Sweet Divas

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The Herrera girls are NOT shy when it comes to taking pictures! These gals love their photo shoots and never get tired of posing. They came with a vision for the day and didn't want to end their time with me until things were just right. They are also some of the sweetest girls I have ever photographed. I hope I get the opportunity to photograph these sweethearts again!

Choosing a Location for Photographs- The Park

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Clients are often undecided where they want their photographs taken. The most popular location is usually some type of park setting. Today, I want to discuss the pros and cons of such sites.

Pictures at the park can be challenging.  Often, when taking photographs at the park, subjects are positioned lying or sitting on the grass. If the individuals are close enough to the grass, the grass can cast a green color on the subject’s skin.  Another issue with park settings is that there aren’t very many options for creating a variety of looks. Most parks only offer trees and a playground as part of the backdrop. Last, park pictures are typical and depending where you live might be the most popular spot where many people take photographs resulting in similar pictures to those of your friends and family.

There are some good things about park photos. If you are taking family pictures, the park can be the ideal setting to keep your kids busy in between frames. Children can entertain themselves by running around in the vast area of greenery or playing on the playground equipment. In addition, the trees create good lighting by the shade they provide…and good lighting is an essential component for good photography. Third, nature can give a simplicity to photography and allows for the subject to be showcased a bit more than they would be if photographed against a complex backdrop.

I hope this post helps! I will have other location ideas in future blog posts!

Lisa

Crafts with Photographs- Portrait Window

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How many times have you asked yourself what you could do to display your portraits in a unique way? There are so many different ways to display your favorite images to create statement pieces.  Below is an idea that I saw while browsing Pinterest.  It is a photograph placed behind an old window. How beautiful is this? To me, the photograph communicates a more significant message displayed behind the panes instead of in a frame. You really get a feeling that this photograph reflects a place in time. You, as the viewer, are looking through the window of someone’s past. 

Lisa

Free and Low Cost Photography and Business Training Resources

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I am always someone who wants to learn new things—especially in the art of photography. Today, there is so much available on the internet. In this post I am going to write about four resources that will hopefully help catapult you to mastering a new skill. 

YouTube is free and you can find anything.  I love YouTube! Not only is this a free resource, but it also leads me to other tutorials when I can’t find exactly what I need. If you have never been on this website, YouTube is a site where people can upload their videos of just about anything. I have found countless snippets of tutorials posted by photographers explaining various processes related to photography. You can also get behind-the-scenes footage of photo shoots—which is really helpful if you are a beginner or someone who just wants to improve their camera skills. If you find a photog that you like, you can sign up for a free subscription to their uploads. When you do this, you will receive an e-mail notification every time that person makes an entry on the site.   

URL: www.youtube.com

Adorama is not just a site for product purchases. Adorama is not only a great business to purchase photography equipment from but also is a good resource for low cost and free training. There are several ways to access tutorials through Adorama’s site. The first is to take one of their live workshops. Most of them focus on photography and business and cost around $25.  If you don’t want to pay for training, you can watch videos from their AdoramaTV series. These videos are free and focus on photography related content.  Last, their Learning Center serves as an online collection of articles and blog posts that provide tutorial information. URL: www.adorama.com

CreativeLIVE is an online training resource specializing in workshops. I absolutely love this website! CreativeLIVE offers workshops that are taught by professional photographers and graphic artists and are fully interactive with classroom and online students. These workshops are usually 3 days in length and are free if you watch them live. If you choose to download the content the initial price is $99. If you purchase the download after the workshop ends the price usually jumps to $149. URL: www.creativelive.com

Professional photographers offer training DVDs too! If you admire a particular photog’s work check their website for a blog or DVD offering. Most photographers have a blog linked to their site where they showcase their work and other things. You might be able to access free tips there.  Also, some actually sell training DVDs that focus on the photography business. Two worth checking out are Me Ra Koh and Zach and Jody Gray.  These photographers offer excellent DVDs that outline basic business principles and cover technical photographic information. URL: www.merakoh.com  URL: www.zachandjody.com

Lisa

Styling Your Kids for Photo Sessions

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Clients often ask me how they should dress their kids for their upcoming photo shoot. Before I offer my suggestions I ask them what type of pictures and stories they are hoping to tell with their images. I also inquire about their kids’ personalities. As a mom or dad, you will cherish the pictures that best reflect your child’s character.

 
Hats do so much. Hats are a fantastic way to accessorize your child. There are so many types and they do a great job reflecting a kid’s charisma and charm. Types of hats to look for are beanies, newsboys, island hats, western types, fedoras, and sun hats.

Go for interesting shoes. Like hats, shoes can also tell a story. Ruby and glass slippers reveal a little girl’s appreciation for fantasy. Cowboy boots may reveal a demographic or family’s way of life. Ballerina shoes tell of a daughter’s interest of dancing or the arts. 

Layers serve more than one purpose. I don’t know how often I have been asked to take family portraits during the months of November and December. Usually it is quite chilly during this time of year when folks rush to get their portraits done for their Christmas cards. Often, the kids are unhappy when they are cold.  Dress them in layers to not only keep them warm (and happy) but also to stylize them.  Items like scarves, cute jackets, tutus, and leggings add personality to any image.

High contrast gear really tells the story. Images that speak the most to me are the ones that have contradicting elements in them. I love the paradox that these types of pictures provide. For example, a little boy dressed in his dad’s fireman boots depicts a bond between father and son. A girl prancing around in her mother’s heels and beads is also a favorite of mine. What girl doesn’t like to go through her mom’s closet?

If you are stumped for ideas on how to dress your kids for photo shoots, even after you’ve decided on what approach you want to take (formal, casual, dress up), cull the internet for ideas. Websites like Pinterest, ETSY, and other photographer’s portfolio sites are helpful when deciding on wardrobe for shoots. Take the time before the shoot to plan out the stylistic looks for your family. This will make your images stand out and give more impact to each shot!

Cheers,

Lisa



blog images courtesy of www.pinterest.com