Tips for Photography in the Rain

Well it has been one of the wettest summers in a very long time.  In June alone we had over 15 inches of rain.  So when this happens you have a choice to make, let it stop you from shooting or improvise and have some fun.

Main thing to remember if you will be out shooting in the elements is to protect your gear.  Most cameras and lenses are not weather tight.  This mean you need to take steps to protect your items.  You have a couple choice. 

You can buyer a rain cover.  There are 2 Options:
An economical choice, but not best quality:
http://www.amazon.com/OP-TECH-USA-Rainsleeve-18-Inch/dp/B000PTFDYO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375042597&sr=8-1&keywords=canon+rain+cover

Better quality not bad price wise either:
http://www.amazon.com/Camera-Cover-Canon-Models-combinations/dp/B0016D3YJY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1375042648&sr=8-5&keywords=canon+rain+cover

Or you can make your own.  This is what I did.  Here are some easy instructions:
1.  You will need a large ziplock bag ( I used the Jumbo 2.5 gallon size), a black sharpie, electrical or duct tape, scissors and of course your camera.

2.  Put your camera in bag so lens is facing sealed bottom end, trace the outside of the lens onto the back and cut out circle.  Use tape to secure bag to end of lens to keep water out.  Then you are ready to go.

So of course I wanted it to rain after being the rainiest June in a long time and we have had hardly none in July.  Or at least none when I could get out to shoot.  So a friend of mine improvised and made our own "rain" to test out the cover and have some fun photos.

So don't let the rain dampen your day.  Get out have fun and enjoy all types of weather.  Just remember to protect your gear!

My Photographic Journey

Its always fun to look back and see where you started.  I always pull out old photo albums to look at photos, 1 because I love to see old pics and 2 its fun to see how much I have grown.

My journey started as a child.  I was in a family full of people who loved to take lots of photos, which I think influenced me just a bit.  As a child I remember having several different cameras.  I remember having the old disc camera.  Here is an example of how you got your negatives.

Then I had a 110 camera.  For those that don't remember those, your film came like this.



I also used my moms 35mm Film Pentax SLR.  I used this for many many years and loved this camera.

Who remembers when you had 35mm negatives?

One of the moments that I remember that stands out that I think really hooked me on photography was when I was a child, my Aunt came over to take some photos of the cicadas for a class her and my mom were taking.  It was a really bad year for them, there were so many we could collect wheel barrels full.  I remember following her around while she took photos and just loving the process.  After that I was always the one taking photos at all the family event, dance recitals and just for fun.

So there began my photo journey.  Here are a few early photos (disregard the scrapbooking LOL)

 



My cat was in a lot of my photos, she was always there.  Then I started college and had to take photos for class.  Here are a few.

 

Then I started working on my photos and techniques and here are more college photos:

 

 



              (Gotta Love Commercial Photography Class)

Then I decided I really wanted to pursue portraits, and they were not the best in the beginning, but I continued to work at it and feel I have really grown over the years.

Here are a few early ones:

 

                                                                                              This is one of my all time favs

Here are a few more recent photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

So if you have made it this far, Thank you!  I hope you enjoyed seeing a little into my journey and its still continuing.  I feel I have a lot to share from many many years of experience and I feel I have lots to learn to continue improving my photography.  It is my passion and I truly love photographing people.

Thank you for sharing my journey this far.

 



 

 







2013 Holiday Mini Sessions

Its that time to start booking your holiday mini sessions before spaces are full.  Details below.

 

 

 

Mid Year Client Survey.

I love to hear feedback from my clients.  I have set up a mid year client survey to get your opinion about a few things. In appreciation for you taking time to complete the survey, anyone who completes it will be entered into a drawing for a free photo session to be held this fall.

To complete the suvery please to go:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BL6VKJB

Please complete the survey, then leave a comment on this blog post to let me know it is completed. Share with your friends so they have a chance to win too!

Thank you.

Baby Robins

So over the weekend we were doing yard work, the trees needed trimming.  So we decided to clean up the weeping cherry tree we have out front.  There was a stray branch hanging out over the sidewalk.  We didn't think to check for a birds nest cause the branches are so small and we have never had one in the tree before.  We were wrong.  We cut the branch and out fell 2 baby chicks and an egg and mama bird flew off mad.  We felt so bad and we had to fix it.  So we trimmed the branch without touching the nest so we could scoot it up under the tree.  We used a spatula and a spoon to scoop up the babies and the egg.  I wasn't sure the babies would make it after the fall, the heat, being so low and that's even if mama bird returned.  Well to our relief she did return and she came with reinforcements.  We have left them be all week and its been killing us not to peak.  Mama has usually been on the nest.  Tonight she was gone for a bit so I took advantage to pull out my zoom lens and take a few pics (didn't want to get to close and upset mama bird any more).  The chicks have grown so much already.  I am so glad they are doing well.  Without further ado, here are the babies!!!!

4th of July Fireworks!!!

Do you want to know how to photograph fireworks? With 4th of July just days away I thought I’d Share some tips to help you get started.

Fireworks Displays are something that evoke a lot of emotion in people as they are not only beautiful and spectacular to watch but they also are often used to celebrate momentous occasions.
Of course it’s not just a matter of going out finding a fireworks display – there are, as usual, things you can do to improve your results.

1. Use a Tripod

Perhaps the most important tip is to secure your digital camera to something that will ensure it doesn’t move during the taking of your shots. This is especially important in photographing fireworks simply because you’ll be using longer shutter speeds which will not only capture the movement of the fireworks but any movement of the camera itself. The best way to keep your camera still is with a tripod.

2. Framing Your Shot

One of the most difficult parts of photographing fireworks is working out where to aim your camera. The challenge you’ll face in doing this is that you generally need to aim your camera before the fireworks that you’ll be photographing goes off – anticipation is key.

3. Focal Length?

One of the hardest parts of photographing fireworks is having your camera trained on the right part of the sky at the right time. This is especially difficult if you’re shooting with a longer focal length and are trying to take more tightly cropped shots. I generally shoot at a wider focal length than a tight one but during a show will try a few tighter shots (I usually use a zoom lens to give me this option) to see if I can get lucky with them. Keep in mind however that cropping of your wider angle fireworks shots can always be done later to get a similar impact in your photography.

4. Aperture

A common question around photographing fireworks displays is what aperture to use. Many people think you need a fast lens to get them but in reality it’s quite the opposite as the light that the fireworks emit is quite bright. I find that apertures in the mid to small range tend to work reasonably well and would usually shoot somewhere between f/5.6 to f/16.

5. Shutter Speed

Probably more important to get right than aperture is shutter speed. Fireworks move and as a result the best photographs of them capture this movement meaning you need a nice long exposure. The technique that I developed when I first photographed fireworks was to shoot in ‘bulb’ mode. This is a mode that allows you to keep the shutter open for as long as you hold down the shutter (preferably using a remote shutter release of some type). Using this technique you hit the shutter when you hear the firework and hold it down until it’s finished exploding (generally a few seconds). You can also experiment with set shutter speeds to see what impact it will have but I find that unless you’re holding the shutter open for very long exposures that the bulb technique works pretty well.
Don’t keep your shutter open too long. The temptation is to think that because it’s dark that you can leave it open as long as you like. The problem with this is that fireworks are bright and it doesn’t take too much to over expose them, especially if your shutter is open for multiple bursts in the one area of the sky. By all means experiment with multiple burst shots – but most people end up finding that the simpler one burst shots can be best.

6. ISO

Shooting at a low ISO is preferable to ensure the cleanest shots possible. Stick to ISO 100 and you should be fine.

7. Shoot in Manual Mode

I find I get the best results when shooting in manual exposure and manual focus modes. Auto focusing in low light can be very difficult for many cameras and you’ll end up missing a lot of shots. Once your focusing is set you’ll find you don’t really need to change it during the fireworks display – especially if you’re using a small aperture which increases depth of field. Keep in mind that changing focal lengths will mean you need to need to adjust your focusing on most lenses.  I usually set my focus to manual and put on infinity.

8. Experiment and Track Results

Throughout the fireworks display periodically check your results. I generally will take a few shots at the start and do a quick check to see that they are OK before shooting any more. Don’t check after every shot once you’ve got things set up OK (or you’ll miss the action) but do monitor yours shots occasionally to ensure you’re not taking a completely bad batch.   Also experiment with taking shots that include a wider perspective, silhouettes and people around you watching the display.

Usually my settings are around ISO 100, F/5.6 and Bulb Mode, focus set to infinity.

Better Beach Photos

Well Summer is officially here!  YAY!!!  So that means vacations and days at the beach.  I love the way photos turn out at the beach.  Here are a few tips to help you achieve better beach photos.

1.  Utilize Pathways and Architecture
     The walk to the beach is a great opportunity for beautiful photos.  You can use the piers, restaurants, dunes and any other  local spot to bring out the  uniqueness and charm of the location

2.  Watch for reflections
     Reflections add additional interest to the frame.  Be sure to avoid chopping unnecessarily if adding to an image.  Shadows are a great point of interest too.

3.  Photograph with your back to the sun.
     The beach sun can create harsh shadows, but if you work your way around them until they are fully lit by the sun, you can avoid deep shadows.  Direct sun in the face causes squinting which is unflattering.

4.  Embrace Texture
     The beach provides many opportunities to incorporate textures into your images.  Sea shells, sand, terry cloth, water, etc, they all add a uniqueness to an image.

5.  Use a polarizing filter
     A polarizing filter cuts through haze and reduces glare as well as deepening blue skies.   They are relatively inexpensive and easy to carry, so why not!

Remember to always have fun and document your families wonderful adventures.