Can you tell how super excited I am to be hosting this amazing giveaway just in time for the most photographed time of the year!??
Thanks to The National Association of Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP) I have an opportunity to let all my readers know about a chance to win a Professional Photography Session PLUS the chance to win an Organic Bloom Frame!!!
Ok..now that I have had time to calm down lets talk about photos. If you are a regular reader of Maria's Space you know I love my photos. Taking pictures of my kids, life, friends, things, is a passion of mine. Trying to create memories in a split second is something I spend at least 35 minutes a day doing. Whether I am photographing, organizing, editing, or just looking at photos I LOVE every second. I also enjoying learning from other photographers and the following tips are so great, I just have to pass them on.
My Favorite Shot this year:
TOP TEN TIPS FOR TAKING PHOTOS OF
YOUR CHILDREN
National Association of Professional Child Photographers Shares Insider Tips for Parents
ATLANTA (October 23, 2012) – Preparing a photo session with children
can be a daunting and exhausting task. Most parents can barely get their
children to stay put long enough to eat a full meal, yet alone pose for
an entire photo shoot. Despite the challenge, the National Association
of Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP) has a few tricks to help
make an at-home photography session painless for everyone while still
producing plenty of frame-worthy shots:
Get on their level: Lay or sit down on the floor to capture
the perfect picture. Not only will you be able to see the world from
their vantage point, but you’ll also have better perspective and angles
when shooting.
Lighting is key: Most parents think that having great
lighting can be replaced with a camera’s flash, but the flash can
actually make children appear washed out. Instead, utilize indirect,
natural lighting by shooting near a window in the house or under the
shade of a tree.
Never stop shooting: For every good shot, there are
typically about 8-10 bad ones, but that’s the beauty of having a digital
camera! Change the setting to continuous shooting mode to capture lots
of shots in the midst of action. Even most standard point-and-shoot
cameras have some sort of “sport mode” that can accomplish this task.
Get to know your camera: Consult your camera’s manual or
look up the settings online so that you can take full advantage of all
of its different settings. Three key ones to experiment and get
comfortable with are the aperture setting, the shutter speed and the ISO
setting.
Consider black and white: Black and white photos are not
only timeless and classic, but they can also easily cover up the redness
and blotchiness on newborns and babies. Adjusting the black and white
settings is usually easiest to do after the photo session in photoshop
or picasa.
Make it fun for them: Kids love to play with their parents,
so turn a photo session into play time! Play games, tell jokes and sing
songs with them – pretty soon, they’ll forget that you’re taking
pictures.
Get up close and personal: Get close or zoom in to capture all of the small details that make your child unique.
Pay attention to the background: Before you start shooting, make sure
that any unwanted or distracting items, like a vacuum cleaner or piles
of clothes, are out of the way and out of the shot.
Bring your camera everywhere: You never know when
inspiration will strike. Camera phones make it easier to capture the
everyday moments with your children – they can take decent pictures, but
don’t always print well because of their low resolution.
Show off their personality: Standard portrait photos are
parent favorites, but don’t hesitate to shoot pictures of them in their
natural settings and behaviors. Their quirky and adorable habits today
can usually create the best photos that you’ll treasure years later.
OK, so now for the really fun part!
Enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to win a frame from
The Organic Bloom Frame
But it gets even better, the winner will also be entered to win a Grand
Prize photography session
. OK, OK...I know, I am rambling but this is so exciting...here is the specifics...ready? There are 35 bloggers participating and we will submit
our frame winner's information to NAPCP and a winner will be randomly drawn for a full
professional photography session with
Mandy Johnson. Check out Mandy's site! She has photographed celebrities such as Ashley Williams and Sheryl Crow. NAPCP will fly Mandy out to your hometown so that
the photography session can take place in the comfort of your own home!! Imagine?!
If you are looking for a professional photographer in your area check out the
NAPCP website .
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About NAPCP:
The National Association of Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP) is
an association whose mission is to promote and support the artistry and
integrity of professional child photographers. The NAPCP connects parents searching for child photographers in their
area with its professional members by providing a comprehensive directory of
photographers and informative articles on
what to expect from their professional photography experience. Serving as a valuable resource for
both photographers and parents, NAPCP continually strives to raise industry
standards in child photography.
Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation to post this information.
