Imagine you are an iconic camera company, and in your glory days your film was an essential for both fashion photographers and fashionable party-goers. You were so popular that your product’s name became synonymous with instant pictures.
Then the world turned digital, and you found yourself as washed up as the rock stars you once documented. You struggled to make yourself relevant, and failed, patronizing your loyal fans by offering them crappy product after crappy product. What do you do? You turn back the clock.
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by Whitney Hubbard,
Staff Photographer
The ‘Picture Smile.’ You have one (so do I), and you know it well because it’s the same in every picture. And, if you’re anything like me, you’ve listened to your loved ones complain time and again that your beloved photo defense mechanism doesn’t look a thing like the real deal. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve heard parents, friends, and other photographers lament the fate of a good-photo-gone-wrong at the hands of the dreaded ‘fake smile.’
Now, I’m no comedian, unless you think corny puns and clumsiness count. But I’ve had to elicit quite a few smiles in my day from subjects of all ages, and so I’ll share with you a few tips that may help you bring out those elusive, eye-wrinkling ‘real’ smiles for your own family album.
1) Take the pressure off! This is my most important tip! There’s nothing that kills a smile like stress. It’s no easy task to line up your entire family in the backyard for a family portrait, kids and grandparents and all, but allowing the tough task at hand to darken your otherwise sunny disposition will not only make you feel worse, it will effect everyone around you. Make your mini-photo shoot fun, and accept that you may not be finished quickly. Talk and laugh with your subjects, even if the conversation is pointless (How about this weather? What a nice scarf!). As the photographer, you’re in charge, and everyone will be looking at you, so your mood will be contagious. Keep it light and fun, and those tense faces will relax. This rule also (and especially) applies when photographing children. Kids react quickly and intensely to pressure, and once their good mood is gone, it can be hard to bring back. Make picture taking fun for your kids by talking and making jokes, promising a treat for good behavior, and letting go of your impatience. This is a great time to be fun Mom/Dad!
2) Keep your camera out! People are intimidated by cameras, and are often afraid of how they will look in pictures, and so they react by putting on a tense, defensive smile and posing themselves awkwardly. The key to counteracting this kind of situation is to get your subjects used to the sight of the camera. Keep it around your neck, or even better, in your hand, and eventually it will turn into a simple piece of furniture. Even so, you may end up with a subject that just can’t relax around the camera. Be understanding, don’t push them, and take your time. Just a little conversation and some casual shooting may open them up and result in some great pictures. Maybe they will remember you as that patient, friendly photographer who cured them of their photo-anxiety!
3) Your shoot is an event, document it! The great side effect of having your camera out and ready is that you are always prepared to shoot those unexpected moments, which will often turn in to the best shots. Whether you’re taking group photos or a portrait of an individual, look at the shoot as an event, and document the whole thing. Maybe your daughter is going to the prom, and you dreamed of a perfect, full length pose on the stairs and her pretty smile. But her giggles as she fixes her hair, her reaching as she adjusts her shoe, or her impatient date seated on the bottom step as he waits for her to come out of the bathroom for the 4th time, all make great pictures. Keep shooting, and not only will your daughter become accustomed to the camera (tip #2!), but you’ll get a lot of neat, casual shots, full of real emotions and smiles, that will remind you of the whole event for years to come.
4) Get silly! “Say cheese!” has to be one of the most famous (infamous?) phrases in the English language. Sure, it gets people to open their mouths and show some teeth, but bared teeth do not always equal a great smile. For that authentic, genuine grin, you want to make your subject laugh a little. The best way to do this is to leave your pride at the door and act silly. Of course, what works for one may not work for everyone, and so you have to pay attention to your subject. Children, contrary to popular belief, are easy to crack up. Ask them goofy questions (Are you married yet? How old do you think I am?) and come down to their level. Behave the way adults aren’t supposed to do. With adults, being silly can work as well. In a group, see if you can find someone to be in on your jokes, and tease them a little (you want to make sure they’re in on it, or are very good natured, or you’ll end up with scowls instead of smiles). With individuals, it can help to make fun of yourself a little or do something physically silly in front of them, like making a face. It seems ridiculous, but remember, adults are in fact just a bunch of grown up kids. With teenagers, I’ve found the most important thing you can do is to talk to them like adults. They’re past the stage when saying things like “pickles!” and honking horns will make them laugh, but they’re not above a little silliness if you can gain some headway with them. Start by talking to them, ask questions about their life, and be patient. Jumping right into the silliness may put them on the defensive; after all, they have their reputations to protect.
Now that you’re armed with a few new tricks, go out and practice! Don’t be afraid to take a lot of shots! And most importantly, DON’T say cheese!
From all the staff at Mangiante Photography, we wish you a happy holiday season!
Mangiante Photography is proud to welcome our newest clients!
- Hnedak Bobo
- Reynolds, Bone, Griesbeck
The future of our business truly depends upon the satisfaction of our customers, and we are happy you have chosen to become part of our family. We strive to provide all of our customers with fast, efficient service, along with the highest quality products available. If you are interested in our products and services, please contact us for more information!
Still curious who our satisfied clients are? Click here to view our client list.
by Michael Spikes,
Operations Manager
It probably comes as no surprise to those that know me that I was never in the military. Although, I admire those that have been, currently, or are planning on serving and the discipline that the service instills. The preparation for battle I feel fits well with an upcoming skirmish, the holidays.
Below is a photographic field guide to getting the best shots for this season. Hopefully, you will be able to get in and get out and be no worse for the wear.
- Be prepared - I know that this is the motto of the Boy Scouts, but this is the holidays. As far as I am concerned, the holidays are like the Boy Scouts in that it requires paramilitary style preparation. Make sure your batteries are charged, you have plenty of memory cards (or film), and you know what is going to be taking place as far as events go. Knowing where to be and when is half the battle.
- Know your surroundings - Knowing what type of light you have and are going to work with can be of real value. Take some test shots if possible. Experiment with flash and no flash beforehand to get an idea of the lighting. If that seems like overkill, then at least watch your foreground and background for things that might be distracting or in the way. Also, when you are taking photos, experiment with different angles and compositions. The more images you have to choose from the better.
Know your gear - Make sure that you are familar with the camera’s menus and operation before the holidays. It seems like a good idea to use the camera you just got as a gift to take holiday photos, but good luck getting those spontaneous shots. You can easily get lost trying to figure out how to manuever through menus and fumble with controls. Meanwhile, all those moments are passing by. Get comfortable with your camera and you can focus on the moment. By the way, why not take the owners manual from underneath the dining room table leg it’s supporting and give it a read? You might find something useful in there.
Mangiante Photography is proud to welcome our newest clients!
- Figure Skating Club of Memphis
- Grubb & Ellis
- Investec Realty Services
- Napa Cafe
- The Neurology Group
- Piperton Baptist Church
The future of our business truly depends upon the satisfaction of our customers, and we are happy you have chosen to become part of our family. We strive to provide all of our customers with fast, efficient service, along with the highest quality products available. If you are interested in our products and services, please contact us for more information!
Still curious who our satisfied clients are? Click here to view our client list.
Toyota apparently decided to use some images from photo sharing site Flickr without obtaining the permission to do so. The images appeared in a 4Runner ad (The images now appear to have permission from the photographers). Toyota aplogized for the blunder on the Flickr forums stating that:
“Toyota apologizes for pulling images from Flickr without photographer permission. Images from a handful of photographers appeared on a Toyota site for five days. We’re working quickly to reach out to the individual photographers involved. Until then, the images have been removed, and corrections have been made to the process of pulling images from Flickr.”
While copyright and licensing issues have always existed, the news spreads much quicker now thanks to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. You can follow all the drama (and see some good photos) at the links below.
Original story from PDN
Flickr Forums
Flickr
by Whitney Schuyler Hubbard,
Staff Photographer
Aspect ratio is a term that describes the relationship of an image’s width to it’s height. It is an important concept to understand, especially if you want to print the photos you take. If you look up a description of your camera model, you will find the aspect ratio is listed as a set of numbers separated by a colon, such as 3:2 or 4:3. These numbers will represent the ratio of the length of the sides of the images your camera takes. An easy way to think about how aspect ratio relates to the actual size of your photos is to put inches beside the numbers. For example, a 3:2 aspect ratio would be the same as a 3 inch by 2 inch image. If you double that to 6 inches by 4 inches, your aspect ratio stays the same because the relationship of the length of the sides stays the same, even if the physical size of the image changes.
When you decide to print an image, you might find yourself with a product that is cropped in differently than the picture you see on your camera. This is because the aspect ratio of your camera is often different than that of your paper. The aspect ratio of 35mm film, and also of many digital SLR cameras, is 3:2, and some digital cameras include settings that allow you to change their aspect ratio. However, photo paper comes in a variety of sizes, not all sizes will correspond exactly with your camera’s aspect ratio. As you now know, a standard 4×6 inch paper size will perfectly fit an image with a 3:2 aspect ratio. However, printing at a larger standard size will cut in on your photo - a 5×7 inch paper will crop in on the image just a little bit, and an 8×10 will crop out quite a lot.
It is helpful to think about how you will want to display your images while you are shooting. A simple way to compensate for a difference between your planned paper size and your camera’s aspect ratio is to leave room on the sides of your subject with the intention of cropping that part out. Simply stepping back and placing a little extra space around your subject can prevent cropping mistakes easily.
It is possible to print your images at their original aspect ratio on paper that does not correspond exactly. You may choose to print on a larger sheet of paper, and cut your image down to size. Also, some kinds of photo paper are sold in rolls that you can cut into sheets yourself, which makes it possible to print at custom sizes. Depending on the kind of printer you are using, varying your paper size for a custom fit may be a better option.
The images below illustrate the differences in dimension. The red box indicates how each image would print if you were to print it to an 8×10 inch print.
| Photography is an ever-changing industry for both professionals and consumers. With the advent of digital photography, we can all strive to be great photographers. Likewise, we believe photography is a great career aspiration for children in our community.
Mangiante Photography, LLC offers our photography experts for complimentary speaking engagements and photo classes at Mid-South schools. There is no cost or obligation to the school or the students. We can tailor the information to your specific group, age category and level of expertise.
Do you need someone to speak to your art, yearbook or photography class or club? As professionals in the photography industry, we truly believe in the continuation of our industry. We feel that sharing our knowledge with the community, specifically students, is a great way to give back to the community that has built our business.
Call or email us to find out how to schedule a speaker for your school! |
On October 9th, Adobe announced the release of a free Photoshop app for your iPhone, which allows users to edit photos in their library, or to take a photo through the application and edit it immediately. The app includes controls to crop and rotate, adjust color and create black and white images, and features a set of simple filters that allow for creative experimentation. Users are able to save the images they edit, and there is an option to upload the images online to share with other users in a Photoshop.com gallery.
The app is very simple to use, operating by the touch of a finger, which should come naturally to iPhone users already accustomed to those kinds of controls. The editing process includes an ‘undo’ function, and saved images do not replace their originals, so users are free to experiment without fear of ruining a special photo.
To download Photoshop for your iPhone, visit
http://mobile.photoshop.com/iphone/ or simple search for it in the App Store. It should be easy to find; the new app has remained at the top of the Top 25 list since it’s release.
