Tag Archives: photography

10 tips for a successful photo shoot

I am here to instruct you in the way or prepping for a photo shoot. I have now done one official photo shoot, which makes me an expert.

Hah!

Tom and Traci (our pastor and his wife) asked me if I would get some shots of their family and of their two adorable girls Bronagh (just turned 5) and Ashling (3?), who are at that perfect age when they are still pretty unselfconscious and their skin is like the petal of a rose. I was nervous since I had never done this before, but I was also terribly excited to be launched into this new sector of photography, even if I landed on my butt in the process.

I would say it took about 6 shots to get 1 keeper. Or maybe 8. I’m afraid to do the math in case it’s worse than I thought. Despite the poor average, some of the keepers did turn out really well, especially once Photoshop lent me a helping hand. It’s also possible that the good results were freak beginner’s luck things, and my next photo shoot will be a hellish disaster. I’ll keep you informed. If it’s a hellish disaster, at least I can write a funny blog post about it–that’s my comfort in these times of great uncertainty.

Anyway, though not an expert, I have learned a number of things that I figured I’d slap into a list for my own benefit and share with you for the heck of it. It’s in no particular order . . . and I welcome corrections and advice from you all.

1. Look at similar work that your clients enjoy–get a feel for what they’re looking for. I looked at Tom and Traci’s wedding photographer’s website to get an idea of the style of shots they might like. This helped tremendously.

2. Test the light on location and try different camera settings in advance if you can. This was so important for me as a beginner! Initially, Traci wanted to do the photo shoot at 8:30am on the beach. Thankfully I went down to the beach at that time a couple weeks prior to do some test shots, and this is what happened:

The light was reflecting off the lake, and my poor husband was squinting no matter what direction he faced. We decided on 5:30pm instead. I’d also like to point out that I used to think that all pictures had to be front-lit (photographer’s back to the sun). However, I have been discovering the joys of back-lit pictures as well (photographer facing the sun). When shooting back-lit, you can meter for the sky (sky will be correctly exposed and subject will be a silhouette) or meter for the subject (people will be correctly exposed and the sky will be blown out, i.e., bright white). That first picture of the family above is backlit, and I love the halo of light around their heads that the sun creates. Here’s another back-lit shot I love:

3. Make a list of shots you might want to get. Think of composition before you get there. There’s always room for spontaneity, but a little planning can really help if you experience brain-freeze under pressure. That said, once the photo shoot started I didn’t even get a chance to look at my list. When young ones are involved, time is at a premium–they have a very small reserve of patience that quickly runs out. However, going through the mental exercise of making the list did help me remember what I was looking for.

4. Wear clothing that you can get dirty–to get good shots you may find yourself lying on the ground, climbing a tree, or jumping out of a moving train. You’ve got to be prepared for anything. I returned from this shoot covered in lake water, sand and sweat. I took a number of shots from the lake–I got into the water so that I could shoot the girls backlit on the shoreline. Then I lay down in the sand, which promptly stuck to my wet skin. This created a very dirty bathtub later on, but it was worth it! Plus, inspired by the wreck that is our bathtub drain, I am now searching for a foolproof way to clean the drains which I will share with you upon discovery. So far the vinegar/baking soda combo (the “old faithful”) ain’t doin’ what it promised and that’s all I have to say ’bout that.

5. Give clear directions to the people you’re shooting. Nothing is worse than confused people feeling awkward in front of the camera and trying to figure out what to do with their limbs (I know because I am one of those people with the confused limbs). This wasn’t the case with my pastor’s family, who looked like they had just walked out of a Gap commercial, but the principle still applies. Tell them what to do! If you’re in charge and giving clear direction, they will actually feel more free. Kind of like with God. Knowing we’re within his sovereignty makes us free. Any Christians out there who want to give a resounding “amen”? Or non-Christians who would like to un-amen the amen? I love you all. OK, moving on.

6. Get a mix of staged shots and spontaneous shots. All are directed by you, but it’s the difference between arranging them carefully and saying “smile”, and saying “walk down the beach together in this direction holding hands.” The first will result in a calm, regular family portrait. The second will look a lot more natural, but you may have to take more shots to achieve it.

7. Have plenty of room on your memory card! Bring an extra just in case.

8. Make sure your camera battery is fully charged. I brought a fully charged back-up battery as well.

9. Take a LOT of pictures–I set my camera to continuous shooting so that when I hold down the shutter release, it just keeps poppin’. This helps ensure that I won’t miss the nanosecond when the little one smiles in just the right way. Being able to take myriads of pictures without changing rolls every two seconds is part of the magic of the digital age, so take advantage of it. Especially when small children are involved who may not have as much mastery of their facial expressions, it could take 20 shots to get a couple good ones:

10. Process, process, process! I downloaded some great (free!) Photoshop actions from the Pioneer Woman that I highly recommend. Especially her black and white actions. Mmmmm. That said, I do encourage processing without actions–they can become a crutch, and it’s fun to learn how to get the effect you want on your own.

Remember, you don’t have to be a professional to do photo shoots with loved ones. I’m certainly not a professional! But if you’re really interested in photography, doing a photo shoot is a great learning experience. Jump in! As long as you’re not charging the subjects something I like to call “cold hard cash”, they can’t lock you up in a maximum security prison based on the bad results–at least that’s how I reassure myself. Plus, this was my pastor’s family, so I’m definitely not afraid of a legal battle over the low proportion of keepers.

Tomorrow I am going to post an ample selection of pictures from the photo shoot, and I am counting on you to weigh in and let me know which are your favorites so that I can better direct my future efforts. In the meantime, I am hard at work on “The Wedding, Part 2” since my self-imposed deadline on that is Friday. Have a great day everyone!

**Update: read a hilarious story about the Erica and Dave Marriage License Debacle on Jen’s website: http://hintofselfexpression.blogspot.com/2010/07/gettin-hitched-license-debacle.html

The Wedding, Part 1: Bridesmaids' Breakfast and Slideshow

For “The Wedding Part 2,” click here. For “The Wedding Part 3,” click here. For “The Wedding Part 4,” click here. For “The Wedding Part 5,” click here. For “The Wedding Part 6,” click here. For “The Wedding Part 7,” click here.

With many, many posts forthcoming covering all the details of Erica and Dave’s wedding this past Saturday, I decided to start with a few pictures of one of my favorite parts: The Bridesmaids’ Breakfast. This little 2-hour gathering Friday morning was an oasis of peace for us girls, which we really needed considering all the craziness. Here are a couple tidbits to give you an idea of the mayhem, in no particular order:

-The pastor made it to the wedding rehearsal only thanks to going standby and managing to catch an earlier flight.

-Erica’s cellphone died.

-The City Hall in Stevens Point rejected Dave’s birth certificate since it was laminated (recent change in laws), and a marriage license was obtained the Friday before the wedding only thanks to an emergency run by Pam, a long-standing and faithful family friend.

-Heidi (my youngest sister) and Mike are having a baby in January and moving to Alaska as we speak, so we crammed in a baby shower for Heidi amidst the festivities. Our wonderful Aunt Jessie pulled it off–and I must share her recipe for marinated mushrooms asap.

-Dave’s flights, designed to get him in Thursday night, were delayed and then canceled. He was up all night in transit (resulting in Erica also being up all night), and he got in at 6am Friday morning. Erica picked him up and they went straight to the City Hall to obtain the marriage license. The bride and groom took a power nap to get through the rehearsal dinner.

-Due to a change in Dave’s work schedule that conflicted with the honeymoon, he and Erica have a mere 4 days of marriage before he has to disappear for 1 month of training.

With an exhausted bride and groom whose time together was at a premium, there was barely a moment to sit down and really soak them up. Hence the beauty of the Bridesmaids’ Breakfast, during which we got to hear from the bride herself, cry together, share about our lives, and eat some delectable pastries.

From left to right we have Mary Beth, Nicole, Heidi, Jen, Erica, and Kelsey. Thankfully I was behind the camera since I was still suffering from the dreaded “morning face.”

I couldn’t make up my mind between the Cheese Danish and the Berry Coffee Cake, so I got both–this was no time to get delayed because of a tough breakfast-fare decision making process. I also had a mean Pike Place Roast with a shot of caramel. It really hit the spot.

Here are Erica and Jen, her maid of honor . . .

Could I please take this moment to point out those 2 spectacular pairs of eyes? And it wasn’t Photoshop that made them that way, let it be known.

Here’s Mary Beth, Erica’s now ex-roommate . . .

Heidi and Nicole, Dave’s sister (soon to be married as well) . . .

Nicole again, looking like a model . . .

. . . and the three of us sisters, with a desaturated effect because my skin was looking a little freaky at the time and this was a way to fix it. Quickly. Using digital trickery.

Who would have thought at Heidi and Mike’s wedding last December that a mere 7 months later we would be crying buckets at Erica’s wedding? But as Erica (Heidi’s Maid of Honor) and Dave (one of Mike’s groomsmen) sat next to each other at the reception and checked each other out anew, the heavenly plans for these two were a-brewin’. Here are the 3 of us sisters at Heidi’s wedding, completely unaware of the love dust floating in the air (I’m on the left, Erica on the right):

I remember praying in the months leading up to Heidi’s wedding “Lord, I know this is bold of me to ask, but I really want Erica to be engaged by next Christmas.” I recorded the following in my journal:

11/30/2009

“Heidi is getting married in 2 and a half weeks–how crazy. I keep praying that God will send Erica a man asap. It’s got to be hard being single with 2 sisters married. Plus, I’m worried (very selfishly) that I’ll have to start having babies before Erica–which is not the plan! The plan is to be pregnant simultaneously so that we can support each other & so that our progeny can be best friends forever. I kind of feel like whining to God & saying ‘Well don’t you realize my plan is best?’–but I know that’s foolish. I’m trying to be wise & trust God with Erica’s love life, but most of me is saying ‘Let’s go! Let’s get this taken care of!’”

Then, this journal entry:

1/2/2010

“I can’t wait to see that whippersnapper [Erica] again after her exams on January 25th. I am praying she passes so that she can be done with grad school in May. She doesn’t know what to do next with her life–neither would I. How confusing. I’m kind of hoping Dave comes back into the picture & sweeps her off her feet. And has babies with her asap. I’m praying that Erica will be engaged by next Christmas.”

God’s plans have truly exceeded anything we could have imagined–11 days after this entry, Dave and Erica were dating, and by the “next Christmas” of my prayers, she will have been married for 5 months. I get the chills when I realize that as I was praying this, God was getting ready to say a big “YES!” He must have been so excited for us to see his plan after years of telling us “No” and “Wait,” like a Dad at Christmas who can’t wait for his kids to open the gifts he has lovingly been preparing and saving for them.

After sharing this with the girls over breakfast, I meditated on how even though I so often want to know the future, it brings me much more joy to look back on the fully unfolded story, at the faith required to walk in unknowing, and at the series of threads God has woven together whose pattern we can only see when the whole tapestry has been completed. There is a beautiful moment when we finally see the picture in the tapestry, and we can say “Aaaaah–now I see what He was doing!” And it is good, my friends–unfailingly good.

The Bridemaids’ Breakfast was a beautiful time. But like everything good this side of heaven, it did have to end. Soon enough, 3 punks showed up and completely invaded our little feminine bubble.

I forgave the first punk because he made Erica get all giggly, and he smiled good-naturedly as I attacked them with my rapid-shooting camera.

I do have to ask though–is he allowed to do that to my sister???

The second punk I also forgave, because he is the co-author of the tiny little person inside that baby bump:

And since I was already on the forgiveness train, I also embraced the third punk, who just happens to be my favorite one of all.

This picture was actually taken later that day, but you get the idea.

And since we’re on a roll with matching the ladies to the gentlemen, here is Nicole with her fiancé David:

Models, models, models. And that’s all I have to say about them. It’s a little ridiculous, don’t you think?

OK, fine, they’re actually very sweet people as well. Sweet and good-looking.

Here’s Kelsey with my cousin Luke. Please ignore the freak on the left, who made what was about to be a stellar photograph a blurry mess featuring a frightening psychopath.

. . . and just because I can’t stop once I start, here are Steve and Steph, neither of whom were at the Bridesmaids’ Breakfast. But whatever. You can read a little about their recent wedding here.

Models, models, models. It’s the theme of the week. Disgusting, isn’t it? But I can’t help loving them despite their good looks. Ay me.

Thinking about the chain of life events that God orchestrated to bring Erica and Dave together, I thought this would also be a good time to show you the slideshow that we watched at both the rehearsal dinner and at the reception. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I was in charge of the wedding slideshow depicting their progression from young mites to present. There were so many great pictures of them as wee ones, medium-sized ones, and larger-sized beings that it was hard to cut it down to size. After a careful selection process, the final cut is almost 9 minutes of pictures set to “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, “Somebody to Love” by Queen, and “In Your Arms” by Jon Foreman. I’ve uploaded the slideshow to youtube.com and I present you with the link if you want to take a look. I figure this will be a way for any family/friends who couldn’t make it to get a glimpse of the two in all their happiness.

I tried to change the thumbnail image to show the two lovebirds together, but youtube only gave me 3 thumbnail options, none of which were very representative of the whole. This thumbnail happens to show Dave and a deer he had just killed. Why, youtube? Why are you bent on making this video look like a gory hunting tutorial?

As I slog through the swamp of wedding picture processing, please know this–the posts will slowly trickle out. I promise. Like, I promise the “slowly” part.

Erica and Dave, I couldn’t be happier for you!