Since I haven’t posted a Before and After in almost a year (Part 5 was posted in February 2011), I think it is time!
My aesthetics is to have my images look natural, but polished. They shouldn’t look over-processed, but they also shouldn’t look flat, which some straight-out-of-the-camera images can look. Yep, even a “fancy camera” can produce images that look hum-drum.
A great image is a combination of so many factors. It’s about how you frame and compose, it’s about the lighting, it’s about the camera settings, it’s about the emotion or the story you’re capturing, and it’s about the post-processing!
I know many pros who transplant faces from one image to another. MANY pros do this. The reason for this is because you may have a perfectly great shot of a group, but one person blinked or maybe doesn’t have a pleasant facial expression whereas everyone else looks utterly delightful. So what do you do? Discard that shot or transplant the eyes or the face?
Many remedy this by transplanting in Photoshop.
For me, I remedy this by shooting a lot. I rarely get an image where I think: “Shucks! I wish I had gotten the second before or the second afterward.” I predict situations where a lot of movement occurs — either by me or by my group of subjects — and I’ll shoot a lot at that time. Shooting a lot means I take more time going through the images after the shoot, but I think it’s worth it in the end. That’s just me though. Many pros pride themselves on how few images they take per shoot. So there are various methods of shooting out there.
My advice is: do what works FOR YOU.
Don’t worry about what camera you own, what lenses you have (or don’t have), what settings you used, how many frames you take, and what you do with post-processing. If you love the end result (and your clients do too, if you’re a professional), then I give you a high-five! So don’t compare yourself to other photographers and always take criticism with a grain of salt.
The Road Less Traveled (by me)
So this past weekend, I had a shoot where this one grandparent (who had poise and was ultra glam!!!) temporarily stood apart from the rest of the group. She started talking to me, and I kept shooting her. For this one moment, she looked down.
Instantly, I could envision the shot I wanted, but unfortunately, it didn’t include the other people in the background. I quickly squatted down to get most of them out of the frame before my subject moved, but I couldn’t get them all out of the frame because I wanted to include her arms as well as not look completely up her nose! 
If I asked the group to stand aside and my subject to look down again, the image wouldn’t have been the same. What I loved about that particular moment was the way she looked down… like she was embarrassed that I was photographing her.
So I took the shot.
In post-processing, I could’ve chosen to crop the image into a vertical one, thereby getting rid of the background people. However, I intentionally composed the shot to have her on the side, so I could see the pattern of the columns beside her. So I chose not to crop.
[FYI: I rarely crop my images, unless it's just a tiny bit. It reduces the image quality and restricts how large my clients or I can enlarge their prints, so I try to get the image "right" in the camera.]
So I took the road less traveled — by me, that is — and Photoshopped the image to my heart’s content!
BEFORE
AFTER
Here were my post-processing steps:
First, in Photoshop, I cloned out the people in the background. Then I retouched my subject’s skin — just a tad, so it is smoother, but still looks like skin! (I usually do this with close-up portraits.) Then I did some oomphing to make the image pop!
The end result is EXACTLY how I envisioned it when I took the shot, so I am happy as a clam! It’s a little more editing work than I usually do, but sometimes you have to venture into unknown territory.
Who knows….maybe one day I’ll even transplant a face in Photoshop! Nah, who am I kidding?!!
Most of my clients book Lifestyle Photography, but sometimes it’s nice to sprinkle some styled shoots into the mix.
Here was an unplanned styled shoot of Miss Kaitlyn, my sweet sweet stepdaughter who visited us over Thanksgiving. (I have SO MUCH to be thankful for!!!) Kaitlyn saw some of my photos and asked to have a shoot of her own. Yessirreebob! I was overjoyed to do it!
Kaitlyn, Au Naturale
Here is what I had to work with:
Kaitlyn brought one pair of jeans, hot pink sweatpants, Crocs, comfy sneakers, a studded tank, several graphic t-shirts, a retro-patterned dress and a colorful fleece hoodie… typical things for a 10 year old. The weather was cold and cloudy, and looked like it was about to rain.
Here is what I did:
I had her wear her most basic pieces (the tank and jeans). I then grabbed accessories out of my own closet, a pair of lace up military boots, my favorite Nikon body, a couple portrait lenses, and a reflector.
I had one night to conceptualize the shoot based on my beautiful model. Kaitlyn has long flowing hair, perfect porcelain skin and the gentlest eyes and smile. I knew I wanted to highlight those features while also glamorizing her a bit since I wasn’t shooting school portraits! 
I chose an area with lots of trees and colorful leaves to take advantage of the environment and time of year.
The Transformation
[Photography Tip: A styled photoshoot requires having creative vision and being a Director on a set. Props and accessories are also more important here than for other types of shoots. Common styled shoots are model shoots as well as seniors, boudoir, newborn and couture bridal sessions.]
Photography Tip:
We all know that you need good light to capture a decent photograph, whether that is natural light or artificial light (ie, your off-camera flash, studio lighting, indoor lights at the event/party/wedding). What we tend to forget is that light can also be one of your subjects.
Next time you are shooting, consider light as one of your subjects and see if that changes the way you shoot.
Light can stream in and create a powerful presence.
Light can cast a glowy spell on a scene.
When the sun is low, you get backlight on your subjects and the sunlight outlines your subjects.
Light can create a pattern to give depth and intricacy to an image.
Light can create a mood. It can make you cry, bring a smile to your face or uplift you.
This evening’s Bay Area family photography session was a “full circle” with the T. Family. Their first session with me 2 years ago was at Stanford University (Three Bears at Stanford) and today, we shot at the UC Berkeley campus! Go Bears!
[For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, Stanford and Cal are rival schools in California, yet all of us adults at the shoot -- myself included -- went to UC Berkeley.]
It was so nice to be back shooting here. There are so many little nooks and crannies here that I can shoot here every weekend and get entirely different images! Yep, UC Berkeley is like an english muffin. Who knew?!!
Gorgeous Family, Gorgeous Light
What else could I ask for?!!
This Year’s Holiday Card
heh heh heh….
Sibling Love
In the first 5 minutes of the shoot, these siblings refused to take photos with each other because, allegedly, they didn’t like each other. HA!
I felt nothing, but love from them, for them, and between them.
Laying on the Cement
Nicolas is a natural model. I mean, really! How many people can look THIS good when laying on the hard, cold cement?!!
All Smiles
Jackie has such a great attitude and gentle nature. I found her laughing a lot, which made me laugh too!
Muscles
I love this boy!
Leonora and Min
Min is keeping a straight face here, but he was actually cracking jokes during this time!
So Berkeley!
One of the things I miss about being on the Berkeley campus is how I never feel apart from the rest of the World when I’m here. (Some campuses make me feel like I’m in an altogether different World, sheltered from it all.)
Here, there is always some kind of activity — rallies, protests, strikes, movements — that makes me think about my rights and my freedom. Today was no different.
This week, it’s Occupy Cal.
When (you think) No One Is Watching!
At the end of the shoot, Jackie and Nicolas sat at Sproul Hall and watched the skateboarders and bikers do tricks. We were here for awhile, so they forgot I had my cameras – heh heh.
I definitely made sure I captured some semi-set up shots of the kids and the entire family, but I love capturing images that are unexpected.
When Jackie is sitting quietly, she plays with her face…
And Nicolas wiggles his tooth!
Father and Son Hands
[Photography Tip: Hands can tell quite a story! Not only how they look and what you do with them, but how you place them.]
With so many large zoom lenses and powerful macro lenses out there, I thought I’d give examples of when shooting up close and personal can be a bad idea… just to shake things up a bit!
I’ll even take images from my recent trip to Washington as an example. They say it’s good to make fun of yourself once in awhile, don’t they?!!
Serious photographers, please note: I am sure macro photography of just about anything, even spit, can be artistic and beautiful. This post is more in the spirit of fun.
**When Close-Ups are a Bad Idea**
I am Long, I am Strong, I am Unbreakable
(That’s the drool talking!)
Apparently, Animals Drool Too
Holy Cow!
Now I see why.
**When Close-Ups are a Good Idea**
For comparison’s sake, here are a few images from my trip to show when close-up shots are a good idea….
Alice In Wonderland Mushrooms
Rain Puddle
It may seem odd that I photographed a puddle in the driveway, but I find this shot to be eerily mesmerizing.
There is just enough detail in this image to know what the weather is like that day and get a sense of the environment.
Antique Buddha
Like a portrait of an older individual, this Buddha statue has wisdom and history in every distinctive crack.
Self-Portrait
Oh, c’mon. That’s funny, right?!!
I can find something interesting to photograph in just about any reflective material!
Photography Tip: Macro photography, or just shooting up close, is a great idea because it gives you an interesting perspective and incredible detail. Just make sure you actually want to see the details of your subject matter!
I know I learned my lesson: no more close-up shots of cows eating apples. I am still trying to erase that memory from my mind.
As a Lifestyle Photographer, part of my job is to problem solve. Especially when I am on-location, require natural light and photograph kids (where there is a limited attention span), I have to think fast when a problem arises.
This afternoon’s lifestyle family photography session ran into a problem: We got KICKED OUT a few minutes after the shoot started. Minutes! (I’ve shot at this location before and never had a problem, so this was a surprise.)
Since this shoot started in the late afternoon, the option of changing locations wouldn’t work because we would have wasted precious light. And if you have kids, or have worked with kids, you know that getting them in and out of the car another couple times and driving around to find another location can turn even the sweetest kids into Grumpasauruses!
Another option would be to tackle the security guard, so we could keep shooting. Tempting… but nah.
The third option — the one we chose — was to shoot what we can…wherever we were.
[Photography Tip: Lifestyle Photography isn't as much about the location as it is about what you're doing at the location. So if the location is beautiful and picturesque, that's great, but if you don't have much to do there or aren't enjoying yourself, then your shots can end up looking redundant and *yawn*...dry. I'm not suggesting you shouldn't choose a pretty location; my point is that you don't need a "special" location to get great shots.]
Here is a shot I took at a very pretty Japanese teahouse that overlooked a creek (the original location)…
Here are a few shots I took after we got kicked out…
We shot near the parking lot, in the parking lot and in the middle of the street!
Just have fun and look for photo opps wherever you are. It’s only “a problem” if you can’t think outside the box.
Photography Geek. If that term existed in the dictionary, you’d see a photo of me next to it.
I get a rush when there is something different about a shoot — be it a new location, a different style of photography, a new piece of equipment, a new prop or a different kind of subject. But what happens when it is a shoot that is somewhat familiar?
I’d say 75-85% of my client shoots are lifestyle shoots of families and kids. Of those, most have kids under 6. (If you’re curious, the other 15-25% of my shoots are events, like parties and weddings, and corporate photography.)
Yesterday afternoon’s East Bay lifestyle photography was of a family who had two kids, ages 2 and 4. So how did I approach this session?
With an open mind and “new eyes”.
Just like every person is different and every family is unique, I strive to capture a gallery-worth of images that show the personalities of my subjects and the uniqueness of the group. I may give suggestions on what to do, if they run out of ideas, or tell them what areas will look nice in photos (this is mostly based on the light). Outside of that, I am capturing their interactions and reactions. That’s what make the photos meaningful to people. It’s not just about capturing “a pretty picture”.
Photography Tip: Go into every photoshoot with “new eyes”, whether there are familiar aspects of the shoot or not. Challenge yourself by not repeating anything you’ve done before. And don’t treat anything as “ordinary”. Sometimes they are the mundane activities or the small details that create fantastic images!
Monkey, Elmo, Balloons and Bugs
Skipping Rocks
A typical way to shoot people skipping rocks is taking it straight on. I did that too, but then decided to just focus on the reflection.
For extra fun, I flipped the image upside-down.
Drinking Water
There’s something really cool about seeing kids’ expressions when they are doing everyday activities. Sometimes they give insight into their stage in life or how they are feeling.
In this case, 2-year old Olivia was drinking out of a water bottle that her mom held. The calmness in her eyes as she drank exemplifies her comfort and trust in her mom.
The Little Things
I absolutely adore seeing how kids enjoy the little things, like when they find a colorful Fall leaf fascinating or throwing a rock exciting.
For Olivia and Christian, it was this TINY up and down slope. They ran up and down for what seemed to be a hundred times, and every time, they were smiling and sometimes even squealing with joy!
I especially like this image because it shows how Christian is older (and faster) than his sister, so he is way ahead of her.
Couple Shoot Challenge
I found out Gabrielle and Leonard didn’t have a successful engagement shoot (by a different photographer, I swear), so I saw that as an exciting challenge! The only caveat was we had roughly 10 minutes without the kids, so there wasn’t much time to find the perfect location or set up my couple to be in the right mindset.
This is a matter of opinion, but I don’t think a Couple Shoot needs to be overly romantic. Not every shot needs to be of the couple lip-locking or the man kissing the woman’s neck, which I’ve seen done over and over again that it makes me cringe because most of the time, the couple looks awkward doing it. (To the Wedding Photographers who do this at every wedding and engagement shoot, I am sorry. This is just my opinion. As long as your clients are happy, then go for it.)
In my opinion, I think the couple should do what they feel is natural. Maybe that’s just sitting quietly together or even playing a silly game. Showing affection can be something subtle, like the way they lean into each other or the simple act of holding hands.
This is one of my favorite editorial shots. And it still cracks me up when I look at it!
There are 3 people in the shot, but no faces are showing. They are the hands that tell the story.
[Photography Tip: You don't always need to show faces when shooting people. When it is a body part that is doing something interesting, focus on that. Decide if it's better to tell the story zoomed into that body part or zoomed out to capture the scene.]
This week’s I Heart Faces challenge is “Raise Your Hands”. Feel free to check out the other submissions.
You have your somewhat posed shots, and then you have the moments in-between!
Those are the moments that characterize the stage of a family…
…highlights a facet of someone’s personality…
…and shows the similarities (or differences) between siblings.
Family Photography Tip:
Toddlers and babies who are mobile (typically ages 10 months through 3 years old) are usually perfect for lifestyle photography where they get to run around and play. When someone — whether that is a family member or a photographer — commands that they act a certain way or do things a certain way, the photoshoot will not last very long.
From a very young age, children learn they are individuals and thus, prefer to do things on their terms! So the trick is to let them feel like they are the ones in control by giving them choices (ie, If you want them to blow bubbles during a shoot, you can say, “Do you want to blow bubbles here or over there?”) and just letting them play, so it doesn’t feel like a photoshoot!
If you are a client with an upcoming photoshoot scheduled, feel free to call or email me with any questions about this. I’d be happy to walk you through it!
~Annie
What do you get when you are a woman who has fashion sense, loves photography, and needs a safe and stylish way to carry your camera?
You would get The Bossi bag by THEIT!
I am so excited about this product because I haven’t seen anything else like it on the market, so I couldn’t wait to share this with you!
Pssst–you’ll even have a chance to win one!!!
When I’m out on a date with my hubs or out with a girlfriend, I would usually carry my DSLR by hand or throw it in a large purse and pray it doesn’t get damaged when I set my purse down. Not ideal, by any means.
I know camera bags for women have been around for ages, but I haven’t seen anything that actually looked stylish enough to double as a purse. They’ve all looked like…well, “camera bags”!
**PRODUCT REVIEW**
Overall Impressions
“Hellooooo, Gorgeous!” is what I thought when I first laid eyes on it. The Bossi bag is where fashion meets function!
What I Love
1. The antique brass hardware. (Quality is key!)
2. The long chain handle. (It makes the purse look more chic. Plus, I love having 2 carrying options.)
3. The microfiber interior, so my gear won’t get scratched. (The lens bag I carry at my shoots have this too, which I love.)
4. The customizable inserts. (I use them to compartmentalize my belongings, thereby keeping my camera separate and protected.)
5. The tassel clip. (It’s one of my favorite details!)
6. It is super roomy. (It can hold my big Nikon, a medium-size lens or two, all my purse belongings…and even a diaper.)
7. The metal feet. (Aaaah, the details!)
What Could Be Improved
1. When the purse arrived, three of the zippers came stuck together (the parts that weren’t zipped up yet). It only took a second to pull them apart by hand, and then the zippers worked smoothly and effortlessly.
As you can tell, I had to really s t r e t c h to find an area of improvement for this bag. And the things I LOVE far surpass the one small inconvenience. I would recommend this bag to any of my women friends!
**PRODUCT PHOTOS**
The Front
The Back
The Interior
It is the perfect size for all my stuff when I am taking photos for fun or doing a small shoot — and want to look good doing it (or try to, anyway)!
I want to thank THEIT for sending me this bag to review.
I love The Bossi bags so much that they agreed to let me GIVE ONE AWAY to one of my devoted blog readers and FB fan!!!
Details will be posted soon, so keep an eye out!
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