How to Make a Successful Camera Phone Video

 

How to Make a Successful Camera Phone Video

 

Are you ever on a trip, experiencing a special occasion, or doing something spontaneous and taking pictures isn’t quite enough?  You want to remember the sound of the kids laughing or the way the ocean sprayed your face? Taking video on your phone is a great way to remember an experience at a different level, but also can be hard to get creative with- so here are a few tips to help you capture the moment on video with your camera phone.

  1. Back up and get the whole scene in a shot- make sure to get the big picture, film the event from far away.
  2. Zoom in- get close and film the little details of the event that made it special, like the rings at a wedding, or sandy feet on a beach trip.
  3. Get it from beginning to end- be sure to film everything with the timeline in mind. If you want to put all of the videos together, you don’t want the middle missing, or the end of the event not there- get it all on video!
  4. Kodak moments- try and record it so you’re capturing the “Kodak moments” or unscripted, real reactions and emotions, not just a bunch of people smiling and waving.
  5. Have fun with it! This is for you to remember this moment by, so make sure you are recording what’s meaningful to you, and what you loved most about that specific point in time.

Cleaning Up Digitally

Cleaning Up Digitally

Are you one of the many people who feel like January is a time for cleaning out the old and making room for the new?  Whether it’s the closets, bookcases or the garage, it seems our living spaces are begging to be reorganized and de-junked.  Your computer is no different.  Through your daily tasks with work and family, your computer can become over stuffed with unnecessary items, or cluttered with a lack of disorganization.  Either way, it can hinder productivity and weigh you down!

Take a day or two to sort through your digital files.  Organize things by category and also by date.  Move anything that is old and unused but still valuable onto an external hard drive.  Delete the unnecessary files and temp files.  Create separate files for your family members to keep their data in so that it stays organized and functional.

Your picture files will always be better organized when you save them by the year, then the month and then the event.  It’s smart to create all of your monthly folders for 2015 right now, so that when you go to download, the space is there and waiting.

To set it up, create folders for each year, then inside the folder labeled by the year, create a folder for each month, and in there have different folders for every photo shoot or event, so you can easily find where that specific picture you need is. We remember events in our lives by time, so it is easiest to use dates (month and year) to organize your photos, whereas if you titled each folder by the name of the occasion there is a thousand ways to write it, and the odds aren’t very good that you’ll remember the exact title.

When you have all of your files organized, enjoy the peace of mind that comes with being prepared for a new 2015!

 

5 New Years Resolutions for the Picture Lover

 

 

5 New Years Resolution for the Picture Lover

This new year, find some new ways to explore life and picture taking, so you are getting the most out of every experience! Here are some ideas…..

  1. Print out your Instagram pictures. There are so many companies that have made this possible, and so many different products you can get as well to print your
    pictures on- books, magnets, cards, Polaroid’s, you name it! Just Google exactly what you are looking for (example: print Instagram pictures in a book) and sort through the many companies and results to find what best fits you. This is an awesome way to turn your virtual documentation of life into something tangible that will last forever!
  2. Go live. Instead of tying yourself down to social media, technology, or any other simulated distraction, challenge yourself to get out and do something, anything! Try a new restaurant, take a nice drive, check out an old music store, or pick up friends for a treat. Then, record it. Take pictures of what you did, and keep track of every time you turn off the technology and live a little.
  3. Try video. Pictures are an awesome way to make a record of your memories, but so are videos! Try videoing your life, especially vacations or holidays. You’ll never regret capturing those special moments through video.
  4. A picture a day. Many people have taken on this challenge, and it is a fun way to journal your life through the camera. Every day challenge yourself to take at least one picture of anything, especially things that are important to you at that point in your life. This is an awesome way to record your life!
  5. Capture your family with professional photographs. This is an investment you’ll never regret, because it marks your family at that specific point in time, in the best possible way, and you will have those pictures to look back on forever.

Editing Apps for Camera Phones

Editing Apps for Camera Phones

Camera phones seem to have taken over the point and click camera industry these days, and it’s no wonder why.  The high quality images combined with the convenience of your camera, social media, email, and so many other useful tasks all in one device, I rarely see people with point and click cameras anymore.

One of the great things about using a camera phone is the option to edit your photos right from your camera.  Today we’re sharing a few widely used apps that you might find useful for your everyday shooting!  Most of these are compatible with all phones, and many of them do multiple tasks, not just what they are listed for.

Apps that make collages

Pic Collage
Pic Stitch
InstaCollage Pro
Framatic

Apps that create words on top of your photos

InstaQuote
TitleFx

Text’s on photo’s

PicLab
Phonto

Apps that change the colors, lighting, etc.

VSCO
Pic-Tap-Go
PicLab
PS Express
Camera Plus

Apps that create scrapbooks

Mosaic Photo Books
Artifact Uprising
Groove Book
Everybody! Scrapbooking

Apps with clip art and graphics

Rhonna Designs
A Beautiful Mess
#Love Cam

Apps that create slideshows with photos

PicFlow
PicSlide
Slideshow Maker

Apps that create movies

iMovie – iPhone only
VidLab

7 Things That Will Ruin Your Pictures

7 Things That Will Ruin

1 – Photo bombers
You know the drill, you’re at your child’s High School graduation, about to snap a picture of your kid and just as you push the shutter button a young teenage boy jumps into the background of your photo and totally bombs it!  Watch for photo bombers in big crowds.

2 – Trees
Trees are a great addition to any photo, depending where they are placed in the composition.  If you want your subject to stand by the tree, place them next to the tree, not directly in front of it.  Having a big trunk coming out of their head can look terribly awkward!

3 – Awkward backgrounds
You need to update your profile picture and happen to be in the bathroom fixing your hair. You snap your own “selfie” and love the photo!  Later looking back you realize that the bathroom hand dryer and feminine napkin dispenser also made it into your image.  Uh-oh!  Trash that one!

4 – Don’t shoot from low angles
Unless you really love the look of double chins, hold your camera above your eye level when shooting yourself, or above your subject’s eye level.  This helps to thin out the face of the subject whereas shooting from below the chin puts more emphasis on the extra baggage commonly referred to as a “double chin”.

5 – Avoid shooting in direct sun
Contrary to popular belief, shooting in the direct sunlight isn’t the ideal place for lighting.  It causes your subjects to squint and also creates harsh shadows under their eyes, nose and chin.  Instead, look for a shady spot that is still evenly and well lit.  Your subject will have a nice evenly lit face and much less squinting. Way more appealing and professional picture!

6 – Hold the camera still
Especially if you are shooting in low light situations, it’s important to hold the camera very still when shooting.  Any movement from your hands can cause your photo to turn out blurry.

7 – Avoid dark situations
When you shoot in a low light situation and your not using a flash, your shutter speed will slow way down in order to get enough light on the subject.  That slow shutter speed can be the reason for blurry photos. Always choose the most well lit area possible for the best quality picture!

Shooting your kids sports

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April Newsletter

April Newsletter

Taking pictures of your kids playing sports can be a really fun activity for both the athlete and the parent. However, it can also be very challenging if you don’t have the right set up with your camera.  Here are a few recommendations to help you get the best shots of your kids.

When available, use a long telephoto lens.  If your camera can switch lenses and has a long lens, this is a great option for capturing the action as if you were right next to your athlete.

Another tip is to shoot in the daylight for high shutter speeds and sharper images.  Images shot at night or indoors can easily have motion blur because of the low light.

Cloudy days are better than sunny days.  Does this sound off?  It’s true!  Clouds create a filter over the sun’s rays and so there are no harsh shadows.  The lighting is more even all around.

Also, if you are shooting with your camera phone or a point and click, find out if you have digital zoom or optical zoom.  Optical zoom will take much higher quality pictures than digital zoom.

If your child’s sport is an indoor only sport, like gymnastics, then bump up your ISO to get more light and have less blurry pictures.

And if all else fails, hire a professional!