Some of the best pictures highlight people in a natural environment, unaware of the captured fleeting moment. In order to get the best shots possible, use these photo tips and tricks to bring out the best in every subject, no matter what space you are working in.

Being Rigid

If you’re rigid and trying to force a photo shoot along, your subjects will sense it…and it will show up on their faces and in their posture. Loosen up so your subjects feel comfortable to let their true personality shine.

Giving too Much Direction

As a photographer, you need to guide your subjects along during the photo shoot. Put providing too much direction can cause people to be thinking more about what you want them to do than relaxing and just being themselves. This can make expressions look more like ‘deer in the headlights’ than natural and happy. There needs to be a delicate balance between guiding your subjects along and allowing them to feel comfortable just…being.

Making the Camera the Focus of the Shoot

Don’t make your camera so obvious. Talk to your subjects, joke with them, get them loosened up. Don’t just walk around with the camera in front of your face. That can be intimidating and cause people to paste cheesy grins on their face instead of those authentic smiles you want to capture.

Keep these things in mind during your next shoot. Have fun…and your subjects will, too!

Taking beautiful portraits is an art.

The best photographers capture that special something that makes an individual who they are. Maybe it’s a particular expression that shows how they look at the world. Or maybe it’s that quirky smile that makes everyone smile back. Even an appropriate prop, a special piece of clothing or a meaningful setting can tell something important about the subject of a portrait.

Whatever the special detail, a skilled portrait photographer will bring it out and showcase it to give you the best possible pictures.

The best portrait photographers know how to make you feel comfortable during your photo session. This helps you be yourself, so that those special traits and details will come out. A good portrait photographer will also notice things that can improve your picture and will attend to even the smallest detail to get the best picture possible. This can include choosing exactly the right setting—someplace that reflects your personality or making sure your clothes are appropriate to the lighting and the background.

When choosing a portrait photographer, take a look at pictures on display. These pictures will show you the kinds of details the photographer can capture. Photographs that show off not just the subject’s looks but also their personality are the kind of portraits that can be treasured for a lifetime.

Waiting too long to schedule your portraits could mean that you won’t receive the pictures when you need them, especially if you want to submit them to the yearbook. Another potential pitfall of procrastinating is that, if you wait until the last minute to book your senior portrait session, you might not get a convenient appointment with your chosen photographer.

All of this could result in you feeling stressed out and anxious when you finally do get your senior portraits taken.

Planning for your portraits early can allow you more flexibility to decide on details such as the overall theme of your photos. Many students need time to try different hairstyles, clothes, and accessories or props.

With some planning, you’ll feel more at ease on the day of your portraits; and everyone takes better pictures when they’re relaxed.

Here are three great reasons to book your senior portraits with Kim Jew Photography:

Portrait sessions are available on location, as well as in our studios, allowing you to choose a setting that’s meaningful to you. Booking early gives you time to visit the studio before your session, so you can start working with the photographer to come up with creative ideas.

No two senior portraits are alike. Kim Jew Photography works with each student to bring out his or her individual best. There are no forced smiles or standard poses, making the results appear more natural and unique.

Whether you’re a nature lover, a talented musician or a star athlete, your Albuquerque senior portraits can help tell the story of who you are. Make them glamorous or fun, showcasing your best side. You’ll get distinctive portraits that you can proudly show off to your family and friends.

Planning Your Family Portrait

The process of taking the best family portrait requires a little time for planning and forethought. You must schedule a time that is convenient for everyone in the family to avoid any hassles.

Gathering the family for a portrait should be a fun activity to enjoy rather than a chore. You can try making it an all-day event by planning a special lunch, taking a trip to the movies and having the portrait taken. To take a great photo, your family should be:

• Well groomed with proper attire
• In a pleasant mood to capture a smile
• Alert, yet relaxed to make the photo look natural

Choose a Theme to Enhance Your Portrait

Themes are great for family portraits. They can be as simple as dressing everyone in matching outfits or choosing a unique background to set the mood. You can also add props to your portrait, such as your child’s favorite toy. Some families like to include their pets in the portrait as well. The family portrait is yours to cherish, so it should reflect your loved one’s personalities while displaying unique characteristics that you would like to remember.

The Right Photographer Captures Your Family’s Essence

The chemistry between a photographer and the subject plays a large role in the quality of a photograph. You should set up an initial meeting with different photographers to see how they interact with your family. Some professionals are great when working with kids while others do better when photographing adults. You can check out the portfolio of a photographer to find the right fit for your family. Choose someone whose work you like and who can make your whole family smile.

Getting Started

When you first begin your journey into photography as a hobby, you will need to learn how to use a camera and set up shots. This is something that can be learned in books and online, but is usually easier to understand through in-person instruction. Many cities have community education courses through junior colleges or community centers, so check out organizations in your area for class schedules. Private lessons may be available, or you may even ask a friend or family member to help you get started.

Equipment

To take quality photos, you will need to start with a quality camera from a reputable company. Research models in your price range to find out what other amateur photographers recommend.

A bag to protect your camera is essential, especially since you will probably be taking your camera along on family outings where it may become damaged.

Extra memory cards let you store plenty of photos on the go, so carry a few with you in your camera bag.

Once you start becoming more familiar with different shooting techniques, you will be using a variety of UV filters on your camera lens. Along with these filters, you will need at least one additional lens for your camera.

Have Fun!

The most important part of your new photography hobby is having fun. Take candid photos of your friends and family having fun, and learn the timer settings on your camera to include yourself in the shot. Explore editing and filtering options, and personalize your photography.

To connect with other amateur photographers, you can join a photography club in your area.

Of course, Kim Jew Photography is always here for you to document those special moments in time that you want to cherish forever. From your child’s first portrait to graduation and beyond, Kim Jew Photography brings out the best in you!

Were it just his voice alone that constantly attacked the racist agenda, he would not have succeeded. He had help from the scores of non-violent followers, black and white. It is your obligation as a peace-loving person, then, to further his legacy whenever tyranny presents itself.

So how do you learn from and relate to a person you have never met?

Print is fine in an academic sense. A three-minute online search will tell you everything you need to know about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s accolades and even his early life. To truly impress his example in your mind, however, you need to see his face; his confidence.

This is photography’s shining purpose: to immortalize expressions.

While chronically overused, the “thousand words” adage hints at this remarkable ability of images to transcend print. In your mission to re-enliven Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, then, search his countenance as well as his printed history.

By finding your own strengths in his likeness, you can help spread the message that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to. The same stubborn, righteous confidence that drove the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington are still very necessary today. Without proteges to carry his message as he so painstakingly did in his time, the values that helped shrug off the yoke of tyranny will be extinguished. Fortunately for you, photography makes them invincible.

Even if no major events wait on the horizon, noting family changes with portraits creates a wonderful visual record from year to year. As days pass, you may not see significant differences in your family members’ appearances. However, change is always evident when looking over photos from earlier times. Going back through each year’s portraits is like taking a walk through your cherished memories.

New portraits also help you keep in touch with loved ones who may be far away. Regular visits can be difficult to arrange, but family and friends still appreciate seeing the latest developments. Whether the photos reveal how much children have grown or merely show off your latest haircut, portraits are a terrific way to share and to keep in close contact across the miles.

Whatever your portrait needs may be, Kim Jew Photography is here to help you maintain treasured memories throughout the New Year and for generations to come. We look forward to building lasting relationships with many new clients and to welcoming back existing friends who want to update their remembrances.

Here’s the good part: fun solutions are all around you. For little or no money—welcome news after all the holiday spending—simple things can make all the difference. With this in mind, here are five surprising ways to fight the winter blues:

Exercise

A little exercise can be just the pick-me-up you’re looking for. This is fun exercise, not the dreaded kind. With no special equipment required, just put on your favorite music and let your family dance away the blues. Or if you’re not a dancing family, bundle up and take your workout outdoors. Walk your neighborhood, enjoying the ground-level view or head for a nearby park and have a game of real freeze tag. What you do isn’t important; getting moving with whatever your family enjoys is.

Go Sledding

Speaking of exercise, do you remember how much fun sledding used to be? Winter blues disappear as you glide over snow on a sled. With the Sandia Mountains in our backyard, why not dust off that sled and revisit this childhood delight? Your children’s best memories are made of times like this!

Eat Well

Then there’s food. Offering everything from celebration to comfort, food has power. In this case, it’s the power to chase away the blues. Eating well—with plenty of fruits, vegetables and lean protein—gives your body all the energy and none of the crash you feel after a sugar binge. Make it a family event to come up with something creative each night, and eating well becomes a pleasure.

Drink Hot Chocolate

While we’re on the subject of eating, doesn’t hot chocolate conjure pure bliss? Covered in huge marshmallows or overflowing with whipped cream, this drink douses the blues. Besides, haven’t you heard? Chocolate is good for you!

Take a Family Portrait

Finally, capturing the joy of this time together, a family portrait is a wonderful memento of this season in your family’s life. As you smile together for the camera, the winter blues are all but forgotten. What blues were we talking about again?

To make it a little easier for you to get these treasured portraits, we are piling on incentives to get you in for winter portrait sessions. During the month of January, you can receive 50% off weekend session fees and 75% off weekday session fees for family portraits, children’s portraits and senior portraits!

Now is as good a time as any to get out of the winter rut and make a memory. Spice your holiday up with a portrait session. Do something special for your family during these long, slow winter months. Contact the Kim Jew Photography studio nearest you!

If you are serious about your New Year’s Resolution this year, you are not alone. Roughly half of all Americans make a vow at the beginning of the New Year.

Most resolutions are very positive changes that need to take place. Many people focus on getting healthy. They may wish to lose weight, quit smoking, remember to floss daily, or eat healthier. Others might chose to improve their lives by saving money or getting better organized. But change is difficult and many resolutions are never realized.

Perhaps the most important New Year’s Resolution you can make is to spend more time with family. In this day and age, it is far too difficult to get caught up in work, school activities, and all of the various activities that pull at you away from those you love the most.

When you resolve to bring your family together, put time aside each week to make it happen. Schedule family dinners for all to spend together. If necessary, cut back on activities and hobbies. Better still, find a hobby that the entire family can enjoy together. Focusing on physical activities, like hiking or bike riding not only brings the family together, but also encourages health and fitness.

Another must do is to have a family portrait taken every year. Plan to have your family pictures taken at the same time each year, such as near your anniversary or a major holiday. Resolving to have a family portrait taken each year creates a lasting heirloom and captures a time in your life that you will never experience again.