Photography 365: A How to Guide

Perfecting the Classic Pinup

2010-04-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

When I first opened my studio Terice quickly grabbed some good friends, a bunch of vintage clothing, and promptly began photographing 40's style pinups. Her shots are closer to glamor shots then boudoir pinups (which I'm grateful for- not interested in seeing women objectified). I must say that her first solo attempt in the studio turned out some nice images. She used hard spectral lighting sources which matches the lighting style of the era and her posing and composition has a modern sensibility without detracting from the intent. She showed me the photos, I showed her how to avoid some of the pitfalls next time (mainly how to light the while background evenly) and we both moved on. Time passed and I totally forgot about the session until this morning when I started digging through my archives from last year looking for a photo to use on this blog. Here's what I found.

It's pretty cute, but this blog is about showing how to make something better, so I decided to give the image a tune up.

To get from the unedited version to the classic look of my edit is just a few simple steps.

Use the Liquefy filter to create an unrealistic figure. Pinups were not originally photographs. They were drawings for one reason; normal women don't look like Pinups! These days every photo is doctored. No joke. Everyone wants to look better then they really do and the good people at Adobe have made that possible. If you've never used this tool before it's simple. Use the bloat tool to increase bust size and the forward warp tool to slim and reshape curves. (I just vomited in my mouth a little while thinking about the unattainable standards women are held to.)

Then I cleaned up the background with the dodge tool. The image is high key so to ensure that I didn't dodge out her skin and hat I used the magic lasso set to 15 tolerance. This preserved the areas I wanted to keep while allowing me to dodge out sections quickly.

Once the background was a clean white I dodged out the shadow to make it softer. One thing was still off, she needed to look freakishly tall and leggy. So I used the marquee to select her legs and then used free transform to stretch them out.

The final step was adjusting the color. Using levels to brighten her face while masking out her legs gives her a more consistent lighting pattern. I wanted a saturated, warm skin tone, as if the image had been shot with Tungsten lights on a daylight balance. I also wanted to add a little bit of that "old drawing" feel. So it was natural to apply one of photoshop's standard filters "water paper" on a duplicate layer. Fiber length was set to 1, brightness 60, and contrast 80. Once the filter applied, I set to the mode to soft light at 78%.

Here's the final image. I thought about adding some sort of WWII Navy slogan and a vintage paper background but my better judgment prevailed. Next week, a post about Real Women and what I think makes someone naturally beautiful.

Come for the Coffee, Stay for the Overcast Skies

2010-04-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Seattle is my home, always will be (if I can help it). I love it here. Coffee shops out number natives two to one. Everyone dresses like they are ready to go hiking at all times. And it rains, more then I care to admit. Yes, when you live in a place where everyone is suffering from seasonal depression, your false god of choice is the sun.

To this point, today I photographed my son Tyler minutes before the rain began to fall. In any other place common wisdom would suggest that today wasn't the right day to trespass into a secluded car graveyard with preschooler and camera in hand. (Some of you are thinking- it's NEVER a good idea to trespass. You are correct; but I lean towards getting the shot and then asking forgiveness later.) The reason I was so willing to risk rain and hillbilly gun fire was the light. Perfect, seductive, overcast light.

The combination of high clouds bloated with moisture and the noon day sun makes a celestial soft box that will softy kiss the cheek of any subject and provide delicious saturated colors. Minimal work, I just have to be there. Joe McNally's blog (which I highly recommend) spoke of this back in Feb. As a photographer we wait on the light, we are subject to it's every whim, and love every moment.

Tyler on the other hand was not so enthusiastic. The clouds and approaching storm meant cool temperatures and wind that he said "hurts my eyes." I bribed him heavily and he smiled about three times.

The real magic of this photo I think is the shoes. The red pop is really nice and the color on the car is classic. I did however enhance it slightly. This is an easy trick though. Create a layer in photoshop and set it to color mode with about 20-30% opacity. Then chose a deep rich color and paint on your layer. The color will be applied to the image. I made several different color layers with different tonalities and opacities to achive the desired look. The rope was also traffic cone orange in the original image. I toned it down by adding a slight green on one of my color layers. Finally I increased the saturation and contrast slightly, watching carefully to avoid loosing information in the highlights and done! The 24x36 gallery wrap print is already set to be ordered and placed above my fireplace (with the images of his sister and brother of course) in just a few weeks.

Here a blog, there a blog, everywhere a blog, blog....

2010-03-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

I will be guest blogging this week at http://www.mcpactions.com/blog/ so be on the look out. I'll be addressing the trouble some people have properly exposing when the subject is wearing white. After writing a rough draft I decided I needed some specific photos for this post. Then I remembered its time to update my facebook and twitter profile, and I have a super cute white shirt. So one thing led to the other and it became a portrait session for Terice and I. Mind you I take photos of Terice all the time, (she's my muse/assistant).

Additionally if you are following this blog and haven't checked out my studio's blog now is a great time! Until April 10 you can buy a gift certificate for a future session and 100% of the proceeds will go to support the American Red Cross. This is an extension of the Helping Haiti Through Photography Event we held on March 27th. And if you are tried of hearing about the event know that I WILL NOT stop talking about it until enough money has been raised to meet the goal I set for donations. So donate now even if its for no other reason then to make me shut my big trap.

Speaking of our charity event, here's some favorites. All of these shots used the same lighting pattern, as shown in the diagram below. I love the soft diffused quality of light, don't you?

.All shots are at 200 ISO with 1/200 shutter speed and f4-f8 aperture depending on the subject.

Fruits of the Spirit : Zion Lutheran Pre-K

2010-03-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

My son's Pre-Kindergarten class is contributing the following print to their schools auction. Each child held a fruit representing the fruits of the spirit: faith, love, charity, etc. The image will be printed on canvas and each child will sign their name along the edge.

Creating this image was simple. We dressed each child in a black coat to create the backdrop.One SB-900 on a stand was positioned above and a little behind the child's sholder so the light would fall on the fruit. I used a scrim (translucent material) to soften the shadows. Exposure was 1/125 @ f4 ISO 400.

I then burned the background to a solid black in photoshop before selectively coloring the fruit.

To create the selective color technique is simple. I created a hue and saturation layer and masked out the fruit. Then using the colorize feature I added 32 hue and 15 saturation to give the skin a slight sepia tone. I hope it sells for a ton of cash to support Zion Lutheran!

Pugmire Family Portrait

2010-03-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

I posted some time back that I was working on a composite of a large family in photoshop. In total I photographed 35 members of one extended family. Some were shot as individuals while others were put into groups. Each photo was done on a white background with the following lighting set up. Shots were taken over a series of days to accommodate the schedules of the different families.

Because of the timing issues I marked the studio floor with duct tape so I could remember the spots where the lights needed to go. I also took careful notes about the power of each light, it's height and my camera settings. Here's how I did it:

I set the background lights at full power with key light -1 stop from full power.
Exposure is F9 @ 1/250 a second. This had to stay the same for all shots.
Camera has 16-85 mm lens ( I should have used the 50mm to avoid distortion- something I simply forgot to do!) Most of the shots were done at 40mm and a few were at 24mm. This was a huge mistake that cost me a lot of time in post production. (Don't you hate it when you make a dumb mistake like that!) I shot each person individually and in groups so I could have a reference point as to their height and proportion to one another. It was also very important to get shadows on the ground in the photos so no one looked like they were floating in space.
I took over 200 shots (about 10 images per grouping/individual) in different poses. Some on the ground, others standing, then sitting, so I had a wide range of options. I knew the basic outline of what I wanted as a final product and I used the diagrams I drew out prior to shooting to guide how I posed everyone.
Once I had shot all the images it was photoshop time. Each photo had to have the background masked out but the shadows on the floor needed to stay. The white background helped out a lot.
Once the images were all within the same file I placed each photo where I thought it looked best and then adjusted the masks I had already made to fit.
The last step was to dodge and burn in shadows that matched the studio lighting. If I skipped this step the people would have looked like cardboard cut outs where their body parts overlapped.

I am willing to do this again and next time I'll save myself a lot of extra editing by using the right lens. ( I hate correcting for distortion in photoshop, it never quite looks right to me...) I will also try to book all the sessions within the same day so I don't have to reset the lights every time I have another session. Now I just need another large family, any volenteers?

When an architect marries a lawyer...

2010-02-23T09:24:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Megan Sheets and Steven McKay married Feb. 20, 2010. Here is one of my favorite photos of them from their portrait sessions.

We photographed their portraits at the Sculpture Gardens downtown Seattle. It was an amazingly beautiful day for February. Thanks El Nino! While the Eastcoast drowns in snow, I'm watching my flowers in my front yard bloom and laughing in spite of myself.
Because it was so bright it was important to use the shade side of the red sculptures to subtract the overpowering sunlight and keep the subjects comfortable. No one likes to look directly in the sun!
The next step was to suspend a translucent medium in front of two sb-800 flash units to create a large soft light source.
The exposure was then balance between the flash and daylight to keep the city blue sky visible in the background.

The shapes of the art as well as the shadows they created add a lot to the image.

More of Megan and Steven's photos will be online in two weeks at Irene Jones Photography Online.

Please search for Megan and Steven and use password 21366 to log in.

Supporting the Hatian Releif Effort: Portrait Event!

2010-02-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

I'm a news junkie. I guess I learned that from my Dad. Growing up I watched Dan Rather and pretended I was a correspondent stationed in remote parts of the world reporting on all sorts of world events. Even though I was very young when it happened, I still remember vividly watching footage of the Tiananmen Square Protest on 1989. I couldn't help but feel helpless just watching these events unfold on TV. I wanted to be able to do something but at eight years old my circle of influence was slightly diminished.

It's been over a month now since the Earthquake leveled most of Haiti. It pains me that while these people are still suffering greatly, and conditions continue to deteriorate, that one of the greatest disasters in my lifetime has nearly fallen out of the news cycle. Our lives go on and our attention spans seem only to last as long as a commercial break.

I'm not eight years old anymore and I cannot help but feel a strong obligation to give all that I can to help those in need. I am now in a position where I can make a difference and dispel that terrible feeling of helplessness that I remember from my youth. I encourage all of you donate to the organizations on the ground in Haiti such as the red cross, salvation army and other charities with a track record of good works.

Donating is a great thing, but I also wanted to do more. And short of leaving my young family to go to Haiti myself, I've decided to use the resources available to me here at home to increase the good I can do.

Saturday March 27th my studio will holding a portrait event. 100% of all proceeds from this event will be donated to the Red Cross.

Doors will be open between 9am and 6pm on the 27th. Both walk in and scheduled appointments available. Each portrait session will be up to 15 minutes in length and free of charge. Children of all ages, families, and pets are encouraged to attend! Please call and schedule a session for any pets please. Once your session is completed you may choose one of the following print packages for your favorite image.

Package 1:
-2 5x7 prints
-4 wallets
$25.00

Package 2:
-1 8x10 print
- 2 5x7 prints
-12 wallets
$50.00

Package 3:
-1 8x10 prints
-4 5x7 prints
-5 4x6 prints
$85.00

Package 4:
- 16x20 print
- 25 4x8 photographic cards
$125.00

Package 5:
- 11x14 print
-2 8x10 prints
-10 4x6 prints
-25 4x8 photographic cards
$ 175.00

Add On Prices:
2 Wallets - $5.00
1 4x6 - $5.00
1 5x7 - $10.00
1 8x10 - $25.00
1 11x14 - $50.00
1 16x20 - $100.00
25 4x8 photographic cards - $20.00

If you would like to purchase additional prints from your session all photos will be posted at our website Irene Jones Photography Online with in 1 week. Any additional print sales will also be donated to the Red Cross.

All packages will be available for pick up at our studio on April 3rd, Just in time for Easter! Cash and Check donations preferred but credit card donations also accepted. For more information or to book your session time please call 425.367.4781.

Our studio is located at 2110 Broadway, Everett WA 98201. Click here for directions.

If you are unable to attend I encourage you to please visit the Red Cross Website today and donate directly today. View the Red Cross's report on what they are doing in Haiti now.

How to choose a professional photographer

2010-02-09T16:15:00.000-08:00

This last week I made the mistake of offering my photography services to a family that was asking me a lot of questions and seemed interested. The second the words "when do you want to schedule an appointment?" came out of my mouth (note I don't ask this question randomly) she defensively answered "Oh no, I have a photographer, she's a friend of a friend I go to church with. My friend says she's wonderful." I honestly do not get offended normally when someone tells me they happen to have another photographer. I'm well aware of how saturated the market is and I'm not threatened by the fact that everyone and their dog all own digital cameras now. What threw me off is the fact that she wasn't even willing to review my work despite the fact that she has yet to see the work of her chosen photographer!

I will be the first one to say there is room in my industry for all kinds. I don't take it personal when someone isn't in love with my work. My self worth isn't based on the opinions of others so I'm pretty hard to annoy.

Truth is: my biggest pet peeve is ignorance and since the collision of digital photography and the 10% unemployment rate, stupidity has become contagious! There are so many photographers now that consumers are now being hunted like injured gazelle on the Serengeti. Informed customers are the best kind. They get what they want at fair market value. The problem isn't too many photographers, it's not enough buyers have taken the time to understand what they are getting. Thus a large number of photographers creating sub par images are providing work at bargain basement prices. It's the Walmart business model applied to a skilled art and it spells trouble.

So consumers listen up! Here's the things you should look for when choosing a photographer.

1. Don't ask what equipment they have. It doesn't matter. What matters is how they use it. I own a toothbrush and whitening strips but that doesn't make me a dentist. The years of experience, a quality portfolio that shows my results, and an education in the use of all kinds of lighting, subject matters, and business practices is what makes me a professional.

2. Do ask to talk to past customers. The referral should provide you with information about the photographers personal demeanor, skill set, and customer service style (or lack their of). Photography is a art but portraiture is a business, so make sure you photographer knows how to act like a professional as well as shoot like one.

3. Visit their studio or have an in home consultation before the shoot. If you are not comfortable with chatting with your photographer then, how easy will it be to work with them? Not every photographer is right for every person. Shop around until you find one that understands you and your family.

4.Visit their website and compare portfolios first. The fatal mistake many people make is they go directly to the pricing page and never even click farther then that. Price is an important factor but it isn't the right way to select the person who will capture timeless memories for you. Think in terms of quality to help you establish value. Then if you have something different in mind then the specific packages offered on a website, ask about custom packages. I am in no way suggesting you haggle for a better deal. Just inquire about all of your options.

5. Do not ask a photographer to copy an image you saw on someone else's website. Not only is this copyright infringement, but it's in bad taste. You should hire a photographer for their skill and creativity. If you really love an image and want something similar for your own portrait, go to the photographer who created it in the first place! You'll be happier with the quality long term.

6. Never forget that the things we want to photograph in our lives are always life changing events. A birth, marriage, graduation, or a new phase in a child's development. The person you ask to capture these moments should be someone you trust and who knows how the world looks through your eyes. Nothing less should be substituted.

Notes

2010-02-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

Originally when I started this blog I wanted to post an image a day, Over the last three months I've done my best to keep up with the daily grind but I'm finding it harder and harder to live at a break-neck pace. Alex is three months old this week and demanding non stop feedings. Business is growing (always a mixed blessing) and my pregnancy weight is shrinking thanks to many hours spent in front of our Wii. Something's gotta give.

So I'm going to reinvent my blog to a weekly installment. I hope you won't be too disappointed! Additionally I'm going to focus on post quality and not quantity, so hopefully it will be an improvement.

But if for some reason you live any die for my daily posts may I suggest you fill your time in with visiting my friend Heidi's blog! She just opened her own photography business (though I still think she should come work for me). Please check it out!

Multiple Flashes With a Little Physics on the Side

2010-02-01T20:43:00.000-08:00

This was fun. Courtney is a photography student and when she came to the studio for her portraits I wanted to do something that would blow her mind. So we left the nice part of my studio and set up a few speed-lights in the long dark hall that leads to the rear exit. We are still in the process or remodeling so this hall is what some might call "industrial".

The camera was placed on a tripod and the aperture set to the maximum for my lens so I could get the most depth of field. The shutter was set to 30 seconds. Then came the hard part. Courtney and I had to work in the complete dark. My job was to fire the strobe with the test button from different angles while keeping it out of the frame so I didn't' show up in the image and she had to navigate around the room in the dark. The 30 second exposure felt like for ever.

It took several tries to get the result but here's the final product. No photoshop necessary. This is all done within one frame. This technique can work for still or moving objects as long as the flash is your only light source, it must be completely dark.

In college we did this same technique to get greater depth of field in the studio for product shots. For example, say I was shooting a photo of a large product, like an SUV in studio (never-mind the logistics of getting it in the studio) If I didn't have enough power to get the maximum aperture with one flash, I could increase the number of flashes to increase the exposure.

Now you could do this as a guess and check but there is also an easy equation that will save you time.
E=l/d is the mathematical representation of the way light works according to the inverse square law. (The link has a good explanation of this.) In simple terms this expresses the relationship between the distance (d) from the light source and the required intensity (l) for correct exposure (e).

To increase depth of field by adding additional flashes we solve for "l" to know the correct number of times the flash most go off for proper exposure at our chosen aperture. The law says that an object 2x the distance from a light source will receive a 1/4 of the illumination. By moving your subject from 4 feet away to 8 feet away, you will need four times the amount of light for the same exposure.

For example: If Courtney is four feet away from the speedlight at full power and I want to shoot at F22 but my current meter reading is saying I have enough power for F8 I'll need to use the flash four times in the same shot to get the correct exposure and make up the two stop difference.

What you may not realize is that this law is in action no matter the light source you're using. Have you ever thought to yourself, "oh my subject just moved farther away from me, I need to open up to a larger aperture?" Then you've just used the inverse square law without even thinking about it. Pretty cool yes?

Chris and Murisia's Wedding

2010-01-30T18:58:00.000-08:00

I don't often go into the details of my customers personal life, but I wanted to share the story of Cris and Murisia. They are such amazing people who are very close to my heart. I met Cris several years ago when he painted our home's interior. He did such a good job that we hired him again to paint our kitchen cabinets and then this last year he painted our home's exterior. During those years they experienced all the challenges that life can offer. Job loss, law suits, family illness, and many more. All along the way they stuck together. This last year was especially difficult as they tried to plan their wedding admits all of these problems.
Here are a few photos from their wedding.

The ceremony was small and very sweet. A few family and friends gathered to witness their marriage. What impressed me most was the feeling of thankfulness that seemed to emanate from the couple. Despite not knowing what was in store for them in the coming months, if they would find work, or where they would end up living, they were glad to be together and that's all that mattered.

I am happy to say that this story has a happy ending. Cris found a job, just a few days ago.

To Cris and Murisia; may God bless you with the strength to continue on, the love that only a family can give, and happy memories from this day forward!

Website Update complete!

2010-01-28T08:36:00.000-08:00

Caleb pulled a few all nighters but it's done! Our website's update for 2010 is complete. New packages, portfolios, and a more interactive layout have been added. I'd love to know what you think. And please, let me know if find typos or have any issues with navigation. Your comments will help us improve our client's experience. Thanks for checking it out!

http://www.ijphoto.net

Profile Photos

2010-01-27T13:51:00.000-08:00

It's official. Everyone in America and possibly most developed countries is now living two lives, one real and the other virtual. Between facebook, myspace, twitter, and a ton of different photo sharing sites (flikr, shutterfly, photobucket). All of these sites encourage profile photos, and photo galleries. Most of which we have done ourselves and let's be honest, not so flattering. As a professional I've made it my personal mission to reduce the amount of ugly online by including free profile photos with each session. As part of your session fee 5 images will be posted on facebook and any other site you prefer to use for your profile or any other way to see fit. Prints must still be purchased (and don't even think about scanning them, 'cuz I'll know...)

Why? We live in a new age where copyright laws are, well, let's just say, being reinvented everyday. I firmly stand on the side of other creative types and feel that intilectual property holds a value for which one should be compensated. But I think it crazy to fight against the proliferation of ideas and content for the sake of controlling it. I simply believe that yet again a social revolution has created an opportunity. Offer digital rights and receive approperate compensation, or let someone steal it from you and go completely unpunished. I prefer to keep my clients on the right side of the law. (Mom this means you!)

Plus with this feature I've found greater appeal. Just ask any client who has recently had a sneak peek of their wedding photos thanks to facebook or today's model, Patsy, who when hearing digital rights were included in the session booked instantly.

For me this is no brainer. More exposure, free word of mouth advertising, and instant feedback from clients and their friends. I know what images my clients like, what they are staying about them and I have created an opportunity to keep in touch with them and increase return patronage. All for doing something besides playing Farmville.

This same feature has also been invaluable when working with High School Seniors. I don't know how many times I've added a new client simply because a current client shared their images on facebook.

Tomorrow: More on Filters and White Balance.

Website update nearly complete

2010-01-26T08:48:00.000-08:00

I had anticipated my websites overhaul to be completed yesterday but no such luck. Hopefully today will be the day. Just a few details left, cross browser compliance, final spelling check, etc. When I realized the website wouldn't be up yesterday and that would mean nothing to blog about, I tried my hand at an HDR landscape of the view from my back yard. Funny thing is, I didn't realized how ugly our view is until I saw the photos! All the trees are dead, the black berry vines are dried and withering, and the retention pond is filled with random things (some garbage) that the neighbor kids have thrown in over the fence. I didn't see all of this because I have photo tunnel vision. This is a condition I often get when shooting. I see some detail I like (for example the nice sunset) and miss all the ugly in front of it.

So I scrapped the HDR and I'm thinking about what kind of landscape I can work on. I want to get better at this genre but I don't quite know where to start. Any suggestions?

Here are some blogs I found about landscape photography.

http://digital-photography-school.com/11-surefire-tips-for-improving-your-landscape-photography

http://www.photographytips.com/page.cfm/77

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/landscape-photography-tips/

Night Portraits

2010-01-23T20:35:00.000-08:00

James (left) and his brother Michael (right) braved a cold January evening for me. They stood on a street corner (Terice stood in the street holding a light stand) All so I could put three of my favorite things together: strobe, motion blur, and mixed lighting (flash with incandescent ambient light).

I've talked a lot lately about indoor lighting and I felt a little claustrophobic so into the chilly air we went. During the hour we were shooting we met a whole host of street life in downtown Everett and tried hard to make James smile to no avail.

This shot is straight forward enough. Two speedlights, one for each guy and a slow shutter speed. Because the flash freezes the action I didn't have to worry about them being sharp. I just had to put my camera on a tripod and wait for a car to pass behind them. At one point a bus drove by and the blur was great, only problem was both guys blinked.

This is a decent shot, not exactly what I had in mind but it will do for tonight. I had a client meeting and we were running out of time, so Terice and I will have to try again next week. I do like having the guys at opposite sides of the frame though.

Here's the set up.

Exposure was 1/8 @F4.5. ISO 200 with 50mm lens.

Christina and Corbin's Wedding

2010-01-23T01:14:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Christina and Corbin, my first wedding of 2010! Married Jan. 9, 2010 at Lord Hill Farms. It was a beautiful day for Jan. (who knew that could happen in Western Washington?) and I loved working with these two. They are easy going, fun people, so the whole day was a breeze. If you are interested in seeing all of their images the entire collection will be posted on my website next week. Follow the link below and enter password 21366 when prompted.

Irene Jones Photography Online Ordering

Using Indoor lighting for Creative Portraits

2010-01-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

My challenge for today is to shoot a portrait with only two generic household light bulb (camera right about 2 ft from Tyler) and a few strings of Christmas lights (10 ft back). With these sources white balance is well, problematic. The color temperature of the Christmas lights is rebelliously warm and the light bulb is one of those daylight balanced kind that is supposed to (but doesn't really) look like sunlight. These bulbs are simply covered in a thin film that changes the color of the light, not the temperature in Kelvins. There is no present white balance that can get this one right, so it's best to create a custom setting. Here is how to do it on a Nikon D-300.

Exposure: 1/100 @ f 2.2 IS0 400

Just for fun I took two photos and combined them in photoshop. Here are the two images I used.

The left is shot with a 50mm and the bokah shot is 300 mm.

Ambient Light Part 1

2010-01-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

Flash is not the only man made light source that makes for great portraits. Over the next few days we'll talk about using florescent, tungsten and then mixing in the flash. Lots more about white balance, filters and color temperature. Let's start with florescent. I got these from my studio (they came with the space and I quickly took them down when I moved in). I hate them as over head lighting and love them when they are straight on. Here I used 2 sets of lights, one on either side the camera. Here's a photo of the set up.

Even with 2 lights I could only get 2.5. Some of that has to do with the empty garage I used as a background though. Adding a reflective white background and my exposure increases a half stop. I chose to keep the same aperture and increase the shutter speed instead.

Look at the reflection in her eyes, cool yes? This is my favorite part. Here are a few different versions since Audrey is so cute. Play around with this, put the lights in all sorts of positions and shapes and see what kind of reflections you can come up with.

If you're looking produce more photos with a commercial edge this is a very inexpensive way to start. Any local hardware store will have both the bulbs and light housings. A set of four lights will cost you $40.00 at Home Depot.

Tomorrow, lighting the world 40 watts at a time.

Lighting Indoors Part 3

2010-01-19T13:01:00.000-08:00

I've briefly mentioned window light, but I want to talk more about it today. My home faces East to West so there are two short periods during the day that I get good window lighting. This happens a few hours after sun rise when the the sun raises above the roof of my neighbor's house, and the second is in the evening just prior to sun set when the light is bounced off of the same neighbor's house and into our windows. The evening light is softer and the color can be problematic since it's later in the day and the house it's reflecting off is blue but the results have been interesting for sure. This is why I've suggested a north or south facing window to be the best (depending on which hemisphere you live in.)

Here are some window light photos. The first is from 10am the second is at 4pm. It was an usually nice day yesterday, so when the light came in the living room in the morning I had more light to work with. By the early afternoon when the sun was going down my results are different. (Plus the second photo is not so flattering as the first of me. I guess that's what I get for doing self portraits with a timer.) Both shots with a 50mm lens but the ISO has been raised for the second image to make it work. This is also a good opportunity to talk about noise. Here are some crops of the same photos at 100%. These are unedited. To help reduce the noise I used the Dfine 2.0 plug in on the last crop.

Very little noise in the background. This was at ISO 200.

Not so pretty... This is shot at ISO 800.

This image has had the noise reduced slightly but it's still not as nice as the ISO 200 shot. This is why I try to avoid higher ISO's unless it's totally necessary. It simply saves time while post processing. I have gotten nice results with ISO's up to 1600 but it took some extra work. I'd rather be on the couch watching a movie personally...

A couple things to remember when shooting with window light.

You will almost always need a reflector to fill in the shadow portion of a person's face. Contrast can be problematic in shots like these. I was holding a reflector just off camera left in the first shot. I didn't need one for the evening shot since the light was very flat!
Watch for color shift. At different times of day you'll find the color of the light will vary. The color is the second shot hasn't been edited- it's right out of camera. I look slightly blue green, not so pretty as the warm glow of the direct sun light in the first shot.
I recommend using a tripod for any shots like this. You will most likely be shooting at wide open apertures with higher ISO's, and even then need a longer exposure to gather the light necessary. The morning light shot was 1/40 @ F8. I don't recommend hand holding 1/40 with a 50mm. I get camera shake every time. The evening shot was even slower. Even with the ISO at 800 I still could only manage a 1/20 @ F2.8 exposure. Big difference.
It also might help to use a spot metering mode (where available) to expose for your highlights only instead of metering the whole scene. Focus of capturing the subject only- let the other details and background go. If those elements are vital to your image, you'll need to rethink your lighting. I spot metered the morning image and you can see that the background goes darker behind me. The evening photo has more detail in the background because of the longer exposure.

Tomorrow: More on ambient light in doors. How to work with light when there isn't very much!

Indoor lighting Part 2 continued...

2010-01-18T08:45:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of Alex (nearly 10 weeks now!) using the same lighting set up as the photo of Megan. Alex is turned to face into the light so there is a broader lighting pattern across his face. The reason I'm showing this is to give you a quick trick you can use to figure out how any portrait was shot.
Look into his eyes. The reflection shows a larger rectangular catch-light on the bottom (it looks light it's coming from the bottom because I was standing directly above him for this shot) and a small dot of light above and nearly dead center of the eye. You can even see the fill card on camera right. In case your wondering the small spot of light is my on-camera flash sending a radio signal to the speed-lights behind the scrim. This little flash is just enough to set off the others without effecting the lighting on Alex's face.

Combine these facts with the direction of the shadows and you can deduce the light source, it's angle, and my position. Try it, pick up any magazine and study the eyes of the people photographed in it. Take the photos you like and then mimic what you think the lighting was to see if you get the same results. If you try this out please post a link to your results below! Have fun practicing.

Lighting Indoors Part 2

2010-01-16T20:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I mentioned (in the sorry excuse for a video I posted) how you can use a couple of speed-lights and a large scrim, shower curtain, or white bed sheet, to create a giant soft-box. The photo of Megan above is an example of this every technique. Here's a diagram.

The speedlights are behind the scrim (it's huge- 7'x 7') which is clamped into place on two light stands. Just about a foot away from Megan is my small foam core fill card. Both flashes are set to full power and angled at 45 degrees pointing down to her on the floor. The effect is an overall soft nearly shadowless look that still provides some shape. Simple yet very effective. The exposure is 1/160 @ f 3.5. Note that by defusing the light this much you do loose a few stops of light. I was going for a shallow depth of field so, the wide aperture wasn't a problem. I got all of her face in focus (including her great eye lashes) which was my goal. The 50mm lens blurs the background nicely while still allowing her body and legs to be decipherable and not a strange out of focus blob. Thanks Megan and Eva (yesterday's model) for the help!

Note: Still working on the SB-900 walkthrough. I changed my mind late in the day today and decided to do a video, but I want it mildly worth watching so it might take a few days to put it together. Stay tuned.

Creative Lighting Indoors

2010-01-15T21:05:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, this photo was shot in my house after sunset. Can you guess how? Better question, can you guess where in my house it was shot? Let's see if anyone can answer correctly.

Let's talk about lighting. It's what photography is all about. Learning how to control light is the most vital part of being a photographer and yet there are still many who protest the usage of anything except available light. Personally I find the idea very limiting. So many of the places we find ourselves in are riddled with lighting issues. A few examples: night clubs, concert halls, every cathedral ever built, and most peoples homes. As a photographer my job is to use light to capture emotion. When improper light exists, I feel it's my responsibility to correct the deficiency.

So now you're thinking "That's great Irene, but how do I take a nice photo of my kid when it's raining outside." Here's some suggestions.

Review the light available. Do you have any north or south facing windows or doors? Can you use the window light? I say north of south facing simply because on a bright day the light coming from these directions is more dispersed and usable for a longer period of time. If you answered yes, you may already have all the light you need. If not, add a reflector. I have pop up reflectors and white foam core that I use all the time to reduce contrast and unwanted shadows.
If the window light isn't enough you have two choices. Slow shutter speed or flash. Maybe even a combo of the two depending on your application. I'd also recommend a good tripod for shutter speeds lower then 1/125 or if you have a vibration reduction lens 1/60. I can sometimes hand hold for shutter speeds as low as 1/20 but it's risky. Make sure to brace yourself against a hard surface and breathe out when you push the shutter release to reduce camera shake. It's also a good idea to put your elbows in to your chest for greater stability. Keep in mind also that portraits at slow shutter speeds are difficult since people cannot hold perfectly still.
Add flash to eliminate a multitude of problems and add new ones all at the same time! Once you add strobe to the equation you'll need to visualize the light direction and quality (hard, sharp shadows, or soft and diffused. Think back to high school geometry and review earlier post on this blog about angle of incident and reflection. A great way to learn is to set up your flash, fire a test shot and then adjust until you get the right angle and quality. Never (even if your life depends on it) use on camera flash. That's the quickest way to kill a photo. Think about it, we are used to looking at light coming from above us (you know, from the sun) not from eye level. This look is unnatural and not at all pleasing.
Look for creative solutions. One of the main problems with using speedlight flash units is they create a small beam of hard light. But you don't need to spend thousands on modifiers when objects lying around the house will work well to create diffusion. My favorites include bouncing the flash off a white ceiling (9ft or shorter is best), shooting through a frosted shower curtain, or bouncing off a reflector. Keep in mind anything white can be a good reflector. I've used Terice as a reflector before. I needed a small amount of fill on location so I bounced light off the t-shirt she was wearing. Worked like a charm. For more information on at home diffusion techniques see the video attached to this post.

Tomorrow: SB-900 walk through. How I use one of Nikon's coolest speedlights.

Post Processing Cliche's

2010-01-14T20:37:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is the same pair of shoes from yesterday. If you didn't like the shot the first time around I suggest you stop reading now and wait for tomorrow's post since I'm going to show you several versions of this same image edited different ways. The version above is an example of high contrast. If you look at the dress and the Bride's legs, all detail has pretty much been washed out. I also pumped up the saturation. Here's the original for a reference point.

Now the contrast shift isn't something I normally do, I like my highlights and shadows to have as much detail as possible, but for this image I really think it works. The original looks as if it was shot in Seattle in January (oh wait...). The increased saturation and brightness gives it warmth that is much needed. It's a moderate adjustment, not heavy handed or overbearing. Thus the reason I like it. Note: use the brightness/contrast and hue/saturation adjustments with moderation. A little goes a long way.

Too often though photographers are turning to gimmicks in post processing to turn images into something better. Truth is, if the image wasn't great in the first place, no amount of adjustment layers in photoshop is going to make it a great photo. You have to start with something worth looking at! The easiest analogy I can think of is macaroni and cheese. If you've ever had the homemade real cheese, whole milk, and baked in the oven all day version the blue box of funny shaped pasta and fake cheese looks like crap on a cracker. My point is that it's all about ingredients and skill.

So let's talk trends. My number 1 hated trend these days, grunge textures. To me this feels way to contrived. Now back in the film days I was all about purposefully damaging film and printing it. Processing it wrong, lighting it on fire, you name it. It was great fun and the results were terrible some times and magical the next. It was so unpredictable. Adding layers of other photos (mainly of junk, rust, and other randomness) doesn't have the same spontaneity. Here's my example.

The edges have been roughed up slightly and two different images have been sandwiched on top. The saturation on the background was also pulled down to -43. Shoes were masked out to preserve their color but ultimately I lightened them and adjusted the hue slightly. I also added chromatic abrasion (under the lens correction filter) and a vignette. I don't see this effect on wedding photos often, these days it's mainly on senior photos and it makes me throw up a little in my mouth every time I look at it. Once or twice is fine, but it shouldn't be on every image in a portfolio. It's not a style at that point it's a handycap.

Next up: Black and white with selective color.
I get asked by brides all the time if I can do this. Short answer: yes. Long answer: Do I have to? It reminds me of a '80 cherry coke commercial OR Schindler's List, possibly the worst movie you could associate with your wedding. But since I aim to please, I do it again and again. Granted it will NEVER make it into my portfolio.

This is actually very easy to do at home. Simply create a Black and White adjustment layer and then paint on the layer mask black where you want the color to show through. Only trick is making sure you mask is perfect so no other colors are visible. Oh, one other movie reference just came to mind. Wizard of Oz. It's officially cliche' if it's been done for 70 years or more. The funny thing is, I bet someone reading this blog will love this version the best. Go ahead, say it, I have to admit I kinda like it too... but that's the funny thing about cliche's they work most of the time. Otherwise why would we keep doing it?

Finally we go off the deep end and mess with the colors just to show you how to ruin an image.

This is a mix of a cyanotype with the selective color. Only one word for this version, Yikes. Believe it or not folks, I've seen stuff like this in "professional" portfolios. What do we learn here? Just because you can do it in Photoshop doesn't mean you should. Blue feet say "dead bride" probably not a good visual message to send. Honestly, our brains are trained to see color a specific way and though it's fun to create images that challenge that perception, there is a limit. You need to always be cognitive of what message you are sending.
Final score? Two of the above versions get a thumbs up (high contrast and selective color) where two don't (cold feet and grunge layers). Oh and don't get me started on cheesy quotes on photographs. I dry heave every time I see a photo frame with "Live, Laugh, Love" on it. Photos should speak for themselves. If narration is required, something is wrong.

That concludes today's personal rant.

Just keep it simple folks. The best images are always the ones filled with emotion. Tell a story, make it simple, honest, and personal. You can't photoshop that stuff in.

Yes, I do know what day it is...

2010-01-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

Thursday the 8th was the last blog post, and though I originally set out to post daily, I'm coming to the understanding that not all things are possible within my waking hours. That being said, I won't be deterred from my original goal of 365 posts. It just may take me longer then one year to get there! Today I wanted to show you a shot from a Christina and Corbin's wedding this weekend. They were so much fun and I just loved working with them. I'll have more from their wedding later next week and from a few other sessions I've been busy with. In fact tomorrow I'll going to show you some simple manipulations on this image that Brides and Grooms love (but I think are cliche' and annoying- but I do them anyways. It's all about the Benjamins...)

While I'm discussing my calendar of events for the blog, here's what's coming up:
One of the wonderful people following my blog asked about shooting indoors, so I'll be posting information on that also. And for anyone looking to get into the wedding business, I just finished up the Northwest Bridal Showcase and later this month will be at the Lynnwood Wedding Expo. Once those are completed I plan on discussing a few of the in's and out's of photographing weddings and the business behind it. If you have questions ask now and I'll try to answer any them in that post. Those are my mini goals (working towards that new years resolution stuff).

Also, I'd love to see your photos. Show me your favorite photo you've done indoors and describe how you did it. Flash, window light, slow shutter speed, anything goes as long as it's inside and something you want to share. The best way to do this is post your images to flikr, facebook, or any other site you may be using and post a link in the comments.

Busy week

2010-01-08T23:14:00.000-08:00

Today was devoted to making my booth for the NW Bridal Showcase happen. Tomorrow Terice will be at the show while I shoot a wedding. I'll have photos and details about the wedding next week. Feel free to watch my you tube video. This slide show will be playing on a loop at the show for the new two days. I'm gonna need a vacation after this weekend...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vYx0CwAqWg&fmt=22

Wedding Portfolio: Narrowing it down

2010-01-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

Thanks to anyone that sent me their opinions about what images I should include. I was feeling a little down, so your complements were much appreciated. I've learned a few things from your responses:

The images I expected to be the clear favorites, weren't. That tells me that either I have terrible taste or I like the image for different reasons. I'm guessing it's mainly an emotional connections to the circumstance or I'm proud of making something look good in what wasn't optimal lighting. Neither of those things make any difference to the audience though.
Cliche' must sell for a reason. Overwhelmingly the images that have a cheesy factor or a traditional pose came out on top. This made me laugh since my clients always say "I want something different, more candid shots, nothing traditional or posed." Secret is, the "posed" photos are always the ones they point out to me as their favorites. I think the meaning of this word has changed....
I've oriented my portfolios in the past by theme (ie getting ready, ceremony, reception, portraits). I don't need one from every category. I just need to show the best, whatever it may be. The fact that I can shoot all varieties is understood, customers just want to know that I can take a pretty picture.

And now (drum roll please...) My selections for my wedding portfolio!

Two things: First, I cheated and put three images together in a few spots since the window on the website is longer then it is wide and I want to fill it completely. Second, there is only 26 total images. I could add more if anyone strongly feels I've made an egregious error, but I'm sticking with the "less is more" concept and saying 26 is better then 30. A million thanks again! Yesterday I had over 7 times this many images and I couldn't choose. The help has been invaluable!

Help! I need to narrow down my wedding portfolio!

2010-01-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

This week Caleb and I are working on version 3.1 of Irene Jones Photography Online. The update will streamline the flow of the site and direct customers to different sections based on their needs: weddings, portraits, or High School Senior Portraits. It's about this time every year that I update my portfolios anyways, but the new site is a little different and while there will be more images in total, the portfolio section will actually be smaller. This comes from the "less is more" rants given by my department head in college. I'm trying to condense it to no more then 30 AMAZING images. The problem? I'm too close to the images and can't decide. It's like trying to choose a favorite child (currently Alex but don't let the others know). So I want your help. I've posted my favorites below. Please comment on which images should stay. Also feel free to leave comments about what ones you think should go. When you're done voting please ask others to do the same! I need as many voices to help me out as possible. And please try to be descriptive so I have a clue what photo you are talking about!

I am attending the Northwest Bridal Showcase this weekend Jan. 9-10. So I'm concentrating on the wedding portfolio first. I'll do the other two later this month. When the update is complete, I'll let you know so you can check out the sleek new feel.

Oh... and I should probably should include some of Terice's work....

Can you see why I need help? How do you sum up 10 years of photography (these images are mainly from the last 2 years only) in 30 perfect shots? Don't let me down blogosphere!

Night Portraits

2010-01-04T22:51:00.000-08:00

Last December my best friend from high school and her husband did a portrait session downtown Seattle at night. The carousel made for a nice backdrop. The exposure was 1/5 @ f5.0. The long shutter speed created the blur. The flash is what creates the stop action on the couple. One speedlight was on camera left and there was another on camera right behind the couple and several feet away. There is also a fill card and flash just below them to fill in any shadows. The flash is actually pointed down at the card so the light will bounce back.
When doing this kind of shot you'll need to use slow sync flash mode. Meter for the ambient light and flash. Set your shutter speed for the ambient reading and the aperture for the flash. While it's okay for your subjects to move a little, sudden fast moments will show up as a blur, so keeping still is helpful.

The toughest part of the shoot was working around the crowd. This is often an issue when shooting in busy public spaces. It's important to be aware of everything in the frame and place your subject accordingly. On occasion though, crowds can be helpful. Here's another blur shot of Anna and Hideo where the passing pedestrians add interest.

This shot was more difficult because I needed to make them look as if they were lit by street lights only and not flash. The single speedlight was placed on a 7 ft tall stand just out of frame on camera left. The exposure is 1/6 @ F6.3. The flash was set to match the ambient light meter reading.

Basic Masking techniques for Photoshop

2010-01-03T23:37:00.000-08:00

Terice did a training session this week for a family of seven. Five extroverted school age kids and their parents. The sessions was a great chance for her to not only learn a little more about lighting and posing but to focus on her people skills. Making a group laugh simultaneously is an art form. And many times it involves using potty humor to crack a smile on some of the tougher characters. So after about a half an hour of trying to pose a non-traditional family the way the Cleavers would be photographed, we gave the kids sunglasses, fur coats, and our permission to jump around like monkeys.

Jumping shots are hard and it takes 2-3 dozen with a large group to get a perfect shot. This ones isn't perfect by any means but it'll do in a pinch. There is a feeling of motion, even though their feet aren't all visibly off the ground, and the oldest has some how managed to be perfectly hidden by his brothers. You could almost photoshop him out of this one for a better image but I'm sure he's parents would mind.

Photoshop is the only way this image even came together in the first place though. I gave Terice permission early in the shoot to frame a little wider then the background if needed so there would be room to crop for 8x10's. This is what she thought I meant:

No lighting diagram necessary today folks, you can see the actual lights for yourself! All honest mistakes aside, this gave me the opportunity to go over the basic ways to mask out an image and remove background. Here's the steps I took:

Using the magic lasso tool I selected a much of the background as I could. I set my tolerance to 20 (normally anywhere between 10-40 is good for shots with good contrast) and held down the shift key to continually add to the selection. Once I had a large portion of the image selected, I created a layer mask. The selected areas are represented by black on the layer mask and are now hidden but they still exist.

As you can see, there is still a lot of work to be done.

Next I selected the layer mask and using the paint brush tool (set to black) I painted directly on the mask and removed the larger sections I couldn't get rid of with the magic lasso tool.

Now comes the hard part. I zoomed into 300 percent and starting with the girl in the orange jacket, I began outlining each person with the pen tool. I like this tool because it can create a clipping path quickly and easily (using the shortcut keys and mouse).To use the pen tool you create points with each click. If you hold the point and drag two handles will appear from each point allowing you to curve the path. You can then adjust it to fit percisely along the area you wish to mask. Once I have outlined the section I can go back and adjust any of the points until it fits correctly. Under the Path's window you'll see a "working path" which is the outline you just created. By clicking the "load path as selection" option you can now take invert the selection (ctrl+I) and use the paint brush again to paint black on your mask and remove anything you don't like. The problem? This method takes forever! It is very accurate though and it came in handy around the orange coat and the fur (girl on right).
Where the clipping path didn't look right was around the girl's flying hair. Here I used the magnetic lasso (which is a similar tool but the computer is selecting the points and not you) to get closer. This tool doesn't work well in areas with little contrast.
Both of those tools helped but the hair still needed a little finessing, so I use the paint brush tool and painted white on the layer mask to bring back some of the gray background and zooming up to 400% I took out smaller groups and tried to randomly select what to remove.
Last step for the hair was to make a duplicate layer and add the motion blur filter to it. I also dodged out the ends of the hair (midtones at 53%) to they were lighter and didn't has such a sharp line around them. Finally I created a mask of the duplicate layer, filled it with black and then painted in with white the small bit of hair I wanted to show through.

Total work time on this ONE image? An hour and a half. I do not suggest doing this on a regular basis unless your client is paying you by the minute for retouching. A better bet is to find a way to do it in camera. This could mean a completely different pose, or crop. In Terice's defense, there was really no way to make all of these kids fit the background. Next time we'll try this shot on location where the background is not a problem.

I didn't even touch on the quick mask because I hate it. I avoid the paint brush as a masking tool since it leaves a feathered effect around the edges that looks fake to me. I want crisp clean lines, not hazing hap-hazard photoshop work.

Random Question: My birthday is at the end of the month, what photo gear should my husband buy me as a present? $50.00 or less would be preferrable.

Focal Length and Aperture

2010-01-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

Shallow depth of field must have been designed with babies in mind. See the soft edges just beyond his little ear? It helps to bring your attention right to his darling little sleepy face.

The next image was shot with our little guy in the same position, I simply moved above him. (Yes, I posted this photo the other day but I wanted to illustrate a point so I'm showing it again.)

Notice how this image is sharp from his ear to the ottoman he's laying on? Would you believe they are shot at the same exposure? It doesn't take long for most beginners to catch on to how to control depth of field. Wider apertures equal less depth and smaller apertures equal more depth. But there is one factor they often forget to consider: focal length. The lens you use controls more then how close or far away the subject is, it also controls the compression of the subject in relation to the background. Read up on optics if you wish to know exactly how this works (and you should know!) I mention this only because I get asked a lot about what exposure I should use for a particular shot.But there isn't one exposure that fits every scenario, instead is a conglomeration of multiple factors that decides how your image looks. A number of scientific and mathematical principles are applied every time the shutter is pressed. The "art" is when you can decide and adjust those equations to achieve your desire results. Image 1 is shot with a 50mm prime. Can you guess the second lens? Hint: I've mentioned in earlier blog posts what my favorite lens to shoot with is.

New Years Resolutions

2010-01-01T14:02:00.000-08:00

Raise your hand if your goal 2010 is to improve your photography skills? Join the club! I've enjoyed doing this blog over the last two months since it's given me a lot of opportunities to go over the basics and remember things I had forgotten I knew. At a certain point all of these things become automatic, which is good for those applying it and difficult for those of us trying to strain our brains back to the Fall of 1999 and my first quarter in college.

The keys to any good resolution is the mini goals that establish progress and making yourself accountable to someone (besides yourself). So I'm issuing a challenge to help you get there. Simply post in the comments for this blog (not the facebook notes or in a email) stating what you want to work on specifically that will make you a better photographer. I will then create posts designed around the comments you leave. Additionally I'm going to start giving out homework which I'd love for you to post on this blog with your results. Good or bad, doesn't matter, experience is the best teacher!

In the mean time, here are a few suggestions of steps you can take that will lead to a completed resolution and a happy new year.

Photograph often, every day if possible.
Have a purpose for picking up your camera. Ask, "What do I want this photo to say?"
Try new things. If at first you don't succeed? Reshoot!
Draw diagrams for your lighting, and framing. This will help you shoot with purpose instead of by accident.

Can't wait to hear what you have to say!

Ages and Stages to Photograph Infants

2009-12-31T21:14:00.000-08:00

Sadly enough my son is now old enough that I can't do a lot of the great poses I like to do with brand new babies. The plus? He's smiling at me all the time now and is actually awake once and a while. He'll be two months old in January and he's rapidly approaching those great developmental milestones that are fun to photograph. I personally think that all infants need professional pictures capturing each phase of their first year and recommend to customers to have portraits at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 1 year. Yearly portraits are also important after that. Here's why:

At one week infants still have the "newborn" look, and the ability to sleep through anything. I have great images of babies up to 1 month old in the same style, but overall it's best to capture them before they put on a bunch of weight and/or have a case of baby acne. My son is already up to 13.5 pounds and he was only 8lbs.when he as born. Babies are literally different from day to day.
At three months most babies can hold their heads up well while on their stomachs. They also will smiles those great big baby grins we all love. Additionally they are awake more, but still sleep a good portion of the day so it's possible to get both awake and asleep images in one session.
Six months is when most babies start sitting up well unaided. These are so cute! Some also crawl and/or roll over. I try to catch these new skills in the session. Oh, they can also reach their toes! Makes for some cute stuff.
Once nine months rolls around many kids are staring to stand up, pull up on things, or even walk for some kids (much to the dismay of their parents!). These make for great full body shots.
And of course 1 year. You can't forget that first birthday. Clients of mine that do all 5 sessions I've listed above all receive a free baby album including 20 8x10 photos as a gift.

Right now is a great time to book your child's portrait session and enter to win up to 5 free sessions for 2010. Visit Irene Jones Photography Online for details. And if you live in Everett, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Snohomish or anywhere in the greater Puget Sound region. Check our our coupon in Hometown Values to save $15 off your session fee.

I can't forget, today's image is of Greyson, he was born in early December and is a very fun baby to shoot. Like most babies, he took his time falling asleep but once he did, it was easy to move him around however I wished. For the first shot I took the photo from directly above. The exposure is 1/100 @ F6.3 ISO 200. The key light was my normal background light and the fill is opposite the key with an umbrella for diffusion. Greyson was on an ottoman and I was standing on a chair looking down.

For tomorrow: more of Greyson and discussion on focal length, and quality of light.

Online Proofing from Collages.net

2009-12-31T06:08:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share some more photos from my training session on Tuesday. The lighting is the same as yesterday's post if you were wondering.

What I really want to talk about today is Online Proofing. Since digital became the standard for photography, physical proofs (often 4x6 or 5x5 prints) have become a thing of the past. Instead photographers are choosing to provide an online shopping and proofing experience. Benefits of this system are:

Convenience for photographer and customer alike. No unnecessary appointments to order prints, return proofs, or pick up pictures.
Faster turn around times. Most sessions are posted between 24-72 hours after the images are taken.
Customers can share photos with friends and family around the world which means increased sales!

Now if you want to try it out for yourself please check out Cecil and Paul's session right now.
Visit the Irene Jones Photography Online Client Login Page.

Choose Cecil and Paul's session and enter password 21366 when prompted. Some features you'll like:

View a full screen slide show of all the images.
Change images to black and white and back to color with one button.
Compare images side by side and zoom in.
Share images with friends by posting to facebook, email, or the guest book.
Create a favorites folder for easy ordering.
Order prints and photographic cards in a matter of minutes!

To any photographers reading; there are many different providers that offer online hosting, but I chose Collages.net because of the print quality they produce, their fantastic customer service (I have had a few issues that they have corrected without extra charge or shipping fees. Very friendly and fast too!) and they provide great marketing tools that help to increase sales on each session. I have seen my print sales quadruple (litterally) since I swiched from my pervious online hosting site to Collages.net.

Fees are minimal and payments are sent regularly which has made taxes each quarter easier too!

Besides my extreme satisfaction with Collages.net I have a hidden agenda for this blog post. I want to earn some credit for referring other photographers. If you're interested in signing up let me know and I'll send you an email with a $25.00 credit attached. There is no initial set up fee and everything is pay as you go so all different budgets can afford this service. Check it out, I'd love to hear your comments!

Assistant Photographer(s) Training Manual

2009-12-29T22:33:00.000-08:00

My new goal is creating a training manual for all current and future assistant photographers to use when they start working in the studio. I want to create a variety of images on all of our backgrounds to show posing, lighting patterns, and inspire creativity. So I sent out a call for anyone that wants to model for me on Twitter and Facebook and my neighbors across the street were ready to help. From the session today we did a few different backgrounds but my favorite photo is this one.

Set up was simple. Main light on camera left, and background light from camera right. The thing I like about it is the profile position and obscured eyes give it a little bit of mystery.

Here's another one from today.

The second image has the key light in the same position and a very low powered background light that is not directly pointed on the background. I've found that this particular canvas looks best when it's not directly lit. The colors can be overwhelming at times but it worked nicely with his skin tone. Oh and did I mention I love hats? Always a great way to add character and interest to a photo. Both images are shot at 1/200 @f 8. That aperture in my mind in perfect for adult portraits. There is enough depth of field to handle a few people in one shot, but not so much that the background show every wrinkle. If I was to do anything different it would be on the second shot. I would add a small fill card directly below the subject on camera right. The black jacket has no detail, which is okay, but I would have liked a little more information in the shadows.

Terice's Training Sessions

2009-12-28T23:47:00.000-08:00

Although Terice has been working with me for a few years now, most of her experience has been on location. When our studio opened in August a lot of different possibilities became available to her and I both. Since that time we've intermittently done training sessions to help her master some of the basics and become more comfortable with this working environment. Today we photographed a very nice family of four as part of this training. I think she's doing quite well and here's a photo to prove it.

Our subject is 3 month old Emmit. Isn't he darling? The image is very simple to do really. The baby is laying on his stomach being propped up by a Boppy pillow covered in a white fuzzy blanket. The background is the same blanket. I'm holding the blanket up behind him. The single light source provides a pretty broad lighting pattern while keeping some shadows for dimension and that all important catch light in his eyes.

As I mentioned yesterday, we used a remote to release the shutter and tripod so as to focus on getting the little guy to smile. His mother was also a great help in getting his attention. The pose is one of my favorite parts. Three month old babies are normally very good at holding their heads up in this position, but keep in mind they tire easy! Another good position for babies this age is on their side. Prop up the baby on the back and side so he's "lounging". Also keep the parent close at all times ready to jump in if the baby begins to slide or needs any help. The last thing any photographer needs is an injured child! I always keep my infant subjects as close to the ground as possible since the idea of a baby falling off a posing table scares me to death.

For this shot Terice was laying on her stomach to be at the baby's level and the tripod was extended to it's smallest height of 24 inches. Having the right equipment, and a little flexibility can really pay off!

Exposure: 1/200 @ f11 ISO 200

Fun times for my 5 year old

2009-12-27T21:19:00.000-08:00

Tyler has been in toy heaven since Christmas. Above is a photo of him and 72 of his newest friends reenacting some battle only known to my son and he's recruits. Which brings me to today's topic. Photographing authentic action/emotion.

One of the hardest parts about photographing people is simply the barrier between you and your subject that the camera creates. Here are a few simple tricks that have worked for me to help disarm and even find a personal connection with clients (weird I know).

Talk to your subject! Before I even start a session I take time to meet with my clients, discuss what they like, dislike and learn a little about them. I even let the conversation digress into random small talk since the whole point is to learn more about them. Then when we start shooting, I continue talking! A gift of gab can be very useful. Another key tool is listening. Search what the client is telling you for details that will give hints about that person's personality that you can then reflect in their images.
Walk your client through the photographic process. Chances are that if you work with the general public they aren't in front of the camera every day and won't know what to expect or how to act. Explain what you are looking to achieve and complement them when you like what you see.
Provide motivation. If you want a particular emotion, help the client feel the sentiment you desire. If you want a true smile make the client laugh with a self deprecating joke, silly prop, etc. A laughing smile means the corners of the eyes will also turn up, erasing any faked smile. I've been known to anything for a laugh. Having a good joke on hand is always helpful, or an assistant that will dance on command! Terice over the last 4 years has been the butt of many jokes that have helped to produce many great images. Thanks for taking one for the team Terice!
Ask for input. Over the years a number of my favorite shot ideas have come from clients. Remember you aren't the only creative person alive!
Step out from behind the camera. If you have a client that can converse with you easily but becomes stiff when you look through the viewfinder, then back away. Put the camera on a tripod and grab a remote shutter release and strike up a conversation. This works great for kids. I start playing with them and then hit the shutter release when the smile appears. Plus it adds the element of surprise since the subject doesn't know when the photo will be taken.
Keep in mind that some times luck is always a factor in photography. Keep your reflexes sharp and chances are the fortunes may smile on you.

A Christmas Story

2009-12-25T23:22:00.000-08:00

My kids are easy going, so getting a reaction from them can be hard to do, especially when they are sleepy.

Though just a few minutes later, Audrey is ready to pose for the camera and Tyler digs right in!

Grandma and Grandpa Jones gave Tyler and Audrey some very soft blankets. As you can see, Tyler is very happy.

All in all we had a great Christmas. I hope yours was also a wonderful time. Thanks for reading!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T23:21:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is my tree. It's 11:20pm presents are wrapped, kids in bed, Santa is going to eat a few cookies and get some sleep.

Family Portrait Composit

2009-12-23T23:23:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a HUGE project over the Christmas holidays. I have a family of 14 siblings (most of which are married with their own kids) that I wanted to shoot as a group. The trick? I'm not shoot them all at once, but individually. The photo above is one of the individual family groups. I slapped it together tonight to make sure I was executing the shooting portion correctly. The photoshop work is a little rough right now, when I do the final project I'll be very careful with the masking but tonight I just slopped it together.
The main reason for doing the photos this way is two fold:

Everyone looks better. When shooting groups of two or three it's easier to concentrate on making everyone look great. The more people added in each frame the harder it gets.
By putting the images together into one giant file I can print this sucker really really REALLY big without up sizing and distorting anything.

The real challenge will be getting accurate shadows on the floor so no one looks as if they are floating in space. I shot each photo on a semi-reflective surface (tile board from Home Depot) and that helps a ton in making the floor look better. (For my example I didn't want to bother with it right now so I cropped).

To make my giant family portrair happen I've scheduled sessions with everyone involved, taken careful notes about focal length, exposure, and positioning for all lighting and subjects. This makes it possible to match the lighting on each group and then when everything is put together it will be believable as one shot. I also have diagrams of what I want the final shot to look like. So far I've only shot 4 families of the 9 that are married and I have over 250 images and about 40-60 frames for each family. Some of the images are them looking at the camera, others are more lifestyle where they are interacting with one another, and still others are a combo of both sitting and standing poses. I also photographed each person individually, just in case.

I should be done with the project in early Feb. so stay tuned!

Mulligan

2009-12-22T22:19:00.000-08:00

Today I shot three family portraits, spent four hours too many at the mall with three kids, one of which is trying to get over a cold and when he cough sounds like he belongs in an iron lung. Then I took the oldest two shopping separately so they could buy presents for each other, all while running on 5 hours of sleep since my baby doesn't like to go to bed until 1 am. I also tried to squeeze in a shoot of some Christmas lights but when I got to the home that I planned to photograph the owner wasn't around to turn on his fantastic display and again I missed my opportunity. So this will come as no surprise, something had to give. I have not one intelligent thought left in my head so no photo for today. I think I'm going to go address my Christmas cards instead.

Natural Light Vs. Flash

2009-12-21T23:32:00.000-08:00

When I'm shooting an event the challenge is trying to use a multitude of different techniques to create a body of work that is cohesive yet varied in style. The images need to represent my point of view while telling a personal story and highlighting the specified needs of the client.

For example: These two images are shot in the same location and just seconds after each other but both images convey a different mood. The first is a image shot using only the available light from the window so the bride is silhouetted. Some detail can be seen in her dress and around her but that's all. The act of the bride looking out this window insinuates a feeling of anticipation. By shooting the image using only the window light the geometry of the glass panes become more obvious and the black and white also helps to make the lines of the image and the light cascading in the focal point. By shooting at 1/160 @F6.3 the room goes dark. This is because the fast shutter speed is exposing for the natural light and not the incandescent lights in the room. A slower shutter speed would have picked up the overhead lights and the contrast wouldn't have been so lovely. The next image is shot a few seconds after the first but the style has changed completely. Fill flash has been added to bring up the light in the room and the image is shown in color instead of black and white. Additionally, the exposure has changed dramatically. The color photo was shot at 1/60 @f9. Notice how the flash becomes the main light and it's directional from camera left. While detail is still visible outside, the light from the window is now acting as a secondary light source. Also, the shutter speed was reduced so the window looks brighter even though the light levels haven't changed, more light has simply entered the camera's lens the second shot so it is more exposed then the first. There are a few things that you can see in the color version that were obscured in the black in white. The reflection of the second flash can be seen in the widow, the radiator behind the bride,the extension cord and outlet at her feet and the color of the (ugly) rug in the room. All of these problems can be removed by re-framing the image and coming in for a tighter crop, but if your client has asked for a full body shot (and who wouldn't if she looked this good?) The best choice is the black and white image.
And this goes back to my original point, knowing a variety of techniques and being able to handle light in all sorts of ways makes you a better photographer. I've head it said many times by other professionals "I'm a natural light photographer." Which for me translates into, "I'm afraid to try new things." My advice, never let yourself get stuck in a rut. When faced with a photo opportunity, don't be scared to ask yourself, "how can I do this differently?" and try a fresh approach. The worst that can happen is you'll fail! Failure is simply an opportunity to learn. So if you're going to mess up, do it with gusto and a lot of carefully taken notes so next time you'll be one step closer to creating an image that is unlike anything you've shot before.

Tips that will Help any Mom Shoot like a Pro.

2009-12-20T18:33:00.000-08:00

This is a re-post from my business blog done in October 2009. I have two sick kids tonight and I thought this article worth another look. Enjoy!

Yesterday a friend of mine and I photographed her daughter in my studio. My friend is an amateur photographer, but a quick study. Hanging out with her and sharing some tips on how to use her fancy new camera gave me the idea of posting a few tips for every Mom or Dad who wants to take better photos of their kids at home.

1. Look for great light: Forget your on camera flash.
Either take your kids outside and use the best light source in the universe (you know, the Sun?) or during the day use the lovely soft light of a window, skylight, or open door. Keep in mind that photographs are a 2 dimensional representation of a 3 dimensional object. Using the on camera flash creates flat, straight forward lighting that will make your kids look lifeless and many times, overexposed. If you are using a SLR camera you can adjust your ISO to increase the camera's sensitivity to the light. Keep in mind this also increases noise. Many point and shoots also allow you to increase your ISO or they automatically adjust to lower light. Most of all keep in mind that photography is all about light and that it might not be a good idea to always shoot in low light conditions if you want good images. In the image to the left you can see a slight shadow on the left side of Hannah's face. Here the light source was from my right side, about 45 degrees from me and the camera. This subtle shift in the direction of the light makes her look natural. The flat lighting of an on camera flash would have also created harsh shadows under her chin and along one side of her body; not attractive. Good images have a great balance of light and shadow. In summary; they mimic the way our eyes are used to seeing things in real world.

2. Pay attention to your shadows.
Once you've found a good light source, consider where your shadows are falling. If you are photographing your kids outside, think about the time of day. Early morning and later in the afternoon will give you more dramatic directional shadows. I love to shoot people about an hour before sunset. The light is still enough to get a good exposure but no one is blinded when facing the sun. If you do happen to find yourself shooting at noon day, a good way to avoid harsh shadows is to find shade. ( I know, it sounds counter-intuitive, but just go with me here.) Find the shade of a large tree or the open shade of a building. In these spots the light is dispersed and you'll have less of a chance of unattractive shadows. If no open shade is available, try turning 45 degrees from the direction of the sun on a bright day. Luckily, if you live in the greater Pudget Sound, like me harsh shadows are rarely a problem between the months of November-June. Cloud cover provides a natural diffusion of the light (ie- the direction of the light is broken up as it passes through the clouds creating soft shadows and the same kinds of light you'll find in open shade).

3. Get Closer.
Not every image needs to be a panoramic photograph. Instead try to fill the viewfinder or screen with only information you want and nothing you don't need. Portraits are about people. Feel free to include them specifically. This doesn't mean you never take a full body shot of your kids, but it is good to think a little bit about how the composition will look and if additional "stuff" will be distracting.

4. Play with angles.
It's fun to see things from a new perspective. Try getting high above, or down low. Even tilting the camera a little so your subject isn't perfectly perpendicular to the horizon. Images photographed from eye level (the view you see normally when standing up) is well, boring. Mix it up. Just ask any of my clients. I'm not opposed to laying on the ground for a photo. Some of my favorites come from this angle.
This photo of Hannah is photographed from above which emphasizes her size and face.

5. Don't always worry if they are smiling. My favorite photos are many times the ones where you can see what the kid is thinking. Have fun with them, don't make them hate photo time by always requiring perfection. My kids love to have their pictures taken because I let them do whatever they want.

Now at 4 and 3, they have developed their own favorite poses and they even ask "Mommy, can we take pictures?" What I love about this last picture is the "baby pout" on Hannah's face. Those Gerber baby cheeks are accentuate and she's staring right at me. Plus look at how blue those eyes are? Super cute, but no smile. I love it.

Thanks Heidi for the fun afternoon and such a cooperative model.

Now that you're Engaged... How to plan a Wedding!

2009-12-19T23:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just a few days away now and thanks to very strong marketing measures by the jewelry industry, many people all across America will be start planning their weddings come the new year. If on Christmas morning you find an engagement ring under the tree with your name on it, you're in for a fantastic journey.

Over the years I've talked to literally tens of thousands of brides and grooms, photographed hundreds, and listened to one too many horror stories! So I'd like to put my two sense in and provide some pointers to those of you who will be filing your taxes jointly in 12012.

1. Be prepared. I'm going to assume that your engagement was a while in the making and you've had time on your hands already to dreamily surf the internet looking at dresses and bouquets. Now is the time to step into the big leagues and do some serious research. The first thing you'll need to do is make a list of all the services you might need and then prioritize them according to when they need to be completed. Here's a sample list to get you started. When you do contact different vendors be prepared with a specific set of questions. Knowing what you want before you start searching saves everyone time and helps you from loosing your mind.

Venue- Book up to 2 years in advance or more depending on location
Catering (if not provided by the Venue) -12-18 months prior
Photography - 12-24 months in advance
DJ or other Musical entertainment- 12-14 months before the wedding
Invitations- 12 months prior
Wedding Dress- Start trying them on ASAP but be choosy about what you buy! Buy at least 8 months before the wedding to leave time for alterations.
Groom's Tux- 3-6 months before the big day
Bridesmaids Dresses- Same as wedding dress
Groomsmen's Tuxes- same as Groom's tux
Cake (if not provided by the Caterer or Venue)-3-6 months ahead
Florist (some Venues also provide this service)-3-9 months ahead
Transportation (Limo, Hotels for you and out of town guests)- 4-6 months ahead
Favors- depending on what you are planning this varies, keep in mind that custom items take longer to produce.
Additional items: Linens, chair and table rentals, decorations, etc.- 2-4 months before.

2. Attending wedding shows can be a great place to start. Go prepared to meet vendors you've already researched, find new options you hadn't thought about, and end your day with sore feet. Too many brides attend wedding shows without a thought as to what they want to accomplish. Do yourself a favor and decide what your wants and needs are prior to attending, that way if you find what you've been looking for you can jump on it before some other bride does! Keep in mind that the most popular dates (Saturdays June-September) will book up fast. Vendors like myself specialize in providing quality to the customer so we have a select clientele. If a vendor you want is available at the wedding show put down a deposit! What's that saying again? Oh yah, "to the victor goes the spoils." It's happened many times to me, I've met a potential client at a wedding show, they talked about booking decided to sleep on it, called a few days later only to find I booked their date in the intervening time.

3. The thought of deposits brings me to my next point. Set a budget. This can be hard to do since most people have never planned a wedding and don't know how much things cost! On average Americans spend between $25,000-$30,000 on a wedding. That doesn't mean you'll be spending that exact amount, it is an average after all. Vendors are priced based upon that figure, their competition, and knowledge of what the market will bare. For example, I know that most brides spend 10% of their wedding budget on photography so I have an all inclusive package for $2500. For that price you'll get, 2 photographers, all day photography with unlimited time, a DVD of all the files, and online ordering. There are packages lower and higher then this one designed for all kinds of budgets. Year after year, the package I just described has been my most popular. My suggestion? Take the list of services you created earlier and rank them in order of importance and then decide how much of your total budget you are willing to spend on that service. Try to avoid skimping on the venue, photography, and DJ since these three things will have the most lasting impact on how nice your wedding looks, and how smoothly it runs.

4. Don't overlook the details. Save the date postcards may seem trivial in the grand scheme of things but they can make or break a guest list. Taste all the foods your caterer offers prior to finalizing the menu; same things goes for the cake. Consider what time the sun will set for outdoor weddings and/or receptions. Depending on the time of year and your location in the world this changes! Talk to your photographer and choose the time of day that will create the best images.

5. Don't obsess either! There are things you won't be able to get done and others that won't go as planned. On the day of the wedding, have the maid of honor or another trusted person be "The Go to Guy or Gal" for any problem that may arise. This should be someone that knows what you would want done and how to execute it. Better yet, hire a coordinator, that is money well spent!

6. Be considerate of your guests, family and friends. Yes, it is your day, but please don't loose sight of the fact that you and your new husband are the hostess and host! Take into consideration the needs and wants of others. Apply diplomacy liberally but know when to stand your ground. Be prepared to make concessions to please new In-laws and avoid unnecessary contention. This will go a long way to creating a fun filled event for everyone.

To any bride reading this blog, congratulations! I hope you find these tips helpful, and just as importantly, please consider visiting my website and having me photograph your wedding! Irene Jones Photography Online has package listings, portfolio samples and more information about how I hard work to make your wedding day a success.

I like this one

2009-12-18T21:57:00.000-08:00

When an image turns out just as you wish, it's a good day. The client for this shoot wanted something with the feel of old Hollywood with a modern twist, and the added bonus of getting to enhale a ton of second hand smoke. The exposure ended up being F18 @ 1/4 sec, so I could get the smoke trail. The strong side lighting is kind of my "thing". I'd love to know what you think... comments?

Stock Photography: How To Sell Your Photos

2009-12-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

I feel like yesterday's post may have been a little disappointing. To anyone that started reading with great hope and then had their dreams come crashing down when they added up the total for all of the equipment I suggested, don't give up. Here is a beacon of hope! It is completely possible to support your equipment buying habit with selling your photos. The answer is stock photography.

Nearly all the ad images you see on the internet, magazines, any sort of print media come from stock. Why? It's more affordable for companies and ad agencies to use stock then hire a photographer for every image they need. Anything can be a stock image, landscapes, people (especially people), food, etc. It just has to be marketable. Before you ask, your dog is rarely going to be a marketable subject matter. That is unless your target audience is a dog food company!

To shoot stock you'll need to do a few things:

Come up with a concept for a photo that people will be willing to buy (ie think in terms of who will buy your image and what they might need).
Shoot that image and every possible variation of it. Make sure it's sharp, well exposed and high resolution.
Submit it to stock agencies keeping in mind that rejection rates are high.
Wait, probably a long time, and hope for the best.
Repeat thousands of times over! I'm not kidding, you'll need a lot of winning images if you plan to retire early and live off of royalties. The key to making money here is simply to have a lot of different photos that are specifically targeted to a particular audience. The more images you have the better rate of return you'll get.

I've done some research and here are some sites that will help you decide if stock photography is right for you and how to break into the market. Happy research!

Selling Stock Photography
How to Sell Stock Photos
Micro Stock: How to Sell your Photos
Microstock Forum

Equipment Needs for Starting Your Own Photography Business

2009-12-16T16:38:00.000-08:00

No photo today, instead I'm answering the question I hear all the time, "If I want to be a professional photographer, what do I need?" So today I'm playing personal shopper.

Since I started shooting professionally my work habits and subsequently my equipment have evolved. With each new toy my style shifted towards a new method. For the bulk of my career I have been a location and event photographer. My desire to eat and pay off my school loans was more pressing then having my name displayed across a store front window. This last year was my chance to" have it all" you might say. I took advantage of the extreme desperation of many landlords in the commercial real estate market and got myself a studio. Unlike a lot of other photographers, I've never wanted to work for National Geographic or Rolling Stone. I always wanted to be my own boss and retire early thanks to the success of my portrait studio. This year I'm one step closer and feeling like I should generously share some of my wisdom with someone standing in the same spot I was 10 years ago.

If I had it all to do over again, and the desire to max out a credit card, this is what I'd buy to help me start my photography business. I'm cheep, so I chose affordable but quality products. That said; be prepared for sticker shock.

1. Camera: Nikon D3s is what I'd but tomorrow if I needed another camera, even though it's a little weightier then I'd like. I would just need more VR lenses. Currently I'm using a D300 which I love, but it's missing a few things the D3s has, like a full frame sensor and HD video. $5,200.

2. Lighting equipment: I've looked into and used most equipment on the market. I used Speed-a-tron and Profoto almost exclusively in college. (So many trips to the rental counter at Glazers.) When I finally decided to jump in I bought a White Lighting monolight kit after months of research. For what I do (weddings and portraits) I've been very happy. I bought my equipment one piece at a time since that's all I could afford but the best deal is their professional package. I wouldn't use their light stands though, not my favorite. Price tag: just under $2400 for pretty much everything they offer in one package. You'll need to add a vagabond battery pack or two for $300 each to complete the shopping spree.

3. For when you plan to be a little more portable, I like the Nikon Speedlight series. I suggest having a half a dozen on hand if you plan on going this route and skipping the "big lights" all together. Buy a SB900 for it's ability to control all of the other units and the range, then finish out the group with SB600s since they will be just working on remote. You might also consider the R1C1 flash since this is great for fill on portraits as well as macro.

4. Lenses: Which lenses you buy depends on what you shoot. Portrait photographers can't be without a 85mm and 50mm. If you're shooting weddings like me, you'll want to add a wide angle, say 12mm) and a telephoto, like a 200mm (or whatever you like best) for those weddings where you can't leave the choir loft of the church. It's up to you if you decide to do zoom lenses or prime. This is where you want to spend your money though. Choose a lens with sharp glass that can open to at least F3.5. Here are some of my favorite lenses:

Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G Autofocus Lens

Nikon AF-S Zoom Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF Lens

Nikon PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm f/2.8D ED Manual Focus

Nikon Telephoto AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF Autofocus Lens

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM AF Lens for Nikon

5. Reflectors! I've mentioned before you can use foam core for a white reflector and many craft stores sell these in large sizes. $20.00 is a nice price for a solution. You might also want to pick up a few collapsible reflectors. A silver and gold both can come in handy and having larger sizes help to light more people on location and in studio.($80 each) Most importantly, a large translucent reflector for when you need to use speedlights but you want to diffuse them over a wider distance. Smaller reflectors can come in handy too, plus fit into an overhead compartment.

6. For Backgrounds I use a white vinyl seamless since it's durable and easy to clean.($250) For a less expensive option you might try seamless paper, but be careful, one crease or puncture can equal many cumulative hours of post processing time you'll never get back.

7. You'll also want to pick up wireless transmitters for the "big lights", light stands and modifiers and filters, a lifetime supply of duct and gaffer's tape, some very sturdy hard cases to hold your equipment, and a bachelor's in business management.

I'm not kidding about the last one. Going pro isn't necessarily about being talented and hoping "the work will sell itself." That's your job. You'll need to study up on current marketing trends and write a business plan for the loan you'll be taking out to pay for all this junk. Once that's done you'll need to spend a lot of time praying! I promise you no successful small business owner is an atheist. The first thing you realize when you strike out on your own is that you need divine assistant if you're ever to get off the ground. No matter how talented you are or not, you have to be incredibly self motivated to work freelance or be a business owner. Be honest with yourself and analytical before committing to anything. You're in for more then a full time job, since you'll be an accountant, receptionist, customer service team, tech support, and if you're lucky you'll have time to shoot once and a while! So, why do I do it you ask? Because I wouldn't want to live any other way. To those that share my sentiment, I wish you great success and I hope to be reading your blog soon!

Last tip: Never stop learning. Read every blog, book, or magazine even remotely related to photography. Always try new things and constantly work to improve your portfolio. Challenge your self to do things differently and learn from every bad exposure. Be prepared to bore anyone that asks you a photo question with long winded answers that go above and beyond what they actually wanted to know, and hire an assistant that you want to hang out with.

Tomorrow: Now that you've decided against being your own boss, how to get a job as a photographer... Just kidding, those jobs are all taken. Semi colon right side parentheses. ;)

Studio Lighting Part 5: More for your Money

2009-12-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

I like black backgrounds, white backgrounds too. Gray I would have to say is my favorite though. Why? Gray is fantastic with skin tones. No matter the ethnic background, a neutral gray will help to create saturation and classic look. Cool thing is, you don't need to own three different backgrounds. Control your light and you can do a lot of different colors with the same background.

A few gels and a half a stop under exposure turned the background from 50% gray to purple, then blue, and red all in the same shoot. (Though I don't have a good example of the red- not fond of the model). For Yellows and greens and other lighter colors I'd suggest using a white background as a base and underexposing the background more. Plus you need to create a lot of density by using several filters. Use all of the same color for the primary shades or a combination of two different colors for secondary shades. If that's confusing please Google "color wheel" and you'll see how endless the possibilities are. Experimentation is the key to success here, but it's better done on your own time, not your clients.

Gray can also be done on a white background. Just turn off the background lights! Always light your subject and background separately when trying these techniques and you'll be just fine. Shoot some and post links. I want to see! Don't have a seamless white background? Try a white bed sheet. If you own accessory flash units you probably own a variety of filers and don't even know it. My Nikon Speedlights came with a bunch all designed to fit into a specially designed holder that came with the SB-900. Very handy little guys.

Tomorrow: Looking for a beginners list of what you should buy for a home studio? Well tomorrow's your lucky day...

Studio Lighting: Part 4

2009-12-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

Black backgrounds are exactly opposite of white background when it comes to technique. Instead of lighting the background for a 1-2 stop over exposure, the point is under exposure. The key lighting is the same, but fill is often needed as well as a hair and rim light to separate the subject from the background. By keeping all light from directly or indirectly hitting the background you'll get an even background. If you want gradation, a flash unit on a low power can do the trick. Here's a couple more examples of some of this season's high school seniors all shot on a black background.

Studio Lighting: Part 3- Shooting on a white background

2009-12-13T21:52:00.000-08:00

The key to photographing on a white background is simple, over expose the background while avoiding lens flair, and exposing your subject correctly. Sounds easy yes? Well there are a hundred and one ways to do it and depending on your subject matter the techniques change. I'm going to focus on portraiture since that's what I do, but below are some links to tutorials that discuss how to work with a white background when shooting products, on location, etc. For the family portrait above the set up is simple. Key light is at camera right with two background lights pointing directly on the background. Exposure is 1/200 @F13 ISO 200. The background lights are parallel from each other. This keeps the background evenly lit so there is no shadow or gradation of tone where the light would fall off. There was no need for any other fill lighting since the white background actually does a great job of acting as it's own fill card.

For the next image Terice is modeling (She loves to have her photo taken which is good because I'm always using her as a stand in!) The set up here is your classic three light pattern: Key at camera left (and about 20 degrees from me for a broad light across the face), background light directly behind her, and rim light for the hair and a little fill. Oh and Terice (since I know you're reading this) that was a great hair day for you. Exposure for this image is 1/250 @F7.1 ISO 200. The thing I like best is the rim light on her neck and jaw. I love it when my shadows are delicate and the light is playful. It makes people look great and in turn they think I'm some sort of magician.

Later this month I'm photographing a huge family group. There are two many of them to shoot all together so instead I'll be shooting them on a white background individually and then creating a panorama in photoshop. The white background makes it easy to combine (no long hours required) and shooting the people individually makes for great smiles on everyone instead of a group photo that is so-so. Don't worry I'll blog about that with details of the shoot and post processing. For now you'll have to spend your time pouring over these other blogs and become a master at the trendy/timeless look of the seamless white background.

http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/Video-Tutorials/Search-Results/Camera-Techniques/Studio-style-portraits-for-under-a-fiver/

http://digital-photography-school.com/whiteseamlesshowt

http://reviews.ebay.com/Photographing-products-with-a-pure-white-background_W0QQugidZ10000000001921152

http://www.photoaxe.com/how-to-photograph-white-object-on-white-background/

http://www.gregrphoto.com/blog/2007/01/14/shooting-with-a-white-background/comment-page-1/

http://www.zarias.com/?p=71

Studio Lighting Basics: Part 2 Using a fill light.

2009-12-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

If you did your homework yesterday and studied the vocabulary words I gave you, then you are ready to talk about using fill. There are a lot of different methods for adding fill light. The easiest is using a fill card or reflector. I have white foam core (the kind used for mounting prints) in a couple of sizes that I use for fill cards. I also have a collapsible 4-in-1 reflector that I take everywhere. The reflector is far more portable then the foam core but both are often needed when trying to use one light head to create two sources of light.

Our first picture (top left) is with a single light head placed at 45 degrees from the subject (my husband) and me on camera left. You can see how the contrast between the highlights and shadows is pretty dramatic and a good portion of the face is quite dark. On the second image I added a white fill card. Notice how the shadow side is now about a half stop lighter? The lighting ratio has gone from 4:1 to 3:1. Most traditional portraits are either a 2:1 ratio since it allows for some shadow but there is still detail. (See earlier posts for more info on this subject.) The fill card is positioned at 90 degrees from Caleb. Next the white fill card is replaced by a silver reflector. The quality of light on the shadow side has changed. The silver reflector is brighter then the white fill card. Now we're up to a 2:1 ratio. Finally I flipped the reflector over to the gold side. The intensity of the light is about the same as the silver side, but the color shift is the most obvious change.

Keep in mind a reflector does just that, it only can bounce light already available in a new direction. If you want a greater intensity or light from an angle not directly proportional to your main light you'll need to use flash as your fill. On the next image (right) you can see the fill light on camera left bringing up the shadow side of his face to be as bright as the main light, maybe even a little brighter. Because the fill is positioned slightly behind the subject instead of next to him like a reflector might be, a small sliver of shadow is created along his temple and cheek bone. This kind of lighting style really adds three dimensionality to the image. The key light is diffused where the fill is not, and because of the angle, the fill light has become very textural.

Can you guess how old this kid is? Would you believe me if I said 3? It's true, the posing and lighting make him look older then his age and I did this intentionally. I had plenty of photos of him being goofy like all little boys are, what I wanted next was something that spoke to a different emotion. Unlike shooting on location where you have a sense of place to help tell a story, in the studio you have only the light and your subject. Light is your only tool to create a fresh perspective. That challenge alone is what keeps my job new and interesting.

Before anyone asks, about how I got the white background to be clean and even I'll admit that I did something I don't normally do, I used the fill light as both a background and fill light simultaneously. Most of the time I use a light for the background separately since I want to be able to control each layer of the scene, but I was able to get away with this for a few simple reasons.

The background I used was only 5' wide and my subject is standing pretty close to it. Normally I try to put distance between the subject and the background so no shadows fall on the vertical plain, but I didn't need to worry about this because the fill light was positioned in such a way that it's light illuminated both the side of the subject and the background. The fill light was powered to full and with it's close proximity to the background it was far more intense then the main light which was only at half power. This is what caused the background to loose all detail since the camera's exposure was set to match the main light's setting. (1/320 @ F6.3 with ISO 200) In simpler terms, I over exposed the background.

Next up we will talk more in detail about shooting on a white background and the traditional three light setup that has defined studio portraiture.

Studio Lighting Basics: Part 1 "Feel the Light"

2009-12-11T16:05:00.000-08:00

In college one of my more ego maniacal instructors (keep in mind they ALL fit into this category) brought in a single light head on a stand with a soft-box to class. He had the entire group stand with arms out in front of it repeating "I feel the light!" as if we were impersonating a gospel choir. His point? At a certain level you need to act instinctively about how you use light. Studio photography is the best example since you have complete control over every light source and direction. So I want to take the next few days and go over some of the basics about how to light in a studio and why the classics work so well. Then I want to talk about breaking out of the box and doing things differently. That's where the whole "Feeling the Light" really matters. So please to anyone reading, take what you see here, and apply these techniques creatively; by all means make it your own! That's what art is all about, yes? I'll provide the method you're responsible for the mood.

First thing first, think of light as your most basic tool. Keep in mind how changing light alters the emotion of an image and where it's placed is the key to telling a subject's story. And everything has a story. How interesting it is, well, that's up to you.

So let's start with some lingo.

Key (or main) Light: Just what it sounds like. This is normally the brightest light in the set up. Often times it's that big glowing ball in the sky.

Fill Light: This is the light, or sometimes a reflector that fills in the shadows to help reduce contrast or illiminate shadows all together.

Background Light: The light that illumniates the background.

Hair Light or Rim Light: A light positioned behind the subject and sometimes what helps to separate the subject and background from one another.

Monolight: Flash unit that is self contained and uses AC power.

Lens Flair: Light that is reflected back into the camera lens. Not fun to try to remove in post processing.

Lighting ratio: A mathematical way of describing how bright the main light is compared to the fill light.

Wireless Remote: Sounds redundant I know, but these little guys, AKA radio transmitters, signal flash units from the camera so all units fire simultaneously.

Diffuser: A device used to disperse light and soften shadows. A few popular ones are: softboxes, unbrellas (reflective and translucent) a beauty dish and diffusion sock, etc.

Specular Highlight: A bright spot of light that appears in shiny objects. Often called catch lights when observed in portraits, this is the glow you see in people's eyes. It is also the easiest way to determine how a photograph was lit. I simply look for the reflection in the subject's eyes to tell me how to recreate the same shot.

Reflector: A surface that reflects light. (Obvious I know) They come in many varieties. Gold and silver reflectors add either a warm or cool tone to an image where white stays color neutral. The bigger the reflector, the more diffused the light. The closer the reflector is to the light source the greater the intensity of the reflected light.

Okay let's start off small. Let's talk about lighting with just a key light and go from there.

All you Anne Geddes fans here's a knock off for you. This image used a single key light and my husband draped in black fabric. I know what you're thinking, and no he won't wax his arms for a re-shoot. This kind of image is very popular (can't quite figure out why) and easy to do. My key light was a single unit pointed towards the ceiling at a 45 degree angle to give it some direction and its positioned a little bit off of camera right. By pointing the light up it filled the whole room and broadly lit both baby and my toga wearing husband. ( I should have gotten a photo of him to show you. Especially since the whole thing was held on by a few "A" clamps in the back. Pretty hilarious actually.) Here's a diagram to help illustrate. I used an umbrella since it was already on the light-stand and any extra diffusion is okay with me, but the ceiling is really what did the work. As I said before, the larger the area light can reflect off of, the more dispersed it will be. Nine foot ceilings painted white are a portrait photographer's best friend when on location. Luckily for me the same trick works in my studio as well.

One thing I do need to mention here is that this lighting method (sometimes referred to as a broad lighting pattern) means that in the original image there was a good amount of detail visible in the black material around Caleb's body. There are two ways to correct this:

GOBO the light. This stands for "GOes Before Optics" and is basically anything that is dark that will be put in front of a light source to change how it looks. Black matt board is a cheep and easy solution. Hang a few of these from light stands or have an assistant hold them in place so as to remove light that was falling on spots it shouldn't be.
Use the Dodge and Burn tool in Photoshop.

I'll admit I chose option two since it was more convenient at the time, but GOBO's are especially useful and something no photographer should be without. The best part is how creative you can get with one. Anything can be a GOBO. Just as long as it casts a shadow. Scrims are similar to GOBO's but they are translucent and they are used more as a diffuser then a light blocker. I have a 7' by 10' collapsible scrim but I've seen other photographers use white sheets, shower curtains, etc.

One thing you have be careful of when using one light source is separation. Does the shadow areas on your subject blend into the background? This mistake is most commonly made when the subject has dark hair and the background is black or they have on dark clothing. It creates what I like to call FHS or Floating Head Syndrome. Again this reinforces the point I made earlier, you must "Feel the Light" and that means controlling it! When one light won't do, you add another, or a reflector, until you've correctly lit your subject in a way that is pleasing and distinguishable.
Tomorrow we'll expand on this same idea and move up to two lights sources.

Why reshooting isn't a bad thing.

2009-12-10T22:52:00.000-08:00

My husband told me a story yesterday about a co-worker of his who's relative heard about this blog and has a lot of love for photography. Apparently he's now following my blog like a religion and trying to do some of the techniques I've written about. I'm completely flattered and shrinking under the mounting pressure. I can't spell for my life and my grammar is terrible. To all my unseen minions I hope none of you can read past an eight grade level and my slaughtering of the English language goes unnoticed. Seriously though, a big thanks to anyone taking the time to read my self-aggrandizing propaganda that some might confuse with a photography guide.

Now please forgive me as I post more photos of my son. He's a month and two days old now and I can't help but think he's getting cuter every day. He started smiling at me (but only when the camera is put away of course) and I can't wait to catch a big fat smile and post it all over the internet. The first shot shown was done at my studio the other night. This is as close to a smile as he would give. Just watch this child will be my "serious one" and I'll end up with thousands of images of his first year, all of which lack facial expression.

The next image is my re-shoot of the Christmas card photos. This is more of what I was originally thinking when I designed the shot in my head. Sometimes it takes several re-shoots before I get an image just right and honestly I think it's a good thing to revisit an idea until you've perfected it. For me making an image is often like a chemistry experiment; that is, you need to apply the scientific method. Let's compare the two:

First you must ask a question (or in the photographer's case, be given an assignment).
Do research (consider the techniques and equipment the shot might require).
Construct a hypothesis (location scout, draw diagrams and form a shot/pose list).
Test with an experiment (shoot like there is no tomorrow)!
Analysis and conclusion (Lightroom and Photoshop).
Decide if hypothesis is true or false. Go back to step 3 if false (re-shoot.)
Report results (blog about your image.)

I'm still not perfectly happy with this shot. I may shoot again until it's exactly what I see in my mind. I am thinking of using a wider angle and bring Alex a lot closer to the camera to make him larger in the frame so more of the Christmas tree is visible. I also want a more pleasant look on his face. Still haven't decided if I should put him back in the box. I know that the white wrapping paper, though a nice idea, didn't look as good as I had hoped. Plus I need to do this shot before he's old enough to talk back.

If I decide to do this shot again I'll post results. Until then I have plans to discuss studio lighting for the next few days. There is a lot of tutorials about shootings on a white background floating around the world wide web. I'm going to add my own say on the matter as well as how to shoot on black backgrounds.

Fish Eye Lens: Why fake it in photoshop when it's so much fun to shoot?

2009-12-09T16:51:00.000-08:00

You want distortion, I'll give you some distortion! 10.5mm fixed focal length fish eye! I rented it for a shoot I did for a wedding magazine cover a few years back. Though they didn't end up using this image it's one of my favorites. It was a really bright summer's day in the early evening when we did this. You can see the touch of light on the bride's face from the sun behind them. The main light is actually my SB-800 on camera with no diffusion.
Anyone who's ever set foot on a "beach" in Washington state can agree that this is a distinctly Northwest beach (Alki to be exact) since no soft sand is anywhere to be found. Yes there is real sand on the Pacific Ocean side of the state, but here in the Sound nothing can compare that isn't man made. That said, the texture can be visually compelling.
My favorite part of this image is how the horizon and the drift wood bend in opposite directions. Word to the wise: before you add this lens to your Christmas list there are a few things you should know.

When shooting with a severely wide angle lens place your subject at dead center since this will be the only spot free of distortion and the only spot really sharp.
Watch where you stand. Your feet might be in every photo if you are not careful. I cloned my feet out of this image. While you are at it, be very careful of your background, more will be included then you'll be aware of.
Know your camera's sensor. I have a Nikon D300; which is a crop frame sensor. This same lens on a full frame sensor camera is even wider! I want to buy Nikkor's 12-24mm wide angle zoom but honestly it won't be worth the investment until I buy a new camera body since I won't be able to see most of the area that is curving around the edges of the frame. Though, hats off the camera salesman at Glazers that totally sold me on the lens! I'll be back, camera guy- don't worry...
Watch the lingo. There are two different types of wide angle lenses both with varying results. Rectilinear lenses (as the name suggests) produces straighter lines though some distortion will occur, Fish eye lenses produce the circular distortion the sample image illustrates.
Be prepared for vignetting as part of the distortion. I like that look so, it;s a bonus for me.
Bring a normal 50mm also, shoot the same subject with both lenses so you can see exactly how much changes with a different shaped glass. (Good learning tool.)
Most of all try new things, lenses, angles, lighting styles, you name it! Experiment and learn from every frame and you'll a better photographer for it.

Still trying to shoot Christmas lights... Maybe before New Year's?

Correcting Lens Distortion in Photoshop

2009-12-08T23:04:00.000-08:00

If you're like me and love wide angle you've come across some unwanted distortion a time or two. This mainly manifests itself around the edges of an image with bending and curvature. This can be a problem, especially when it happens to someone's head! For the image below you'll see in the before how large her hand looks, and her arm is probably 2 times as long as it should be. Since she's not a primate, this should be corrected. Here's how:

Select Filter>Distort>Lens Correction. Depending on how your image is distorted you have a number of sliders to help correct the issue.
Remove Distortion will help to bring an image back into proportion. This kind of problem often comes from fish eye lenses and other wider angle lenses. It is not as noticable with cropped frame sensors but it is very obvious with full frame senored digital cameras and traditional film cameras.
Chromatic Aberration corrects color shifts.
Vignetting, or a darkening around the edges of the frame. I often add a vignette for artistic means.
Transform is what I used for the image below. First the Vertical perspective was adjusted to bring her face and arm back into correct proportion and then the Horizontal to shorten her right arm to the correct length. The image was then cropped since when you use this filter the edges of the image are no longer in their original position.

Original Image- (look at the left arm, she should be a basketball super star!)

Corrected Image- Still has a feeling of perspective, but her arm and face now look like they are supposed to be on the same body.

There you have it, one powerful filter to fix a host of distortions! It's also fun to use this same filter to add distortions and fake the look of a fish eye lens. Here's an example.
Distorted image: You'll notice how the distortion makes the subject separate from the background and then add curvature to the bridge in the background.

Original:

Shooting Reflections

2009-12-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

After Friday's rant I decided to take the weekend off from major forms of technology. It felt good and now that's it's Monday morning I'm back to clinging to my laptop for dear life.

I want to talk about shooting reflections for today's post. In almost every wedding I shoot I find an opportunity to photograph someone in a mirror. And reflections can be a friend or a foe depending on your lighting and angle. I've mentioned before the concept of angle of incident, but I want to bring it up again here since it is integral to how reflections work. Basically, light hits a reflective surface at an angle (known as the angle of incident) which is equal to the angle in which it bounces off (angle of reflection). The half way point at which we observe these two angles is called the normal. So, looking at the photo above you'll notice that in the mirror both the bride and bridesmaids behind her are visible to the camera. If this same image was taken from the bride's point of view, you'd see not only her bridesmaids 45 degrees to her right, but you'd also see me and my camera 45 degrees to the left. She is standing at the normal point I just mentioned and myself and the bridesmaids are equally distanced from the bride.

That is the key to photographing a reflection without including yourself. You must position yourself at the angle of reflection and your subjects at the angle of incident. (Note: the same equation can be used for the distance between the bride and myself in the shot above, the angle is just smaller.)

Another important part of photographing a reflection is depth of field. You have to chose very carefully what you want to include and what you don't. A shallow depth of field will look good with images designed to show the reflection only and not the person. In shots like the one above, a larger aperture would be best so information in the dress, and mirror are sharp. You should also keep in mind that the sharpness of the image will depend on the reflective surface and most of the time reflections are slighting soft focus by nature. Also, do your best to not focus on the glass itself, otherwise your image will just show the dust and finger prints on the surface of the mirror.

Finally remember that images (like the one above) need to say something. Reflections carry a story telling property that when used correctly they covey a message. Psychologically we associate reflections with an outward manifestation of what lies within. It's important when trying to tell a story in an image to be specific in your intent. Your audience will naturally infer many different levels into an image and provide a personal interpretation. Photojournalism, especially in wedding photography, is a way of communicating and when it's done with precise graphical language it can make for visually striking images and happy customers!

Who needs a Therapist when you can Blog?

2009-12-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

As I was browsing the internet this morning and mentally musing about what to write in my blog, I remembered a photo contest I happened upon and all the talk I've heard from other photographers about how getting your work out there can do so much to help self-promote. I have resisted contests and Flikr even though most professionals adamantly suggest it. It just seems like one more thing I have to do and honestly I must admit; being a small business owner and thus strategically working to make myself into "brand-name" is really tiring! I'm a mom of three, that's enough to make most women exhausted! I often joke with my husband that I have an alter-ego and then in a deep voice say, "I'm Batman." Even as I'm writing this I'm bouncing a newborn in my lap since he only wants to sleep while being held.Oh, did I mention that I'm also using one of the 6 computers in my office to process client's files, fielding phone calls, entertaining my two older children, AND writing a blog?

A year ago we turned off our cable and for a time I was more productive since I was able to quit my TV addiction cold turkey. These days though I've changed one bad habit for another and social media, blogging, and reading others blogs has become all consuming at times. Albeit this is probably a better use of time since it does help fulfill the goals I have professionally. What I need is a team of professionals that want to do this all for me and the ability to give up complete control (which is probably going to be harder then hiring) but until my stimulus check arrives (no such luck) I'm going to continue to operate with my current labor force, Caleb, my husband/web and e-commerce team, Terice my hardworking assistant, me, myself, and I. But I digress.

The point of this blog entry is that I'm going to do it. It's time to bite the bullet and get over myself. If contests and photo sharing websites will help increase my Google Organic rating and sales, then I'm ready to go for it. I'm going to jump in- do the contest thing, become a pro flikr member, and go to bed at 10am so I get up at 5am to start work. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, especially the Mom part, but like everyone else, occasionally I have a bad day. It just happens to be right now. So while I struggle with feelings of complete inaquaticy, selft doubt, and piles of personally manufactured guilt, I'm also going to to repeat in my head "you don't have to be everything to everyone." In the hope that by bedtime tonight I'll believe it. Then when I wake up tomorrow I won't beat up on myself so much. Instead I'll start digging through my archives and creating a Flikr account that will knock your socks off! Tomorrow is a new day after all...

Below is the entry I shot today for the "feet" contest at PhotographyBlog.com . Probably not the type of contest that will get me noticed by clients but the prizes looked appealing. Maybe between Christmas and New Years I'll put up a smattering of images on Flikr to get me started. Until then I think I'll eat something fattening and watch "The Office" on Hulu.com .That always makes me feel better. :)

Tyler is laying almost off the bed and Alex is between his legs. I'm at the end of the bed trying desperately to keep Alex from moving so I can focus on him. Exposure 1/60 @ F5.6 ISO 200 with 80mm lens. It's amazing how fast they grow up yes? The color is a little too warm, but I kind of like it that way. Thoughts? Post a comment please. And don't feel like you can't say anything critical for fear of throwing me over the edge. (I'm fine I swear.Just over dramatic at times.)All comments are welcome!

Tomorrow: Maybe I'll be in a less self depricating mood? (These moody blog posts are going to get me labeled at bi-polar or something..)

Fussy Baby

2009-12-03T23:06:00.000-08:00

I had plans to shoot some christmas lights tonight but I spent my entire evening with a very fussy baby. He's normally very easy going so naturally I was concerned. He's sleeping now but the magic hour is long past and my memory card empty. However, The Strobist blog post about Christmas lights pretty much sums up the technique. Hopefully he'll be more cooperative tomorrow and I'll be able to show you the shots I was intending for today.

Software Review: Portrait Professional

2009-12-02T22:43:00.000-08:00

My nephew (pictured right) Ian is our subject for today's blog post. For years I have been retouching and editing portraits and up until 2007 I was always scared when shooting a High School Senior's session. As I worked I thought about all the time it would take to edit out acne and other blemishes from his/her skin. Unlike many kids Ian's age, he has great skin, but I'm going to use him anyways to show off how Portrait Professional works.
So here's works:

Select key points on the face of your subject: Eyes, lips, nose, etc.
Make adjustments with the sliders hair, eyes, skin, face contouring.
Sit back and enjoy the hours of free time you've just gained by not having to edit each image in Photoshop.

Here's the before (top) and after (bottom) close up.
You'll notice that all his freckles are gone, skin is even, eyes are whiter and more vibrant green, and softer shadows on the right side of his face. This took only a few minutes as where all of these changes might take 10 or more minutes, which can really add up when you have hundreds of photos!
For those of you keeping score at home, this is called a Rembrandt lighting pattern. See the small triangle of light on the shadowed portion of the face? Similar lighting is often seen in Rembrandt's work. He had a skylight in his studio that produced a similar effect on his subjects.
To light this shot I used a single SB800 on a light stand 45 degrees from camera left. The exposure is 1/160@ f 5.6. The day was very overcast but the addition of the speedlight made it look as if the light is all natural.

Tomorrow: Photographing in front of your Christmas tree: Three different effects you can use!

How to blur a background with the lens blur filter

2009-12-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

Over the holiday weekend my studio went portable and I shot this image and many others for the Liechty family. In total they were 10 adults and 7 kids. Groups this big can fit in my studio, but often times with the number of young kids is close to exceeding the number of adults it's best to bring the studio to my clients. I would say 90% of all kids under the age of 5 photograph better in a familiar location (thus the reason I'm always pushing for parents to do location portraits). Whether it's a favorite park, your backyard or in this instance, Grandma's house, any location will do!
For this session we used some of my most portable studio backgrounds- white and black fabric. The white tends to be the most prone to wrinkling so prior to shooting I spent 2 hours (no joke) ironing it. I would have done the black too if I had time. So when I set up the black background it was of course a giant pile or wrinkles. There are two ways to get around this. 1. Shoot with a wide open aperture so the background naturally blurs in the camera or use photoshop to retouch out the wrinkles. Since the entire group was to be photographed on the black I had no choice but to shoot at maximum depth of field. For those images the exposure was 1/250 @F22. And you guessed it, every wrinkle on the background was visible. After a bunch of large group photos we did the parents/grandparents of this entire group and again even with less depth of field, still a messy background. Here is what the image above looked like before any editing.

I find the background very distracting. Below are the steps I took to isolate and blur the background.

Make a duplicate layer and then use the lens blur filter (photoshop CS3 and higher) to blur the duplicate layer until the wrinkles pretty much disappear from the black background. For me these settings were as follows:

Shape: Octagon
Radius: 61
Blade Curve: 41
Rotation: 63
All other settings at default

Mask out the background from the people. I added a layer mask to the duplicate layer and using the paint brush I made my selection. You can also do this with the quick mask, or magic lasso, pen tool, etc. There are a hundred and one ones to mask in Photoshop. I chose the quick and dirty method since you don't have to be exact in this process just close. Basically I ran the paint brush along the shape of their bodies and then filled in the rest once the basic outline was done. It took about 3 minutes to do.
You'll notice that the lens blur filter has a small outline where the background and people blur together. (see enlarged photo) You'll want to select the image on your duplicate layer (not the mask) and using the clone tool and healing brush I removed this. Since the background and subjects are each now visible from different layers thanks to the mask I made, I can get right up the edge of their hair and bodies without damaging the visible layer and distorting the couple.

The next step is to add use the add noise filter to make the two different layers match in grain.You can see below how the added noise makes the two layers blend together better.

Finally I merged the two layers and used the healing brush to touch up any last spots that didn't look smooth. The final result is a wrinkle free backgrounds, a look of a more shallow depth of field on the subjects and a suede-like quality to the fabric. Much better!

Here is the final product again.

Now I must say something here about how important it is to try to do things right in camera so you don't spend hours fixing little mistakes in Photoshop. In my opinion, Photoshop is best used as a creative tool to enhance already creative and interesting images. It is not a substitute for correctly applied knowledge, the right equipment or an answer for lazying shooting habits. I spent 4 hours editing a dozen images with this black background. It would have taken me half the time to just iron the black fabric if circumstances allowed. As great as Photoshop can be, it's not the answer to ever photographic problem and I feel a good photographer shoots smart and does everything possible they can to create the best image when the shutter clicks and not hours of mouse clicks later. That being said, tomorrow: More photoshop tutorials!

If you would like to see more images from this session please visit my facebook page. Don't forget to become a fan!

Christmas Card

2009-11-30T23:00:00.000-08:00

This is our 2009 Christmas card. It was a lot of work, as is most groupings of small kids. I took 54 total shots of this exact pose looking for the right expression on their faces and hoping that I would get lucky and all three would look great all on the same frame. No such luck. There were a lot of images where Alex had his hands up in the air, or over his face as babies often do, and Audrey kept leaning over and kissing her brother, or pulling her dress up. Tyler wouldn't hold still and his movements caused the other boxes to fall over several times. Does this sound like anyone else's experiences trying to photograph their kids? As much as I'd like to claim that mine know better since they are always in front of the camera, I can't. They are just like every other kid I've ever photographed. So how do I get perfect photos of everyone looking and smiling (even a three week old?) PHOTOSHOP! This image is a composite of two different images and about three hours of work to make them match perfectly. Since there is no shortage of pattern in this image, making everything line up was essential during the shooting process so when I put the two images together in Photoshop it was simply a matter of masking around my baby boy's body and the box he's in and layering it above the photo with Tyler and Audrey both smiling. The best way to do this is to use a tripod and once you have your shot set up and framed as you'd like it, don't move anything! After importing the images to my compuer, matching the color and sharpness in CS4, I copy and pasted the "good" Alex shot into a new layer, add a layer mask, and begin the painstaking process of making everything match. A good way to do this is to set the opacity of the top layer to 50% and then if move it until the lines match up. If you need, transform the image (remember to keep it in scale) until it's as close as possible. Once I was done blending the two layers together I added a vignette around the edges. This is very simple. Create a elliptical marquee over the image and then feather it by 250 pixels or less if you want a harder edge. Invert the selection so it is selecting the corners and not the middle of the photo. Create a levels adjustment layer and slide the blacks and midtones down until you've reached your desired look. The selection will show up as a mask for the adjustment layer. I painted on the mask to bring back some light around Audrey's face since the mask darkened her hair a little too much.

I've also included another version the same photo and separates of each of the kids we did at the end. Alex did his photos naked yet again, and I just as I went to pick him up he peed all over everything! Good thing I was done shooting. Notice that the shots below haven't been at all retouched since you can see the inside of the box Audrey is in. DOH!

Wedding Albums

2009-11-29T21:04:00.000-08:00

Today was insane. I had planned to photograph the kids for my Christmas card but it was a no go. Instead I'm posting the pages from a photo album I designed for one of my favorite weddings this year. Each photo you'll see below is a two page spread. The company I use for my custom album production is Renaissance the Book and their quality is astounding. The customer service is great too. The first image is the front (right side) and back (left side) cover. Books like this one start at $400 so any of you brides out there interested in what you see, give me a call!

92 and still kickin'!

2009-11-28T13:38:00.000-08:00

This holiday weekend my Grandma, affectionately called GeeGee by her 70 some grand children, was over to share Thanksgiving with us and on Friday I had the chance to photograph her in my studio. I know she felt self conscious in front of the camera. She often mentions, " I don't like to get pictures taken since when I see it [the prints] it reminds how old I look."

I on the other hand love the look of her wrinkles! They are beautiful to photograph. I know we live in a youth obsessed culture, but I still value age and the wisdom that can come with it. As long as I can remember my Grandma has been a personal inspiration to me. Late in her life she took up painting and is a very talented artist. She raised her four children in lets just say, humbling circumstances, endured two less then perfect marriages, all while retaining her positive outlook on life. She never stopped believing in true love and in her 80's finally found it, only to lose him a few years later to illness and medical malpractice.

While her vision and hearing are growing more dim all the time, her love of family, faith in God, and kind heart never fail. If I could be half the woman she is, I would consider my life richly blessed.

I want to publicly thank her for raising my Mother to be the charitable, family centered person she is. My Mom and I don't always see eye to eye, but we do share the same values, most of which my Mother learned from her Mother. This tradition is one I hope to keep with my own daughter. Some day she'll understand what it means to come from a family with a heritage of strong, noble women. I hope she is as grateful as I am for those that have gone before.

Now for you photographers out there, here's some info on the shot.

Exposure: 1/250 @ f7.1 ISO 200
The key light was for camera left with just a 7 " bell, no grid or diffusion so I could get a more textural light on her face. The fill light off of camera right was powered down to 1/3, then shot through an umbrella and bounced off the 8' high white ceiling. A hair light was used for separation off the background with a snoot. To make sure there was no light hitting the background, a black reflector was used to block the key light.

Tomorrow: Alex is back from his hiatous and posing for my Christmas card.

Photojournalism: A Thanksgiving in pictures

2009-11-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

Today's post is the story of my Thanksgiving. I decided that the best way to capture it would be in the style of a photojournalist. This is the style of photography I use at weddings primarily. Photojournalism is about saying something without words. Telling a story that is honest and insightful. Technical proficiency is required to create great images that also convey a variety of emotions. A photograph becomes more then a snap shot when you can control the light, design the frame, and convey a message about the human experience simultaneously. This ability is what makes a professional photographer an artist in their own right. And telling stories is the reason I picked up a camera in the first place. So I'm hoping these photos from our Thanksgiving will speak for themselves and share with you the people that I thank God for everyday.

Alexander (my son at 2-1/2 weeks)

Cody (our dog) and Audrey at breakfast

Audrey making rolls for Thanksgiving dinner with me.

Tyler (left), Caleb (right) and Alex (lower right)

Lego Pirate (left) Tyler (right)

My Father, Terry

Left to right: Terry (Father), Harry (Older Brother), James (Brother-in-law)

Left to right: Vonda (age 92- Grandmother), Terice (Youngest Sister)

Lyndze, my niece.

Malorie, my neice.

Left to right: Taylor (Niece), James (Best thing that ever happened to Terice)

Left to right: Katielynn (younger sister), Terice (youngest sister)

(Harry is the only person I know that owns a "Garfield: The Movie" T-shirt and will unashamedly wear it in public.)

Katielynn, Terice, Vonda and Alex

All images were shot with Nikon D300, 16-85mm lens ISO 200. SB900 ans SB 800 speedlights positioned around the room in multiple locations and flash bounced off the ceiling for over all fill. SB900 set to manual full power and SB 800 to TTL +3.0 stops to create direction and allow for low ISO rating. Average exposure: 1/80 @ f4.5 .

Turkey for you and turkey for me...

2009-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner this year. We are going to my brother's house for Turkey day and last year I brought the bird, so this year I get the easy job, dinner rolls. Not to be out done, I made them by hand of course and chose to form them into rosettes, so they are as cute as they are tasty. Then, because I think it's important to shoot something every day, I got out my camera and made this little image.

Food photography can be a lot trickier then it looks though, since there are a few basic rules that must be followed.

Make the food look appitizing. If you don't want to eat it when you see the photo, your image is no good. This means clean bright exposures (not over exposed, just light backgrounds) so nothing suggests uncleanliness. We all would prefer our food germ free and light colors (white most especially) is associated with good hygiene.
Show texture, and color accurately. Size matters too, make it look BIG.
When possible create ambiance with the background. Use ingredients, more of the same dish, or anything else that logically makes sense with your food. (i.e. milk with cookies)

To accomplish these goals most images of food are shot with a wide open aperture, to highlight the texture of food, and blur everything else. This also helps the colors to come together in an inviting way. Additionally most food shots are shown from the perspective of the dish so as to give it prominence within the frame. Truth is that food photography is 90% psychological and 10% technical. More important then showing what the food looks like; a good photograph makes you think about how wonderful it will taste. Examine the first image for a moment, does it not look tempting? Melting butter, knife at the ready, and at least a dozen more where that came from... Admit it, your mouth is watering for the carbohydrated goodness that is the classic dinner roll.

Traditional foods in my opinion are best photographed in a setting that makes one reminisce or pulls on old fashion values. Ethnic foods (for example Mexican) are best shot with a lot of color, so we think of a variety of flavors and spices. And some may argue (Anheuser-Busch) that alcohol is best photographed with half naked women. I say the jury is still out.

Here are a few things NOT to do:

Show food with a bite taken out of it. No one wants to eat food some one else has already been eating.
Include too much extra stuff. Keep it simple and focus in on the details.
Leave crumbs on anything! Even if your food is naturally crumbly, get rid of them! Messy food is distracting.
Photograph cold foods under hot lights. Talk about a quick way to end a shoot! If you have to shoot foods like ice cream use, a stand in. You can make your own fake ice cream at home, just don't eat it!

The best part of food photography is when you get to eat it afterwards. I have a dozen rolls and 3 dozen cookies in my kitchen because of this blog post. Life couldn't get any better.
In case you were wondering, here is my recipe for the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies shown above. They are the best cookies on earth. It's as if there was a very sugary three way in my cookie jar between an oatmeal, pumpkin, and chocolate chip cookie.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

4 cups unsifted all purpose flour
2 cups quick or old fashion oats
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cup butter or margarine softened
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 can pumpkin (16 oz)
1 package real milk chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat over to 350. Combine flour, oats, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Cream butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until very fluffy and light yellow (5 minutes or more with electric mixer). Alternate adding small amounts of dry ingredients and pumpkin into sugar/butter mixture. Beat after each addition. Stir in chocolate. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minute or until cookies are firm and light brown. Cool on racks.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

What do you want for Christmas?

2009-11-25T09:47:00.000-08:00

My husband likes to wait until December 24 to shop for me each year. He does it purposely, because he knows it drives me crazy. He manages to pull a rabbit out of his hat every year though, and I always love whatever he get me. This year though, I have some very specific wants so I'm not leaving it up to chance. Below is my list of things I think every photographer should find under the tree (if they don't have it already). I did my best to keep the items affordable, so please feel free to share this blog with a giant "Hint Hint" to your special someone.

Just for fun I've included a photo I shot of my daughter Audrey meeting Santa for the first time. I love her reaction; classic stuff. Maybe I'm just a mean parent, but I can't wait to show it to her future boyfriends. Between this image and the photos of her in the bathtub, dancing naked in the living room, etc. It should make for one embarrassing evening far in the future.

On to the list!

Lens Pen Cleaning System : Quick and easy lens cleaning
The Hot She Diaries and other Joe McNally Books : I love Joe's books. You should also try Nikon School DVD's, perfect for those just starting to use flash systems.
Velbon Shera 600 FR Tripod : Just under $100. I'll probably end up buying something 5-6 times more expensive then this because I'll go to Glazers and they will talk me into something I didn't know I needed, as usual.
Translucent Umbrellas (2 please!) : I break these all the time, so having extras is a good idea. Also check out the light stand and flash bracket adaptor suggested by Amazon.com for a good deal.
Westcott Apollo JS Softbox : Soft boxes are more directional then umbrellas and provide very soft light and shadows. This one works with my Nikon Speedlights.
Snoot Diffuser for SB900 : Makes a great hair or rim light.
Beauty Dish and diffuser for my monolights (1 please): Great for flawless even lighting on location without the worry of wind blowing over a soft box or umbrella. And while you're buying light modifiers, here's a link to the monolight system I use and have trusted for most of my career. (Note to my husband: I can always use a few more of these. I'll even leave my business credit card on your desk, just in case you need it. )
The Vagabond Battery system for my White Lighting set up: I hate extension cords. Need I say more?

There you go Santa! Hopefully some of you readers out there can benift from seeing what kind of gear is out there, it's price and where to get it! I'd love to know what's on your list. Please post links in the comments below!
Tomorrow: Food photography just in time for Thanksgiving, Friday's post will have images from my Thanksgiving with family and tips for shooting as a photojournalist.

Salon Photos

2009-11-24T09:10:00.000-08:00

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Salon Dolche' had to reschedule today last minute so I thought instead I'd show you the work I did for them earlier this year. There were 7 models in total, each stylist doing one hair style each and all of them looking for very different results. My job was to create photographs that matched their vision with all the same equipment and seamless backgrounds. Here's the results.

Background: Light Gray
Exposure:1/60 @f10 ISO 200

Stylists Vision: 1960's styling

Each stylist wanted to represent a different era and look, while still keeping it modern. Knowing this, and that the hair had to look AMAZING I used a very strong hair/rim light from camera left as well as an umbrella on camera right for fill on her face. Their was also a background light set to 1/2 power. Though this doesn't match lighting and photographic technique of the time, I felt the hair and clothing more then pulled off the look and I took some creative license to shoot however I wanted.

Background: Light Gray w/ cyan gel on background light

Exposure:1/60 @f11 ISO 200

Stylists Vision: 1980's

For this image I used intentional lens flair and a cyan gel since when I think of the 80's those two things instantly come to mind. To produce the flair I simply turned the hair light so it was shooting ever so slightly into the lens. It also provided nice separation along her left side where her shirt might have blended into the background. The girlie Mohawk, was a little bit much for me, plus the stylist kept asking the model to look "meaner". Can't decide if she looks mean or oversexed...

Background: White
Exposure:1/80 @f14 ISO 200

Stylist's Vision: 1940's movie starlet, Dutch Painting

The stylist designed this hair style to mimic the look and feel of the feather boa the model was wearing. She wanted something that felt like a cross between a early Hollywood portrait and the Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer's. The pose is an adaption of the painting and the lighting is the broad lighting often used when photographing for movie posters during that era. Her hair was dyed this shade of red and I love how it looks with her green eyes.

Background: White
Exposure:1/4 @f18 ISO 200

Stylists Vision: Old Hollywood style portrait

Finally we have the black and white image that most closely mirrors it's inspiration piece. Again the stylist wanted an old Hollywood look, but she wanted this image to easily be mistaken for the real thing, so black and white was an obvious choice. My favorite part was dragging the shutter to get the trail of smoke. We shot about a dozen of these until the most was just perfect. For the lighting I used the classic butterfly lighting pattern but to put my own spin on it I used the hair light as the key to bring up the light on the left of her face. I love the three different tones it creates on her face. No photoshop necessary. It was fun to geek out on this one.

Tomorrow: The photographer's Christmas List.

Blur and Panning

2009-11-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

After ten years of shooting weddings I still haven't gotten bored. One of my favorite things to do with every wedding is to try to include some sort of blur into the collection of images. The sense of movement is really fun to play with, plus you never really know what you will get exactly, so it's exciting too. The image on the right is from one of the first weddings I shot when we lived in Utah. Back then I was still using my RB67 medium format camera for all the formal portraits and then switching to 35mm during the reception. Digital was around, but I was still unconvinced that it could match the quality of my negatives. The reception had moved into the later part of the evening and the Bride and Groom were difficult to motivate, so events were unfolding slowly and I was bored. I had one frame left on my last roll of 120 film and I needed somewhere to use it, but the venue was dark and crowded. There was however a spot light on the cake table, and a pretty good looking cake... target aquired.
I set up my tripod and took a 3 second exposure of the cake. During that time the DJ announced the cake cutting and the couple came from opposite sides of the room to the table where I was photographing. At the time I was mad, thinking "They probably ruined my shot." A few days later when I actually got the film back, I changed my tune. From that point on my love of blur became an infection.

Panning, is a technique that keeps a moving object in sharp focus while burring the background. For the next shot, you'll see that the couple are sharp while the blur shows the movement of the car. This is simple enough to do, just move the camera the same direction and roughly the same speed as the subject.
In both cases the story being told in each image is better represented visually by the addition of blur. If stop action had been applied to any of the photographs in this blog post, just imagine how boring they would be. Two people sitting in a car waving, or a bride and groom just standing by a cake doesn't sound very interesting to me.

To achieve either of these effects you need a few things:

Tripod. I always shoot anything I intend to blur with a tripod or monopod. This helps to illuminate human error and helps to keep some objects in sharp focus.
Slow shutter speeds. Stop action for people is anywhere between 1/30-1/125 a second (depending on the person, their age, and if they are moving.) I never shoot my kids in available light with shutter speeds lower then 1/125 since they can't hold still at all.
Good lighting. Flash will generally stop action at any shutter speed (depending on it's power and how long the shutter is open- I suggest experimenting if you want to see what I mean) This look can often be very interesting but keep in mind you'll need to use rear sync for your flash so the stop action is at the end of your exposure and not the beginning. I almost always end up using ambient light to get the smooth blur I want.
Control the blur. This takes time and a lot of frames on occasion. Think about how much blur you want since too much will render your subject unrecognizable and too little will just make then look out of focus. The difference between an accidental blur and a great image is simply the intent and then execution. Though having luck on your side like I did with the cake photo doesn't hurt.

I don't think I've gotten the ultimate blur photo yet, so I'll keep practicing at every wedding I shoot. Here are two more that I like a lot.

Tomorrow: Highlights from my shoot with Salon and Spa Dolche' in Everett WA. I love environmental portraiture!

Location, Location, Location

2009-11-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

Like I mentioned yesterday, we opened a portrait studio in Everett just a few months ago. In the studio I have this image as well as many others hanging on the walls. I was a little hesitant to use this image at first, since I thought it might not make sense or even bother some of my customers with small children. I asked my husband, "Do you think she looks naked?" His reply, "She's not naked...she's got a bracelet on." Truth is, she's actually wearing a wedding dress! During a free moment in the reception the Bride grabbed me and asked if we could do some photos in the claw-foot tub she saw in the upstairs bathroom of the main building. I agreed and off Terice, Sarah (the bride), and I went. We didn't have a lot of time so I had Terice grab a monolight. The bathroom was small so she got the great job of being the HLS (Human Light Stand). Without any light modifiers, we had two choices for the lighting, point it at Sarah directly and blind her while also creating a very unflattering image, or point the strobe at the ceiling at a 45 degree angle and let the white walls, ceiling and light colored tile do some of the work. The image was shot at 1/50 @ F 10; ISO 200. The bounced flash created a gentle wrap to the light as well as soft pleasing shadows. I love the fact that the room is free from color; white curtains, walls, bathtub: it's great with her skin tone.

The image is all about location. A sense of place can change everything. But let's not be boring, some of the best places to shoot in the world are obscure and that alone makes them interesting. I'll admit this isn't my first time shooting a bride in a bathroom. I've done many shots inside of restrooms over the years. Oddly enough I've actually shot in the restrooms of many of Seattle's most expensive hotels. The key to finding a good location is to always have your eyes open. Here are a few tips that will help you choose the best spot for your next location shoot.

Whenever possible scout out a location prior to shooting there. Look for features that speak to your sense of style and include design elements that will complement your over all vision.
Think about how you can use different angles and what you will need to include/avoid to create the mood of your image.
Most of all, think about the light and time of day. It's best to scout about the same time of day as your shoot will be whenever possible.
Get permission. The world changed after 911. Trespassing with a camera can get you into a lot more trouble these days then it did just a few years ago.
Go for the unexpected but make sure your background doesn't outshine your subject!
Don't be afraid to get a little dirty to get the shot you need. I've stood in fountains, lakes, rivers, knee deep mud, etc if it means getting the right shot.
Be prepared for all kinds of weather.

Tomorrows blog: Panning and Blur

My Favorite Photog Blogs

2009-11-21T19:48:00.000-08:00

There have been a lot of changes to our family and my life in the last few months. Alex joined our family two weeks ago today; in August, was the grand opening of Irene Jones Photography: a retail studio in Everett WA, my husband joined facebook and has become hopelessly addicted to it, and I entered the blog-o-sphere. Twitter was frightening as first but I'm starting to get the hang of it and it's opened my eyes to literally THOUSANDS of great photographers world wide to adore and hopefully emulate their success as my career progresses. It was hard but I narrowed it down to a few blogs I want to share and I think readers of my blog will enjoy. Here they are, in no particular order.

Joey Lawrence: The Blog
http://www.joeyl.com/blog/
I'm seriously considering buying his Tutorial DVDs, mainly since I am a novice when it comes to HDR and this guy has taken it to new levels. $300 is pretty steep for a miser like me, but I just might be persuaded. If nothing else his gallery is most defiantly worth a look.

The Lighting Diagram Creator
http://www.lightingdiagrams.com/
Can you say super cool free resource? No more stick figures for this blog.

Photo Answers Online
http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/
Easy to understand video tutorials for all skill levels and sexy British accents. The 15 year old girl in me loves this one.

Strobist
http://strobist.blogspot.com/
By far my favorite. Smart, funny, informative, and some of the best comments I've ever seen on any blog. These are my kind of people.

Digital Photography School
http://digital-photography-school.com/
Can't afford the tuition of Brooks or Art Center? Well this is not a substitute for a formal education but it is a good place to discuss and share. The best part of attending any school is the community of peers and while some people on these forums consider themselves all knowing grand masters of the photographic medium, more then not the shared experience is beneficial to all that participate. Overall, great topics, variety and contests that don't seem rigged!

Joe McNally's Blog
http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/
My personal hero. His resume is everything I dreamed mine would be. His blog is a personal log as well as a photography gallery. Warning: on occasion he might "over share" and include details about getting a colonoscopy and such. The post "Letter to a Young Photographer" is simply beautiful.

Lighting Practice
http://mr-chompers.blogspot.com/2009/08/journeyinpostprocessing.html
Very well explained tutorials and examples.

The Photographic World of Drew Gardner
http://photography-thedarkart.blogspot.com/
Great images with lots of tech stuff. What more could a girl want?

Jerry O'Connor
http://geroco.blogspot.com/
I love the way this guy lights. Check out this flickr page for great images and info.

Yanik's Photo School
http://yanikphotoschool.com/
Easy to follow tutorials and if you follow on Twitter, more great resources.

So there you have it! My favorites I've discovered and wanted to share. Do you have a favorite? Please share!

The Power of Color

2009-11-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I waxed poetic about the genius that is Black and White photography. Today I want to go over a little bit about the science of photographing color and how to see the color of light.

In case you didn't know, temperature has a lot to do with making a beautiful color image. For a detailed explanation I suggest you spend some time on Wikipedia. Start with Color Temperature, followed by White Balance, and end with Color Photography. Very educational but possibly a layman's definition might also be helpful? I'll do my best.

Basically the colors we see in the world around us all exist within the visible electromagnetic spectrum. As light enters our atmosphere and comes in contact with gases and other objects, different wavelengths of light (or different colors of light) are absorbed and radiated. Thus trees look green since through the process of photosynthesis plants absorb mainly the shorter wave lengths of light (greens and blues). The sky looks blue because gases and dust in the atmosphere trap and blue wavelengths while allowing others to pass by. And I look a pasty shade of white when outside because in Seattle the sun isn't visible through the dense cloud cover 3/4 of the year.

The colors in the spectrum vary not only in wavelength and frequency but also in temperature. These are measured in Kelvins. For example incandescent lights tend to vary but are approx. 3000 Kelvins. Daylight (at mid day) is around 5000 K and older florescent lights are closer to 7500K. (Note: Florescent lights today actually come in a variety of different temperatures but most cameras still have a florescent setting that are based on higher Kelvin temperatures.) Our eyes adjust to these color shifts so we don't often notice the difference, but our cameras do! Here are some samples to show you what I mean.

All three photos were taken with flash, but the cameras color balance has been adjusted to show the shift. Back in the old days you would need to use different kinds of film or a variety of filters, each balanced to to match the temperature of the available light. This was difficult for those of us shooting events or on location in all different situations. With digital, it's easy to adjust the color balance and achieve the correct color. OR you can use the shift to your advantage and shoot using the "wrong" settings and mimic the look of cross processing. This is a style that was very popular in the 1990's print media and film. It's done by processing slide film in chemicals designed for negative film (C-41) or negatives film in slide film chemicals(E-6). Here is a tutorial of how to get this same look with a digital file with photoshop. Below is the same photo as above "cross processed" and the original. Which is your favorite?

The color shifts towards the red and yellow while contrast is enhanced. A lot of times this same style would be done with purposefull over exposures by between 2-6 stops, thus blowing out the highlights and exaggerating the look of the cross processing. I'd love to see your examples of the same kind of style. Feel free to post images and links here. To view more of my work please visit Irene Jones Photography Online.

Tomorrow blog: Top ten photography blogs to follow (In my opinion.)

Panorama: How to shoot and stitch with CS4

2009-11-19T08:01:00.000-08:00

When I was in college one of my assignments was to shoot and then combine photos into a panorama. Back then we were using Photoshop 7 the software that would put together panoramas was just barely hitting the market. It was still better to do the work yourself, one photo at a time. Today the process is uncomplicated and available to anyone with CS4. Here's what you need to do.

1. Choose your location. I love night shots and downtown Seattle. So during a warm summer night I spent an hour on the corner of Pike and 4th Ave shooting a variety of frames.
2. Keep the following things in mind while shooting: use a 50mm lens to avoid distortion, overlap enough to provide a reference point, and use a tripod. It's hard to keep the same position when hand holding and the slightest movements on your part can ruin your hard work. Plus if you choose to do a night shot like me, your exposures will be for several seconds each. I would also suggest shooting with a small aperture, say F22 for maximum depth of field.
3. Once you've taken your shots and selected the frames you want to use open them in Photoshop CS4. You can also select a folder where your images are, but I like to open them first just to make sure they are the ones I wanted since I always shoot more versions then I need, just in case.

4. Select File>Automate>Photomerge to start the process. A window will open listing a number of different options for how to best create the final image. Feel free to experiment with each of these to get the results you want. Auto worked for this image and so did Reposition, both options will probably work for most people, especially if you follow my advice and use a 50mm lens and tripod.
5. Add Open files and then go make a sandwich while CS4 does the work.
6. Crop your image since there will be jagged edges and edit your image for color, sharpness, and contrast as necessary.
7. Buy a very long, skinny frame.

Tomorrows blog post:Color balance and correction.

The Top 5 Reasons to Have Portraits by Irene Jones Photography this Season

2009-11-18T06:06:00.000-08:00

Today Alex is 11 days old and I wanted to fill this blog post with nothing but photos of him and our family to show what an average session looks like. Now that I have a few family photos I like, I'm going to let by baby vacation for a few weeks before he has to come back to work on his 1 month birthday. By then his newborn cuteness will have changed into a pudgy Gerber baby motif and more photos will be required. (Whoever says that that parents only photograph the first child and forget about the rest didn't know any professional photographers/mothers.) If you can't get enough of this little guy please visit my Facebook page for Irene Jones Photography and become a fan. New photos of him are available there. So while Alex is doing his best to fill his days with long naps, meals every three hours, and persistent diaper changes, it's your turn. Now is a great time for holiday portraits and Christmas cards. If you are on the fence about having professional photos this season let me help change your mind.

1. Family portraits. Lots of us, myself included, only get around to taking a family portrait on a yearly basis. Yet far more people out there only get around to this important tradition when someone is born, married, or dies. I consider this a personal tragedy. My approach to family portraits is a mix of the traditional and more modern. I know it's important to the average person to have the shot where everyone is smiling at the camera, but it's always fun to include images that show more then faces, but say something about your family. For our family photo I wanted to highlight our newest addition and so our portraits focused around him. The photo above was actually the first time that the kids wanted to hold Alex. Up till now Tyler wanted Alex to hold his finger but Audrey was completely uninterested in the whole idea of touching him. I'm glad I was able to capture a special moment like this. I've also included one of everyone smiling just because I never noticed until now that my daughter and husband have the same smile. Portraits are good at helping us see things like these little similarities.

2. Flexible sessions. Many portrait studios only allow for a few images per session and discourage combining different groupings into one session. They want to maximize the number of sitting fees where in contrast my goal is to maximize the number of great images provided. That's why I don't limit the number of poses, groupings, locations, or clothes changes in any session. I even allow space between each session just in case we go over, that way no one feels rushed when the next session arrives. Ultimately, I feel customer service is equally important as creating beautiful images and I don't hesitate to go out of my way for my clients.

3. Only tasteful props are used in our portraits. If a prop doesn't add to the image, i.e. help tell a story, we don't use it. The connection between the subject and the prop should be obvious. My studio doesn't stock fake daisies or turn of the century costumes. That's not what I do. However we do have a range of other props that fit a variety of different interests. If you have something specific in mind, please ask when you call to schedule your session and if I don't have it, I'll do what I can to find it for you.

Don't forget that even though the weather outside might be gruesome, location sessions are still great this time of year. My studio equipment is fully portable and can be brought to just about anywhere. By photographing on location (your home, a special place you like to go, even a fancy hotel) another dimention is added to the image that otherwise wouldn't have existed in the studio. Can't think of a location? I can so please don't hesitate to ask for suggestions.

4. Groups of all sizes and ages welcome. Have you ever photographed 10 kids under the age of 5? I have several times. What about groups of 25? My studio can handle both and I've had plenty of experience with every possible combination you can imagine.

5. A better value. When you book with me you're getting more then my time, you take part in my never ending pursuit of doing things better. I want each client to walk away with images they love and want to share. Each photo should tell a story and hold personal meaning; something you can't put a price tag on.

To book your session please visit Irene Jones Photography Online for pricing information, portfolios, and directions to our studio. Please note that all sessions are by appointment only. To schedule your portrait session please call 425.367.4781.

I hope you've enjoyed my collection of family portraits! Tomorrow's blog post switches gears entirely as we discuss shooting and "stitching" panoramas in Photoshop CS4.

One more thing: Here is a video about how I set up the shot of Alex hitting the books.

Photographing Infants: The Trick is.....

2009-11-17T07:30:00.000-08:00

For the past few days I've focused this blog on photographing infants and today's final installment will provide you with some tips for a smooth photo session. Recently a friend of mine tired to photograph a newborn for another friend. Later when we were talking about her experience she said with some surprise, "Infants are hard to shoot!" She's right! Photo shoots have to be tailored to the exact needs of the infant and every concession must be made to make them comfortable if you wish to get the images you want. Here are a few helpful tips:

Make the baby happy. Where ever you're shooting should be some place warm, especially if your model has no clothes on. This will help keep your baby asleep as you move them around over and over. And when I say warm I really mean hot. If you're not sweating it's probably too cold.
Think about context and choose props accordingly. Babies in baskets is very classic look that is reminiscent of nursery rhymes and biblical references alike, but feel free to try other props, pillows, football helmets, gift boxes, etc. Also think about texture and color. Choose blankets that enhance the mood of your shoot or other props that even juxtapose the soft look of an infant. This could be anything that isn't harmful to the little one. Also stability is a major factor, don't try to balance a newborn on a beach ball or anything weird. Use your head. Parents can make great props too. Close ups of parents arms, face, feet, anything really can show scale as well as convey belonging.
Shoot newborns ASAP! Within the first 1-2 weeks babies still have some very obvious signs of their age. These include, curled limbs, loose skin, fuzz (everywhere!), and a since they lack a lot of muscle control, you can easily pose them as you wish. After about two weeks they become more and more alert, their limbs began to become stronger and straighten, they are now gaining weight to fill out their baggie skin, and the newborn fuzz is being shed. Plus they also may experience baby acne in a greater degree and dry skin as they grow and change. When exactly your child is photographed is up to you. I prefer within the first week if at all possible.
Be prepared for anything. It might be assumed that if you are photographing someone sound asleep that it shouldn't be all that time consuming. This is a big mistake. Often infant portrait sessions are my longest and at least one hour should be set aside but whenever possible up to three hours may be necessary if a variety of shots are to be captured. This allows for the baby to eat on demand, have the accompanying diaper changes and be soothed back to sleep when fussing.
Finally, leave expectations at the door. New parents are often not aware that smiling for the camera is not a skill possessed by newborns. I have on occasion caught a muscle reflex on an infant's face that can be called a smile but the chance of this happening is so slim that to hope for it would be setting yourself up for failure. Save the smiling photos for another shoot, don't worry there is plenty of opportunity in the future.Additionally don't expect wide open eyes. Having a newborn I know how exciting it is when they come out of their coma-like state and actually look at you, but for photos I feel it's best to show them acting natural.

For anyone that wants to know the above photo was taken with my Lensbaby lens. The lighting was window light from the right and a large reflector for fill on the left. ISO 500 was used to get the exposure I wanted which turned out to be 1/40 at F8. I've found with the Lensbaby I tend to get better images when I use smaller apertures. I wanted to blow out most of the highlights especially in the blurry edges. There was also another white fill card placed behind Alex to give the illusion of a plain white background.

I would love to hear your stories or experiences photographing infants. Please post your comments here!

Tomorrow is our final installment with baby photos of Alex in the studio.

Photographing Infants: Why Black and White is Back

2009-11-16T06:42:00.000-08:00

Today I want to get a little more technical and talk about color vs. black and white. For my generation black and white is very popular. We ( the 20 and 30 somethings out there) associate it with editorial or candid photography and consider it timeless. My parents age group (baby boomers) often find black and white boring. The main difference stems from the fact that color photography did not become widely used until the late 1950's and into the '60's. Color films ( such as Kodak's Kodachrome) had been available to the public since 1935 but was considerably more expensive and difficult to process compared to black and white. As color movies became more popular in theaters and color televisions became fixtures in homes across America, consumers turned from "traditional" black and white films to the vibrant colors of slide film. With this transition a new form of torture was invented; the slide show. Countless girlfriends and neighbors have been bored to tears during one of these events. 2009 was the year in which Kodachrome was retired by Kodak marking the end of an era. No worries though, thanks to social networking and the advent of digital photography badly exposed or blurry/unrecognizable images are everywhere and multiplying at an exponential rate. Now would probably be a good place to mention my Facebook page! Please become a fan. You can also follow me on Twitter.

Shameless self promoting aside, let's see some photos shall we? In case you haven't already guessed. These are my baby's feet. This image above was shot at 1/60 @F2.8 with my 50mm lens.
For comparison sake, the same image is shown in color on the right. Notice the difference in contrast between the black and white version and the color version. Personally I like my color images with less contrast and I avoid over saturation since I also want my colors to look natural.
Black and white is a different story though, additional contrast is necessary to help separate the shades of gray from one another. It also changes the mood of an image. The black and white version emphasizes texture. By removing the distraction of color the viewer looks only at the light and shadows. This most basic photographic style hits directly to the heart of what photography is all about: the interplay of light and dark. This is also why it lends itself so nicely to infant portraits. Infant portraits most frequently seek to minimize the amount of information in an image and instead focus your attention on the tiny features of newborns.
Since most of us aren't shooting black and white film let's talk about how to make the best possible black and white image from a digital file. Photoshop provides several ways to convert an image to black and white, a few of which I'll show you here. Lightroom also does a very nice job with black and white. Let's start with Photoshop. The most basic ways to change a color image to black and white in Photoshop is either the Desaturate or convert to Grayscale Here are the results.

The Desaturate option converts colors exactly as they are where the grayscale tries to estimate what they should be. Both are good efforts but not exactly right. With either method, all of the colors are converted to a shade of gray. Reds and greens often become the same when converting between color and black and white. The image then looses contrast and lacks a diversity in the tonal range. Or as my college professors used to say it looks "flat" or "muddy". I always wanted to ask if those were technical terms... When the tonal range has been dramatically reduced like this doesn't the image seem less interesting since the details are not as clearly visible? To fix this the next step needs to be introducing more contrast to increase the tonal range. This can also be done a number of varying ways. Adjusting the Brightness/contrast is the most basic but it gives you the least amount of control.

Select Image>Adjustment>Brightness/Contrast to get the menu shown above. I increased the contrast 100 percent (I would have done more if possible) and decreased the brightness slightly (shown as a negative number). Here is the resulting image.

As you can see much better contrast, details in the highlights and shadows and more dimension in the midtones, but more can be done.

When using the levels adjustments (Image>Adjustment>Levels) you have three sliders, black on the left, midtones in the middle (obviously) and white on the right. By adjusting these sliders (your midpoint moves whenever you adjust either the black or white) together or separately you can increase contrast. Since the levels adjustment is based on the histogram of the image you can see visibly where the tones lie and change the image accordingly. One step better then using the levels is the Curves adjustments. Like the levels adjustments, curves are based upon the histogram. The main difference is when editing with the curves is control. You can also plot points along the histogram where you would like to retain specific values and expand or decrease the amount of highlights and shadows individually.. In the next screen shot you'll notice three lines in the curves window that overlap the histogram. The blue line is the suggested balance, the gray is the original tonal range and the black in my adjustments.

Better then converting to grayscale or desaturating, Black and White adjustment combines the steps we've been talking about while providing the most versatility. Select Image>Adjustment>Black and White.

You'll notice that the colors are represented by percentages and that reds and greens are displaying at the same value as well as blues and yellows. These percentages reflect the shade of gray. By adjusting the percentages of each of these colors the tonal range expands and contrast increases.

The adjusted values are:
reds: 10%
Yellows: 49%
Greens: 31%
Cyans: 79%
Blues: 73%
Magentas: 45%
Notice how the version of our feet photo in the screen shot looks rich and interesting. The details are more pronounced and all of the shades of gray separate creating a more visually dynamic image.

For Lightroom the process is similar to the black and white adjustment in Photoshop, the terminology is the only difference. Select your image in the develop module and then use the grayscale button to convert into grayscale. You can then adjust your highlights with the recovery slider and the shadows with the fill light and/or blacks sliders. Contrast is pretty self explanatory. By adjusting each of these separately you can gain the most control over the tonal range of the image. Best part is that with Lightroom you can make these adjustments on multiple images.

The first black and white version of this image was edited with Lightroom. Just for fun, here's a few more photos of Alex also edited in Lightroom by applying the same settings as the baby feet photo..

Though I have talked a great deal about the benefits of black and white over color I don't want to diminish color photography. As with all styles, each has a place and purpose. When it comes to infant photography I personally prefer the black and white because of it's simplicity. Details, texture, and light are emphasized. Room is provided for story telling. It only seems appropriate that the simplest members of the human family are documented in a simplified format. Let me know what you think. I'd love to read your comments!

Next up tips for making an infant portrait shoot more successful.