taking photos. my how to basic.

 all moms love photos of their kids. in our blogging world photos of the family are a BIG thing. but often i cringe and am generally confused on why people take certain photos...

that being said, i thought i'd share some basic's of photography so you're not left out in the cold and frustrated with why your photos arn't turning out the best.

first things first about taking a good photo...

BACKGROUND

this point is much too often over looked or not looked at all. this is the number one mistake i see newbie photographers make. having a neutral and non-competitive background will not only make your photo stand out but will make the difference between 'it's an okay photo' to 'it's a great photo'.

that means, weather or not you've rigged up a neutral blanket (like i did in the photos below) and blocked out base boards, walls and random toys or your in the park and you wait a point of a second while people walk by or move your frame over an inch so that dog taking a pee isn't in your photo. 

Well, this is photography 101 in my opinion, make sure you have a background going on that will look awesome, and not so trailer-park-waiting-to-happen.

SHARPNESS 

a photo focused on anything but what you're taking a photo of is an instant TRASH in my books.

a photo that is soft all together is a TRASH in my books. 

so, if your SUBJECT is in a focus, pass go. collect your pony jackpot and continue on...

(i can get more picky with this topic of sharpness but i won't. to save you the headache)

COMPOSING & CROPS

composing a photo is a HUGE part of photography! 

photos cropped too closely look weak and confusing. 

photos taken too wide and make you squint, are just a no-no. 

photos taken on a good crop and composition are a WIN!

this dosn't mean you need to be perfect with your cropping. but I'll show you... 

(good crop on the left. bad crop on the right.)

now seriously which is more pleasing to look at?

EDITING

everyone loves a good edit. no seriously. EVERYONE LOVES TO EDIT.

let's explain what "editing" means in the photography world. or what it should mean...

photography editing should be developing a photo to it's full potential. the photo should look and feel like the situation it was in. this means... 

bad filters, over blow imaging and horrible vignettes can be left at the door. 

I have a PICKY taste. I like simple edits that focus on the subject. I have a nice warm black&white edit and my normal editing is crisp, clean and looks like the subject i'm shooting. 

I will throw in another example of how newbie photographers like to "butcher" their photos... 

(my clean edit on the left. butchered edit on the right)

this all being said, i'm a harsh critic, further more, i do what i want. i shoot in my style and what i've developed. i'm not saying deviating outside of what i just said will make an awful photo, it's just some of my pet peeves and i've seen good photos wrecked because of these issues.

but, to further this point, all new artists have a break in period and basically our art SUCKS till we figure it out haha!