Better Photos
From beginners to pros, I'm taking you from photography basics to creative challenges to find your unique passion for photography.
Better Photos
005 Transforming Chaos into Creativity: Photography and Storytelling Techniques
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Enhancing your photography is all about storytelling and technique. By focusing on layers, capturing genuine moments, and varying perspectives, you can significantly enrich your images and engage viewers.
• Recap of composition principles from the previous episode
• Techniques for layering elements in photography
• The role of storytelling in crafting cohesive image sequences
• Capturing movement with varying shutter speeds
• The Power of candid shots for authentic emotional capture
• Mixing it up with perspectives: using wide shots, mid shots, and close-ups for storytelling
• Challenge for the week to create a little photo story
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Hey mama, whether or not you're trying out your camera for the very first time, or you've been doing this a while and just looking for some creative inspiration, I've got all that and more. I'm here to help you see your world differently, challenge you creatively and find your passion for photography. Welcome back to the Better Photos podcast. So it gets a little nice one day, and I am all about spring cleaning. Organizing. I am wanting to like redo my office space to make my process easier and ready to go. I am so behind on getting out client USBs Like, yes, I already put things in galleries and everybody has their images, but I like to send little boxes with like little gifts and things and I'll not have one of the items or one of the boxes or one of the packaging things or waiting on USBs, and so I want to get my office more set up to have things just to grab and go.
Speaker 1:So we, me and my husband, went on a day date over to a new place in Charlotte called Toastique and I highly recommend. It has juices and different collagen lattes, um, and then they obviously have all these different toast. So I got the best avocado toast, um, with like a chili oil, with um, watermelon radish Um, I can't even remember what else was on it and a chia seed pudding, which I was really in the mood for chia seed pudding. After a solid core workout, I always want something like cold and like light, and I used to go to living kitchen all the time and just trying to find a replacement for that has been so sad, because I feel like there's like nothing, um, especially like within a quick distance. Um, so if you have any places that you suggest for chia seed and do not say what's it called First watch, don't say first watch. That is like so heavy eating that one, anyways. So we went to Tostik and then we went over to Shoppin South End area and then to the container store at South Park and they have so many good options, but it's so hard to see it in the store and think about like picking out things in individual pieces when on Pinterest and Instagram, they just keep feeding me all of these office ideas with like how to organize your mailers and your boxes and it looks so pretty.
Speaker 1:But I'm like overwhelmed, I don't know where to start and I don't want to spend that much money. So that is my predicament is then I start thinking about OK, well, it's February and we should be starting like seedlings soon, and do I want to buy seeds? Are there things that I need to purchase online that won't be here in time to start your seeding? What about, like the lights that help the seeds grow better? And then I remember that I'm terrible at watering. And then, like, spring break comes along and then I forget to water all the seeds and then everything dies. And then what do I want my garden to be like outside? Like I love this plaster, look on a garden.
Speaker 1:But being a photographer has its downfalls, because I want everything to look good in a picture. So our fence is like one of those black, like iron fences, and our neighbors built their house like so close to us and I don't want it in the background of any of my photos. So I'm like if I plant these beautiful garden beds with plaster, whatever, you can still see the neighbor's house in the background. So then I try to think, okay, well, what am I going to put in the background to block their house, so that when I take a picture it'll look like you can't see it? Yeah, yeah, that's what goes through my mind. This is when we were building our house. My builder hated me, I think, because everything was like how will this look like in a picture? What will this look like in a picture? And he's I'm like even the guy hanging like our lights. I'm like, okay, I need the light to come down this far so that when I take a picture, I can still see the light in the picture. Yeah, I am like so crazy. I'm like sorry, but if you want a picture of the house, like later, and then it's like I will give you a photo because it's going to look better, because I had photos in mind in the first place, um, but by the end of building our house, we were so over it that we're like bye, bye, bye.
Speaker 1:Anyways, that was so long, so, without further ado, oh wait, what am I working on? So, working on I am next week we're going to talk about editing, and so I've been tweaking some of my editing about editing, and so I've been tweaking some of my editing. Um, again, just pulling in more of that nostalgia, that like grain and less contrast, but still sharp. Um, and I use an AI software to edit that I'll talk about next week, but it still only does like 50% of the work so, and not all the like the retouching stuff that I do on newborns and moms, and so I still have to make sure that I still have a lot of time that I need to edit. So I'm trying to get that down so that I can focus on shooting more and even like the business stuff I love, like doing content stuff and, um, doing reels and posting and using chat GPT to help me, uh, narrow down business stuff, which that could be an episode too, um, but yeah, let me know what you are wanting to hear. My instagram is at be posh photo, so just dm me and hopefully for episodes after this, then we can talk about some other things that can help you make better photos. All right, so let's get started.
Speaker 1:So last week we talked about composition. Did you work on anything with composition? Last week? Did you try out the rule of thirds? Did you look for leading lines? Did you find natural framing or frame your own things? Did you use doors, windows, anything like that, in your images? This week, or even just training your eye to see those things is also helpful. Again, the more you incorporate this stuff and the more you actually do it, the more you're going to learn rather than just listening or yeah, learning, online. You have to go do it. So this is another encouragement to get out there and do it. Um, this week we have lots of good stuff again going off composition and just adding more creativity to your shots. So get your cup of coffee, get your your tea, whatever and let's chat.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you have figured out your camera settings, you have everything set up, you have worked on light, you have worked on composition, and now we are going to take that a little bit further and talk about storytelling or creative shots that you can get to add more variety or just go a step further in your photography. So today we're going to be talking about five different techniques that can help your photos get more depth, more movement. Photos get more depth, more movement, more storytelling just a lot of variety to add to your gallery or to your overall photography skills. We're going to learn technical and practical ways to achieve these shots and why we would take these shots in the first place. What does it do to the viewer's eye? So the five things that we're going to talk about today is layering. Creating like a foreground, middle ground and background. Storytelling with the beginning, middle and end Capturing movement with motion blur, and how to create a gif, candid shots to capture emotion and authenticity, close-up, mid and wide shots just to give different perspective. And I think that is it. So we are going to get started. Okay, so the first thing we're going to talk about is layering, and that is creating a foreground, a middle ground and a background. Why is this important? So this adds depth and dimension and can make your images feel less flat. It invites, like the viewer, like into it and draws their eye to different pieces of the art.
Speaker 1:So for my portfolio, I was trying to figure out what was I missing, what are some things that I could work on? Um, last year, and I was just comparing to some photos and photographers that I've saved their work and I'm like what do I love about their work? Like what is it, what are they capturing, what are they, what is the style, what is the mood? And like how can I get better at that? And one photographer I follow is Light by Iris, and I love her work and I was like what is it about her work? Because it's different than mine, and so I'm like I'm not trying to be exactly her, but there's something that she adds to her images that I want to know about and like what am I missing? And so then I saw her post about a class that she was teaching and it was called Layers of Love, and I was like that's it, that is what I'm missing. I'm missing layers in my photos. And so I took a great class by her and I definitely suggest, you know, taking classes that deal with things that you specifically want to work on, and so this one was a great one.
Speaker 1:And we were just talking about foreground, middle ground, background. So I typically do this with, like, grass in the foreground and then a family in the middle ground and then, you know, woods in the background or whatever, and we kind of talked about that last week with composition. But her type of layering is like with people and like with things going on and people doing stuff, so it's more cinematic, and so I loved incorporating some more of that, like where somebody is doing something with the child in the foreground, then somebody is walking in the middle ground or somebody's doing something coming out of a door in the background, multiple things kind of going on, where it is a collective piece but it adds interest and, um, just like more of like a movie, like something's going on here and something's going on here, but yet it will all be cohesive, based on, like the direction they're facing or who they're looking at. Um, so that was. That was something great that I learned recently to incorporate more of in my work.
Speaker 1:Another way to add layering is to get that bokeh. So you want to turn that aperture down to a 1.8, 2.8, however low it can go, and focus on your subject. So bring your subject closer to the camera and make the background super blurry, and so this can add focus to something that you want the viewer to see. This can also add emotion and just focus to something specific in the frame. Another way to add layering can also be with like textures and specifically with newborns, and adding like for those overhead shots of a baby, maybe by themselves and there's layers of different textures and colors or patterns, and then like the baby in like a solid neutral blanket or maybe it is neutral blankets and fur and the baby is wearing and then maybe you can add the layers of the kids around the baby, looking down at the baby, laying beside the baby, different layers that when you are getting closer to the camera, there's more things coming at you. So it's kind of like creating like a 3D element within a 2D image. Okay, another example would be like a mom and a newborn closer to the camera and she's looking over her shoulder at her kids, playing in the window or with the curtains. Maybe dad is standing in the doorframe looking at mom and mom is looking over her shoulder at the kids. But just adding different layers can make the viewer stay and linger a little longer at your image and just add interest and make them feel connected to the image. Layers work so great when you're photographing a group of people, a family, so this is something to keep in the back of your mind when you're photographing. So it's not everyone on the same plane, that people are closer to the camera, in the middle ground, in the background, and just create that depth.
Speaker 1:So the next thing is storytelling, with a beginning, a middle and an end. So a single image can tell a story, but a sequence of images takes the viewer deeper into the moment. So this can help you create a cohesive gallery that doesn't feel like a bunch of random shots, that it was more intentional with what you were photographing. I feel like this is hard in the sense of what story do I want to capture? Like, what story am I telling when you don't even know the people that well or your clients that well, or like it's just another thing to think about. But this is something that will help you learn how to do that and see that before you even get to those moments. It doesn't have to be a big scary, like when you're back in school and you're thinking of oh my goodness, I have to write an essay on this and like what is my beginning and middle and end and climax and you know all the things and so this is really just okay in this moment.
Speaker 1:What is the beginning and the middle and the end? So it could be kids getting dressed Okay, so you see a picture of their clothes on the floor, you see them putting their uh, their shirt on or their shoes on, and then you see them running away, going outside to play. So that can be a story. It doesn't have to be a story for the whole time that you're with the clients or with your family. It can be just simple moments. Maybe you're baking something with your kids, maybe you are making cookies and you get a photo of the flour and everything's set out. Then you get a photo of the kids with flour on their hands or the mess, and then you get them enjoying the cookies at the end. So that could be a little mini story. That's something that you can incorporate to something that you just document yourself. It doesn't even have to be with clients.
Speaker 1:Getting in the habit of seeing the story can help take your photography to a whole new level. So doing the you know pictures of before, middle and after throughout your day, just even on your phone, can just help you start visualizing. Oh, this is a story. Oh, this has a beginning, middle and end. Oh, I could capture this and this could be a sequence of images. And there, this has a beginning, middle and end. Oh, I could capture this and this could be a sequence of images. And there can be more in the middle obviously. Like, maybe there's a picture of flour on the hands, maybe there's a picture of rolling out dough, maybe there's a picture of getting flour on your face. You know all these fun things. So the story can be longer. But just get in the habit of thinking what can I shoot to start the story, what can I shoot to keep it going and what can I shoot? To wrap it all up, what is the ending?
Speaker 1:Photographing little stories throughout the day or throughout your session really makes the session come alive and become more of a memory and an experience. So they'll be like remember that time that we did this and it was a sequence of things, rather than we just stood still and got our picture taken. That was like. One thing I really try to incorporate into my sessions is doing something. It creates a full experience, so that I want, when the kids leave, I want them to be like oh, I can't wait to go back and do this, or they have a memory of like fun times with their family. Maybe you know it's like a lot of things going on at home, like we're working, we're getting dinner ready, we're driving to activities, we are on our phones, we are shopping groceries, all the things and sometimes it gets lost just to put our eyes on our kids and our whole family at the same time and play, and so that's what I really want to make time for. When I'm adding these experiences in is that I'm getting genuine moments where everyone's eyes can be on each other, everyone can be doing something together, and hopefully that will make the kids and even the parents be like we needed that, you know, okay.
Speaker 1:So the next one that we're going to talk about is capturing movement. So this goes back to our shutter speeds and our camera settings, and so once you learn that, then you can kind of start breaking the rules of things. So there can be so many ways to add movement in your photo, all right. So if you have your shutter speed slower, then you're going to have more blur in your photo. So if you turn your shutter speed down to like a 1 over 50 and you let your subject run by you, that subject is going to be a blur if you're standing still. Another thing you could do is to set it down to 150 and run beside your subject. So this will create part of your subject in focus with the background being super blurry. Okay. So another fun thing is have the subject running towards you with the lower shutter speed. Then another technique could be that you are running away from the subject while the subject is running towards you and changing up your perspective and maybe not having the subject completely in frame Maybe it's just their feet or their legs or their hair blowing. This can all add so much variety and so much like cool shots to your gallery.
Speaker 1:Another thing you can do is I like to put it down to like one over 20 and have my subject try to stay really still with their face or with their upper body and then just move their dress or their skirt. And so this is when I like to have my families try to wear like more outfits that move, because you cannot do this in jeans, like it just restricts the movement. And so when I'm telling my clients to wear like certain outfits, I'm thinking of the shots that I want to get wear like certain outfits. I'm thinking of the shots that I want to get and just that like romantic feel, that, um, I don't know, it's just like more cinematic, more like movie-ish. Um, when you're having like some outfits like blowing in the wind and blurring and I don't know that, just I just love that. So I kind of get stuck and freeze a little bit when there's like a little girl that like could be twirling in her you know skirt or dress or whatever, but she's got like tight pants on her leggings and it's like, okay, well, this is not exactly the shot I was going for. I can still get something of her twirling, but it's like, okay, well, this is not exactly the shot I was going for. I can still get something, um of her twirling, but it's not going to be that like ultimate shot that, like I feel like, is so pretty. All right, so you can also try your subjects jumping or, um, skipping, holding hands, skipping towards you.
Speaker 1:Sometimes, if you're in the middle of like a ring around the Rosie and you are also spinning around while taking photos of them spinning, that can be cool and just get some people in focus and then some people blurry, get some people in focus and then some people blurry. So again, that can add like another artistic spin on your photos. And if you haven't seen by now, photography is a workout. You are up, you're down, you're running, you're carrying things, you are on the ground, you are holding a million things at once. You are laying on the ground, you are getting on ladders. You are, you are laying on the ground, you are getting on ladders, you are constantly moving and doing things. So just keep that in mind, that the more you move, the more variety you're going to get too. When you add movement to your shot, you are conveying energy, joy, playfulness and you're making the viewer feel like they're there, and so incorporating this with kids and couples and families can just really play into a mood that you're trying to create for the viewer. Adding images that have movement just really is so much better than just having a whole collection of still images.
Speaker 1:So another fun thing that I like to incorporate with the movement is a set of burst shots. So basically you are putting your shutter really high and to make sure that your subject is sharp as they're moving, and then you can find high dynamic burst mode. It looks like a bunch of rectangles on your um, either in your settings or on the side. You can have like there's like a quick shortcut button to change from a single frame to burst. High dynamic burst, I think, is what it's called. Different cameras say different things, but it looks like the multiple squares and so or rectangles, and so if you put it on this it'll make your like. You can hold down the shutter and it will just like rapid fire click. So you obviously don't want to have somebody in a still position while pressing this button, because you are going to have a thousand of the same image.
Speaker 1:But what you can use it for is when you have a subject running towards each other. If you have a mom throwing or dad throwing up a child in the air each other, if you have a mom throwing or dad throwing up a child in the air, if you have a family that is skipping together or a mom or dad spinning a child, there's like multiple scenarios of movement that you could capture with this, but what it's going to do is it's going to make a single frame, one part of the movement. So when you put it together, or a set of pictures together, if you like, are viewing them on your computer, and you start pressing the right arrow and it starts moving, like really quick, it looks like a, like a stop motion video, or like a video that's slowed down frame by frame, and so then you can pull it into like if you want to edit them, you can edit the photos and we'll talk about that next week and then you can pull them into um, an app like InShot, and put all the frames there that you want. And then, um, I like to change the duration down to like 0.3 of a second, and then you can speed it up or slow it down and then export it as a video and then add it to your collection. So it won't be. If you leave it as images in your gallery, you're going to have like a thousand images just from this one movement, and so please don't send that to your clients. I've done that accidentally, left that in my gallery to upload and I'm like, oh my gosh, I go back and I'm like sorry, there was like 50 of like just little incremental movements because I was exporting them to use as a GIF. Um, so I normally just leave like the best shot in for the still image and then use the other ones to create a little GIF video that I can use for social media and then also I can upload that to their gallery too. Okay, so that is super fun and again, it's just like a creative thing to do, all right.
Speaker 1:So number four is candid shots, and I think these are these are the easy, like the ones that you want to get, but you don't even like really place an emphasis on what you want to capture with the candid. And then sometimes I I feel like you feel the pressure to tell somebody that you're taking a photo, and the importance of this is getting real emotions and not just the posed smiles, and so you know, like when you tell your kid to smile or someone else's kid, and they put on this like fake smile and you're like, oh, that's not like your real one, and so maybe just like sitting back and letting other moments happen and prompts and then capturing those, um, real smiles, those can create like better photos because you know they're genuine Um, you can. Also there's photographers that solely do documentary style photography and basically that means that they come and they're like a fly on the wall and they do not interact with the family at all. They are just strictly there to document things that they see, connections that they have. Sometimes people have these for their wedding just to capture, like all like the real things.
Speaker 1:But part of being a photographer is anticipating the moment. That is so key in photography. You have to think a couple steps ahead of what is going to happen so that you can be ready to take that image. It was a lot more important when I used to shoot film because you only had so many shots in the camera to be able to take, and so now, with digital, we just hold down the shutter and just like, let everything capture, which is a nightmare to go through later, and so just anticipating a moment can help really narrow down what you want to capture. So for my sessions I am not documentary but I'm also not super posed, and so how I get those candid shots and the shots that look real and authentic is I use prompts and so I don't really set people up unless I know that something else is going to happen, the real photo that I want.
Speaker 1:I will cue people to do things or set up a family to do something, and then sometimes I'll tell the mom and dad like, hey, they do this, I want you to do this, and so it can be something like you set the parents up and they're like, um, you know, squatting down, and I tell the kids that they're gonna, when I count to three, they're gonna, run over and give mom and dad a hug, and so I tell the parents to like kind of brace themselves so they don't get fully knocked over, because some of the kids run very fast and very hard. So I will give them a prompt and then when they run over and give kisses, it's not really like the first, sometimes it's not the first image, but it's like a couple images after that that they're just kind of like looking at their kids and the kids are looking at them, and it's like those moments that I'm anticipating not really the full force where everyone's like closing their eyes, like bracing for it, um, and so that's kind of like with any of my sessions I am cuing and prompting so that people don't feel stuck and not know what to do in front of the camera. That is like the most awkward thing, because obviously we don't spend our days like thinking how would this look? I mean, sometimes I do, and um, but like how would this look and how would that look? And you just want someone to tell you like do this and do I look good doing this? And so that is why I think a photographer job will never go away, because you constantly want someone to tell you does this look good? What do I do? How are we doing this? And then can you also like help wrangle my kids, so that I'm not running around looking crazy, but like I can keep my hair and makeup good.
Speaker 1:Or I'll tell the kid that we're going to do a secret. They're going to. When I count to three, they're going to run towards dad and whisper poopy in their ear or something like funny. Or I'll have the kid run towards dad, but I'll tell dad when the kid gets to you you're going to pick them up in the air and fly him around and fly him to mom to give him a kiss, and mom you're going to like reach out your hands and pull them in for a kiss, and so there's like a whole sequence of things going on and I'm just giving like the initial, like prompt, but everything that happens in between.
Speaker 1:I am ready to capture those little candid moments. So I'm not telling them how big of a smile to smile. I'm not telling them what to do, how to smile. I'm not telling them what to do, how to, how to throw the kid up in the air specifically like how high. Or I'm not telling them how or where to kiss your child on the forehead, on the nose, on the mouth, on the cheek. What are you doing after? Are you giving eskimos? Are you laughing orling, like some of those things are cute in a general sense. But I'm there to capture all the like candid moments in between and that's when the real emotion and authenticity comes through is those in between moments. So sometimes I'll tell mom and dad to give each other like Eskimo kisses, and it may not be that I'm actually trying to other like Eskimo kisses, and it may not be that I'm actually trying to get a photo of them doing a nose-to-nose picture, but maybe I am asking them to do that. So then they look at each other and laugh like this is so awkward and like you know, like this is so funny, like I haven't done this to you ever, or you know like this is so silly, and just getting those genuine smiles is more my goal, not the goal of getting the Eskimo kiss.
Speaker 1:Candids are also a great time when the kids are just not feeling photos. So sometimes I, if the kid is having a little bit of a hard time, you can give them a little moment. You can go around shooting some detailed shots. You can get some of the you know that raw expression of like today's just not the day, or I'm just not feeling this, and maybe it's the parent's hands like on the kid's head or their back, like soothing them or comforting them, or the kid just like laying over the dad's shoulder, and getting some candid shots of that, because that's real life. And when you look back at your photos you can remember like not just like the best moments, but looking at how you responded to your child and how you loved on them and how, even in their like hard moments, you're there for them. Like it can like bring a bunch of different emotional responses. When you look back at your photos and now kids are older or things have changed, you will want some of those candid moments to look back on and be like yeah, that was it.
Speaker 1:I like the candid shots because, again, I want to make it look like I'm peering in to your reality of how your family loves each other, how they look at each other, how a dad looks at his daughter and a daughter looks at her dad. And those little moments I feel like are just the ones of meaning, the ones that you will look back at in 20 years and be like oh my gosh, that was so sweet. You know, to me it's more about the connection that the family has with each other than the connection that they have with the camera. So I don't want fake, stiff smiling poses that the parents were just yelling at their kids to get in line and smile. Smiling poses that the parents were just yelling at their kids to get in line and smile oh, that like breaks my heart every time. Like I'm like that's not what I want a session to be like. I want them to be laughing because they're having fun with you and getting those natural smiles, the honest ones and the emotional ones, the ones that draw emotion out of you.
Speaker 1:So, while you still might get the grandma shot, as a lot of photographers have coined it, the one where everyone is smiling at the camera add in some candid shots to your gallery, where you are not just taking the moments of everyone anticipating the the picture being taken, but those in between moments. And if you need some prompt ideas they're in the show notes I will put a link to prompts that you can grab and use at your next session. Another tip that you can, you can use if you have a longer lens, so like an 85 millimeter or 135. This is helpful to get those close-up shots without interrupting the family. So if you think you want to do more details or more candid shots without being really close to the family, then maybe invest in getting and I will put links to those suggestions in the show notes as well All right.
Speaker 1:So our last one is more about perspective and getting that cinematic closeup shot, mid-shot, wide shot. So I worked in video editing for a while and we had to categorize different shots for different commercials or whatever we were working on, to close-ups, mid-shots and wide shots. So then when I was putting the footage together, mid shots and wide shots. So then when I was putting the footage together, I could grab different shots to make the add some variation to what we were watching or to the segment. And it's the same with photography that you can help tell a story through the types of shots that you're getting.
Speaker 1:So if you're looking at lenses, if you have a 24mm lens, you are going to get a wide shot without being so far from your subject. So I got a 24mm prime lens so that I could get a shot of the nursery, even if it was small. Otherwise, if I have my 50 millimeter or my 35, I am backing up a little ways to get the entire room in my shot. So with a 24 to 70 lens, you're going to get that wide shot. You're going to get that wide shot, you're going to get that medium shot and you're going to get those detail shots, all with one lens. So if you're looking to save money and get an all-in-one lens, I would totally go for the 24 to 70 because it's going to allow you more options. Now, what I like about prime lenses is because I feel like they give a better quality of image, and I'm so used to them that I honestly forget to zoom in and zoom out with my 24 to 70 and I bought my 24 to 70 for my Canon and I don't know what happened. But this is just a PSA to make sure that you have your lens caps on, but for some reason it got a couple scratches and you can't tell in most images, but in some it's like if the detail spot was right on that scratch, then there's no repair. So just FYI, keep your lenses in good care, and I'll also put a link to those lenses in my show notes as well.
Speaker 1:Okay, so the first shot you want to get is a wide shot. This establishes where you are, it sets the scene, it captures the environment and shows the scale of where you are. So it could be a bedroom, a nursery, it could be a field, it could be a barn, like with the whole barn in the picture. It could be a park, with the whole park in the picture. So you're setting up where you are, okay. So then you move on to the mid shot. This one is not a wide shot and not close up. It's somewhere in the middle. So this one focuses on the connection and interaction between the subjects. So maybe this is if you're at a park it's kids swinging on the swing or maybe it is going down the subjects. So maybe this is if you're at a park, it's kids swinging on the swing, or maybe it is going down the slide. Maybe it is a family skipping through the field, like. A little bit closer up, maybe it is the parents standing in front of the crib in the nursery or sitting in the rocker. Those are mid shots and it's those are probably the shots that we gravitate towards most, that fill most of our content on our galleries or on our phones is these mid shots. So the next one is the close-up shot.
Speaker 1:This is the detail shot. This is the detail shot. This is the thing that will, um, most likely do something with the senses. So, like, what is the? What are the fingers touching? What is the hand holding? What is the nose smelling? What is the ear hearing? Um, what is the hair doing in the wind? Um, so all those little things are things that it's hard to remember, to capture, I think. So don't forget getting really close. And I find this harder because things are moving so quickly with little ones that like to get those details and get them to like slow down just enough so that you can focus on the little fingers. So you have to be really high shutter speed, really quick to go get those, or just wait for like a more of a somber moment where maybe you're asking your child a question while their toes are like in the sand and you're asking, like them to say I spy, blah, blah, blah. So they're spending like a lot of time like looking for the thing and standing still or asking them questions like.
Speaker 1:Another thing photography is is multitasking. You are trying to have a talk with something, while also you're trying to have a talk with a child about their favorite cartoon character, while also posing a newborn with the mom and making sure that her hair is all collected. The toddler is trying to throw a ball to you. You are trying to get your. There's just like a million things going on, and so you have to learn to um multitask when you are doing photography.
Speaker 1:Being a mom really helps with being a photographer as well, because I'm used to that. I have three kids. I'm used to all the craziness and running around and I was there too with all the littles and all the things, and so I am right there with you and that, I think, helps add to my photography business is also being a mom and understanding. So if you were at the beach, then your wide shot would be everyone standing on the shoreline at the beach. The mid shot could be the parents swinging their child between them so they're walking and swinging the child, and then the close up shot could be their wet sandy toes or fingers, maybe in mom's hair. Wet sandy toes or fingers, maybe in mom's hair. So you could have the child just like being held by mom and just tell her to like run her hand through her hair, or maybe she's doing that naturally, so not everything has to be cued.
Speaker 1:You can be looking for those specific things, and making it easier is thinking what could they touch, what could they smell, what can they hear? Um, what can they? What are the other ones? Taste, and how many are there? Taste, touch, smell, hear. I know there's another one, I don't know what it is, I can't remember. Taste, touch, anyways, so all the senses. So the wide shot tells where the subject is when are you, the mid shot tells what you're doing and the close-up shot tells how it feels. So if you can keep those three things in mind for those types of shots, you will have a great gallery of photos to keep for yourself. Like, maybe you're taking all these photos on a tripod or on your phone with a remote timer and which, obviously, like moving the tripod, is going to be a lot of work, but it can be doable. It totally can be doable. Um, but if you are a photographer, then obviously these are things that you can start incorporating into your session so that you can have, um, more things, more different things to post, more different, different things, more variety to post to your Instagram feed and make it not look all the same. So, um, so getting more variety and nailing these shots can up level you as a photographer, whether you're beginning or you're a pro, and hopefully you can take everything today and make better photos.
Speaker 1:So your challenge this week is to capture a three-photo series that tells a story from your day. Maybe it's part of your morning routine or a playtime sequence Just think about a beginning, middle and end shot and I can't wait to see what you capture. Some other things that you could do to start thinking about stories to capture or just get your brain going. There are some great journaling prompts that can help you spark creativity. You can also use chat GBT to think about ideas or ask what should I capture, what should I do? Give me some ideas for storytelling throughout my day.
Speaker 1:I'm a mom of toddlers and they go to preschool during the day from nine to one, and then we get home and it's nap time. What are some photos of storytelling that have a beginning, middle and end shots could I capture? So chat gpt will literally give you a bunch of ideas and I love using it for sparking creativity, to get my mind going. But don't let it stop there. Actually go take the photos, and the more photos you take, the better photos you will get, and I hope to see you back next week for talking about editing those photos. You guys have a great week. Bye.