Taking better pictures Archives - Laughing Frog Images

On a clear morning, there are few things like an OBX sunrise. OBX is the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Don’t know where it originated or when, but it’s saves keystrokes so I’ll take it.

(And yes, to those of you who’ve seen it up and down the east coast, it’s beautiful everywhere!)

If there is no haze or clouds, it’s a pure unadultered and unobstructed sunrise – the sky lights up and the sun edges its’ way above the horizon. It doesn’t take all that long to happen either – all of the OBX sunrise photos added to the sunrises gallery on Laughing Frog Images were taken within a span of 15 minutes.

If you’re lucky like I was, pelicans, sea gulls and other shore birds will fly through your viewfinder and you’ll end up with the birds in silhouette.

Making your own sunrise over the water images like this is fairly easy. First, take the rule about not shooting into the sun and ignore it. Second, select a low ISO, Third, select a high shutter speed. Fourth, select a medium to high aperture. Then, shoot away! Vary your exposures by a stop or two up and down so that you get a broad selection of images to choose from.

The image above was made at ISO 100, 1/1000 second, and f8.

If you’re shooting with a smartphone, tablet, or point and shoot, and you can select the exposure point – pick right in the enter of the sun streak on the water. Then, move the selection point up, down, left and right so that you’ve got several different exposures to choose from.

If you like sunrises, check out the sunrise gallery.

If you like OBX sunrises, or any sunrises for that matter, but can’t get to the shore to photograph them yourself – well, we’ve got you covered – and covered for 25% off of sunrises and everything else on Laughing Frog Images through December 15, 2015.

If you haven’t figured it out, the Frog doesn’t take a lot of people pictures.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t!

Personally, I’ve always has an aversion to being in front of the camera. I’m much happier behind the camera.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are hams, photo bombers, and those who simply love having their picture taken.

But there are life moments we all want to capture, be they children as they grow up, pets, a family event, a party, or just a simple moment in time.

If you’re the photographer however, that moment for you can be like herding cats, seeking a blood donation from a rock, or anywhere in between.

Here are some tips on capturing natural expressions from the Write You On My Heart blog.

Although the main topic of the post is capturing the natural expressions of children, there are a lot of us out there who have never grown up, or at least we like to think that we haven’t!

The suggestions are perhaps a fresh look at photographing anyone, and well worth a few minutes of your time.

Tip #2 is along the lines of how I’ve photographed weddings – I hate lining people up for a shot, posing them, getting everyone to look at the camera at the same time, put their drinks down, etc., etc., etc. I prefer to avoid the use of a flash whenever possible, and I like to shoot weddings with two “atypical” lenses.

A short, fast zoom (70-200 f2.8, 70-210 f2.8, etc.) so I can catch people enjoying themselves from a distance – most of the time without their knowing their having picture taken. I also like to “reach into” a scene, using the bodies and body parts of those in the foreground to frame the scene and capture natural expressions. It adds to the “being there” feel of an image.
A fast wide angle (28mm f2.8, etc.) that allows you to be a part of a group on the dance floor or around the table – it gets you in there like you’re a part of the scene instead of being an outsider with a camera looking in.

Take a look at Write You On My Heart and my comments, and gather (or at least consider) a different perspective on how you make your memories.

Shoot well, and shoot often!

OBX Sunrise

Capturing Natural Expressions

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