How to take nice photos of LOs?

[Avina]

I have a problem with taking LO photos. I can never get it focused enough. I have tried my point and shoot and my parent's dslr. Still the same. Looks good on the camera screen but looks terrible on the computer screen. Any tips?

[ffellie]

yes yes yes! and my pictures always look very dull leh.. i know that shouldn't get just the nice pictures to scrap..but cannot all not nice right..heh :p

[koinonia]

perhaps it's a lighting issue? LOs best taken in daylight... or with bright source of light.

if it looks good on camera but not on computer, maybe play around with the edit function and adjust for brightness? I'm also very new to this...

[NaNa]

Yup, I edit my pictures most of the time, if taken indoor. But then again, sometimes, the not-so-nice pictures, can turn out really great when you scrap it!! You'll never know how "ugly" pictures can turn out to be more meaningful. :becky:

[IrEnE06]

I also feel that after taking pictures, it look ok on the LCD screen of my camera, but when I put it on my laptop, the color is so dull.
This is even so, when I took it on a sunny day, not using flash on my camera.
So recently, I play around with photoshop, and I use curves to adjust the photo to bring out the color of the photo. The color look more real (compare to Real Life) after I edit it.

[IrEnE06]

Yup, I edit my pictures most of the time, if taken indoor. But then again, sometimes, the not-so-nice pictures, can turn out really great when you scrap it!! You'll never know how "ugly" pictures can turn out to be more meaningful. :becky:
I agree with Leena, sometimes, those blurry pictures can turn out great after you scrap them. :)

[koinonia]

yup, or those pictures that look random and not nicely posed have more of the 'moment' in it. reminds me to scrap one of my girlfriends hysterically laughing!

[NaNa]

I've tried Photoshop & I'm totally hopeless with it!! I've seen Brenda's pictures edited with Photoshop, it was amazing!! Perhaps I should really put my heart into learning it, if I could find the time! :becky:

[Avina]

I find that the dslr actually takes much better photos than my point and shoot - but it means that i have to manually tweak it so that it gets optimal lighting, shutter speed etc
But for some reason when i take of my LOs to post, they are so ugly! Color quite off, blur despite me doing fine focus.
SIGH...

[Laradee]

Ops.. I am hopeless with Photoshop... saw Brenda's work and really inspire... but taking pic of my LO seems quite easy but after loading unto the Gallery.........never clear... esp after down sizing it to fit the 160 limit..... really tough...

[ffellie]

oh oops..just realised that it's about taking LO pictures..heh :p

[IrEnE06]

ya, I also love the way Brenda edit her photos. It's very nice. Hopefully she can see this thread and can provide us some tips?

[NaNa]

Oh, she posted a tip on editing in Photoshop here http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials/or/cross-processing.html about cross-processing. Maybe you ladies want to check it out. There's a lot of tutorials here but I can't understand 90% of it!! Hahahahahahaha!!

[Laradee]

Oh, she posted a tip on editing in Photoshop here http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials/or/cross-processing.html about cross-porcessing. Maybe you ladies want to check it out. There's a lot of tutorials here but I can't understand 90% of it!! Hahahahahahaha!!

hahaha... me too...LOL

[hweeface]

I figure that given the spontaneity of photos, its hard to get them exactly right. I think that so long as its more or less "true to life" from my memory, its gotta be ok for a LO.:becky:

[Avina]

Found this article that may help with improving photo taking itself: Improve your photos in 60 seconds (http://www.idigitalphoto.com/blog/post/improve-your-photos-in-60-seconds.html)

[ffellie]

oh well the flaw of photography just made me so thankful for my eyesight! nothing can capture any picture better than our own eyes!

[koinonia]

I love taking scenery photos, but i think scrapbooking works better with photos of people...

[feli]

I love taking scenery photos, but i think scrapbooking works better with photos of people...

yah i agree.. looks odd to scrap scenery photos.. unless you have other photos with people in them in the same layout.. i'm still thinking of how i can use the scenery photos i have to scrap..:)

[ffellie]

ya i agree. i saw a few layouts with just scenery pictures..but very seldom will people do that. but i think if it's just scenery, the journalling would matter a lot, like how that place or scenery is important to you that you decide to scrap it!

[koinonia]

i did one LO with mountains. And other than placing the matted photo in the middle of black bazzill, I can't think of what else to do with it. think tampering with it will spoil the nice framed effect now...

[feli]

ya i agree. i saw a few layouts with just scenery pictures..but very seldom will people do that. but i think if it's just scenery, the journalling would matter a lot, like how that place or scenery is important to you that you decide to scrap it!

yup yup.. i totally agree.. so people will know about why you are scrapping that photo.. :madgrin:

[Bush Girl]

Back to the first question....are you talking about LO photos to post onto a web site like this ? If so, here's my response already posted on another Singapore forum.....

I always photograph my LO on the floor, outside in daylight, standing directly overhead. I generally use the Macro setting, although this is irritating because it shoots in jpeg on my camera rather than raw so I can't alter too much. I then crop to square in Photoshop Elements and save at 300 dpi. If you are using something like Flickr, this will resize images down for web, so you might as well save in as high a resolution as possible.

For altered items that I want to show detail on, again I take them outside and prop them up on something, like the kids climbing frame so that I don't have to lie on the ground to take the shot.

In all instances, try & avoid the flash activating - by getting as much natural light as possible/stopping down the aperture to a very low number - as you'll get glare bouncing off your photos on the LO. Don't, however, taken them in full glaring sunlight - shady light is much better.

I happen to use a dslr, but these results ought to be possible with a point & click if the lighting is correct.
HTH

[swishbrade]

Hiya:yo:

I came across this thread, and thought that perhaps I could share some simple tips on photographing a LO or anything flat such as an old printed photo.

LIGHT
As mentioned above, daylight as opposed to the use of flash is preferred for a natural look, devoid of unflattering harsh shadows. You will also need balanced light sources coming from all four sides, again to avoid shadows. As most of us do not have the luxury of living in homes with giant french windows on both sides of the room, or want to purchase 2 off-camera light sources, your most practical bet would be to blu-tack the LO on a wall directly opposite a window on a sunny day, at a camera-level height.

LENS
Use the longest lens you have in your arsenal. If you don't have a DSLR/SLR, just use the longest zoom setting on your PnS. What you want to avoid by using the longest zoom setting is distortion*, which is inherent in all wide angle lenses. Simply put, it keeps the sides of your LO straight.

POSITIONING OF THE CAMERA
To avoid skew*, which is the sides of your LO going towards a vanishing point, try as much as possible to get the lens of your camera pointed at the dead centre of the LO. You don't have to be too an#l about this but do also try to hold the camera parallel to the wall on which you tacked your LO on. If you leaned your LO on a wall at an angle, try to get your camera parellel to the LO.

SUPPORT
Sometimes, it's difficult to resist taking a picture of the LO in the evening or when the light source is not as strong as desired. Short of compromising with the use of the flash or a high ISO, some DSLR/advanced PnS camera users may choose to use a slower shutter speed. In these situations, a tripod, a chair / table, stacked books will come in handy as additional support to your hands. And do remember that it is easier to adjust the height of the blu-tacked LO, than to stack a tall pile of books.

Have fun, and do chip in any other tips which I may have missed out:yo: .

* If unavoidable, all is not lost. You always have the use of Photoshop or any other equivalent software, capable of fixing skew and distortion.

[Jasmine]

hey hey swishbrade..... heheheheee
havent seen u here for a long while..... :)

[luv2scrap]

great tips, swishblade. :)

[swishbrade]

hey hey swishbrade..... heheheheee
havent seen u here for a long while..... :)

My wife says that I might get a freebie of some sort if I make 699 more posts by the end of the month:doh: .....I'm trying I'm trying!

[Jasmine]

Haha!!!

[ffellie]

haha! you are funny swishbrade!

[luv2scrap]

My wife says that I might get a freebie of some sort if I make 699 more posts by the end of the month:doh: .....I'm trying I'm trying!

Just noticed you have 2 posts to your name. :becky: Good luck!

[hweeface]

My wife says that I might get a freebie of some sort if I make 699 more posts by the end of the month:doh: .....I'm trying I'm trying!


Great tips! Thanks. Chat more you may make it yet...:becky:

[elvi]

i highly doubt he's gonna make it cos i live with this fella and know how busy he is. Haha!!!

He's gonna be out of town for a while.:becky:

[mly2906]

Elvi, you mean he's your DH!?

[elvi]

Haha! Yes! He is! Was so tickled when i saw that he had made a post out of the blue! :becky: He rarely as you can see from the number of posts he has made comes in here. Then again, i suppose this is the only thread he can relate to. :)

[ffellie]

hahah that was very funny!! your DH,elvi?!!!

[esther]

The "danger" of using nicks!

[Avina]

Haha!!!
Very funny!

[EeBing]

Hahaha~!

[luv2scrap]

Swishblade's your husband!! Never would've guessed!

[Laradee]

Elvi.. he is your hubby? This is soooooooo sooooooooo sooooooooo funny!

[elvi]

Yup! He's the other man in my life next to Lucas. His real name is John and his nick is a pun on the word switchblade - he drew inspiration from Singlish i suppose ... ... he's got a weird sense of humour but i can't complain cos that's what drew me to him in the first place. :doh:

[elvi]

By the way John, if you're reading this ... ... you spelled the word parallel wrongly. :tsk: tsk! tsk!

Guess you'll stick to coaching Lucas in Math and i English.:doh:

[elvi]

Swishblade's your husband!! Never would've guessed!

it's swishbrade by the way .... what a glam nick huh!:doh:

[elvi]

By the way John, if you're reading this ... ... you spelled the word parallel wrongly. :tsk: tsk! tsk!

Guess you'll stick to coaching Lucas in Math and i English.:doh:

ok. sorry. you got it right in one sentence and then made the error in the following. there is hope yet....:hail:

[esther]

oh ... Elvi ... do you go over all posts with red pen in hand :nono: ? :lol:

[luv2scrap]

it's swishbrade by the way .... what a glam nick huh!:doh:

Oh, it's swishbrade. I kept thinking switchblade. Guess I was subconsciously trying to un-Singlish it, huh? :becky:

[elvi]

oh ... Elvi ... do you go over all posts with red pen in hand :nono: ? :lol:

only his .....waaahahaha!!! Love teasing him even after 14 years of being together!!! :becky:

[ffellie]

aww so sweet.. 14 years is very long.............................................. ...........................................

[elvi]

aww so sweet.. 14 years is very long.............................................. ...........................................

rather isn't it? we've been tog since i was a teenager, so i guess having a good sense of humour in the relationship helped John and i not kill each other!! :fish: then it would not be so sweet ... more likely fatal attraction....:becky:

[ffellie]

from JC? :)

[elvi]

nus.....1st year.:) okok...think we beta get back to the topic or all photography enthusiasts will start :fish: us!!!:becky:

[ffellie]

haha ya ya :)

[hweeface]

Hee! It took me a while to figure out it was switchblade but in singlish!

[ffellie]

i already thought brade was blade..haha

[swishbrade]

My job as a moderator in another forum requires me to delete off-topic posts but here, I think that would be my fastest ride to a cold nite on the sofa...:rain:

[Avina]

Haha!
I am sure elvi isnt so heartless!

[Karen L]

My job as a moderator in another forum requires me to delete off-topic posts but here, I think that would be my fastest ride to a cold nite on the sofa...:rain:


This thread is terribly off topic... and immensely funny! Swishbrade ah, you're hilarious. On a more serious note and one related to the topic :becky: ,thanks for the tips on photo taking.

[Jen]

My job as a moderator in another forum requires me to delete off-topic posts but here, I think that would be my fastest ride to a cold nite on the sofa...:rain:

aiyoh, mr swishbrade...another off topic comment for now...on a warm night, the cold nite on the sofa may not be so bad lah...ha ha...anyway, thought if you needed help to get closer to your 699 posts and whatever that freebie maybe...you can count on me...just reply lor...ha ha.

back to topic. by the way, mr. swishbrade here shoots well...i mean photos! so thanks for the helpful tips.

[luv2scrap]

if anyone were tasked with deleting OT posts on this forum they'd be kept terribly busy! see! another OT post!

[ffellie]

haha you are right, susan! it won't be an easy task!

[esther]

in a serious attempt to go back to topic, does glossy photo give more glare in the lo photo? I used to do 8.5x11 and always scan to upload. since doing 12x12 i seldom post them

[esther]

I love taking scenery photos, but i think scrapbooking works better with photos of people...

i did a whole mini album with scenery photos, no ppl. it's one of my favourites

[Sharon K]

hey, may I know do you use flash to take pics of your LOs? I see some of your pics posted at Gallery was nicely "cropped" and posted, whereas mine usually hv excess by the sides.... how can I improve?

[Avina]

You can use the photo program to crop it first
but i have found that the point and shoots give lousy photos
dslrs give superb closeup shots
am saving up for one!

[mly2906]

Some cameras, like mine, has a function for taking document shots.
It will automatically adjust and crop the picture to the LO.

[Sharon K]

Some cameras, like mine, has a function for taking document shots.
It will automatically adjust and crop the picture to the LO.

what brand/model is your camera? I'm using a Canon Ixus 60 ...

[luv2scrap]

Some cameras, like mine, has a function for taking document shots.
It will automatically adjust and crop the picture to the LO.

Cool! What camera is that?

[mly2906]

It's Casio Exilim. I was so thrilled when I found this function accidentally :P

[methedear]

hmmms try the macro function? according to the guy its suppose to be good for taking words! :D

[elvi]

in a serious attempt to go back to topic, does glossy photo give more glare in the lo photo? I used to do 8.5x11 and always scan to upload. since doing 12x12 i seldom post them

To revive this topic as i noticed some questions have been left unanswered... ...

True. Glossy photos will have more glare than matte ones.

But matte ones will still have glare.

The best thing to do is to still make sure your light source is not directly opposite your photo on your LO. :)

[elvi]

hey, may I know do you use flash to take pics of your LOs? I see some of your pics posted at Gallery was nicely "cropped" and posted, whereas mine usually hv excess by the sides.... how can I improve?

Picassa is really easy to use and can be downloaded for free. :)
http://picassa.google.com

[Sharon K]

Picassa is really easy to use and can be downloaded for free. :)
http://picassa.google.com

Thanks, have already downloaded picassa and yes, its very user friendly :)

But I'm still trying to figure out how to print 6-8 small pics onto a postcard size photo (4R) using the Canon Selphy Printer... do we set it from the camera or printer or on PC har?? Anyone any idea?

[swishbrade]

But I'm still trying to figure out how to print 6-8 small pics onto a postcard size photo (4R) using the Canon Selphy Printer... do we set it from the camera or printer or on PC har?? Anyone any idea?

You have to set it in your PC. While I dont think you are able to do it under the standard windows print functions, you can probably try to do it by pasting, re-sizing and arranging the photos onto a 4R-sized document in Microsoft Office Word. It won't be the last word in sharpness and colour rendition but for such small pictures, the difference will not be very noticeable at all:becky:

[yixitan]

hey avina,

What point and shoot are you using? and what DSLR are you using? the mega pixels could be different.

sometimes could be also the settings.......even for a normal point and shoot there are certain settings to be set that cannot be ignore.. like white balance and ISO settings....(let me know if you are blurred out by what i'm saying)

if you are talking about quality...sometimes the photo size you set could affect the quality. Sometimes the picture size you set is too small...and when you use it in an enlarged situation.....everything gets pixellized.

For focusing issue.......most camera have those half press on the shutter function....which when you do the half press....the camera will focus in and out to find the focus point.....what you could do is do the half press(without pressing down fully first), the camera doing the focusing before finally pressing fully....it might help with the focusing..

but of course there are many other factors...

[Avina]

i was using the ixus last time when I posted the question. Now have a dslr Nikon D60 (i think). Haha...

Haven't been scrapping until recently so now waiting for good day light to take photos of the LOs. But thanks for the tips!

[yixitan]

i think taking great photos are just as important to having good layouts...

anyway ixus cameras are quite good....i think its very much the settings...

good luck anyway...

[Anne-Marie]

Originally Posted by wuling http://www.madewithlove.com.sg/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.madewithlove.com.sg/forum/showthread.php?p=56609#post56609)
I love how your layouts always manage to turn out bright and the colours are vivid.
I can't seem to adjust the lighting right using the manual PNS under daylight, and my layouts always turn out crooked!:doh:

PS: It doesn't help that the only function I know in Adobe Photoshop is cropping! LOL

[Anne-Marie]

Wuling,

What settings do you use on your PNS when taking pics of your LOs? Fully manual?

[mly2906]

Thanks, have already downloaded picassa and yes, its very user friendly :)

But I'm still trying to figure out how to print 6-8 small pics onto a postcard size photo (4R) using the Canon Selphy Printer... do we set it from the camera or printer or on PC har?? Anyone any idea?

Sharon, I always do this using Picassa, with the "collage" button which you can find at the bottom.

[mly2906]

Originally Posted by wuling http://www.madewithlove.com.sg/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.madewithlove.com.sg/forum/showthread.php?p=56609#post56609)
I love how your layouts always manage to turn out bright and the colours are vivid.
I can't seem to adjust the lighting right using the manual PNS under daylight, and my layouts always turn out crooked!:doh:

PS: It doesn't help that the only function I know in Adobe Photoshop is cropping! LOL

I always take my LO near the window with good daylight. Then I use Picassa to adjust the colour by simply using the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button.

Dunno how to fix the crooked part although I used to own a Casio digital cam which can automatically straighten the photo when I use the "document" mode. But my Olympus digital cam & Canon DSLR don't seem to have this function.

[Anne-Marie]

I place my LO on the floor and stand directly over it. You've got to make sure your light is coming at an angle though, and not directly overhead. :) Try to line the edge of your LO with the edge of the frame when looking thru the viewfinder and HOLD STILL while shooting. :) Hehe.. this is easier said than done and sometimes I still use the 'rotate canvas' function in Photoshop. :)

[stinkydudette]

haha... that's what i do too...

i align my LO along the tiles on the floor as a guide. i keep the LO within the frame as much as possible. and crop the rest!

[Sharon K]

I place my LO on the floor and stand directly over it. You've got to make sure your light is coming at an angle though, and not directly overhead. :) Try to line the edge of your LO with the edge of the frame when looking thru the viewfinder and HOLD STILL while shooting. :) Hehe.. this is easier said than done and sometimes I still use the 'rotate canvas' function in Photoshop. :)

haha, sometimes by 'holding still', I also hold my breathe :madgrin: !!

[Anne-Marie]

haha, sometimes by 'holding still', I also hold my breathe :madgrin: !!

Hehe... I'm sure that helps!! :)