Magic Words

I know I don't post on here often but here is a little nugget for today.  I often read this blog as she is a photographer and psychologist.  I think her words from today are beneficial for many circumstances!

You can access it here.

The Red Wall

As I'm editing wedding photos, I just came across one simple tip.  Try not to have someone facing a red wall/train/shirt...it causes their face to be red.  Yes, you can edit it out but it's a lot easier to just not deal with it.  They can have their back to it no problem, it's when they are facing it as you can see in Derek's face on the left.  The orange/red train makes his face a lot more red than it would be naturally. 

                               {Left side: unedited}                                            {Right side: edited out red face}

Business Email Address

My one piece of advice is to make sure your business email isn't tied to your internet provider in case you want to change it one day down the line!  Not sure what we were thinking but the whole time we have been tied to Shaw for our email address and although we can forward it to another account, there is a monthly fee.  All of our client base, business cards etc have our shaw email and home phone.  Knowing what we know now, we would've chosen a different email address (hotmail, gmail, anything!).  Just something to think about.

Nine Ways To Keep Photography Fun

I find with any job, things can get a bit monotonous.  It's hard to stay excited about something that you do every day.  Yes, you might be photographing a new family but it's still a family.  With the same combos.  Look at me, look at each other, group hug, swing baby in the middle, walk towards me... Maybe you've been to a location about one hundred times.  Let's go to the barn, now the pond, now the field....

 

What are eight ways to keep photography interesting and fun?

1.  New locations.  This is trickier because you may not know the light there but just check it out during a time that you would actually shoot to see where there is good back lighting, shade, fun aspects of that location etc.

2.  Say `no' to sessions that you know are not your thing.  At the beginning we said `yes' to everything/everyone.  We were still trying to figure out what our niche was and what we loved.  Now I know I'm not into certain types of sessions and won't do them anymore.  They end up being more work than fun and I don't want to dread what I do.  One thing that I have phased out is extended family sessions.  Although they can be great, I find they are not my thing and I had my last one this week.  I wish I had done this much earlier!

3.  Try new things.   I am completely booked for the year but a friend approached me about doing just a mini session of breastfeeding photos for her as this is likely her last child.  Different and unique and new.  Perfect.  I'll do it!

4.  Short and sweet.  So, I don't know if this is a good idea business wise but it's been good for me mentally.  I have started offering mini family sessions.  Twenty minutes.  It prevents me from dragging out a session and usually the kids are happiest for that amount of time.  The downfall is that it generally goes a bit longer than it's supposed to.  It is less money but it's also less work :)  For me right now, it's been good.  If I were to recommend something here, I would say to charge more than I did.  If a full session is $250 for an hour, I'd say $175 for a mini.

5.  Know your limits, stay within it :)  Although I could be working twice as much I've learned to say no.  One session per week is a good amount for my family/life balance right now.   If Gary is home, I sometimes take on more and that has worked well.  

6.  Take a break!  For the past two years, I have taken one full month off.  True, there are still emails to answer but it has been good for me to help me look forward to getting back at it.

7. Put a limit on your volunteering or change the way you volunteer.  We are part of two communities that require a lot of volunteering.  We have contributed many hours to each with our photography skills.  We are now stepping back from several of these tasks so that we can contribute in other ways.  Sometimes it's nice to give in a way that isn't your job you know?  

8. Don't compare.  Whether you mean to or not, there are a lot things out there that can make you feel like you suck at your job.  Following other photographers on facebook. Pinterest.  Overall, these sites are good but you need to be careful.  Moderation is key.  Be inspired but don't compare.

9.  Be YOU: Too often I ask the client exactly what they are looking for and focus on that.  I think that sometimes they might not be aware of the possibilities and I should just do my thing (along with their suggestions).  My favourite weddings are when the couple says, `We trust you, we love your work, do YOUR thing!'. 

I'm sure I missed a few things.  Do you have anything else to add?

Making the Switch

Yikes, 5 months since my last post?  Must've been busy with 2 other blogs and 3 kids:)

I have recently connected with a few women who have decided to start a photography business.  I think it's fantastic.  You would think that it was such a super saturated market but it's not that bad.  So many more families are hiring photographers for their family, maternity and newborn photos.  Here are a few things I would suggest when moving from the `shooting for fun' to `starting a business' stage.  I would've done more of this before actually starting our business.

This does not include the actual setting up of the business which can be found here.

1.  Know your camera.   Be able to shoot confidently in AV or M.  This means you are confident changing your aperture, ISO and/or shutter speed.

2.  Practice, practice, practice.  Shoot every day.  Edit your favourite photos of the day.  If you are not motivated to do this, then, um, maybe you shouldn't be a photographer:)   You need the passion and love for it or you will burn out quickly.
  
3.  Talk to a professional photographer that you know.  Ask for feedback on your website or your work.  Don't bug them too much but a couple of questions is totally acceptable:)

4.  Shoot in RAW and have a good editing program to edit it.  I love Lightroom.  Shooting in RAW is the greatest switch we ever made.  You have so much control over your white balance and exposure.
 
5.  Don't spend too much money/time on getting props.  Spend your time practising and working in different light/locations/situations.  Over time you will see what props would actually be useful.   We do mostly wedding and family photography so why would I want to continue to invest in newborn photography if I only have 5 newborn sessions a year?  Although, I recently had a baby girl so we may just have a few more baby girl props that I find pretty adorable!!

6.  Have someone to bounce ideas off of.  Thankfully, my husband Gary is my photography partner.  Therefore, we discuss almost every purchase before we make it.  Don't make any impulsive decisions in regards to your business name, purchases, doing sessions you don't feel confident about or interested in etc.

7.  Make sure clients have seen your work so they know what they are getting.  When we started we were not great.  However, people could see what our work was like and we charged accordingly.

I'm sure there are a few things I have forgotten but these are just a few that come to mind.

Get out there and take some pictures.  In RAW.  And edit them.  And post them.

Love, Louise

Keeping Your Laptop Cool

I do 75% of my editing in Lightroom. It can get pretty slow if you don't have a lot of space or if your fan can't keep up in this hot weather (my computer even shut down a few times in the heat while editing away). After having the fan cleaned, I bought this Notebook Cooler that goes under the laptop and it has made such a difference! It was just $30 US and with shipping came to about $50. Totally worth it! The fan even cools me as I'm working:)

10 Tips For Photographing Your Newborn

I will say right away that I am not a newborn photography expert. I generally do more lifestyle type photos with mom and dad interacting with the baby. Let's say you don't want to hire someone for a newborn session but you still want some good photos of your baby, here are just a few simple tips to use in your own in your home:

1. You do not need any fancy studio lights or flashes. I just had her lying on a couch in front of our big living room window.

2. Use blankets as a backdrop that are lighter or neutral in colour. If you use brighter colours, it really can make the skin tone a lot more difficult to edit. Babies are often really pink or yellow or orange as it is:) Have the blanket go up over the couch or if on another surface, have it pinned to a couple of chairs behind the baby. You don't want anything other than the blanket as the backdrop or it's distracting.

3. Make sure baby is safe. This it THE most important thing. When you see shots of babies hanging from branches or having their heads rested in their hands, there is some photoshop going on. Hands are supporting the baby. Do not attempt anything unsafe. Ever. I don't do these shots because I'm not trained in them. Never leave baby unattended. Even a baby that has never rolled before, can roll at that moment.

4. The best time to do photos is after the baby has had a good feed. If you try to do it while they are still hungry, you'll get a lot of funny faces and their hands in their mouth:)

5. To keep baby happy, have the room nice and warm (crank the heaters!) and white noise is always good too.

6. Tuck in hands and feet. When they are splayed everywhere, the baby looks really uncomfortable. It's good to hold their body all nice and tucked in with a blanket and wait for the baby to get comfortable in that pose and then slowly remove the blanket. It takes patience!! Put hands under the head to hold it up off of the blanket.

7. If you have toddlers running around, want that `perfect' newborn shot, want to be in the shot, or are too exhausted to even think of taking photos, you can always hire someone too!

8. You can have them naked (beware and be prepared for a mess!) or use a diaper cover. Cloth diapers can be fine but I think that the look of a disposable diaper takes away from the photo.

9. The best time to do newborn photos would be in the first 10 days or so. The photos above were done on day 4.

10. Take photos. No matter what they look like, just take them. They are only little once and they grow so, so quickly. You don't want to forget their newborn hair, their hands, their feet etc. My baby is already 1 week old and I feel like she's getting too big already:)

Wedding Day Timeline

One thing that I find really makes me feel confident on the wedding day is having a detailed timeline in place. I usually go over the general timeline with the couple when I talk to them at the engagement session so that they know how to time their ceremony and reception appropriately. Most people have never thought about how much time is needed for everything and how the day really works. You can't be shooting family photos in the dark and expect them to be good. You also don't want to be with the bride from the moment she wakes up as that would be the longest day in the world:)

I'm sure every wedding photographer is a bit different but this is what our day generally looks like:

1. Bride getting ready photos (1.5 hours)

-usually I come towards the end of the hair and makeup and also get shots of all of the details and just the bridesmaids doing their thing. The bride getting into the dress, putting on jewelry etc is always key!

2. Guys getting ready photos (0.5 hours)

-guys really don't take much time getting ready, just getting their suits on and at the church/ceremony location you can get the boutonniere shots.

3. Ceremony (1.5 hours)

-a ceremony isn't 1.5 hours long but we get there early to make sure we've got our lighting figured out and get the shots of the ushers/guest book attendees, details etc. Also, there is generally a receiving line afterwards and some of those first few in the receiving line provide great shots.

4. Portraits (1.5 hours)

-we set aside 1.5 hours for photos of the wedding party and the couple. This does not include driving time. We usually recommend just one location with some diversity. Also, it's important to have snacks and water along. This sounds silly but a bride who has been nervous all morning often forgets to take care of herself this way:) Also, it is important that everyone knows where they are going and how to get there etc! These photos can always be done before the ceremony too but then I think it's good to have 10 minutes set aside for the `First Look'. This is definitely the most tiring part of the day as your mind is constantly observing everything and you need to be very efficient.

5. Family photos (20 minutes)

-this is usually best either right after the ceremony or right before the reception. I don't usually love doing it right after the ceremony at the ceremony location as there are generally 20 other cameras around. A list is important here as some people just want immediate family and others want every uncle, aunt and cousin etc. Good to know how much time to set aside here. Also, so important for all family to know exactly where to go and when to be there.

6. Reception (3-4 hours)

-Gary does this portion and gets the details, speeches, first dance, garter and bouquet toss, cutting the cake etc.

I believe in making sure the day runs smoothly as much as in your control. You don't want your couple showing up late to the ceremony or reception because of you! You also don't want to tire out the entire wedding party just because you want to try one more location. Some wedding couples are good with less photos and others could keep going longer...you need to make sure you are getting feedback from them.

Have a wonderful week!

Love, Louise

Shtuff People Say To Photographers

Here is something I saw today on you tube called `Shtuff People Say To Photographers'. It made me laugh:)

To me, the most common thing I hear is `You'll just photoshop that out right?' Yes, one magical click and you will have no zits, wrinkles, and you'll lose 20lbs. No problem.

Shooting in Low Light Without Flash

This past weekend we photographed a wedding at this gorgeous church; Canadian Memorial Church.

There was not a lot of light inside and they have a `no flash' rule. So, what did we do?

1. Arrive early. We were able to walk around and test the light available in various parts of the church. We tried out several options to see what would work best during the ceremony.

2. One of the options that worked was having the 70-200mm lens set up on a tripod in the back of the church. This shot, above, was taken at just 1/13th shutter speed (ISO 1000 f/2.8). Hand held, I always like my shutter speed above 1/80th. Just my preference:)

3. What worked best? Our prime lenses! I was able to shoot the wedding using the 85mm f/1.8 and I wasn't sad at all that I couldn't use my external flash to bounce in some light. Gary used the 50mm f/1.4.

Another option that we did have along was the monopod (provides stability for the lower shutter speeds) but it does make it tough to move around and get the shots you want/need.

Overall, such a gorgeous church for a wedding ceremony and I'm thankful for a variety of lenses!

3 Tips for Pregnant Photographers

Being that I'm 6 months pregnant, I've had to make a few adaptations to how I do things photography wise. Here are three tips:

1. I realized when shooting a wedding last weekend that baby does not like a huge camera (with battery pack) resting on her head. I switched to our Black Rapid shoulder strap and all was well. As a side note, Gary uses two shoulder straps during receptions so both cameras are ready to go, and seriously, it's really comfortable. The only time I do not like using the dual straps with two cameras is when I'm low down to the ground a lot because a camera gets bumped around. Although, being pretty big right now, there's not a whole lot of crouching down going on.

{Photo taken from Teamworkphoto.com}

2. When editing, it can be really hard on your body/belly/butt to sit at a chair. I use an exercise ball. So much better!

3. How much to work when pregnant? I've realized that it is best to book about 25-50% of what you normally would. Baby and momma come first:) First trimester you often feel sick, second you could be dealing with some lovely sciatica, and third? Well, bring on the fatigue. You don't want to be working hard with a `baby brain' (you know, when you're really forgetful and your brain is functioning at about 75% or less):) Better to do less but put a more effort/energy into those sessions. Also, holding the equipment and getting into your regular positions (climbing, squatting etc) is a lot harder on your body and can leave you feeling sore for a whole lot longer. Take care of yourself!

Just my thoughts:) Now we'll have to wait a few more months and see what I have to say about how much to work with a newborn! I am taking one month off of everything and then in the second month I will be doing some editing (Gary will do 2 weddings with another second shooter) and then in month 3, I should be back at it. That's the plan, we'll see how it goes!

Shooting in the Cold

Here's a great accessory for taking photos in the cold; Lululemon gloves. The tips of the pointer finger and thumb can be easily slipped over your fingers which allow you to turn knobs yet keep your hands from freezing. I love them! I think they are actually meant to control your iPod but it works wonderfully with your camera too!

{The other thing to remember when shooting in the cold is that your battery will drain way faster! When I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, I hiked with my camera batteries tucked under almost all of my clothes.}

What Do You Shoot In?

This poll was taken from Digital Photography School with over 72,000 people (mostly photographers, I'm assuming) participating. I personally shoot Aperture Priority (AV on your dial) all the time except when doing studio stuff, then I use Manual. If you have a DSLR and haven't made your way out of automatic, I really, really encourage you to. Learn about what aperture, ISO, and shutter speed mean, and how to adjust them, and you can make the most out of any lighting situation.

Up To Me

I've been reading the magazine/book `Exposed' by Jasmine Star over the holidays (thank you to my sister for getting it for me!). Jasmine is a well known wedding photographer and her magazine shows how she started and where is now. I think if you want to be a wedding photographer, it is a great resource. Photography is her life and it's definitely not mine, so we are different, but, it gives some great ideas of what to do and not do. I'm about halfway through but something I read yesterday really stuck with me.

When I come back from a session, my feelings are always different. Sometimes I'm like `That was so fun! I loved it!' but other times, well, I feel like, `That wasn't fun. That was a job'. Trying to differentiate between what makes one session fun and the other not so great, I can't tell you exactly what it is. I love it when the family/couple/kids have put time into their outfits. When they choose a fun location. When the lighting is good. When there are just great interactions between the individuals. When people feel comfortable and are willing to do anything. When people WANT to be there. Sometimes it's so `on' and other times, it's not.

Here is something she says, `If you're feeling unsatisfied with your photos, it's your fault. If your clients look awkward in their photos, it's your fault. If you feel stuck, that's also your fault.' (Exposed, pg. 116). If someone isn't comfortable, it's my job to loosen them up. Most people haven't had a photo session before, it's my job to explain it to them, have a vision (which coincides with their goals), and have fun with it.

I think I often worry about making sure I get what the client thinks they want that I put aside my ideas. I remember just a few months back, I was taking some pictures of sweet little Claire. About half way through, her mom, Estelle, said `What inspires you? What do you love to do?'. What do I love? I love taking pictures of kids with some awesome lighting. So, that's what we did and I loved those photos.

I need to trust myself more. Encourage clients to loosen up a bit more and try just a few more things. I need to get inspired by introducing new ideas. And, I do need to work on capturing more `moments' rather than set up smiles:)

I'm looking forward to 2012. Our plan is not to grow our business in the numerical sense, but to do what we do even better. I want to try new things and just produce images that I can be super proud of. I want to make sure that I incorporate what I want to do into each session and not just give what I think the client wants. Hopefully that way, there is a lot more, `That was so fun! I loved it!' going on.

Booking Ahead

It's hard to know how far ahead to accept bookings but I think I'm getting the hang of it:) The reason you don't want to book too far ahead is because you don't know what your personal plans will be, you might realize that 22 weddings in one year is too much on top of all those other sessions, AND maybe you'll realize that certain sessions, like extended family sessions, are just not your thing but you have 10 more booked.

So, we usually open bookings for the following year in January. Then, I accept bookings up to about 6 months in advance. I do try to have a back up date also scheduled in just in case the weather is terrible or something comes up.

In regards to weddings, they are usually about a year in advance. The problem with any more than that is you really don't know what life will hold for you (for example, we are having a baby!). It is in our contract that if one of us is unable to photograph the wedding, a second photographer will be available in their place. We are having to do this for 2 weddings next year as we'll have a newborn babe. Also, when I quote a price to a bride, it's a year before her wedding and when the big day actually comes, our prices have been raised so we are losing out on money. This is especially the case when they book more than a year in advance.

I have realized the importance of scheduling family vacation time way in advance so that you have time set aside just for family and nothing else. For us, Christmas holidays, Spring Break and 2-3 weeks in the summer is ideal. Also, this is a good time to rejuvenate and reflect on what you really do enjoy and what is more just `work'. When our kids are a bit older, I have a feeling that we will move away from summer weddings so that we have the whole summer to go on long road trips with the family:)

So, that is where I am now. I'm at the tail end of all the fall sessions with really just two more sessions to do this year and four to finish editing. Things will definitely be a lot different next year as we have only accepted 8 weddings. This will give us more time to focus on our baby and try to find the perfect balance between wedding, family, maternity and newborn photography.

If you have any more booking tips, please let me know!

Unplugged Wedding?

I know, I keep cheating by just posting links here but ya, I'm a little tired these days:) Anyway, this is a great article. It is unbelievable to me how many people spend time staring into their LCD screens rather than actually savouring the moment. What the heck are you going to do with all those photos you took at a ceremony as a guest?

Here it is.

Fall Photo Inspiration

I do love checking out Inspire Me Baby for different session ideas. Check out this cute fall themed session which I thought she captured so well!

How To Get Great Backlighting

I'm still relatively new to backlit photos but I LOVE them for their super warm feel and the lack of shadows and squinting. Hopefully we get a few more sunny days in the fall, I think it would look so fabulous with all the fall colours! Here are a few tips:

1. Have the sun lower in the sky (maybe an hour before sunset).

2. It is best if the sun is filtered through some trees or have part of the subject filtering the light. You don't want to be in total shade from the trees though, the light must be filtering through!

3. If you want a super sun flare look, put your aperture at about f/14 to f/22 (shoot in AV mode). If you don't want sunflare, use a lens hood:)

4. If your subject is looking darker, overexpose the photo a stop.

Here's hoping for some more sunshine:)

Love, Louise

10 Tips for Height Differences

Last weekend I had a session where the couple differed in height by over a foot. What are some things to remember in this case?

1. If you are photographing someone tall, it's often better to try to get a bit higher than them...especially if you are just 5'6":)

2. Have the couple sitting. This helps to equalize things a bit and get their heads closer together naturally.

3. Make sure that when looking up at the taller individual, that the shorter one does it more with their eyes rather than their whole head. Otherwise, there will be a lot of shots of just pure neck.

4. Instead of just `regular' kissing, a kiss on the forehead is cute:)

5. Have the shorter person walk in front and lead the other.

6. Find natural spots where there is a height differential and use it (stairs, sidewalk and curb, roots next to the tree etc). Did I mention stairs???

7. Tilting the camera for an angled shot.

8. Picking the other person up!

9. Stagger them.

10. Finally, heels.

Let me know if you think of something else!

Kid Tips

Being that I do lot of family sessions, there are a bunch of things to help make it easier on kids (and parents and you!).

First off, I have no problem with parents bribing their kids:) Secondly, if they are young, I will forego the most important time for lighting and instead, use a time where the kiddos are better behaved (ex. not around nap time!).

Here are some other ways to get kids to love you/the camera:

1. Get to know their name right away.

2. Let them know they will do a few smiley faces and then they get to do their silliest faces! And be prepared, after the funny face often comes the most sincere smiles!

3. Let them see their photos after you take a bunch.

4. Find out what they love and get them to shout that out or you can make the sound. I have choo chooed and barked and neighed and who knows what else. A lot of little ones love singing. I have the WORST voice in the world but somehow, `Happy birthday' can do that trick without sounding too terrible! Make sure the parents don't sing along if they are in the photos.

5. If they are not wanting to look at the camera, just get some candids following them around. Or, get them interacting with mom and dad...those are the best smiles!

6. Let them choose the spot they want their photo taken at, sometimes they pick really good ones!

{Noah picked this great spot!}

There's are just a few off the top of my head. Do you have any others?