Birthday Party Photo Tips – How to Make Yours Truly Stand Out

Written by Robert Bezman


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6) The Background

What doesrepparttar background look like? If it's neutral - use it. If it's ugly, maximize your depth of field (smallest possible F-stop) to blurrepparttar 110161 background. If you don’t write this one down, I can guarantee that you won’t remember it for more than 10 seconds once you start taking photos. Also, be aware of shadows that fall prominently on your background (hencerepparttar 110162 suggestions to consider using bounce flash and no flash with a high ISO setting).

7) The LCD Display

AVOID USING THE DISPLAY TO CHECK ANYTHING OTHER THAN IF YOU CUT OFF ANYONE'S HEAD. LCD displays should NOT be used to confirm contrast, color, exposure, or any other critical factors. This is whyrepparttar 110163 computer is needed to evaluate test shots prior torepparttar 110164 party. If you are very experienced, you can tell certain things fromrepparttar 110165 histogram, but to be safe - take test shots and examinerepparttar 110166 results on a computer (or, ideally a printer) way beforerepparttar 110167 actual date ofrepparttar 110168 party.

8) Equipment

Have fully-charged batteries, memory cards, chargers, external flash, lens accessories, and tripod ready.

9) Construct a Birthday Party Pictures List

Jot down MUST HAVE pictures, as well asrepparttar 110169 ones you would like to capture, if possible. And, what’srepparttar 110170 good of putting together a list unless you remember to take it torepparttar 110171 party AND TO REFER TO IT.

10) Candids

If you’re putting together a list, may I suggest including “Candids” on it. Very oftenrepparttar 110172 best birthday party photos will be candids. Since most birthday photos are generally posed, candids take on a special uniqueness.

Candid birthday party photos of sleeping children should always be a top priority. Why? On a purely emotional note, they are always cute, will typically produce a smile forrepparttar 110173 viewer, and sometimes even get a laugh.

11) Surplus Time

If it's your child's birthday party, they will never look better than they do JUST BEFORE THE PARTY STARTS. If possible, locate a spot where natural light is entering a window and POSE them andrepparttar 110174 cake for some big smiling photos. (The youngerrepparttar 110175 child,repparttar 110176 less chance for smiles, so don't go crazy.)

And, byrepparttar 110177 way, there will be plenty of opportunity later to take some birthday party pictures with cake and ice cream dribbling out of their mouth.

To see sample photos and additional tips, check out http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/birthday-party-pictures.html.

Article courtesy of http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com , where you can see numerous sample pictures & photography tips on many subjects and events.

Copyright 2005 Robert Bezman. All rights reserved.

Robert Bezman is a professional photographer and owner of Custom Photographic Expressions. Robert has created http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com to help the digital photography users create better photographs. Robert has a blog at http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/family-photography-news.html


Save a Life...In a Story

Written by Marcia Passos Duffy


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A life story is more than genealogy, more thanrepparttar names, dates and places listed on a family tree. A life story -- or personal history -- tellsrepparttar 110160 fascinating stories behind those facts and brings a family tree to life. It can include: * A spectrum of an individual's life, or a memoir focusing on a particular event or period of time. * A family history bringing ancestors to life throughrepparttar 110161 stories behindrepparttar 110162 statistics on a family tree. * A history of a community, organization or group as told throughrepparttar 110163 stories ofrepparttar 110164 people involved. A personal historian is usually also a journalist or skilled interviewer who knows how to ask open-ended questions and listen carefully. While many elders can be a bit self-conscious – and maybe even wary at first – about telling their life story (many elders were brought up in an era when it was considered vain to talk about themselves), personal historians are very good at making people feel at ease. Most people warm up very quickly to a listener who cares about recording these stories. The process involves getting “facts” of a person’s birth and family history – sometimes from other family members. The fun part begins whenrepparttar 110165 personal historian sits down and interviewsrepparttar 110166 person – usually in his or her home – with a digital recorder. This is done over a period of 2 or 3 days, in two-hour sessions. The interviews are then transcribed, edited for clarity, placed in “chapters” according to themes in a person’s life, such as “Childhood,” “The War Years,” and “Married Life.” The book – which usually takes about 30-40 additional hours to transcribe, edit, revise and prepare -- can range between 100 to 200 pages. There are many creative waysrepparttar 110167 books can be presented, and a personal historian usually has many options including as simple as an attractive cloth-covered three-ring binder to a fully-bound leather book with color photographs. Often a personal history is ordered as a gift – for a holiday or special birthday or anniversary. Frequently, family members pitch in to sharerepparttar 110168 cost – which often begins at around $1,200 - $1,500. Additional books are usually ordered for an extra cost. In many cases several copies ofrepparttar 110169 book are ordered and some donated as well to local or university libraries, which value them as unique community historical resources. People are certainly becoming more aware ofrepparttar 110170 value of recording a family’s personal history. After all, what greater legacy can a person leave their family thanrepparttar 110171 stories of their lives? We have found that evenrepparttar 110172 most “ordinary” life has “extraordinary” stories. We believe every one of us has an important story to tell. As one 92 year old woman we once interviewed said after we handed her repparttar 110173 completed 120 page book on her life: “I always knew I had a book in me…now when isrepparttar 110174 movie coming out?”

About the author:

Marcia Passos Duffy is a freelance writer and co-owner of LifeStories, a personal history business she operates with business partner, Jenny Wojenski. For more information, visit the LifeStories website at www.NewEnglandLifeStories.com or call them at 603-357-8761, or 603-358-3350, email: info@newenglandlifestories.com


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