Now that the days are getting longer and oh-so-slightly warmer, how about getting outside with your camera? There are plenty of opportunities in spring to capture bright and fresh images, so dust off your lens and get snapping!

Find a great setting

As nature starts to wake up after the harsh winter weather, there are some spectacular sights to see. Go for a woodland stroll in search of a thick carpet of bluebells – the perfect photo opportunity.

Get up close

Once you’ve got some stunning spring landscape shots, try moving in closer to get more detailed shots. Experiment with the ‘macro’ setting on your camera to take amazing close-up pictures of delicate and colourful flowers, buds and leaves. These will look great displayed around your home.

Read more…

If you ‘remember, remember’ the following tips, you’ll be well on your way to getting some spectacular shots you’ll be proud to display.

1.    Location – arrive early to get a good spot where your view of the action isn’t blocked by too many people, trees, wires or buildings. 

2.    Settings – some cameras have a ‘pre-programmed’ feature with an auto-setting for fireworks. If setting up your camera manually, you’ll need: slow shutter speed, the highest quality setting, and a low ISO setting (between 50 and 200), to stop your photos looking grainy.

3.    Switch off the flash – so you can capture the clear sparkling colours of the fireworks without picking up any distractions like smoke.

4.    Timing – aim your camera before the firework actually explodes. Use trial and error, but try opening the shutter when you hear ‘whoosh’ as the rocket launches into the air.

5.    Use a tripod – you don’t want the camera to move and blur your shot. You could even use a ‘remote release’ device, so you don’t even have to touch the camera.

6.    Enjoy – soak up the excitement of the firework display and have fun experimenting with different shots.

Planning to spend some time beside the seaside this summer? Perhaps you’ll splash in turquoise waves, laze under deep blue skies or even skip across a grey, pink and blue pebble beach? Capture all the colours of summer in your photography to keep the holiday memories fresh all year round.

Why not enter your best shots in our ‘Colour Your Summer’ photo contest – we can’t wait to find out what you got up to this summer! To get you started, here are a few colourful ideas:

Seize the moment

Choose the most dramatic times of day to take photos – sunrise and sunset offer spectacular opportunities for capturing magical colours.

Seek out new sights

Look for local events that offer great photographic opportunities. What about a hot air balloon launch at a country park, a jousting contest at a historic venue or a cricket match in a pretty village?

Get the family involved

Dress the family in a spectrum of bright t-shirts and sunhats and they’ll make the ideal multi-coloured subjects for your photo shoot. Get the kids playing with buckets and spades, and watch the colours ‘pop’ against the sand.

Watch the weather

Summer storms can create beautiful rainbows. Make sure your camera is always charged and ready to use – just in case a rare opportunity comes along to capture the brilliance of a rainbow before it fades.

With the Royal Wedding celebrations underway and wedding season starting, our friends at The Wedding Secret have given us their top tips for taking wonderful wedding photos.

Whether you are just starting out in the business, or simply want a few guidelines on how to take fabulous photos at a friend’s wedding, here are a few tips to get you started!

As a photographer, you are one of the most important factors of a couples wedding day, as you will in effect be capturing memories for the couple to look back on for years to come.

Read more…

You already know that Snapfish offers a great value way to get high-quality digital prints. And we also have a fantastic selection of gift and keepsake ideas. But did you know you can use our great free photo editing tools to tweak your photos to perfection?

Ruined by red eye?

If you’ve taken a great photo but everybody’s eyes are gleaming scarily red, don’t delete straight away! You can easily fix red eyes with our red eye removal tool – just click on the centre of the problem, and it’ll disappear instantly. 

Compare and contrast…

Is your photo a little too dark and dingy? Use our clever ‘auto contrast’ tool in the ‘colour correct’ tab to tweak up the lighting level and make your image clearer, so it’s print-ready.

Read more…

Winter’s sparse landscapes make great subjects, especially when punctuated with contrasting shapes and silhouettes, such as trees, buildings, animals, or loved ones. You can capture winter’s patterns, textures, and colours beautifully with black and white photographs.

Why shoot black and white?
Think of Ansel Adams’ majestic black and white landscapes and you can appreciate the magnificence that is possible to create. Use black and white (or monochrome, as it’s also called) techniques to heighten drama and emotion in your photos and give pictures a timeless quality.

Black and white photography ideas

Try shooting interesting patterns, textures or lines in nature to capture details and make them become more prominent and poetic. From a windswept beach to your own garden, landscape shots look magnificent in black and white.

Add drama and emotion to portraits. Emotional occasions, such as weddings or tender childhood moments are ideal opportunities to shoot black and white. Baby pictures, wedding photos, family portraits, whether candid or posed, gain a classic quality when shot in black and white.

Read more…