When I take pictures, I see the kind of quality of your pics in my head, but my camera never produces such quality. Do you have any advise or direction I could follow to learn?
My best advice is...
Take lots of photos.
Critique them with trusted peers.
Print out ideas and try to simulate them - look at lighting, location, cropping
I always told my Art students "Artists Copy! The biggest complement one can receive is to be copied." It's really hard to see an image you shot copied, but I remind myself to take it as a complement. This means that people love what you do.
Feel free to send me images and I'll try to give some constructive criticism.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
How did you get started?
How did you get started?
My first wedding was in 1999. I was a freshman in college and attending a friend's wedding. His mom asked me to take candids - they had hired a pro photographer. The couple (and their families) used my pictures instead of the pro's! I was honored and thought, "I loved that! I could do that more often..."
Then, once I had shot one, I simply told people and got more and more.
In 2001, I started assisting Kelly Brown. This was one of the best decisions that I have ever made! Working with Kelly was hard and a lot of work, but I learned so much information really quickly and got a lot of experience.
I signed a 3 year contract with Kelly and I think that was vital to the whole process. It would have been easy to go on my own after one or two years, but we had made and deal and both honored that. Actually, I worked with her for 4 years!
Kelly had very high expectations for me and I believe that it has made me a better photographer and mentor for others.
While working for Kelly, I taught Art and did weddings on my own. Finally, three years ago, I quit teaching and have been doing full-time photography. I went from 2-5 weddings in 1999-2001, to assisting 18 weddings in 2002, to lead shooting 23 weddings in 2003, 27 in 2004, 32 in 2006, 25 in 2007...in 2008, I got pregnant and was due in November, so I raised my prices a bit and cut back on the number of weddings.
This year, I've booked 18 and my goal is to be between 15-25...so I'm there. It's so good.
Just remember that it takes time. You'll have to do quite a bit for free or cheap...and really try to accept constructive criticism. When you receive criticism, grow from it. Figure out how to make the changes necessary and if you don't agree with what is said, chalk it up to experience.
We never really get to a point where we have no where to grow...remember to always find inspiration and continue to learn.
My first wedding was in 1999. I was a freshman in college and attending a friend's wedding. His mom asked me to take candids - they had hired a pro photographer. The couple (and their families) used my pictures instead of the pro's! I was honored and thought, "I loved that! I could do that more often..."
Then, once I had shot one, I simply told people and got more and more.
In 2001, I started assisting Kelly Brown. This was one of the best decisions that I have ever made! Working with Kelly was hard and a lot of work, but I learned so much information really quickly and got a lot of experience.
I signed a 3 year contract with Kelly and I think that was vital to the whole process. It would have been easy to go on my own after one or two years, but we had made and deal and both honored that. Actually, I worked with her for 4 years!
Kelly had very high expectations for me and I believe that it has made me a better photographer and mentor for others.
While working for Kelly, I taught Art and did weddings on my own. Finally, three years ago, I quit teaching and have been doing full-time photography. I went from 2-5 weddings in 1999-2001, to assisting 18 weddings in 2002, to lead shooting 23 weddings in 2003, 27 in 2004, 32 in 2006, 25 in 2007...in 2008, I got pregnant and was due in November, so I raised my prices a bit and cut back on the number of weddings.
This year, I've booked 18 and my goal is to be between 15-25...so I'm there. It's so good.
Just remember that it takes time. You'll have to do quite a bit for free or cheap...and really try to accept constructive criticism. When you receive criticism, grow from it. Figure out how to make the changes necessary and if you don't agree with what is said, chalk it up to experience.
We never really get to a point where we have no where to grow...remember to always find inspiration and continue to learn.
F-stop
Hey Alison,
I've been following your website for a while now and I just LOVE your photography. I also really love photography but I'm pretty oblivious to the finer details and terms. I'm still trying to grasp F #'s and SLR and all of that. I don't have the greatest camera in the world, but I sure would like one.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thanks for the questions...
I am going to start REALLY basic...you may know some of what I have to say and I am aware of that. It is better to start more basic and have it be review than to not understand terms and have it be over someone's head.
SLR is single-lens reflex - check out this Wikipedia link.
F-stops are the same as aperture. To put is very simply, f-stop is how big the whole is in the shutter and therefore it controls how much light enters the camera, along with the shutter speed. Aperture also controls how much of your image is in focus. The smaller the aperture, the less will be in focus. So, if you really love portraits where just the baby's eyes are in focus and the background is super blurry...go f/2.8 or less. If you are wanting a landscape or a family portrait where the foreground, middle ground and background are all in focus, go for a higher number...f/11 or so.
I've been following your website for a while now and I just LOVE your photography. I also really love photography but I'm pretty oblivious to the finer details and terms. I'm still trying to grasp F #'s and SLR and all of that. I don't have the greatest camera in the world, but I sure would like one.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thanks for the questions...
I am going to start REALLY basic...you may know some of what I have to say and I am aware of that. It is better to start more basic and have it be review than to not understand terms and have it be over someone's head.
SLR is single-lens reflex - check out this Wikipedia link.
F-stops are the same as aperture. To put is very simply, f-stop is how big the whole is in the shutter and therefore it controls how much light enters the camera, along with the shutter speed. Aperture also controls how much of your image is in focus. The smaller the aperture, the less will be in focus. So, if you really love portraits where just the baby's eyes are in focus and the background is super blurry...go f/2.8 or less. If you are wanting a landscape or a family portrait where the foreground, middle ground and background are all in focus, go for a higher number...f/11 or so.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
the best camera to buy?
I would love to sometime down the line do some photography - can you give me some insight into the best camera to buy?
I always ALWAYS recommend Canon. :) Go for the Digital Rebel. It's great!
From what I have experienced (no offense to anyone who likes other equipment), Canon is best for action and photojournalism. The lenses are really high quality and they focus fast...even in low light.
My two favorite lenses are:
70-200 f/2.8 with IS
24-70 f/2.8
These are super basic and all you NEED. Other lenses are great fun...but, if you could only pick two, these are the ones to get.
My first year, I bought a Tamron. It was GARBAGE! I did not like it. It focused on the wrong places and got me into some trouble. Also, during ceremonies, it was hard to focus in darker places. This is not a problem you want to have.
I always ALWAYS recommend Canon. :) Go for the Digital Rebel. It's great!
From what I have experienced (no offense to anyone who likes other equipment), Canon is best for action and photojournalism. The lenses are really high quality and they focus fast...even in low light.
My two favorite lenses are:
70-200 f/2.8 with IS
24-70 f/2.8
These are super basic and all you NEED. Other lenses are great fun...but, if you could only pick two, these are the ones to get.
My first year, I bought a Tamron. It was GARBAGE! I did not like it. It focused on the wrong places and got me into some trouble. Also, during ceremonies, it was hard to focus in darker places. This is not a problem you want to have.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Indoor portraits with low-light
As a photographer, you get so many questions from people about taking pictures. It's hard to keep up with all of the emails.
A friend of mine, Noemi, blogs whenever she is asked a question...so I am copying her. Thanks!
Today, I was answering an email about indoor shooting.
So - when you shoot a family/kid inside a home, what settings do you use?
Never under 1/100 and as close to f2.8 as possible. It depends on what lens you have.
Do you shoot aperture priority or manual? I have been choosing manual because I sometimes like to let a little bit more light in than it seems to allow with the aperture priority setting, but sometimes I get it too light as well.
Yes. I shoot on M most of the time. Sometimes, I'll shoot aperture priority to check out what the camera tells me...but then I'll generally change to M again.
What do you set your ISO at generally - I'm sure it depends on how light a room is. I have just been playing around with it a little bit. I remember when you were at our house, you didn't use a flash at all.
I don't like to shoot higher than ISO800 if possible. But, sometimes you have to and then you just need to be intentional about making things artsy and grainy.
When you do bounce the flash - do you just point it up at about a 45 degree angle?
No, I do it straight up at the ceiling. Most of the time, I bump it down -1/3. You can do that pressing the "Set" button on the back and then the "-" button once. Tell me if you can't find that. If your subject isn't too close to you and isn't close to a wall, you can flash straight on.
One of the very best things to do, is find a window with as much light as possible and shoot there.
A friend of mine, Noemi, blogs whenever she is asked a question...so I am copying her. Thanks!
Today, I was answering an email about indoor shooting.
So - when you shoot a family/kid inside a home, what settings do you use?
Never under 1/100 and as close to f2.8 as possible. It depends on what lens you have.
Do you shoot aperture priority or manual? I have been choosing manual because I sometimes like to let a little bit more light in than it seems to allow with the aperture priority setting, but sometimes I get it too light as well.
Yes. I shoot on M most of the time. Sometimes, I'll shoot aperture priority to check out what the camera tells me...but then I'll generally change to M again.
What do you set your ISO at generally - I'm sure it depends on how light a room is. I have just been playing around with it a little bit. I remember when you were at our house, you didn't use a flash at all.
I don't like to shoot higher than ISO800 if possible. But, sometimes you have to and then you just need to be intentional about making things artsy and grainy.
When you do bounce the flash - do you just point it up at about a 45 degree angle?
No, I do it straight up at the ceiling. Most of the time, I bump it down -1/3. You can do that pressing the "Set" button on the back and then the "-" button once. Tell me if you can't find that. If your subject isn't too close to you and isn't close to a wall, you can flash straight on.
One of the very best things to do, is find a window with as much light as possible and shoot there.
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