Taking scrap worthy summer photos

Zoom in. Fill the frame with your subject’s face and you’ll end up with a beautiful shot full of personality.

Experiment. Position the subject to either the extreme right or left of center and zoom in. Also, experiment with focusing on just half of a person’s face.

Shoot in the morning and late afternoon. The reason being that the sun isn’t directly overhead, which allows you to avoid harsh light and unflattering shadows.

Photograph the symbols of summer. Take close-ups of that favorite pair of sandals, a fresh-from-the-freezer Popsicle, sunscreen bottle or sprinkler – whatever you associate summer with!

Change color photos to black and white. Not only do black and white photos make choosing background paper/cardstock a simple task, but they are also universally flattering and really put the focus on the subjects’ faces.

Water reflections. Since pool parties and sprinkler-dashes are two typical summertime activities, make sure you experiment with water photos! How to take great water photos? First of all, you want reflections from the water! Second, try and capture photos from the subject’s level. For example, take a poolside photo rather than standing over the water.

Pass the camera. Buy a few disposable cameras and give them to your family members, especially when you are on vacation. They may see things differently than you, and the photos will make for a great addition to your scrapbook.

Snap signs. When on vacation, take pictures of road signs, landmark signs, historical plaques, street signs, etc. Signs make a great scrapbook photo because they not only remind you of what you did and saw, but they also capture the spirit and feel of a certain place.

Shooting people and backgrounds together. In order to avoid a close up of your subject and a small portion of the background or visa versa, follow these simple tips:
Shoot the background by it’s self. Then take a photograph of the subject standing in front of a particularly interesting part of the background and zoom in. Another option is to go across the street from the background you are shooting. You can take a close up shot of the subject with the background well proportioned behind.

Don’t forget the scenic shots. While family photos are wonderful, don’t forget to try and take plenty of scenic photos. These are great because they will remind you where you were and what you saw.