Category: Photography Page 19 of 24

If you’re taking a vacation to the beach this year, just know that we’re all jealous. And if you live close enough to head there regularly, well, you can probably imagine how we feel about that, too. Seriously though, a huge number of vacations in the summer are organized around getting to the beach for a week or two. The view is gorgeous, the weather is beautiful, and you’ve got all the time in the world to relax. Everyone and their mother (literally) is taking pictures while they’re at the beach. But here’s the thing – not every beach photo turns out that great. Who knew it would be so hard to capture a vast, elemental force on your iPhone?

Still, you can get some great beach photos if you follow a few simple rules.

Find A Focal Point
This is a really common mistake. Someone is sitting on the beach, enjoying a beautiful, uninterrupted view of the water, and they decide to snap a pic and send it to their family and friends. The problem is that ocean, sand, and sky don’t really give the viewer anything to focus their eye on. Without that focal point, even a tremendous shot of the ocean comes off as kind of boring, and your viewer won’t look at it very long.

An easy way to fix this is by getting a person in the shot. Or it could be a boat, a rocky outcropping, or anything else that breaks up the lines of the ocean and sand.

Keep The Lighting In Mind
The beach provides some great sunrise and sunset lighting, and you can easily capitalize on this during your vacation. But also remember that the water will reflect light, and this can cause some unflattering highlights on your subjects, especially at times of day when the light is harsher.

However, don’t pass up an opportunity to use these reflections to your benefit. High tides and shallow pools can provide some very cool opportunities for photos featuring reflections of your subjects.

Find Some Color
There’s a reason that most people will take a look at your photos from the beach and shrug. It’s because no matter where you are, the colors at the beach tend to be very similar. There’s a lot of brown and tan sand (or maybe white), blue water, and probably blue sky. The locale is beautiful, but the photo looks just like any other. A good way to get around this is by finding something colorful for the focal point of your picture. The color will pop out, and your friends won’t be able to stop staring.

Look For Lines
It’s important that you look for lines to use in your photos. The water’s edge makes a natural, interesting line, but you can also use any dunes or vegetation down the beach.

You’ll want to share all your gorgeous photos with your friends and family, and wifi cloud frames from Nixplay are the best way to do it. Check out our selection and find the frame that’s right for you.

Beatrice Bisais

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.

Developing a love of photography at a young age can lead to a fulfilling hobby or even career when a child gets older. That’s why it’s important that parents notice an interest and help their kids learn the basics of photography. It might just feel like a game to them, but it’s never too early to start showing your children the joys of taking pictures. Here’s a guide to making sure your son or daughter has plenty of fun, and gets some good photos in the process.

Remember They’re Kids
This is the number one rule that everything else stems from. Depending on how young your child is, they might not be able to take a lot of complications and distractions. Keep things simple. Give them a short explanation and then let them practice so that they don’t get bored.

Give Them The Right Tools
If you’re teaching a young child about photography, it’s probably not a great idea to hand them your $500 camera and let them go wild. Think about a disposable camera that won’t damage easily if it’s dropped, or look into some of the cameras specially made for children. If you are letting them use your phone to shoot photos, then remember to keep that case on at all times.

Start With The Basics
You’re working with a little kid here, so there’s no need to jump right into the rule of thirds or critique their lines when they show you their photos. Start with getting them to hold the camera properly, show them how to zoom, and give them some basic rules for lighting. Once they’ve got the easy stuff down, then you can begin teaching them about more complex topics.

Give Them Some Room
When children first start out taking pictures, there’s a good chance they’ll end up taking a huge number of photos—possibly all of the same subject. Back when you had to develop the film for each shot, this was a bad habit, and probably pretty expensive. Now you can easily delete duplicates and keep the pictures you like, so let your kids have some fun and experiment with all kinds of different shots.

Go Over The Photos With Them
Take a look at all the photos your child brings back. Point out the good ones, and let the not-so-good ones slide. No need to crush their hopes and dreams because they took a few poorly focused photos. Encourage them and give them tips for how to make them even better. When you engage with work they’re doing, you’re showing them that it’s important to you—and they’ll pick up on that quickly.

When it comes to developing a love of photography, all your child really needs is a camera and some encouragement from their parents. And when they’ve finally taken some keepers, show them how proud you are by displaying them on your digital frame. They’ll be able to see their photos every day, and as they get better you can easily swap them out for new pictures. Check out our selection of digital frames and find the perfect one for your little photographer’s masterpieces.

Beatrice Bisais

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.

Summer is upon us, and that means it’s road trip season. The U.S. is the perfect country for a great road trip because of its incredible size and diversity of landscapes. You can take in the waters of the Pacific and drive through the Rockies and across the Great Plains in the space of a week, stopping off at the Great Lakes before continuing on. There really aren’t many countries with that kind of space or beautiful landscapes to travel.

And with so much natural beauty, there will definitely be some times you just have to stop and take a picture. So if you’re planning a road trip this summer, then don’t forget these great landmarks and sites to take some photos.

The Grand Canyon
There’s a reason this is perpetually on the list of stops for road trips west.  The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world, and you can take almost an endless number of photos with the changing light. There are plenty of scenic overlooks to stop at, or you can take a hike and really get some unique photos.

Glacier National Park
Take a turn up north, and you might find yourself stopping in Montana to see the natural beauty of Glacier National Park. The massive lakes left behind by glaciers, as well as the abundant wildlife make this the perfect place to take those outdoorsy photos of you facing away from the camera with a mountain range in the background.

The Outer Banks
The Outer Banks in North Carolina fall between the sunny coasts of Florida and the northeastern shores, but that doesn’t mean you should skip them as you travel up the east coast. Beautiful sand dunes and fantastic sunsets make these beaches some of the most picturesque in America.

New York City
You may have had your fill of nature photos, so head to NYC for a thousand and one great city photo ops. Seriously, if you’re looking for it, NYC probably has it. Take in the tourist locations like Times Square and the Empire State building, or get a photo with the Statue of Liberty in the background. If you’re looking for a more unique shot, then head for one of the many museums, Central Park, or get a little lost and find a place off the beaten path.

Joshua Tree
We obviously had to include California in here somewhere. We could make a whole new list concerning the state, but Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California is one of our favorites. The uniquely shaped Joshua trees themselves make for beautiful photography, but the rest of the park is equally gorgeous. Spend a day here and you’re guaranteed to come away with some eye-catching photos.

And when you get back home, remember that the best way to display all your travel photos is on a digital frame. You’ll be able to scroll through at will, or set up a playlist that encompasses your entire trip!

Beatrice Bisais

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.

If you and your significant other have been together long enough, chances are you’ve taken a few selfies. Anymore, there isn’t a couple alive that hasn’t taken a selfie together at the beach, on the road, or just lying on the couch together. But if your selfies aren’t getting those likes, don’t worry—it’s not because you aren’t a cute couple. It’s because you’re taking them wrong. Probably. We know, we know—how can you take a selfie wrong? Well, let us explain, and you’ll realize that you’ve been missing out on some great tips.

Let’s start out with your extremities and work our way in, shall we? Some might say that they’re not really selfies if your face isn’t in it, but at that point it’s just semantics. You can go with a classic (read: clichéd) hand holding picture, and even though it’s been done before there’s a reason people keep doing it. It’s adorable, especially if you’re doing something special together when you take it. Maybe travelling in a bus or clasped over the stick shift on a long road trip?

Alternately you can get a photo of your feet intertwined in the sand or overlooking a scenic drop-off. Just make sure you’ve been taking care of your feet before you throw them front and center in your picture. And if you’re at home? Pop them up on the coffee table next to a couple wine glasses with some Netflix playing the background. Instant likes.

Alright, so you actually want some with your faces in the picture this time. If you’re traveling, there are always going to be great opportunities to get a selfie in front of an amazing view or a pristine beach. Just remember a couple things.

• First—the rule of thirds. Yes, it also applies to selfies. If you’ve got your phone extended far enough that there’s a lot of background (or, heaven forbid, a selfie stick), then you don’t want your faces to be exactly in the middle. The eye line should be somewhere near the top third of the photo, and space on the left and right side will make it more attractive.
• Second—Lighting. Certain times of day are better for taking pictures. Whether you’re traveling or not, the mornings and evenings offer better lighting for a great picture. And if you are on a trip, you won’t have to deal with as many tourists ruining the shot.

And now some parting ideas for selfies that you can use anywhere. At the roadside attraction or in your backyard, try a piggyback selfie. Also universal—the peck on the cheek selfie. Overdone? Possibly. Cute as can be? Absolutely. And last, but not least, put your goofy side out there and give a funny smile or make a face. You’ll look like you’re totally spontaneous and comfortable with each other. Which you totally are.

And once you’ve returned from your trip, or just gotten up off the couch, why not display those selfies in a digital frame from Nixplay. You’ll see them every day, and you can create your own fun playlist!

Beatrice Bisais

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.

Summer is the perfect time to get the family together and get a picture of everyone. School is out, so the kids are home during the day, and the weather provides plenty of natural light to help you get a great photo. But you might be wondering how everyone should dress. If you want it to stay up on your relatives’ fridge, your family photo needs to be at least somewhat coordinated. That means Dad probably can’t wear his favorite t-shirt, and Mom might have to pick something out for the kids. Here are some tips if you’re looking to get your summer photo right.

Build Off One Piece
Women’s clothing is usually better when it comes to a statement piece—they have a lot more options than guys do. But whether it’s a dress or Dad’s sweater, take one piece of clothing and build off it for the rest of the wardrobe. Also remember that if it’s you, your spouse, and a baby or a couple of small children, then the viewer is going to be drawn to your children no matter what you do. Might as well pop a cute bow on the baby and build off that, because that’s where everyone is going to be looking.

Don’t Match
Instead, coordinate. You don’t want everyone to wearing matching striped t-shirts or boat shoes, or whatever you’re imagining. Your all-white-everything beach photos—also, no. Start with a basic color palette while keeping that first piece in mind. Also, you might want to try keeping the other outfits simpler if the initial piece of clothing you chose is really flashy or different. You’ll end up looking slightly ridiculous if you have a lot of bow ties, suspenders, and zany colors all over the place.

Location, Location, Location
Know exactly where you’re going to be taking the picture—if it’s on the beach, in your backyard, or indoors in your living room. The palette you choose can help complement the surroundings. Just don’t go too far with it unless you’re making a card for a specific holiday. If you want your picture to stay up all year long, you should probably avoid putting the baby in a pumpkin outfit. Even though that’s wicked cute.

Accessories
Bringing accessories into your photo is a great way to help everyone stand out. As with every piece of advice we’ve given—don’t go overboard. The key is to let each member of the family have a little flair, without having each accessory fight the others.

Keep It Comfortable
This one is more for your small children. Adults can make it through a photo shoot in something they aren’t quite comfortable in, as long as it looks great. But if your kids are uncomfortable, it’s going to show in the photo. Try to get them into an outfit you like, but if it isn’t meant to be, it isn’t meant to be.

For more great tips on taking the perfect pictures for every occasion, visit the Nixplay blog.

Beatrice Bisais

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.