How to Photograph Life's EventsSpecial moments last just an instant, but you can capture the memories for a lifetime with photos. To help you take photos you'll be proud to show off to family and friends, we've compiled some easy tips for photographing special events. Tips for Any Event
Birthdays
Vacations
Christmas card photos
4th of July
Halloween
Babies and Children
Holidays
Weddings Tips for Any Event No matter what type of event you're at, a few easy tips will help ensure you take the best possible photos. (For more easy general tips, see our article Tips for Taking Great Photos.)  - Take candid photos – Some of the most heart-warming photos come from capturing unexpected moments—a dog licking a child's face, a sudden glance, a spontaneous laugh.
- Keep your camera handy – Life is always happening. To capture the laughter, tears, and spontaneous moments, you'll need your camera within easy reach.
- Get in close – Zoom in your lens or move as close to your subjects as possible. A close-up photo of people is usually more interesting to look at than a distracting background. If you have a beautiful or unusual background, take some shots close up and some zoomed out for variety.
- Turn your camera vertically – A vertical shot gives a different feel than a horizontal shot. Try taking pictures both ways, so you can choose which orientation you like best.
- Try different perspectives – Get up high, down low, over to the side…experiment!
- Use the self-timer –You were at the event, too, so don't forget to include yourself in some of the pictures.
- Steer clear of red eye – To avoid red eye, ask your subjects to look at your shoulder instead of directly at the camera. Turning on all the lights in a room can also help prevent red eye.
back to top  Birthdays
Whether it's your loved one's first birthday or ninetieth, birthdays are a special time. One of the classic birthday photos is the frosted cake ablaze with candles, but candlelight can confuse your camera's flash. To show birthday candles burning brightly, turn off your flash. Use a tripod or place your camera on a sturdy piece of furniture to avoid blurry pictures. Capture the feel of the day by taking some photos of the guests arriving, the table of presents, decorations and other images. Kids' birthday parties are great for actions shots during games, present opening, cake time and more. For a memorable party favor, take a picture of the guest of honor with the group or individually with each guest, then put into a small frame and give to each guest back to top Vacations Vacation photos should tell the story of your trip. Make sure to take scene-setting photos such as local signs, flowers, buildings and other landmarks along with your people shots. The best vacation photos capture action. Page after page of posed family photos in your album can get boring. Instead, snap your kids jumping in the surf, your husband reeling in a big fish, or your daughter hopping on a roller coaster for the first time. If it's a beach or pool vacation, waterproof disposable cameras make it easy to capture underwater shots. Shoot just below water's surface and take pictures at mid-day for best results. back to top  Christmas Cards
It's easier than you think to take a professional-caliber photo to share with loved ones on your holiday card. First, think about what look and feel you'd like. Most families choose to have everyone wear complementary outfits for a cohesive, professional look. Next, decide whether you want a posed or candid photo. A posed photo is well-suited for traditional card styles, while a funny candid shot looks great on whimsical cards. To take the photo, get in close or zoom to fill the frame, then focus on your subject. Keep the camera parallel to your subject's face. If shooting a group, try to arrange everyone's faces at about the same level. Take a lot of group photos in rapid succession to make sure at least one shows everyone's eyes open. Use a tripod and self-timer to get yourself in the shot. You don't have to wait until winter to plan your holiday photo—special shots from any time of year make great Christmas card photos. It's a wonderful opportunity to share a special memory from your year with family and friends. Whether you take your holiday photo during your beach vacation or under your Christmas tree, coordinate your photo colors with the colors of your card. If you haven't chosen your card ahead of time, select one that complements the colors in your photo. Click here to shop our Christmas cards. back to top 4th of July Fireworks Taking breathtaking photos of fireworks can be tricky because of the dark sky and bright bursts of light. To capture the image, you'll need to turn off your flash and leave your shutter open for several seconds. Because the slightest vibration will result in blurry photos, bring a tripod. Even the motion of touching your shutter button can cause vibration, so be careful. (Use a remote shutter-release if you have one.) Film speeds or digital camera settings of ISO 100 or 200 work best. back to top  Halloween
Posed photos of kids in costume are adorable, but expand your family's Halloween photo possibilities by capturing your little ghouls and goblins in action: - Making costumes
- Putting on costumes and make-up
- Carving pumpkins
- Trick-or-treating
- Emptying candy bags back home
- Taking off costume and make-up
- Hay rides
- Bobbing for apples
- Scene-setting pictures of decorations and candy buckets
Move in close to your subject whenever possible, filling up 50 to 75 percent of the frame. If standing that close makes a child self-conscious, back up and zoom in instead. back to top Babies and Children Before you know it, your precious little ones will be all grown up. Be sure to capture their firsts before they become the past. Babies and children are always exploring new things, so keep your camera handy to avoid missing the perfect candid shot. Try taking pictures from different distances, angles and positions. Propping a baby on a couch, soft surface, or someone's shoulder works well. Get down to the child's level to get direct eye contact, which creates a connection that draws you into the photo. Remember to think about your background—a plain background puts emphasis on the child, while a busy background is distracting. Above all, photographing children takes patience. Having small props on hand such as a favorite toy or stuffed animal can help coax a smile out of a reluctant child. Need Inspiration? Baby and child photo ideas: - Take regular pictures of your baby next to the same favorite stuffed toy each week or month to keep a visual growth record.
- Have friends or family members bring over other babies and capture how they react to each other.
- Create a “day in the life” photo series that captures your child from morning to bedtime. If you do this multiple times throughout the growing-up years, you'll have a wonderful permanent memory of what day-to-day life was like.
- Make a tradition of taking pictures on a regular basis and for recurring events. For example, each year take a picture of your child leaving for her first day of school, or with a silly Christmas bow on his head.
- Photograph your children with their friends. When they look back on the photos in the future, they'll be reminded of great childhood memories and friendship bonds they made.
- Hand your camera to the kids. Kids see the world differently than adults. Let them capture what they think is important. Disposable cameras work well for this.
back to top Holidays When family and friends gather for the holidays, the photo opportunities are endless. A few simple tips can help you capture the holiday spirit clearly in your photos. Indoors, try turning off your flash to capture the ambience of the lit Christmas tree, fireplace or other low-light situations. (You may need to use a tripod to avoid blurry photos.) To eliminate shadows behind people, move your subjects away from walls. For photographing outdoor holiday lights, the best time of day is twilight. You'll capture the gorgeous light displays, but also benefit from the remaining natural light. Turn off your flash and use a tripod for best results. In addition to traditional posed pictures, take lots of pictures of people in spontaneous situations. Whether it's Uncle Bill carrying the steaming turkey to the table or little Tommy sneaking a Christmas cookie, candid shots help capture the warmth and love of the day.  Need Inspiration? Holiday photo ideas:
- Cooking Thanksgiving dinner
- Doing the dishes
- Building a snowman
- Writing and mailing letters to Santa (if you want Santa to write back, check out our Santa Letter)
- Christmas school programs
- Outdoor light displays
- Ice skating
- Writing out holiday cards
- Decorating the tree
- Kissing under the mistletoe
- Christmas tree with unopened presents
- Family portraits
- Opening presents
- Putting away decorations
- Family around the table with the feast served (but don't take pictures while people are chewing)
- Pets
When you've taken great holiday photos, you'll want to show them off to family and friends. Exposures makes it easy. back to top  | Weddings A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so capturing memorable photos is a must. Taking photos at a wedding isn't harder than photographing any other gathering, but the opportunities for truly special candid moments are multiplied—first kisses, first dances, cutting the cake, and the thousands of other tiny moments that make a wedding unforgettable. During the ceremony, show camera manners and turn off your flash so you're not a distraction. Find out if the venue has certain rules for photography, and follow them. Need Inspiration? Wedding photo ideas: - Turn your flash off and capture the couple silhouetted against a plain background. The effect expresses true love and romance.
- Take pictures of the details, such as the groom's boutonniere, the bride's shoes, centerpieces, the cake and the table of presents.
- At the reception, use a tripod to take photos of guests in action on the dance floor and in other low-light situations.
- Take a picture of each table of guests if the professional photographer isn't doing so. The bride and groom will appreciate a photo memory of everyone who attended their wedding.
- Watch for moments when the bridal couple isn't expecting a camera, to capture true intimacy and emotion.
- Take a photo of the couple from behind, walking away. This shot makes a great final photo in an album or scrapbook.
|
back to top Share the Memories Your photos of life's events deserve to be shared with family and friends. A beautiful album or frame is the best way to display your precious memories. Click here to shop all Exposures' albums and frames |