indoors
M A K E O V E R S
80
JUNE 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
TRANSPLANTED GOODS
The rug and coffee table,
above,
came from the
living room. The new
environment makes
them look fresh again.
SHELF PORTRAIT
Merrie asked Stephen to
include lots of photos of
her daughter, Chloe, in the
room. Stephen took a few
digital shots, then enlarged
and printed them at a copy
store. The framed photos
rest on a wall shelf,
above.
Wall shelf, IKEA.com
SEAT WITH A VIEW
Window seats run the entire
length of the room,
right.
Covered with inexpensive
padding and a few throw
pillows, they become a hot
spot for curling up in the
sun. Seat cushions, IKEA.com
SECOND SEATING
A new slipcovered armchair
mixes with an existing rattan
chair and occasional table to
create a second seating area
in front of the window,
right.
Bright yellow pillows soften
the scene. Pillows and floor
lamp, potterybarn.com
artful
photos
Create your own gallery
of family photos with
Stephen’s tips.
THE RIGHT CAMERA
For best results, use a
camera with a minimum of
8
megapixels. Use the largest
setting (usually called “fine”
or “ best”) for images with
high enough resolution to
blow up to an
8
x
10
photo
(
2400
x
3000
pixels at
300
pixels per inch).
LIGHTING If possible, take
photos in natural light. For
dramatic shots, use a high-
contrast background (a dark
or light sheet, for example)
behind your subject.
COMPOSITION A good rule
of thumb, especially when
photographing your child, is
to get down to his or her level,
instead of snapping a shot
from your standing height.
Don’t be afraid to move your
subject from the middle of the
frame— it makes the end
result more interesting.
VARY THE SCALE
Experiment with wide shots
and close-up details. Pictures
of your child’s hands or feet
are a great way to capture
creative memories.
