Ten Tips to Help Make Your Landscapes Special

Tip #1- A general rule of thumb in landscape photography is to shoot with a large depth of field by increasing the aperture number. This allows your camera to focus on all of the depths, regions and textures in your images. But if you are trying to zero in on a certain object or create a lot of contrast, break the rule and lower your aperture number. 

Tip #2- When photographing movement shoot with a tripod at a slow exposure (if you need to do so, put your camera on self-timer so you don't shake the camera) to add a mystical effect to your images (while assuring sharp photos). Photographing movement can create a type of contrast in your images between the moving object(s) and the still world around it.  Movement is quite often the icing on the cake of your perfect landscape image. 

Tip #3- Just like other types of photography, in landscape photography what is in focus and out of focus means a lot for your image. I like to go close to my main focus and get at the level of the object, to create an unique perspective.
 

Tip #4- Great lighting is key to capturing special landscape images. Work with lighting that you deem adequate and follow it to a pretty scene. Try to understand weather patterns to anticipate whether the lighting will get better or worse. Cover a lot of land, try to photograph as much variety of images before lighting deteriorates. As I stated in my article about portrait photography tips, the best time of day for outdoor photography is right before the sunrises and just before sunsets. You need to take advantages of these times. I suggest waking up right before the sunrises and look out your window. Is the lighting worth going out for? Is it going to get better or worse? The chances are you might as well go back to sleep. The time right after sunset is called "blue hour," because the sky is reliably blue no matter what the weather was throughout the day. But, the sky is only like this for a limited amount of time, so be out before "blue hour" and work quick.

Tip #5- Providing a scale for your landscape images add context to your shots. Scales add a wow-factor to landscapes, by impressing your viewer with the size of your subject. To add a scale simply place a person, a finger, a insect, etc. in front of your landscape.

Tip #6- Always carry around a polarizing filter to help make colors in your images pop. Polarizing filters reduce reflections off of objects and in return enhance the saturation of objects colors. They especially work well on water, skies and foliage.

Tip #7- Perspective is something you must consider when taking landscape shots. How high are you in comparison to your subject? Choosing the perspective and angles by which you take landscape shots are important to giving your images more pizazz.

Tip #8- Use negative space to isolate your subject and give it importance.

Tip #9- Embrace texture, symmetry and patterns into your images as they make your images stand out.

Tip #10- Spend time making sure the images you take are as good as they can be. Is this the best angle? Is there any unnecessary objects I can move or avoid? Should I try a different spot? Great landscape shots sometimes are only good for a short period of time, so plan ahead of time.

Next, we will give you ten tips to making your animal/pet shots stand out, so follow us for more...

Visit our website to see examples of these tips and techniques: chaseguttman.com/portfolio, to learn more about our business: chaseguttman.com/biography, and to find out about how you can hire a NYC Freelance Photographer.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 11:48 AM 0 comments

Ten Tips to Help Make Your Portraits Extraordinary

Tip #1- Switch up the angle or perspective of your images to create unique compositions and to add interest to your subject. Vantage points can make or break many photographs and allow for photographer's to move away from common approaches.

Tip #2- Lighting gives us as photographers endless possibilities to create stunning shots, but this cannot be accomplished without experimentation. Look for conditions that add interest to the image, but isn't harsh on skin.

Flash- Use warming gels on your flash and other artificial lighting sources to accentuate your subjects skin tones. Moreover, the use of flash fills can help create contrast between your foreground and background and eliminate shadows.

Natural Lighting- The best lighting conditions in any given day are usually found right before sunrises and just after sunsets, so place your subject in a location where you can take advantage of this kind of lighting. Natural lighting is very important in adding color to both the foreground and backdrop in your images. So when you do come across spectacular lighting,  follow it, and make it work. 

Tip #3- Focus on the eyes of your subject because when it comes to expressing emotion, they are the most important feature of a face.

Tip #4- Don't just stick with posed shots. Posed images often seem bland and plastic because they lack a real world, spur-of-the-moment liveliness. Candid shots tend to encompass people's true emotions and thoughts in ways that posed images can not. Candid images truly portray the personality within someone and teaches you about the person behind the face.

Tip #5- As in all aspects of photography, composition is very important to help anchor the vision of your viewer. Adding symmetry, placing your subject off-center, depicting patterns and reflections, and changing up focus are some ways that composition will bring your portraits to the next level.

Tip #6- When taking portraits it is important to use the right background, by choosing between an intricate or a clean background. What you focus on and don't focus tells a story. You must ask yourself what you are aiming for. Telephoto lenses can help creating a blurring effect on the portions of your shot that aren't the main focus, while wide angle lenses are capable of staying focused on different depths and portions of your images. In studio photography, I suggest using a mid lens (about 80-150mm) for two reasons. One, wide angles may cause distortion on the features of your subject's face. Secondly, when using wides you need to really get close to your subject in order to fill your frame, and that might make them uncomfortable. But, when it comes to travel photography and outside portraits, wide angles may be a better choice as they give your images a better sense of place.

Tip #7- Bring movement into your images and add a sense of life. To do so use a longer than normal exposure and have your subject keep still as others move around him. This also demonstrates to those viewing your shot that the person is the main focus of the image.

Tip #8- Incorporate objects other than just the subject into your photo. Potentially it can result in interesting reactions and make your photograph stand out.

Tip #9- Waiting is an important part of taking candid shots in both travel and event photography. In travel photography you must have the patience to wait for that special moment that will turn a great picture into a brilliant one, whether its a person throwing dyed cow hide in Morocco or the action in the markets of Guatemala.  In event photography things can be less predictable than the ritual work days in the tanneries, so follow where the action is and take a lot of pictures. Also try to avoid the use of flash, or your images may not be very candid anymore. 

Tip #10- In making your portraits extraordinary, you must move away from the obvious. Way too often people set up boring emotionless portraits with the person staring right at them. Having a subject looking outside of your frame may build interest and curiosity. But always remember your purpose to truly encompass one's character.

Next, we will give you ten tips to making your landscapes special, so follow us for more...

Visit our website to see examples of these tips and techniques: chaseguttman.com/portfolio, to learn more about our business: chaseguttman.com/biography, and to find out about how you can hire a NYC Freelance Photographer.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 10:35 AM 30 comments