This is the secret gift Mom REALLY wants for Mother’s Day! It is so simple…photographs of the ones she loves and cares for most. Unlike flowers, kitchen gadgets, home knickknacks, or even a card, photography is the one thing she is guaranteed to revisit for the rest of her life. If you will be providing the photos for this years family Mother’s Day gathering, here are 10 excellent tips to make them shine!
Instead of asking everyone to look at the camera, let things flow naturally as though you are an observer documenting the visual story of her special day.
Don’t always try to get everything in one shot. By focusing in on the minor details or smaller groups of people at a time you will actually achieve a more complete “big picture” of the day.
Remember that heads usually don’t belong in the dead center of the frame. Instead, try and move the frame of the camera so the heads are a little off center and include just a little more of the environment.
Turn your camera on its side. We tend to default to landscape orientation because it’s what feels most natural with the way we hold the camera or view TV. To add new variety to your photos, try frequently turning the camera on its side for portrait orientation. This is especially great when photographing people.
Take a meaningful single portrait of each person Mom loves! Better yet, have each one take a picture individually with Mom!
Mom loves to feel emotionally connected to the photos, so move in even closer for the shot! Physically moving in closer reinforces a deeper, more personal connection with the photography subject.
Mom wants a shot of everyone together, but large groups take more care. One or two shots of whole group won’t cut it because someone always blinks. A pro secret is to take lots of photos, hoping one will turn out right. If it doesn’t, then simply use an editing program to paint Blinky’s eyes back in from another photo.
Avoid the in-camera flash whenever possible. Turn off your camera’s internal flash and turn up the available light in the room. This provides fuller, more natural lighting in your images.
Don’t get too caught up in trying to find the perfect photo. What matters most to Mom is that you were there and engaged as a meaningful part of her day!
If you are not the photographer type, consider giving Mom the gift of portrait photography. Whether it is an updated portrait of her dearest family, your own family, just the children, or all her grand-babies, she will cherish it forever!
-JMB