Family Portraits in the Cold.....

It was cold outside but this family did brave the elements to get that perfect portrait. Thanks Nikki and her wonderful family. I had a lot of fun capturing your family's personality.

Michelle

Beautiful Shoot Today, BUT......

     I need to write this portrait session down as a lesson's learned....needless to say, I dropped a profoto strobe today while trying to move a light stand. Glass everywhere! UGH! The lesson is to ensure that your assistant does in fact tighten down the bolt to the stand before you pick it up. Oh, and don't pick it up by the light itself. In a rush, trying to get the shot which resulted in an expensive piece of equipment inoperable.

     That said, I did have a backup plan on me while in the field and away from my studio. I typically carry a Canon 580EXII and extra pocket wizards in my bag and immediately pulled those out. I still had one large softbox, but without a strobe to light up the background it just wouldn't be high-key. So......used the speedlight on the background and bounced a white reflector off of it to maintain somewhat of an even background lighting. Used the main large softbox and a silver reflector for the fill. I think I probably would've done it a little different if I wasn't panicked and maybe used the large strobe for the background and the speedlight (580EXII) for the subject. It's something I need to play around with.

So here are the lessons I learned today....

1.  Make sure everything is tied down, taped, sand bagged, and secure prior to starting the shoot. I tend to do this, but when I get in a rush it goes by the way side.

2.  When changing the lighting I need to ensure everyone to take their time, including me.

3.  Don't Panic when something happens....even though that sinking feeling was there.

4.  I learned this while in the Marines and was able to apply it today, but I need to say it over and over. "Adapt and Overcome"

5. Carry backups....I have extra strobes but didn't have them in the field. At the least, I have an extra Sony Flash and a Minolta Flash that I could have synced to strobes easily.

6. But I don't have a lot of the necessary gear to hold my mini-flashes in place and need to really ensure I have to proper grips and connections to function in the field.

I'll let you know what I decide on purchasing as I go forward.

Anyways, these kids were great and I had a lot of fun taking their pictures while outside.

Enjoy!

Michelle

Attention Executives...

I've heard it all....

"I take my own photos using my digital camera."

or

"I want to present myself to my clients on a personable level."
 
and

"I'm not at the point of making that investment."

Really? I realize that there are corners to be cut in an effort to maintain fiscal responsibility, however ladies and gentlemen if you're not presenting yourself with your best foot forward on your printed marketing materials or online within your social networks, it may be an issue. In all seriousness, it seems the economy is starting to move forward and this year may be YOUR year....consider attending to your executive or promotional photography needs.

That said, I enjoyed taking executive portraits for Nikki, a realtor at Long & Foster in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area. After assuring her that although the pose may be uncomfortable, she looked beautiful...her session went very well. Also, if you're interested in selling your home, buying a home, or renting here is her information:

Nikki Kreiner
Licensed Realtor
Long & Foster Realtors
231 Garrisonville Road
Stafford, VA 22554
Phone: 540-659-3453

Again, thanks for all the hard work today Nikki. I had so much fun!

Enjoy!

Michelle

It's Cold Outside...

Did a family photo shoot this past weekend and brrrrr.....it was cold. Very Cold! We managed to get a couple of shots off before we could no longer feel our fingers. What a wonderful family!

Family Portraits in the Park

Catching up and keeping up!!! That is what I seem to be doing lately....What keeps me going is the chance to get out and do what I love which is to photograph families and children. I had a wonderful time photographing a family this past weekend in Great Falls, Virginia. Although it was blustery outside, this family smiled throughout the entire shoot. Even the younger boys! Enjoy the preview....

Long Time - No Hear!

I've been horrible about updating my blog....sorry. Summer was spent taking a good amount of pictures and refining my skills and now busy with the holiday season. Did I mention the busy part already?

This past weekend I had the pleasure of photographing a lovely Arlington, Virginia couple at their beautiful home. They hadn't had a portrait taken in quite a long time and I was more than happy to give them that update and had such a wonderful time in the process.

Thank you to you both.

Michelle

 

Lovely Summer Day and Twin Boys

I love photographing these twins....I have known them since they were newborns and I have loved following them as they get older. Thank you Lucia for giving me the opportunity to photograph these little guys. Sidenote: It's very difficult to photograph two boys outside running in either directions. Must run fast and keep up with them to get any shots....

Thanks again Lucia!

Michelle

My New Logo....

I have been wanting to update my logo for a long time now and I really wanted to do it all by myself. However, with keeping up with just the photo editing and my six kids, I keep coming up with excuses not to get it done. So in between photo editing I am committing myself to working on my website and promotional material. I'll keep posting as I go through this process which I tend to sometimes consider tedious.

Michelle

The Making of a Family Portrait.

Methinks you are my glass, and not my brother:

I see by you I am a sweet-faced youth.

~William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors

I'm so happy that I'm able to watch these little twin boys grow and capture the rapid changes they are making for a lifetime. So often, it's with every effort that you try and get everyone dressed, looking good, only to be frazzled by the time you arrive. That is why I prefer shooting either at the home of the client where there are most comfortable and have everything that they need. Or at my home studio. As a mother of six children, I understand being a mommy and looking and feeling frazzled. That said, I also offer a "Mommy Clause" on all scheduled appointments that allow for reschedule if the child ended up with the biggest black eye the night before, caught the flu, or is just feeling downright cranky. I understand!

There are four generations and two of their au pairs represented within the images and with honor I'd like to present the preview images of this lovely family.

Photographer Notes: For a majority of the images I used the Backdrop-Alley Velour Classic Portrait Photo Backdrop - 58x120" - Black which I purchased from B&H for $46.95. It's large enough to use for a couple if you're photographing them from the waist up. It does have some length on the floor to use with young children. However, you'd have to be on the ground to get a seamless look. I also use ProFoto Speedlights with at least one large softbox and silver reflectors for fill. Also, with a group this large...a good night sleep is imperative. It's exhaustive and also results in a lot of time spent with the computer.

Until next time....

Michelle

A Star is Born...

To see a newborn is to forget our own egos,

to realize how little we do to affect the mystery of creation.

~ Samuels

I had the opportunity to photograph this little angel last evening. She was so great to photograph with both her mommy and her daddy. I'm looking forward to continuing to capture her growth throughout the next year.

Photographer Tips: It is difficult to photograph infants that are between 6 weeks and 16 weeks. As the photographer you may be interrupting the infant's sleep schedule, feeding schedule, and they aren't able to sit up yet nor are they sleeping through the photo shoot like early newborns do. However, if up to the challenge, these images can be a treasure to the parents. I would recommend having several blankets on hand and a boppy to help the baby prop up better and fake the tummy pose. Then be patient and wait for that moment when they stick their head up for that millisecond and hit the shutter. I typically use two softboxes and two more strobes to light the background if I'm doing a high key portrait. However, if I'm going to a client's home, I only typically bring one large softbox, a low key background, and some scrims or reflectors.