Happy national Dog Day!
Here’s a picture of my Redbone Coonhound baying about how awesome she is. At least, that is what I assume she is doing when she randomly starts baying at nothing. But she is awesome!
Also, if you are considering getting a dog, consider adopting from a shelter (which was the point of national dog day, as I understand it).
#nationaldogday #mydogisawesome #thatcoonhoundbayingismusictomyears
One final thing when doing photography while traveling – don’t forget to put the camera down and enjoy where you are with the people you are with. You never know when you will get those moments again so put the camera down occasionally and enjoy the moment while you have it. Especially if you are with friends and family. On time on this planet is limited and we never know what will happen next so cherish the time you have.
Puerto Rico is an amazing, beautiful place filled with amazing people and I hope to go back there soon.
I hope you all have enjoyed these photos, Next week we will be getting back to regular old Maryland photos but thankfully there are amazing things to see and do in Maryland too.
#Annearundelphotographer #Marylandphotographer #puertorico
So here is the other waterfall we went to. It is a wonderful waterfall do not get me wrong but… I made a mistake. I got arrogant. Usually when I travel for photography, I do a warmup session. This helps me identify what gear I need to be successful on my outings. I did not do that, and I was not as ready as I should have been for this outing.
Namely, my ND lens filter was an MVP of this trip. Any place I had to contend with the sun and anything that reflects sunlight, it was extremely useful. This goes for beaches (the sand and the water) and waterfalls (the water and some of the rocks). However, for this photo session I had not made that connection because I had done none of my homework.
The photos still worked out, but the trouble is knowing how many more would have worked out and would have worked out better had I come to Salto Collazo properly prepared.
But man, is this an incredible waterfall. There is just something about that feels me with content just being around these waterfalls. And having botched this outing gives me an excuse to try and make it out here again someday. Not to mention I learned from my mistake and the rest of the week photography ran smoothly.
#marylandphotographer #annearundelphotographer #Puertorico #waterfallphotography
One thing I love about San Sebastian is not only does it have beautiful waterfalls, but you can swim in them too. We went to different waterfalls on two different days, we went to these Gozalandia waterfalls later in the week (you’ll see photos of the other soon). I can’t decide which waterfall I enjoyed more but just having seen a waterfall is cool in my book. Especially given how beautiful they are, my photography does not do these waterfalls justice. Anyway, for these photos there are two different waterfalls separated by a bit of distance and steps.
Granted, my primary photography focus is family, weddings, and theatre photography (as well as a type of photography that occurs in October…), but one piece of advice I have picked up that works well in nature photography is to look away from the main attraction. If you photograph those things other around the waterfall you will have a photo like every other photo of the waterfall plus a few photos of things around it that may be less common. That stated, make sure you get a few of the main attraction too because you’d be surprised how few people do get it.
Also, if you want diving photos, take young people with you who enjoy diving. And if you go this far, take the next step by telling them to look at you while they dive for a very dramatic shot.
I hope to go back to these waterfalls someday.
#marylandphotographer #annearundelphotographer #puertorico #waterfallphotography
Another quick post this one about chickens. Or animals that aren’t dogs or cats. One of the cooler things about Puerto Rico, at least in my opinion is that there were chickens and roosters everywhere. No one owns them as far as I can tell they are just there, doing their thing. There was a rooster nearby that woke me at exactly the time I wanted to wake up each morning. It was awesome. Anyway, the chickens were a fun opportunity to photograph something I don’t normally photograph.
To be clear, the only thing I really know about chickens is they go great in the pot pies I make and they have feathers. When I encounter an animal I don’t know much about but want to photograph it, I only get as close as I think I need to be but also be able to escape should it get mad at me. Thankfully, I have a 70-200 MM lens so I could stand 10 to 15 feet away and photograph them. I might have been willing to settle for a 90mm prime lens that’d probably put me at 8 to 10 feet away which would have been my comfort limit.
All that stated, the fatal flaw with my thinking is that some animals are actually much faster then I might be able to guess, which is why if it is bigger than a chicken, I follow my other rule: go learn about the animal first and then try to photograph it. You hear about people getting attacked by bison or bears or all sorts of animals every now and then and I’d wager 90% of the time it was people not knowing about the animal they were close to and suffering the consequences for that lack of knowledge.
#Marylandphotographer #Annearundelphotographer #Puertorico #Chickenphotography
Last week for photos from Puerto Rico. Here are a few using a speedlight in a shaded area during golden hour. Remember, when using an artificial light outside during the day, the sunlight acts as a 2nd light, and often as the backlight. However, that backlight is likely the strongest light so adjust your settings for that light first, then bring in your key light and adjust for that one.
For posing, we included 3 types I like to use: looking back, looking straight on, and looking off in the distance. I commonly use these as starter poses and then tailor them to the personality of the subject in front of me and work from there. For any posing it helps to be very specific with the subject you are working with. This is where lots of practice helps because it is one thing to know a pose but a whole other thing to get your subject into it. It also helps to practice with kids who are aged 3-6 as directions need to be super clear for them and if you can get a 5-year-old to understand what you need them to do then you can easily get any adult to understand what you need them to do.
Finally, make sure your batteries are charged. I got very confused during this photo session as my light wasn’t going off very much during the session for some reason. Initially, I thought it was my remote trigger but after the session I realized it was because the battery in my speedlight was nearly at 0%. Thankfully, I carry backups, but when you go to charge your batteries, charge all of them. Battery issues may be easily solved, but they waste time and create confusion.
Morning sessions can be difficult to schedule because most people, at least in my experience, don’t want to be in front of a camera in the morning. Dogs don’t tend to have this issue and are usually down for anything that involves you interacting with them. So, since she was available while I was up one morning in Puerto Rico, we did a photo session.
This dog is awesome, by the way.
As always, remember that pets just want to make you happy. They don’t know what a camera is or what you are trying to do so be patient and be positive with them.
For more active breeds, like German Shepherds, I find active shots work best both in getting them to pose and getting them to look awesome. For these I used two tricks. One was just getting her to stay, walking across the yard, and then calling her to me and photographing as she moved to me. The other was throwing a stick across the yard and having her bring it back to me.
That’s two mentalities being pulled from the dog. One is inquisitive and working, while the other is triumph and fun. When working with animals, or even people, that is something you might want to consider. I always recommend having your subject to some sort of task, but people attached different emotions and mentalities to different tasks and that will impact your photography.
My assistant wanted to do some garage photography (and man do I wish I had more time to spend in that location, it was fantastic as far as photography goes but there was just so much awesome stuff to do in Puerto Rico). Thankfully, this garage came with a car and tools already, so we went with it. Then my other assistant got jealous, so she did a few photos too.
Obviously, I brought some light tripods with me. Actually, I brought 3…. And an octagon softbox and a snoot. I also had 3 speedlites with me. This took careful planning and packing. I stuffed the tripods in my suitcase and carefully organized my camera bag with speedlites.
The location itself was awesome. Not only was there room for the car, but space for speedlites and a softbox. It did take some inventive light positioning but that is all photo sessions. Remember, you can bounce the light off the ceiling to get a nice spread and if the ceiling has parts that are higher, you can utilize that to bounce the light just in the areas below those areas.
Finally, when working with other people’s toys, make sure you play nice. Sure, your insurance may cover damage, but all parties involved would rather nothing got damaged in the first place.
Just a quick post because I am not sure where to put these photos without going on a side tangent, but they are a great opportunity to talk about focusing modes for moving subjects and they relate to yesterday’s post since it was at Crash Boat in Puerto Rico.
Focusing on a moving subject can be a challenge but if you are using a modern DSLR or Mirrorless camera, it doesn’t have to be. Most cameras come out of the box set to single-shot focus. This means you half press your camera’s button and it focus on your subject and then you full press it to take the picture.
That set up is great if your subject isn’t moving.
Fortunately, most modern DSLR (at least 2010s on so modern has a long reach here) and Mirrorless have focusing modes that help with moving subjects. The focusing mode you are looking for depends on the brand, but they all pretty much accomplish the same thing. Here are the modes for Canon, Nikon, and Sony – I am not too familiar with other camera brands.
Canon - AI Servo
Nikon - AF-C
Sony – Continuous AF
In this mode, your camera will attempt to continuously focus on your subject when you do that half press. Or better yet, there is a back button focus button on most of these types of cameras. If you learn where that button is and get the hang of using it your photography life will get much easier and it works very well with this mode. You still need to press shutter button but that back focusing button will improve your overall quality.
Beach photography is tricky. Water, sand, and cameras do not tend to mix well together. However, if you visit Puerto Rico you have to go to the beach at least once, I’m pretty sure that’s a law. Thankfully Puerto Rico has lots of amazing beaches available all around the island. For this session we went to Crash Boat.
For beaches, I try to plan. If I am traveling with friends and family, and in this case, I was, I also consider the time. Most people like to visit places from 10 AM – 4 PM. There is some variation here but that means the lighting must be considered. It was a sunny day so that meant I would be keeping to shade but also utilizing a ND filter on my lens. The good thing about the filter in this situation is that it is one more layer of protection for my gear. ND filters are cheaper to replace then camera lenses.
Also consider that sand can get into things if you are not careful. So really put some thought into how you intend to carry your camera around. In my case I used a small camera backpack and an over the shoulder harness. Your setup may be different depending on your preferences but keep careful consider the absent-minded habits you may have. Putting your camera down in a studio or at a park is much different then putting it down at the beach.
As for water, the closer or further you go into the water with your camera, the greater to risk. Use your best judgement.
Fortunately, we went back to the beach later in the week, so I left my camera back at where I was staying for that 2nd trip so I could enjoy the beach that time.
Now booking for 15 Minute Seasonal Sessions at Kinder Farm Park for Sunday, August 21, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM (exact times for available slots are below).
This is a mini 15-minute photo session for you and your family up to a total of 6 people at Kinder Farm Park.
Cost: Instead of charging for this I will be collecting food items for the Caring Cupboard, LLC.
What Food items? There is flexibility but below would be ideal:
- Peanut Butter
- Jelly
- Cereal or breakfast items
- Mac and Cheese
How many items?
That’s up to you. Normally, I’d charge $75 for this sort of photo session, but times are tough so whatever you feel you can donate will be acceptable.
PLEASE NOTE: While the session itself is for food items for charity, it still costs $6.00 to get on to Kinder Farm Park.
Open slots:
5:00 PM
5:20 PM
5:40 PM
6:00 PM
6:20 PM
6: 40 PM
It’s been difficult picking photo sessions from Puerto Rico to start since they all are turning out so well! So, let’s start with the senior photo session we did there and give someone bragging rights to a high school senior before the school year even begins.
Remember, senior photos shouldn’t be a chore, they should be fun and constantly moving. Teenagers don’t like to sit around waiting for too long. Actually, no one likes to sit around waiting for too long, but especially teenagers and once they get that phone out to look for entertainment your work just got a lot more difficult. To combat this, do a run through before you even start. Ideally, you will have looked over the location and formulated a plan already and it follows a somewhat linear path. This way you spend less time thinking and more time moving from photo spot to photo spot doing actual photography.
Also, don’t fret if you lack access to a beautiful tropical island, use what you have access to and work from there. Believe it or not, it is not about the location but about the subject and your skill as a photographer. Doubt your skill? Welcome to the club! Most photographers do and I know I do, but that’s what practice is for and that’s why I share practice sessions from time to time. Pro athletes go out and practice all the time, why would it be any different for photographers? Things run so much more smoothly when you’ve already tried some of the techniques you will be using.
Finally, you get the weather you get. For some of these, we got clouds, for others we got sun, and for others we needed shade. So long as you have done the research and practice, you can make it work regardless of the scenario.
A few nature photos to start but this is predominantly about traveling with your photography gear.
Traveling with photography gear can be risky. There are numerous ways your gear can be damaged and numerous ways your gear can be stolen. In fact, the more of it you carry, the more risk you are putting it at being damaged or stolen. Sure, insurance will help but let’s be honest it rarely covers the total loss and even if it does you still need wait for things to get repaired or wait for things to get replaced. Except you want that gear on your trip!
So, the first thing you want to do is plan your photography gear for your trip. You want to try and minimize how much gear you take with you – only take what you absolutely need to do the photography types you want to do. Then there is packing. Ideally, you have some sort of case or luggage that is allowed to remain with you on your travels. For planes, this means something that can fit in the overhead or under the seat in front of you and that also means it is one of your carry-ons. On the plus side, you can likely fit your other electronics in this bag or suitcase and make security easier. Just don’t let it leave your sight.
Next, you will want to understand the location you are traveling to. You need to know what crime is like, especially theft statistics are, what scams are common in the area, and how the weather acts in that area. You need to plan accordingly for all this. Granted, most travel in the world is safe, and most of the time your gear is safe too but having a plan to protect it will ensure it remains safe during those moments when the risk you are taking is a little higher.
Finally, understand the rules and laws for photography for where you are traveling and to be perfectly frank, if the place you want to travel to frowns on photography to the point where photographers get arrested simply for taking a picture then you probably want to stay away from there.
Anyway, back to fun stuff next post.
Final set of the “I am in Puerto Rico” session. I should have some pretty good posts next week (or even weeks). But in the meantime here are more dog photos, especially of my awesome dog.
This one will be quick but it’s good if it is the focus of a single post. If you want to photograph pets, then you should probably want to freeze the motion. If you want to freeze motion, you need to increase the speed of your shutters speed. For these I was shooting at 1/320 of a second for shutter speed but I probably should have set it a little faster.
The only catch is that if you speed up the shutter speed then you have to offset ISO or aperture as faster shutter speed means darker photos.
Another quick post as I am still away in Puerto Rico. These are the shots of the two sisters who were the focus of last weeks post.
For two siblings, hands on shoulders looks great or try to get some sort of similar contact as it really does carry the subjects through the photo session. Don’t be afraid to try looking different directions or different looks, that also adds to the intrigue of the photo.
Finally, always do the walking away together photo. Have each sibling look back and then do what I forgot to do here: have them look back together.
Away in Puerto Rico so here is a quick post with a few quick pictures of my dog wearing a hat that she chewed up. The hat was really more of a necklace at this point, but we managed to still use it.
These pictures were just a two-light job, one overhead with a snoot and one just off to the side with an Octagon softbox aimed at her. There are a lot of photos you aren’t seeing here where she is just out of the light from overhead. That happens, especially when working with animals. The trick is to just be patient.
Posing teenagers is a little trickier as they tend to be more self-conscious. Trickier but not impossible. What you need to do is to pull off a good photo early in the session to build trust. If they aren’t in for a smile, and most teenagers aren’t, skip right over it and go with a serious look. You can go back for smiles after you build that trust, but your first goal is cranking out a photo that makes them look cool.
To do this, go with the basic rule first: “Neck like a giraffe and chin down a hair.” After that have them fold their arms. Alternatively, you can have them swing their arms side to side very slowly. Either of these give the arms something to do and makes the body look more fluid and less stiff. Stiff limbs look awkward, loose limbs looks relax and improves your odds of some solid shots.
Finally, notice again the clothing. Simple designs. Sure, you can mix them together into something more complicated but so long as it is a mix of solid colors or simple patterns. Anything else and you risk losing your composed image to the complex and distracting clothing.
4-year-olds are a little better at posing directions but are still very young that they may not understand everything you are trying to say. But often times they will give you their best interpretation of what you are trying to get them to do and often times that is a much better pose because it catches their personality with it. So don’t get so hung up on getting the pose correct when you can get the solid gold of a pose that catches who they are even better then the pose you had in mind.
One other thing, that I will likely reiterate or at least repeat on the next post: clothing. Keep it simple. Either patterns or solid colors or a mix of patterns and solid colors but you don’t want complicated designs. Simple colors or simple patterns look great in photos. That shirt you have that has that long winded speech on it is just going to end up distracting everyone as they try to read your shirt.
So, we stepped it up a notch with my assistant by throwing in a flag and moving one of the lights.
For the light setup, I went with the octagon softbox up front and a speedlight in back with a regular reflector on pointed directly facing the back of the subject. This was to bring out the flag given the way we were using it for this photo session.
Initially, my subject and then subjects were just posing with the flag in various ways, but then got the flag to fly up. There is no complicated trick to this. I simply had one of my subjects grab the other end and gentle toss it up into the air and gravity did the rest of the work. I timed my shot and after a few attempts I had a subject wrapped in one end of the flag with the other end flying in the air. Light positioning helped but if you did this outside during the day, you might have an easier time.
Remember, you can do things with the props you have, just consider what they normally do and try and do something along those lines. Nothing we did here is new or groundbreaking, but the shots turned out and that means they can turn out for you too.
Here are some of the photos I wanted to do for July 4th, unfortunately we had to do them a week and a half later since I had covid. You see all those USA things in Walmart and the Dollar Store? Yeah, those make great props for photos for the 4th of July. They also make for an easy low budget photo session. So, I grabbed those and went, after recovering, I went to work.
As always, when working with babies, you are at their mercy. Work with their parents to figure out what tricks might get the responses you need but keep it simple. For example, looking in a direction and maybe smiling but settle for just getting the proper direction. Also be open to other behaviors their parents may be aware of like how this one-year-old likes standing up and holding the back of the chair. That works so we went with it. But the point is, and I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but the point is that information is key and the best source of information for a baby are the people the baby has spent pretty much all their existence with up to this point.
Also keep in mind that if you use sunglasses, they will reflect the light. If you set your lights at a 45-degree angle to the sunglasses but good luck keeping that direction perfect with a baby.
We then moved into something more but that’s next post.
