My First Photo Shoot
I finally have some pictures to post of someone other than my kids. This past weekend the family and I went to the Dallas Arboretum to take engagement photos of Jacyln & Gerald. It was my first attempt at doing a live shoot and I’m glad they gave me the opportunity to photography them. After 10 years of being married, it’s fun to look at the pictures my wife and I took, so I didn’t take the task they charged me with lightly.
My wife was a great assistant and helped a lot, but my son who refused to take a nap earlier, decided 30 minutes into the shoot that now was a good time. But she was prepared for that and handled the situation while I kept going.
As always, I like to share what I learned, so here goes:
- Pay attention to the details. The arboretum was really busy that way, so I had to pay attention to what (or who) was in the background. I was constantly having to stop or reposition myself because of people walking by. There’s a lot you have to consider when taking outdoor photos, but I think I managed it well.
- It helps to have an assistant. My wife was able to catch things I missed. She made sure they were looking right, which allowed me to focus on composition and finding good spots to shoot.
- You really do need a flash outdoors. I used to wonder why photographers had flashes outdoors. The pictures where I didn’t use one had a lot of shadows and came out dark. I learned I need a lesson on flash photography and lighting.
- When outdoors, bring water and something for sweat. Because of the kids, we had drinks, but I wouldn’t have had one if I were on my own. It was hot that day and there was no cloud cover at all.
- Have a couple of planned out posed shots to start off. It was slow in the beginning, but things got easier as we went on. There was a lot of potential for some really good pictures, but the time went by fast. Guess I have to save them for later.
- Having a photogenic couple helps. When I was looking through the full set of photos, their smiles and expression were so natural. But that’s the way it is when you’re in love. They made my job a lot easier.
It was a great first time experience for me and we’ll see if there are more to come. Here are just a couple of the ones I took. I’d like comments on the photos. Any advice or tips are welcome. Enjoy!
