Thanksgiving is approaching, there is no better way than to record this precious memory with a camera. If you plan to take some family photos, please consider the following useful photography tips to help you take the best Thanksgiving photos.
Equipment for Photography
Choose a professional camera, DSLR or mirrorless camera, so you can capture higher quality images. If you need to take a group photo, a tripod is a good helper. When the indoor lighting cloth is too ideal, you can also prepare an external flash.
Plan Your Shot
You may have considered several themes, including delicious turkey, gorgeous table setting and your family. List the themes and arrange them in order. For example, you need to take a picture of a table before the guest arrives, and prioritize taking a snapshot of the turkey after it leaves the oven. For photos of individual foods, list the type of photos you want to obtain (eg whole, cut, taken out of the oven, etc.).
Optimize Lighting
Lighting can definitely improve or ruin your photos. Ensure sufficient light, whether artificial or natural. If you can control the color and temperature of the room lighting, be sure to choose soft lighting to ensure that the photo is properly exposed. You can even use some light bulbs or candles to help illuminate food and people's faces. It is always ideal to take photos with natural light to obtain realistic images that preserve the mood and tone of the moment. If the natural light is not ideal, an external flash can help.
Take Advantage of HDR
HDR is ideal for indoor shooting, enhancing the light and dark areas in the frame to achieve the best exposure without the need for additional lighting. You can use the camera's auto bracketing function to manually shoot multiple images to create HDR images. If possible, use a tripod to ensure that there is no movement or change between images.
Shoot from a Higher Point
Usually, on Thanksgiving Day, people have a meal together, this is from the point of view of the eye. However, capturing these objects from a vantage point above eye level will eliminate your frame of unnecessary elements and will generally produce more attractive shots. To take photos from this vantage point, you can stand on a chair to take photos or use an elevated tripod.
Document Family Moment
To make your photos even more special, be sure to capture the traditions that make your annual Thanksgiving celebration unique. For photography beginner, you can take photos of the food on the table every year. Maybe you have a special tablecloth or cutlery set that you only use during Thanksgiving. You may even have other family traditions, such as gift giving and turkey carving. Include these in your shooting list and keep an eye out for other precious moments that can be captured on the camera.
Use Props
Although not required, props can bring some unique effects to your images. For example, using photography backdrops, which can not only create different shooting background, but also be used as a tablecloth or carpet as a holiday decoration. Add some small decorations such as balloons and ribbons, the festive atmosphere will be added a bit.
