Yesterday, we gave some tips for taking better head shots (see that blog for more information – Photography Tips: Taking better Head Shots ). And today we are going to give a few more!
Almost everyone with a digital camera takes photos of people, here are a few more 
tips to get better photos.
Tip: Center a Close Portrait Left or Right in your camera view screen.
When you get in close to a person, you often find that it looks best when the person is balanced left or right.
By balancing the photo left or right, you can make sure the viewer really looks at the person rather than the composition.
Again if you don’t do this when you take the original photo, you still might be able to fix this in the photo editing stage in either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.
Tip: In group shots Keep the Back Row of Heads Close to the Top of the Photo.
We, as parents, rush out to photograph our kids after a school graduation, sporting event, and other activities. Also, when families or friends get together we want to include a whole group of people in the photos.
But often when we pose those people in events or groups, we end up shoving the whole group into the bottom of the photo, with too much space above the row of heads.
Take a look at the photo to the left and see an example of this. You can see the group has to much space above their heads!
Now a better approach to taking a group shot is to tilt the camera so that the back row of heads is close to the top of the picture.
See the image below that follows this advice:
Zooming in and not having a large amount of empty space above the heads improves the photo!
Here is another example, one of taking family photo, while zooming out with the end result being to much space above the heads. In this photo you can see that it is harder to focus on the faces with so much extra space in the photo.
Now look at this same family using the photography tip to get a better design and a closer focus on the faces!
Tip: Zoom on faces in interesting and unexpected poses, and use background or foreground blur when possible.
As a photographer you don’t always have to take a straight on head shot. You can get faces from different angles to create fun photos too! Take a different view – like standing over the children to get this close up photo. Some of the heads are upside down!
Sometimes changing your perspective and blurring the background in the photo creates this effect. You can create this look with your camera lens settings. This photography technique is great to get the viewer focused on the face of the child! In the image below, the cookie background is blurred so we focus on the child at the front of the image.
The image below is another example of using different perspective with a foreground blur, instead of the background blur that was used in the photo above.
In this photo above the truck is blurred in the foreground to get the eye to focus on the child’s face.
Photo Editing Training can also Improve your Photos!
Sometimes getting the photo you want is not possible with a camera and lens alone! Sometimes you need to do a little photo editing to get the Head Shot you want!
Especially when you are focusing on the face, getting some photo editing training can help you improve your photos that focus on the face, like getting rid of red eye or blemishes or more!
Have you ever avoided being in a picture because you thought you looked bad? Perhaps you were having a bad hair day, or that morning you woke up with a pimple the size of a boulder on your chin… whatever the reason may be, you didn’t feel like you looked attractive and didn’t want a photo to prove it?
Well, stress no longer, because Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Digi MakeOver Madness is here! Digi MakeOver Madness is a Photo-Editing Training Series with amazing tips and tricks to give yourself a Virtual MakeOver! Don’t shy away from the camera, and instead, take photos with confidence, knowing that you can edit them later!
Forget buying the latest lipstick, skip the expensive facials, and don’t mess with that smelly fake tanner… instead, make EASY and QUICK edits to your Digital Photos within Photoshop Elements 7 using the Digi MakeOver Madness Series!
Get rid of “Demon-Looking” Red Eye, and instantly make all of your blemishes, moles, or freckles disappear into thin air! Make your skin and eyes look brilliant again and make photos look FABULOUS! Make colors brilliant and come to life by removing all those yucky overcasts or shadows that you may or may not even realize are there! Feel great and make your photos look their very best when posting them to Myspace or Facebook, or when emailing them, or even just adding them to your Digital Scrapbooking Pages!
Also, if you have ever been to a professional photographer, you know that often times they take some of your best shots and turn them into Black & White? Well, do it yourself and save some serious cash! Create Vintage-looking Black and White Photos of your favorite Headshots and include them in your portfolio or photo frames.
Everyone deserves to feel good about themselves, and using the Digi MakeOver Madness Series to “complete your look” only costs $1.99 per video!!!! Each Lesson in the Digi Makeover Madness Series is much cheaper than just about any beauty product on the shelf…and more than worth it.
Check out these Digi MakeOver Madness Tutorials:
Removing Demon-Looking Red-Eye in Photoshop
Removing Demon-Looking Red-Eye in Photoshop Elements
Getting Rid of Wrinkles, Zits, or Moles in Photoshop Elements
Whitening Teeth within Photoshop Elements
Adjusting Skin Tones and Digi Tanning in Photoshop Elements
Removing Wrinkles, Lines, and Bags in Photoshop Elements
Airbrushing Portrait Photos in Photoshop Elements 7
Removing Shadows and Lightening Photos in Photoshop Elements
Convert Photos to Black and White in Photoshop Elements
Happy Scrapping and Photo Editing!
-Cheri
