My parents recently bought my daughter her first big girl bike. No training wheels, no babyish designs on the handlebars and no little doodads connected to the spokes. Naturally, I had to document her first ride, so we could send grandma and grandpa photo proof that the bike is absolutely perfect. However, in doing so, I encountered a number of issues which I thought would make for a decent blog.
For starters, I would never attempt to photograph a child riding her bike in the middle of the afternoon on a bright, sunny summer day. The direct sunlight wrecked havoc on our photo shoot. Not only did the sun make my daughter squint, but it also created harsh shadows and threw my white balance feature into a tizzy. Fortunately, there were some trees a few streets down that were large enough to cast shadows onto the road. I had my daughter ride in the shaded area and it made a huge difference in the quality of the photos. When shooting in the shade you can eliminate the shadows and your subject’s features are properly exposed. If you can shoot on an overcast day, then you don’t even have to worry about harsh shadows. A thick blanket of clouds helps to enrich colors and smooth out minor imperfections in your subject.
Another thing to keep in mind when shooting in the great outdoors is to watch out for distractions. In reviewing the photos I snapped of my daughter on her bike I noticed quite a few that featured unwelcome tree trunks and branches sticking out of her head. Power lines, street lights, signs, trash cans, and mailboxes can ruin a photo fast if your subject is not placed properly in the shot. Before pushing the shutter button, be sure to look at the shot as a whole. Keep an eye out for distractions. When you see them, shift angles a bit to keep your subject in focus and eliminate any extraneous items that may ruin your picture.
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