Make outdoor pictures perfect

Whether you’re taking photos at the beach, amusement park, botanical gardens or other outdoor destination, there are easy ways to make them look like a pro shot them. The New York Institute of Photography recommends…
*  Turning on the flash. This eliminates the dark shadows that form around people’s eyes and nose on sunny days and adds extra light on cloudy days, making faces appear sharper.
* Zooming in. There’s lots of outdoor clutter that can distract your subject—such as passersby, coolers, trash cans and cars. A tight shot focuses your photo on your subject, giving it more impact.
* Watching out for squinting. People’s eyes are usually the first place we look in a photo so you want them to be as clear as possible. If your subjects are squinting, try to turn them in another direction where the sun isn’t bothering them.
* Taking more photos at the “magic hour”. At dusk, the sun gives off a soft glow that makes virtually everyone instantly more attractive.
* Making flowers more fantastic. When taking close-ups of roses, lilacs, hibiscus and other warm-weather blooms, try to include a butterfly, bee, ladybug or other garden critter. This little touch makes an ordinary flower shot far more intereseting. Also key: Kneel down to the flower’s height to get more detail.

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