Time of day: The best time of day to have take photos is early morning (8-10 am) or late afternoon (4-6 pm) These times provide softer lighting conditions and enhance the photos. Outdoor or window lighting (natural light) will produce pleasing results. Don’t be afraid to experiment with lighting conditions. Vary your location to vary your lighting. Or have your subject turn in different directions (or move around a stationary subject) to get different effects.

Clothing: In black and white, clothing comes across as light, medium, dark. Colors that photograph light include: white, cream, yellow, pink, powder. Dark colors are: black, navy, deep purple, maroon, hunter, green and red. The subject can wear all dark, all medium, all light, or a mix. But, for group photos (more than one subject) all should dress consistently: i.e., all dark bottoms and light tops. Patterned clothing works fine in black and white photos with one subject. If there is more than one subject, though, all should wear a pattern or none wear it. It is best to avoid striped clothing, as it will give the subject a choppy look. Keep in mind the texture of the clothing selected, as that is what will be most prominent in the photos. Nubby textured knits, denim, corduroy and lace all look great in black and white photos.

Location: Think about where you are taking your pictures. It is a good idea to look through your camera lens at your setting to see if there are any distracting elements. Be sure to watch for large vertical elements (poles, posts, etc.) that may look odd behind your subjects.

Zoom: If you have it use it! Try different magnifications. And don’t feel like you have to get the whole subject (or even the whole face) in the photo. If your camera will zoom super close, try it! You’ll be amazed with the results. And don’t forget to try zooming in on the hands and feet of your loved ones too.