Simple Photo Tips for Better Product Shots

I whipped up a potholder that sadly didn't turn out quite as I had hoped, BUT it will serve a purpose for us in this post, modeling some common photo errors we often make when shooting pics of our creations. Now I am no photography expert and most of the shots on Prudent Baby are taken with a fancy camera, but I do have a few tips to offer that will work with basic cameras. I whipped out the old point & shoot to show you a few common photo mistakes that you can easily address to make sure your product photos (and maybe your SEWING MACHINE DOUBLE DOWN CONTEST entries) are as good as can be, whatever camera you are working with.

Find some Simple Photo Tips for Better Product Shots after the jump...
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GIVEAWAY: Clickin' Moms Membership

Erin from Clickin' Moms is here to share another fantastic photo tip (one I can personally relate to.) If you haven't entered today for a chance to win a one year membership, click here to get the details. Take it away Erin...

Who is the last person on your list to take photos of?  Chances are, it's you.  Memories of your appearance, your hobbies and your personality are going to be just as important to your family as those of the kids as they grow up. But self-portraits can be tough, and take some creativity.

Here are some ideas beyond the standard mount-your-camera-on-a-tripod-and-hope-the-pic-comes-out-right.

1. Use the late afternoon sun to create a shadow

2. Reflections in mirrors are good

3. Look for reflections in unlikely places too.  Do you see me holding the camera in the middle of the lemonade ladle?

4. What characteristics define you?  My toes are always red because my husband loves them that way.

Make sure you have pictures of yourself - your kids will thank you for it!

GIVEAWAY: Clickin' Moms Membership

 Erin from Clickin' Moms is here to share a fantastic photo tip. If you haven't entered today for a chance to win a one year membership, click here to get the details. Take it away Erin...

Pictures that Capture What You Love About Your Kids.
You might have heard that, to take the best photos of kids, you should get down on their level. To me, this doesn't just mean that you should squat down to be on eye level with the child (although that is important too). It means that you should try to look through their eyes. Try to record what is fascinating the child at the moment, and her reaction to it.

I love that my daughter is captivated by the gravel and dust on the ground.  I also love that she insisted on wearing her Granny Clampett boots with her pretty new polka dot dress.

I also try to guess what she is thinking.  This picture attempts to express how she might feel as she explored our local botanic garden for the first time and searched for how this unfamiliar place fit into her two-year-old realm of experience. 

Of course, she's probably just wondering whether there's a snack waiting at the end of the path!  Regardless, I love that she wasn't waiting on me to look for it.

So, when taking pictures of your kids:
• Put yourself and your camera at eye level with the kids.
• Take photos of what is captivating their attention along with his or her physical reaction to it (the smiles, grasps, tastes or touches that show their interest)
• Try to imagine what your child is thinking as you take the picture

GIVEAWAY: CLICKIN' MOMS MEMBERSHIP

We are excited to bring you an excellent new giveaway from our sponsor Clickin' Moms!
After diving into their site this week, I'm totally inspired to learn more about my camera and take control of my photography. As a mom, I'm typically shooting wriggly, squirmy kids. I've always told myself that I don't have time to set up shots, select aperture and shutter speed before my subject runs away. I just put everything on auto and hope for the best! But since Clickin' Moms is a site for women and mothers, run by women and mothers, the tutorials and advice are realistic for our lifestyle and how we shoot. But you don't have to be a mom to take advantage of all this site has to offer. Here is what they say about the site...

Clickin' Moms is a community of women who have a passion for photography.  From amateur family photographers to hobbyists and seasoned pros, we help each other and provide the support necessary to move each member's photography to the next level. Clickin' Moms features informative and easy to understand tutorials on photography, post processing and managing photography businesses.  Clickin' Moms also hosts contests and photography challenges with exciting and valuable prizes. Among over 8,000 members, you will learn, inspire, and be inspired.  If you aren't hooked on photography already, we will change that soon!


Sounds good shutterbugs! Doesn't it?
Read more for how to enter...

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25 Tips for Taking Great Photographs

I'm so lucky, I have FIVE amazing siblings!  And you are so lucky because one of them, my big brother Bruce, is a professional nature photographer ...oh, and a biologist, ecologist, professor, and a bunch of other awesome stuff (hi, i write a blog)... and he is sharing with us 25 Tips for Taking Great Photographs!  Every person who takes pictures should read this list: It goes beyond the usual to teach you how your camera works, the basics of composition, and the thought process behind a great photograph.

And, if you are a travel junkie like the morrison-leventhal-curtis sibs, you're in luck because Bruce is teaching a photography workshop/eco-vacation in Costa Rica this summer.  It's 9 days surrounded by beautiful wildlife in the forest AND on the coast.  If it wasn't for that pesky baby of mine I'd be there in a heartbeat.  There's still a few slots left and it's super-affordable, you can learn more about the trip here.  And visit these links to see more of my brother's beautiful photographs of Africa, Costa Rica, and the amazing American Wilderness.

25 Tips for Taking Great Photographs after the jump...

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DIY: Watercolor Silhouette

I took the girls to the zoo this weekend and I had some fun FINALLY experimenting with my zoom lens. It was cool to take some photos of something other than the kids for once. So, I came home with some cool animal shots and I was trying to think of something to do with them here on Prudent Baby. Here is a DIY for these little watercolor silhouettes that I made.

FULL DIY and FREE animal images for download after the jump.

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Baby-Halloween-Costumes-of-Awesomeness

We are packing up the truck and heading out for a Football weekend, crossing our fingers that there will be some trick-or-treating for the little ones at the tailgating. Bad/selfish parenting? Eh, a few jello shots and they will forget all about the candy. I kid.
But before we go, I had to send a few Baby-Halloween-Costumes-of-Awesomeness.

First there is Baby Beauty Contestant...


And this funny owl...


And this rad Ghostbusters inspired costume. Love that mom and dad went with the theme!


And lastly... if you go storebought, you can still do a creative photo-op. These are my favorite Halloween photos ever. Clare & Dad 2007! Let the therapy commence!


and then we couldn't stop... later that day...


Happy Halloween!

DIY Expression Collage

I flew to Rhode Island with both babies last month. I was scared. I asked for lots of advice. People were so helpful.

On flight #2 Clare(2) got a bit fidgety (who can blame her?) so I pulled out my secret weapon, the trusty iphone. Clare loves to make funny faces and loves to look at pictures of herself so we spent a good half-hour taking and reviewing funny-face pictures. When we got home I downloaded the photos and they made me smile so why not give them a more permanent home?

DIY after the jump (so easy.)

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