Birthday Party Photo Tips – How to Make Yours Truly Stand OutWritten by Robert Bezman
How many of birthday party pictures you've seen are kept just because they are of someone's birthday, not because it is inherently a terrific photograph?When was last time you heard anyone exclaim: “THIS IS REALLY A GREAT BIRTHDAY PHOTO?” Can you say… NEVER? And yet, birthday parties are happening ALL THE TIME. You would think that "practice makes perfect," wouldn’t you; but in this case... uh-uh, it apparently doesn’t. So, here we are, with another important birthday party looming on horizon and not knowing how to improve on past “how hum” photographs. NOT THIS TIME! Follow following 11 tips and you will need to start getting used to being asked to photograph OTHER PEOPLE’S birthday parties. Can’t-Miss Birthday Party Photo Tips 1) Prepare For Party Abraham Lincoln once remarked that if you’re going to cut down a tree, spend 90% of your time sharpening axe. Preparation makes any activity go better. And for birthday parties, you don’t want to have to wait until next year to make up for lack of preparation, do you? So, what should you prepare for? KNOW THE LOCATION. Whether party takes place in a home, party room, or amusement park; realize that each location has its own photographic "blueprint." Based on location’s blueprint, prepare beforehand for correct digital camera settings for white balance, metering mode, and exposure compensation. 2) Know Your Obstacles What is going to be in your way at birthday party (excluding your drunken brother-in-law)? Are there any fixed columns, hanging plants or lights that need to be planned around? For example, if there is a fixed object right where optimal photos should be taken from, consider setting up main table someplace else. It’s much easier to figure this out before event than getting to party and realizing that you need to “move room a bit to left.” 3) The Main Table If using rectangular tables, take birthday party pictures FACING THE WIDE END OF THE RECTANGLE. When doing this, use wide angle setting on your camera. If you shoot any birthday photos from narrow end, use as large an F-stop number as possible (optimally F-22 or higher). However, even if you do, some of guests will probably still be out of focus (hence, "shoot from wide end" suggestion). 4) Flash Decisions Don’t automatically assume you should use camera’s flash all time. If your camera has a “hot shoe” (this and many other useful terms are defined at http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/compare-digital-camera-features.html ). If it does, consider using a bounce flash or a diffuser. As a real eye-opener, find out how high your ISO setting can go and see if resulting photos are not too “noisy” (digital noise = film grain) 5) Better Safe than Sorry Take multiple shots of critical photographs. Consider flash/no flash; different metering modes, and different F-stops. Also, regardless of what you say or do, people will blink. And, by way, don't count on spotting small problems on tiny camera LCD screen (even on full magnification).
| | Save a Life...In a StoryWritten by Marcia Passos Duffy
Save a Life…In a Story By Marcia Passos Duffy www.NewEnglandLifeStories.comSo many people keep meaning to interview their parents or grandparents -- and capture all those entertaining and enlightening family stories. But most people never get around to it, and put it off until it is too late and storyteller has died or is too sick to tell stories anymore. This was case with me. My grandmother died 2 years ago at age of 94. She was born in Portugal and immigrated twice – to Brazil then to United States where she lived with my parents for 30 years -- and many stories to tell of her adventures. I was very close with my grandmother, who came to live with us when I was 12. She was a skilled, animated storyteller – as are many people of her generation. Her stories were so vivid I believed that I would always remember them. To this day, I don’t understand why I did not take a tape recorder and just let her talk into it while she spun her yarns. I’m a professional writer, and yet, I never thought to do that. And when she died I realized that while I remember some of her stories to tell to my own children, as time goes on I am forgetting delightful details, twists and turns she gave her stories. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence -- everyday a family elder dies, and along with them, their stories. In weeks that followed after my grandmother’s death I realized something important: If, I, as a writer, had never thought to take down my grandmother’s personal history, how many more families are losing their precious stories – so valuable in keeping families – particularly our children -- rooted and grounded? That is why I became a personal historian. I know that by recording these family stories, we allow future generations to discover their ancestors’ personalities, experiences and wisdom. It is a record that ensures a life -- and experiences -- will never be forgotten. A personal historian is a relatively new profession and Association of Personal Historians (APH) www.personalhistorians.org has only existed since 1994. APH members are scattered throughout 42 states and four foreign countries to help people, businesses, families, communities and organizations preserve memories and life stories. We do this by audio-taping, videotaping and spreading word about how important it is to preserve ones own or an elders’ history. While writing down life stories is not a new concept, tragedies of September 11 have led many Americans to re-evaluate what is important in their lives, and there has been a surge in interest in recording life stories – lessons learned, moral values and experiences for future generations in a family. There have been many articles recently written about personal historians and what they do – in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Philadelphia Inquirer, Good Housekeeping, Money magazine. But, what exactly is a life story? How is it done?
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