It is said that “timing is everything.” This age old phrase applies to a myriad of life experiences. It also certainly holds true to photography. Before you send a photo off to My Pop Art, you want to make sure it’s the best photo possible. That’s when timing comes into play.

Let’s say you want to capture the perfect moment at a surprise party, like the look on the recipient’s face. That moment only happens once, right? Well not necessarily. There are all sorts of moments in that moment. Expressions are composed of milisecond changes. If you were to shoot a video of that same moment, you could slow it down and see all of the small facial changes that occur, all expressing surprise – or gratitude – or dismay (some people hate surprise parties!)

The most important lesson is to be prepared. Shoot a little beforehand to make sure the settings on your camera are correct for that particular space. And (back to our surprise party example) shoot alot. Continue to shoot, even when you feel it’s “after the fact.” People continue to show expression, right? Well, maybe the actual moment when he walked into the room wasn’t the best shot. Maybe its the expression on his face as the realization settles in.

Also, get up close and personal. Try to get a few shots as close to the subject as possible. During a happy moment, people are less likely to care that they have a camera in their face! You don’t want to make a habit of this because people get annoyed but there are times to take some “creative liberties.” Of course, if you have a zoom lens, you could sit across the room and still get amazing close-ups.

So take a lot of shots, check your shot beforehand and don’t be afraid to get a little close. You too will be surprised…at the results!