12-20, Goofy Teen

I don't know what other photographers do in their spare time, but I torture my kids with endless light tests.  "Just come in the studio for a minute.  I want to check something....."  Yep, I know why they roll their eyes though, my "one minute" is a flat-out lie.  The day I go to the studio to experiment and it literally takes one minute will be the day I hang up my camera and call it quits.  But in all fairness, they torture me equally in return.  What do I get in response to my request?  A photo series such as this......

...... until I get that one keeper, the one that melts this mama's heart.....

These kids will never, as adults, claim their childhood went undocumented!

12-10, Hudson's 6-Month Session

It had only been two months since I'd done the sibling session with Hudson and his brother.  I was eager to see how much he'd grown and capture his 6-month milestone.  He is fun to photograph because he is so expressive and engaged.  But, boy, did this little guy give me a run for my money this day!  His mom and I were wondering if he was entering a growth spurt because his eating and sleeping schedule had been off and his session fell inconveniently in the middle of the time he would have rather been sleeping than smiling.  He let his frustration be known and we just had to roll with it.  By the end of our hour, I wasn't sure if I had many salvageable images.  Much to my surprise, one would think that this session went a whole lot more smoothly than it did!  How about that, photography is mostly about appearances, right?!  No worries, little Hudson, we all have our days!  I'll see you again in 3 months. And, thank you for the snuggles at the end of the session, that made it ALL worthwhile!

12-9, Little Man's 6 Month Session

Little man has a name, but to me he'll continue to be 'little man'.  He has such a serious disposition, but when he smiles his little face lights up.  He can really turn on that charm switch when he wants to!  His 6-month session was a lot of fun.  It was the first time that I had Mom AND Dad in the studio with me.  By the end of our hour, we were all exhausted but we did manage to capture many sides of this little man's personality.  It was astonishing to see how much he had grown, while at the same time seeing the face of that tiny little baby I photographed three months ago.  I look forward to continuing to capture his first year!

12-5, Transition Headshots

It's that time of year.  No, not for wrapping gifts and baking cookies, but time for my husband to start getting serious for what life after the military will hold.  The countdown to retirement began years ago and is now dwindling into the months.  Sounds like as good of as an excuse as any to get him into my studio for some headshots, don't you think?  (And really, 'headshots'..... I'm not a fan of that lingo.  I think this sector of photography is in desperate need of a new name.)  I hope these images, in some small way, will help him in his job pursuit.  I think they reveal his character and confidence-- assets any company would be proud to have.  (I know I am!)

12-4, Baby Brexxen

I see this baby on an almost-daily basis.  He is the cutest, happiest little guy;  he's simply adorable.  I've been dying to photograph him.  My opportunity came this week and it was as memorable as I'd hoped it would be.  I'm not sure who made who smile more!  This kid is going to break some hearts, for sure!

11-16, Working the Lights

I recently purchased an Impact 16" x 55" strip box.  I had a specific purpose in mind when I made this purchase, but after a few test sessions I realized that my plan needed modifications.  I snagged my husband for a few minutes in the studio for some brainstorming.  I'm truly astounded by the results, specifically for one photo.  I've read about this particular style of photography, and knew how to do it in theory, but didn't believe the results could be so easily achieved.  Here's a rundown of the various lighting techniques I used.  (Thanks to Impact and B&H Photo for the product photos.  All of my images are sooc.....straight out of the camera- no editing.)

1.  One light scenario:  Stripbox (at subject's side)

Results:  Strong light from subject's side with unmodified light falling off and hitting background

2.  One light scenario:  Stripbox with attached Grid (at subject's side)

Results:  Strong directional light falling only on near side of subject's face with no fall off onto the background.  This image was made in a white room with a cream-colored canvas backdrop, but since the only light source was the gridded softbox everything else fell into black.

3.  Two light scenario:  strip box (to the front and side of subject)

                                      ceiling mounted softbox (behind and above subject)

Results:  The light falling on subject's face isn't as directional as when the strip box was placed at his side.  The shadow side of his face has more detail although it is still darker than the side of his face closer to the stripbox.  The cream-colored background is now evenly lit with the ceiling mounted softbox giving the subject separation from the background.

4.  Three light scenario:  strip box (behind and to the side of the subject)

                                        soft box (mounted above and behind subject)

                                        umbrella (in front of subject)

Results:  The background is well lit from the ceiling-mounted softbox.  The subject's face is lit from the umbrella placed in front of him, opening up the shadow side of his face.  The strip box angled at the rear of the subject throws light on his side creating more visual distance from the background.

So, which photo achieved the most surprising results?  The single gridded strip box.  I couldn't believe that the background actually went to black when there was no light falling on it!  This was definitely a worthwhile experiment.  I feel as if a whole new world of lighting combinations and techniques has been revealed.  Awesome!

11-6, "The Ultimate Selfie"

I couldn't help but use my son's words for the title of this blog post-- "The Ultimate Selfie."  I saw an article online the other day that was something to the effect of why every photographer should do self portraits.  I added this to my (very long) list of things I want to go back and read.  I have my own theory about this issue, so I'll go ahead and share my ideas.   See, clients think it's easy for the photographer to direct them into poses that may seem awkward.  I think there is value in understanding firsthand how these poses look from behind the camera as well as how they feel for the person in front of the camera.  Agreeably, it isn't so easy to 'tilt your head this way' or 'lean into it.'  Yes, it can feel awkward, and yes it feels even more awkward when you're the subject and the photographer.  Another thing that 'selfie's' enforce is the conscious play of your lights and how the posing and light placement affects the results.  It's a lot easier to stand in front of your subject while making these adjustments.  But, when you have to pose and place simultaneously, you have to delve into any less-than-desirable images and determine how to approach these issues without the benefit of being able to immediately see any changes to the settings you've made until after the photo is taken.  Everything takes just a little more time, and sometimes this increased investment yields a more comprehensive understanding.  Lastly, this may be one of my most important findings during this annual exercise I do:  client's favorite images vs. photographer's favorite images.  As a photographer, I tend to select my favorites based on technical accuracy.  Clients tend to choose their favorite images based on expression and accenting of favorite traits or disguising of those that they feel are negative.  So, sitting in the hot seat-- the editing chair-- it was very hard for me to sway from the technical favorites to the expressive favorites.  This helps a photographer understand the motivation for clients in choosing the images they want to order.  So, now that I've clearly outlined my reasonings for this endeavor, I guess I'll go back and find that article and see what they have to say about it!  

10-31, Halloween Costumes

During a recent visit, my dad helped me hang a light from the ceiling for my backgrounds.  I've been itching to experiment with its placement and settings.  How convenient that Halloween brings out the cutest subjects?!  Of course, new methods bring out new wish list items for my B&H shopping.  Hmmm...what to choose, what to choose!  And, given the proximity of my studio to the path of trick-or-treaters, I had a fun idea I hope to implement next year.  I love the smiles that a little candy and fun clothes provoke!

10-19, Little Guys

I will not lie..... this session was a challenge for me.  The weather was cause for concern with the gusty winds, passing cloud cover and potential for rain.  My little guys, 4 months and just shy of three years, were at completely different ability levels.  The smiley one was immobile, and the last thing the mobile one wanted to do was sit down and smile.  Hmmm..... what's a photographer to do?  Well, talk fast and 'shoot' even faster giving the kids breaks to unwind between scenes.  I think we all had a good time amidst the giggles, and I hope I was able to accurately portray their varying ages and  brotherly bond.  I'm wondering..... will the next session be easier or harder when they are both mobile?! Hahahaha.......

And for some editing fun......