… hold on a minute while I go and find a soap box….

Okay, I found one and I am currently standing on it.  I hate to be the one to break it to you, but cameras do not take good pictures. People do. Wait, before you close this page… I’m not trying to drum up business here!!!!  I’m not just talking about professional photographers- anyone can take a good picture as long as you understand the basics of photography and how to make the most of your camera. Buying a fancy camera does not mean you will suddenly be able to take good pictures; just as buying an expensive pan does not mean you will suddenly be able to cook amazing meals. A camera is a tool and it is all about how you use it. Now “how to make the most of your camera” will be a whole ‘nother blog post…. so for now, let’s pretend you still want a new camera.

My recommendations:

DSLR: If money is not an object then you cannot beat the picture quality and options that a lower level DSLR can get you. DSLR= digital single lens reflex- these cameras use a mirror and a prism to direct light to an optical view finder on the back of the camera.  The Nikon D5100 and the Canon Rebel t3i are both awesome cameras. For ~$800 out the door with a mid range lens and some accessories, it’s expensive, but a well worth it splurge.

pros: Huge variety of lenses, lots of different modes for shooting in, no shutter lag time, great picture quality

cons: They are expensive and they are HUGE. Take the body and add a zoom lens, and well… it’s not a camera you will be throwing into your purse. A solution- a mirrorless DSLR

Mirrorless (or compact DSLR): Fairly new on the market, these cameras offer most of the options that a full sized DSLR can offer, but at a much smaller size. I actually just bought one of these for my husband. We were frustrated with the picture quality on our old point and shoot, but we find my work camera to be impractical in many situations. Though, at $550 or more for a camera and lens, these are still not cheap.

pros: nice variety of lenses, smaller in size than a regular DSLR… still not going to fit in your packet, but will fit into a purse perfectly!

cons: lenses can be pricy (I’m hoping that as these cameras gain popularity, that lens prices will come down), camera itself is still not cheap.

Point and Shoots: The last option (besides your cell phone) are the point and shoot cameras. These cameras have a HUGE range in price depending on options, fancy words like Mega Pixels, and other bells and whistles. So where to start. First of all- do not get stuck on mega pixels. Just because a camera has more mega pixels (AKA higher resolution) does NOT mean it will take better pictures!!! Plus- very few people besides photographers need a camera above 10-12 MP… do you really need to be able to print a photograph the size of a billboard? I didn’t think so. First thing to look at is options- I’m not talking red eye reduction or shooting “styles”, I’m talking  options for YOU to be able to control your camera. Can you turn the flash off? Can you control the exposure?

Here, for example is the first digital camera that I ever bought. while I still had my trusty 35mm,  it was the early 2ooos and EVERYBODY had one. We went with a middle of the road (not too cheap, but not too expensive) camera.It was a 4MP no bells, no whistles camera… but I could control the exposure and I could turn off the flash. It was a great camera if you wanted to capture things that stood still… LOL. Like many digital point and shoot cameras of the day- it had horrible shutter lag (you know… pressing the button when Johnny is smiling cute, only to capture him picking his nose two minutes later).  But, even with that, I was still able to get some pretty darn good shots!

Now, what point and shoot should you buy? Well, you really do get what you pay for! In my opinion, there are no “cheap” cameras that are worth buying- your cell phone can take better shots than most of the lower priced cameras. What I recommend, is looking for a camera that give you:

• a higher optical zoom (the farther you can zoom optically, the better the quality the image will be…) digital zoom= loss of resolution
• an image stabilizer (helps to reduce blurry pictures)
• a lens with a wide aperture (f/2.0 or 2.8) this gives you the ability to have good “bokeh”… photographer speak for a nice sharp subject and a pleasingly blurry background)
• continuous shooting options (so you can take a bunch of pictures in a row without a lag)
• the ability to control the exposure (manual mode, shutter priority or aperture priority modes)… not so important if you never plan on taking it out of auto mode, but I really recommend you do!!!!
• the ability to turn off the flash (a camera’s on board flash ruins pictures!)

here’s a link to the current top 5 digital point and shoot cameras- Top 5 Point and Shoot Cameras

Overall, no matter what camera you decide on- I encourage you to

a.) read the manual over and over… you cannot expect to take beautiful pictures if you are not familiar with your equipment.

b.) experiment, experiment, experiment… practice makes perfect! Try it in low light, in bright sun, experiment with the settings.

c.) keep an eye on my blog for a post on “how to get the most out of your camera”.

When: This Sunday (the 29th) morning and afternoon times still open!

Where: The studio

What’s the deal? $200 for a 10-15 minute mini session with a Valentine’s theme- includes a $150 print credit or ~5 digital files. Props for boys and girls will be available! Valentine themed or red/ pink colored clothing recommended! Perfect for Valentine cards or treat bag toppers!

These two brought back memories for me, as my two girls are the same distance apart in age. Mom and Dad are doing an amazing job of juggling a just barely toddler and a newborn!

We started off with Big sis…

Then we moved onto Miss O. I even got to use some of my new props… she modeled them PERFECTLY!!

It was awesome to see you guys again! Congratulations and enjoy your girlies!!!

First, I download the images from my memory card on to my computer. Then when I find some time to sit down (not easy with a VERY demanding 14 month old who DOES NOT approve of computer use), I do an initial sort of the pictures. I erase any shots that have motion blur (when you are chasing kids… this is inevitable!). I remove shots that have closed eyes or nose picking (you didn’t REALLY want to see those ones- did you???). I erase shots that are just not flattering and I erase duplicate shots (I tend to take 3 or 4 at any pose just to make sure we have one without nose picking and blinking…).

Next, I open a group of files in photoshop. I look at each shot individually and decide what I need to do to make them ready for printing. My goal is to have beautiful, perfectly exposed images straight out of my camera… but let’s face it- when you are dealing with kids there are bound to be flaws! Here are some examples of what I do-

• I straighten tilted shots (which tends to be most… I need a camera with a laser level attachment… LOL). Or I tilt shots that need a little artistic flair.

• I crop each shot for a pleasing composition.

• I remove boogers, pimples, drool, etc.

• I brighten where needed.

• I fix color casts caused by the sun/ shade, etc.

• I add some pop to the color if needed.

• I remove distracting items from the shot (trash cans, birds, some guy who decided to walk into the shot at a really bad moment…).

• I filter shots with too much grain to them.

• I convert some of the shots to black and white and add artistic touches (such as texture) to others.

These edits can take anywhere from 2 minutes to 10 or more minutes per shot depending on the amount of boogers, drool, hair, color casts, background flaws…

After this, I save the now fabulously edited files in a new folder.

Once all of the edits are complete, I prepare them for you gallery. This includes resizing and watermarking. I then make a new gallery and upload the files to my website.

Whew… So you see… there is a lot more to professional digital photography than picking up the camera and pressing the shutter button.

…and because I cannot bring myself to have a blog post without photos… here is a sample of what a little photoshop magic can do-

Here is a shot from my ill fated session with my own kids (if you have not read the blog post about this experience, here’s the link- http://lindseyqphotography.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/mine-the-truth-about-photographing-my-own-children/). So as you remember, I had lost all light and was working with grumpy subjects- which makes for a few less than ideal shooting conditions.  1.) Low light leads to a “cool” tone to photographs and more grain. 2.) I was in a hurry, and so I did not concentrate on composition. 3.) Giving a baby candy = drool.

So here is what photographers refer to as SOOC (or “straight out on the camera”)-

It is too cool, and slightly grainy. There is dirt on his face, snot in his nose and drool on his sweatshirt.

and here is it after cropping, filtering for grain, warming up (a bunch), popping the color a bit and removing the “imperfections”…

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150599743213455&set=a.408073678454.202576.300593373454&type=1&theater

1. Do: Be yourself. If you are comfortable in what you are wearing, it will show. If you are uncomfortable, that will show, too! If you are a casual family, then dress casual. If your husband is never seen without a tie, then he should wear one! If your daughter has a favorite dress… work around it! Your photographs are a representation of who your family is right now.

2. Don’t: MATCH! You don’t go to the mall all dressed the same… so why do that in a photograph? It is most pleasing to the eye when people coordinate, but don’t match.

3. Don’t: Wear white. Bright white is not a flattering color for most people. It can look harsh and cause people to look washed out. Not to mention, it gets dirty easily! LOL Creams, and off-whites as an accent are fine.

4. Do: Dress around your decor. I recommend looking around your house and deciding where these pictures will hang and then planning a color scheme that will compliment your style. If you have earth-tone decor, then the hot pink dress you bought for the baby might not look so great!

5. Do: Pay attention to your shoes! Shoes can make or break a photograph. Sneakers are a big no, no. As is anything brightly colored (unless that matches your style). Nothing is worse than a gorgeous photo of your beautiful family with your son’s Spiderman sneakers stealing the lime light. Neutral colored shoes are the best. Or no shoes at all- especially for kids. Often, if a child is being held or sitting we will see the bottom of the shoes- feet are MUCH cuter!

6. Don’t: Wear clothes with text or giant logos. Cute sayings have their place. I love a “my Dad rocks” shirt or “lock up your daughters” but not for family or group shots.

7. Don’t: Be afraid of color. I love color. Pops of bright colors can accent a photograph fabulously!

8. Don’t: Go crazy with patterns. One or two patterns in a group is fine, but much more than that can be distracting.

9. Do: Plan ahead! Planning takes time and effort. I recommend getting ideas on-line and then laying the ensembles out on a bed to make sure they look good. Also- be sure to try everything on before the session. Nothing is worse than finding out 20 minutes before your session that your daughter’s sweater is too big!

10. Don’t: Spend a lot of $. You do not need expensive clothes! Clothes from target, Old Navy and Gap work just as well as those from Nordstrom. In fact, you probably have some basic items in your drawers right now that will make a great start. Add in a new sweater or scarf and voila! The perfect outfit is made!

All these Do’s and Don’ts and you still don’t have any ideas? Don’t worry! Over the next few weeks I will be adding in some specific examples of outfits that work well.

We’ll start with my family…

I spent a few days… okay weeks researching, planning and shopping… I saw a cute dress and skirt at Target and based the rest of our outfits on those. Here’s what I came up with-

and here’s the final product:

Photo courtesy of my very talented friend, Christie Hobson of www.christiehobson.com .

Anyway… with the first sessions of the New Year coming soon, I decided that it was time again to pick up my camera. So I asked my sweet children bribed my kids with candy and money to be my models and skipped out to my new favorite location hauling along with us, my trusty brown chair and my favorite photographer’s assistant reluctant husband. The mom in me knows that it is usually best to avoid taking your children anywhere during what should be your 1 year old’s nap time, but the photographer in me saw the beautiful and quickly fading light and decided to forge ahead. We get to the location and I place the chair in a perfect spot and ask my sweet little angels to pose for me. eh.. well, two out of three looking at the camera and smiling will have to do because shortly after this, the baby decided that he was done posing with his sisters and launched himself off of the chair (head first). So I spent the next beautiful hour following my angel around as he explored the natural world frantic five minutes trying to shoot pictures of my 14 month old as he attempted to climb and then fall off a rock, fell head first into a bramble bush and picked up some unknown item from the ground (I think it was alive, once).

Then the sun disappeared and I was left with three cranky kids (the older two had found a snake skin and had become terrified the snakes were going to jump out of holes and attack them, despite many reassurances that it was too cold for snakes) and very little light. But the photographer in me, trudged on, refusing to give up and knowing that the perfect shot was going to present itself at any time.  But the stubborn red head in me refused to give up, knowing that I had hauled all of my stuff out there and that my kids and my husband were unlikely to do this again anytime soon. So I pulled out the candy- yes, I gave my baby Smarties… how else was I going to get the crazy kid to sit still AND leave his hat on???- and continued. Amazingly enough, out of about 25 shots (most of which involved him falling off of the chair with candy drooling from his mouth) I was able to get this-

After this I figured I got at least one decent shot and I should give up and move on to the two older kids who understand their momma’s mission and are the perfect models are old enough to be threatened into sitting still. Although as most parents have experienced- though you can threaten your children into doing something- it does not mean that they will enjoy it.

Back to the bribery we went…

and after a little discussion amongst themselves… they decided to take pitty on me and offer up a smile or two-

So making a short story long.. next time you see the beautiful shots up on my walls, know that it came only after much sweat, tears, pain and bribery.

This session was the last session of the holiday season and what a way to end! We met at a gorgeous location on a gorgeous, unseasonably warm day… and the combination of that plus two gorgeous girls was, well… breathtaking!

some of my favorite shots are the ones at the ends of the session when we are no longer worried about getting perfect poses, or dresses getting dirty, or flyway hair and kids can just be kids…

S family- it was great to meet you! Enjoy!