Camera settings: aperture f8, shutter speed 1/40, ISO 400, focal length 55 mm
You guys! How hot is Mr. Ladd? I mean, seriously. I generally take a whole lot of pictures of landscapes, and nature (beast pets included) and not many of people, so I'm wanting to work on my portrait skills. Since Mr. Ladd is the only other human in the house at the moment, he is my reluctant model more often than not. I think in this very picture he's saying,"What?" cause I just called his name and snapped. I have to catch him off guard otherwise I get a lot of this...
Probably a good rule in general for photos of people. Nobody wants forced weird smiles, or awkward poses. I'm finding if I try to catch people in candid moments, I'm much more likely to capture their best features in a natural way.
I also notice that getting in closer than I might think necessary at first, and shooting from above the subject, are both so important for good people pictures.
For this photo I was very focused on those mischievous eyes, so I thought it might be a good chance to play around with making them pop a bit in Photoshop Elements. I used this simple tutorial to enhance the eyes very naturally and just make the individual colors stand out a bit. It was surprisingly easy, and I'm starting to feel so much better about my dysfunctional relationship with PSE. Things actually work the first time I try them. It's a miracle!
Don't forget to check out Kelsey's post today from our monthly Photo Challenge Next Door where we are switching our cameras to manual mode and forcing ourselves to learn how it all works
Also, our new episode of The Girl Next Door Podcast is live today! We're talking about fitness routines and goals, what motivates us, and admitting to some personal quirks. As usual, we're also sharing a tasty cocktail recipe, our current obsessions, and some pretty hilarious Neighborhood News. If you haven't checked out the podcast yet, I'd love for you to give it a listen, and if you're already a loyal listener, consider heading over to iTunes to subscribe and leave a quick review. It really helps us get the word out, and we'd so appreciate it!
