Okay gang it looks like this will happen in late august. Most likely on a Sunday. We are thinking about requiring a donation, i.e. used coats etc. to get your free session. We want a way to benefit our community and this seems like a great way to do it and have a win/win scenario. We will post more as this event comes together. We do intend for this to become an annual event so please stay with us as we iron out all the kinks.

The kids are home and you’re on the go from morning ‘till night.  Everywhere you look there are great opportunities to get great candid pictures – but you forgot your camera again.  Your cell phone is always with you and you can take some great pictures with it.  Follow the tips below to capture those special photos.

A day out with out a camera so I grabbed my camera phone

1. Clean the camera lens often.  Use an eyeglass cloth to wipe off spots and dust.
2. Use the highest quality settings.  Set your camera to save pictures at the highest resolution and picture size available so that you can capture all the details.   Note: High capacity memory cards are very reasonably priced and will give you ample storage space for more pictures.
3. Keep your subjects close at hand. Distance shots will often be blurry.  Try getting down to kid-height to record children playing or capture a group shot from a low angle.  Get close – but not so close that faces are distorted.
4. Hold the phone very steady while taking the picture.  We recommend holding the phone with both hands and keeping your elbows tucked in to the sides of your body for support.  After pressing the button, continue holding the camera still for a second or two.   You will get a better picture if your subject is also still.
5. Make sure you have proper lighting.  Outdoors, try taking the pictures on a cloudy day or in a slightly shady area. Indoors diffused light works best.
6. Use Flash to show more details. Using the flash when taking pictures in bright light will give you a clearer picture.  The burst of light will minimize distortion.
7. Frame your shot. Make sure that everything you want in the shot is in the picture and that the main subject fills the largest area of the display.  On some phones what is on the screen is exactly what will be in the picture. Other phones will capture more than the viewfinder shows.  It is better to put extra empty space  into your picture –  you can crop it later
8. Keep the background simple.  A busy background will distort the picture.
9. Edit your pictures.  There are many programs available which will allow you to sharpen the image, crop unwanted areas and/or enlarge the picture.    In addition to picture editing programs for personal computers, there are also some programs available that allow you to edit your pictures directly on your phone.
10. Share your photos. Don’t just leave your photo shots sitting on your phone. Share them with others.  Most phones have built-in options for uploading images directly to a website or social networking site of your choice.

I hope this is helpful for you and if you have any questions or are ready for that professional family portrait contact me via phone or email.

amanda@visualimpressions.org

503-320-3076