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.

It’s easy to capture memorable clips that you’ll love for years, insists professional photographer and videographer Bakari Chavanu, founder of lifetimevp.com. Simply use these tricks that filmmakers use to create your favorite movies:
* Have a plan. Think of all the shots you want to include before you start filming, for instance, at a birthday party you may want viewers to see the cake being decorated, guests arriving at the party and the guest of honor blowing out her candles.
* Use a tripod. It prevents shaking and moving, which distracts from the scene you’re shooting. No tripod around? Rest the camera on something stable, like a table, bench or shelf.
* Open with an establishing shot. This is the first shot on the video and shows the location where the action is going to take place. In the case of the birthday party, you might pan the decorated room or take an outside shot of the restaurant where the party is being held.
* Include variety. To keep your video interesting, try to include a mix of long-, medium- and close-range shots. For example, you can start with a long-range shot that shows all the guests around the birthday girl, a medium shot of the birthday girl opening her presents, then a close-range shot of her hands as she opens a present.
* Take cut-away shots. This is when you direct the camera at something else other than the main subject to capture the mood of the setting. For example, if you shoot the birthday girl blowing out her candles, you could include cutaway shots of the guests singing “Happy Birthday” and clapping after the candles are blown out.

[photo: tylerkaraszewski]

Wondering if you should move to another state? Not sure if you should accept a new job offer? Or making another decision with long-term consequences? Then take out artwork from your kids, photos of friends and family, gifts from your sweetie and other cherished mementos. A recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that people who surround themselves with uplifting keepsakes make decisions that lead to better health, more wealth and other positive long-term outcomes than those who don’t have these items around. “Whether you realize it or not, having these keepsakes near you improves your mood. That’s key, since a positive mood helps you step back emotionally from a situation and see the bigger picture, making it easier to choose the option that’s best in the long run,” explains study co-author Vanessa M. Patrick, Ph.D.

[photo: Randy Son Of Robert]

Is the low-battery light on, but you need to get just a few final shots? No worries! You can get your much-needed pictures before the camera goes completely kaput by simply skipping the fancy stuff—such as zooming in or out, playback and flash—and turning off the LCD viewfinder if the camera has a traditional one. These unnecessary extras  are a major drain on your battery, using up the last of its juice before you can take your final photos, says Paul Klatt, product support manager at Batteries Plus.

[photo: Marcos Santos]

There are lots of reasons to pull out your camera this time of year—visiting friends and relatives, scenic snow scenes, children’s plays and holiday decorations. But, why let your favorite shots stay stored away in a photo album where they’re rarely seen when free online programs let you turn them into…
* Music videos: At the video editing website masher.com, you can upload your photos and combine them with music, captions and special effects to create an entertaining video greeting card or slideshow to share with loved ones.
* Works of art: Transform ordinary photos into a Warhol-style illustration, cartoon, line drawing, sunburst and other artsy options at befunky.com.
* Monthly calendar: You can add a new photo for every month of the year at bighugelabs.com/calendar.php. Simply upload your picture and the program automatically turns it into a calendar page. Save it to your computer, then print it out.
* Captioned posters: After you pick your photo, add a title and up to three lines of humorous, inspiration or silly text at bighugelabs.com/motivator.php. Save it to your computer, then email it to friends or print it out and frame it.

[photo: rlerdorf]

Wish you looked thinner, taller or more radiant in pictures? No problem, says photographer Kelly Jensen of the photography advice website photojojo.com. Here are her fail-proof tricks to…
* Look 10 pounds slimmer: Use the “red carpet pose”—point your feet at a 45-degree angle away from the camera, then twist at the waist so your torso faces the camera. This stance shrinks your waist in photos so you appear instantly more slender.
* Add inches to your height: Place one foot directly behind the other, then lean back just a bit. This forces you to stand up staight, making you look taller.
* Make a double-chin vanish: Believe it or not, the trick is to tilt your head down, not up. To do it: Turn your head about 45 degrees away from the camera, stretch your neck, then slightly tilt your chin toward your chest. Both your neck and face will look thinner.
* For a radiant smile: Ask the photographer to count to three before taking the picture. Close your eyes and breathe in. Then, just before the shutter clicks, breathe out, open your eyes and smile. Your facial muscles will be relaxed, making your smile warmer and more authentic.  

Tip: What kind of clothes are most flattering in a photo? Those with neutral tones. “Horizontal stripes make you look wider, busy patterns take the focus away from your face and bold colors may not look flattering in the light of the flashbulb,” says Jensen.

[photo: Orin Zebest]