Blow out the Candles!
Whether it’s baby’s first, grandmother’s seventieth, or juniors tenth, these tips are sure to make your birthday photos extra special!
Capture the emotion: Keep your camera handy and turned on so you’ll be ready for those spontaneous expressions… you’ll want to capture all those grins, tears, surprises, and hugs that make for memorable pictures!
Show the candles aglow: To really capture the light from burning candles, turn OFF your flash. You’ll have to hold the camera extra steady for this, so use a wall or table for support if needed!
Get close: Fill the camera’s viewfinder with your subject! Step in close or use your camera’s zoom to emphasize what is important and exclude the rest!
Avoid red eye: Red eye is easy to remove these days with picture-editing software. But why not prevent red eye in the first place? Ask your subject to look at your shoulder rather than directly at the camera. Or, if your camera has a “red-eye reduction” feature, use it!
Stay within the flash range: The typical digital camera flash range is 6 to 10 feet, up to 15 feet for film cameras. Subjects that are outside the flash range will be either too dark or too light.
Give the gift of pictures: You’ll find many uses for pictures around birthdays! They make the perfect thank you cards, so send Aunt Mary Jane a photo card of Junior hugging the teddy bear she sent! Or, better yet, with a digital camera and an inkjet printer, you can send guests home with a souvenir picture of the day!
Get your camera ready and have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
