Archives for February 2011

Ever heard of the exposure triangle? It can seem as daunting as the Bermuda triangle but is really quite simple. haha. Ok, so really, the exposure triangle is something that you should understand no matter if you use your camera in manual or automatic but most importantly if you want to learn manual.

The triangle consists of ISO (or film speed), shutter speed, and aperture. To get the photo you want you have to get these three items to work together. For instance, shutter speed controls how long your shutter is open. If you want the shutter speed to be quick, you won’t get as much light. In order to have a photo that is light enough or exposed enough, you need to adjust your ISO or aperture to compensate for the faster shutter speed.

I’ll start talking about what each of these items can do and how they play off of each other. When it comes to the technical stuff, I like to know how it works but just briefly. To me, it’s so much more important to know how it works for me or in other words, how does increasing or decreasing that number help me get the shot I want?

I have had an amazing vacation in Oregon. I have squished and loved on many close friends and families little ones. If I didn’t have happiness on the other end of my flight I sure as heck wouldn’t leave all of this! I hate that distance has to separate us but how grateful I am for little visits and technology!

I’m a big sap when it comes to photos. I pull out my computer/photo album/phone or whatever and just flip through the photos. It always makes me cry! (happy and sad tears)

I’m loving being in Oregon but was so wasted this week with being sick and then traveling that my poor blog has been neglected. I felt I had to make a post for Fabulous Friday though because it truly is a fabulous day. If you don’t follow my ramblings on Facebook, I’m on the west coast visiting friends and family.

We did nothing technically special today. The kids had a normal day. Whined, cried, played, laughed, and all that good stuff. But it was still just fantastic!! I just got to be with them, enjoy them, and visit with my dear friend. It is so weird not having anyone else’s well being my constant worry at all times. I can help clean, and cook but it’s not MY responsibility. I only have to worry about me and assist where I can. Wow! Weird! I nice change of pace but I think I’ll be pretty antsy by the end of the trip.

The other thing I’m doing on the trip is shooting for me. All the photos are for me and all the editing for me. I took a photo today of a random tree! Maybe saying it’s all for me is just selfish but I’ve read and I believe that it’s important to remember why we take photographs. I photograph to document the memories that make family and life special. I photograph to feel again what I once felt. I photograph to engage my creativity. It’ll be interesting to see what I come up with.

Since we didn’t have a tip this week (I’m wanting to get into the photography triangle, not anything like the Bermuda triangle) but for today we’ll talk about lines. Flowing lines that take the viewers eye where you want it to go. Pay attention to the background and background lines in your next photo and see where they are leading your eye. Does your eye go to the focus of your photo?

Contest!! Woohoo!

Images of U Photography will be a holding a Best of 2010 for our clients because we love you so much oh and because we want some more love on Facebook! Over the next couple of weeks I’m going to choose my favorite (input is appreciated) photos from each photo session excluding headshots and my family (sorry). I’ll post them on Facebook and the contest will be on! The winner will receive amazing things from me and all that fabulousness. So get your contest guru and mojo ready and let’s bring it! (too much listening to Tony Horton)

Have a great weekend!

2010 We love you! Some will miss you and some will not but here’s to a great yesterday and a better tomorrow! (I probably shouldn’t write these posts late at night, should I?)

Happy Tuesday! This happens to be the best Tuesday as it is my birthday

For today I wanted to talk a little bit about light. Light is a little hard to come by these days. It’s too cold most of the time to take a little one outside for any length of time unless every inch of their face is covered up. The good news about the cold though is that usually means the sky is clear and the sun in shining.

One other probably we run into around here is the lack of window light. Houses have small windows, efficiently placed and therefore without much light. Find one or two windows. Use this as a Vitamin D therapy/picture moment. In the case of the photos below it was the corner of an older home with the windows on either side of the corner of the house. Let the child sit or play near the window. The entire face doesn’t have to be eliminated to get the feel for the child’s personality. If the child gets a little funny being asked to play in a certain place distract their attention to something outside the window. Chances are they are looking that way anyways.

Have a sunshiny day!

 

For this last photo this big brother was a little far away from the window to get quite enough light. I used a small speedlight flash and pointed it directly at the window making the window “appear” bigger.