Portraits are one the most common type of photographs. We’d like to share some tips for taking better people pictures.

The “Eyes” Have It When taking pictures of people, most viewers will tell you that it’s the eyes that catch and hold their attention. Here’s a few examples of how the eyes make a difference.
Here we have filled the viewfinder with the infant’s face. However her eyes are focused downward – pointing away from the photo.	Here the young girl is looking directly at the photographer. While she sports a serious visage, her eyes draw me into the photo.
This young lady is also looking directly at the photographer. Her large eyes become the center of attention and help “make the photo work”.	Here we’ve decided to move in and eliminate the forehead and the chin. The result is a photo that totally emphasizes the child’s bright, compelling eyes.

 

I think you’ll be rewarded if you are patient and wait for the subject’s eyes to meet the lens.

A complimentary tip – long ago my mentor taught me that before pressing the shutter button, I should make sure that the lens was carefully focused on the eyes. This has been remained essential words of advice since.

Written by: Arnie Lee

 

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I have been racing in nearly all distances of triathlons over the last few years. In the world of sports, Ironman™ is known as the most difficult single-day sporting event in the world.

Ironman racing demands a huge amount of training and competing. As you compete you quickly see some of the professionals as well as the ‘legendary’ triathletes at various races. It doesn’t take long to see the ‘stars’.

We’ve been lucky enough to capture several world-renowned athletes in the pictures. I must confess, however, that my wife Deb is the ‘photo expert’ and that most of these pictures were taken by her.

But before you start taking those pictures did you know that our Stay Focused Press guide helps you shoot that special moment, that ‘just-right’ angle with the correct settings for you DSLR camera. As amateur photographers we have had to brush up on our camera’s myriad features countless times; by using our own Stay Focused Guides. We write them; we publish them; we use them ourselves. Go to stayfocusedpress.com and look for the guide for your particular camera.

So take advantage of opportunity. Keep you eyes open and your camera close by. To see more celebrity photos please visit the Stay Focused Gallery.

Pro Chris MacDonald and Us

Ironman Hall of Fame  Greg Welch

3x Ironman World Champion MS Wellington

Pro Iroman Andy Potts (U of M)

Ironman Florida Women’s Winner

Ms Chrissie Wellington – World Champion

Written by Jim Oldfield, Jr.

Holidays are often a time for family get-togethers and Thanksgiving is just three weeks away. We have a rather large, extended family and for us Thanksgiving has always been an important one.

With family members arriving from homes in diverse cities, coordinating this festive dinner is a major task. Thankfully in recent years, we’ve handed the title of event coordinator over to one of our kids – the next generation. This helps to relieve lots of stress and pressure on my wife Kris, who is usually the host for the turkey dinner with all the fixin’s, a wide variety of beverages and lots of calorie-laden deserts.

Here’s a photo tip. I suggest that before sitting down for dinner, you set aside a few minutes for holiday portraits. With Christmas close behind, Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to snap photos to use for Christmas cards or gifts.

A camera, a small flash and a comfortable chair tucked into a small corner of a room can serve as your holiday studio. Have a hair brush and a mirror at hand. Keep the background simple and move in close.

You still have time to get your Christmas cards ready. And by all means enjoy the turkey.

 

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