- Move In or Zoom In:
Create simple, bold images by narrowing in on your subject to remove unwanted background clutter. Close-ups draw viewers in to your subject matter. Take the overall view, then a tight view, then some close-ups of the details. - Watch the Background:
Look for simple backgrounds to minimize distraction from the subject. Explore a variety of viewpoints and angles available for your subject. A low angle, looking into the blue sky can produce a simple and pleasant background. Try lower angles when posing friends near a balloon. - Compose Your Shot:
Take the time to aesthetically position your subject within the lens frame. Placing your subject in different areas of the frame can create dynamic balances, and negative space will draw focus to your subject. - Front Lighting:
When the sun shines over your shoulder, you'll capture the brightest and most saturated colors. - Side Lighting:
When the light shines across the scene, the mix of light and shadow creates a realistic, 3D looking photograph with an excellent feeling for depth and texture. - The Magic Hour of Twilight:
Dawn or dusk create beautiful lighting opportunities, where the warmth of "Balloon Glow" blends with velvet blue of muted skylight. Photographers call this "the jewel box effect". Twilight and night are low levels of light which require high speed films, like Kodacolor Royal Gold 1000. Flash will help in close range situations, but will not help for overall scenes. For the best results with Digital Cameras, keep your ISO at 100 and set your White Balance to around 5300K to capture the natural colors of the balloons. Experiment with your settings. - Lens Choices:
Normal (50 mm) or wide angle (24, 28 or 35mm) allows zeroing in on the balloons to reduce clutter. Telephoto, or telephoto zoom (70-210mm) allows you to zoom in on far away subjects. - Keep Your Camera Steady!
Gently squeeze the shutter release for sharper photos. For additional stability, try using a monopod. - Keep Shutter Speeds Fast!
Faster shutter speeds, such as a 1/250 of a second generally provide sharper pictures when using telephoto lenses and hand-holding your camera.
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