Virtual and On-Location Photography

This 2 part blog addresses the professionalism and your personal brand that you can project in a virtual meeting. Don't waste the opportunity or other attendees' time if you aren't going to respect who they and you are. In Part 1  we discussed paying attention in a virtual meeting, dressing professionally, and staying in one place sitting still. The next 3 thoughts address the environmental setting. Backgrounds - Is it as difficult for you as it is for me to concentrate on the person when the background is like a storage facility? OK, that's harsh. But even though not all of us have the luxury of devoting a spiffy space to where we meet it wouldn't hurt to clean up the mess behind. Solution: have your logo, product photos, etc. ( professionally shot if possible ) printed by a retail printer and hang them up behind you. Make sure the photo size is large enough or close enough to your screen that your viewers can appreciate what's behind you. Optional...

In spite of the fact that we're not meeting in person, why is it less important that we present ourselves in a professional manner online? Think of your online video image as personal branding. This article is a little bit of a rant - very little - but I've noticed a few things during an online meeting that I want to share. I am definitely guilty of some of the following so let's improve together as we learn more about the technology and the fact that we will be using it for a long time going forward.   This meeting participant totally shocked me. I was in a meeting for professional women and this one was in addition to sitting just like you see her, she was also crocheting. Then she would get up, come back, get up, move around. She's the prime example of what not to do in 1, 2 and 3 in this post. Pay Attention  - It's frustrating to see someone who is presenting or part of a group discussion when others are doing paperwork, looking bored, general...

We're all selfie-obsessed!  My sister and I were doing selfies decades ago with film (huh!) cameras but had no way to share. The digital mobile phone has turned Selfies into a necessary component of socializing even to only to share online if you're sheltering in place. Over 17 million self-photos are uploaded to social media every week - with those individuals over-55 taking more pics than those aged 18-24. If that many pics are being uploaded imagine how many are being taken daily ~ badly! With summer NOW and Selfies an obsession we're in for quite a season of dropping our phones, bumping into people and falling over anyone in our way.  These 3 tips will help you take better Selfies and avoid walking into traffic when we eventually can walk around in traffic! These tips also work well with or without a mask.  1 - Make sure the light is toward or at least a 45 degree angle to your face. Note: Do not face bright sun without some sort of shade...

  Photography may not seem complicated to the mobile phone clicker but there are a lot of 'rules' that can help you take better and look better in pictures.  I've compiled a few relaxed ways of making your pictures look terrific. (Of course there's always the option to hire a professional photographer but that's a topic for another blog!) Light is everything. Arrange for the light to be on either shoulder to a 90 degree angle No light in back or in front (make squinty eyes) Use light/bright surfaces to reflect light What you use to reflect will change the color of what you’re shooting Use your automatic settings based on what your light is…sun, shade, clouds – it changes the color of the final photo. Your camera!  Get familiar with it.  Unless you are comfortable using all manual setting to manage ISOs, aperture and shutter speed use the automatic settings for sun, shade, clouds, action etc. Shooting better selfies Please, no  cutesy ...

After spending a ton of money on equipment with a plan to make promotional videos for my photography business I was frustrated when I could not get all the equipment to work together. I know my photography equipment inside and out but when it came to producing video not so much, actually not at all! Out of frustration I did a search on line (of course) and found a simple, low cost option that includes what you already have. This hack is particularly for iPhone users but may also apply to other mobile phone cameras as well. This link will take you to a quick video  with the instructions as well that may give you a good visual way to implement the solution for yourself. I will outline here as well. Find something you can put the phone on that is stable. I have a mini-tripod which isn't very expensive and helps. You have a choice of many specifically to hold a mobile phone. Position the camera horizontally which is best for almost all uses. Take the headset provide...

We're all selfie-obsessed! The digital mobile phone has turned Selfies into a necessary component of socializing but definitely not an art.   Did you know that over 17 million self-photos are uploaded to social media every week - with those individuals over-55 taking more pics than those aged 18-24. If that many pics are being uploaded imagine how many are being taken daily. Astonishing. With a new year ahead of us and Selfies an obsession we're in for quite a year of dropping our phones, bumping into people or falling over anyone in our way to get that very special selfie.   These examples will help you take better Selfies and avoid walking into traffic. Photo 1 through 4 were taken in the same room within a 10 minute timeframe. You can see how direction can impact the resulting photo. Photo 5 was in a meeting room with overhead lighting. Photo 1 ~  Make sure the light is toward or at least a 45 degree angle to your face. Th...

The holidays are upon us and planning the season has kicked in. I took my vampire and witch Halloween 'dolls' out (they will enjoy the light until January 2), we're planning Thanksgiving dinner and hosting a comfort soup party on January 1. Between now and when the activities are in full swing many of us will also be planning holiday cards (hopefully with professional photography but that's a different story), event invitations and more. I'm currently scheduling mini-photo sessions for Saturday November 16 in DC Ranch, North Scottsdale. Get in touch to schedule your session and receive a FREE digital photo optimized for  your holiday cards or wherever you prefer.  There are several companies that do wonderful printing for reasonable prices. The labs I use have good quality paper, fantastic range of designs and great pricing. They're easy to set up - just drag and drop. Add a personal message and you're in good shape for the holidays. Vistapri...

It's not your camera, it's what you photograph that counts. I've been thinking about what we should all consider when we're planning and taking photos. Here are a few tips that may help in your photography journey. Pick a waterproof case if you're going to be near or in water. Nothing more disappointing than watching your camera flutter to the bottom of the pool, bathtub, lake and anywhere there is water. Leave free space on your digital card for plenty of photos. Newer digital technology built into the casual users camera allow high resolution photos that may take up a lot of space on the card. Even a mobile phone can run out of space. Either have a second card backup or delete those redundant selfies. That will  guarantee you don't run out of digital 'film' right at the most important time in your vacation, family gathering etc. Change your perspective. Move the camera up and down, move you or your subject to the left and right. The photos wi...

😓😢🙈🚂 I typically start out an article or post with as much an upbeat tone as possible. This email, however, has an entirely different tone.   A l ittle glum but useful.   Never, ever, ever stand or have your photo subject stand on railroad tracks. Most of the time the train will be way past you before you ever hear it. You know what that means! It's happened more that just a few times that the client or photographer have been killed as a result of getting that 'fabulous' shot down the middle of the tracks. Seniors particularly like this setting.   Same concept as in 1 above. Don't stand in the middle of the street. You do not have right of way just because you're doing something like taking a perspective photo of the Empire State building.   Stop texting when you're walking. It's just plain rude and selfish to think that others have to watch out for you rather than you watching out where you're going. PS I know this because I've done it....

How often have you taken a pic and at least someones's single eyeball is the only thing that shows up in the photo. Or you can see two eyes peeking out under the arm pit of someone who should be in the back row. Ha, happens all the time. Try these tips: Arrange short people in front! Little kids in front of them. It's OK to sit on the ground or front row chairs depending on how many you have in the group so you can get everyone in the photo. This sounds like a duh head slapper but people aren't always aware of if can or cannot be seen in the photos. Next time you're doing a group photo make this announcement... "If you can't see the camera, the camera can't see you!" ...then wait for everyone to reassemble themselves.  You'll get better group photos this way. Have fun at your next party. I hope this little tidbit is helpful.  If you enjoy my articles, I’d love to hear what you liked best. Please feel free to pass these tips on...

You may never need to know these things but for every budding photographer who has a smartphone and may transition to a point and shoot here's the  lowdown on some technical terms and what they mean.  At a minimum the next time you have a portrait taken by a professional photographer you can impress them with your knowledge of the terminology!  Definitions: Aperture Aperture (opening)  Think of the lens as a window—large windows or wide angles let in more light, while small windows let in less light. A wide open aperture will let more light into the image for a brighter photo, while a smaller aperture lets in less light. Aperture is measured in f-stops; a small f-stop like f/1.8 is a wide opening, a large f-stop like f/22 is a very narrow one. Aperture is one of three camera settings that determine an image’s exposure, or how light or dark it is. Aperture also affects how much of the image is in focus—wide apertures result in that cr...

This photo tip is a little advanced. I want to talk about clothing color balance which is a subtle detail that is often overlooked particularly in bestie selfies. When you take a photo of the family or friends think about where they should be placed in the group pose. A good start is placing people by height (remember the tip - "if you can't see the camera, it can't see you").   Next consider what they're wearing. Placement of color, tones, light/dark and patterned clothes can kill or enhance the photo. I did the Red Carpet photos in this blog for the Leukemia Man and Woman of the year. Observe how I placed people to balance the colors and heights. It won't always work to be this detailed, after all you want to have fun when you're using your smartphone to take pics. Take a few second when you're getting ready to take the shot. You'll be amazed at how this will improve your photos. Enjoy! If you enjoy the articles, I’d love to hear what...

Composition is one of the most important aspects of photography and also, probably one of the most taken for granted. How you frame your subject and compose your shot ultimately determines how memorable and interesting it is. A lot of times, we see something that we want to take a picture of and take 15 images of the exact same thing from the exact same spot. Moving a few feet to the right or to the left, getting higher and getting lower can totally change an image and give you a series of unique and interesting images instead of dozens that are almost identical. Changing your perspective can also help eliminate distracting background elements like cars and other people. It’s important to pay attention to the whole scene. Nothing ruins a portrait faster than a lamp post or street sign coming out of the top of your subjects head! A few steps to the right or left or getting a little higher or lower is all you have to do to get rid of distracting background elements. Try This:...

Everyone is photogenic but many of my clients start out thinking that they aren't because they believe they have never taken a good photo. And maybe they haven't. With the standard in today's world of selfies and point and shoots it's impossible for most people to show off their best features. There's a lot that goes into being photogenic and what you see in photos of celebrities isn't always who they are off camera. “Even I don't wake up looking like Cindy Crawford.”   Cindy Crawford Cindy is being modest, but all professional photos have some retouching done without compromising who the person is in the photo. Photoshop is designed for that. So much of what changes an individual's look (the photogenic factor) in photographs is lighting and angles. Angles are affected by professional posing, camera and lighting placement. Then there's an inner glow that I can't explain but it's like a light switch.  Ugly? Never....

Photography may not seem complicated to the mobile phone clicker but there are a lot of 'rules' that can help you take better and look better in pictures.  I've compiled a few relaxed ways of making your pictures look terrific. (Of course there's always the option to hire a professional photographer but that's a topic for another blog!) Light is everything. Arrange for the light to be on either shoulder to a 90 degree angle No light in back or in front (make squinty eyes) Use light/bright surfaces to reflect light What you use to reflect will change the color of what you’re shooting Use your automatic settings based on what your light is…sun, shade, clouds – it changes the color of the final photo. Your camera!  Get familiar with it.  Unless you are comfortable using all manual setting to manage ISOs, aperture and shutter speed use the automatic settings for sun, shade, clouds, action etc. Shooting better selfies Please, no  cutesy  poutin...