Have a Photo Shoot at Home

A photo shoot is a great way to practice if you're an amateur photographer, or just a great way to photograph loved ones. Here are some basic steps to achieve the best possible result with the least amount of money spent on expensive equipment.

Steps

  1. Getting materials. It's always better, but not vital, to have a camera that has manual mode so you can manipulate the shutter speed, aperture etc. to achieve the desired result. However, keep in mind that it is the photographer and not the camera that takes the pictures, and a good result can also be achieved with a normal point-and-shoot. Also, a tripod can prove useful when shooting with slower shutter speeds.
  2. Pick an awesome theme. Try to visualize what kind of photo you want. Blindly taking pictures of a model at home will rarely produce good results. Try to think of a theme, and use your creativity to find the appropriate clothes and make up to fit that theme.
  3. Put together some sort of background, now that you have a general idea of how you want the photo to be. The model is probably going to be the main focus, so don't overdo it. If you just want a plain background, it's not always a good idea to just find a plain wall, as they are usually too reflective and don't provide a flattering picture. A cheap and easy way to get a nice, soft background is to buy a few meters of white fleece from a fabric store and hanging it up a on a wall, and then have the model pose about a meter away from it. If your camera has the ability, make sure to choose a large aperture so you can't tell that it is fleece in the actual # Direct the model and tell him or her what you want them to do, and make them feel comfortable. There is nothing worse than an awkward, stiff model, so be patient and try not to expect them to do all the work.
  4. Try different settings on your camera, different angles, different everything, and once you think you've taken enough pictures, take some more. It is vital to take as many pictures as you can, because it's much more likely you can get a great shot.
  5. Look through the pictures quickly before you let the model go (preferably on your computer) and just check that they turned out alright.
  6. Get your photos post-processed. In this day and age, almost all professional photos are post-processed. If you're serious about photography, get a program like Adobe Photoshop and learn a bit about basic image editing. Trying to get rid of imperfections is not the priority here, just Try to get the right color balance, levels, etc. There are great tutorials all over the web that can help you with this step..



Tips

  • Lighting can really make-or-break a photo. Try not to use too harsh flash or too low light. Try (temporarily) draping a white cloth over a lamp pointed at the subject if you need extra lighting, or turn your flash upwards instead of pointing straight onwards.
  • For more artistic shots, try unique surroundings (like an antique couch), different angles (get on the floor and shoot upwards or take a picture from above), different looks (put the model in unconventional clothing), or different shooting techniques.
  • Picnik.com is a great website for editing your picture and making them more creative.
  • If you get a model, whether it be a paid model or, more realistically, a friend, try not to fiddle too much with the equipment when he or she gets there. Have everything set up and ready to go; it's just more professional.
  • The worst thing you can do is over-think everything. Let your own unhindered creativity guide the process.

Things You'll Need

  • Camera (preferably digital and/or with manual mode)
  • Model or subject
  • Large piece of fleece material (optional)
  • Props for the background, or anything that helps achieve the theme (optional)
  • Tripod (optional)
  • Image editing computer program and some knowledge of it (optional) e.g. Photoshop

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