I fell in love with baby A as soon as I saw her, so apparently my baby fever has not gone away (much to my husband's dismay - haha!). Isn't she gorgeous?!
Looove the newborn wrinkles...
She has the longest fingers and toes - I suppose that is to be expected with a pro ball player as her daddy!
I can't wait to see how much she changes at our next photo visit! Congrats again guys!!
I have so much to share from this week!
Adorable Kylie...
Sweet Kate...
And Charlie and Max - too cute for words!
And sooo cute!!
Don't get me wrong, black and white photographs steal my heart away and I have plenty of gorgeous b/w images from this session! But I'm in a bit of a color mood today...
Speaking of stealing hearts...you probably won't recognize Jacob since he has changed so much from our last session here!
And his big sis couldn't be cuter. I hear that she is keeping careful watch over a wooden block that I left at her home...such a sweetheart!
Okay, I'll have to add two more that I love... :)
...I should not be having baby fever yet! My own little guy is barely six months old and here I am wishing that I could have another (or two more - haha)! But just look at these adorable little guys...and tell me that they don't make you want to have twin newborns too?? I'm in love!
Four boys...that phrase alone would make many photographers nervous! In fact, their dad joked that I would likely only get five minutes of their attention. But since I have three boys of my own, I felt right at home and we had a fantastic time! And who wouldn't have fun with this adorable family?!
After three sessions with me, the mom of these two cuties has probably learned that even when it seems like no one is cooperating and we are getting nothing, the in-between moments are perfect!
I looove this bunny series...
Usually it's the younger kiddo that changes the most between sessions, but this time I think that little man Jack has grown leaps and bounds!
One more for the sneak peek, and then I'll have to keep them to myself until their gallery goes up...this was another "in between" moment that worked out perfectly!
Time to tackle a few more faqs that I've received...
What type of processing software do you use? Also, do you use any actions when processing
your images? Do you have a secret to your black and whites?
I currently use PSCS3 for my post processing. I like to keep my post work fairly simple and similar to what can be done in a traditional darkroom - cropping, dodging/burning, adding contrast, etc.
For my black and whites I typically use channel mixer or lab color mode and curves and adjust each image separately. Typically a great black and white image will contain the full range of tones from black to white without losing detail in either. A common mistake is to simply use grayscale to convert, which often will leave an image gray and "muddy". The *best* way to achieve a full range is by using great lighting and proper exposure. I tend to gravitate toward more directional rather than flat lighting, which lends a natural "depth" to an image.
Actions are great time savers (and I do use them to speed up my common commands and batch resizing for web and print), but I have yet to find an action that works perfectly on every image. I prefer to hand tweak each image instead. A great learning exercise is to take a multi step action and learn how to use each step individually - that way you will know what it is doing to your image and how to use that step by itself. There are a million ways to process images, all depending on the artist's style - with some time you will find what works best for you!
First two adorable twin boys... I adore these little guys! I've had the honor of photographing them three times now, and they are such a treat to capture. Their mom is always a joy to work with and this time their dad was able to join in on the chaos (um, I mean fun)! I can see where the boys get their sweet personalities. Their family was also chosen by the publishers to have a few Blue Candy images featured in the Photographing Children book - congrats again guys!
*Secondly*, a beginning to my FAQ's! I'll start by answering the two questions most e-mailed to me...
Question 1: What camera and lenses do you use? What camera do you recommend?
I own both Canon and a couple Nikon slrs, but most frequently use the Canon 5d. I will admit that I love both Canon and Nikon, but the 5d handles higher ISO's (the digital equivalent to film speed) quite a bit better. Since my photography style involves quite a bit of indoor natural light work, Canon has been a great fit for me. That said, Nikon just released it's new (and much improved!) D3, which has amazing capabilities, and Canon should be releasing a new version of their Mark series soon, so I can't wait to compare the two and add to my collection!
I have to admit that I've recently changed my tune regarding lenses. I used to swear by (and use exclusively!) prime lenses - mainly the 50 and 85mm lenses for my portrait work. However, last fall I found myself getting slower and slower (remember, I was very pregnant at the time!) and decided to pick up a zoom lens to try out (the 24-70 2.8). And guess what? It has rarely left my camera since! I do miss the ability to use f-stops below 2.8 (and I do grab my primes when I want a shallower dof at times), but I adore this lens because of its wide angle and macro capabilities. Although it could be that I'm still slow even after having a baby! :)
My recommendation for a camera is simple - any entry level dslr will do the trick. A lot depends on what feels best for an individual. Try out the different models and see which ones fit your hands best, as your fingers will need to work quickly to change settings. Although more expensive models will surely have more bells and whistles, they may not necessarily be the best choice for you. Photography is much like playing an instrument - a great piano is certainly helpful, but will not make someone a great pianist (and as my family can attest, I've tried to play many a wonderful instrument and have absolutely NO talent there)!
Question 2: Are you going to host workshops? Start a mentoring program? Publish more books?
Maybe...but not today. :) While I love the idea of teaching or publishing, my primary love is to photograph. I have not ruled out these things and am honored to be asked, but my answer is that they will likely not happen in the near future. I love my clients too much to stray from my portrait work right now, but I will certainly keep those who have asked to be on a wait list just in case... :)
Sometimes there is a very short window of opportunity to capture little ones while they are happy (or at least not tired or hungry!). I had so much fun with this little guy (I mean, look how cute he is!), and could have photographed him all afternoon! But alas, there are naps and snacks to be had... :)
Our family recently renovated and moved to a home in Meridian Kessler (I know, there is no crazier time to move than right after having a newborn - we were nuts!). We just love that we can walk to so many of our favorite places - coffee at Hubbard and Cravens, the Monon up to Broad Ripple, breakfast at Patachou, etc. Well, I was delightfully surprised to learn that one of my clients last week lives just up the street from me *and* their family was absolutely delightful. It will be great to recognize more friendly faces as we walk past on our outings!
