Three Boys and a Baby | Atlanta GA Children's Photographer

I showed a friend this picture as I was editing today, and she said, "Somebody finally got their girl." They sure did! I remember how excited mom and grandma (both close friends) were for another female in the family.

For this shoot, we did an indoor setup with a background and a photo light I recently got from my dad (thanks Dad!). Their mom specifically wanted all the kids on her couch. Love it! The texture overlay you see around the edges of the portrait was a request by the oldest son, and both his mom and I thought it was a good idea. I think it really enhances the look of an otherwise flat background. Well, I've got more pictures to edit . . . enjoy the sneak peek!

Straight Out of the Camera | Alpharetta GA Candid Photographer

I believe that editing is an important (very important) part of pro photography, especially after reading this article. If you shoot in RAW format, then you must process and export any image to get a JPEG. In addition, retouching and editing is required to get a truly pro look. In my experience, one image can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of editing required, despite the fact that it is already a great photo. That's one of the many reasons custom photography will cost you more than a shoot at a retail outlet.

But then, I don't always do pro photography, especially when I'm trying to capture a memory at home or test out a lens on my family (as in this case). Sometimes, it's better left untouched. Untouched images show off your skill as a photographer, the ability to get the exposure, light, color, and focus just right in camera.
I'm particularly pleased with the color (thank you custom white balance) and the beautiful light in his eyes (thank you external flash). The nice depth-of-field is courtesy of my 50 mm prime lens. The rest is all him. Oh how I love bath photos!

So, here are some of my candid at-home shots, SOOC--straight out of the camera--just exported from my the original RAW image to a JPEG. No editing required!

Smiles in Autumn | Roswell GA Family Photography

Back from Thanksgiving and back at editing. This sweet family was really fun to work with, especially their little boy! I don't think I've ever had such an easy time getting smiles out of a child. He was fun and playful and very good with his sister. Little sis was a little harder, but some playing in the leaves got that grin. You can see another image of this sweetie on our Facebook page.

I shoot mostly families, especially those with young children. A few people have asked me how I can manage that. I've found that parents go a long way in setting the stage for the shoot.

Here are my top tips for parents during a family shoot:

• Expect your children to take a little time to warm-up to the photographer. Many kids are shy at first.
• Bring wipes or tissues! Runny noses and drool don't make for good photos.
• Kids may need to take small breaks in between poses. Remember, they are working. Posing for photos isn't easy for a busy child!
• Allow the kids to wander around and explore (with a parent or sibling for safety) while the photographer is shooting others. This keeps them entertained and may provide opportunities for fun candids.
• Don't use harsh words or upset children. Avoid using threats or bribes.
• Let the photographer coax the smile or reaction out of your child. It's their job! (And having multiple people try to make a child smile can confuse him/her.)
• If the photographer asks you to help get a smile, stand directly behind the camera so the child is looking in the right direction when he/she smiles.
• If your child does have a melt down or a crying fit, let it happen, and then let it pass. You'd be surprised how fast kids can be back to normal.
• Expect babies, toddlers (and dare I say it? dads, too) to be "done" after 45 minutes to an hour of shooting.
• Remember, a family shoot is fun, but it's also work (for everyone). It's very appropriate to go out for ice cream or enjoy a treat together after the shoot.

Preschooler Portraits | Roswell GA Children's Photographer

I'm gearing up for the holiday season and having fun taking portraits of my own little guy for Christmas gifts.
Here's some of my techniques for getting great portraits of a preschooler:

A cute shirt on a cute boy. I love stripes on boys!

Daddy standing nearby with a reflector while I shoot from above

Sitting on Daddy's shoulders

Rocking chair from a friend

Playing "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes"

Running

Gorgeous golden light

A fast lens to catch those "up in the air" shots

And a little more running!

After Bathtime | Alpharetta GA Children's Photographer

The other day I visited my friend and fellow photographer Diana. Our conversation really got me thinking about my photography and what I can do to grow in my own technique and business practices. Diana also leant me her copy of The Art of Children's Portrait Photography, and today I was really itching to take some photos of my little guy. I'm shooting monochrome (black and white) to really focus on exposure, working with natural light in higher ISOs, and not worrying as much about slightly blurred images as long as what I want in focus is sharp enough. Another big plus -- I'm doing minimal post processing to the photos.

Here's my son right after bath time giggling and playing peekaboo with the towel before bed. Daddy loves the images, so I know I'm on the right track. It's fun to learn!

My Favorites from the Georgia Aquarium

Had a chance to visit the Georgia Aquarium this week with one of my best friends and her son. I have never had to run around and chase my kid so much! He was super excited to be there, but also very, very hard to keep track of. Whew!

Shooting at the aquarium is always a challenge because of the light: colored, often very low, and with everything moving inside the tank, you have to turn up your ISO high and hope for the best! I love the shot below, my favorite of the day, and of course, the one of little miss by the tanks.

Oh, and FYI, I got my tickets to the Aquarium for about half price! Thanks to the Atlanta on the Cheap blog, you can get $15 general admission tickets through May 27th.

Quick Family Update

A few months ago, we found out the devastating news that our son suffers from cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disease that, as-of-yet, has no cure. Since his diagnosis, we have started a regimen of medication and chest and airway physical therapy that (although time-consuming ) helps manage the symptoms of his disease. It's been a rough couple of months, both for our little guy and for us parents.

With the winter season approaching, we are nervous about colds and flu, especially since CF makes him more susceptible to serious complications from viruses and bacteria. Despite the fact that he's suffering from a nasty cold lately (he's had 2 well days in the past 3 weeks--sigh), our son is as talkative and active as ever. He wakes up every morning naming anything he sees over and over again: "a light, a light, a bed, a bed . . ." His world has opened up now that he can repeat and mostly understand English.

A couple days ago, I took my guy out on a quick location scouting trip around the neighborhood. (It was one of his well days.) And despite a bit of a runny nose, we got some pretty cute photos for me and the grandparents. Incidentally, this is the first time he climbed up to the top of the slide and slid down it all by himself!

Golden Light: Family Portrait Session

Among the best times to shoot are the "golden hours" before sunset as was the case for these gorgeous family pictures last weekend. We weren't the only ones taking advantage of the location and light. Another shoot was going on at Bradshaw Lake in Canton, GA while we took our photos. Thankfully, we all stayed out of each other's way and I'm sure everyone got some great images.

I love using the ambient light of the setting sun to highlight the hair and outlines of my subjects while still preserving the details of their faces and clothing. This golden light made my job much easier especially in post processing; no need to adjust the color. The lake also acted as a huge reflector and I was able to get some fun lens flare and semi-silhouette effects.

We started the shoot about 4:45 and ended just before 6:00. According to online Sun and Moon Data, sunset that day was at 6:44 p.m. With daylight standard time and shortening days, I'm checking for light conditions very closely lately.

My son "helped" me process these images this morning and his favorite shot was the fifth one. "Cute!" he said, and "I like it." Yes, our 20-month-old is a talker with a thoroughly adorable baby voice. I like it too, the spontaneous action in the background and a loving mom and son in the foreground. The kids I'm also proud we got a couple nice group shots with the canine member of the family (a real sweetie, but hard to get in the right position!) Finally, my favorites from this shoot are of mom and each of the kids and dad with baby girl on his shoulder. I love capturing moments of parenthood, a real passion of mine.

Family Candids by an Old Barn

This has got to be one of my fastest "sneak peeks" ever! It's raining today, so I'm stuck inside and that means . . . photo processing! We took these photos on Wednesday night and I had a ball getting these 10 images ready to post today. When it comes to making selections from the many pictures I take during a shoot, I've learned to wait at least a day or so before looking at them. I've found that a little time helps me look at the photos more objectively. Another reason I wait is because (on the day of the shoot) I'm apt to throw out a good picture if it isn't exactly what I was working towards. Just chalk that up to artistic perfectionism. Now though, I'm very pleased. These are some of the best photos I've ever done.

Preparing for this shoot was a bit of work on my part and on the part of the client. The mom of the family is also a photographer and blogger, so we also talked a lot about light, clothing choices, poses, and inspiration from other photographers. That's one of the things I really love about my business: I have the chance to offer a totally personalized photo shoot for each client.

Mom had a good idea of what kind of background she wanted in the photos. At first, she wanted a spot with fall leaves and warm autumn colors. But it's still mostly green here in Alpharetta, so the day before the shoot (yikes!) we changed locations (thanks to a little location scouting on my client's part) and got permission from the owner to shoot next to this fabulous old barn.

It's sometimes hard to strike a balance between a nice posed family shot and a totally candid shot. I find that most clients want something that looks candid, but is not a purely unposed shot. Here, we worked to set up opportunities for candid shots like the black and white walking picture and the second photo where they aren't looking into the lens. (They were smiling at Jacob who did a 360 degree spin for them. How fun!)

Finally, a word about my favorites. The shot of mom and baby (a classic Marchet Butler photo if you've seen the work from my Early Motherhood Project) is one of my favorites. I love lens flare shots, but haven't had a lot of experience creating them. Then, there is the black and white photo of Dad and the boys checking out the tools and gadgets inside the barn. (I could tell Dad is a pro at getting kids in position for a picture.) Finally, I love how the colors just "pop" on the color photos. That red barn is certainly an eye-catcher, and the kids and parents really stand out, not to mention that romantic dip! Enjoy these, guys. No need to have worried, we had a great time, and it looks like you did too!

Playtime: Child and Mom photo shoot

This darling three-year-old boy and his mom wanted some pictures together and some portraits for the little guy's fourth birthday coming up soon! We decided to stay close to home and got some fabulous pictures just 5 minutes from their home on the Alpharetta Greenway and the little park by the YMCA. I had such a hard time picking which photos to post, they turned out so well! I love the ones of the little guy on the slide: the depth of field is great, the color is beautiful, and the expression is priceless. But I'm also really charmed by the last image. (Jeans look so good in black and white.) His mom told him to "Hug your Thomas!" (He's a big Thomas the Tank Engine fan.) Snap! snap! we got it.

There's a trick to getting a young child to smile for the camera, especially after the novelty of picture-taking has worn off (which in the case of most children is about 5 minutes into the shoot). Here are some of my tried-and-true methods. First of all, know the child's name. I make sure to memorize all of my clients' and models' names before the shoot. Second, explain to adults and other children there that it is your job to make the child smile, not theirs. When I do posed shots, I have to tell parents and siblings not to look down at the baby (or toddler) when I am trying to get their attention. It's so hard for them not to look, but it really works. If you are doing portraits of a child alone, you can ask the parent to help you catch the child's attention, but they need to stand directly behind the camera so that the child's eyes are directed towards the lens. Also, choose a location that has play equipment or something the child can explore while you are shooting. Bring a toy, a rattle, puppet, or other attention-getter to wave in front of the child or let him or her play with while you shoot. Play peek-a-boo. Make funny faces, sounds, and expressions. And most of all, have fun! Children love to play, so make the photo shoot a playtime and you'll have the same problem I do: too many cute pictures to choose from!