One of the most common frustrations I hear from new photographers is that their images are too soft or out of focus - and not the tack sharp images they dreamt of!

There are so many elements that go into getting a sharp photo, but in the video below I dive into FOUR things that you can put into place today, that will help you get images that you could slice your finger open on 😁

Does this sound familiar? The kids have gone to bed, and you're at your desk or on your laptop, uploading the images you've taken that day.

You are so excited to see what you captured, because you're pretty sure that this time, you nailed it!

Your little cherubs looked heavenly, there was plenty of light, and you even think you got the expressions you wanted.

But as you flip through the images your heart sinks.

So many of the images are soft and out of focus, or are dark and dreary, and absolutely nothing like the light, bright, tack sharp images you thought you'd captured.

As you go through the images one by one you feel like crying, because you were so sure that this time you had got some amazing images, and now you don’t know what you did wrong, and worse, you don’t know what you need to do next time to get better results.

Heck, you might even be thinking that you just aren't talented in photography, so you should quietly give it up, and hope no-one asks why you’ve stopped taking pictures.

If that’s you, I want you to know that you are not alone.

And more importantly, I want you to know what you are doing wrong so you can fix it!

Watch this video below, and learn 5 reasons why your images are not turning out the way you want them to, or how you see them in your head….

We have all thought it when learning photography….is it worth taking a photography course? Will it make any difference? Can’t I just learn everything online for free?

It’s such a great question, and one that I can’t believe I haven’t covered this on the blog up until now!

Having gone from taking the worse photography course imaginable, to trying to learn it myself for free (for several years) to now having taken more photography courses than you can shake a stick at, I have my fair share of experience on the subject 😁

(Plus of course, I have since created my OWN photography course so I also have the benefit of seeing this from the other side too, along with the experiences of hundreds of students!)

So, today we are going to dive into four reasons why a photography course just might be worth it for you, so you can decide once and for all whether to take the plunge or not!

Raise your hand if you could do with some easy tricks for getting better photos?!

I know that when you are just starting out - heck, even after you have been shooting for a while - you'd like to know what you should concentrate on first, and what areas will give you the most "bang for your buck" in terms of time vs result. 

So that's what I've aimed to do today: give you 7 different tricks that will dramatically improve your photos. Many of these are simple to implement, and even the ones that take a bit longer are SO worth learning about, that I couldn't NOT include them!

As with most of my posts, it ain't short, so grab a coffee, and get stuck in....

We love a bit of lens talk here on the blog, so today we are going to be answering this question: what's the best lens for newborn photography?

If you are just getting started with newborn photography, you might be wondering what lenses you need to get started, and which you can do without! Let's face it, lenses aren't cheap, so knowing exactly what you need - and what you can do without - will help make sure you get the best images possible, without spending your life savings 😛

in this post we are going to cover: WHICH types of lenses you should have, and most importantly, how to choose the best newborn photography lens for YOU!

Even the most technically perfect image can seem a little "meh" if it doesn't have an interesting composition.  Composition is simply how we can arrange the various elements in the scene to make an image more visually appealing, and the good news is, it can be simple to get right - its' just a case of knowing what to do and then remembering to do it! 

In this post, I'm going to give you 5 photography composition "rules" that you can use to get more interesting images that will make your photos stand out from the crowd! 

Stuck at knowing what to photograph? Then these 9 photography ideas for beginners will give you some inspiration, AND help improve your photography skills at the same time! #winwin

I know when you are new to photography it can be challenging knowing what to photograph, or understand some of the different ways you can photograph the same thing.  That's why I've pulled together this list of 9 photography ideas for beginners that I think are easy enough for those just starting out to do, but that will also still challenge you to take better photographs! 

You certainly don't have to do ALL of these, so just take a scroll down the list and choose the few that interest you, or those that you haven't already tackled.  You might also want to bookmark this page for later, or better yet, pin it to your photography boards on Pinterest so you can find it again when you need it!

In our free Facebook community, there is one question that comes up time and time again - how to get sharp photos. 

Getting tack sharp focus can be challenging for ALL levels of photographers, but when you are just starting out, it can sometimes feel downright impossible, not to mention frustrating! 

So here are my five dead simple tips that you can put into practice TODAY that can help you get sharper photos...

Ever find yourself with an image that you thought was just perfectly composed, but then when you got your order back from the print shop, it came back with half a head or a hand chopped off?  Or (less dramatically!) just doesn't look the way you thought it would? 

If that has happened to you, it's most likely it will be because of your Aspect Ratio. 

Not sure what that is and why it's important?

Then keep on reading, as in this post you are going to learn: 

• What aspect ratio is 

• What aspect ratio your camera camera shoots in by default

• Why you can lose part of your image (even when you go up in size) 

• How you can minimise the impact of aspect ratio on your images

• And how you can get your hands on a little cheat sheet that has all the relevant information for you! 

One of the questions I get asked a LOT is how to get those soft, dreamy, velvety blurred backgrounds in photography, so that your subject subject seems to pop right off the screen, and the whole image has that wonderful 3 dimensional quality to it. 

So, that's exactly what I'm going to cover today, with 3 simple tips that can help get your background super blurry and dreamy. You can use each tip on it's own to get better background blur, or use them TOGETHER for maximum impact! 

Let's dive right in shall we?

Today I've got a case study for you that I think you are going to LOVE! I asked Live Snap Love student Whitney Charles to come on the blog to share her story with you, because she has moved forward SO far in such a short period of time. She's come from being a complete beginner in Spring 2017, to having her own photography business (and taking amazing images to boot) a mere 12 months later.  I've been following her progress with awe, so I'm delighted to welcome her to the blog today. In this post she's sharing with you what she did, what challenges she faced, and what she wished she had done differently. Plus there is a heap of then / now images so you can see the difference in her images. I think you will find it incredibly valuable and inspirational, so let's dig in!

It happens to all of us at some time or another.

We feel somehow lacking as a photographer, that we aren't creative enough, or our images are boring, or that we will never be in the same league as the "big guys" we admire.  In short, our confidence is in short supply . 

And in response you will have heard the same stuff as me, about how "there is only one you" and "no-one else sees the world quite like you" and "embrace your unique perspective!"

Now, don't get get me wrong, all of that is definitely 100% true, and we SHOULD keep that in mind, but for me, I need something a little more practical than simply being told I shouldn't feel that way 😃

So that's what I am here with today - some practical advice for building your confidence as a photographer.

If that sounds like something you could do with, keep on a readin'....

Are you using a 50mm F1.8 lens but having trouble getting sharp images? 

Do you wonder why others can get awesome images with this lens, but not you? 

Then you'll want to check this video out!

In it I go over the top 3 reasons why your images might not be as sharp as you want...and the best thing is, they are pretty easy to fix!

Ever looked at your camera lenses and wonder what everything does? Then this is the blog post for you!

I’ll explain everything you can see on your lens, so what each switch does, and what that funny little window thing is meant for too 😀

Learning about the tools of your trade is important, so take five minutes to cast your eye over this, and have your camera lenses explained…..

Have you ever found yourself wondering about the difference between lifestyle and documentary photography, and which one suits your style and way of photographing best?

The truth is, the line between the two can be a little bit blurred and fuzzy, as there is just a few subtle distinctions that separate them, so it is easy to confuse them with one another, or even find yourself doing both from time to time!

So this blog post, we are going to get into a high level overview of both lifestyle and documentary photography, and see what those differences are, and whether it should matter to you….