Tuesday 4 March 2014

Tips for Taking Portrait Photographs

Have you ever felt the need of reworking on your photography skills? At times, when people go through some of their old snapshots, they realize that they might have clicked them in much better ways. It is also quite disappointing when someone asks to take a picture and you end up disappointing the person with a bad portrait image. For taking good pictures, it is not necessary to have expensive camera, artificial lights and photo gears to create a favorable atmosphere. You just need right skills, proper utilization of the device along with attention paid to direction of lighting and you are ready to go.
Focusing on Subject –
Photography is a thoughtful process combined with technical skills such as using the right frame, lenses and direction of light. The main concern in portrait photography is the ‘subject’. Until you realize the fact that it is the subject that matters, not the photographer, you will not be able to get perfect click from your camera. If you want to state this point as a rule, it might not be wrong. Leading professional photographers shared their experience with us and in the end concluded that portrait image is all about making your subject feel comfortable. There should be good chemistry and synchronization between the two. It is not at all about the photographer. Subject often feel uncomfortable while facing camera, it is your objective to ease them. Along with that cooperation between photographer and subject is also very important.
Direction of light –
You have to be a little more careful about the lighting. If you are going to shoot portrait on a bright sunny day, it could be a little difficult for the subject to focus on the camera. The idea of this kind of photography is to make them feel comfortable. You can use reflectors in order to fill the shadow underneath their eyes. If you are going to shoot indoors, try to combine
outdoor light with the camera flash lights. It will give an amazing effect.
Choosing Location –
A number of beginners ignore location while focusing entirely on their subject. Location for a subject must be neutral. It should neither be too loud nor too dull. A big open space would serve as a perfect background for portraits. If you don’t have one, you can ask your subject to choose location themselves after all it’s all about them! It will make them feel comfortable and help you in clicking right shots.  
Using Props –
Instead of appealing your subject to look directly into the camera, you can give them a prop and ask them to get engage with it. It gives you spontaneity factor. While they will be engaged with their prop, you will do amazing rounds of clicking some beautiful pictures of our subject.
Posing Tips –
You can either ask your subject to look into camera and click their photos or leave it on them to pose differently. You can always suggest them how to pose. You can take different shots out from one single pose. Medium shots, full body shots or close up shots; any of these shots your subject likes.

Above quoted tips on portrait photography will help you to polish your photography skills and you would be able to take stunning shots. 

Friday 21 February 2014

Essential Photography Tips from Professional Photographer

Gone are the days when photography meant to be first and last attempt. It used to be a random click without considering other important factors. Modern photography has several advantages. Digitalization has brought a pool of changes which with photographers feel blessed. Light setting, contrast, color balance, portrait images, camera; these choices help in creating perfect pictures. With a good features camera and a personal computer, you can create beautiful pictures. Of course, you will also need some set of professional skills to take exceptionally good pictures. If you have a vision to capture right image at the right time, you can be a good photographer.   

wedding photography

Photography as Profession
Photography has influenced people so much so that a lot of people are taking it as their full time profession. Photography is a form of art and expression. A photographer showcases his art through photographs, like writers express their feelings through words and painters through painting. To become a professional photographer, you need to know camera functionality along with technical skills and creativity. By working on the basics, you can turn out to be a good photographer someday. Photography career is not restricted to editorial photo shoot or product shoot.
An image influences people’s thought process that is why photo shoot for a magazine or newspaper is given so much of importance. It has advanced to fashion photography, engagement and wedding photography as well. It is an idea of storytelling and people like it as one of the profession. A picture speaks a thousand words. A picture speaks a thousand words and influences thought process. People want picture perfect image for every occasion which is why photography career has become one of the blooming careers.

Some Picture Perfect tips –
To master the business of photography, you need to pay attention to some basic rules of picture clicking which will enable you to provide beautiful picture.

Studying the Aperture – This is the most basic thing that a blooming photographer should learn before holding a camera in his hand. Aperture is an opening which allows light to pass through the sensors. Wider the opening, more light will pass through, whereas narrow opening will allow very less light to pass through. Use of aperture is restricted to the type of image you are going to take. For portrait images, it is recommended by professionals to use wider aperture. For landscape images, use it is advisable to use narrow aperture.

Use a Correct Frame – Framing and cropping are other important components of perfect photography. If you use a wrong frame with right aperture, you will hardly get perfect images. With the help of viewfinder, one of the good feature find in many good cameras, you can adjust your frames and accordingly set the frame to take a picture. With the help of cropping option, you can set the background and click a beautiful picture.

Use of Direction of Light – Most of the photographers use artificial light to get good image. Light effects can make your image look dull or bright depending on how you use it. If your subject is looking dull in the camera, using bright light, you can make it look bright and good. Along with this, utilization of direction of light in the correct manner is also very important. If you happen to choose daytime for a photo shoot, never use your subject directly against the sunlight. Either, use the direction of sunlight hitting your subject sideways. This will create a special effect without hampering your subject.

By learning these essential tips, you will sure to hit the right note by clicking the picture perfect images for every occasion. To become a professional photographer, start working on these tips and make your dream come true. 

Monday 10 February 2014

How to Choose a Photographer for your Wedding | Wedding Photography

Wedding is the most special day in one’s life and there is so much emotional value attached to it. The vows, the dress, the venue, the people, the beginning of a new life, the companionship with your partner, the menu, the programs, and the list will go on. Every man and woman wants it to be memorable and cherish the moments forever. Capturing these moments should be entrusted only on a professional wedding photographer.

Wedding Photography

Picking the Wedding Photographer
Coming to the crucial quest, how to look for the best professional who will give you satisfying results? The answer is simple; you will have to look for him. Now with the omnipresent internet it is not too hard to search and contact someone from the umpteen numbers of lists you get after hitting a single button. But, how will you know about his works? For example, if you are looking for Toronto photographer sitting in Whitby, you can go through the portfolios of wedding photographers’ and see their wedding galleries. This is the easiest and relevant ways of getting a head start.
Does He Serve your Venue Area?
Next up is the charges and finding if at all the photographer serves in your area, i.e. if you are looking for wedding photography Toronto you have to customize your search. In case you are planning a destination wedding venue in Toronto, you should ask the photographer if he has done such assignment before and what are the arrangements he would organize. It is more likely that a Toronto photographer will know best about the lighting conditions and be able to plan the photography sessions accordingly.
Charges and Type of Photography
Every photographer is an artist and has his signature style in clicking photographs. Ask to see his special works and assignments and notice essential things like the brightness, clarity, and expertise in using tools like Photoshop, the choreography of the event and attention to detail.
You may also inquire about preference of any wedding ideas or suggestions from the photographer that would add a special touch to the occasion, like a color theme or any other theme based wedding preparations so you could inform the venue in charge about it.
Last but not the least; you should have an idea about the charges and what he needs from you. For example, many wedding photographers put up near the venue at the client’s expense and that includes the food and travel. This task becomes easy if you have websites like Markus Staleyphotography where all the information is mentioned explicitly in one place.
Remember one thing before getting on with the tips on getting the best wedding photographer though, apart from engaging an expert for the purpose, you can also talk to him about what you have in mind and ask if that is possible. Yes, we mean customized service.

Wedding preparations are explicit and demands lot of time as you need to look into small details, so it is better to start looking for your wedding photographer well in advance. Hope these tips would help you in doing that and prepare yourself to get captured forever in your happy moments.

Friday 7 February 2014

How to Choose a Photographer for your Wedding?

Wedding is the most special day in one’s life and there is so much emotional value attached to it. The vows, the dress, the venue, the people, the beginning of a new life, the companionship with your partner, the menu, the programs, and the list will go on. Every man and woman wants it to be memorable and cherish the moments forever. Capturing these moments should be entrusted only on a professional wedding photographer.
Picking the Wedding Photographer
Coming to the crucial quest, how to look for the best professional who will give you satisfying results? The answer is simple; you will have to look for him. Now with the omnipresent internet it is not too hard to search and contact someone from the umpteen numbers of lists you get after hitting a single button. But, how will you know about his works? For example, if you are looking for Toronto photographer sitting in Whitby, you can go through the portfolios of wedding photographers’ and see their wedding galleries. This is the easiest and relevant ways of getting a head start.
Does He Serve your Venue Area?
Next up is the charges and finding if at all the photographer serves in your area, i.e. if you are looking for wedding photography Toronto you have to customize your search. In case you are planning a destination wedding venue in Toronto, you should ask the photographer if he has done such assignment before and what are the arrangements he would organize. It is more likely that a Toronto photographer will know best about the lighting conditions and be able to plan the photography sessions accordingly.
Charges and Type of Photography
Every photographer is an artist and has his signature style in clicking photographs. Ask to see his special works and assignments and notice essential things like the brightness, clarity, and expertise in using tools like Photoshop, the choreography of the event and attention to detail.
You may also inquire about preference of any wedding ideas or suggestions from the photographer that would add a special touch to the occasion, like a color theme or any other theme based wedding preparations so you could inform the venue in charge about it.
Last but not the least; you should have an idea about the charges and what he needs from you. For example, many wedding photographers put up near the venue at the client’s expense and that includes the food and travel. This task becomes easy if you have websites like Markus Staleyphotography where all the information is mentioned explicitly in one place.
Remember one thing before getting on with the tips on getting the best wedding photographer though, apart from engaging an expert for the purpose, you can also talk to him about what you have in mind and ask if that is possible. Yes, we mean customized service.

Wedding preparations are explicit and demands lot of time as you need to look into small details, so it is better to start looking for your wedding photographer well in advance. Hope these tips would help you in doing that and prepare yourself to get captured forever in your happy moments.

For More detail visit : http://markusstaleyphotography.com/

Thursday 30 January 2014

Engagement Photography 101: How to make the most of your pre-wedding photo shoots by markus staley

After months of courtship when the two have reached to a certain level of comfort with each other, he usually pops the question to her surprise (mostly already contemplated by the would-bride). And she soon gives her approval for it and the two get ready for a union of a lifetime through nuptial ceremonies. Your weddings are always a great source of happiness and celebrations for one and all related with you. The onset of which usually starts with a ceremonial engagement. With all those mammoth preparations and arrangements that go into making a successful wedding event, a major part of it will be rendered incomplete for the loss of good engagement photography.

An Oshawa engagement photographer opines that engagements are a pretext to great pre-wedding photographs. Simply because on their wedding day, the couple would be more engrossed in their marriage ceremonies and not be quite always the available for a candid shot! Marked as a great starting point for the wedding, engagement photography is a smart way of showing off your personality as a couple and as an individual. These pictures are best put to use amidst a plethora of occasions like showers, parties, rehearsal dinners, wedding reception and then later the entire life.

Tip 1 : Stick to YOU - as a couple as well as individual selves. Let your personality come forth in the images. In the sense, most couples have certain common traits or likings which they can most certainly incorporate in their shoots. So the picture could be of two contrasting individuals or one couple with a common liking. Since these pictures will find their way even onto your social sites, they are a best way of stressing your personality to the viewers.

Tip 2 : Create MOMENTS - since this is a pre-wedding shoot, both the individuals will have enough time to invest in the photo shoot. Creating moments is not a child’s play nor is capturing them. Have themes set aside. Favorite food, favorite activity, favorite recreation, family gathering, close friends coming over, etc. all these can be arranged in the perfect lighting and décor. That screams of an opportunity to click candid shots for an engagement photographer.

Tip 3 : Go Destination-Style - pick spots, exotic locations, consider having a lifestyle shoot. Favorite locales, native places, wine valleys, etc. all these are a great option for a fabulous outdoor shoot. Share a story with the viewers in successive images. Natural lighting is the best to capture in. Sunrises, sunsets, go the natural scenery way. This way the couple gets an occasion to better connect with each other.

Tip 4 : Lights, Make-up and Posing - be sure to take expert help in these departments. Because these aren’t your regular pictures, they will be held close to heart for a lifetime; so why not look and style and dress the best? Do a little background research on the art of posing; get your makeup done by a professional. Remember, you gotta put your best foot forward honey!

Wednesday 29 January 2014

How to Select Destination Wedding Photographers?

Weddings have always been one of the most special events in a person’s life and people want to commemorate it in the most spectacular ways. Apart from engaging professional photographers and video makers, many are opting for offbeat wedding photography. Destination weddings are the in thing today for getting the perfect setting for the event to take place. Naturally scenic and picturesque places like Whitby, which is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, become a natural choice for many couples to select it as venue for their big day. This trend is giving rise to destination wedding photography in Whitby too.

The wedding rituals and celebration ways have gone through a major change over the years. Many couples choose different styles in which they wish to get married (theme-based weddings) where the evolution trend in Europe for saying “I do” was seeing a remarkable decline. But, now people are choosing to get married and that too in a lavish manner. Having an offbeat wedding is a dream for many and they start planning for it from long.


Selecting Destination Wedding Photographer

Having a professional who understands your requirements and is able to deliver results is the most satisfying experience one can have. For getting hold of one such photographer you need to dedicate some time in searching for him. The following tips for searching for a destination wedding photographer will help you if you have just started your search :


  • Search online for local photographers and check their websites, galleries, archives section to get an idea as to what they do and how they do it. This is a great way to start your ground work

  • Many off-beat wedding photographers choreograph the photo sessions, i.e. they organize people in certain formations and create the perfect setting for the click-moment

  • Some photographers also give you a dress color code to make the entire event dramatic and guess what? It works. This is especially rewarding if you are opting for a theme based wedding

  • Try to get reviews and references as engaging a professional photographer to cover your destination wedding can burn a hole in your pocket. See if you can strike a good bargain or know what includes in the package

  • The next step is to contact the photographer and talk about their experience of shooting in your particular venue. This would make a difference as he will be likely to know the practical issues that may arise
Markus Staley is the man you can trust if you are looking for a destination wedding photographer in Whitby to capture your or your friend’s D day.

Destination Wedding Photography in Richmond Hill

Wedding! It brings a lot of emotions in people's minds. One of the most happening and memorable day for you. It is as many say, the beginning of a new life altogether and rightfully so. So many things associated with it: happiness, companionship, responsibility, love, care, respect, sensitivity, having someone to fall back on, a partner who will stand by in your good times and bad. So, the wedding day should obviously be captured in the most spectacular way! Wedding photographer, Markus Staley is an expert in destination weddings in Toronto extending his services in Richmond Hill. It is not just his work but a hobby too to capture and convert photographs into amazing memories.





Photography is the most innovative and fantasy filled invention of all times. It takes you back to the past and gives you a chance to relive those moments and experience those emotions that you once enjoyed and cherished but the tact in doing that lies in the expertise of the photographer. Weddings are emotional and hence special; the photographers need to just know how to go about taking pictures, working on making it perfect using their tools and producing beautiful results. Wedding photographers are trained and also have the knack of making the captures special.

How does the Photographer's Expertise Matter?

The photographers know when and which ritual is going to take place and is prepared to capture the shot which will happen only once without a retake! A novice or amateur photographer might miss out on these small aspects. For example, in case of destination wedding photography one of the most important and concerning factors is the lighting conditions at the venue. Similarly if one has expertise in portrait photography he knows how to highlight which features and how. A beauty in a portrait is all in hands of the portrait photographer and not the muse per se.With the current fad and rise in destination weddings at different scenic places couples and families are venturing into specialized services at the venue and photography is big amongst them. After all it is how the memories are captured forever of the special day that you will remember all your life.

Destination wedding photographer Markus Staley knows just how to do it and enhance the most attractive thing in the venue setting and the moment. With a long list of happy people he invariably ends up creating and presenting them something that means a lot to those people. Destination weddings are still an upcoming thing in Richmond Hill and Markus Staley is providing his services there.