Gathering

Family holidays are full of activities – so full that I am splitting this into two posts (gift opening is here). Today some of us hit the ski slopes while the rest took the younger kids to the aquarium. Those are pictures to post another time… Yesterday we cozied up at home, riding horses, making plaster handprints, playing games, snuggling kids. My younger sister’s friend (a kindergarten teacher) made plaster handprints for all the little ones. We missed my... Read More

Gifts

The thing I like most about gift-giving is the uniqueness in all the personalities and interests… from the choice of wrapping paper… retro wrapping to the gifts that were on the wish lists… vintage (taken by my sister) never old to the complete surprises that were sure to be a hit… budding ballerina boat builder boy+train=total absorption It even shows up in the way gifts are opened (how did he know he was getting dumbbells?!): no fair shaking presents! Friends... Read More

New Year's Resolutions

My family is here, so… much as I tried to have a new post up this morning, PEOPLE are taking precedence! I’ll just start with a photo shoot that was especially fun this past week. Later this evening I’ll try to post family pictures, plus our Christmas morning fun! (Our celebration was yesterday.) There is no better time for New Year’s resolutions than after spending a week with family. I won’t post all of mine… just some food for thought as... Read More

Christmas Tree Lights and Hummingbird Wings

Last week I mentioned snow, and this week it is here in abundance! I’m ready for pictures of snowmen, gift opening, and trays of treats. This week, I learned to make Christmas tree lights sparkle or blur, for photos by the tree. I can’t wait for my family to arrive – we might have enough snow for sledding! 18 inches When I began this process several weeks ago, I posted two parts (ISO and aperture) of the three-sided “exposure triangle” before moving... Read More

Down home

Remember last week’s post about our miserable portrait studio experience? A couple days later, one of my husband’s coworkers (a photography hobbyist) said she was giving on-location family portraits as her Christmas gift! I’m so excited! A photo makes a great gift – even just a nice snapshot of a favorite person. Last week the kids and I made the ten-hour drive to “Nana and Papa’s farm.” I arrived late at night and slept in the next morning.... Read More

Finding Inspiration

It’s a double-post Wednesday! (White balance below…) This was the week for our family Christmas portrait sessions. I think the receptionist at the budget portrait studio swallowed her gum when I told her we’d be bringing in four children under age four. On the first try, my oldest son hid behind the props and wouldn’t come out. The only picture we have of him from that shoot was one where he was peeking out from behind the child-size sofa. That session... Read More

Dreaming of a White-Balanced Christmas

Last week I experimented with bumping up the ISO in low light, instead of using on-camera flash. Jeff Cowell, photography instructor in Wichita, actually suggests using the on-camera flash, placing a white handkerchief over it to diffuse the light. Fascinating… So last week in a dimly-lit restaurant, I gave it a try. This is the “before,” with on-camera flash uncovered. The washed-out look isn’t bothering me as much as the shadows behind his ears: on-camera... Read More

All I Want for Christmas is a Portrait Lens…

The Trouble with Indoor Shots Many of our family moments happen inside, which makes for a lighting challenge. Typically I set the camera to “auto” and let the flash do its work. Unfortunately, I’m seeing a lot of “washed-out” faces and shadows behind the ears. So I’m trying to turn off the flash and use available light indoors. For proper exposure indoors, I can: 1) use a slower shutter speed, which creates blurry faces; 2) use a higher ISO,... Read More