Document the [Extra]ordinary

Every day, little moments occur in our lives that are precious and fleeting. And over the next week or so, we’ll experience a lot more with family and friends. To me, it’s really important to document these moments because one day, photos and stories will be all we have.

Of course, I *am* a photographer, so I would say that. I’ve got the fancy shmancy cameras to use.

Let me let you in on a little secret: It’s not the equipment.

Most of the photos that end up in our family’s yearbook are taken with smartphone cameras. What makes each of the photos special is the moment.

Riding his bike down the street. Taken with an iPhone 8s. Processed with VSCO presets.

I use a few simple rules when I take my photos:
– Frame composition using the rule of thirds or centering the subject.
[Read more about composing a photo here at PetaPixel.]
– Change perspective. (Instead of photographing downward on the kids, I move down to their level.)
– Make sure you’ve got enough light (or light in the right places). Outside, near a window, with interesting light around the subject’s features.
– Use a processor like VSCO, Mextures, SnapSeed, or a Color Story. Make colors pop and draw more attention to your subject.

Morning puppy snuggles. I was intrigued with how the light was coming through the windows in our den and the tender moment between this girl and her pup. Photographed with an iPhone 8s. Processed with a VSCO preset.

She was in my business while we waited for Daddy at the home improvement store. I wanted to catch her big round eyes in the foreground and the light fixtures in the background. I recall on this day she told me that I was “ruining her life” by requiring her to wear socks. Photographed with an iPhone 5 and processed with VSCO.

A ladybug brought delight during a family trip. Sunset makes the tones really warm. Photographed with an iPhone 8s, unfiltered and unprocessed.

You don’t need extravagant equipment to take photos that are worth preserving. You just need a moment.

Print those photos, though. Don’t leave them on your phone to fall into a digital pit and be forgotten. Make books. Print them. Share them. If your computer crashes and you don’t have a backup, you’ll regret not having a hard copy.

If you’re unsure of how to take better iPhone photos or have an interest in photography in general, come see us at the Louisiana Photographic Society. We frequently offer courses free to members. 😉 Membership is $25 a year, for which you get access to mentors, workshops, and talks from area photo leaders. Come see us. It’s fun!