Photoshop: to use or not to use?

that IS the question! And seriously it's ALL about you! Do you know what I absolutely LOVE about photography? Well you get to find out either way.. Unless of course your really don't and then I would say stop reading. So what I love is this, how incredibly different one souls style is from another. I could have 5 different photographers photograph my family (by the way if you're interested...) and get completely different images from each of them. Thats freaking awesome!And with that thought (and a couple others) I was thinking about photoshop. I know many photographers who use little to know post production processing... I on the other hand am the blazing bold opposite of the spectrum. All though for the record, I would love to do way less as I get way better *blush*. But at the same time -seriously- I love photoshop, on my dessert island CS4 and my MAC are waiting for me right beside my camera and lens (uhh - in an airtight tent that no sand can reach of course)!

To each their own and that is part of the magic of photography. I lived in Hawaii for a few years and in leaving in the last year I have had SEVERAL (as in I think 6 of us at least) have all decided to try going professional. What's so incredible is how very different we each are. It's so inspiring to go see what they are doing. I love it. Each one of us has gone out and found what we love. Photography is art and although it may be an image of someone else it is still our own self expression! And staying true to that is what's really important!

Many of us are new to photography, the idea of calling yourself an artist (if you are anything like me) may make you laugh out loud. And for the moment your work might often be a mimic of someone who inspires you. Thats where we all start and I think to some degree stay. The beauty is that as you continue to practice, practice and practice you begin to get your bearings and you find your own voice and where your passion really lies. I guess someday we each find that we have become an artist. Here's to making your masterpiece!

my current masterpiece.

Tips & Tricks for Photographing Newborns

I thought it could be fun to talk about various types of sessions and the best tips and tricks that I have found, tried, and tested in the field. So to start it out, lets talk about newborns.

THE FIRST 10 DAYS: They say the best time to shoot is in the first 10 days of life! I say there is NO bad time to shoot newborns and I think it's important to let clients know that... Just in case they just happened to get around to calling you on day 11. Why the earlier the better? Because they are still so sleepy and moldable.

I have shot multiple newborn between 2 and 6 days. I have found it very funny that they ALL were wide awake for a big part of the sessions, but in those last 30 minutes when I finally wore them out - each one was definitely moldable! I've started to realize that my best shots always come at the end when baby is finally tuckered out!

DETAILS: When shooting newborn it's so important to be thinking details! Little hands, feet, rolls, eye lashes, hair, feet. The newborn stage disappears all to quickly. Make sure as their photographer of choice that you are helping mom and dad remember it all.

CRANK UP THE HEAT! I always ask mom and dad to turn the heat up, kick on the fireplace and maybe even put a few blankets in the dryer. All the warmth might make me sweat but baby goes right to sleep! I also bring a small heating pad that I can place under the black-drop to help baby get cozy even quicker as I move her around.

PROPS! Props can be SO much fun! But with newborns it's not a necessity. Your very best prop may just be dads hands! When shooting little ones, always try to encourage the parents to let their little one show off her birthday suit. Clothing can look bulky and distracting on infants. Just be aware that little legs are closed. My favorite beanies come Portland Beanie Co.

BACKGROUND! To start I just purchased the cheapest / softest black fabric I could find at Walmart. I think I paid less than $2 per yard. (In post editing using Lolly's blackdrop fix action I blacken out the fabric). I rewash it after each baby and replace it often as most of my babies seem to feel the need to leave behind their mark. It's easy to set up anywhere I go and insures a very classic and non-distracting portrait. Also take a look around their home. Do they have a piano, beautiful hutch or great kitchen table? Use what you see!

MOMS VOICE! Place mom or dad directly behind you if baby is awake and let her talk to her baby. Chances are, baby may just look right toward your camera! If you have an iPhone and need more comfort noise, I downloaded a free app called Waive Crashers (for sleeping) that I turn on and place under the fabric. It's babies own custom white noise!

All images shared are by the incredibly talented Laura Farris who has newborn photography down to a VERY FINE ART!

Announcement Designs for the Savvy Photographer from Shabby Princess!

One great way to market yourself is through announcements! It's an awesome and free way to get your name out to new potential clients. Your client has a baby (or a child graduating or Christmas cards or whatever), they order announcements (I've never had a client of a newborn not!!) and your logo goes out to 25 to 100 or more new potential clients! Pretty great right?! Essentially they pay you to advertise - how sweet is that?!!

There are tons of companies out there that design announcements, and many of them are beautiful!!! When I first started my business I had shopping carts saved at at least 10 design stores and was dying to click 'buy now' on all of them!! I was going to spend more on templates than I did on my camera! And we will talk about all those awesome companies in a later post. But today it's all about DIY! With your own design saved in layers you can make any and all adjustments you want! Plus you can use the kits for your album designs as well!!

Because of the above mentioned, a love for design and the fact that I'm a bit of a control freak I decided I really wanted to make my own! I started looking into digital scrap kits that I could purchase with COMMERCIAL RIGHTS (very important!!) and those can be crazy expensive too! But than I found Shabby Princess and I'm SO excited about what I got!! I purposefully picked sets that could be used for Birth (boy and girl), graduation, Christmas, even Halloween and birthday announcement or invitations.... The above image is of the 4 sets I purchased;organic, yours truly, smarshmallows, the bella collection. They have so many great sets - even as I type this, I'm filling up my basket again!

Below are some announcements that I've created, at least so far. As you can see, very simple and easy! I'm SOOOO excited to start working on my Christmas cards followed by graduation announcements (which all of my seniors are very excited about!).

The holidays are pretty much here for us photographers and we need to start thinking Christmas cards. Take a look at Shabby Princess - fill your cart and start designing today! Send me an email with what you create, I'd love to see!

Senior Open House Announcment

Front

Trifold. Front flap, middle, front

trifold - inside spread

Front

Inside

Front

Inside

little TIP: I'm switching ALL my designs to open card or trifold so that I always have a back to place my logo and website! The back is the perfect spot to place a little feet image so you know people will look at your name! I print all my cards with WHCC on LINEN paper and ALWAYS present them in the premium packaging option from WHCC (as seen below). When we finish a session, I brake out some announcement examples (I've asked each client to send one to me!) so that they can see and FEEL the texture and quality, I always leave with them saying they want some!

Do you need to be technically trained to be a professional photographer?

Ummmm. HUGE NO!! This question has been raised a few times and I wanted to give my 2 pence...

I could spout out way more photographers than I have fingers and toes that do not have any actually training BUT there is a lot to learn!! And just like any other field, you get out of it what you put into it. In other words you don’t need technical training but you do have to KNOW a lot more than something!

So we each have to decide - where do you want to take this? Write it down, make goals and DEVISE A PLAN to make it happen! Do you just want to do this on the side. Take clients when a referral is made and casually bring in a little extra while doing what you love? If thats what you want than that is great for you!!

If you want to be a little bigger here are some questions you might ask?

1. Do you have a figure you would like to earn this year, is it reasonable?

2. Are you technically prepared? If not what do you need so you are?

3. Are you set up on the business side? (having a photography business take a ton more than a camera!)

4. Where do you want to focus? (maybe a demographic)

5. How are you getting your name out there?

6. Where are your strengths and weaknesses?

7. Play up on the weaknesses, how do you need to improve (be very honest) and what are you going to do about it?

8. How can you play up your strengths?

9. Where would you like to see yourself in 1 year (and you can expand out)?

10. Why are you a photographer?

I think we might take each of these questions individually and elaborate. Let me know if thats something you would like to see!

The only PRO in Digital Photography I (please don't tell)

Today is my last day of Digital Photography I. I signed up for the class through a local college to see what more I could learn. As the class wraps up it's time to share some thoughts.

I took the class for 2 simple reasons.

1. I want to be better. I always want to be growing and I mean that in every aspect of my life - not just photography. I read countless books but I'm a visual person (go figure I love photography). I can read and read and it just won't feel solid until I can see. The time requirements were manageable and although I new some of it would probably be beneath my skill level there would be more that I could pick up and use!

2. Cost. I have a very limited budget and although money is coming in from photography it does not currently get to be pored back into the business. For now it must go to my family until my hubby gets the 'Dr.' in front of his name and can take back over. So with a limited budget I would look at workshops offered by Brianna Graham, Amy Wenzel, MiaBella Training by Leah Profancik, Nichole V or Jasmine Star to name just a few and I drool and dream and wish and hop that my fairy godmother will appear and get me one of those magical spots but with my current ledger, I just had to come up with something different. My total for the class and books was $300. I think I can confidently say it was worth the money.

I don't feel like I walked away with this BAM BETTER feeling. (I thing I should just maybe coin that term 'bam batter' or maybe we could nickname it BB - if you think it's as cool as me, you are welcome to intergrade it into your daily conversations too). So, I don't think I am BAM BETTER, but I have subtly improved especially in photoshop. Of course the class was NOT catered to those trying to be professional photographer (and I might add that I kept that a secret), but I did learn something. I think probably going to a workshop would give you that instant BB because it actually is catered to those trying to be pro but for the price and based on the above mentioned I'm glad I did it. In fact, I registered today for my next class, dark room to help me understand the more technical aspect of things.

I enjoyed that it was all about ART! It helped me to enjoy and love THE ART of photography more. It wasn't about getting the pose, the smile, or capturing the dress from grandma for an 8x10 but rather more about capturing ART for the sake of beautiful light and art. These are a few images from my final project that will be gracing my blog come Fall.

Shooting your FIRST Wedding - or mine.

A couple weeks ago, I shot my very fir

st wedding. I was nervous, excited - a whole flood of different emotions as the big day approached. I was probably more butterflies than the bride & groom. You don't get to have a do over if you mess this one up and I *really* wanted to give them images that this couple would treasure forever. I thought some might be interested in what all went in to making this happen...

Here's the story.

I had no intention of doing weddings. None! Then I had someone contact me about shooting her wedding and I said, 'thank you. I'm flattered but no thank you.' She persisted and told me that she new I would do great, I had complete creative freedom and please, please, please, please. Well, I'm a complete sucker for a compliment and so I agreed. That wedding is not till November. Asked to do wedding number 2, they offer to fly my to So Cal to shoot it. I wanted to say yes, you can't imagine how bad I wanted to say yes but they had the budget to hire anyone and I just wasn't sure I could meet their expectations. Wedding number 3. This wedding was a backyard, with a smaller budget and in my opinion the perfect way to start!! So, we agreed on a low price with the understanding that the price reflected my lack of experience and the ball began rolling.

First I sent them an information packet. It included my wedding contract, a check list of favorite shots that I compiled using this as a guide, and a detailed timeline form with address and notes for where I was supposed to be through the day starting at our meet spot, to getting ready, ceremony, reception, etc. Then I checked out ever book from the library, read and studied every wedding photographer I knew and next emailed my seasoned photographer friends for advice.

Now it was time to get a second and I know I may not have needed a second but believe me I NEEDED a second! Just the security of knowing that I had someone to back me up, did wonders for my nerves!!! I found Kelli through The NAPCP (Fellow member - networking is fantabulous), saw her site and shot her an email. I knew it was a long shot that she would be available, interested and willing... but I hit the jackpot Kelli Hodges was all three and so much more!!

After talking via email and our cells, we met the day of at Starbucks. We had an hour to get to know each other and become old friends to be ready for our team effort for the wedding. Well it took less than 5 minutes. That was really risky and probably not the best idea (I happen to have hit the jackpot) but because the wedding was about 3 hours from where I live, it had to be this way. Thank goodness Kelli ROCKS!

Kelli was amazing, she made me look good and I can't tell you how wonderful that was, after all it was a first, I was making a ton of it up as I went. Every time I moved forward, she moved back - I went left and she took right. Kelli was always aware of where I was and adapting to be in just the right spot to compliment my shots (but never in my shots).

So if you can find a second shooter like her, you are made!

We arrived to a full house, everyone was working hard to get the last minute details ready. The bride and groom were getting ready as we had changed plans and were now doing the bridal party shots before the ceremony because of a heat wave. I became really concerned that my poor bride and groom would be completely flushed and sweaty after standing in direct sun for the ceremony and then trying to look fresh and beautiful for portraits. So we tried to keep the bride in AC and then we took off to a garden 20 minutes away for formal/fun shots. You know what they say, 'be as prepared as possible and then be ready when it changes'.

Next point worth talking about is the bride. If your a seasoned pro you might be able to handle

what ever mood your bride might be found in, if not- temperament matters! I know the big day is about the bride and the groom but lets face it, it's the bride's day to have all of her childhood dreams come true. She is who you are working the most closely with. Stress can do mean things to an otherwise happy and in love bride-to-be and I was worried that this might happen to mine. Not at all the case. She was AMAZING! Beautiful in front of the camera, pure fun - full of laughter and joy and stress free. It was very important to me that she feel beautiful, sexy and like an absolute princess on her big day, so I did all I could to accomplish this... Even if that meant applying (myself) my entire tube of Channel Red Lip Stick because hers ran out.

The experience was wonderful and I feel so blessed because of it. I know so many do not get to say that for their first. Once the interest of shooting a wedding sparked, I worked hard to find the right one and I really do think that's crucial for your first! Weddings are not for everyone. You have to take charge, be directive and handle pressure well. But if you love new challenges as I do... Shooting a wedding may just be a natural step forward.

If you have any questions, as always - feel free to email me or leave a comment.

To see more images from the wedding click here and here.

LOGO's for donation - help child cancer research

Please read carefully, as I have made changes to these logo sales!

THE AS IS LOGO SALE!

I have been trying to decide for a while how I wanted to offer out all the logos that I had designed. I've been thinking about it a lot and have finally decided to offer them as a way to raise a little money for child cancer research. So you get a logo and a chance to help save children's lives all in one transaction. I know it's not much, but that truly the beauty of it - when we all do 'not much' we suddenly are doing a whole lot! Each Logo may only be purchased ONE time. After it is purchased you will see the 'closed stamp' over it.

These logos come as is! That means I will send you over the psd file and the font names used and you can go in and change colors, name, etc. to match your business and branding. I know I use to do it for you but I have to find places where I can save myself time!

Things to know:

1. Each logo is only sold once, email me first as I may not have had time to update the closed logos.

2. These are AS IS - you will get the psd file and font name and can make any all revisions yourself.

3. If you are interested in a custom logo - you may email me! A custom logos/watermark is $175. Nost people purchase the Custom Logo and Custom Ultimate Marketign Kit for $400

4. If you have questions email me first!

5. I will try to get you your logo with in 24 hours from the time your paypal is confirmed, please be patient! Remember this isn't my day job (mom) or my second job (photographer) either, it's just a simple idea to make the world a little brighter.

6. Why are they all Leah Remillet? These were all test logos as I designed my own. No need to waste them, so now they are up for adoption.

Where is the PayPal Button? I've decided there is no reason for any money to exchange to me, plus that takes a little away because of PayPal's fees so, once you know the logo you want is available, I will ask you to go to St Jude's to make your donation. Once the donation is made (minimum $35 donation), just email me a copy of your donation receipt and I will send you over a zipped file of your 'as is' logo. 

Animoto Promotion Code

I have mentioned them before but I wanted to share this ANIMOTO VIDEO with you. Animoto is a great little way to add another element to your photography. It has been AWESOME for Seniors, newborns and events (such as a wedding or this reunion.) If you are thinking about ordering the commercial version of Animoto you can use, the promotion code: XORDQHIK and get one free month added to your year membership and give an addition month to my account too (hey thanks for doing that ;).

Here are a few things I'm really excited to use Animoto for...

* Once I launch my Senior side it will open with an Animoto video to give a hip (that word makes me feel old) edgy feel!
* For wedding/Events I can add it into the package to make it FEEL like a better value for the client.
* Using the videos as a monthly promotion, for example - all session scheduled in August get a FREE DVD slide show. (never underestimate the power of the word FREE!)

* If a client has a blog, I can give them an imbedding code to put it on their blog (when they purchase the DVD) and as you will see at the end of the DVD it will than offer a link to take people directly to my site. Great marketing tool!!!

Animoto Video --- PROMOTION CODE: XORDQHIK