How to Use Natural Sunlight to Natural Portraits

Natural lighting is a fun aspect to play with even when one is not sure what one is doing .In artificial lighting its difficult to get the pure vibe, which is  only possible in photos with natural lighting. Beautiful photos can be clicked using the stunning spectrum of colours created by the sun. There are a number of aspects to be considered while taking photos using natural light. It is not sensible to go out and start clicking photos at any time .

At times natural light can be tricky too, so one may have to play around with the camera settings to get the exact lighting one is looking for. To get the best result one needs to try out different ways of using natural light .The most important aspect of natural lighting photography is to relate the time with the direction of the shadow in the photo. Shadows from natural light can alone make a photo look stunning or awkward. For example if you take a Passport photo of a man standing with the sun coming directly from above his head. his chin and neck would appear to be in line and he would appear like a goat , this is awkward. Whereas if a girl is clicked at the time the sun was setting, the natural light would be golden at this time, giving her a glowing look. Different moods can be created by shadowing in natural light. A heavy dark mood can be depicted by heavy shadowing.

Photos with higher contrast will bring out more details in a subject or scene.. Pictures taken on cloudy days have much less contrast than those taken on a sunny day. Similarly when pictures taken in shady areas on a clear day will have the same light qualities as those taken on a cloudy day.
An hour or two after sun rise and before sun set ,are called the golden hours with warm and yellowish tones. And also the light is not as harsh or hard as it would be during the day .As the sun is near the horizon the shadows are long and not sharp and hard as produced by the over head sun.

It is not possible to change the quality and intensity of natural light, but by knowing the different techniques of utilizing the natural light one can create the picture according to ones requirement.

Tips For Shooting Perfect Business and Executive Portraits

Business and executive portraits are memories which need to be preserved for years. After all, they are an indication of your long professional associations as well as a proof of your genuineness. Lets’ have a look at some tips for shooting that perfect executive and business portraits.

Focus on the eyes

The eyes are said to be the window of the soul. Therefore, nothing is more important than achieving sharp, crisp eyes in your shot. Capturing the eyes in a powerful way will draw the viewer into the photo, establishing a strong connection that will speak volumes.

Watch your angles

Remember that for close up shots, angles will affect the outcome look and feel. For women, make the eyes appear larger and the face more delicate by shooting down on them. For men, emphasize strength and achievement by shooting slightly up.

Use diffused light

In close up shots, the skin is a central feature. It’s crucial to show the skin without blemishes. Achieve this by using diffused light to gently wrap around the skin, bringing definition along the lines of the face without highlighting blemishes.

Add a hair light

Detail is critical in head-shots and are no more dynamic than when created with a hair-light. A hair-light can be placed above or behind the subject [with a flash or the sun] to add depth to the shot, and pull the top of the head out of the background.

Use of Lens

Nothing is more disturbing than a near-dynamic headshot that fails simply because of lens distortion. Generally, avoid mid to wide angle lenses for close headshots. Instead, use a lens that will compress your image and slim your subjects face – typically 90mm and above.

Guide expression

The final most important element is an expression to match the purpose of the headshot.

Avoid Mistakes and Prevent the Family Photos from Going Wrong

Unless a photographer is lucky enough to get the best shot with every bit of it being perfect, family photos are always a big concern, they never seem to be correct. When flipping through the pages of the album and remembering the days gone by, would you like to cringe and feel disgusted about the only family picture. Thus, here are certain tips that one can keep in mind before saying cheese and going ready steady click!

• As the shot is mostly wide, focus on proper spacing. Avoid leaving a lot of space among the members and be careful not to cut off heads from the top or bodies below.
• Similar outfits should be discouraged: same color is ok but they must not be identical.
• Avoid busy distracting backgrounds, as they tend to shift the attention from the subjects.
• Head sprouts are not only embarrassing but they tend to make the picture look awful.
• All sorts of camera issues should be resolved before hand or else everyone might lose patience and the best expression will be lost. Some issues are :-
•  Low charged batteries.
• Proper exposure to lights in the room.
• Give time for the flash to recycle after the first shot.
• Use flash on distant subjects
• Be sure not to kill the atmosphere with harsh flash light.
• Red-eyes should be avoided. Who would want a red eye in a picture?
  • Try not to shoot with wide angle lens, it often disfigures the subjects and makes them look bigger than they actually are. Switch to shooting with longer lens from a distance.
  • Shooting from too far away adding excess details to a picture is never a solution.
  • A level must be maintained by the photographer. The picture should not be taken from much height neither from a low base. It is a family picture not circus activity.
  • Focus manually for the best shot. Camera intelligent modes do not recognize emotions.
  • The subject issues that should be brought to notice by the photographer are :-
  • Reflection on glaring glasses
  • Lack of eye-contact and blinking
  • Mismatched couples and awkward poses

  Avoid waking the baby or wait till it gets full rest. Grumpy baby pictures shall be a contrast to the happy big family portraits.

Some Best Ideas To Take Environmental Photography Portraits

Some of the best ideas for taking environmental photographs are:

Before getting started the photographer must be clear about the picture or the situation that he\she would like to describe to the viewers. The story must define the purpose. Being able to capture the desired environment in a frame is the first step.

Knowing the categories – Environmental photography can be of few types –

• Fashion and editorial photography – often uses this technique to bring out a contrast. This is plain creative photography.

• Travel and documentary photography – focuses on capturing the natural environment as it is. The subject is photographed in its natural surroundings to bring out the indigenous lifestyle of that particular area.

• Festivals, fiestas and celebrations – here the people have fun and are involved in the moment although they are aware of the photographers being around, thus the natural environment can be beautifully captured.

• Photographing children and organized excursions – the local environmental culture is captured with the surroundings and natural expressions of the people.

1. Picking the perfect time of the day is necessary. Avoid when the sun is it at its peak position. Manipulating light is also very important.
2. Underexpose the frame when using artificial light in less than ideal conditions.
3. Embracing the environment is an unusual technique. Focusing on the subject and keeping the background at a shallow depth yet making the environment to which it belongs clear enough for the viewers to understand.
4. Environment can be described in an out of focus shot, in a faceless picture, a slow or fast shot, in street portraits, at the zoo and even in rain drops. Thus, capture and convey.
5. Approaching strangers and being a little aware of local culture is needed.
6. Choosing the correct lens – telephoto or wide angle shot.
7. Edit when required to bring out the best of the picture with color variations and tones.

Simple and Best Portrait Retouch Software for 2014

The key to become one of the best Oakville photographers isn’t just about creativity, cutting-edge tools, and unparalleled photography expertise. A little bit of smartness and intelligence will make you go a long way. No matter whatever is your domain of expertise, harnessing advanced portrait retouch software can be most effective in delivering fantastic results. Give an added glamor and perfection to your photographs with state-of-the-art retouch tools, and exceed expectations of your clients. It is the best way to enhance your skill and deliver the outstanding results that is important in being one of the most successful photographers in Oakville.

Catering to growing demand for photograph retouch software tools, there is a wide variety of choices available today that delivers superior experience and fantastic results. Robust, simple and intuitive, the software tools are perfect for amateurs who don’t have prior knowledge in retouching as well as for professionals. It is the best way to transform even normal photos into spectacular pictures that your clients will cherish forever. Powerful plug-ins makes the software remarkably easy to use and flexible enough to integrate changes as per your need. Capable of implausible and sophisticated enhancements, the software can transform the portraits into visually appealing images.

Best Simple Retouch Portrait Software

Some of the most popular portrait retouching software used by famous portrait photographers is Portrait Professional Studio, ArcSoft Portrait Plus, FaceFilter Studio Pro, Akvis MakeUp, Perfect Portrait 2, SoftSkin Photo Makeup, and MakeUp Pilot. Simple and intuitive, they offer a wide spectrum of enhancement features such as image coloring, eye color, skin tone, adjust eyebrows, enlarge eyes, deepen smile, enhance nose, whiten teeth, slim face, makeup application, spot removal, red eye correction, and much more. Use simple and best portrait retouch software for 2014 and be one of the most popular photographers, renowned for high quality deliverables.

What Are the Different Types of Portraits?

Portrait photography is more than just photography. It is an art, which is acquired after years of hard work and practice. This is the reason why most of the people try to have them pictured only by a professional photographer based in Oakville. Portrayal photography is the only manner to capture the human emotions, the smile, the tear of joy and the real you in a picture. Various types of portrayals are there hence you can choose any of them according to your situation and requirement.

Some of the popular types of portrayal are:

·   Couple portraits: in the couple portrait pictures, you can see the relationship between two people. The professional captures the love between them, the bond and the feeling in the camera. It is very popular to have one after wedding ceremony by bride and bridegroom, which is cherished for the rest of their life.

·  Business portraits: these ones are popular for business events, promotional activities and websites. Mostly the business persons, executives and the corporate have them for their special occasions. The camera person has to be very particular about the pose, the clothing and the background while taking them. These are also termed as pose portrayals, individual portrayals and close up portrayals.

·   Family portraits: these are also known as group portrayals in which a large number of people gather. Such portrayals are perfect to capture special moments in the family and cherish them forever.

These are just few of the long list of portrayals, which ranges just like the paintings. Capture your special moments in portrayals and keep them forever.

Go For an Expert Instead Of an Apprentice for Perfect Pictures

Now a days, having a Smartphone is enough to make anyone a photographer. You can see people clicking here and there for fun but when it comes to the important event of your life, you do not want to risk it. For that special moment, you need someone special to click for you. We love to cherish our special moments and want them in captured, as they are which only an expert can do this for you.

Numerous events come in one’s life when you want to look perfect and do not want a single defect in your picture. Let it be the costume, background or the location, you do not want to compromise with it. Expert photographers have the talent to turn a normal picture into a beautiful portrait.

Though clicking a picture has become much easier in this digital era. However, there are still tricks and specialties that only an expert can figure out with. With the help of portrait professional, it has become very easy to detect any of the defects in the image and fix it as well.

Not only for wedding photography or for graduation pictures, you need a professional portrait photographer even if you want business portraits for your business cards, blogs and websites or for your resume. You can try business photographers if you are interested to have the perfect look.

Portrait Photographs

When it comes to perfection, it is very important for a photographer to know how to deal with the subject. Every person is different and hence has a different taste. Some people like their pictures clicked in outdoor locations and some likes to be pictured in studio. Studio photography is a very good fluctuation as you can get a very good image in the result if an expert is with you.

If you are thinking about a photo session, make sure that you will go for a professional portrait photographer only and not any apprentice.

How to Have Good Photographs in Studio

We all want to have good photographs on different occasions. Whether it is passport photos or the portrait photos, we want them to turn out to be great. Some of us are quite photogenic. No matter which angle they show or which pose they are standing in, their photographs will turn out to be great. However if you are the ones which are not photogenic, there is no need to fuss about the pictures. You also can make your photographs to turn out to be great with a little help:

•    Hire professionals: maybe your uncle bob is unable to click good photographs hence you should hire a good photographer to do that. Hire professional portrait photographer if you want to have great pictures. These professionals are experienced and able to capture your looks in different angles and shots.

•    Touch up: before getting clicked it is important to touch up yourself. Check your hairstyle, and your makeup. If they need some, touch up then fix it. You should look good and feel good to get good photographs.

•    Backdrop: often, good pictures are spoiled with a poor backdrop. Hence, work on it. You can either let your photographer to work on it or do it yourself to make the backdrop more attractive. Do not use such backdrop that will clash with your appearance. Make it subtle and sober.

•    Editing: the final touch of the editing tools can enhance your looks in passport photos. Ask your photographer to make essential changes in your appearance like removing fine lines, blemishes or any shiny spots on your skin.

You can easily get great photographers by following these simple tips. Moreover, it is beneficial to rely on the professionals for good pictures.

What Are the Qualities of a Portrait Photographer?

A photographer is the person who is endowed with the talent of capturing various moments through the camera lens. Every person can be a photographer but for being a good portrait photographer, you need to have a little extra in you. Portrayal photographers have to engage with people more than any photographers hence be ready with that. Some of the qualities of a portrait photographer are:

•    Make them comfortable: you should try to make your subject comfortable before clicking them. Some of the people who are a little camera shy can be difficult to work with. Talk a little with them to break the ice, make them comfy and start your work.

•    People’s person: if you are going to work in a studio and do portrait photography, you should be ready to be a people’s person. While taking portrayals, you will have to engage with a large number of people regularly. Some of them want your service and rests of them do not. You should behave nicely with everyone so that you are his or her favorite photographer.

•    Let them explore: instead of forcing some quick poses, you should let your subjects explore it. Let them decide in what way they are more comfortable. Also let them take their time; it is their portrait after all.

Portrait Photography

•    Take different poses: even if you are very busy person, try to take various poses. Later on you can edit them and decide which one came out to be great. It will provide a number of options for your clients to choose from.

If you have all these qualities, then you are the best portrait photographer and if you do not have then develop them.