7/16/03

take your best shot: shooting family pictures (part 1)

Bob Barrett, Professional Photographer

Robert Capa, the famous war photographer, once said that if your pictures weren't good enough, you weren't close enough. I think that’s the case with a lot of family pictures I’ve seen. You know, the ones with the huge sofa and, in the middle of the sofa, a tiny image of a small baby. Nice sofa picture, but who has the faintest idea what the baby looks like? Most of today's cameras have zoom lenses and they come in handy when you want to come in close and fill the frame with the baby, and not the furniture.

I’ve got some handy tips and techniques that I will share with you so you can shoot pictures you can be proud of. It’s a lot to cover so, to make it easy, I’ve divided the story into two parts; the first part, printed here, and the rest available soon.

Let’s start with something really basic, like using the viewfinder. That’s how you zero in on your subject.  Don’t forget to scan the edges, top to bottom and side-to-side--as though you were looking at the finished image. When you do this, you’ll realize how much space you have left to fill. Fill it by (1) either walking closer or (2) using the zoom lens to fill the frame.

Thanks to today’s new technology, taking out-of-focus pictures is nearly a thing of the past. But, still, you need to read the camera manual and carry it with you-- just to make sure you don’t run into problems.

Be aware of the benefits and limitations of using flash. Be careful to avoid the “deer-in-the-headlight” kind of shot.  New cameras have a red-eye reduction option, so check the manual to see how to activate this feature when you use the flash to shoot pictures. (If you know how to use Adobe Photoshop, or other software programs, you can also eliminate problems in the computer).  When you’re outdoors and there are heavy shadows caused by bright sunlight or the brim of a baseball hat, try popping the flash open to add a little extra light and balance out the scene.  Be careful not to use the flash in a huge area, such as a large concert hall. The small flash on the camera is fine for illuminating the subject nearest to the camera, but it will not light up Kemper Arena or Kaufmann Stadium. So, if the main source of light is going to be the flash in your camera, place the subject close to something that will also be illuminated by the flash such as a wall, some other friends, etc.

Remember that a round peg in a square hole is not a good match! When you place a vertical object into a horizontal frame, you wind up with a lot of wasted space at the sides. Simple solution: Turn the camera vertically.  Now, when you look through the finder, the image seems to fit better and you can still move in a little closer, fill the frame and have an image that draws your attention to the subject.

In part 2 Bob will give you more techniques to ensure you get your “best shot” of family and friends.  A professional photographer, you can see Bob’s work at his website: http://artkc.com/barrett.htm.

Back to Article Index

© University of Kansas Medical Center, Center on Aging, July, 2003.