

So why not play a game with yourself and see how many Valentine’s Day signs you can photograph?īut try to do it creatively. I’m talking about cards, balloons, coffee mugs, and more, all of which say things like “Be mine!” and “Love you!” Department stores will put them near the checkout counter. Grocery stores will have them near the Valentine’s Day flowers. On Valentine’s Day, you can often find lovey-dovey signs everywhere. You’re not going to get ultra-sharp shots instead, you’ll end up with wonderfully abstract, artistic images. Note that this photoshoot idea is all about creativity. Christmas lights work great for this, but you can also use distant car brake lights or streetlights (just make sure they’re far enough away that they appear as small pinpricks in the background). Try setting your lens to focus manually, then turn the focus ring until you’re focusing a few inches or feet beyond the front element.Īlso, be sure to position your subject in front of some background lights. I’d recommend starting small, but you can always create a handful of filters with different-sized cutouts.įinally, put the filter onto the front of your lens – if it doesn’t stay in place, you can always tape it! – and fire away.įor the most visible bokeh, you should use your lens’s widest aperture setting and focus close to your lens’s minimum focusing distance. Next, create a heart-shaped cutout in the very center of your paper filter. If your tracing and cutting aren’t perfect, don’t worry you’ll still get a good result. The point here is to create a custom “filter” that’ll fit on the front of your lens. Then trace the lens on a piece of paper and cut out the result. A 50mm prime is a good option, but feel free to experiment with telephoto glass. Ultimately, you’ll end up with some intimate, romantic images, like this:įirst, select the lens you’ll use for your bokeh photoshoot. Go to a place you both love.Īnd ask your significant other to take your hand and guide you forward – while you take photos.

Capture a Compelling “Follow Me” Imageįollow Me was an Instagram craze a while back, but it’s still managing to capture hearts and minds today.

Go for a beautiful shallow depth of field look (with the food fading in and out of focus), or take some shots from above that highlight all the delicious goodies on a platter. You could also bring out some Valentine’s Day cutlery and plates for a beautiful food flat lay.Īlternatively, you could make a handful of deserts, then have fun creating arrangements that feature heart-shaped cookies and chocolate brownies. You could make one dessert (like a cake) and photograph every stage of the baking process: working with the ingredients, putting the cake in the oven, and eating a slice at the end. Aim to get a mix of wider images that show the rose as a whole, and close-up, abstract-style images that look unique and artistic. Position the roses so they’re well lit, either next to a window or by your off-camera flash.

I recommend purchasing a few roses from your local grocery store (they’re bound to have some in stock!), then take them home and put them in a vase. It will open up so many photo opportunities you didn’t even know existed.Īnd on Valentine’s Day, you can use the unique properties of a macro lens to create something especially cool: If you want to capture some artistic images this Valentine’s Day, here’s my recommendation:Ī macro lens will help you see the world differently. Create Stunning Macro Images of Red Roses Head Out for a Romantic Sunset Photoshootġ. Capture Images of Valentine’s Day Chocolate Photograph Your Pet in Valentine’s Day Garb Photograph Your Child with Valentine’s Day Goodies Do an Outdoor Photoshoot of Your Significant Other Put Your Rings in a Book (to Create a Heart!)
