DIY Photo Challenge//Week 3- BUBBLES!

What you will need:

• Bubbles! (or sprinklers will work too!)

• A large shaded area with consistent lighting

• Your kid

• Your phone

Tip 1: Find an area with consistent lighting in both the foreground and background

This week we are looking at composition of your images and it is much easier to focus on the composition of your picture if you are not chasing your child in and out of areas with various lighting. If you cannot find an area like this, I recommend attempting the pictures in the 20 minutes prior to sunset or after sunrise (if you’re one of those MORNING people)

Tip 2: Using negative space to compose your image

For my sample images I selected the bubble bath setting for two reasons. First because I knew this little guy would cooperate better this way. But more importantly I knew it would easily demonstrate the use of negative space in composing your image.

A basic rule of composition with photography is to image that your images has a tic-tac-toe grid. You want to have your subject centered or deliberately to the side of the frame, in the middle or deliberately at the top or bottom. For this demonstration I kept him in the middle of the frame and just moved the focal point from side to side so you could get an idea of what I’m talking about. I often use this side of the frame composition to draw interest from the viewer. I especially like it for images were I am more or less on the same level as my subject as I feel it draws out their emotions more.

Tip 3: Experiment with the placement of your subject

If you have an older child the simple sideways shot of them blowing a bunch of bubbles through their bubble wand might be your favorite. Or perhaps you’re going to fill your yard with bubbles and want a shot of that places your child in the bottom 3rd of the image with the bubbles overhead. Check out how the different compositions impact the way you feel when looking at the image. It’s pretty neat!

BONUS TIP

Here’s an amazing tutorial on how to create a giant bubbles if you want to do a science project AND this photo challenge together! https://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/how-to-make-giant-bubbles

My Cell Phone Image:

DIY Photo Challenge//Week 2- Chalk Drawings

What you will need:

• Chalk

• An imagination

• A large shaded sidewalk (preferably)

• Your kid

• A phone

Tip 1: Find a large shaded Area

I intentionally shot these images in the middle of the day to try to demonstrate the use of less than ideal light. As you can tell I did not have an area of continuous shade, so I worked with what I had, a tree with spotted shade. When I started drawing I was under the shadiest part of the tree, but by the time I finished and convinced my toddler to participate… Kinda… The light had moved and I had more dappled light than I hoped for. However, that’s real life! If you don’t have a large shaded are you can always draw during the day and return during sunset for your pictures.

Tip 2: Pay attention to the sun’s position.

In the images of my child sitting up I positioned him with the sun to his back and at an angle. This allowed the light to filter through the tree and light the scene, but kept my son’s face in a softer light.

Tip 3: Have fun! (and if you can, use an older child)

I had a blast creating the toy story scene for my child. He was enamored with the alien, but not the least bit impressed with my buzz wings and was so mad when I tried to get him to lay down in my scene. As he’s normally incredibly good natured and loves toy story it made the image that much funnier to me. However, If I had the option i may have opted for a 5 year old that I could have bribed ;)

BONUS TIP

You tube has lots of fun tutorials on ‘'how to draw” anything you can think of! Have your kids look up a new how to draw idea and try something new. See who’s drawing turns out better with chalk!

My Cell Phone Image: