Help from above

Here is your photo tip #2 for taking better pictures of people.  First a disclaimer: I don't profess to being a professional photographer, just a pretty decent amateur and only a decent amateur when it comes to pictures of people.  Maybe that is because I get the most pleasure out of taking those kinds of pictures.  So, what I hope to tell you about are the things I have learned that helped me even though they are by no means rocket science!

We all have family get togethers or go to parties where everyone wants their pictures taken together and everyone lines up in front of you and hands you their camera.   Well, if you are vertically challenged like me, you are almost certainly shorter than the people you are photographing unless they are children.  I am 5'5" but wear pretty flat shoes. So, even women my height, if they have on heels tower above me.  The thing is that people just look better if you take their picture from even slightly above their eye level.  So, when I had my husband take this picture of my daughter and me on Mother's Day, I opted for making us look better for the impromptu picture rather than having a more interesting background.  He stood on the porch which is a couple of steps up from us.  Even though it is not completely obvious to the viewer of the picture that is the angle from which it was taken, you can notice the slight differences.  Since you are looking up, your eyes open a little bit more and you stretch out your neck slightly (my neck could have used more help-but he wasn't willing to get on the roof!) and well, lets face it, you can't see the bottom of our nostrils, which would improve just about anyone's portrait!

Aha!  You thought maybe I would show you a picture to compare this one to where we looked awful?  Sorry, I am way too vain for that and my only daughter would not be happy about that at all!  I will show you an example that is not that dramatic from some people who are much less vain than us (and less likely to read this blog).  Even though it is not dramatic, I think you will be able to tell the difference in one picture being more flattering than another.  See the comparison of the two photos below.  I invite your comments about whether or not you agree with me.  

Do you see how their eyes look larger and there is a sweet innocence about the 2nd picture?  The first picture is good and it is playful because their affection for one another just jumps out at you, but I believe the 2nd picture captures their youth and sweet spirits more than the one at the top.  Tell me what you think.  As I said, I could have used more dramatic examples, but I am not going to post an unattractive picture of anyone and I hope everyone returns the favor!  Happy picture taking folks!  It is the time for graduations, weddings, summer holidays, family reunions, and vacations.  If you can, STAND UP on something to take the pictures of the people you love, but if you can't do that, try having them sit down.  I promise you will be happier with the results.