When the time comes for photographs many individuals prefer a do-it-yourself approach rather than hiring a professional Orange County photographer. With all the advancements in technology over the last 10 years is not difficult to see why many people make this choice. Though a professional Orange County photographer will still produce the best photographs, modern commercial grade cameras are more than capable of capturing satisfactory images in just about any setting you can imagine. For those of you who prefer a do-it-yourself approach when it comes to taking pictures there are several things that you can do in order to ensure that you take and create the best pictures possible. The following tips come straight from a professional Orange County photographer.
Mark Montgomery Photography can help you choose the perfect background for your photo shoot.
The first thing you want to remember when taking pictures yourself is to select a location that provides enough room for those participating in the shoot. Individuals shoot photographs will want a locale that provides ample lighting and coloring that matches both the theme of and the clothing worn by those involved in the shoot. Having everybody color-coordinated and ensuring there’s plenty of light as well as the proper type of light helps to ensure that your pictures will come out with great contrast and plenty of vibrant color. When taking pictures outdoors it’s often wise to schedule a time for your photo shoot when the sun isn’t too low or too high in the sky. Too much sunlight can overexpose an image into little often means that poor backlighting will take away drastically from the pictures you shot.
Getting the right amount of light and shadow is important when capturing the right photo. Mark Montgomery Photography knows the exact amount of each to make a good photo.
The second thing you want to remember when taking pictures yourself is to find a location that provides, or purchase something that provides a good background. The people in your photographs are of course the main focus and the reason you’re taking pictures however a stunning background or at least one that complements the people in your images will make your pictures all the more memorable. Many people will opt to have pictures taken on the beach, at a park, or some other favorite locale but these same people often choose poor spots in which to shoot pictures. You want to make sure that the background of your images are free from things that can draw attention away from the people in the images. Things like cars, airplanes, and even other people are big distractions that can easily be avoided by placing the people you intend to shoot against some type of solid background. Such a background might consist of large rocks, trees, or even a wall, all of which will keep the focus on the people in the pictures and in some cases add a bit of class to the images too.
The last thing you want to remember when implying a do-it-yourself approach to taking pictures is to be and come prepared for the photo shoot. Planning where you want to shoot, who will be participating in the photo shoot, and what the location and themes will make everybody more productive and even cooperative during the photo shoot. Individuals who take a more lackadaisical approach to photographs often find that a poorly planned photo shoot produces fewer pictures and pictures of poor quality as well. A poorly planned photo shoot is nothing more than waste of time and leaves everybody involved frustrated.
Following the advice in this article an amateur photographer will likely produce images of a higher quality and images that will quickly become keepsakes for families. Of course if you’re not a do-it-yourself type of person or not comfortable behind the camera you can always call and Orange County photographer and he/she will ensure that you get the best images possible for your money.
On stormy days, it is often a great time to shoot. I have been experimenting more with HDR single frame and in Panoramics. Here are a couple of images from the past couple of days during all this harsh weather. Contact me if you want to learn more about HDR and Pano’s.
With the holiday season in full swing many of the individuals who are in the midst of planning a wedding have put those plans on hold as to prepare for and enjoy the season. What many individuals may not realize however is that the holiday season is a great time to search for, screen, and even book caterers, entertainment, and Orange County photographers. With the majority of wedding planners taking time off for the holidays wedding oriented businesses see a lot of down time and are therefore easier to meet with and book for a wedding.
Booking A Photographer Early For Your Special Occassion is Smart and Helps Eliminate a Big Part of Your Wedding Planning Stress.
This is especially true of Orange County photographers. Those planning a wedding in the spring or summer will find that many photographers are not only more readily available but sometimes offers special deals on packages when you book them early. Booking and Orange County photographer early also has many other advantages among the more important, piece of mind knowing you have one less thing to worry about come the new year. Booking Orange County photographers late or close to the date of a wedding can be nearly impossible too so advanced bookings are something all wedding photographers advise.
Get A Free Wedding Quote From Montgomery Photography Today 949.337.6225
While searching the Internet and local resources for a reputable Orange County photographer will yield numerous results, those looking for a photographer need to take advantage of the slow holiday season and scrutinize each and every Orange County photographer that they have an interest in. With most Orange County photographers having open schedules during this time of year is wise to meet with any Orange County photographer you might be considering hiring. Meeting with them too shouldn’t be an issue as very few are booked solid during the last few weeks of the year. Orange County photographers with experience and a good reputation will be willing to spend ample time with any individual whom expresses interested. They will present interested parties with a complete portfolio of their work as well as a list of references not only to demonstrate their competency and experience but to put a potential clients mind at ease too.
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Having the right Orange County photographer on hand for a wedding will play a vital role in preserving the memories that are sure to be created during such an event. Some Orange County photographers are content to simply snap pictures of key moments during a wedding. The very best Orange County photographers however know that creating and preserving memories requires going far beyond taking simple well timed photographs. Finding an Orange County photographer with artistic sensibilities as well as the ability to capture emotions and atmospheres will ensure an individual receives pictures he and/or she can be proud of and can cherish for a lifetime.
With Many Years Experience Montgomery Photography is devoted to Capturing the Special Moments from your Big Day.
The holiday season ends just as quickly as it comes around each year and once it’s gone everyone else who put wedding plans on hold for the season will resume and Orange County photographers will be more difficult to meet with and even book for spring and summer weddings.
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The holidays are now just a few short weeks away and with such a short time remaining, many individuals have began hurrying to find the right gifts for the right people, planning vacations, trips to visit family, and decorating their homes. Many families have also made this time of year the traditional time to take family photographs. With children out of school and work slowing down as the holidays approach there’s more time for family and many people take advantage of the additional time together to have an Orange County photographer take pictures. Some families do so in order to create and have yearly keepsakes on hand for a lifetime while others have holiday pictures of the family taken in order to send them out on cards to those friends and relatives whom live far away.
Mark Montgomery Photography can help capture that perfect family photo that you can cherish for a lifetime.
Whatever the reason may be for taking them, holiday family portraits are something everyone can appreciate, especially parents with children who are quickly growing up. It’s also a festive time of the year when there’s plenty of excitement and joy to go around which makes for great photographs. Orange County photographers are often busiest during this time of year and their calendars fill up quickly with appointments so if you have considered having an Orange County photographer snap holiday photographs of you and/or your family, don’t hesitate, book them now. Booking sooner rather than later also helps to ensure that you’ll receive your pictures in time for the holidays and will give you the time you need to send pictures to friends and relatives unable to gather for the holidays.
Orange County photographer Mark Montgomery offers a number of different packages for holiday photographs and in the event you don’t want in studio pictures taken, Mark is more than willing travel to whatever location you’d like to use for holiday photographs. Regardless of where the shoot takes place however you can be certain that the photographs produced by this Orange County photographer will be the type you cherish for a lifetime. Mark captures not only images but ambiance, atmosphere, and emotion too, all of which make for fantastic photographs.
The holidays come and go quickly and children grow up equally as fast so don’t put off having holiday photographs taken, especially if you’ve never had them taken before. Holiday family portraits are not only great keepsakes but can be brought out every year as part of your holiday décor and a reminder of holiday seasons past. If you’d like to book a session with Orange County photographer Mark Montgomery you may do so by contacting him or by visiting his Orange County photographer website.
Mark Montgomery also specializes in the following Orange County Photography services:
Weddings
Families
Senior Pictures
Children
Engagements
Destination Photography
Get Started and Call today to set your Holiday Family Portrait Session (949) 337-6225!
We all have family, friends, and other loved ones who live a considerable distance from us. As such we rarely see them as they, like us, lead busy lives and rarely have the time and/or money to travel much the same as us. The holiday season is a time of year when we often think of those we care about who are unable to join us for holiday celebrations. Therefore it has become tradition for many families to send out holiday cards to those who live far away. Additionally these holiday cards often contain pictures of family members that add a real personal and loving touch to these cards.
As holiday cards are so popular with families Orange County photographer Mark Montgomery has put together a very special holiday offer that families can take advantage of, and one that will save them a good sum of money on their holiday cards. This offer can be taken advantage of by those who purchase a package of 50 custom holiday cards from the Orange County photographer. The cost of this package is $295 and the promotion effectively doubles the number of cards you’re going to get for that price. The only catch is that the interested parties must book their photo shoot by November 22nd, 2009. Those that do will receive twice the number of holiday cards ensuring that no one in their family or circle of friends is left out when the cards are sent out.
If you or someone you know is interested in taking advantage of this offer please contact Mark Montgomery to book your session. You may also visit Mark’s Orange County photography website for additional details as well as a complete list of all the services he has available.
Professional Orange County photographers will all tell you that there’s much more to taking pictures than just pointing a camera and pushing a button. In fact there are a number of techniques the professionals use which help to produce high quality images that will in turn become family keepsakes as the years go by. Some professional photographers understand that not everyone can afford their services and happily offer simple tips to individuals who seek to opt for the do-it-yourself approach. The following tips can be utilized to help you produce fantastic photographs without having to pay any large expenses.
Tip 1: Location - Much like real estate location is of huge importance in photography and make or break a photography session, even an amateur session. Location is important for several reasons too. First off different locations offer different lighting conditions, color contrasts, and even moods and atmospheres. Finding the best location with the conditions necessary for producing awe inspiring photography isn’t always easy but can be made less tedious by predetermining what it is exactly that you want from any pictures you plan on taking. Family portraits, sports photographs, and even photographs of pets can benefit greatly from an outdoor shoot. Natural surroundings add quite a bit to photographs of this nature and things like a beautiful sunset can give pictures that “Je ne sais quoi” that make them standouts in a scrapbook. While some pictures benefit immensely from an outdoor shoot at a favorite locale, other scenarios work best indoors be it a professional studio or in the home. An example of this might be newborn, infant, or even pregnancy photographs. An expectant mother might not be comfortable leaving the home while many parents may not want to take a newborn out of the home for long periods of time. Even photographs of children sometimes work best indoors as do professional head shots and engagement photographs.
Tip 2: Lighting – The right lighting can set the mood for any occasion, especially a photo shoot. Choosing the right lighting can help bring out vibrant colors, subdue overbearing color, highlight or accent specific features of a photograph. This is why it’s so important to make sure you not only have the right type of lighting but proper or ample lighting too. To little light results in dark photographs, to much results in high exposure where whites can bleed and make much of the picture appear opaque. The type of lighting you need will be determined by the location and time of your photo shoot. A photographer engaging in an indoor shoot can utilize artificial lighting to give his/her images the right amount of light, while outdoor shoots often require ample sunlight or special lighting if the shoot is to take place during the evening. As with location, preparation is key. First determine where and what time of day your shoot is going to take place. This will give you an idea of what type of lighting you’ll need as well as make any necessary lighting corrections for the shoot.
Tip 3: Backgrounds – Professional photographers often have a number of different backdrops they use when shooting clients in the studio. During outdoor or location photo shoots they often select scenic backgrounds in an effort to give their images more “oomph” and emotion. Be very cautious in the backgrounds you choose for your photo shoot. You don’t want a background that’s in sharp contrast to your foreground imagery nor do you want a background with color that takes away from whatever it is or whomever it is you’re taking pictures of. Backgrounds of photographs taken in the home should be free from clutter so that the person or persons in the photographs take center stage. Taking pictures of people against a solid background such as a plain wall will allow the amateur photographer to easily edit things both in and out in programs like Photoshop.
Three simple professional photography tips that will help any amateur photographer improve the quality of his/her photographs enormously and turn ordinary photos into those that become priceless over time. Taking professional grade photographs isn’t easy to do when you lack the training and equipment but tips such as these will help those who use them to take better pictures.
We photograph dozens of families every year on the beaches of Orange County. Schedule a session with Montgomery Photography and experience the value of a professional portrait photographer who is trained in lighting, clothing and posing. Call us at 949.337.6225 
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Here is an example of our newest addtion to wedding photography, infra red. We converted one of our older cameras to an Infra Red sensor that captures only the infra red light spectrum. It is a very dramatic effect turning foliage bright white and blue sky to black/dark grey.
Deborah and Mathew Bown
The Crossings Golf and Country Club in Carlsbad is becoming one of the hottest wedding venues in Southern California. Great food, wonderful facilities and awesome shooting locations. Check it out.