A Guest Post by Wayne Turner from http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com

It?s Saturday morning, a beautiful day and your photography juices are flowing. Your trigger finger is itchy and you just want to get out and shoot photos. You pick up your gear bag, take a step towards the door and then stop. What are you going to shoot? The inspiration bank is suddenly empty.

I have been in this position often and my solution has always been to go to the ideas book I keep. Like a photo journal of thoughts and ideas. Always keep one with you and as soon as you get an idea, write it down. Out of this ideas book comes five photo ideas close to home. Why close to home? The more difficult it is to get to a location the less likely you are to go there so you need to make it easy.

1. In the Kitchen

Don?t laugh or discard this idea before trying it. I was standing in front of the sink the other day and realised a great photo opportunity was staring me in the face. There in two large jars was a variety of kitchen utensils just waiting to have their photo taken. Full of holes, texture, pattern and all shiny and bright with great reflective surfaces. The draws are full knives, forks and spoons. How much more could you ask for. If you have a macro lens, macro feature on your lens or compact camera then this is for you. Try it and see just how rewarding it can be. The kitchen is a great place to learn digital photography and the weather will never affect it. Just watch out for the water sprayer. But don?t just limit yourself to the kitchen, try the bathroom (not toilet) and other parts of the house.

2. The Garden

One step away from the front door is the garden. And, I?m not just talking flowers and insects here. Look around and see what there is. Get down low and explore the ground and you?ll be surprised what you see. The cracked pathway, a coiled hosepipe or a rusty hand trowel standing in a flower bed. Metal buckets, watering cans or wheelbarrows all have photo potential. Just be prepared to look and start seeing with a photographer?s eye. You will surprise yourself. Again, a macro lens will be great but you won?t necessarily need a macro feature.

3. The Driveway or Garage

Yes, still close to home and many opportunities. The family car if you have one, or, perhaps the neighbour?s motorcycle if you don?t, makes a great subject. Getting in close on the most boring car can give you images that you never thought were possible. Key here is to experiment with angles and get in as close as your lens will allow. Focus on colour, reflection and lines. Lie down on your back and shoot up. If the car is old then focus on damaged parts like rust. There are just so many little things you can shoot and when viewed up really close can give an amazingly abstract image.

4. The Park or Public Gardens

Around the corner for many of us is a park, public garden or kids play park just waiting to be photographed. Here you?ll find all sorts of objects from sculptures to water fountains, play equipment to stone walls.

When you get there just sit and observe and try to see the potential photo opportunities. Allow yourself to start seeing rather than just looking around.

5. The Local flea or Street Market

Street photography is a real hot photo topic at the moment. Going into a flea market and shooting just anything, from people to colour to antiques and art are just some of the ideas. Be sensitive to people and when shooting close up ask their permission. You?ll find so much atmosphere and activity that will stimulate you to shoot many interesting subjects. This is a great place to learn digital photography because the opportunities and ideas are so diverse.

These five photo ideas close to home will hopefully inspire you as you learn digital photography and add skills to your photography journey. Shoot regularly and don?t allow a few obstacles to stop you taking great images.

Share Your Ideas and Shots

Over the next few days ? try some of the above photographic subjects and come back to share your best shots in comments below.

What other ?close to home? photo subjects have you enjoyed photographing?

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

Five Photo Ideas for Shooting Close to Home

Full story at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DigitalPhotographySchool/~3/YY9UmDq0qIs/five-photo-ideas-for-shooting-close-to-home

This week your challenge is to take and share an image on the theme of ‘close to home’.

This bounces off our post earlier today – 5 Photo Ideas for Shooting Close to Home – but you could also interpret it any way that you want and do something a little more abstract on the theme of Home.

Once you?ve taken your ?Close to Home? image, upload it to your favourite photo sharing site and either share a link to it below or embed it in the comments using the our new tool to do so. Please note it sometimes takes us a while to approve comments with images as there’s a moderation queue – particularly over the weekend.

If you tag your photo on Flickr, Twitter or other sites with Tagging tag it as #DPSPHOME to help others find it. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you?re doing so that they can share in the fun.

PS: don’t forget to check out some of the great photos shared last week in the PHOTO WALK challenge.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

Close to Home: Weekly Photography Challenge

Full story at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DigitalPhotographySchool/~3/kArW12RSCkU/close-to-home-weekly-photography-challenge

The Sinar p-slr is a new adapter that’s designed to connect camera bodies to Sinar view cameras, using them as digital backs. This delivers excellent perspective control, selective focus and focal plane tilting and provides DSLR users with the chance to use high-resolution digital Rodenstock lenses. The adapter is compatible with all existing Canon and Nikon single lens reflex cameras currently available. Furthermore, the Sinar p-slr is coupled with a quick locking adapter, which enables you to change the format from vertical to horizontal with only some minor adjustment that takes effect in seconds. In addition to this, a positioning and centering aid is available for exact positioning of the camera on the optical axis as well. Thus, the Sinar p-slr adapter set is due for release this August and you can order it right now at the price of 1980 Swiss Francs (that’s without value added tax).

Tags: Accessories, Sinar p-slr Adapter

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Recently, Tiffen launched an update for their photo enhancement software apple for the iPad, known as Photo fx Ultra. Dubbed as “Version 2″, the update features a Paint filter to the Image group with brushes such as Color, Clone, Blur, Black and White, Mosaic, Red Eye, Repair, Scatter and Eraser. Furthermore, other new features from this update include the opacity control option for the Mask brush, crop and rotation enhancements and a correction to the Tint feature. Thus, Photo fx Ultra Version 2 from Tiffen can be found at the Apple iTunes Store for $5.99 but it’s a free update for those who already use Photo fx Ultra.

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Today Natalie Norton shares with us a series of 6 tips for photographing babies.

*Image Credit Nicole Hill.

Babies, babies everywhere! It seems like everyone around me is either pregnant or has a new born! I’m a total sucker for tiny people. I love the way they look, all pink and wrinkled. I love the way they smell, like baby powder, and well, let’s just face it, slightly like sour milk. I even love the way they sound, fire engine siren screams and all.

However sweet they may be, they are NOT the easiest of photographic subjects! Here are 6 tips to nailing your next newborn session with flying colors.

1. Plan ahead of time!

Here are some things you’ll want to discuss with Mom and Dad about a day or 2 prior to your scheduled shoot.

• Talk to Mom and Dad about the baby’s schedule. They may or may not have one, but one way or another, 9 times out of 10 Baby’s parents will be able to tell you which time of day their baby tends to be at their best, most calm state.


• If you’re shooting the baby at home, be sure to get specifics as far as where Mom and Dad would like to shoot. If you don’t have studio lighting (which I don’t) you’ll want to make sure you know which way the windows in the chosen room are facing at the time of day you’re shooting to be sure you’ll have adequate light.


• You’ll also want to know how Mom and Dad feel about wardrobe (or lack there of) for the baby. I love a naked, pink, wrinkly baby booty, however, not all parents share my affinity. Be sure to discuss this with Mommy and Daddy before you get to a shoot, ask Mom to strip the baby down, and then have to deal with awkward tension when she says “no way!”


• If the parents are comfortable with shooting baby in the buff, be sure to request that they remove all baby’s clothing at least an hour in advance of the scheduled shoot so that the baby won’t have any funky clothing lines on their skin. I even tell my clients to fasten the baby’s diaper loosely during this time as well. Those lines can be fixed in Photoshop, but I for one would MUCH rather be out shooting than spending hours using the healing tool in front of my computer.

2. Come PREPARED!

Make sure that you have EVERYTHING you need VERY well organized and easily accessible. Babies are fidgety, fussy and very impatient, and you’ve got to take the initiative to plan accordingly.

• If you’re using studio lighting, you should be set up at least 10 min before you’re scheduled to start shooting. That will give you time to run a few test shots before the baby is brought into the room.


• This next one is a given, but remember that sensors and lenses should be checked before the shoot and cleaned if necessary. You can’t afford to stop in the middle of a newborn shoot because you notice a spot on your sensor. Babies are not as forgiving as their adult counterparts. They’re like ticking time bombs, and I guarantee all you moms and dads out there are nodding in agreement!


• Get a good night’s sleep! You have got to arrive a vision of patience and with energy to spare. Remember, you’re likely walking into a home where NO ONE has gotten more than an hour of consecutive sleep for days on end. The last thing everyone needs is another exhausted, grumpy adult, whose patience has run dry to add to the mix. YOU set the tone! Come with a full tummy and a good night’s rest. (The full tummy thing is PARTICULARLY important for me as I tend to have low blood sugar. My patience, not to mention my creativity, is out the window if I don’t have something in my belly).

3. Get the Details!

Don’t be afraid to get in close and focus on the details. Most images I shoot of babies are shot with very low apertures (wide open) to encourage very shallow depth of field. I’m not by ANY means saying that this is right for everyone, but this is my particular style, and I do this for many reasons.

• They are only tiny tiny for a VERY short time. I like to focus in and capture little feet and toes for example, before they slip away into roller skates and ballet slippers. . . it happens sooner that you know!


• Shallow depth of field creates a mood of tenderness and intimacy which are so very appropriate for a shoot of this nature.


• The main reason that I shoot the majority of my infant sessions with such shallow depth of field is that shots like this, in my humble opinion, help depict how suddenly your whole world is about that little person. Though everything else around you may be out of focus, the one thing that matters is perfectly clear.

4. Bring a Hat!

My friend and fellow photographer/mentor, Nicole Hill, of Nicole Photo (nicolephoto.com) and A Little Sussy (nicolehill.blogspot.com), recently informed me that a little stocking cap (beanie) can be a solve all for the . . . (cough cough) alien looking infant! Well, she didn’t say the alien part. That’s all me, but we have to just be honest and admit that often tiny babies look a little like E.T. My 3 boys included. Yup, I said it. If you saw their baby pictures, you couldn’t deny it either! Nicole is right, a beanie can cover a misshapen head or just soften a face that hasn’t quite grown into it’s features. Enough said.

5. Establishing Shots!

Establishing shots are images that establish the feeling, location, etc of the time during which an event took place. In this case you’re trying to tell a story about the feelings surrounding the birth of a new child. The welcome of another little person into an already established family unit. Each family unit will be different than the next, but each is special and should be documented as such. For example:

• If you’re shooting in a home, most likely you’ll be in a nursery. Grab a shot of that! Establish the environment. It will be a treasure for the family to remember what their home was like at the time that they welcomed their little sweet heart into their heart and home.


• Whether in studio or on location, try to grab a shot that establishes the whole family as they were at the time of the birth.

6. For Heaven’s Sake: BE FLEXIBLE!!!!

You’ve got to be flexible. There are so many variables when shooting a tiny baby. They can be SO unpredictable. Remember to:

• Handle each hiccup in a loving way. I am convinced that babies can sense our tension and frustration and that they will respond in kind. Likewise, if we can remain calm and collected, they will find it easier to relax as well.


• If you have to stop, STOP! If the baby is on the brink of a full blown freak out, TAKE A BREAK! Let Mom and Dad pop in and calm baby down, feed, burp, change a messy diaper, whatever. NEVER push a baby to the point of no return. If you let a baby get to the point of total freak out. . . well, sorry sweetheart, you may just be plum out of luck. . . and with no one to blame but yourself. Be in tune to baby and let him/her run the show.


• If baby is fussing just a bit, you may not be bothered by it. Mom on the other hand may be totally on edge. Part of your job is to be aware of that. Ask her if she’d feel more comfortable continuing after she’s had a chance for a little snuggle. The last thing you need is a Momma bear worried about her cub. I’d ellaborate, but something tells me, ‘nough said.


• Give yourself plenty of time. I have never had an infant shoot that has lasted longer than 30min-1hour. Maybe I’ve just gotten lucky! Probably so!! But I ALWAYS schedule a 2 hour block so there is time to feed, change, soothe etc between shots if necessary.

There are SO MANY more things to remember when you’re running an infant shoot. Hopefully the few I’ve shared will be helpful. Feel free to add others in the comment section below! I also encourage you to make a checklist out of the information above to be sure you’re prepared in the future!!

Happy Shooting!

Natalie Norton lives and shoots on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii with her wonderful husband and her 3 crazy sons! Raleigh (5), Cardon (3) and Lincoln (22 months).

PS from Darren: Coincidentally – I also had another baby photography tutorial submitted yesterday – so as we’re in a baby mood here at DPS this week I’ll post that one tomorrow – I think they compliment each other nicely. Stay tuned!

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

Baby Photography: Photographing Babies Without Losing your Mind

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