Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Top Ten Tips for Tip Top Candid Shots!





"Taking a great picture is about self-awareness." -JRochelle



ByJRochelle specializes in capturing you JUST the way you are. This does not mean we don't work from a plan or script, it means we love to put natural moments in their best light. These encounters that any viewer can relate to will put your audience in a familiar place, making it easier for them to hear what you have to say. Most people cringe at the notion of “candid shots”, but the problem isn’t the shot.  The problem is many of us don't put our best foot, face, or anything else forward! So in this blog we want to help you take the best candid shots ever!  After reading ByJRochelle's top 10 tips for taking the best candid shot ever, you won't be embarrassed to be caught off guard again!


10. Location! Location! Location! 
The first step in putting your best face forward is knowing which way “forward” is! Stealthy photographers remain ready to shoot at a moment’s notice. Remain cognizant of where the photographers are so you can choose a comfortable position to mix and mingle. That million-dollar smile won’t do you any good if the photographer is behind you. But just in case he is behind you be sure your clothing fit properly, you’re standing up straight, and you’ve taken a moment to tease that coif. 


9. Know YOUR Angles
Once you know where the photographers stand, you can then adjust yourself to a comfortable position to mix and mingle in which displays your best angles. Now I can’t tell you what your best angle is so this will require that you experiment in the mirror. Once you find that angle lean slightly toward the camera and look straight ahead. Avoid looking down because your eyes may look closed.


8. Cover Your Mouth

Every time you feel the need to open your mouth, cover it first! In reality, we only open our mouths for a few moments in a day, but a camera can put that social faux pas on display for an eternity. Yawing, eating, and laughing present a prime opportunity to position you for the unsightly “mouth wide-open” shot. So do your self a favor and  slip your hand over your mouth.



7. Don’t Be A Cow 
Like number 8, number 7 will help you to leave your tonsils out of the picture. Chew with your mouth closed. This goes for gum chewing, eating, and any other reason you feel the need to chew. Cameras catch moments and if you chew with your mouth closed, then the “cow” moment won’t rear it’s ugly head.
6. Chin Up
Tilt your head and try to position yourself so that the camera is a little above, or at, your eye level. This will slice your double chin in half! If this doesn’t seem natural, then put one hand under your chin as though you’re resting your head on your hand BUT DON”T ACTUALLY REST YOUR HEAD ON YOUR HAND.




5. Mind Your Posture
Turn that muffin top into amazing abs by sucking in that gut and arching you back. Whether sitting or standing up straight you will look more confident, healthier, and more alert. Additionally, LL Cool J says holding your abs in for 15 seconds is like doing a sit-up so if you stick to this tip you’ll add exercise to your daily routine.

4. Dress For Success!
Dressing for success in pictures will turn you candid shot into a glamour shot. Pick the right color for your skin tone, the fit for your body type, and the right style for your personality. Color, pattern, fit all play a role in whether you end up on the best or worse dressed list!
Keep in mind that solids can make you look like a blob of of color so break up that little black dress with a few accessories. White can make your skin tone appear darker since it tends to absorb most of the light, leaving you in the dark deepening those natural shadows. Horizontal stripes can make you appear wide, so if you are wide, then you may want to avoid those.
3. Stiff Upper Lip
Tyra tells her girls on ANTM not to forget the tension. To be honest, this is another one that you will need to practice in the mirror until it becomes natural. No one likes to see a picture with his or her lip hanging passed her chin and flat cheeks. Figure out a way to use your face muscles constantly so that you’re smizing in every shot.
2. Relax!
The more comfortable and relaxed you appear, the better the photo will turn out. Many people end up looking odd in photos because they freeze into odd facial expressions of confusion and/or discontent. The old television show said it best, “smile, you’re on candid camera”! Smile! Don’t give the world that fake wide grin, flash your natural smile and your picture will be awesome.

1. Believe That You Are Beautiful!

If you walk onto the scene believing that you are beautiful self-consciousness will melt away. Proverbs 23:7 says that as you think in your heart, so you are. If you believe that you are beautiful, then you will be beautiful. Further more, since you will have practiced these tips for taking tip top candid shots, you will exercise them naturally putting your best beauty forward!
It is important to realize that taking a great picture is about self-awareness. Make sure to always put your best self forward. Just like anything else you can learn how to do this if you haven’t been so successful in the past.  I can’t wait to see the transformation in your candid shots as you put these tips into practice!

All pictures are the property of ByJRochelle and may not be used without expressed and written consent. 

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