We all know how precious life is and how quickly the moments pass. Think: wedding day, baby’s first birthday, or Mother’s Day which is right around the corner. That’s why capturing those candid smiles and genuine emotions are so important. But it’s not easy. Don’t worry, “Marc Silber’s Advancing Your Photography Show,” sat down with one of the best wedding and portrait photographers in the business, Bambi Cantrell. In our new video, “Wedding and Portrait Photography Tips, Ep.2,” Bambi goes into detail about how she makes her subjects relax: from how she communicates with them to how she moves them around. Plus she talks about how to find the best lighting by simply using your hand, and much more.

After you watch the video, try out your new skills on your mom this Mother’s Day.

Once you do, enter Advancing Your Photography’s Mother’s Day Photo Contest.

Click on our Facebook page to enter.

Bambi offered dozens of great tips in this latest video, so we took some notes for you:

• Find out subjects “personal interests”
• Find best light sourcing
• Find a non-distracting location, clean lines
• Make your subject forget the camera is there
• “Expression beats perfection”
• Ask questions: What makes you happy? What do you do for a living? How many kids do you have?
• Watch for changes in eyes and mouth
• Fast, long lenses for great depth of field
• Practice art of communication
• Use high angles to make face look more flattering
• Shoot from low angles to create powerful, stronger images
• Look for catch lights in the eyes
• Look for shadows on the face
• Don’t be intimidated

FOR MORE VIDEOS WITH BAMBI AND OTHER AWARD-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHERS, HEAD TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: MARC SILBER’S ADVANCING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW.