Photo Shoot 9, August 2010

In August, I called up my friend Kristy to photograph her baby girl. Her initials are J.A.M., so actually, we call her "Jammers" for short, though her name is actually Jordyn Ava. Our session took a little less than 2 hours; we started in the morning and ended about noon.

Jam was challenging to say the least; she would go from totally happy one moment to totally upset the next! But I learned a lot -- I think that was my favorite part. And after this shoot, I got really excited about shooting children again.

For next time:

*Shoot in the sun! Get more confident & just do it!

*Sometimes the locations I have in mind don't always work out like I think they're going to. I think the best shots ended up taking place in the front yard while we were waiting to go to the park. I had this gazebo at a nearby park all picked out and it ended up being difficult light-wise. Even the duck pond was difficult. Note to self: make more time to shoot at home.

*Invite the parents to get in the shot! It would have been easy to get some nice shots with Kristy and Jam together. Be sure to advise parents beforehand (ie before leaving the house) so appropriate clothing and make-up can be chosen.

*Bring feather boa or feather duster or anything that will keep baby busy! (I'll have to research that for next time...)

*Like the headshots I've taken before, it amazes me how a quick clothing change and background can significantly alter the mood and look of a photo. Make sure to bring along 4-6 outfits minimum and shoot at 3 locations minimum.

*I've been thinking a lot about "backyards" and how to use ours to my advantage-- instead of all the driving around, I've thought about trying to create a studio in our backyard. I already have some props... but I'd be interested in acquiring some other ones too... an antique couch or chair would be cool... an old door or collection of window panes... a wagon wheel... a collection of planter pots... and then I would have to store them somewhere. We have a garage... 

In the front yard & the rocking chair -- classic.

Baby cheeks.

Sunny baby.

Pretty in pink.

Angry & happy by the lime tree.

And with her favorite friend.

Photo Shoot 8, August 2010

Last weekend, my sister Heather hosted the greatest dinner party I've ever been to. It took place in her Colorado backyard; as an artist herself, her vision was a "Babette's Feast", "Chocolat", and "Big Night" dream a la Martha Stewart -- a spectacularly planned feast that was finally realized in this 7-course spread of deliciousness! There was even a wine service in between each course! I began taking pictures right when the preparation began on the day before. My vision was to emanate Martha Stewart Magazine a little bit, with the idea of putting together a collage of some of the best images at the end. This won't be a collage, exactly, but at least you can get a bit of an idea as to the event. It was interesting shooting food rather than people for a change. I learned quite a bit, and artistically, I actually had a lot of fun. Be sure to visit Heather's blog at www.artbyhlm.blogspot.com to see more photos of the food and the menu. These are my favorite images from the night. (click once to enlarge)

Photo Shoot 7, April 2010

In April, my cousin Lindsay asked me to do a shoot of her for a Food Network competition she was entering. It was the first time I had picked up my camera in about 6 months which is still really shocking to me... my biggest excuse is my full-time job, which requires loads of energy. After some reflection, and especially witnessing Lindsay's determination to do what she loves, I can't wait to gain my good energy back to be able to do what I love.

I think the picture to the left is the picture she submitted with her application early this month. I dolled it up a bit by boosting the color and increasing the contrast. Here's what I learned from the shoot.

*Teaching school has helped me become a more efficient time manager. Before we began, I told her that I only wanted to spend about an hour on the entire shoot. With a time limit set and keeping in mind the client's tendency to grow weary after the first hour, I felt I was more efficient--I got great results in only a short period of time.

*When we were leaving the house, I advised Lindsay to bring about 4-6 different top possibilities, including a few with collars. This worked out great. I learned how the smallest changes in hairstyle, top, and background can radically change the mood of a photo.

Here are just a few of my favorites. Of course, everyone has theirs, but since this is my blog, I'm allowed to be partial! I had some fun with the iPhoto editing machine, adding color here, blurring edges there, and even cropping to see how zooming in would change the overall look. I hope you enjoy these. (Click on photo once to enlarge.)

Photo Shoot 6, October 2009

My science teacher friend, Valyssa, married last Friday, October 9, and let me tag along with her hired photographers so I could build my portfolio. Here are some of my favorite shots from that event. The more I look at my work, the more I notice my photojournalistic approach; I like to tell a story. My favorite pictures are ones with artistic flair and available light as well as those where my subjects are most relaxed.

This is my first-ever wedding shot with a digital camera. I took around 1300 photos (I know!) and it took me about 3 days to narrow it down to about 580. I don't have Adobe Photoshop which, in a way, I'm glad for because I must rely on my skill first. I do have iPhoto Mac which helps with a few minor adjustments. I boosted color, blurred edges, and faded color, but for the most part I kept true to the photo and didn't "edit" much (which some photographers tend to abuse because they don't have any skill or talent in the first place, not to name any names...). Overall I was happy with the amount of time it took me to shoot, edit, and narrow down my work.

Here are some things I learned:

*Much like a teacher, I must direct my subjects. Even when they're told, "Get in a line and walk toward the camera," many don't even really know how to walk appropriately. Valyssa's photographers knew how to put together some great shots of the bridal party, but missed the boat in terms of the finer details. I didn't want to step on their toes, so I sort of stood back and just watched. Lesson: If I'm the photographer in charge, tell subjects to walk with chin up, facing upward, smiling, with equal spaces between them.

*Don't photo the bride and bridal party for longer than 1 hour before the ceremony. Everyone will wilt prior to the party even starting. Lesson: Have an agenda in mind. Have 6-8 location "backgrounds" ready to go before the day of the event.

*Look for golden sunset light. Use it. 

*Weddings are visually easy; naturally, colors coordinate, bouquets are abundant, and everyone looks their best. So naturally, photos come out looking visually pleasing, for the most part. So -- does that make a photographer? Absolutely not! A portion of the afternoon was spent doing family portraits; I watched as Valyssa's photographers positioned the family. Some of their artistic choices were completely different from something I would choose; for example, shooting the family from downhill and focusing on the lighthouse in the background, using it as a main focus. I also noticed their team did not have a female, so I appreciated that I was allowed into the bride's bedroom to photo her getting ready with her friends, which actually turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the day.

*I have realized that the bride is largely a wedding's main focus. I never realized the weight of that fact and how the day really is about her. Lesson: Every bride must have her own photographer who stays with her and whose main focus is her -- all day. How can I work that into my own business?

*I began at 1:30 p.m. and started getting tired about 4. Lesson: Hire some help & bring some treats and coffee!

The pictures at the end are just for fun; they hired two charicature artists to draw the guests. Very cool! Thanks for reading and for following my journey... this whole thing is so existential!

                                                     (Click a photo to enlarge it)