Today we're talking photography.

Yes, capturing life's most important moments doesn't have to be overwhelming.

On today's show, we've got the tips and tricks that will have you shooting like a pro.

Coming up next on inspire.

(♪) Inspire is sponsored by the estate of Ray and Anne Goldsmith.

The Raymond C and Marguerite Gibson Foundation and the Louis H. Humphreys Charitable Trust.

(♪) Hello and welcome to inspire.

I'm excited to be here with my beautiful inspire sisters, Danielle Norwood and Lesley Fleuranges.

And you.

So whether you're snapping pics on your phone or you just unboxed your very first big time camera, this episode is packed with tips to ensure your photography journey.

We're going to be diving into the do's and don'ts of photography, like how to choose the right camera settings and composition tips to help you get the most out of this hobby.

And once you've captured that perfect shot, what's next?

We'll talk about creative ways to preserve and share your memories beyond just your phone screen.

To start the conversation, we welcome to our photography show, the experts, Carol Myers of Memory Makers and Christina Nolan with Compass Marketing and Advertising partners.

Welcome, ladies.

Hello.

Hi.

So I myself remember the Instamatic cameras and things like this.

But of course, today it's all about cell phones.

So my question is going to be how do cell phone users up their game in photography?

Since we don't use some of us don't use the really expert looking professional cameras.

So that's going to dive into a lot of little subjects.

That's understanding composition, the rule of thirds, the exposure triangle, all of that.

And then knowing the limitations of your cell phone also and what they could potentially provide or not depending on the age of the phone as well.

But if I could give like just a blanket, hey, this is, this would be how you could advance your composition skills.

Just straight up it would be getting finding the subject you want to take a picture of.

And then getting higher or lower than the subject you want to take for depth reasons.

So you're trying to show something behind it or something beside it.

And then understanding the rule of thirds also next to it.

Because if you imagine your phone or shoot landscape, for example, imagine like a TikTok, board across the phone and your subject should be left or right, justified crossing those lines.

And usually when you're like, say, I'm going to get a picture of you and you're looking towards Danielle, then you would be on one side of the justified, and then Danny will be the other side.

So we're like equal space, sort of.

But we can get into composition and rule of thirds more in depth.

But realistically, it's knowing the limitations of your phone and getting, higher or lower than the subject that you're trying to get a picture of.

Excellent.

Carol, I have known you for years and you have been at it for over 40 years, and you do so much professional photography.

But one of my favorite things that you do is the fact that you help the Helping Hand Humane Society and take pictures of some of my favorite subjects dogs and cats.

So how does that enter into the whole realm of photography?

Well, for volunteering, it's just always been a passion of mine and the work that I do and many other volunteers at the shelter do, shows their personalities and they're put on the websites, and that really helps to get them adopted a lot quicker.

To just put their personality out there as, you know, as everything.

But as far as my photography, my professional photography, I just feel they're part of our family, a big part of our family.

Sometimes they're our baby after the kids are gone.

Yeah.

And you just, you know, you need to record those moments because we all know that our pets don't stay with us as long as we love them to.

And, just having them there and showing that bond, that human animal bond is just, the most important thing.

But capturing that personality, I mean, you have to work to get that, you can.

Yeah.

I there's a certain amount of using a little squeaker or a feather or something.

But I just prefer to be very relaxed because as you all know, the animals can be very keyed into our, our worries or, you know, anxiety.

So just be very relaxed, calm and take your time and then, just play with them.

And a lot of times the animals will respond when you say their name or make a little cute little noise or something they're not expecting.

So, yeah, a lot of people are using photography for social media, definitely the gram.

And for our age category, Facebook.

Right.

So with that being said, and one of my favorite topics, which is food, let us talk about how we can use our cell phones to actually take a really cool picture of whatever it is that we're dining on at that particular time, because now we don't even eat dinner.

In fact, people at my table know it's like, okay, I got to get a picture of you because you already know.

Yeah, I got to get a picture of what's on the plate before we even eat.

So how can we have a masterful looking picture that will be attractive on social media?

Okay, so if I can start this one, it really depends on the color of the the food you're trying to eat first.

So if it all looks like brown and white, it's like, where's the accent color coming from?

Number one.

But then, after you get the the plate set up, like how you want to the bowl of soup set up how you want with little accents of color on the edges or silverware, around the edges.

Generally what you would get is, again, we'll say we'll shoot landscape and you'll have your phone to where you're only hitting the object in question.

You'd get it from the side left or right, justified.

But then you'd also get something straight off the top.

So you have your phone straight down over whatever dish you're currently looking at to try to give a different perspective.

And you would combine all of those in, especially if it was like Instagram also for reels, that would just almost carousel through the food.

And if there was multiple multiple dishes, carousel through the food.

But ultimately it comes down to the colors of the food, gives beforehand and how you can manipulate that.

And any tablecloths you have to make it pop with color before editing, because in this apply, this implies you're using your phone and you know how to use editing software on your phone.

We're not going to assume that in this one.

We're just going to yeah, we're gonna we're just gonna assume that, you click and go.

So this implies more of just how to set up something to look nice.

And so you need to get it by itself.

Nothing extra on the side.

So no random food crumbs lying around kind of thing.

And just make sure that it's centered with whatever placement you have.

It fits.

Sort of like that.

Depending.

I can think of so many different types of food.

My mind is going also off so many different directions.

And this also includes like cocktails too.

So this is, could you not do that too?

Yeah, yeah.

For cocktails.

And so, for, for if it's, boiler plate, you would generally do landscape or straight up and down if it's a glass or something that's more, cylindrical or you would shoot, portrait.

So that's up and down.

And then you would still do your best to get its composition to where it's balanced.

Rule of thirds.

That's still understanding the rule of thirds.

But ultimately those are like the short tips and tricks for food color to begin with.

All depends on food.

Okay.

You know, so you mentioned landscape.

I noticed that if you know, my camera is here and I'm taking pictures like this and, but I've noticed that on social media, in places like the people do landscape, how how do you try to remind yourself what is the benefit of going to landscape versus portrait?

Because everybody tells me this is the best way.

Why?

Why is that so landscape generally, and this is for all types of publications, also not just for food, but landscape gives you more stuff to crop.

So it's more room to crop off.

Whereas if you shoot portrait, you're kind of left with, negative space on the top of the bottom, which you normally crop anyway, but the sides are already you can't expand that.

And so generally, if you want to get a good picture, you take landscape because you can get more of your subject that way, and you can crop down to exactly what you want without the phone limiting you beforehand.

So I usually do shoot landscape, and if it's something where I think it's going to be intentionally designed, like a print publication for portrait orientation, I will also do landscape and portrait, but at the very minimum it will always be landscape, if that makes sense.

We've got so much more to talk to and with you.

So, when we come back, we will give you more tips and tricks.

For all you shutterbugs.

Please stay with us.

(♪) We're back.

And it's our pleasure to be here with our photography experts, Carol Meyers and Memory Makers Photography and Christina Noland with Compass Marketing and Advertising Partners who are here to show us how we can make the most of our photography.

We've been having a fun debate.

You've just thrown me for a loop because you said that, you know, we should actually photograph and landscaping versus portrait three fourths the time.

And I said as a plus size person, I don't want to be looking like the Michelin man in the picture.

And so that's why I tell everybody I want it vertical or portrait.

So and then you said what you've learned in terms of composition that people most of the time want to be photographed in portrait mode.

So please give us the scoop because we're trying to look our very best.

Yeah.

You know, trends change, times change, things change.

Technology obviously changes a lot, but someone who's been in the business as long as I have, I was trained by people who were classically trained in portraiture.

And that was, you know, certain hand poses and shoulders and the head tip and whatnot.

So it's it's very different from today when a lot of people do the, you know, move and turn your head and toss your hair.

And I mean, you know, that type of thing, which is cool.

It's very cool, don't get me wrong.

But yeah, the the person who the words you used was I it that's what Michelin came in.

That's I think our last we got this you know, there are, there are things that always turn to the side, always turn to the side and make sure your, you know, your posture is good.

Not.

Yeah, but just stop.

And then a little bit of, you know, if you're in the chair just a little bit and that does wonders.

It just does.

Beyond that, you know, after you've done all that then relax and, and have fun.

I mean, you can't and you can and and moving.

You know, moving is is great and and all that.

But I'll, I'll defer to you.

It definitely depends on ultimately the, the type of photography you doing.

If you're a beginner and you're saying, I want to do landscape, I want to shoot my park, I want to shoot portraits, I want to shoot sports.

I want to shoot just general candid photos.

All of this is a general like guide, but then you get to the narrow field of just portraits that have more or less different rules that they follow.

So if I'm saying, hey, by the way, shoot landscape, it's probably because I've done portrait, or product photography in the past that generally uses something on magazines that require longer photos, because that's ultimately where my photos are going to go.

And so I'm shooting pictures with the mindset of, I know what my client is asking for and where these need to go.

So therefore I'm going to do what I need to do and then maybe have a little backup, different orientations as needed.

But absolutely, when it comes to, portraits or sports, there's different guidelines for those with that make sense?

Okay.

Well, here's the thing.

I have become an AI person.

I totally dig it.

ChatGPT and all of these things.

And now the market is coming in with all of these new technologies.

So is there an impact that we think I would have on photography for the there's a lot of things it could do other than just drive me insane sometimes.

So in terms of, you know, editing and different things like that, there, I would say in AI, especially with the new update that Adobe came out with Photoshop to just automatically remove certain elements without knowing the skillset behind removing those certain elements will absolutely change.

Photographers like game plan in the future make it easier.

But for me, that's pretty much where I just land.

Like, I'm not going to do it for anything else.

I'm not going to have it generate an image that's not real.

I won't even had a color.

Correct.

Because I like color correcting my own photos.

But when it comes to AI making it easier for photographers, it still depends that you know the software beforehand.

So if you're thinking about just okay, I'm using, my phone to do X, Y, or Z.

That's not necessarily super applicable.

It depends on what software you have on the big computers behind the scenes.

So I'm not sure.

Where would you go with that question?

Oh, here I come again with the emotional side.

Again, starting from pre Photoshop as I did.

You know, you got it right in the camera.

That was what was grinding trained into my head and get it right in the camera.

Like you said, it's not necessarily a bad thing to utilize those tools because they do help.

They are quicker and whatnot.

But I think, as you said, it is very important to have that knowledge and get that first and then, to all my fellow portrait photographers out there that are, that are new, especially, you know, times coming when that's a dog, if you have a little dog in your backyard and oh, the there's trash over there or there's a, you know, sidewalks cracked, you can generate literally type in pretty park setting in a pretty field with wildflowers and hit the button and it's there.

Wow.

So yes, the brand brand new versions.

Right.

The upgrades updates.

So it's just it's kind of will there be professionals?

That's my opinion, you know, in 2015, 20 years.

But that's sooner.

That's well, I mean, it could be true.

That said, it is.

You know, it's a nice tool to use.

Well, let's take it.

Let's take it like brand new photographer.

What if somebody is just now getting into photography?

It's going to be their new habit.

It's their new way to go.

You know, they want they want to do something different.

What would you say?

If it's a hobby, then it would realistically be a fun tool to play around with, especially with a bunch of different colors and patterns that it could just, I could just generate by itself.

If you're going, this is what I would say.

Other students, if you're going into photography as a hobby, intentionally going to news or something that's covering events, using AI to distort a photo is actually like against general journalism rules.

So it really does depend on that side quest.

But for just someone that starting out, just trying to have fun, play around with this absolutely could be fun generating backgrounds.

But it's, I would, I guess, caution people to think that, hey, it's not going to help you or photo your photography skills grow.

You still have to have the base image.

You still have to know how to make the shot good, and then you can have AI enhance it even better.

But it's not going to make you a good photographer off the bat, so it's fun to play around with.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

But I aside, what what tools would you get to start it as a hobby?

I would definitely suggest read your manual.

And and most cameras don't come with manuals anymore.

You download it or read it online.

But knowing even if you're putting your camera on automatic, which you know, we all do at times definitely know what?

Like, oh darn, Betty Luce, you know I don't have enough light on her.

I don't know what to do.

Or this, you know, something, something was just not right.

If you know your skills, if you know what your camera can do or how to change the light or move the person you know, whatever, that will help you to not be, you know, next time you won't be as frustrated and just, you know, go slow, read the read the manual.

Read the online manual.

Yeah.

You know that that's my biggest tip.

Yeah.

So that rule of thirds and understanding the exposure triangle.

Absolutely.

Which, I think I could, I could send you guys something after that.

Just shows.

Hey, chart go.

This is how you understand it.

But understanding the, exposure triangle also will definitely help you get shots to make this better.

Yeah I I'm, I'm totally intimidated by cameras.

I mean I think cell phone for me is all I would do.

And I think the general public is doing that is this is the photography industry declining in terms of the types of equipment that people are buying.

Are people still buying really high end cameras and things like that to to make their decisions on how to get the, the most out of pictures?

Or is social media made it all about the phone and people are just not buying cameras anymore, I think.

I mean, I'm sorry, I'm jumping ahead of you.

Yeah.

I feel like, there are more people with cameras.

The, not to go back to the old days again, but there so many of the cameras for the technology was.

And she pointed out the little camera you held up putting the, that technology versus like a professional camera where, you know, light years apart.

Now, the dSLR are, are just, you know, their prices are coming down and they're available more to the masses.

So I, I teach a couple a little, I mean, sorry, I teach beginning photo classes through my studio as well.

And, several of the people lately have said, oh, I got this camera because I really wanted it, but I took a couple shots and they were horrible.

So I put it in the closet, you know?

So it's again, it's just a matter of getting those basics and then going with it.

And it doesn't have to be intimidating.

Now it's I don't I'm not an iPhone person so I don't know and I don't I don't believe that the androids I don't know that they have the, you know, all the all the bells and whistles and lenses like the iPhone does.

But, I can't speak to that.

So it depends on the the version of Android I know that I on my own phone, I have it set up to where it always has, regardless of whatever I'm doing.

It will have the rule of thirds grid on it, and I have little photo settings on that have bookmarked to hey, this is preset, this is preset, this is preset.

But my Samsung is also relatively new.

So so yeah, I would also say that normal composition tricks for people that are just starting out with cameras.

I mean, yes, cameras are getting like way more accessible, but normal composition tricks just for being able to predict, where something is going to be like for me in sports photography, event photography, being able to predict where someone's going to be right when you need something to happen is a soft skill that is going to be way more needed down the line.

When more people have more cameras.

It's like one of those things you need to be taught, or at least think about every time.

I would suggest, even understanding the way to get a good shot of someone just understand their dominant hand or not.

Because then if you are throwing a ball with this hand, you know, to get a shot from this way, or if you're throwing a ball with this hand to get a shot from this way, take their entire, action going.

So I feel like I could go into composition for every level.

But this one I would apply to iPhones that would apply to people that just have dSLR starting out.

That would apply to all of this.

So that is not answer your question.

I apologize.

Yeah, it's been great.

I mean, this is teaching me all kinds of things that I think I'd like to go take one of your classes.

Yes, certainly.

I don't know.

So listen, Cal, Christina, thank you so much for coming and giving us all these tips and tricks.

Your passion for photography is amazing.

And we appreciate the time that you spent with us today on inspire.

So after the break, we'll share our favorite photogenic memories.

So stay with us.

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Thank you for staying with us on Inspire you guys.

This has been fascinating because I didn't even seek it.

When you are already into.

I, you've got the, you know, the slender rising stuff.

I have always heard like, take a picture.

Like if you're up and then you look down, the people look more slender.

So I always try to take photos on my phone that way, but yeah.

What else?

Well, just the whole concept of how to best look on social media, because we live our lives online nowadays.

And I think that three fourths of the audience, no matter what the age category, is, we all want to preserve those memories and we put those memories online.

So I would like to have, you know, some guidelines as to how we can look our best and to convey those emotions.

So, Carol, you know, takes pictures of for her photography company to make sure that we just put it out there.

And it's a beautiful representation of who we are.

Yeah.

And, you know, for me, I mean, these are great tips because I do a lot of my own social media now.

So when I want to take pictures of the pets and caretakers and things that we're doing, I don't want to have to take 20 pictures to find one, you know what I mean?

So learning more about lighting and composition, landscape versus portrait, I mean, those are all really important things.

So I think I can learn a lot more so that I can be better at, you know, doing that.

And I'm just the tips that we've gotten today, the landscape alone.

Hello.

Hello.

Right.

I.

You know, I've got to say, you know, I've known care for so long.

And I just love the fact that she volunteers her time, gives of her resources to show pets, because it is so true that if you see one on television, you know, like, I know they have them on other stations and it's like, if you see that I it helps the person out there viewing, you know, to say they've captured that, oh my gosh, look how cute it is.

Or if you can take a video.

You know, we didn't really get into that because it's more still photography.

But you get those faces.

You see the expression, you see the eyes.

I mean love.

Yeah.

You fall in love.

You fall in love.

But but I want to know more about the slender rising tip.

So I could I think we need to get into that more with them.

And they have provided resources.

They said that they would put up information.

We put the information up and that viewers can, you know, ask them questions after this shows over, of course, and, you know, find out what else they can do and what they need.

Because we didn't get to ask about night photography.

I know you keep hearing about the people that go out in the Flint Hills to show something at night, you know, or can get up really before sunrise so you can get out and capture the best sunrise.

And then how many people do you see that?

Do you take a picture?

And the sun's behind him.

So now they're dark.

He's.

You want a light showing on the person.

Just tips like that, right?

So we're going to have to have another episode with the ladies.

That's what's going to have to happen.

Because again, we live so much of our lives online that it deserves another episode here.

So that's all the time that we have for today.

Thank you to our two photography experts, Carol Meyers and Christina Nolan, for joining us on inspire.

And don't you forget that you can watch this program again at watch.ktwu.org.

Well, we hope you've we've inspired you today.

And if you are so inspired to learn more about our guests and find out more about what's coming up on our future shows, please visit our website at ktwu.org/inspire Inspiring women, inspiring great photography and inspiring you on KTWU.

Thank you for watching.

(♪) Inspire is sponsored by the estate of Ray and Anne Goldsmith, the Raymond C and Marguerite Gibson Foundation, and the Louis H. Humphreys Charitable Trust.