Now: Take a Better Photo

Woohoo, it's Friday! With the weekend on the horizon, you know there's going to be plenty of 'kodak-worthy' moments during football viewing parties, nights out on the town and fabulous dinners with even more fabulous friends. So, it's critical that you have the skills to take a great photo.

We were fortunate enough to sit down with of one heck of a talented photographer, Lauren Lieberman of Palm Beach-based LILA PHOTO. She's been shooting for 10 years, starting while at UF with a company called Flash where she captured fraternity and sorority parties. She quickly honed her skills with a high-end wedding photographer and then opened her own biz where she regularly covers events from polo and galas to corporate needs and moments requiring aerial photography (hang out of a heli, anyone?). Most importantly, her work is just plain awe-some.

So, you want to take a better photo?? Here's what she has to say:

Perspective: Did you  know most photos are taken from 5'6" tall and 10 feet away? Bor-ing! Lauren's just 4'10" so she's become accustomed to taking shots from different angles and perspectives, and you should too. Here's a few tips:

• Get on the floor with kids or stand with the camera straight above them (prefocus so you're ready when they look up; we'll get to what this means in a second).
• Climb up on a bar stool to get a crowd shot instead of just being at eye level.
• Slightly tilt the camera for a fun angle on what's happening.

Prefocus: if you're always a second late catching photos (esp. of the kiddies or a pet), listen up! While the best shots typically don't have the subject right in the center, that's where the sensor is on most cameras so you have to start there. Point the center of your camera toward your subject, then hold the button just half way down. Once that happens, you can move your camera to recompose the shot how you want, waiting for the mili-second when your child gives you that mega-watt smile or silly face! When moving the camera, consider this:

• Rule of thirds: think of the camera frame in thirds; instead of keeping the subject in the center experiment with how you fill each of the frames. Don't be afraid to go off-center.
• Fill the frame: play around with getting super close up to really capture someones face. It's incredible the difference compared to when you're a few feet away.

Example of "Fill Flash."
Brandon (polo player) and Erica Phillips with
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick



Flash: "Turn OFF the flash and find the light!" If there's daylight, direct your subjects toward the window or any natural light. You should stand against the window/light with the subject nearby to get the natural light. It gives everyone such a gorgeous glow!

• BUT (isn't there always a BUT?): Turn ON the flash when you least expect to. Called "fill flash," turn your flash on to balance the brightness of the outside background and to light your subjects if they're in the shade. If you use the 'auto' function it might not use the flash so your picture will be dark. Turn that bad boy on so you get a better photo!

ZOOM: When taking fun, social photos take a few steps back (just a few; not too far) and then slightly zoom in. Notice that cameras have optical and digital zooms. The optical is the one that matters, the digital one just magnifies the images (that's why they get blurry). Don't use that!



And, this is a little nerdy/techy, but here's one fabulous tip for taking close-up pictures of small objects that I just had to share:

Macro button: all cameras are a little different, but my Canon has the macro button just opposite the flash. Go to this mode to take crazy good photos of really small objects like flowers and anything you see (just not people)! Fill the frame with these interesting elements and remember to move the camera around to get different perspectives. This macro function will focus on your object and slightly blur everything in the background... just like a professional photographer!

Thanks again to Lauren Lieberman for teaching us how to wow 'em with our photo taking skills! Now, get out there and get clicking!

-- all photo credits: LILA PHOTO