Photography is a real art form, and a pretty demanding one; the best results require highly-refined skills together with innate talent. This means that you have to be willing to take classes, try new things, and educate yourself in order take pictures that you can really be proud of.

Use digital techniques to create photographs that resemble oil paintings, watercolors, graphic pencil sketches and more. Many software packages are available, with Adobe Photoshop being the most popular. Some of these programs are more complicated than others, but the filter function is how you can convert your photos to art-like quality. Tinker around here and find filters you like.

Overcast skies can present problems when you are taking pictures, so exclude them from the image frame. Your photo will look washed out if you have too much gray sky in it. A better option for shooting in overcast is to use black and white. Include a blue and beautiful sky if you want to. but make adjustments for available light.

Simplify your camera settings for the best results. Take the time to fully understand one part of your camera controls, such as shutter speed, prior to moving on to aperture or other features. This will enable you get the image that you want, when you want it, instead of losing time having to fumble with the settings.

A lot of people consider gorgeous days of abundant sunshine to be ideal for snapping good photos, but direct sunlight is actually a good way to mess up a good picture. It casts strange shadows and glare, causes subjects to squint, and highlights unevenly. If you can, only shoot outdoors in the early hours of the morning or during late evening hours.

As you should now know, you have the ability to become a successful photographer. Snapping picture has more to it than just pointing and shooting. It is about capturing the art already present in the world around you and forever immortalizing it.

By Gia Dragoi

Chicago Wedding Engagement Photographer Gia Photos
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So, as promised in my last blog, here are some photos from a few surprise proposals I’ve had the pleasure of photographing all throughout Chicago.  The majority of couples use the most iconic Chicago backdrops as the location for this wonderful event.  Everything from the rink at the Peninsula and the rink at Wrigley Field, to the Cloud Gate, all these make for a wonderful site.  I can’t wait to see what locations I’ll be shooting in this year.  More photos to come.  

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Gia Photos

869 W. Buena Ave, Chicago Illinois  60613 USA

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As mentioned in my earlier blog, I love doing winter engagement and wedding photography.  And here are some more examples of this.  Not only do the couples get a very different background of Chicago, but also a great mysterious look that winter brings.  What I love the most is putting the ring in LOVE in snow rather than sand, which almost everyone does. In my next blog I’ll put just surprise proposals that I was more than happy to capture during lots of snow and cold.

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Gia Photos

869 W. Buena Ave, Chicago Illinois  60613 USA

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With the winter in full bloom, I’ve decided to add some photos that I especially like.  Although, cold as cold can be sometimes, these wonderful couples had no problem getting comfortable in this weather.  I love taking photos in the snow, as this makes for incredible backgrounds.  Whether it’s day or night-time photos, Chicago has something to offer to everyone, winter or summer.  More winter photography to come in the next blog.   Chicago Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photography Chicago | Chicago Engagements Photographer Chicago Wedding Photographer | Chicago Engagements Photographer

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869 W. Buena Ave, Chicago Illinois  60613 USA

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Novice photographers can greatly improve their skills by reading the following article. In this article, you will find a handful of great tricks that will help you begin your photography journey.

Decide what is going to be in your picture. Many good photos show only a carefully chosen portion of the subject, rather than the whole thing. Don’t try to crowd too many things into the picture. If you want to give a more general impression of something, take a series of pictures, rather than a single photograph with no real focus or details.

You can play with different colors and angles as well as utilizing the different features your camera offers. A good picture isn’t all about the subject, it’s also about the artistic way it is portrayed. A skilled photographer can take even the most overshot subject and create an image which is creative and jaw-dropping. You will find your own style as you experiment.

Pack your equipment for a trip carefully. Pack extra accessories and lenses so that you won’t miss out on any photographs during your trip because of poor planning. Don’t take more with you than you absolutely need.

Consider documenting your souvenirs with photography during your travels. You might take a shot of the store, or photograph the item in its original setting. When you do this, you have a nice, ready-made way of sharing the story of your souvenir hunting expedition!

Composition is an important factor that every beginning photographer should consider and educate themselves on. Like other forms of art, if your composition is lacking, then the outcome will not be the best. Study up on different methods of composition and then apply it to your own photos.

Photography is unique in its ability to preserve a single moment in an image. These tips can help you learn how to create these elusive images. With these tips in mind, you’re on your way to becoming a photography expert.

By Gia Dragoi

Chicago Wedding Engagement Photographer Gia Photos
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Although most people think that taking a picture is just as simple as pointing and shooting, there really is an art form to it. Typically, your photos never look quite as good as you imagined they would. However, once you learn the proper techniques, it really is simple to take great pictures.

Try things that you think would be interesting and new; don’t be afraid to explore. The best photos you take are the ones that reinforce your personal style and reflect the world as you see it. Don’t do the things that have been done several times before. Using your creative skills, try using some fresh angles.

Make sure you have a good sense of depth when shooting landscapes. Foreground is very important in landscape photography; place an object in the foreground to create a sense of depth and scale. Giving sharp focus to your photos can be as simple as changing your settings. Apertures less than f/8 for digital cameras, and f/16 for full framed SLR cameras, will give you the image you really want.

Keep your arms close to you while holding the camera, and position your hands on each side and the bottom of the camera. This keeps the camera steady and reduces the number of blurred shots you take. Holding the camera from the bottom and underneath the lens also helps prevent dropping your camera accidentally.

Here is a handy photo tip! You need to experiment with shutter speeds. You should see letters on your camera: P, M, A and S. P means your program mode. This “P” setting automatically controls shutter and aperture when you shoot. If you have no idea what settings you want, “P” is a safe choice!

You may not have always been happy with your past photographs. Learning how to use a variety of lighting techniques can be help make photographs more interesting. Experiment with different angles to produce an artistic photograph taken from a unique perspective.

By Gia Dragoi

Chicago Wedding Engagement Photographer Gia Photos
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    For the past few years, having a photographer present during a proposal is almost a necessity.  Not only will she be impressed, but you’ll have memories to look at for a lifetime.  I’m one of those lucky photographers that gets to witness many surprise proposals, and I’m very happy to be part of, what happens to be, the beginning of their journey through life together.  Chicago has unlimited, wonderful backgrounds and any of them make for a great location when popping the big question.  Whatever idea you might have in mind, it will most certainly work, and I’ll try to make sure the photos are everything you had in mind and more.

Chicago Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photography Chicago | Chicago Engagements Photographer Chicago Wedding Photographer | Chicago Engagements Photographer

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869 W. Buena Ave, Chicago Illinois  60613 USA

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Lately most proposals are done with a photographer present to make sure that the wonderful moment is captured for a never-ending memory.  I am lucky enough to be one of those photographers that is there when a couple is starting their journey together. Chicago has possibly, some of the most beautiful backdrops, and the ideas can be endless.  As you can see some of the best locations are Lincoln Park South Pond, downtown and Navy Pier.  But, no matter where the proposal gets done, it’s for sure to be a great and wonderful memory for days and years to come.

Chicago Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photography Chicago | Chicago Engagements Photographer Chicago Wedding Photographer | Chicago Engagements Photographer

contact@weddingphotographerinchicago.com

Gia Photos

869 W. Buena Ave, Chicago Illinois  60613 USA

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You can turn photography into a really rewarding hobby. Photography can capture something beautiful forever. Photographs can capture youth and innocence, and can be used to remind old people of their former vitality. These tips can bring a unique, original perspective to your photographs. Continue reading to see how you can bring more life to your photographs.

Keep your camera settings simple. Do not attempt to take on too many customizable settings at once. Choose to master a new setting monthly, from shutter speed to aperture. Doing this focuses your attention on the image itself, rather than playing with dials while you lose your subject.

Look at other photographers’ work for inspiration. Viewing others’ work will help you remember that capturing a moment can be done in so many different ways.

The foreground is much more noticeable than the background in a photograph. Create a nice foreground in your shot to make your picture look more deep and to frame in more intimately.

In life we are taught that even and centered is the way things should be. We have been taught all of our lives to always strive towards perfection, but when you are shooting photographs of a more off-beat, artistic nature, do not focus directly on your subject. Do not use the auto-focus feature that will detect your subject and place it in the center. Use manual focus and then lock prior to clicking your photo.

Experiment with varieties of expressions, scale and perspective. Even an ordinary object can be transformed into a work of art if its setting makes it appear dramatically magnified or diminished in size or placed in a situation that is humorous or unique. Take everyday objects out of the mundane by composing them in your shots in an unusual way.

As mentioned earlier, photography allows us to capture those fleeting moments so that we can enjoy them for years. Although a photo is just a piece of paper, many people cherish them more than anything else. Use all the tips you find in this article and elsewhere to become the kind of photographer you’ve always wanted to be.

By Gia Dragoi

Chicago Wedding Engagement Photographer Gia Photos
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    This couple is by far ready, to go to any extent for the photos they know they want.  Not only it was freezing cold, but as you know Chicago’s wind chill makes you want to go anywhere but outside.  With all these obstacles, we worked through the cold and chili air, and managed to have fun, nigh-time, winter photos, and everything they wanted, including hitting most Chicago themed locations.  Simone is amazing in being able to stand any whether and is very patient.  They are both great and I’m sure they’ll be truly happy in their future.        

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Gia Photos

869 W. Buena Ave, Chicago Illinois  60613 USA

Local (312) 927-7238      Toll Free (877) 927-7238

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