Articles from Parent Magazine
by Matthew Panzarino
Candid Talk On Candids
The time of the year to come is a busy one for the family photographer. There are school events, those end of summer weddings, birthdays and holidays, all screaming Photo Op! Everyone wants to capture the moments when family comes together in a unique and creative way. Here are a few tips on shooting better candid snaps of your friends and family this season. First, catch the unexpected. The ring-bearer squirming in his unfamiliar suit. The wrapping paper aftermath on the living room floor, the host greeting family members, old friends joking with each other. Don't worry about taking a lot of formally posed portraits, everyone’s got plenty of those.
Keep your camera handy and turned on so you'll be ready for those impromptu expressions. Show good camera manners Everyone gets caught up in capturing the perfect moment, but there may be rules restricting photographs at certain ceremonies or during parts of weddings. Respect the dignity of the ceremony by refraining from taking distracting flash pictures. Non-flash pictures may, however, be acceptable. Turn off your flash and hold the camera very steady. Take advantage of the dim-light situations which can work to your advantage. A silhouetted couple against a plain background like a sunset can be nifty. Nighttime shots of a backyard party can be intensely colorful. Brace yourself on a railing or table and check the camera manual for turning the flash to "no flash."
Get close
Fill the camera's viewfinder or LCD display with your subject to create pictures with greater punch. Step in close or use your camera's zoom to capture what is important and exclude the rest.
Stay within the flash range
The typical digital camera flash range is 6 to 10 feet, up to 15 feet for some film cameras. Subjects that are outside the flash range will be either too dark or too light. Feel free to come on by the shop for more help on taking those last-a-lifetime shots.
