How to take a good photo

Taking a good 'before' photo is absolutely KEY to getting a great result in your final image edited by me. Low resolution, dark and blurry images will not work for this style of imagery. I have great skills in photo editing but can only work with what you give me to use for your images! 

 

My advice is below, please read and be sure to take this on board before taking the photos for your chosen scene. If I think the quality of the images you send is not high enough I will need to request you take more photos of better quality.

 

If you want to ask me anything about taking your photos and sending them, please do get in touch and I will talk you through it all. I don't want it to seem daunting but the better you prepare for taking a great image, the happier you will be with the outcome of your final design!

 Smart phone or camera?

• If you have a digital camera or DSLR then take your photo with that. If you're not confident on setting it manually, use 'auto' mode and the camera will do the work for you.

• If you don't have a camera, use your smart phone.

• If you use a smart phone - give your camera on the back of your phone a wipe with a clean cloth before taking your images. You'll be surprised how blurry your photos may be just due to dust and build up on your camera's lens.

• Be sure to follow the tips below to get the best image even when using a smart phone camera. 

 

Prepare for the scene!

 

• Choose the scene you would like BEFORE you start taking photos.  Does your child need to sit or stand? Are they looking at Santa/an animal, or are they looking at the camera? 

• If you want your child to look at Santa or an animal in the final scene, have another person or if not possible, a toy placed where you need them to look.

• Take multiple photos so you have a few options available for your final scene for me to work with.

• If your child is looking in the opposite direction or facing the opposite way to the scene, don't worry because I can 'flip' the image horizontally to get a mirror image and face them in the right direction. 

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 Lighting is everything!

 

• A photo taken in bright light is going to be much sharper than one taken in low light. If possible try to take your photo outdoors either on a cloudy day or in the shade if it is a sunny day. If this is not possible, choose a spot in your home with lots of natural light.

• Avoid harsh shadows. Bright sun and overhead indoor lighting will cast strong shadows on the face. Try to use 'flat' light such as an overcast day or natural window light. 

• Ensure you take your photo in the daytime to get enough light - a dark photo will appear grainy and blurry when zoomed in.​

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 Get down!​

 

• When taking a photo of a child or children, get down to their level. Literally crouch down and take the photo at their eye level. 

• If you stand over the child then the perspective will be off in the final image.

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 Keep it flat!​

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• Sit or stand your child on a flat, clear surface, not grass or fluffy blankets. I need to be able to the whole outline of the person in order to cut them out cleanly from the background.

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 Background is important!

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• Try to make the background as plain and clear as possible. This makes it easier for me to get a clean cutout of your child from the background.​​​

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Sending your photos

• Send me as many photos as you can - any that you would be happy for me to use in the final image. The more photos I have to work with the better the outcome will be.

• EMAIL your photo to me at momentsbytaylor@gmail.com - please do not use Facebook/Instagram or message to send the image (unless asking me for advice) as the quality will be reduced. If your email gives you the option to resize your image, please DO NOT resize it - select 'Actual Size'.

• If your image is not suitable due to being too blurry, low quality, heavily shadowed or the pose not suitable for your chosen scene, I will ask you to take more photos with further advice on how to get it right.