Spring Photography Tips

Spring is the time of the year where colors and life come alive. In more ways than one.  Plants begin to blossom, birds come out to sing, cool breeze hits our faces and the sweet aroma of springtime air tickles our senses. We may have been dreaming for that vacation to somewhere beautiful or perhaps you have been planning to propose to someone special? Maybe a beautiful day with your family playing outside while you BBQ or a day at the park? This is the best time to live, be joyful, treasure the moment, and embrace the good times. Photography captures the people you love most and allows you to cherish experiences and memories for eternity.

Photography skills can sometimes even provide you an advantage with a project or work communication. There are many different forms of photography. Whether you’re looking for a close up for your career profile, or wanting to capture the epic scenery from your camping vacation using landscape photography with an immersive depth of field, the process of taking great photos remains the same.

From experience, it does not take a professional to take a proper photo. With preparation and maybe a short tutorial, beginners can do it too. I am going to review some tips that I learned that helped me better capture some amazing moments on camera.

• • Choose the setting and background that speaks to the story you want your photograph to portray. Be creative with your environment. The early morning is an ideal time for the best spring photos as it is the golden hour for photography.

  • Test different angles to determine your best area of focus with accents that highlight the topic.

  • Use accents of color and shape in your background to highlight your photo, not overwhelm it. Including spring flowers like bluebells, daffodils, tree blossoms, and greenery into your spring landscapes over a crisp blue sky will liven up your spring photos.

  • Focusing your lens is crucial for any style of photography. All digital cameras offer some sort of focusing feature that should be simple to operate. (I will offer more tips on this later).

  • Mirrorless and DSLR cameras allow you to control more when it comes to exposure and focusing. Finding the correct ISO, shutter speed, and aperture for your photoshoot will enable you to find the perfect focal lengths with excellent balance of light, color, and focus for every shot. These settings are vital to producing images with motion blur or bokeh for macro photography.

  • It’s ok to do some postproduction editing using photoshop or Lightroom if you choose. It just means that maybe you’re a professional :)

*In the photo above, you can see the creativity the photo brings by capturing the activity of picking flowers with beautiful aesthetics of the spring day, frolicking in the lovely environment with a free loving spirit, not a worry in the world.

This is the time of year that offers some of the best visual settings you will have all year. Let us look at some of the most popular spring photography ideas we look forward to every year and highlight some tips to enhance and capture the moment as you envision it.

 Friends & Family Photos

It’s important to have fun and enjoy the process of preparing when it comes to family. It is easy to let coordinating everyone stress you out. I always believe lifestyle photos of family work best because it captures the true character, individuality, and essence of who we are (never say cheese, lol). Adding an activity like dancing (as you can see in the photo above) helps bring lifestyle to your photograph and helps relax things for a more natural pose. You can take as many photos as you like. Have fun with different poses!

• Setting should be simpler in tone. Patterns should be simpler or continual with colors that flow.  The background should not be dominant. This sets the mood. (Try capturing different lighting by testing angles and lens focusing)

• Pick outfits with colors that are neutral with simple or softer patterns. You may want to choose your favorite outfit or the color you want first and then build around that.  Colors do not have to be identical. The combinations you choose should complement each other in the slightest ways through the neutral prints and tones. Don’t forget accessories! Neutral colors for shoes. Have fun with ribbon in your hair, hat, or umbrella if you want. Be creative!

• Prepare your outfits ahead of time. Lay out everything in front of you, try them all on if you can. It can be a downer when something doesn’t fit or feel right. Try it on!

• Check the weather a few times in the week leading up to your shoot.

• Golden hour is a great time for extra photos. The sun glows during this time making for a warmer and more intimate image. A beautiful setting for those you love most.
  
  

Engagement Photos

   

What an exciting time for you. This is when you create moments that last forever and basically set the tone for pictures going into your wedding. If you have a professional photographer, now you get to try them out ahead of your wedding.  You also go through the process and identify those angles you love and the ones you could pass on. This is your time. Be free, be happy, capture it forever.

• The perfect setting should be somewhere cool and memorable. Think about what you love and go there. A flower field, a beautiful orchard, the ocean, a city backdrop, even an at home engagement can be made springy if you’re the homey type of people. If you love adventure, try a spot on your favorite trail near a waterfall or mountain.

• Deciding what to wear can be difficult. Let your environment decide for you.  In a cleaner setting with earthly and neutral colors you should look for softer colors with minimal patterns. For a busier backdrop, you can be bold with stronger more vibrant colors along with neutrals. This will help highlight you against the busier background. Steer clear of neon colors as they will give an unwanted colored reflection and bold mixed patterns will distract and overwhelm your photo.

• Its ok to be on the casual side of your wardrobe.

• A flattering fit will show you off more than a fancy outfit. Try it on beforehand.

• Bringing an accessory or two will offer you a few different looks or poses like a blazer or a hat.

• It’s ok to bring 2 sets of shoes or even a second outfit. Be comfortable, have fun and take your time.

• Treat yourself. Get your makeup, hair and nails done in preparation. You deserve it!

• Let the romantic vibe of golden hour demonstrate your love. Catch the sunrays just right and you will glow like an angel.

Golden Hour, Lighting and lens Focusing tips

The hour after dawn and hour before dusk is called “golden hour”.  These are the best times to capture an amazing backlit glow.  The Sun is lower in the sky, enlarged and its glow penetrates the landscape and all that is around it.  The sun must be in the background to allow its rays to show a glow around your topic or focal point. 

• Focusing the lens with the sunrays can be tricky. When using Auto Focusing, try tilting your camera slightly down, set your focus, then tilt the camera back up as you take you shot. 

• Enhance your light exposure by angling yourself where your subject is blocking the rays with the sun behind them set your focus, then move freely to take you shot. This will minimize the exposure of light, catch your subject in better detail and still offer the beautiful glow and rays for your photo.

• Overexpose your camera a little. Long exposures will give you contrast in lighting, darken your frame making for a better exposed backlight and those rays of light will pop.

• The sun should not be in main view. The source of light in any photo will wash out and minimize details of the person in front of them. Partial light source can be ok for certain effects. Check your cameras white balance if colors are not looking right. Sometimes a neutral density filter can help.

• Maintain eye level - Whether you’re shooting with a telephoto, prime, wide angle lens, or even a macro lens, you should always keep things level. Except when intentionally done for those one of a kind asymmetrical photos of artistic nature.

Always be prepared with snack and water for your photography adventure. Finding a passion for photography is like having a new life. If you love taking pictures, invest in a great mirrorless or DSLR camera by Sony, Canon, Nikon, or any of the big names. I found an amazing photography/camera/laptop backpack I take everywhere with me when I am in photography mode.  You can find it here- DSLR Photography Camera Backpack with Multiple Slots 

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever…It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything”