Since September I’ve been taking and printing several large portrait photos. The photos are of our grandkids, so I’m particularly proud of them. Being 12″ x 18″ prints, they are relatively expensive to individually frame and require lots of wall space to display separately. Consequently, they’ve been sitting on my desk in a pile and every once in a while I pull them out to show relatives and friends. Of course this isn’t exactly the best way to show off these faces.

Well this weekend I finally decided to do something about this unwieldy stack of photos. My goal is to have a way to display a dozen or so large photos in a small space. I also want an easy way to change the photos often. I am not looking for an elegant display, just a simple way to show the faces attractively.
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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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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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