UN-posing Your Poses

We're all guity, including myself. You see your 4-year old child playing quietly (or loudly!) in the backyard.
The light is perfect.
The situation is perfect.
You grab your camera...
...and then you say "BOBBY! SAY CHEESE!!!"
Bobby runs away. Or he smiles in such an akward way that you know he's just trying to get the camera out of his face.
Lost shot!

I consider this a photographic case of "nature versus nurture." When you look back on life's more beautiful moments (captured in photos of not), they often aren't canned or forced. They are natural, and natural moments are captivating. They force the imagination back to those fleeting moments in life that we chose to whip the camera out for. However, our very well-trained more nurturing side just can't help but ask our children to snap out of those natural poses in order to say "CHEESE!" After all, our mothers and grandmothers did that with us, so it MUST be the correct way to take pictures, right?!

Well, right. Kinda. Not really.

Honestly, speaking as both a photographer and as a mom, I must say that the answer is SOMETIMES. There are moments where "CHEESE!" is appropriate (like large family photos and in group settings where you NEED to sit everyone down in order to get a shot). But, when photographing my own children, in most situations, I have learned to put the "CHEESE!" away because (most of the time) asking my children to pose has only resulted in stress and lost photo opporutnities. Even when I take my pro photos, I always try to get the most "posey" shots finished at the beginning of a session, because I know that my clients' children will be the most cooperative at that point in a shoot. After that, I get to use my creative side to capture the family in the most natural way possible.

Posing is one of the most difficult aspects of photography. I will be COMPLETELY honest, too, in telling you that it's often what I critique myself most on as a photographer because, even if you have the camera's settings set PERFECTLY, you have to consider the person on the other side of the lens at all times. What works for one person (client, child, or whole groups, too) may not work for the next. So, while taking photos of your kids at home, I am going to suggest trying something different this month: UN-posing.

Un-posing is exactly what it sounds like. Not posing. This month, really try to observe your kids as they play or just do something plain cute. Do they have big cheesy grins on their faces as they do any of these things? If so, great! If not, what are they doing? Are they concentrating intently? Are they squealing in delight? Are they glaring at you as you try to whip out that camera? (haha!)

My main point in that I want to convey is that I would like you to think of your camera as an accessory to a moment, and not a stressful piece of equipment. If you learn to take photos of things that don't force your kids or others to remove themselves from special everyday moments, then you will be surprised at how much more relaxed your kids will be when you DO need them to pose.

Happy clicking!

Looking for Light: The Golden Hour

The month of June was, well, crazy for me. Probably the craziest of my life. We welcomed our fourth child, Grant, into our family; however, his entrance was not how I anticipated because I ended up with an emergency C-Section. After three "normal" births, this has been quite the recovery process, and I will NEVER underestimate how hard C-Sections are to heal from. On top of having to recover from the Section, I ended up coming home to a sick 15-month old son and soon after two sick little girls. Thankfully, I had my mom and my husband to help, and I will be forever grateful to them for how amazingly wonderful they were. All in all, though, Grant is a beautiful and healthy addition to our family, and I am grateful for that. The rest of the kids are healthy again, too!
Now, enough about me, haha. Let's talk about photography- a subject that puts me into a feeling that makes me feel, well, zen! Ohhhhmmmmmm.....
Last month, I talked a bit about open shade. This month, I want to talk about the "golden hour," which is the time(s) of day that most photographers LOVE, due to it's universally flattering and dreamy effect that it tends to produce.
In short, there are actually two "golden hours" during the day- the hour after sunrise, and the hour before sunset. During both times of day, the sun is not bright enough to cause squinting or harsh lines, and it often creates a softer dimension to your skin tones and subjects in general. The evening "golden hour" can also produce an amazing sense of backlight, or that halo effect that you can get when the sun is placed behind the subject.
If you have young children and are brave enough to venture out of your home with your kids and camera in tow, you will be amazed at how that morning light can create whimsical photos that can allow you to incorporate things like morning dew into your photos, too. I promise that you won't regret it!
Now, there are some technical aspects to taking phenomenal photos during the "golden hour" that I will have to address in a future installment. Until then, have fun taking practice pictures of your kids and/or pets during these times in order to see how these times of day often create the best photos!

Looking for Light: Open Shade

For this month's post, I will start discussing how to look for the best light opportunities under which to take your photos. Again, this is one of those areas where you can apply this knowledge behind ANY camera (DSLR, point-and-shoot, even polariod!).
We have all been there. We have all of our kids/family in a great location, and we really want to capture the memory. But, when we had a chance to look at the photos after they were taken, we realize that we have either 1) our family members squinting from the brightness of the sun; or 2) we realize that we have basically "blacked" our their beautiful faces dur to too-dark shadows or contrasts. Now we are left with less-than-perfect images to reflect our perfect memories (sigh!).
How can we make sure that we minimize the photography faux-pas?
The first way we can do this is to place our subjects in open shade. Where can you find open shade, you may ask? The answer is: a LOT of places! Have you ever been under the shade of a gazebo and noticed how much more relaxed your eyes are? Well, that's open shade! Or in shadows of buildings...open shade! Open shade is even light that allows you to get wide-eyed and less-squinty results. You can find it most times of the day, too, so it really helps to keep ample opportunites for great photos open.
Now, sometimes you can find open shade under the canopy of a tree; however, I must caution you to look for "dappling," or sunspots coming through. Those tend to be distracting when the dappling comes through on your subject's head or body when they are in otherwise evenly-lighted shade.
In order to keep this post short, I won't go into how some open shade can result in bluish light and some in more warm or yellow light, but we can save that topic for another day.
Until then, have fun looking for opportunities to practice placing your subjects in open shade. I promise that you will love the results!
Some examples of my photos taken in open shade.

The first was taken in my garage:

...And this one was taken with an overhang blocking the direct sunlight:

Finally, this one was taken with my subject in the shadow of a building:

How to make ANY photo look better, regardless of your camera or its setting!

Since there are SO MANY areas of photography to discuss, I wanted to follow up with an article on how to get better pictures, REGARDLESS of which camera you have.
When most people go to take photos, where do they typically place the main subject?
If you are like how I used to be, it was smack-dab in the middle of the frame. After all, the middle of the picture is where the main subject is SUPPOSED to be, right?
Well, that is right...sometimes.
In this post, I'm going to help teach you about something that photographers use in composing great images: the "rule of thirds." Basically, the "rule of thirds" helps you place your picture's subject in the most aesthetically pleasing way.
Here's a grid that will help me illustrate this point:

(Photo of grid sheet from Digital Photography School, www.digital-photography-school.com)
In order to avoid getting too wonky, I will help break this down into how I learned this: try breaking from the "center" mold, and try placing your subject in one of these nine planes. For example, if you are taking a photo of your child, try having their eyes be in the top of your frame. This will create more of an interesting visual element, and may help those who look at the photo really focus on the child, as opposed to what's surrounding them.

Another way to create more interesting photos is to incorporate lines into your photos while thinking about the "rule of thirds." This allows the viewer's eye to follow the lines to the subject and helps to anchor the subject into the picture. Lines can also create an effect that causes those who look at the photo to wonder what's beyond the frame:

So, the next time you go to take a photo of your child (or any subject, for that matter!), try to think outside of the box of putting your subject in the center and try to think of the little "rule of thirds" boxes. Of course, as any photographer, rules are made to be broken; however, in the meantime, it will be fun to challenge yourself a bit and try something different!
If you are interested in learning more about the "rule of thirds," please feel free to e-mail me at reflectionsbyrosie@hotmail.com, or check out this article:
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

Grace

Spring!

Since this is my first spring in Texas, I must say....I AM AMAZED AT THE WILDFLOWERS!!! Everywhere you look, there they are- buttercups, Indian Paintbrushes, poppies, Bluebonnets. Gorgeous!

I've been taking some photos of my kids in the flowers b/c I just love the innocence of both. Enjoy!

One Special Boy- Juan Galvez's Story

April is Austism Awareness Month, and this year, it means something special to my family and me.
Since moving to League City, we have been lucky enough to have some of the best next door neighbors anyone could ask for. One of the families who live next door, the Galvez's, have been extra special to us. Their sweet natures and helpful spirits have helped us establish our friendship with them, and their son, Juan, has taught us more than words can express.
Juan is playful. Sweet. Smart. He loves to laugh as my middle daughter, Danielle, chases him around the Galvez's home with a toy blow dryer yelling "C'Mere, BOY!". In many ways, he's a "typical" 5-year-old with boundless energy. He also loves to look at books and play with cars.
But in many ways, Juan is different from other "typical" 5-year-olds. Juan has Autism.

For those of you who do not know much about Autism, you are not alone. Honestly, I'm in that boat, too. The amount of information about Autism on the internet, in books, and on television can be extremely overwhelming. But, once you know someone who has Autism, I can promise you that you WILL want to learn more about it. Autism is a mystery in many ways, as no one knows exactly what causes it or what can be done to cure it, but anyone who knows someone who is affected by it knows how much it changes lives. Many lives, in fact...current statistics estimate that as many as 1 in 110 children are affected by it. Autism affects every individual differently, and can have different degrees of severity. Some Autistic individuals can still be functioning members of society, and some will never be able to live without assistance.
According to Tammy, Juan's mother: "I have heard our exact story from many other families. In our sons case he had developed typically and hit all of his milestones early including talking. We noticed a change in him between 15-18 months.
He started to slowly stop interacting with us. He stopped responding to his name, he stopped making eye contact, talking, pointing and just started to loose all social skills. It was like someone turned a switch off in him. He continued to play with toys but in a different way. He would play with his train but only spin the wheels. He would run things past his eyes back and forth and do repetitive behaviors that were odd."
In May of 2008, Juan was officially diagnosed with Autism. He was just barely two years old.
Since then, "Our son has been working at a full time job since he was 20 months... literally. He has averaged 40 hours a week therapy since he was diagnosed. He is now 5 and still works so hard for every skill he has. He has a severe articulation disorder that makes his words unclear. He knows his alphabet, counts to 20 and is doing amazing academically. His struggles with social interactions are very noticeable. He just doesn’t use his language to interact socially. He uses it to get his wants and needs met."
"What can I say he has changed our lives and we are so lucky to have such a special child in our family. We are so proud of him and his accomplishments. Everyday brings a new word or skill. He is funny and full of love. He has a long journey ahead of him but we are not scared anymore for him. We are ready for the journey and look forward to everyday."
Juan's smile can light up anyone's day, and I am thankful that Tammy let me share a bit of their story in honor of Autism Awareness Month. While there is too much information on Autism to share in a short Blog post, I encourage all of you to learn more about it through checking out the following sites:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html
www.autismspeaks.org
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm

Chemistry :)

I always love spending time around couples whose feelings for each other are clearly evident. This couple was sent to me by a referral (thanks, Stacy!), and I was excited to meet them. Their story about how they remet online after first meeting each other years ago made their eyes sparkle with excitement about what the future brings.
Best of all, they were so NICE! By the end of our session, I felt like I had known them for a lot longer than the one hour that we spent together!

I LOVE Family Photos!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of taking photos of a family that we've known for awhile...all the way back to Minot, North Dakota!
It's crazy how fast time flies. I remember seeing their little girl in a Baby Bjorn when she was maybe 4 months old one October years back. Now she's a little lady! Their son was born a month ahead of our oldest daughter, and now these two seem to FLIRT with one another! Wow.
As fate would have it, we ended up being stationed a little over three hours away from each other while here in Texas. So, because I'm getting close to having our new baby, I wanted to spend some time with our friends before I was put on um, lockdown, after having baby number four.
I am so glad that we got to catch up with this family, and I am even more happy that I was able to spend some time capturing special moments for them! Enjoy!

Updated 2011 Portrait Prices!

NEW 2011 rates (effective March 15th):

PACKAGE OPTIONS:

MINI- $75
Includes: 30 minutes at one LOCAL (League City and immediate surrounding area) area. Session includes up to 10 edited proofs for viewing in an online gallery that are available for purchase, and 1 printed 8x10 from your session. Watermarked images for uploading to Facebook or other online viewing galleries (750x500 dpi or 500x750 dpi) can be purchased for $4.00 per image.

REGULAR- $150
Includes: 1 to 1 1/2 hours at an outdoor location. Session includes up to 30 edited proofs for viewing in an online gallery that are available for purchase, and 2 printed 8x10's from your session. Watermarked images for uploading to Facebook or other online viewing galleries (750x500 dpi or 500x750 dpi) can be purchased for $4.00 per image.

MATERNITY AND NEWBORN SESSION- $225 ($75 savings!)
Includes: 1 to 1 1/2 hours at an outdoor location for the maternity shoot, up to 30 edited proofs for viewing in an online gallery available for purchse, and 2 (two) 8x10's from your session. Additionally, this option includes up to 2 hours at your home for a newborn session (ideally when the baby is less than two weeks of age or younger), 30 edited proofs for viewing and optional purchase, and 2 (two) 8x10's from this second session. Watermarked images for uploading to Facebook or other online viewing galleries (750x500 dpi or 500x750 dpi) can be purchased for $4.00 per image.

FIRST YEAR OPTION PACKAGES

OPTION #1- $375 ($75 savings!)
Includes: 1 to 1 1/2 hours at your home for a newborn session, 1 hour for a 6-month session, and 1 hour for a 12-month session. Each session will include up to 30 images for viewing in an online gallery available for purchase, and 2 (two) 8/10's from each session. Watermarked images for uploading to Facebook or other online viewing galleries (750x500 dpi or 500x750 dpi) can be purchased for $4.00 per image.

OPTION #2- $750 ($150 savings!)
Includes: 1 to 1 1/2 hours at your home for a newborn session, 1 hour for a 3-month session, 1 hour for a 6-month session, 1 hour for a 9-month session, and 1 hour for a 12-month session. Each session will include up to 30 images for viewing in an online gallery available for purchase, and 2 (two) 8/10's from each session. Watermarked images for uploading to Facebook or other online viewing galleries (750x500 dpi or 500x750 dpi) can be purchased for $4.00 per image.

Session covers travel within 15 miles of zip code 77573. For further travel, there will be an additional fee of $40.

50% deposit is REQUIRED and is NON-REFUNDABLE for all portra

Giveaway!

Hey, all! I never do this, but The Savvy Photographer (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Savvy-Photographer/125797570827) is having a GREAT giveaway that I would like to win...or know someone who does!

Sweet Sisters!

There is nothing that matches the love that sisters have for each other.

Giggles and grins ended up being the theme of this Spring Mini Session. Each of these girls have such unique personalities that, when combined with fun spring-themed props and Goldfish crackers, each pose ended up resulting in lots of laughter from both the kids and the adults.

This shoot was not origially planned to take part at the park that I ended up shooting in (also Clear Lake Park, but a completely different part of it than the other Mini's took place in). When we got there, the original park was PACKED with patrons, and so we had to wing it. So we did!

I am personally so glad that we switched parks because the amended location worked GREAT for the kids! We had a lot more open space to work with, and the shorter docks allowed for me to be able to take photos of the kids right on the water (which would have been a little beyond our comfort area with the other side of Clear Lake Park).

My favorite aspect of this session was seeing how much these sisters really enjoyed being with each other. The older sisters were so gentle with their baby sister, and each of the kids just wanted to have fun for the short time we had together. Plus, each of them are BEAUTIFUL!

Each of the girls shined through the session, and I am so grateful that they allowed me to capture some of their special moments today.

Randi and Zane...Engaged!

Being a primarily family and childrens' photographer, I will sometimes jump at opportunities to expand my boundaries as a photographer. During this year's Spring Mini Sessions, I was able to do that with a great engagement session!

Randi and Zane are a very, very sweet (and beautiful!) couple. Both of them are from Texas, and both had a very laid-back approach to the shoot, which made it a lot of fun for all of us! The park that we did the Mini's at was Clear Lake Park in Clear Lake City, Texas, and it had a lot of great archways and one amazing dock that we were able to have almost full access to for most of the shoot.

Randi and Zane are getting married next June, and based on the way Randi beamed when she showed me the ring that Zane designed, that day can't come soon enough. The love that these two have for one another was evident througout the whole session, and I can only imagine how much stronger those feelings will grow as they marry and start their lives together.

Congratulations, Randi and Zane! I wish you only the best as you start your journey in life

together!

What Valentine's Day Is All About

All too often, we tend to get caught up in the more commercialized aspect of Valentine's Day. The meaning of love tends to get watered down to physical objects (cards, candy, etc.), as opposed to really showing our loved ones how much we care and appreciate them.

This weekend, I had an opportunity to take some photos of two little girls, ages 3 and 1. During the shoot, their daddy, who is in the military, came home.

From that point forward, it was all about capturing the moments that were taking place in front of me. The love that this family has for each other was palpable, and it was amazing to be in their presence. There was no longer any posing required, and the smiles came completely naturally. IT.WAS.AWESOME!

Valentine's Day is not about presents; it is about love. Kids tend to show this love naturally, with no conditions required or needed. Anyone who spends time with children know this feeling of unconditional love, and many are blessed to be receivers of it.

Although Valentine's Day is now over for this year, I wanted to post these photos to make you smile. This, folks, is what life is all about!

More Maternity!

Recently, I joined the MOMS Club of League City in order to meet some new friends.  As I was signing up, I mentioned to the New Member Coordinator that I am a photographer and was looking for some maternity models, and she knew of just the right person to send my way!

A couple of days later, I got a phone call from "D," who was very excited to have some maternity shots done.  From almost the very first sentence, she and I hit it off.  As it turns out, we have a lot of funny things in common- our firstborns are two years and one day apart, and our second borns were (and ARE, for "D") due on March 14th.  My second born was born on her due date, and it would be more than funny if "D's" ends up being born on that day, too.

We are also both military spouses who moved to League City this past December, and we are both excited to meet new friends here. 

During the shoot, I really felt as if I had been friends with "D" forever.  She was a lot of fun to talk to, and she was really open to any of the ideas that I had along the way.  As mentioned earlier, this is her second baby, and one of the most amazing aspects of what I learned about her that day is that she is WAITING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE BABY IS!  Personally, I think this is incredible...especially since my husband and I want to find out the gender of our babies pretty much as soon as we find out that we are expecting. 

As you will see in these photos, "D" is one of those women who absolutely glows during her pregnancy.  "D," I wish you only the best for the remainder of your pregnancy and for all of your mommy years.  I look forward to getting to know you better during our time here in Texas, and I am thankful that you gave me the opportunity to capture some special moments during your pregnancy.

Thai, My First Texas Maternity Model

It was a cold and drizzly morning in Clear Lake, Texas.  I had asked Thai to meet me at Clear Lake Park at 9 a.m.  It was supposed to be sunny out; but the Gulf Coast weather held out. 

There are definite "pros" and "cons" to taking pictures in this kind of weather.  On the "pro" side, there is usually very little sqinting by the client, and shadows stay to a minium.  The soft light tends to be flattering on most everyone, and you can almost go through the whole shoot without having to readjust your camera's settings.

On the "con" side, it's RAINY.  And cloudy.  You can't use a lot of the park's benches, etc., because they are wet.  Ugh. 

I was hoping for a model who would serve as a stark contrast against this weather; and boy, did I get one!  When Thai stepped out of her car, I was amazed at how great she looked for being almost nine months pregnant.  Her yellow dress served as a bright beacon against the gloomy skies, almost as if to say "I don't CARE what the weather is like, I am a mommy, and am proud to be!"  Thai's personality was a direct compliment to her wardrobe, and I was so grateful to be working with someone who was so happy and sweet. 

My favorite shot came toward the end of our session.  As we were walking back toward our cars, I happened to look over at some placid puddles in the middle of the playground.  I looked at Thai and said "Hmm...would you mind letting me get some pictures of you over the puddles?"  Thai happily obliged, and soon I was elated with the results. 

If anyone knows of any more maternity models I you can send my way, please feel free to send them my e-mail address at info@reflectionsbyrosie.com or reflectionsbyrosie@hotmail.com.  I don't plan on using models past February; so if you know of anyone, please hurry and send them my way! ;)

"Newborn K"

Since I launched my business last week, I have been on the lookout for newborn models (up to 3 weeks old) and maternity models.  Luckily, due to a great reference from a good friend here in League City, I was able to set up a newborn shoot just days after I put the word out!

(By the way, this offer still stands 'till mid-February.  If anyone in League City or the immediate area knows of brand-new babies or soon-to-be mommas who are 27 to 36 weeks pregnant, please let them know about me!)

"Baby K" was just outside of my 3-week window, but I wanted to give it a try.  I am so glad I did!  "Baby K" was so beautiful and peaceful and DEFINITELY had some of the cutest newborn smiles I've ever seen. 

She was in the "unfolding" process that newborns go through, so I could not get some of the "curled up, hands under the chin" poses, but she was much more interactive and just, well, sweet! I could not get over how cute her little sounds were as she was settling into the props. 

Thank you, "Baby K", for letting me take some photos of this cuddly, grunty, and just plain sweet time in your life.  As your momma knows, this time goes by so fast!