Digital Photography

[chelsea]

Just wondering if any of you have any ideas on the best way for a momma to practice her photography skills? I love digital photography because of the "right now" element of it. Are any of you into photography and how did you get started? I would love to be able to take nice portraits of my son and other friends and family and maybe make some money on the side. My Dad used to be a photographer but he is a perfectionist and I'd rather not irritate him with my many mistakes. I can't take formal schooling for it or apprentice someone because of my little 21-month-old bundle of joy. :D But photographs are something I've always had a passion for, and I really want to get started! Somebody point me in the right direction please!

[BeckyD]

I'm right there with you! I LOVE photography, and I take TONS of pictures (as I'm sure you can tell, from my posts). I was a portrait photographer for a short time, so I know *some* tricks of the trade, but I'm by no means a pro.

The best tips I can give you are these:

Make sure your lighting is appropriate. You can look online for tips on how to do this. Here's a link to a free e-mail service: http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/?hop=oziii
Focus clearly on the subject, catching as little background as possible (unless it's a background that really adds to the picture)
Center your shots
For awesome home portraits, hang a solid-colored sheet to use as a backdrop. This makes sure your little cherub is the star of the picture!

[Chris3jam]

Well, dh is a photographer. He also is heavily involved in video editing, production, etc. The best thing I found for taking pictures --- just do it! Grab the camera, and practice, practice, practice! When photographing landscapes, natural subjects, etc., 'frame' the picture. A lovely picture of a waterfall is nice, but 'framing' it (having a bit of the foreground and background in it) really shows it off.

BeckyD has good tips! Lighting is very important.

[kris10s]

Get Adobe Photoshop Elements. It really helps to fix lighting and contrast, which is much harder to regulate on a digital than a film camera.

[chelsea]

Thank-you ladies for the tips! Thanks for the link, Becky, I am going to check that out! I talked to my Dad and apparently he still has all his stuff (backdrops, lighting, etc) and he is more than happy to let me use it! (I think he's just glad to have someone who shares his interest in it!) I've been saying for probably 10 years now that I wanted to learn photography but I've always procrastinated and gone off to something else. Anyways, I'm so excited and I'm fiinally going to get my butt in gear and do this!