PHOTO TIP of the WEEK!

details, details....

the technical part of photography is obviously very important, but i'll admit that it is probably my weakness. i get it and understand it, but sometimes if i think too hard about it, i feel it gets in the way of my creative process. don't let that happen! understanding aperture, shutter speed and iso are the basic fundamentals of photography. get to know them. learn them. and once you feel comfortable with them, use it to create images that you like, that speak to you and that are pleasing to YOU. try not to get caught up in the "perfect picture" because that is extremely subjective.
with that said, it's important to know how to get it right using aperture (f/stop) iso and shutter speed. Understand how they work together to give you the results you are looking for.

APERTURE
this week i'll {try} to give a quick explanation of aperture to my best ability. {i will try to make sense, but i'm not an expert on this stuff, so i'd recommend some good reading.}

the size of the aperture or {f/stop} of a lens determines how much of your photograph is in focus.

the f/stop number refers to how open or closed the aperture on the lens is. the wider open the lens = more light is allowed in the lens at one time giving you a wide aperture. i.e. less of your picture will be in focus. this is called a shallow depth of field.

a low f/stop like f/1.4 or f/1.8 is considered a wide-open aperture.

{confused yet? i am a little.) :)

a super snazzy lens would go all the way down to an f/1.2 and this would be considered a wide-open aperture, while an f/22 or possibly higher would be a closed or tight aperture.

again- a closed aperture of f/22 would be completely in focus and have a very deep depth of field. an example of this would be a landscape picture where you'd want everything in sharp focus.

an open aperture of f/1.2 or even f/2.8 would keep a small portion of your picture in sharp focus while the rest is blurred. an example of this would be a portrait where you want the background blurred and the person in focus.

if you have a digital slr camera, switch it over to aperture priority {Av or A on most cameras} and play around with aperture a little. if you have a point-and-shoot, you still should be able to have some control over your f/stop.

focus on something at the lowest f/stop number your camera will go {remember that means a high aperture}, take the picture. then bump your f/stop to about f/8, take the picture. now bump it all the way up to the highest number it will go and take the picture. compare all three results. experiment, experiment, experiment!

aperture is my very favorite effect. it can completely change the tone of your picture.

have fun.

next week i'll {try to} explain shutter speed and iso.

itsy bitsy, teeny weeny

she was the sweetest little girl. she didn't want to miss a thing and stayed awake the whole time. ooooo, i just want to squeeze her.







i realize this one makes her look kind of like a boy. but who says green is only for boys?? she is still SUCH a girl. look at those eyes.
and i have to say, what a good sport! look at her act like being cramped in a small, ceramic bowl is oh so comfortable.

PHOTO TIP of the WEEK!

i receive quite a few questions regarding photography, so i thought i'd start posting random photography and editing tips. plus i love when other photographers share information. it makes me happy, so i thought i'd share the love.
my tips will range from basic to advanced photography techniques to anything random i think is important or interesting. :)

let's start out basic. i get a lot of questions from moms who just want to take better pictures of their kiddos.

composition (the way you frame your picture):
putting your subject in the middle of your picture is not always going to be your best bet. for me, most of the time, it's not.
there is a grid system you can follow called the "rule of thirds." it states that your subject should be composed in the left or right thirds or top or bottom thirds of your picture. it also says your horizon should fall in either the top third or bottom third.

if we do compose our picture so the subject is in the right third of the picture, it is sometimes a good idea to balance it out by including something in the left third of the picture.

now, the fun thing about photography is that there are no "rules" only guidelines. so you don't ALWAYS have to follow this, but experiment and see what looks and feels best to you!

simple enough, right?!

i adore my sister...

isn't she the cutest pregnant woman you have ever seen? she glows, literally! (check out the last picture. ;) she is the most adorable mom and little ty-dog can't wait to have a little brother.
yet another promise for additional pictures. i just had to get a few up. i'm starting to sound like a broken record!

i'm trying to play around with light. it is my friend! some of my very favorite pictures have sun-flare. i love it and i can't get enough of it. so i'm trying to get better. hopefully we'll become better friends in the future, but for now, i'm content.

yes, her dad is in big trouble....

the girl is beautiful! i had such a hard time deciding which pictures i wanted to post. i usually try to post only two or three. (and this is a feat because I could possibly be THE most indecisive person on the planet.) so i am posting a few today and and possibly a few more tomorrow. :) enjoy!

here's a little teaser!

and i don't mean the girl...i kid. i kid.
how annoying are one-picture posts?! sorry! i had to at least put up one and the rest will come soon.

photography: writing with light

i am reading the coolest book called "eye on art" {the photography edition} by stuart a. kallen. my dad actually found it for me for like $3 and i've been loving it. it's kind of refreshing because it's all about the artistic side of photography, putting the technical stuff aside. sometimes i feel like, as a photographer, we get caught up in the technical jargin and "rules" of photography and forget why we're really doing it. yes technicalities matter, but it's the impressions and emotions we capture that are what people recognize and appreciate most, i think.
while explaining art as a whole, the back of the book reads: "the creative impulse is an ancient and enduring feature of human expression. art serves many purposes: to beautify, record, reflect, enlighten and celebrate our existence." i love that explanation! isn't it perfect?! that is exactly what drew me to photography in the first place.

so a challenge: while taking pictures this week, try not to get mixed up in the settings of your camera or equipment, but focus on your "artistic impulse." what drives your photographs, or even you as a photographer? what is the point to your photos? do you recognize yourself as an artist?
these are questions i'm asking myself, so i thought i'd throw them out there.
i'd like to know your thoughts, experiences and outcomes. let's talk!

left my heart in dixie!

i'm pretty sure it's a rule to get some shots of the redrock when taking pictures in st. george. dixie rock is absolutely gorgeous and next time i'm there i want to watch the sun rise from the top. ambitious, especially for me, but oh so worth it!

yeah, we're friends and stuff

my beautiful friend britt drove down to st. george with me last weekend for a much needed girl's trip. she tagged along with me on my shoots, as she bought a new camera and is learning how to use it. so, i made her pose for me, because, well, look at her! she prefaced the photo shoot with, "i have no idea what i am doing and am so awkward in front of the camera!....yeeeaaaah. after the shoot i told her to never fib, because she may just get struck by lightning.

i know you're anxious to see these, alisa!

ok, so every photographer knows the "fake smile" every kiddo masters due to shyness or too much coaching from mom in front of the mirror... (gasp!) But, every photographer also knows how to get away from the dreaded faux grins and get those belly-laugh smiles none of us can get enough of!
just talk to them, make them laugh and make them forget they're in front of the camera, and wahlah....



and again...


mmmhhhmmm...


....aaaand again...i think they like each other.