Thanks for the Memories

This is the post that was meant for Thanksgiving Day as a tribute of thanks to all of you. A mushy love post written not only to you fine ladies (and the few fab men that read once in a great while) but also to the folks at ClubMom for providing this platform where a year and a half ago I  began this journey of writing about one of things I love the most in this world; Photography.  I know, it sounds so dramatic. And I guess it is a little bit because...

Are you sensing the vibe here yet? You know that looming feeling that the other shoe is about the drop. Hard and with a sudden 'clunk' because it's a high heeled number on a finely buffed out hardwood floor. Yep, it's that kind of drop. Ready?

...ClubMom is shuttin' down the blogs. I know it may be old news to many of you (I've been getting the inquiring emails to prove it) but I will admit I didn't find out until just before the holiday and I'm still in process mode. I'm not that surprised really but I am disappointed for sure. As far as the big picture goes, it certainly isn't the end of the world, but it is the end of a chapter and I am a bit sad to see it come to a close. I'm sentimental like that. But, I'm also one of those kid of gals that knows that this just means something wonderful is on the horizon. And surprise surprise, I've had this something wonderful in the works for a while, it's just taken more time to get it going than I had anticipated and now, here it is, the perfect time to begin the latest installment.

Does Shutter Sisters ring any bells? I've only been talking about my "next project" in one form or another for months now and if you were at BlogHer you may even have a token of the project in your hands. Talk about pressure. Nothing like giving out free stuff to market your "soon coming" blog only to not launch it for what feels like forever. But, I digress. The fantastic news is that I will be launching Shutter Sisters soon. And it looks like I'm going to be able to seamlessly transition from Picture This to Shutter Sisters. Coincidence? Nah. Just Universal synchronicity at it's finest.

So, what's this new blog all about? I guess the title gives it away but there are some elements that will make it unique...some of you even know bits and pieces...but that's for another post. And believe you me, I will be talking about it a lot soon, very soon. Today, I just want to let all of you know how very thankful I am for all of you. Your comments and questions, support, encouraging words, and perhaps most of all, the images you have created and shared over the last year and a half or so have inspired me so deeply. I am beyond glad I have had this place to call home and that I now have all of you to call my "shutter sisters".

And as far as the details...well, I haven't gotten that far yet. I do know that I WILL BE POSTING HERE until they unplug me which is going to be sometime at the end of December and I will be carrying on My Best Shot Mondays until the bitter end when I will probably parlay them over to Mother May I. Just because I enjoy them. And, that's all I got for you today. Just a gigantic virtual hug to you and a load of appreciation for everything you've given me here at Picture This.

Mixing up the Focus

As promised I'm addressing Jen's question about where the focus should be when playing with depth of field. Like I always say, there are no rules. You are right in noticing that most of the time the focal point is in the forefront of the image and the blur is in the back when shooting with a shallow depth of field but that's certainly not the only way to do it. I think people get into the habit of doing it but I'm always into breaking the habits and breaking new ground!

Since I myself almost always seem prefer my focus to be in the forefront (oh boy, maybe it's time for me to start mixing it up?) I poked around Flickr and found lots of examples of very cool alternative depth of field approaches where the focus is somewhere else and is very effective.

Bird Eye is a master of the super-artistic and he has a way of seeing and photographing light like nobody's business. I had fun discovering his Flickr Stream and want to share shots like Flat Branch, Round Clouds and Flag of no Country with you.

A few from other Flickr members that I find delightful are Tea time for the soul, Spring Loaded and this shot of Luke.

I hope that answers your question Jen, if not in words, by images.

Anything you'd like to share?? Your work? Someone else's? Anything that might challenge the way you might normally shoot? Let's see it.

You've Totally Got it!

So many great examples of the diagonals we've been talking about makes it clear that you totally get what I'm saying. It's fantastic.

Here are a few I think are just wonderful-

The Christinator has got the perfect diagonal working like a horizon line in this timeless classic of her daughter in B/W. The darling subject is totally vertical, and slightly off to one side (which I love) as she walks away from her camera wielding mother in toddler protest into the great unknown...it's one of my favorite ways the diagonal sneaks into images (those background lines that are broken up by the subject). It just feels so good to look at.

Alissa's rockin' with her flora indeed check this one out! I found it poking around on Flickr. That's legal, isn't it? Anyway, the shot is like the modern day Little Rascals. And just look at that terrific angle of the line-up! Sweet.

Melody A. image makes a big splash with this shot of her bathing beauty in all her glory. The subject is effectively tilted, yes, but then there's the lines of the water and the fence that (as I commented on her blog) make me giddy with diagonal joy.

There have been so many more this week, I am so proud. I love this theme week stuff. It's fun to keep up with the same subject for a few days in a row. Any ideas for another one? I think that Eli's Mommy requested some talk about depth of field once in an email. Didn't you Jen? What does everyone think of that? I think it'd be great.

And one more question...do any of you do the digital scrapbook thing? I know Island Jen does, right? Anyone else? And what do you use to do it? I'm getting my nerve up to try it and want some feedback and insights. Can anyone chime in?

'Guest Star' for a Day

Maile, of the delicious Daily Relish asked me to share some of my trade secrets with her readers. Remember when she was gracious enough to write me a post about lighting? Well, we did a swap thingy, so if you are interested in reading some of my "pro" tips on how to better work with clients, pop over and read yesterday's post. And even if you're not interested in going pro, there are still some things there that might be helpful as you take pix of your own children.

Happy Shooting.

A Few More Reflections

Much to my dismay, I have been unable to get the reflector shots I want. Ah well, at least I can answer the questions you have asked, right? That's something.

I have a Photoflex Lite Disc like this one. It's about as tall as my preschooler and it's got the soft gold on one side and and white on the other. I feel like it's adds a nice warm light. Each side offers something a little different. I usually use whatever side works best for wherever or whatever I'm doing. The gold helps when there's very little light and the white helps fill in the shadows when the subject is side lit.  The regular gold ones are way too crazy bright for me. I'm not into blinding my subjects. And as far as size, mine is a good size for using alone. Meaning, I don't often have anyone to help me hold it when I need it like I used to when I shot weddings and I had a trusty assistant so mine can be propped on the floor or in a chair, or by a helpful parent although it's never easy outside when the wind kicks up.

The beauty of the Photoflex Lite Disc is that it folds up like one of those windshield shades you can get for your car. And it comes with a handy zippered case. I'm not really sure about the home made varieties. I've never seen one. But, in a pinch, you can use anything white...like foam core. It's nice to have on hand and a fraction of the cost. But, as far as spending the money, buying a reflector, if you're gonna use it is  worth the $70 or whatever because they'll last you quite a long time. I've had mine for over 10 years so you'll get your moneys worth for sure. And it has been through the ringer in a big way. Beach portraits with all that sand etc, really can wreak havoc on photo equipment and my Lite Disc has been to the beach with me hundreds of times! And kids think it really cool so you can impress your clients for sure. Hee hee.

And get this...here I am trying to reinvent the reflecting wheel and Photoflex has a whole "how-to" thing on their site. So, you've got some good reading to do over the weekend! Yay! I hope this helps shed some light, so to speak!

A Moment to Reflect

Well, not unlike the whole lens thing (remember when I promised to talk about lenses for like 2 weeks before I dove in and finally did it) I am finding myself a tad hesitant about the reflector subject. It's really as easy as pie so it's not that it's technical or anything, it's just that it takes a lot out of me to try to communicate through words something that I'd rather just show you, hands on in my living room. What I need is for my daughter to shoot a picture of me using the reflector as I shoot so you can see the whole scenario. Like "behind the scenes"--oooo, aaaah--but then there's the logistics of that whole thing. Eee gads. It just feels tiresome. So, instead of putting you all off until I get this shot of me shooting (like I envision) I'll just talk about reflectors a bit and see how far I get without visuals.

So, like I said, it's not rocket science. All reflectors do is reflect light. Here I go again, in all my infinite photographer wisdom. The cool thing about using a reflector while shooting portraits is that you have some control over the light. It's pretty cool. Like let's say you've got this gorgeous window light coming in and you don't really want to face your subject directly toward the light. Let's say for instance they are looking at you and the light is hitting the side of their face and the side away from the window is kind of dark and maybe there is no nice twinkly fill light in the eyes (or maybe there's one nicely lit eye and one that's too dark. You can bring a reflector in the scene and just face it toward the window light and as it reflects the light back in the opposite direction, it "fills in" the dark side of your subjects face. You gettin' me here?? OK, forget the picture of me taking a picture...I've just got to show you all a shot without a reflector and the same shot with one so you can see what the heck I mean and what a lovely thing it is indeed! See how far I got without visuals? Not very. I'll get right to it (like in the next day or two...hee hee) and get back to you.

Roger that.

Diffuse This

As promised, today I share with you what Stacy shared with me. Alas! A pop-up flash diffuser! The crowd goes wild! to be exact, it's called the Lumiquest Flash Diffuser and here's her personal take on it- and I quote,

"If you expect this to give you natural light results, it doesn’t.  What it does do is lessen the flashed-out features.  I still dialed my flash down when using it.

Positives:

-         Doesn’t blow out the features as much (depends on the flash output level)

-         Easy to put on and use

-         Reduces or eliminates red eye

-         Compact

-         Cheap!

Negatives:

-         Still have pinpoints in the eyes, no natural catchlights.

-         You have to fiddle with the flash level to get the desired results.

-         I find that it is hard to get the white balance correct, but that happens with just using any flash (for me anyways).

Overall:

When you have to use a flash this is a good option, as it softens up the harshness that a flash will produce.  It doesn’t replace natural light or bounced flash, but for the price it is a good little addition to your camera stash."

She also wanted to share this link to another review of it as well as a visual. Funny looking thing, dontcha think?

Stacy, you rock! And for the record, she is THE Stacy that comments on everyone's "Best Shot Monday" pictures and is so encouraging and kind. Just wanted to mention it. I appreciate her very much! Oh, did I mention she takes awesome pictures? Yep. You know she does.

Flashers

Today's topic turns back to lighting. More specifically, the dreaded flash. I certainly hope you all stopped by Daily Relish the other day and read Maile's lighting success story. It was wonderful.

Now, let me just give you a quick run through of what I have used as a flash when I have had to. I used to shoot wedding so it was a must. On my old system (old meaning my film SLR) I used the standard flash that was compatible with my Canon A1 (NOT the pop up one) mounted on a bracket. Why a bracket? Read this little discussion. I know you're not that fond of the mumbo jumbo but if you give this exchange a chance, there is some good info offered by these guys--take what you need, scrap the rest. Anyway, my system worked great for my needs. I would sometimes use a second light too for things but since this is not a blog about professional photography really, I won't go into it here. Photography can be easy...and fun...but it's not ALL easy or ALL fun. The ins and outs of the technical side of things are extensive and, um, technical. Anyone want to share how they learned the tech side of photography?? Got any good books to read or advice? Some of you are pushing through the mere family photos of your own families and are looking to do it this for a living and it's super-exciting so any help that any of you want to offer these fine women, please share away! For now, I'll just stick to the stuff that everyone can use everyday to improve their skills. Cool?

OK, back to my flash. I haven't upgraded to a new flash that works with my digi SLR. I need to, but I haven't yet. I've rented or borrowed one when I've needed it and it feels similar to the old system so I treat it the same way. I very very very rarely ever use the pop up flash and I would NEVER use it for a work shoot (I really hate the way it flashes in my subjects eye...even if the skin tones looks fairly natural, the highlight in the eye screams "pop-up flash"). Have you ever noticed it? It's a thing for me. But, that's just me. The pop-up flash has no business being used at a pro shoot. But again, that's just me on my soap box. If you are cool with it, then that's your thing. However (I always seem to find the howevers, don't I?) I won't forbid you to use them for your family stuff. Nor will I rule it out for me either because there are ways to use it that aren't totally offensive. Really. Here's my favorite trick--put your camera in the manual setting, not just in the auto setting and set it at a slower shutter speed than what your auto gives you. My auto sets mine to 60 at 5.6. I like to shoot at 30 or even 15 at 5.6 or even more open at 4.0, etc. It gives me more of the ambient light in the room and sometimes gives a little movement which can be really fun if you like that kind of thing. And I do.

Now, your challenge is to test it out. Play with your pop-up flash and see what you can come up with using the auto setting and then try what I said and see what comes of it. Your job is then to check back and show us what you come up with, what you like and what you don't like. I can't wait to see the goods.

And come back tomorrow when I share some great info from the talented Stacy about a flash gadget she has that seems pretty cool. Stay tuned.

Seeing the Light

I have been getting email after email asking about lighting. What kind of lights do I use? What kind is best to buy? Any tips and tricks for lighting? I really hate to disappoint but I find I keep having to respond that I'm not a lighting aficionado. At least with artificial light. I don't like to use it, ever, unless I have to. I have learned how to use it when I have to but honestly I never like the results as much as what I capture with natural light. It's not my thing. It doesn't come naturally to me and it really doesn't interest me at all. My "studio lighting" set up is big, archaic and inconvenient and that kind of thing just tends to stifle my creative juices. I haven't set it up for over 2 years. I'd rather have the challenge of having to find the light. Having to get as much light as possible out of seemingly impossible situations. And THAT, I can do pretty well. My clients are always surprised when I find the one little place in their home with the best lighting. Bedroom, kitchen, even bathroom. I have used every room in the house. I really have. And because I can recognize good light and I can harness it, I am usually successfully in my results. Gosh, that makes me sound like some kind of superhero of light. Cool.

In other words, just because you are shooting indoors, you do not need a flash. Not always anyway. Obviously, for starters, you've got to find windows and find the place where the light is coming in the brightest (not as in direct light--as in indirect, soft light) and put your subject there. Learning to see where the light is strongest/best is a great way to start. It just takes looking very carefully at the nuances of light. And studying it. Seeing the way it hits a subject. It's subtle stuff and you have to kind of train your eye to see it. But once you do see it, it can become second nature. I don't even think about it anymore. I just know it when I see it. It's even odd for me to articulate it. I hope to try and challenge myself to try to teach you how to see through photos but it feels impossible. I'll keep brain storming at better ways to explain than just these long winded posts.

As far as how to face your subjects once you've found the light, that's kind of up to you and your taste. You can use the lighting as sidelight which shows more of the direction of the light and also will give you the portrait- like highlights and lowlights on your subjects face which can be wonderful and very effective for some shots. Other shots you'll want flat light. I personally love flat light. I think it's, well, flattering. And it's easy because the light just lands on the face and kind of washes the details out. Sound strange? Well, I use flat light with babies (soft and dreamy) and I used too with brides (soft and dreamy). Moms usually love it too...I know that flat light is my friend and I love to look soft and dreamy personally. Not all photographers are hip to the flat lighting like I am. And sometimes it's not as effective as others but you'll need to move your subject around (by rotating them in slightly different directions) as you experiment to see what YOU like. The direction of the light and how it hits your subject will give different vibes and serve different purposes. If the windows aren't giving you the light you need, try a door. An open door. I stand outside while my subject is right inside the door. Perfect light almost every time. Try it. Unless you're in the middle of an ice storm and then, you can save it for a warmer day.

NOW, let me also tell you my secret...it's in the eyes. The eyes are my gage in seeing whether the light is good or not. If my subjects eyes look dark (with no glimmer, no highlight) or if they have dark circles under them, then I know they are not facing the proper direction. It only takes subtleties of movement to get them properly lit. Just watch their eyes and follow their lead. If they look bright, chances are you've got a good shot in the making.

These kinds of observations are how I gage what I am shooting. That's why I like natural light. I can SEE what I am going to get before I get it. And I move my subject around until I find it. With the flash, the image always looks different than what I are see. Pet peeve. I hate that. I like to capture what I see. It's just my thing.

I do realize however that it's not always that easy finding the light. Everyone doesn't live in So Cal where the weather is a sunny 70 degrees everyday. If I lived somewhere with a real winter, I might be out of a job. But, I don't. And I'm not. Lucky for me. But even when I have to find creative ways to manipulate the light, I can usually find a way. One of the most brilliant tools is the photo reflector. This baby will take the light you do have and either make more of it, redirect it, channel it, use it as back light, side light, whatever, so the light works best for your needs. It's handy and affordable and one of my favorite things to use when I need a little help. If you don't have a real one, you can use almost anything for a reflector. In this post, XXX said she used a white piece of foam core. Resourceful girl! I have a white wall (my neighbors house) that reflects the afternoon sun right into my living room for an hour or so everyday and it's like magic hour around here. I just love it. My dark living room gets this gorgeous soft glow that can't be beat. I know it's really hard to imagine without seeing a visual so maybe I'll try to show you how it works through pictures. Hmm. I wish you could come over and see for yourselves! I'll see what I can do in the next few days and get back to you one that. I have even used a glare off of a car windshield more than once to kick up the light when I am shooting somewhere outside. It sounds strange but there are all sorts of ways to find light when you need it. Who knew?

But, I know that I am not alone in my quest for natural light. Photographers like Maile at Relish Portrait Studios have the natural light thing down to a science too. Go over to her blog and see for yourself!

Tomorrow, I will attempt to talk a little about artificial light (gasp) because so many of you want to know. And speaking of the fabulous Maile, she'll be writing a post about her take on lighting at Daily Relish, just for us. You won't want to miss it. She's a master of the light box so I know it will be helpful! Seriously, she's great at natural light and artificial. The total package. Lucky.

Newborn Photos 101

Like I mentioned the other day (for those of you who don't already know) the lovely and talented Kristen of The Mom Trap is not only prolific in the blog world, she is also proving her prowess in the um...fertility arena. In other words, she's had another baby. Yay! His name is Drew and he is the younger sibling to her darling daughter Quinlan. Kristen never much had to concern herself with fab pix of her daughter because she had a wonderful photographer friend close by who took care of that kind of stuff for her. Oh, but since the move, all that has changed. So now, she in need of a super-cute baby photo pronto, for announcements.

Not the easiest of tasks because the newborn photo is unlike any other. The ability to capture this flimsy creature is not as simple as one might think. As a matter of fact, I might just have to dedicate a few posts to the topic. I'm not sure I can cover it all in one post. SO, let's see here, how to break it down...? How about this for starters? Try not to expect too much from these little guys (and gals).  The whole idea of propping a tiny, spineless mini-human up with it's arms always looks to me, well, weird. So, that's the first newborn "no no". No propping baby up on arms. The only arms that will do are an adults arms. As in adult holding baby. My favorite is of course Mom's arms BUT that won't work if Mom has to take the photo unless you pull a Tracey and do this.

But since that's not most people's idea of an adorable announcement photo, I will give you this one simple phrase. Work with what you got. If you've got a sleeping baby, perfect. Work with it. If you've got an alert one who's got some kind of knowing gleam in her big bright eyes and will look right at you, Viola!, use that. If you've got a little lump of newborn, like most us us get right out of the shoot, then work with it!

One of my favorite poses that follows this philosophy, especially if you've got an older child you'd like to squeeze in there for a few, is simple. Lay the baby on the ground, face up (be sure there is something presentable behind it like a blanket or clean carpet or whatever). Stand directly over the baby with the camera to shoot down on him/her, but for the love of god, don't forget to put the strap around your neck in case you drop the darn thing! No, it's never happened to me but the thought of it makes me cringe. Anyway, get close if your lens allows too. I pretty much guarantee your baby will look at the big black thing in front of it's face at least for a few minutes. And wide eyes are good ones. Here's a shot of my lovely ladies just a week or so after my youngest was born.

Oh my goodness, look at how precious! *snif snif*...

And one more hint, just in case you don't have the most cooperative older child in the world (like I am lucky enough to have). The best trick of the trade is to put an MnM tucked under the baby's ear and tell the older child to lay down next to the baby as close as possible to see if they can see the candy. Of course you'll turn it into a bribe thing and use the entire bag of MnMs but it will be worth it. You can even make it last a little longer if you really make it a game (try to keep it a QUIET game--the key is to remain calm) and hide the treat and have the child whisper (they MUST whisper) the name of the color of the hidden MnM to the baby when they see it. Tricks, tricks, tricks. they work. And so do bribes sometimes. I should know and I'm not afraid to use them when I have to. And for what it's worth, it's always wise to enter in to these attempted portrait moments with a helping hand nearby. When you've got a rambunctious toddler running about and a baby laying of the floor, there can be some issues. But, keep the faith. The shot will come...it just may take a few hundred shots to get it! And remember, you can always wait until quiet time comes around and tuck the older child into bed for a rest and then, only then have the ability to really focus on the wee one.

Next post (sorry but I think it will have to be next week) will be more about newborns and getting the best results using ISO, lighting and more poses. Get your questions, comments and great ideas ready. I'll be asking for your input!