1 – Even though it may seem like a good idea, it’s actually best not to give someone a framed photo of themselves as a gift. We’re all really picky about how we look in pictures and chances are, most people would rather not display (or sometimes even keep) a framed picture of themselves.

So unless you know for absolutely certain that someone really loves a particular photo you took of them, it’s better to choose a different type of photo to give as a gift:

- A nice photo of people’s children or pets is always appreciated.
- You can’t go wrong with a lovely shot of nature or any kind of scenery.
- Artistic shots of interesting or pretty objects are also a good bet. (Antiques and unique items, things with eye-catching colours, interesting angles or shadows.)

2 – Give a photo that will mean something to the person you’re giving it to. If they love boats, give a photo of a boat or of a boat dock. If they love books, give a photo of a nice looking stack of books. If they collect something, like vintage dishes or toys – or whatever they collect – give them a photo of those. If they have a favourite spot at a local beach or park, give them a photo of that.

3 – If you’re not sure about someone’s decorating style or personal taste, it’s best to avoid fancy frames. Unless you know exactly what they like, try to stick with the classic, black frame with a white mat.

4 – A very nice gift for recently engaged couples, for new or expectant parents, or for your own parents, is to pre-pay for a professional photography session for them. And if you have friends or family who are actors, a pre-paid headshot session would be a very welcome gift!

Look online to find a photographer you like, contact them and make arrangements to pre-pay for a session. When you do that, be sure that the person who will be receiving the session can book their own date and time. Some photographers can give you a printed gift certificate, or you can easily make up your own gift certificate to give as your present.

5 – If you send out a family photo every year with your holiday cards and you want the photo to be something that people will keep, avoid dressing in holiday clothing or having a holiday background.

People will be much more likely to keep and even display a photo of your family if it’s picture that looks natural and isn’t particular to any seasonal holiday.

Some shots from a recent visit to Seattle…

Posted in Photographer, photographers, photography Tagged: Ballard, Seattle ]]> http://tameaburdphotography.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/seattle/feed/ 0 tameab http://tameaburdphotography.wordpress.com/2009/09/04/vancouver-august-wedding-at-aberthau/ http://tameaburdphotography.wordpress.com/2009/09/04/vancouver-august-wedding-at-aberthau/#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:18:19 +0000 tameab http://tameaburdphotography.wordpress.com/?p=239 ]]>

Congratulations to Greg and Angie, a beautiful couple and a beautiful August wedding at Aberthau Mansion in Jericho Park.

Even though the weather was uncooperative for the first while – a bit dark and rainy -  the sun came out eventually and we had a wonderful time with the photos!

More shots can be seen in the ‘wedding’ gallery at: www.tburdphotos.net

I recently spent a weekend in Las Vegas. Strange and fascinating place… Here are a few of my favourite shots from my visit:

I just did a beautiful shoot for a family with a one year old baby girl… (Are you supposed to still count by months after kids turn a year old? This confuses me.)

Lovely little girl and beautiful family!

More shots from our session can be seen in the ‘family’ gallery at: www.tburdphotos.net

In 30 (holy crap) years of taking ferries to Vancouver Island and back, not once have I ever seen any majestic indigenous ocean wildlife. Seagulls and driftwood don’t count.

Well, I was coming back from a trip to Victoria last night on the ferry and about 40 minutes into the trip, the captain announced that there was a pod of Orca whales to the starboard. Everyone rushed over to the windows – tipping the boat like crazy, it must have looked really funny from the outside – and looked out.

There were 4 or 5 whales, super close to the boat. I saw the plumes of water first, then I saw a huge black tail arching out of the waves, then another, then another.

Then, THEN, one of the whales slowly rose it’s head and body up out of the ocean. So unbelievably beautiful, my eyes instantly filled up with tears of utter joy and awe. The whale looked right at the ferry for a second, then all of the pod dove under the ocean and were gone.

It happened so quickly, I didn’t have time to take any photos. Which was actually good, because for once, it was better not to see through a camera lens.

It’s been grey and rainy here and I was on a later ferry. When I’d boarded, I noticed that people seemed extra tired and cranky and quiet. Well, when those whales showed up, the entire crowd of people were smushed together at the windows, laughing and gasping and smiling at each other. People were practically sitting on each other’s laps and nobody minded.

The woman to my left, put her hand on my shoulder so she could stand on tip-toe. A little kid on the other side of me, pulled himself up higher by half climbing up my arm. And for the rest of the ride home, strangers were talking to each other, telling stories of animal sightings and encounters, talking about how beautiful BC is and just generally in a state of bliss. All from about 90 seconds of seeing those whales.

The whole experience was just incredible. Like a dream that you never forget.

For most companies, a corporate headshot is a requirement for the executives as well as the employees. These photos are used on company websites; business cards and promotional materials. This usually means that a lot of people are going to see your photo, and it may not be presenting you in the way that you feel most attractive.

A lot of people don’t enjoy having their photo taken anyway, and when it’s ‘picture day’ at the office, they dread it even more. The most common complaints are that corporate headshots are too generic and unattractive. Well, with these 5 basic tips, your corporate photos can go from ‘ow’ to ‘wow’…

1: Avoid office lighting. Most corporate headshots are taken in your office location, where the light is a combination of overhead and fluorescent. Both of which are extremely unflattering. If at all possible, arrange to have your photos taken outside, or in a room with plenty of natural light. Even if your photographer brings additional lights, combining those with natural light is always preferable to office lighting.

2: Schedule your photos in the afternoon. People rarely look their best in the morning, especially not when they’ve just arrived at the office and haven’t even had their coffee break yet! The best time of day to book your photo session, is right after lunch.

Having a corporate headshot session can be stressful for a lot of people. To reduce that stress, plan for the photos to be done when everyone has had a bit of time to relax, to eat and to get ready to have their picture taken.

3: Allow plenty of time. A common mistake is to schedule for about 5 minutes per person. In most situations, it’s much better to schedule for 10-15 minutes for each individual or group. If employees are feeling rushed and the photographer is feeling hurried, that’s going to show in the photos, particularly in people’s facial expressions.

It takes a while for most people to relax and look natural in front of a camera. It’s definitely worth scheduling enough time for that to happen. Remember, these photos are a representation of your company, so it’s important that everyone looks happy to be there!

4: Give people some privacy. If someone is already feeling tense about having their picture taken, it’s going to be even more difficult for them if their co-workers are looking on. Arrange to have people go into the session one at a time, or one group at a time. And whether it’s indoor or outdoor, choose a location that’s an enclosed area.

5: For unique corporate photos, avoid generic backdrops. If the tone of your business is friendly and personable, your photos should reflect that. Instead of one bland background for everyone’s picture, have your photographer take shots of people at their work areas, or outdoors or in front of the company logo.

If your company is youthful and creative, then get creative with your headshots! Have photos of your employees holding your company products, or holding up something that symbolizes their job skill or their personality. Fun, attractive, appealing shots of a company’s employees and executives, can often make all the difference in attracting new clients.

Tamea Burd is a professional photographer from Vancouver BC.

Her website: Tamea Burd Photography

Tamea on Vancouver Breakfast Television.

Tips on researching and hiring a wedding photographer…