camera ready at all times. You'll save
your batteries and you won't have to wait for your camera to power up or
risk losing a shot.
Activity 1: Make photography part of the party
Disposable film cameras are an inexpensive and fun way to capture additional memories and to involve your guests in the picture taking process. Distribute cameras to your guests when they arrive and collect them as they depart. Make sure to double your prints when you process your film. That way, you can present your guests with copies of their pictures as a memento of the event. Younger party-goers will be especially thrilled at the "grown-up" responsibility assigned to them.
Be prepared for anything. Have your camera ready at all times.
Activity 2: Take keepsake portraits of your guests
White walls are perfect backdrops for portraits, especially in a sunlit room. You can take portrait shots of children attending the birthday party and offer them as thank-you gifts to their parents. If it's late in the day, or there's little light in the room, you can use an ordinary lamp, positioned out of the picture, to create a pleasing light effect that will flatter your subjects. You can also use your flash to remove any shadows and increase brightness.
Blend in to get natural shots
There's nothing worse than being the one left holding the camera, especially if that's all you're doing. Not only are you not enjoying the party, but people aren't going to be themselves around you. Some are camera shy and will do everything to avoid you. Others will freeze up every time you point your lens at them. And then there are those who will strike a pose, be it silly or serious, every time you try to take a picture. Whether you're photographing adults or children, you're not likely to get natural shots this way.
The best way to get good pictures is simply to be a good party-goer or host. Smile. Have fun. Make sure that everybody around you is at ease and having fun. Play with the kids. Entertain their parents. You'll get your best shots when people are relaxed and enjoying themselves.
Don't make people pose
If people are self-conscious around a camera, they're even more so when the person holding the camera asks them to pose for pictures. Don't make picture taking a big deal. Capture people being themselves. You may not always get a good shot, but with a digital camera, you can always delete the shots you don't like and go back to take more. You'll be surprised at the memorable shots you'll get this way. After all, even if a shot isn't perfect, it can still be very interesting.
Use your zoom lens to better capture the moment
Use the zoom lens to get really close shots. Instead of getting the whole table, just get a picture of the cake. Or you can zoom in to capture a child with her cheeks puffed up with air as she prepares to blow out the candles. You can also use the zoom lens to capture a moment without getting in the way.
Look for more special moments
A birthday party offers many moments you want to capture in pictures:
blowing out the candles, opening presents, cutting the cake, etc. But there
are all kinds of other things to photograph: families and couples sharing
hugs and kisses, children playing, toddlers who have fallen asleep, messy
eaters (kids and grown-ups) and smiling faces, among other things. Be
prepared for anything. Have your camera ready at all times.
Birthday Photography: [1] [2]
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Inside Birthday Photography:
This birthday photography tutorial teaches you how to take extraordinary pictures at your next birthday party. You'll learn how to get the whole story, how to move around to get into the heart of the action, how to blend it to get natural shots, why you should avoid having people pose, and how to use your zoom lens to capture the moment. You'll also learn how to get everybody at the party involved and how to create great keepsakes for your guests.
To make the most of your birthday photographs, Black's recommends:
Compact Cameras
8x - 10x optical zoom to get really close to the action from wherever you
are.
Water/weather-resistant camera for bad weather, aquatic and winter sports.
Digital SLRs
High speed memory for faster shooting speed.
Zoom Lens to get close to the action.
Accessories
Spare batteries. With so much going on, one set of batteries may not last
you for the entire event.
Processing
A custom t-shirt is a great memento of the special day and makes a wonderful gift for loved ones.
Other Photo Tutorials:
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