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3 Tips for Better Holiday Pictures...

3 Tips for better Holiday pictures...

Tis the season to take Holiday pictures and share them with your ActiveRain friends and family. Here are a few tips that I have learned over my 30 years behind the lens to have you shooting like the pro you knew you were.

#1 - Use manual settings on your D-SLR. I prefer to use Aperture Priority settings. Set the aperture to the maximum f-stop (smallest number) you have. Depending upon the lens this will generally be f 5.4 or f 4.5. This will open the iris to allow maximum light into the camera sensor. Using Program or Auto setting will use a combination of shutter and aperture settings to get the results. Too small an aperture along with too much shutter time will make your shots grainy or allow in too much light which will ruin the shot.

#2 - Use manual focus. Many D-SLR's have problems focusing on dim lights. Don't leave your pictures to chance. Manually focus your shots for best results.

#3 - Use a good tripod. Good tripods have come down in price over the years. No matter how steady a hand you have, you cannot hold a camera still for over 1/8th of a second. After that, your shots will be blurred.

By using these 3 tips and a little practice, you too will be shooting like a pro in no time. Good luck...

Downtown Franklin, TN.

Christmas tree on the square in downtown Franklin, TN

Looking down Main Street, downtown Franklin, TN

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Posted by Michael Thornton - Nashville, TN area Home Inspector - 615.661.0297 on 12/19/2009 07:17 AM

Comments (125)

Photography Tips for Real Estate Professionals in the ActiveRain Channel

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Originally posted at: Michael's View: 3 Tips for Better Holiday Pictures...

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125 Comments on 3 Tips for Better Holiday Pictures...

DEC

2009

We have to laugh in our family....there is that collection of prom pictures with our date's heads cut off...none of us are really photographers....but the memories are still there...with or without heads !

Michael,

Nice photos and good advice.

I finally broke down and bought a tripod. A nice one. Craigslist is my friend!

Now, to try to get some night photos like I have wanted to.

I've yet to get over the fear of walking around with a tripod, haha.

Great tips Michael! I took photography from elementary school through senior year in high school. I always turn my digital camera into manual when I need it. It's less frustrating. Most people I know that have digital cameras, do not have the option to play with f-stops. I miss the good ol' days of real SLR cameras and developing my own film :)

GOOD MORNING MICHAEL! Just what I was thinking of when I took pictures at my daughter's choir concert. A dimly lite room- I left the camera on "auto" - but all the pictures still came out - dark! I still can't figure this out - but appreciate the tips! -- Gabrielle

Michael,

I can attest to those tips. I often use the "M" manual setting for shaded, indoor, or night shots. Good advice. :)

Steve

Very nice and easy to use tips. Will try over the holiday season

Thanks for your post

Tony

Michael....you photos are beautiful.....I couldn't do that if I had too!!!

Michael,

I always wondered what the dang F stop did. Now I know. I have another question, My wife has played with a Nikon D40 and likes it. She wants a "good" camera to take better shots with than her pocket Pentax.

What would be a good camera for her to start or grow into?

Michael... You do take a beautiful photograph. I will try to see if I can do that. My camera is probably not as great as yours. I do not know if I can do things manually or not. I will give it the old college try though! :-)

ToulaRosebrock,com

Hi Michael:

Great points.

When I shot with my 35MM, I always used the Manual settings.

Number 1 for me, is BUY a new camera!

When I used to use manual focus, my pictures always came out fuzzy. Who knew I needed glasses for distance :-)

Thanks for the tips and the great photos Michael. Have a good weekend and a wonderful Christmas

Thanks for the tips...Hope you have a great weekend!

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas

S & D, Ouch, headless torsors, EEEW...

Mike, good luck...

Steve, After tripping a few time, you'll learn...

Jackie, I know what you mean. I progressed from an EM to a F2, F3, F4 to my present D-SLR. I did my own B&W developing...

Gabrielle, Your situation may be a little different as you are working with moving bodies. In your case, a good telephoto flash will work wonders...

Steve, I do use the "M" settings myself. For novices, "A" settings are the easiest as it takes out part of the equation...

Tony, Good luck...

Barbara, it is not as difficult as it seems...

Michael, D-40's are okay. I am using an ancient D-50 to take my shots. It isn't so much the camera as it is on knowing how to use it...

Sarah, Good luck...

Toula, I hope to be able to purchase a newer camera next year. Let's hope that the real estate market will open up...

Michael...

And one other thing ... rain is bad during the day but AWESOME at night. These are great shots and you are right on the money with your advice.

Oh, Michael,

Just Greek to this point-and-click camerawoman! That's okay because I have no expectation of getting the beautiful shots you do; when a fluke occurs, I'm thrilled.

How long did it take to hose down those streets to prepare to capture those lovely reflections? Thanks for sharing

Michael - A couple of days ago, I had set my camera to automatic to take many pictures (over 120) over the space of a few short minutes outside for a once in a lifetime event outside in freezing cold weather. I was quite horrified to find that my thick ski glove had somehow bumped the automatic setting to manual setting and I found I had taken the vast majority of the pictures with a 1/15 second shutter speed.

Michael, great photos! I'm still learning, and need to sign up for the free photography classes that came with my camera. Or spend a day just experiementing.

Where are all the people in your photos? I love it that there's no one in them!

Hey Michael, great tips, timely posted! Love the look of downtown Franklin!

Richard, LOL, You are right on that one. There was a light sprinkle at 5:30 this morning. The conditions were almost perfect...

Irene, I used to think this was Greek too...

Hank, I got lucky. The rain kept up during the night. The reflections do add to the composition which is a bonus...

Marc, I hate when that happens... Note to self, take gloves off when adjusting camera...

Melissa, thanks. I find that trial and error will teach you more than anything. This way you learn what to do and what not to do. Digital film is cheap - LOL

A&P, I love downtown Franklin too. Great blend of the old and new...

I REALLY wished I saw this post before my kids Christmas show at school last night. Your evening photos are terrific.

Is that moisture on top of that camera...first thing that got my attention. Good pointers and need images that put viewer on Main Street that you serve. With action inside photography, whole different approach. The last ten minutes of a day and sunset with long light rays, shadows, contrasts is a neat time to "capture" too. Thanks for the post to improve imagery we all rely on.

houlton maine basketball

Thanks for the good tips Michael, you take great pic's.

Hi Michael,

Your pictures are always so clear and sharp! I love your street shots of Franklin~what a lovely town. Thanks for your advice..great tips.

Congratulations Michael on Getting your post featured by ActiveRain. I am delighted to have our group members being featured. All featured posts on ActiveRain deserve our our Merit Awards so I am attaching your award ribbon and hope to see it soon on the post.

Congratulations Again, Good Job Michael!

Michael - The pictures of downtown Franklin were super. Now that i know your secrets, maybe i can take some great shots.

WOW Michael, That's what I meant to do when I took mine. Someday I will get a good camera and have the patience to take photos like these, though not without lots of practice. Great tutorial. Excellent photos!

I have learned so much from your photo tips...thanks so much for sharing. Also, your 3 pix of the area are absolutely nostalgic!

Beautiful pics and great advice, too bad I only have a little Cannon sure shot camera, but I will try some of your ideas!

Michael, congratulations on receiving the PhotoBloggers' blue ribbon. Great lessons. I bought a camera "stick" to use instead of a tripod, but haven't used it yet. Do you think that will get good pictures without having to use my big tripod? Happy Holidays, and thanks for sharing such great photos.

Michael,

Thanks for the How-To. Now all I need is Santa to bring me a really nice camera. LOL You always offer some great help sir.

BTW, Nice fotos of downtown Franklin

I have been using a Kodac V570 point & shoot because of the dual extra wide angle lens. It is great for getting the whole room in one shot, and wonderful most of the time! But when the subject has low light levels, it can be dispointing results. So I am considering purchasing a new camera that does well in both situations.

I would still like it to be simple to use, but need as wide angle as possible.

Any suggestions?

Michael,

Those are some beautiful pictures. They look like they should be on the front of a Christmas card!

hich brand camera is your favorite now and why? Is Wynonna near your area? I have a family member atending MTSU and he loves it so far!

Michael ~ Great tips...and I LOVE your downtown....

Love the night time photos! I'm just getting to know my Canon 50D and having a lot of fun with the manual settings...now to get the shot of the kids, at night, wrapped in Christmas lights..definitely a tripod situation! Thanks for the advice!

Or, an even better solution is to buy a $100 digital camera, set it to "night" and then shoot the photo. It is absolutely a gigantic waste of money for average people to buy these crazy-expensive digital SLRs. Showing off to your friends is childish, and there is no way you are going to be able to take advantage of the in-depth tools offered. (And just because you own a pro camera, doesn't make you a professional photographer. Get a grip!

Michael - most of my D-40 is still pure confusion to me - half of the time I get a messge saying subject too dark - in bright day light and the picture comes out white - as in over, over exposed. Sigh. I need to try to figure this out soon! maybe I can take more time in the next couple of weeks... ~Rita

Michael,

Great shots and thanks for the tips. I have always felt that my skill level is not good enough to make the right manual choices. I plan to try them out over the holidays.

Michael- not bad for a home inspector.

I love your pictures, Christmas is my favorite time of teh year ~ so long as i dont have to go to a mall.

Beautiful photos. Years ago I knew all the stuff you mentioned. Guess it is time to relearn with a new camera.

Thanks for the tips. I am working on becoming a better photgrapher and will use them. Your pictures are great.

Michael - great tips for us budding photographers,and your beautiful photos reflect it. My little Kodak is good for me since I don't have to do much...but of courses the qulaiuty if not there. I can't use my Canon SLR becuase the viewfinder is shot. Bummer.

Jeff

Michael - Good advice.... Is that water on your camra settings there??? I use my flip video camera tripod for night shots.... works great and so small...
So I don't have to carry along a big old tripod like steve has a problem with... lol

Thanks Michael for the beautiful pictures. They are postcard/Christmas card perfect and display not only results from a great camera but skill of the user. Well deserved Blue Ribbon and great tips. Alas, I also use the Kodak v570 point and click wide angle and it takes useable photos but I need to see if I get better at figuring out and using some manual settings.

Comment #26 of the basketball game is also impressive.

Sue of Robin and Sue

Well you just taught me something :) and I think I got it this time. Nothing better than as soon as you are done reading - like this post - grab the camera and play with it. Now I'm ready to tackle the night photos this evening! Will report back later...

Oh this was my test subject...

cat in the sink

Hi Michael~ I have take a few great photos, but they were by accident! Thanks for the tips!

Great pictures. If you teach the class I will come.

Michael, love the photos you included in your post - they are beautiful! Thanks for the camera tips. I love photography but just don't seem to have the time to devote to it like I want to. Merry Christmas!

Hi Michael -- Exceptional photos. I took a couple of photography classes this year offered by professionals and it was amazing how much I learned and how easy some of this stuff is once you understand the basics of things like focal length, aperature, spot metering, importance of tripods, getting a good wide angle lense, and the like. The learning never ends, but understanding the basics and then experimenting can do wonders.

Thanks for the tips and those are beautifu pictures...

Merry Christmas,

John

Thanks again, I thought this is SOOOOOO IMPORTANT that I took the liberty to reblog these very helpful hints - can make almost anyone shoot like a pro~

Merry Christmas,

John

You are the master my friend!
Your friend in Washington,
Paul

It's time for a new camera for me. I wonder what people are recommending these days for realtors. I'd like the wide angle feature for interiors.

Those are great tips. The problem, in my case, may not be the equipment. It might be the equipper.

You've inspired me to write a blog entry about cameras. I'm asking the AR community what camera I should get or what they are getting.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1392885/what-camera-should-i-get-how-about-you-

Great pictures of mainstreet! Thanks for the tips- I think I need a much better camera!

Michael A unipod is an excellent solution to "wiggles"

Michael, Beautiful photos. I especially love the look down main street. Thanks for the tips on getting the best photos.

Michael, Awesome tips and awesome shots. Makes me homesick for Tennessee. The beach at Christmas time cannot compare.

My photo tip has always been take hundreds of shots in order to get two or three good ones. When I grow up I want to be as good as you.

I stick with the simpler cameras. One reason I stop by your blog is to see your great photos. Once again you have treated us to some beautiful shots.

These are some great pictures. Taking great photos is a art.

Thank you for the great tip! I love your beautiful shots.

I got a great camera last Christmas, but still need to learn how to use all the manual settings. You blog inspired me to really get to it...

Thanks Michael. Still messing around with a D80...get some good ones on auto everything but you've given me inspiration to go manual. Just wish my eyesight was better....manual focus is such a bear when everything is often a blur!

Michael,

I just did a post on the tradition of downtown trees in this city. Your tree is much nicer.

Thanks for the tips today!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Ditto to all of the above. The best part is the photos you shared.

THanks

I never thought I would want a fancy camera, but I'm learning so many tips I would love to be able to try them out. Sorta wish I had put a nice camera on my wish list.....

Michael -- these are super tips and your photos are amazing. I'm sure you have a lot of experience so thanks for sharing your tips with us.

Awesome photos of downtown Franklin. See why I want to move there, so charming and Christmasy.

Thanks for sharing and congrat's on the Feature.

Michael - Gorgeous photos and fantastic tips for taking better photos. I've resisted getting a tripod but after reading your post and seeing these pictures it's pretty obvious it's time to go out and get one pronto!

Great ideas, Thanks !!!

Great post Michael. I'm a firm believer of using a tripod. Especially for night photos.

All your tips will help make for a much happier season when everyone sees the improved results of their photos.

Your photos are an inspiration. Thanks for the tips.

WhooHoo! Way to go Michael! Congrats on the FEATURE! This is wonderful, and accurate advice - and will help lots of folks get the wonderful holiday shots they are trying for! Beautiful photos!!!!!!!!!!!!

Debi

Michael,

You're going to have to start charging tuition! LOL Thanks for your series of very informative posts.

Mike in Tucson

What website do I go to so I can translate this into English? I really want to get this, but I can't understand if I even have the equipment to do this with. I have a tripod and an Canon PowerShot SD630. Any hope for that? I would love to get great Christmas pix this year!!

Michael

Great photo's an d advice.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

On eof the great things with a tripod is to attach it to the camera even when you aren't going to stand it up. the extra weight will allow you to hold it steadier...

Great pictures and thanks for the tips. What would you recommend for reading for a beginning photographer.

Great information Michael. I will be checking the settings on my camera as I seem to have the night time issues..

Very quaint town. I experimented last time I was in NY, they turned out pretty good, will get the chance to take some major snow pics starting tomorrow.

DEC

2009

Michael, I was a die hard film person for years - then got a Nikon 8400 CoolPix about 5 years ago. It was great for real estate because it had a wide lens, similar to the Kodak 570 - but this spring I upgraded to a Nikon D-40 SLR. What a difference! The chip is larger in the SLR and the picture quality is incredible. I agree with Rita that there is a lot to learn, but they have free classes. I'm going to take advantage of some of them the first of the year. Meanwhile, Auto is working great for me. When I have a back-lit shot, I point to the floor and depres the button half way, then point to the subject and take the shot. This helps balance the exposure. Great post, thanks for the tips!

BTW, your night shots are gorgeous. How long was the exposure? Also what kind of tripod do you recommend?

Michael, your photos are beautiful! Ilove the downtown Franklin Main Street shot. I don't think the type of camera would make a difference to me, I still wouldn't be able to get those kind of shots. Awesome!

Wow! I am humbled by all the responses to this post. Thank you all for taking the time to stop by to comment.

Phillip, Thanks for the compliment. Start practicing now for next year...

Andrew, indoor/outdoor sports shots do take a fast lens and shutter speed. Great shot...

Diane, Thank you...

Dorrie, Franklin is a fantastic town. Great blend of the old and new traditions.

William, I will re-post and add the ribbon - thanks...

Larry, I will be looking forward towards your next photo shoot...

Mike, your photo inspired me to go out yesterday morning and brave the elements at 0500...

Kristin, thank you. Franklin is like stepping back into time...

Christine, Some of the point-&-shoots have some descent night settings. It just takes a little time to go through the menu settings to find them. You will still need a tripod...

Salle, A monopod will not replace a tripod. I do have one but mainly use it for use with a long lens. Monopods were developed for pros who use long glass for quick set ups for sports events or nature shots. They are still subject to movement in time exposures...

Don, thank you for your compliments. D-SLR are really coming down in price. I have seen some good deals on older bodies on some of the online auction sites...

Ray, that is one of the downsides of point-&-shoot cameras. They were mainly developed for daylight or close (4-7 foot) flash. Some of the D-SLR cameras do have zoom lenses that will go down to 28mm. I do have an 18mm which is an excellent wide angle lens. I have stayed with Nikon because all my lenses are Nikkor or Nikon based. Do your home work as Cannon also makes great cameras.

Sybil, thanks for the kind words...

Cheryl, I have used both Cannon and Nikon D-SLR's. Both cameras have great features. My suggestion is to rent both bodies and try them out. Your camera boils down to personal preferences. I started with Nikon 30 some odd years ago and have stayed with this body style mainly because I have several thousands of dollars in lenses. This is the main reason that once you start with a body style, most folks stay with it. BTW, I have heard of Wynonna but can't say I have been there. MTSU is in the 'Boro which is about 30 miles from here. Great school...

Lori, Thanks. Franklin is a great town.

Lisa, I am not as familiar with the Cannon cameras as I am the Nikon. However, you may want to use a TTL (through the lens) flash and a slave for better results. Slaves can be purchased at most camera shops for less than $50.

Kyle, Geese son, who pee'd in your Post Toasties this morning...

Rita, I can understand. You will get that on auto settings as the electronics can get confused. By going to aperture priority, you take out 1/2 the equation the camera has to deal with. Now all it has to figure out is shutter speed. I hope this helps...

Chris, I hope that the explanation I gave Rita will help. Good luck...

Andrew, mine too! I can feel your pain brother...

Pat, it will all come back to you. Kinda like riding a bike...

DeAnne, Thanks...

Jeff, What a bummer. But then, cameras are getting cheaper...

Robert, yes, those are water droplets. This was a real light drizzle yesterday morning. Even though I had the camera covered, some droplets came through probably while moving the camera from place to place...

Sue, I have not used that model camera and I am not familiar with its features. For real estate purposes, a wide angel lens is a must. If it ain't broke, don't fix it...

Rita, way to go girl!!! Love your test subject...

Vickie, I know the feeling. I look at some of my pictures and wonder who took that shot? Couldn't have been me. Musta gotten lucky...

Joe, I have often thought about it...

Joyce, Photography can be a demanding mistress. Thanks...

Chris, Great advice. Learn from the pros and then practice, practice, practice. Digital film is cheap...

John, thanks for the re-blog...

Paul, thanks for the vote of confidence. The more I know the less I really seem to know. I still have a lot to learn my friend...

Frank, I think I commented on your post about this. It does boil down to personal preferences and money. Wide angle lenses such as 18-50mm can be purchased for a few hundred on online camera stores...

Melissa, I know the feeling. I am all thumbs. Sometimes I just get lucky.

Kristi, I do too. I have been eyeballing a D-90 but will have to wait until the economy picks up. Until then, I will have to use my ancient D-50...

Karen, you are right. Monopods are great for long lenses to help steady the camera and lens. I do have one...

Susan, thanks...

Marian, I do bracket my shots as well. One will turn out better than the rest. BTW, you are right, there is no place like TN for Christmas - LOL...

James, I do use a point-&-shoot for inspection work. Thanks for the compliment...

Richard, Thanks. I never get tired of looking at other's photography...

Steven, I will have to stop by and check your post out...

Kristin, The matrix on the D-80 is better than on the older Nikon models. If using auto focus is working, don't change...

Montigue, I think that the manual setting overwhelm most folks. They are not that difficult once you learn the basics...

Patricia, Merry Christmas...

Jean, thanks for stopping by. Merry Christmas...

Ann, Valentines Day is just around the corner - hint! hint!

Maureen, I have been fooling with cameras all my life. My first was a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye. I still have it...

Missy, I can understand...

Donna, Tripods are a must for any camera buff...

Craig, I will be looking forward towards your posts...

Bill, thanks...

Debi, thanks. I still have a long way to go to get to your level. You are really good girl...

Mike, thanks for the compliment. You do some great work too, my friend...

Dawn, I am not familiar with the Cannon you described. I am sure that if you Googled photo tips for your model you could come up with some great tips from folks that have your camera body...

Lou, thanks...

Lane, you are right. I do not always take a monopod with me on my shoots. I do carry a small bungee with me to tie the legs together to convert the tripod to a monopod for lower light or long glass use...

James, Camera's and equipment boil down to personal taste and price. I suggest start out with an inexpensive Cannon or Nikon. Play around with them to see what you can do with them. If you get bitten by the camera bug, then upgrade to better models. Nothing is worse than purchasing an expensive camera that you either do not use or you can't use to its fullest extent. I hope this helps...

Roland, good luck...

Cindy, I will be looking forward towards your pics...

Sharon, Yes, the chipset is better in the D-SLR cameras. The downside of the D-40 is the same with the D-50. The focus matrix sucs. They have improved this on the later versions. I use a Bogen most of the time but have others that are lighter weight. TIP: The better the camera, the better the tripod. Far too many a photographer has trashed their camera or expensive lens to a cheap tripod...

Laura, thanks for the compliments...

Michael,

Thanks for the tips. I never can get a low light pic to turn out. Know all I need is a tripod. Because you are a shutter bug you will appreciate the video at the link below. It was the first "video" shot with Canon's newest SLR...and I don'tknow its name!!!!! We did this shoot last July!

http://www.youtube.com/user/rcchesapeakebay

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. I believe it is the future for real estate video!

Rich, cool looking video. I hope that Cannon has worked out some of the video issues that has plagued the Nikon cameras i.e. overheating of the sensor and crashing...

Good Stuff Michael!! Thanks for the tips!! All the best this holiday season!

Michael:

Those are fabulous night time photos. And, you have offered some great advice.

Now, I have to remember, not only to take the camera with me everywhere I go, but also the tripod...

Thank you Michael. I can use all the advice I can get when it comes to picture taking! Bookmarked! Have a wonderful holiday.

Thank you for the tip and for the beautiful photos. Hope you holidays are great!

I like the tips today and I'm sending along to a friend today.

Patricia/

Great pictures & I don't have a clue what the heck you said! I just set it for autopilot.

Thank you for your tips! I need to apply them to see if I have better results. I have 3 cameras & barely know how to use them :-)

Your Christmas Tree on the Square photo is wonderful. Thanks for the tips!

Your pictures are beautiful. I've often thought about getting a more advanced camera.

That's it - Santa must deliver a tripod this year! Great points - thanks!

Beautiful pictures and thanks for the tips! I will put them to use in the next few days, especially when the grandchildren are around opening their gifts. Thanks and Have a blessed and wonderful Merry Christmas.

Michael,

Thank you for the tips. The photos are awesome and the rain on the ground sure added some colors to your night photos! I am still using a point and shoot camera but I am hoping to make the switch to a D-SLR in the near future. Your beautiful night photos of Franklin are further convincing me to make the switch.

Thanks for the pointers...my picture taking is always interesting experience.

Great photos and great tips! I have a D-SLR but I haven't really gotten past the auto features. I think now I am ready to venture out a little bit more. Thanks!

I need to play some more with the manual settings on my digital SLR. I've never learned them as well as I knew those on my regular SLR.

Wow Michael 111 comments and going. As always great information. I'm glad I was able to comment before your comments get turned off because of too many comments.

Great tips and great photos of downtown Franklin! Thanks for sharing!

Your blog came just at the right time! I've been struggling to get a good outside shot of my home's Christmas lights, and it just wasn't working. I've got a Canon Power Shot S70 that takes awesome interior shots, but I just didn't know how to set the F stops, etc., to make it work at night. Just ran outside and tried it, and it is SO much better. Now I need to get the old tripod out to make it really good. Thanks for the great info!

DEC

2009

Thanks for the tips and the beautiful pictures. You have inspired me to get out there and do some more shooting myself. The rain was an added bonus. Merry Christmas!!

Michael, let me add my kuddos to the above comments. LOVE the tutorial, and the photographs are absolutely awesome!!! I'm bookmarking this so I can get the hang of the aperture, etc. I have the same settings on my camera, but haven't used the Manual setting yet. I have the Nikon D70s with a wide angle and the 18-200 as well as a wide angle and the original one I purchased with the camera. I am still trying to get the "hang" of all of those other buttons! Thanks for sharing all of these cool details ;-)

Once we got less "flash dependent" we learned our photos come out so much better than before. They are more true to the occasion, candids come out great, and overall we are pleased with each photo now more than ever. Here's something else we learned . . . when sending out a photo collection for family and friends to view, via Shutterfly, Kodak Gallery, Facebook, or Flickr pick the top shots and narrow the book down so that instead of 100 of the same shots you have a quality book of 25-30 of the best shots. Trust me, people will look forward to your books much more in the future!

DEC

2009

Michael -

Thanks for the post...I am always out to learn a new thing or two about pix-making. Your examples are illuminating...and so are the comments you've received and your answers.

Nice photos thanks for the tips!

DEC

2009

great tips and beautiful photos! the tripod idea is good.... I need more help than that... but thank you!

DEC

2009

Good Morning Michael, I noticed that you did not add the Award of Merit Ribbon to your post. Could you do that please so everyone can see it. You certainly deserve it and it would be nice to see these awards posted in the blog so other ActiveRain members can see that they have been awarded.

Michael - Thanks for the tips. For years I used a 35 mm camera and always used manual settings. For Christmas, I received a Nikon D3000 camera and I am so excited to get back in the saddle with photos where I truly have more control. I have signed up for a night walk shoot of Denver within 2 weeks so hopefully I will be able to post something soon. Thanks and Happy New Year!

JAN

2010

You did a great job backing up your post. These pictures are great and your advice is great as well. Thanks for the post.

MAR

2010

Wow! I can see why Charles Buell introduced me to your blog Michael! I'm your newest subscriber!

A referral is sending someone you care about to someone you trust!

Vic Steele, Broker, CA DRE License No. 01349863

Valet Real Estate Services

571 N. Poplar, Suite H, Orange, CA 92868

Vic@SteeleGroup.net

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Michael Thornton - Nashville, TN area Home Inspector - 615.661.0297

Brentwood, TN

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Complete Home Inspections, Inc.

Address: 7105 Crossroads Blvd; Ste 102, Brentwood, TN, 37027

Office Phone: (615) 661-0297

Cell Phone: (615) 473-8803

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