DON'T SNAP! Get the people out of the picture!

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Welcome back to photography week!   Have you linked up YOUR post at the party yet?  GO DO IT!
Have you entered to WIN the prizes on this pinboard???  GO DO IT! Then come back and read how to NOT SNAP!

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Aren't people supposed to be in the picture? Well yes...sometimes you want people in the picture (hey cutie!)

'I Heart Faces' Tutorial

...but sometimes you are looking for a product shot, or you want to capture a shot of a building or garden. In that case...BE PATIENT.

You might have read my tour of Longwood Gardens last week on Houzz and wondered how I was able to go when there were no people around. I mean Longwood is notoriously popular, especially during the orchid festival, so how come the place is empty?

#1 RAIN

Well, one factor out of my control that worked out well was that is was drizzling, cloudy and cold that day, so the non-brave peoples all stayed indoors.

We crazy folks on the other hand, spent most of the day outside. you see, I was with my SIL Kjerstin and her baby B, and we can't handle crowds. We would much MUCH rather walk through the rain and be alone in the arboretum than manage the crowds in the orchid house. Does that make us weird?

Anyway....back to the point.

#2 AVOID the SPECTACLE

As I mentioned above, it was orchid time at Longwood, so the orchid halls were literally packed heel to head with people.  Everyone was admiring the rare varieties of orchids and a thousand cameras were snapping, so while I was interested in seeing them, I wasn't that interested.  We went elsewhere.

#3 WAIT

When all else fails, you can usually wait for the shot.  There are always going to be people in your shot if you just throw up the camera and snap.  Wait for a break in people and snap quick!

Here is the main greenhouse.


Here is the main greenhouse after waiting 15 seconds for the group of people to exit to my left and the sweet old man to get inside the greenhouse door.  Waiting another 10 seconds AFTER that photo and the place was full of people again.  WAIT for the moment and snap it quick!


Another note:  I took that first photo with the people in it to double check my camera settings.  You should have the setting PERFECT for the shot so that when the moment of no people arises, you are ready!

#4  FRAMING 

If all else fails, be creative with your framing.  See this photo?  The lady was very intent on taking 406 photos of that orchid...


At that point, there is nothing you can do except for changing the composition and framing in the shot.  Too bad I STILL got her hand in the corner --- arrrgggghhhh


You get the point right?  BE PATIENT and if all else fails, crop those people out!!! For the full tour of Longwood Gardens on a rainy day, check out my tour on HOUZZ!
You might also want to check out the pathways, greenhouses, topiary and vegetable gardens at Longwood.

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...and don't forget to come back tomorrow for Fat Photographer!