giggles

Kimberly - I am the type to person that thinks it is next to impossible to learn a skill from a book. I believe in hands on learning which is just practice, practice, and more practice. Put your images up for honest critiques and take the critiques to heart or find another photographer that will mentor you or give you advice on your images and where you can improve. When I started out with my portrait work, I would search the internet and PN for photographs that I admired and then try to duplicate the image's colors, lighting, sharpness etc. It seemed that with each sitting I did the more confident I became and the better my images became. My poor children now run when I take out the camera since they were my guinea pigs for all of most of my practicing. Good luck!

I have the D200 and use my 50mm 1.4 quite often for portraits, especially for outdoor portraits. I think you can find one in the low $300's.

Hi Theresa -

I have used www.bigblackbag.com for the previous three years. My site is www.gigglesngrinsphotography.com. BBB has templates but you are control of much of the own design. It also include hosting and provide you with statistics. Their sites are really user friendly and easy to change. If you decide to go with them, tell them that Emily Koch referred you and I get $25.00 - thanks!

I haven't used blurb but I have used mypublisher and have seen samples from York Photo of which both turned out acceptable. I wasn't blown away with the quality but the pricing is right and you get what you pay for.

Yes, I agree I do look at my world through rose colored glasses at times. I will see the good in people before any evil and trust that in the end good will always prevail. It definitely makes living day to day much easier. My heart has much more empathy than cynical tendencies. But then again, I have heard that a photographer's art is not a just photograph but a reflection of themselves. Or in a condensed version "You are what you photograph". Now take a look at my portfolio and you'll understand:)

 

I am not a New Yorker and actually have never been to New York. My limited knowledge and feelings of Mayor G. came from watching the events of 9-11. I saw a man that wept for his city and people. He didn't take the easy way out at the end of his term and just turn it over to the Fed. He was compassionate and relentless. Was it his job? I suppose but I see more than that.

I think it is an excellent portrait that captures him beautifully both inside and outside. I looked at the photo with no preconceptions and as if I knew nothing about him. He looks like a kind man that has been worn and weathered. Each line gives definition to his appearance and character. If he does become our president, it would be interesting to see the same portrait at the end of his term. It is amazing how stress can age a person. 9-11 must have aged him terribly.

I haven't read through everyone else's advice so I don't know if I am being redundent but hear are my thougths.

 

For your first situation of being asked for more proofs, I would just respond that you have carefully examined each image from the session and presented them with all the images that meet your high quality standards. I would tell them that all the images that did not make your quality standards have been deleted and are no longer available. It sounds like you are giving them plenty of choices. If this doesn't work you need to explain your proof policy up front before the session and tell them exactly how many proofs they will be presented with regardless of the number of images taken.

 

As for your second sceanario - cut your losses and run. You can politely explained that the album was a gift in which you showcased your favorite images and if another album is needed that it could be customed designed for full price.

 

Having policies in writing and given to your customers up front will alleviate many of your problems. Just make sure you stick to them or word spreads that you "did this special deal" for so & so.

 

Best of luck,

Emily

I have seen some beautiful christmas images taken by older churches or if you are near snow, I like the snow covered evergreens. Thanks Tamara for your idea about the gingerbread men - I might have to use that this Christmas. I have quite a few children's images in my portfolio but they are mostly shot in my studio.

Hi Gisela - I have learned this lesson the hard way. The exact thing that Matt stated happened to my business. I started out as Giggles n Grins Photography. I chose that name in hopes of only attracting babies & children as I did not want to venture into other areas of photography. But as my skills and confidence improved and word spread, I am now doing weddings and senior portraits. In those occasions, I use GnG Photography but looking back I wish I just would have chosen Koch Photography or Images by Emily - something along those lines. I know it is not as creative but let you images show your creativity and not your business name.

Just a word of advice, I would talk to the parents first and ask them of their opinion of offering this service. Or contact the school and have released forms sent home and information sheets available on your intentions.

 

There is a photographer that does this exact thing in my area and puts the images on a website for parent's to purchase. Many people became upset with this due to the photographs being unsoliciated. I am pretty sure you would need a release from the parents to place the images on a website, especially if they were for sale for anyone to purchase. You never know what creepos are out there.

 

I know you have the best of intentions and many parents would be happy with this option but I would get permission in the form of signed released forms filled out first.

 

Good luck!

I don't know how to do a link but the photo is by Lew D'Souza. I did a top photos search with the criteria of Portraits rated highest for originality and lo and behold it was number 1.

I am a Nikon gal so I would get the D80 hands down. Good luck!

It looks like he was very comfortable with you which is the biggest battle when photographing a one year old. I would use fill flash in the areas where it is half sunny/half shady to avoid big shadows on his face or just stick to areas of fun shade.

I use "Senior Reps" which is a few students from near-by schools that I photograph at a discount rate early in the season. There sessions are longer than most and I get to "play" with them to get my creativity flowing. After their session, I order large proofbooks for them to show off along with personalized referrals cards for them to hand out to all their friends. The friends get 24 free wallets for booking a session and the senor rep get $20 off their total order for each session booked from one of their cards. It works pretty good as long as you have an outgoing and fun rep. to work with.

I know you already did the shoot and I hope it turned out well for you. For future reference, I use a bean bag and cover it with a backdrop or baby's blanket. I allow have seen a new item at the discount department stores that props a baby up that can't sit by themselves yet. It is a foam/plastic like chair that forms around their body. That is my next purchase for the 2-6 month olds that don't sit by themselves but can hold their heads up.

I have found some inexpensive props on

 

http://www.backdropoutlet.com

 

Good luck!

Try using a large reflector under the subject and bounce your flash off of the ceiling??? Just a sugestion.

Your exposure look off on many of them as there are some blown out area. The best shots in my opinion are the BW feet and the last shot. I think you are good at capturing the "moment" and have great ideas but you need to work on your camera settings. When in this predictment, an easy way to check your shots is to use your histogram and check it after every shot.

Start with the 50mm 1.8 lens. It is a great lens to learn on and it is very inexpensive.

Hi Tiffany - I checked out your website and you have some very nice images/poses. My only critique would be that they seem too saturated towards the orange/red tones. Being that you are in Florida, I am sure the models are tan but I think that if you adjusted your curves some they would still look tan but more natural. The photo that you have posted in here is natural and relaxed but she does seem orange on my monitor. She is beautiful girl by the way and looks like she was up for anything as far as posing or location - must have been fun?

Catherine - Unfortunately she did vomit but not in that shot. I wanted to make a true document of her birth experience without getting graphic and I think that is an important part. At least I don'h have her actually vomitting:) Didn't want it to splatter on my camera - LOL! She is my sister so I know she won't mind.

Thanks for your help David! I appreciate it and now I know how to add a link in the future:)

 

Gene - I used my Nikon D200 with my 50mm 1.8 lens. I only used ISO 400 and used my P setting since the lighting conditions were constantly changing. I think most shots pretty wide open. I didn't run into much noise but I did have a few blurry shots due to me being too shaky/emotional.

Ok - how do I post a link? I did something wrong....

I thought I'd share my recent project with anyone curious. I photograph the

birth of my nephew recently and put it on slideshow. It can be viewed at

http://photodex.com. Once you are there go to the sharing page and

type in my user name of emkoch under the browse member area.

 

I'd love to here any thoughts or critiques.

 

Thanks,

Emily

I think she is very creative but I agree that very few of her images are in focus. She appears to using only natural light and then she most post-process to add saturation or color boost actions.