Category Archives: general

questions for YOU!

I would love to get to know you a little better.

You see, I’m trying to figure out what I should focus my writing on when I post to the blog or send out tips in the newsletter (so it will benefit you!). And I can only do that if I know where you’re at in your photography journey and what you’re looking to learn.

If you wouldn’t mind filling out this very short form, I’d really appreciate it. Your response is anonymous and sent privately to me.

Update: Survey is closed, but I’d still LOVE your feedback. Just use the “Contact Me” link above.

Pretty please? If only two people do… I might be a wee bit sad like my friend Liam here…

questions for YOU!

If no one fills it out… Oh goodness… I’m not sure what I will do…

questions for YOU!

So go on…click and make me smile!

camera book

camera bookI’ve been working on a project and it’s almost ready! A workbook to help you use your camera on manual, navigate all those fancy buttons and confusing concepts….all in a language that you can understand! Yay for that! Here’s a little preview…

Update: The workbook is here!

a forum is coming…

I’ve been getting quite a few questions from some of you amazing mamas of kiddos that are trying to learn how to shoot in manual. First of all, YAY that you’re trying to shoot pictures of your kids using manual settings. You’ll love having more control over your camera. And secondly, YAY that you’re willing to ask questions. That’s awesome. Well, I’m sorry that I haven’t always been super good or quick at getting back to you. The blog format has been a bit tough for that. But I wanted to let you all know that a forum is in the works. It’s coming. The forum will be a place where you can ask questions through this blog about your camera settings or your lighting or whatever your concern is and we can answer! I can answer, you can answer each others questions, and more. It will be a place to continue to learn. So, hang on…just a bit longer. It’s coming.

And because every blog post is better with a picture, here’s an image from a recent family shoot. And here…are my manual settings:
ISO – 400
shutter speed – 1/400 second
aperture – 4.0
the family – gorgeous

a forum is coming...

taking pictures of your kids in their costumes

Ok all you mamas out there. You need to be taking pictures of your kiddos in those adorable Halloween costumes. We want to remember how cute they looked right? Well, getting pictures on the actual night of Halloween can be a little tricky. Sometimes in the midst of the candy, door to door hellos and the drama of putting the costume on and sometimes off and on it’s just tough to get some great shots. Not to mention we usually trick or treat when it’s dark so they always require that bright flash.

So, an idea for you…. Dress your little ones up in their costumes and snap a few cute pictures in this next week. Then on Halloween night you can relax and enjoy the moments rather than being a maniac with your camera. Here’s what I did. I set up a white paper backdrop inside my house near a nice big window and I took some pics of my little ones in their costumes. You could tape a big long piece of butcher paper to your wall or you could use a white sheet, or you could simply shoot your kids picture against a blank tan (or similar) wall and have it be natural with the wall, baseboard, and flooring. That photographs great. Don’t think that you don’t have a good enough set up…cause you do. And if none of that sounds doable, then shoot some pictures of them in their costumes in your backyard.  Here are a couple of pictures that I took and my manual settings. These are not my kids (I have two wiggly boys) but these are two of my girlfriend’s ones. Adorable, aren’t they?

My manual settings (for both shots…they’re the same):
ISO – 1600
aperture – 2.8
shutter speed – 1/160 second
lens – 35mm 1.4L
I had the flash pointed up at the ceiling to fill the picture a bit.

taking pictures of your kids in their costumes

taking pictures of your kids in their costumes

how to photograph families with little kids

Little kids are amazing. Little kids (like 5 and under) are also very temperamental and opinionated when it comes to taking pictures. They can and often are tricky to photograph. So, how do you photograph a large group when little ones are a part of the group? Hmmm….well I will give you my best attempt at an answer.

Photographing young children requires:
1. patience
2. flexibility
3. thorough and quick knowlegde of your camera functions, you can’t be stopping to process what to do next with your camera. You’ve gotta be quick…for sure.
4. sweat
5. hard work (including a squat workout cause you’re up and down constantly)

Got it? Good. Here’s one example of a large group (with little ones) that I took recently.

how to photograph families with little kids