I Capture - my top 5 tips

Hi everyone, Suse Fish here with you today with a few of my photography tips. 

Now I'll preface these tips by admitting that my hubby has an awesome camera that I borrow - that does help an awful lot! But here are a few other little pointers to getting some lovely pictures that you won't be able to wait to scrapbook...


1. Take loads
For every one good picture that photographers show, I have a feeling that there are about a hundred more that they don't keep. You can set your camera to take a load at once or just keep snapping away, but the knack to getting that really brilliant photo is taking lots and being really selective about which you decide to keep and print.

2. Vary your eye level
Getting down on the floor to get that cat's eye view really can make all the difference. Or try photographing things straight on or from directly above. You can get some really interesting results by changing-up your eye level. Try photographing the exact same thing from several different view points and see which you prefer once you've uploaded them.

3. Use the self-timer
Getting familiar with how your camera's self-timer works can give you some really fun results. And it's rather nice to actually be in your photos once in a while, isn't it? And sometimes even shots that were mistakes (pic 3: no head!) can give quite fun results that still capture the moment well.

4.  Take selfies into a mirror
Now I love this tip for a good selfie: try sitting in front of a mirror. It's the only way I ever take selfies and the results are always lovely. You do need to crop the pictures in close later on so that folks don't spot that raised arm holding the camera, but that's okay. This way you get to see what your face is doing while you take the pictures: in my case, all sort of strange things!

5. Capture the everyday
These are the photos I like the best: those ones where you just spotted something fun or pretty and grabbed the camera and snapped away. I love recording those everyday moments where the kitchen's a mess or we're about to eat, because these are the moments our lives are made of, aren't they?

Happy snapping gang, and do let me know how you get on!

I capture - fall

Hi Guys!

It's Mira here today with a bunch of tips on how to transform taking pictures into a little game and also I have a few surprises for You at the end of this post...
Are You ready?

***

At this stage of the year some of You probably have fall around (southern-hemisphere Folks – I am sorry – You can read this post in 6 months or use my tips to capture spring), so today I would like to share some tips how You can capture the details of this colorful and photogenic season during a single walk! Or a few!

First thing: Go outside!

I know that fall is a lot about blankets, warm chocolate, tea, coffee, cuddles and other activities that we do inside our houses, but I want You to focus on outdoor photography right now.

Fall light is great for the camera for most of the day (when the day is not moody or rainy) but obviously the best time for taking photos are: late morning and early evening, when the light is bright but still delicate and not to sharp. So let's plan our Sunday walks for afternoon and go to the park!

Now: Find some colors!

Time to play! My first prompt for You is: Try to spot as many colors as You can! Different shades of the same color are welcome too! Document them all in Your pictures! 

Then... Play with light!
Try to take photos against the light

Find it under the leaves

Or capture the shades

Next: Find as many signs of fall as You can!

And don't forget to take photos from different angles (the one below is my favourite - I simply put the camera almost on the ground and take a picture without looking).

Another prompt is to collect a bouquet of leaves...

... and pose with it!

Actually, the most important thing to do right now is to find Yourself in front of the camera! Surrounded by colors!

Don't forget to lie on the ground!

or sit down!

You can also take a selfie (even if it's all about Your feet)!

But at the end of the day - don't forget to photograph Your companions...

That's it!
Your mission has been completed!
;)
I hope You will find this little game inspiring!


***

Now a few words of comment:
I am not a photographer... Actually most of the time I don't even like my own pictures! But You know why? It is because I am too shy to try many things... too shy to explore!
Sounds familiar?

The more I think about it the clearer I see it:
The only way to forget about our fears is just to have fun!
Guys: any time You go outside with Your cameras: relax and have fun! Cherish every moment!
Remember: there is no right or wrong!

***
For those of You who came through all the reading I have a few surprises! I am sharing fall Lightroom Preset that I created for the pictures above! I hope You will make good use of it!
Download it from here: click!

But this is not the only surprise that I have for You Guys!
I also created mini album where I used October Citrus Twist Kits Hello Darling Add-on Kit and together with the newest digital cards and labels collection from CAT File Store.
If You like the collection - You can have it FOR FREE for the next two weeks!

Simply grab it from here: click!
use promocode: CTKFALL at the checkout
and enjoy!

And here's my mini, which I hope will inspire You to take some Fall pictures!

Have a great fall Guys - full of beautiful moments!

i capture with Marie-Pierre

Hi everyone! Marie here.  For this month's photography tip, I would like to share some thoughts with you about capturing the relationship between 2 people.

I have spent the last few weeks at my parents' house in Canada and I took several photos of my daughters in different ways but with the mere focus of capturing their friendship and their relationship and also their relationship with my parents and with friends. Here are some of my pictures, as well as my observations and some tips.

1. Try to capture them close to another.

Look at there heads, their hands. Pay attention to where they are looking. Are they looking in the same direction?

2. Look for opportunities to capture them when they interact with each other.

What do they like to do when they are together?

3. Try to get them when they are helping each other.

Here, my oldest daughter was reading the bedtime story to my youngest daughter. Try to vary your point of view. Shoot at an angle, from the top.

Or get at their eye level.

4. Position yourself behind your subject to capture what they are looking at.

Here my daughter was trying to tame my parent's very anxious cat. My mom gave her a chair and told her to sit and wait until the cat would get used to her. Even if the cat is way overexposed in my picture, I think that the connection between the cat and my daughter is palpable.

5. Take several pictures over a span of time to show the evolution of a situation.

This picture was taken several days after the above picture. My daughter was still trying to tame the cat and she could get way closer.

6. Don't disturb/interrupt your subjects. Let them do what they are doing. Hide the camera if you have to.

Here I was walking on the street and I could hear how my daughter and my friend's daughter were having fun together (despite the language barrier and the long time they hadn't seen each other). I discretely took my phone and snapped a picture on my side. We see half of my arm and the horizon line is not straight, but the expressions on their faces is priceless and worth so much more than a perfect picture!

7. Stay far away and shoot in the same direction the subjects are looking.

I love this picture because we were geocaching that day and on the picture we see that the boy in front of the group found something while the other kids are trying to see what it is. And, as the viewer of the picture, we can't see either what he found, but we would love to see, just like the other kids.

8. Try to capture an emotion. A real one, not a fake smile.

Here my daughter was on Skype with her dad who didn't come to Canada with us because he had to work. I love her real smile so much in that picture!

9. Always be ready! The opportunity for a picture can happen anytime. I almost always have my phone with me for that purpose or if I don't I know where to find it quickly.

My youngest daughter was afraid of the cats and that moment where she went to pet him on her own lasted exactly 3 seconds. It was just enough to snap the picture of this tender moment.

Here's another example of being ready all the time. This picture was taken when we woke up in the morning. You can tell by looking at my daughter's hair. lol I was really happy that I captured this moment of laughter. It was so spontaneous. Again, it's totally not the perfect photo. It's all grainy, the colors are off. But you know what, for me the emotion captured in a picture is worth so much more than a clear and technically perfect photo.

10. Lastly, I really want to take a minute to talk about selfies. Man, even if they are posed and everybody is looking at the camera, I feel like the selfies are highly showing the relationship between all the people on the picture. When we are all trying to squeeze in on that tiny space, that gives funny moments and very natural smiles sometimes.

This was the last picture taken at the airport before I left my parents to fly back home with my girls. I really like the feel of the picture and the energy between all of us.

I hope I could give you some ideas. If you do try some of my tips, please share them with us by tagging Citrus Twist Kits and/or mpcapistran on Instagram or you can share them on our Facebook Fan page.