ashley and jared : bridals

What a gorgeous couple, inside and out. Ashley and I only met a few weeks ago, but she and my sister Elissa served as mission companions in Argentina, and her caterer is a good friend of mine who catered my own wedding! So I was thrilled when Ashley contacted me.

We took their bridals early Saturday morning on their wedding day, before all the main events. We went downtown to this beautiful building, a US Courthouse. I obviously took a bajillion pictures in just over an hour. I can't wait to show you the rest of their wedding day, it was lovely!

FAQ: random questions wrap-up

Thank you for your fabulous questions this week! Feel free to keep em coming! I'd love to hear your feedback. If you can't find your answer here, check the comments section!

Q. I would love to know your tricks on getting your white balance to be so beautiful. Do you do it in camera?

A. I usually have my white balance on auto, then adjust in Lightroom if necessary. I think I'm used to the way my d700 guesses WB. When I had the d80, I usually kept WB on cloudy, since tones came out much too cool otherwise. Play with the WB dial and get a feel for what your preference is!

Q. Do you use any noiseware to soften your pictures?

A. No. If I want to minimize noise, I use the noise reduction slider in Lightroom, but it doesn't make a huge difference. If I really hated the noise, I would probably just use the reduce-noise filter in PS. I usually don't bother trying to get rid of noise, however, because if I'm shooting at a high ISO, it's usually intentional and I don't mind the character the noise gives the photograph.

Q. What were your favorite sites to help you get better at your craft when you first got started?

A. I think the place I received the most inspiration from was Flickr! I totally spent hours just perusing photographs and reading captions. I haven't been to Flickr in AGES though, I really need to get back on!

Other than that, nothing specific. I went everywhere. I perused various forums and blogs, and googled anything I didn't understand. I also followed dozens of photographer's blogs, but I eventually realized that I was getting such varied inspiration. I also couldn't keep up with them all. So I decided to follow only a handful of photographers whose work I truly admired or who inspired me the most.

Q. How do you go about finding great outdoor locations? Do you subscribe to the "forgiveness is easier to get than permission" idea and just go wherever? Or do you pre-arrange (and pay for) every photo shoot?

A. Part of me thinks you can make any location look good. I let the client choose their location, and if they can't decide, we choose together. I go anywhere that's free and safe.

To find a location, I drive around looking for parks, fields, buildings, shopping centers, etc, or I get online and search for the type of location I want.

If a client wants to use a fancy hotel or botanic gardens as their location, I call the venue and ask. If there is a fee, the client can pay for it if they like. I won't trespass on someone's property unless I get permission.

Some of my favorite Utah locations include: Sundance, Riverwoods, Provo Canyon, Soldier Hollow, Utah Lake, Spanish Fork Canyon, apple orchards, downtown SLC, Springville Art Museum, the International Peace Gardens, Trolley Square, Saltair, train stations, Memory Grove Park, Pioneer Monument, and Ensign Peak. Almost any corner of any old street or any field is beautiful in Utah. The options are endless. I had a little trouble finding locations in Dallas, but Boston is a goldmine. Now I just need to explore Colorado. :)

Q. To get better shots in low lighting, would you recommend upgrading the lens first or the camera body first?

A. Lens!

Q. What size do you crop to? Do you adjust the ppi when you crop or just leave it?

A. I never crop or compress unless I am saving a picture for the web. My blog images remain in their original dimensions, but are compressed to either 400x600 pixels or 500x333 pixels. Since compressing de-sharpens the image, I do like to sharpen for the web in Photoshop before I post them online, but I never sharpen otherwise.

Digital pictures are usually 4x6 in dimension by default, but they can be enlarged to almost any size you want. I save them as-is. All my photos are saved in their original dimension, either at 300 or 600 dpi, and at a 10 or 12 in quality. I may crop an image in when preparing to make an 11x14 print, but I never compress it.

Q. What are your tricks for getting people comfortable enough to photograph?

A. Be comfortable and relaxed, create a fun and friendly environment, and crack lame jokes. :) Sometimes posing is essential. Posing is a difficult art to master since you want them to look natural. It takes a ton of practice. You have be be totally aware of what's awkward in the viewfinder. If a hand or hair is out of place, don't even bother taking the picture. Stop and fix it.

Q. Any tips on taking pictures of newborns or squirmy toddlers?

A. I am not the best at either, but here are a few tips! For newborns, I like them in their element (usually at their home), comfortable, fed, in just a diaper or a onesie (or similar), laying on a blanket, bed, or cuddled in someone's arms next to a bright sunny window. For toddlers, I let play as they like. I give them lots of smiles and hugs and tell them how cute they are in between photos, and when they are stopped doing something distracting, I let them play for a moment before I call their name (camera ready). I also make silly faces or sounds between photos, and I ask them questions such as, "hey cutie, what's your favorite color?" or "what are the color of MY eyes?!" I also bring toys and treats to get their attention if necessary. The key is to make it comfortable. Be patient. Don't get flustered. Take breaks.

Have a fun weekend! I am shooting a wedding here in Denver tomorrow, wish me luck!

FAQ: Photoshop examples

I'm gonna be brave and post some before and afters! These straight out of camera shots (sooc) are for reals. Don't judge too harshly. :) Some are old and some are new.

Notes:

Some photographers prefer to overexpose, but if anything, I tend to underexpose.
I would shoot RAW if only for adjusting white balance.

Indoor window light:

62mm
1/250 sec.
f/2.8
iso 400

Indoor no window:

24mm
1/50 sec.
f/2.8
iso 400

For both examples above, I first adjusted the white balance to a cooler tone while minimizing the green, then raised the brightness.

For the b&w photos, I desaturated the image, then added a curve layer and played with the curve until I liked it. I do the same thing for all my b&w photos. I have searched high and low for a b&w action I like, but I've never found one, so I make them from scratch every time.

Can you guess my adjustments in the next examples?

cloudy:

62mm
1/250 sec.
f/4
iso 400

bright sun:

24mm
1/1600 sec.
f/5
iso 400

backlit:

35mm
1/200 sec.
f/2.8
iso 400

shade:

29mm
1/800 sec.
f/2.8
iso 400

shade 2:

50mm
1/800 sec.
f/2.8
iso 400

and a few landscape. . .

daylight with both sun and shade:

28mm
1/1000 sec
f/2.8
iso 400

cloudy:

24mm
1/160 sec.
f/3.2
iso 640

nighttime:

24mm
1/25 sec.
f/2.8
iso 4000
(I got real lucky without a tripod.)

50mm
1/500 sec.
f/1.8
iso 320

In answer to Kali's question about my go-to settings (hi dear!), I first choose my f-stop depending on the amount of light in the room and the depth-of-field I want (blurriness or sharpness of background), and then I choose my shutter speed. If needed, I adjust shutter speed real quick, but I almost always maintain my original f-stop.

I obviously almost always keep my ISO at 400, even though most photographers will tell you to keep it lower. I used to shoot at 200 when I had a camera that caused terrible noise in anything higher, but with a camera that handles noise well, I prefer 400 just so I can have quicker shutter speeds. (fyi: ISO is like film speed.)

I pretty much love 2.8 if I am indoors taking pictures of my baby. So, you could say that my go-to settings are f/2.8, 1/200 second (give or take), and iso 400. I always focus on the eyes.

p.s. I have a secret dream where I switch to film photography so I don't have to edit at all. :)

FAQ: what kind of computer do you use?

I'm a PC! Yep. No seriously. Always have been. Macs are pretty, but totally unnecessary.

However, big software like Lightroom and Photoshop do require a powerful computer. It needs to be fast. AKA it needs a powerful processor. I use an HP quad core. It's a few years old already, but it runs smooth with all my crazy software. (Lightroom is a BEAST!)

You also might want a few extra hard drives for all those pictures you'll be taking. (We have acquired 5 extra hard drives, each holding a terabyte or so.)

You also need a high resolution monitor, and if you want your prints to turn out as you see them on your screen, that monitor will need to be adjusted or calibrated. Most monitors will show variation in color and contrast and brightness (which is a ginormous pain in the behind), so you need to make sure your prints are turning out just as you see them on screen. This is why you should always trust your photographer to edit AND print your photos. :)

FAQ: All about Photoshop

Many of you have asked how I edit my pictures - what software I use, what actions I use if any, etc. Hopefully this post will answer many, if not all of those questions! Comment with additional questions and I will answer in the comment section. Also, feel free to add your own knowledge, because I certainly don't know everything there is to know about Photoshop!

My short answer is this- I use Lightroom and Photoshop to adjust exposure and contrast, but I do not use actions.

Software

I use both Photoshop CS3 and Adobe Lightroom.

Adobe is up to CS5 now, which I hear is fantastic, but CS3 is sufficient for me, at least for now, and most earlier versions of PS are also sufficient for most photographers.

But from what I hear, if you are an amateur or casual photographer (or scrapbooker, or blogger), or just someone who wants to get their feet wet before they shell out a couple thousand dollars for CS5, Photoshop Elements is awesome and totally sufficient for editing photos (and all sorts of other photo-related things). And it's only $100.

I've never used Elements so I don't know it's limitations, but the most brilliant thing about Adobe is that you can download a FREE trial of any of their software and use it for 30 days. So, when you're ready, download Elements, play around with it for 30 days, then download CS5 for the next 30 and see what you think of both.

To learn how to use them, use the "Help" button within the software, google your questions, and watch YouTube videos about using Photoshop. Or, sign up for a class at your local camera store or community college.

As far as other software goes, I don't know much. I've never used Picnik or Aperture or. . . what else is out there??? But I HAVE used Picasa. . . and as fun as it is to play around and edit pictures with Picasa, trust me when I tell you that it does the most disastrous things to your photos. It compresses them. It ruins colors. If you actually make a print from your edits, you will be blinded by the ugliness. Play around if you must, but promise me one thing. . . . Before you save your edits, ALWAYS save copies of your original photos. Keep them in a folder and leave them untouched. Don't use something like Picasa alone to organize and edit your pictures, and definitely don't use it if you are a paid photographer.

Editing

I shoot RAW, mostly because I prefer the look of RAW, but also for easier editing flexibility. After a photoshoot, I import all of my images into Lightroom as DNG's (which are simultaneously saved on my hard drive), edit my favorites right there in Lightroom, delete anything not worth keeping, and export my edits as jpegs into their own folder. Then, if necessary, I take the favorites of my favorites into Photoshop and edit further.

When editing in Lightroom, and only when necessary, I might adjust the white balance, the exposure, the brightness, the blacks, or the contrast. If I have 10 similar images in a row, and they all need a slight adjustment in brightness (for example), then I will sync that adjustment to all 10 images with one click. And THAT is the beauty of Lightroom. (one of many beauties.)

In Photoshop, I use Levels and Curves to adjust my exposure. A slight S-curve, or just a brightening curve. (I love Photoshop because I think it does a superior editing job than Lightroom does, though I still love Lightroom and couldn't live without it.) I also fix blemishes one-by-one with the healing brush tool. That's it. Truly. No actions, no change in saturation, no filters.

Photoshop is brilliant, but I just don't have time to sit and Photoshop my life away. I have come to love my work without it. I expose the picture as perfectly as I can while taking the picture, and a good lens takes care of the sharpness and the vibrant color of the photo.

In the past, I spent an insurmountable amount of time in front of the computer and it just had to stop. Photography lost its luster when I was up until 3am editing every night. (I still spend some long hours working on pictures, but I have become more efficient since I keep my images uniform.) I never liked the crazy photoshopping trends, but in the past they did influence my edits (you will notice more contrast and darker blacks in my earlier images).

I like to keep the appearance of my images bright, consistent, and as timeless as possible. I know they aren't perfect, but that is my goal. I want to freeze a moment in time and have the picture appear exactly as I see it in real life. And I want it to happen in the camera, not in Photoshop.

Actions

I totally used to use actions, and they were super fun, but I don't use them anymore. They did teach me a few things. Actions taught me how to use layers and the effect of layer order, opacity, etc. They also taught me how to make my own actions. But eventually, they taught me that what I preferred was as little photoshopping as possible.

I have purchased actions from Totally Rad, Nichole Van, Itty Bitty, and Pioneer Woman (hers are free). I genuinely don't use them anymore. Try them if you like, but adjust to make them your own, stay away from trends, and be consistent.

***

I hope this helps! What did I miss???

FAQ update

I am loving your questions, keep em coming! I will continue posting today and throughout the week, or anytime a good question comes up.

ps. I've considered Formspring, but it's just so unorganized. Am I right?! Ok, I still might sell out.

Coming soon:

All about Photoshop
Photographers I love
Locations I love
And everything else you've asked so far :)

Find all FAQ's here.

FAQ: When I finally get the camera, how on earth am I supposed to use it?

Well, you could just stick your settings on Auto and shoot away. But you will probably rarely, if ever, get the results you want.

So, learn to shoot manually!

First and foremost, read your camera's user manual. Seriously, do it. You will be a genius once you do. (even if it's a point-and-shoot.)

Then, go read up about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, exposure. . . and any other unfamiliar word you don't recognize. Go to Google, Wikipedia, forums, and blogs. Go to the library, check out a few books. You could also take a class at your local community college or camera store, or take an online class or sign up for a workshop. Nicole's Classes is a fantastic choice...years ago I was one of her first students!

After that, just practice like crazy.

If I take a good picture I credit it to three things: the lens, the light, and shooting in manual mode. My camera dial never leaves m. It's the only way to get the exposure you really want.

FAQ: What camera should I buy?

Buying your first dSLR? I recommend a starter camera from either Nikon or Canon, both are fantastic.

Check out their websites and do a little research. Here are a couple screen shots from today. The cameras at the bottom of the screen are your starter cameras. They are smaller, slightly less advanced, and far less expensive than the ones at the top.

Nikon:

Canon:

Find the one you want and go compare prices at B&H Photo (best), Amazon, or maybe your local camera store if you really trust it (although you will probably get a better deal online). Or, find a used one somewhere like ebay or Craigslist.

The most important piece of advice you could ever receive is this: Buy the camera body alone, and then purchase a nice lens separate. The lens is the most important piece of equipment you will own, far more important than the body itself. The lens is where the magic happens.

Do not buy a KIT lens. My first camera came as a kit from Costco and the lens was crap. I love Costco, and the camera body might have been more than sufficient, but if you buy a kit lens, you will wonder why your pictures aren't turning out the way you want them to, and it's totally because of the lens.

So buy the camera body and a decent lens separately. Good lenses are pricey, but you can totally find an affordable lens to start with. I like to recommend the 50mm 1.8 to start. Both Nikon's 50mm 1.8 and Canon's are only $120.

I love that lens because it's cheap, it has a super wide aperture (1.8), and it's fixed (no zoom), so you are forced to move your body instead (great practice). It's good for portraits and works well in low-light. (I use this lens in my apartment while taking pictures of my baby all the time.) It doesn't have a wide angle, so you will eventually want something wider, and maybe even sharper. When you're ready, do your research and get a new and improved lens. :)

Compact Cameras

If you are looking for a good point-and-shoot, I'm not much help! I don't own one (though I should, since I use my camera phone all the time)! However, almost all compact cameras are comparable these days. Most have HD, video, zoom, etc. Don't be fooled by a camera with more megapixels. It's a total marketing gimmick. . . anything above 6 megapixels is sufficient, and these days, all cameras have a bajillion. The size of your sensor and the quality of the lens is more important than megapixels (both of which aren't super advanced in point-and-shoots).

If you want something fancier in your point-and-shoot, you can now buy them with manual settings (the ability to change the shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and white balance) and even a setting to shoot in RAW. This gives you the ability to change exposure, and will teach you a few things about manual settings, things you would need to know on an SLR.

I have heard good things about the Sony Cybershot HX5V, the Canon Powershot G12, and the Nikon Coolpix P300. Do some research. Browse websites, read reviews on the products at Amazon.com, or buy a $6 membership fee to Consumer Reports online. We use our membership when making big purchases ALL the time!

FAQ: What's in your bag?

I use very little, but it works. I have a huge wish list though. :)

Camera Body:

Nikon D700 (since november 2008. everything before then was shot with a d80.)

Lenses:

24-70mm f/2.8
50mm f/1.8
28mm f/2.8 (used rarely, but comes in handy when I am traveling and want an lightweight wide-angle. Plus, it's so cheap that I don't have to worry about it so much when I'm out and about. Examples: nyc, fenway park, blueberry picking.)

Extras:

SB600 flash
extra batteries
6 2GB compact flash memory cards
one of gary fong's old lightspheres
Lowepro Roller camera bag (here is a similar version.)

Film and toy cameras:

1980 Canon AE-1
1981 Minolta x-700
1933 Kodak Jiffy six-20
1934 Brownie Junior six-20
Holga 135BC
Fisheye No. 2

Lens wish list:

70-200mm f/2.8
14-24mm f/2.8
50mm f/1.4
24mm f/1.4
14mm f/2.8

aaaand i'm kind of dying for a full-frame body with HD video.

FAQ's Intro

Happy Valentine's Day!

Since I have nothing but love for you (the 10 readers I have!), I thought I would answer a few photography FAQ's on my blog.

I am mostly self-taught, and photography is more like a hobby for me than anything else, so don't be too excited. . . I honestly don't know much!!! But I love to share the few things I do know, because I believe anyone and everyone should know how to take a good picture.

I will be posting throughout the week. If you have a question, ask away!

Find all FAQ's here.