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Photo Tips


  Polka Dot Design would like to offer guidance in helping you create the perfect photo card. In our experience, capturing great images is an essential component to achieve this. These tips are a useful guideline to help you get outstanding photographs and to ensure that your final product will be as beautiful as it possibly can be.

Digital Camera Settings
The quality of your photograph is extremely crucial in order to achieve the best final product possible. When using a digital camera, make sure that it is set on the highest resolution setting with the least amount of compression. Photographs that are taken at a low resolution will look fine on your computer. Unfortunately, these low resolution images will not have a very good print quality. Don't forget to turn off your date and time stamp feature on your camera.

If you are using a scanner to make a digital copy of a preexisting photograph, you will want to ensure that your scanner is clean of any fingerprints and dust. A dirty scanner will affect the quality of the photographs

Lighting

  Natural Lighting
Generally, natural lighting produces the greatest results. Natural lighting can be used inside near bright windows or even in a sunlight room. Try to avoid direct sunlight and use your flash under these circumstances.

Photographs taken outdoors will have the best lighting if it is overcast. Good light is also found in the morning or the late afternoon. Remember to avoid harsh shadows that can be caused from clothing, such as a hat, or environmental influences, such as trees.

Artificial Lighting
Using your camera's flash can sometimes wash out your subjuect and create unflattering shadows. When using your flash, make sure there is other lighting in the room, as this is beneficial to avoid dark shadows and over-lighting your subject's face.

Be cautious of artificial lighting such as fluorescent lighting or other traditional household lighting. These unnatural light sources can sometimes create discoloring to the final image.


Clothing
We suggest clothing your family, children, or group of adults in solids. Staying in the same color is an attractive option. Bold colors and loud patterns should be avoided. These attributes can distract from the people in the photograph as well as the photo card design.

  Helpful suggestions for what to wear
Dress the family or group in the same colored top and same type of skirt, shorts, or pants. An example of this option would be to have everyone in white tops and khaki skirts, shorts, or pants.

You can also dress the family or group in a similar colored top and same type of skirt, shorts, or pants. An example of this option would be to have everyone in shades of blue for the tops and khaki skirts, shorts, or pants.

Another option is to dress the family or group in a similar shade top and same type of skirt, shorts, or pants. An example of this option would be to have everyone in solid pastel for the tops and khaki skirts, shorts, or pants. Dad could wear a light blue polo, Mom could wear a pink polo, and the three children could wear yellow, lavender, and mint green polos.


Background
We also recommend staying away from busy backgrounds. A busy, loud colored background can cause distraction from the subject. The focus should be the family, children, or group of adults, and not the background. A neutral background such as an outdoor park setting can be used to make a backdrop for your shot.

  Background and Clothng Tips
Try to plan a contrasting photograph. If the group or individual is wearing a light colored outfit, place them on a dark background. If the group or individual is wearing a dark outfit, place them on a light background.


Positioning Photographing tips

  Photographing an Individual
Headshot, 3/4, Full Body

Photographing a Couple or Groups of Two
Headshot, 3/4, Full Body

Stagger the two

When photographing an engaged couple, don't forget to show off her new ring!

Photographing a Group of Three or More
Stagger the heads.

As a fun way to capture them all in one shot, get the kids to lie down in a tight circle on the ground with their heads touching, and then have them look up at you.


Photographing the baby!
We advise that you get down to the same level as your baby for traditional style photographs. If the baby is positioned lower than eye level, adjust yourself to prevent from shooting down at him or her. By lowering yourself down to eye level with your baby, you can portray a more accurate representation of their expressions and features and avoid awkward perspectives.

When taking photographs for your announcement, there's no such thing as too close to your baby. Zoom in so that your baby's face fills the entire frame, and by doing that you can create some attractive and delightful shots of their facial features.

Experimenting with angles and positions can be fun and can also create remarkable photographs. An assortment of positions and angles can be a terrific way to ensure that you get the precise shot. Also, remember to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Random items, such as brightly colored toys in the background, can distract the eye away from your baby in your photograph. Likewise, distractions on the other side of the camera, such as multiple people or an active television screen, can distract the baby away from the camera. This results in little to no eye contact in the final photograph.

Don't forget to photograph the baby's details! Capturing images of their tiny feet and hands can be a great addition to your photo card and a sweet reminder of how small they once were.

Clear Images
We can edit the brightness, contrast, and color balance of the image. However, an image that is out of focus or grainy, due to incorrect exposures, cannot be corrected. To ensure the highest quality, make sure that your digital camera is set to the proper setting.

When photographing your family, children, or individual, it is important to focus on them. An incredible shot will certainly be inadequate if the shot is out of focus or if the focus is on something other than your subject. In most cases, cameras will automatically focus by holding down the shutter button halfway.

Your camera's manual can be a useful tool to verify these steps and processes.

Get to it!
Do not be hesitant to keep shooting! Subjects such as babies, children, and even adults can be a challenge to photograph. By continually shooting, the probability of capturing the excellent shot you desire is much more attainable. If a subject is simply not interested in being photographed, sometimes it is best to approach the subject at another time. Just remember to have a good time and keep shooting!

Using Professional Photographs
A copyright release is mandatory for the customer to use a professional photograph in the order.

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