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@staceyhedman-blog
Be a Blogger
If you had to pick one blog topic and write about it for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Or perhaps you have to paint one picture, one scene... are you already living in that scene?
I love questions like these. I love moving myself and others to think about what we wanna be when we "grow up".
I posted some tips over on my main website, so be sure to check out Buying a Camera! if you're in the market!
If you got one, congrats! Maybe you'll find the earlier posts and links in this blog helpful.
I shoot mostly film these days, but the Canon G15 is at the top of my list for sure. One of the things I want to remember most in the new year is to carry a camera with me ALWAYS. Not just the iPhone, though I'm totally addicted to Instagram of course :-)
This time of year there are lots of 365-day projects to join as well - it's not too late! One you might like is with Project Life 365 (psst, phones allowed!).
So fess up... did you resolve to take more photos in 2013?
Free Photography Education
Just a few great links for aspiring photographers and small business owners!
Creative Live: weekly workshops, always free to watch live, a huge variety of subjects and styles!
MyMusea: photographer interviews in a podcast format, so inspirational!
The Framed Network: mini-series subjects that you can watch on-demand
Dane Sanders: (click "join the conversation") brief interviews with leaders in business and photography
Making Things Happen: incredible motivation; tips for finding, creating and following your dreams :-)
There are many more, but these are the ones that stand out for me every week. I follow them on Twitter, and jump at the chance to tune in!
Where've ya been?
Okay, the question is kinda where have I been?? Sorry 'bout that...
I quit my corporate job to pursue my photography career full time - yes-sir-ee! So that's where I've been. And if you read this blog, you too can quit your job ;-)
But first, let's catch up.
There have been some amaaaaazing photo techniques and tips popping up every Thursday from my friends at Let the Kids: Technique Thursdays! Bokeh, unique perspectives, capturing reflections, and more.
My last post here was about shooting in the snow (oops), but remember when we talked about photos in the bright sun? Try putting the sun behind your subjects, "spot meter" on their face, and get to know these great new results!
Wanna be in a magazine? Get in touch with your local/regional magazines and offer to send them some of your favorite photos for their stock library. Kids at the parade, mountain biking, the local farmers market, a scenic vista... For instance, I know Cape Cod Life needs some photos of berry picking for next year's spring issue! You'll get paid by the size of the photo(s) these magazines use!
...okay, now I'm off to brainstorm some of the next posts coming to you, but feel free to help by using the ASK ME button over to the right! I'd love to keep this site going - see you soon!
Taking photos in the snow?
Chances are good that you're suffering from gray/blue photos on a brilliant snowy day like today. I'm here to offer a quick tip for those of you who have your cameras in Program or any partially automatic mode.
See, I know you're not using Manual because you could easily brighten up your photos on your own if you were ;-) But I totally understand, so let's try this...
Any SLR camera has an "Exposure Compensation" option. You might want to pull out your manual or just Google search your manual online, because it's different for every camera.
If your camera is in any form of auto or semi-auto (aperture priority or shutter priority) mode, it's trying to turn that snow into a middle-gray color. Setting your exposure compensation will move that dial up a couple of notches to find a brighter point!
(Honestly, I think you can permanently leave it up two notches. My camera always wants to go darker than I hope).
Now get out there and play!
A great friend of mine is hosting a workshop this January 14th in her beautiful York, Maine studio! Come learn some great camera tips, what all those buttons do, and how to organize those photos on your computer. Great for anyone getting a new camera this holiday season! Just click the title above to find out more.
A little link for those of you getting ready to take photos of your kids (or dogs :-)) in front of the Christmas tree!
You'll see the photographer mentions using Aperture Priority and dialing the camera down to the lowest number your lens can reach. That means you're letting in the most natural light you can, and those Christmas lights will be blurry, twinkly balls!
She also says not to use a flash, but you've already learned how to bounce your flash behind you so that's okay too. Have fun!
Comparing film to digital. Are you checking out this little blog of mine because you're a friend, but haven't quite upgraded to a full digital SLR camera yet? I totally get it... they're big and cumbersome. But there's a good chance you have a film SLR laying around - either yours or your parents' - and I thought I'd share this photo to encourage you anyway.
This blog is about taking amazing photos NO MATTER what camera you have access too. The big thing is being able to change your settings manually.
Same brand of camera, same exact lens, same manual camera settings. The photo on the left is leaving the camera up to Auto White Balance. The photo on the right is using Kodak Portra 800 film.
Ask me what the biggest tip is for better photography, and my answer will be always be PRACTICE.
Take your camera with you everywhere, get the guts to set the camera to Manual, and just take photos. Lots of them.
But there were times when I couldn't take one more photo of my dog in the yard. I wanted to try new things. I wanted to SEE exactly what changing my settings was doing. In lieu of another furry model, I grabbed an antique lantern from the house one day, placed it on the front stoop, and became friends with my off-camera flash.
Grab a doll, grab a plant, heck grab a bottle of beer! I promise these models won't laugh at you or get annoyed while you're testing things out. Figure out what aperture does, or try shooting into the sun... whatever you'd like!
I still do this sometimes. For me, I'm learning a lot about film photography these days - Different films or different exposures, etc. The above photo is proof that I still put things on the stoop. It's the first photo taken with the help of my new hand-held light meter on Fuji Pro400H film.
(have an old light meter laying around, maybe from your parents' younger years? I dare you to Google the manual and learn to use it - they're incredible)
I ALWAYS recommend these guys to my clients if you're going to take digital files and print them out yourself. Same price as sites like Snapfish and Ofoto, but waaaay into expert color calibration - guaranteed to look as professional as the photos you paid me for :-) Try it with your own photos and let me know your thoughts!
A sunny day seems like the best day for photos, right? Unfortunately, it's really not. Not one bit. In fact, it's quite painful for everyone involved.
This July I'm filled with the engagement sessions of the couples whose weddings I'll be photographing in the fall. I've been able to travel from Brooklyn to Lake Winniepesaukee, Boston and Cape Cod. A big part of my session work is educating clients on the best time of day for photos. Right now, that's early morning or early evening. No... 9am is not early, and 5pm is not late. We're talkin' 6am and almost 7pm this time of year!
Bright sunshine causes crazy harsh sunlight on your clothes or hair, and squinting and deep shadows if you're looking toward the sun at all. There are a few key things I look for if faced with bright sunshine on a shoot:
(1) Shade: It doesn't matter how gorgeous the scenery is, I'm just looking for the shade of tall buildings and looming trees. Shade is an even light, and you won't have to worry about shocking highlights and deep shadows at all. Nor the squinty faces.
(2) Reflectors or fill-light: If there's a light-color building or van across the street, that's going to help me bounce some natural light back into your face, lifting those shadows a bit. I'll likely even pull out my flash in the bright sun, which is serving a similar purpose. Most flash units (on or off-camera) have settings that allow you to turn the power up or down, so it's fairly easy to get a natural look with some practice.
(3) Shooting into the sun: (like in this photo!) It sure looks good when you have the sun shining colorfully on your subjects' faces, but that just means they're all staring uncomfortably into a huge bright glowing ball of fire. Living in the Northeast, it's actually possible to have the sun behind your subjects even around high noon. This puts their entire faces evenly into a shadow, and you can actually create some really cool looks. My recommendation here is to be sure there's also something behind their head - such as trees or bushes, to separate their head from the white sky. Fill flash (as mentioned above) is also really helpful in this situation.
(4) Looking away: As a last resort in capturing an amazing backdrop, sure, I'll put the couple right in the worst possible light, but I won't have them look at me. Behind me (and the camera) is that big ball of fire, so just go ahead and look at each other. Give a kiss, snuggle in, even close your eyes!
I hope these few tips help you next time you're out there, but more importantly to nix the idea that sunshine is the best thing for photos. Embrace those clouds, fog and haze - that's a photographer's dream!
PS: If you're planning to hire a photographer for portraits or even your wedding, please consider the time of day and the time of year that will give you even better photos :-)
I thought I'd interrupt the learning with something even more fun!
I highly recommend Kelly Moore Bags if you're looking for a fashionable camera bag. I personally own the Classic bag in gray for weddings and photo sessions, but I FINALLY gave in and bought the B-Hobo in brown last week!
Now I can bring my camera with me everywhere, every day! Such a cute bag, and since I'm really into shooting film for personal work these days, that's what it's currently carrying.
The best way to get better at photography is to take photos! (psst, they have them for boys too!)
Photo above taken with Instagram, an incredible iPhone app for those days when you don't have your camera (gasp!).
Bouncing Flash
Hellooooo, I've been missing for a bit but I still love the idea of this site and encouraging you to get out there and shoot! I have a few things I'd love to show you that require me to actually take some example photos, so those will come soon. In the meantime, one of my favorite subjects is how to add flash naturally!
Most SLR cameras have a pop-up flash on top, and unfortunately, that's just never a good look. For a couple hundred bucks you can get a Canon or Nikon "Speedlight" flash, but for under $100 there's also the Vivitar series - anything with a turning head.
The diagram shows the flash bouncing directly behind you, the photographer, which then creates a much larger and softer light source. You can tilt the flash in any and all directions and see what you get - my favorite is to aim at a 45-degree angle behind me, somewhat up at the ceiling and the wall behind me. Another great option is to bounce to the wall next to you, so the light is hitting the subject from a more dynamic angle.
But be sure to look at the wall, ceiling or objects around you first, because you're probably better bouncing off a white refrigerator than the dark red wall next to it.
So why bounce?
The light hits your subject in a more diffused way, completely eliminating red-eye, harsh shadows and any bright shiny spots on your subject. In short, it ROCKS.
When should you probably not bounce?
If you're outdoors, there's nothing to bounce from. Pointing the flash up is really just wasting flash. Look for natural reflectors instead, such as bright buildings or the sand at the beach. If you're shooting directly into the sun, you'll need to aim the flash right at your subject, but you can dial down the power to make this more natural.
When the light has to travel really far, you also might not be able to bounce flash. Even in a long church, though, I often bounce the flash up and forward to the center of the church so that it falls back down on the altar.
If you're in the 80s. Don't try to bounce flash through the smoke machine at the club. Smoke reflects light and you'll just get a bunch of white nonsense if you're sending the flash through it.
I hope this helps you create more natural-looking indoor photos! (not that you're indoors this time of year, but start playing now and you'll be a pro for the family holiday photos!)
Click the link (and soon!) if you're interested in a learn-to-shoot workshop with a photographer friend of mine here on Cape Cod! April 13th in Cataumet, MA
See the light
Figured we would start to talk a bit about lighting - and first up is always NATURAL light!
It's important to train yourself to instinctively look for nice light on your subject. You can see the glimmer in your child or dog's eye, or just the natural reflection off of a tree. You usually want the light behind you, or off to the side, but it's a little more tricky when the light is behind your subject (and we'll get to that).
Here's a simple look from a day at the beach with my friend Heather's kids. I snapped a quick shot of Taylor walking toward me, but the sun wasn't really doing anything for her face (cute face that it is!).
Then, literally within the same minute of the first photo, here is Heather with the kids, with the low sunlight pretty on their faces.
Of course you don't want everyone squinting in your photo either, but there are plenty of ways to see more subtle light too. It might be bouncing off a building, or even the ground. Don't be afraid to move your own body before you snap the photo - it could well be worth it!
Here's another example in total shade. I was at a dog event for the Friends of Plymouth Pound. See how the light fills this beautiful dog's eyes just as he turns in a different direction? The light is always coming from somewhere, even if you can't see the sun.
ISO and Grainy Photos
This topic pertains to almost every camera, including your point-and-shoot ones. Have you ever gotten really grainy looking images and not been entirely sure how that happens? The culprit is ISO. Every camera has a threshold of how high the ISO number can go before it starts to pick up too much grain.
ISO used to be the film speed on a roll of film. Today, this is something you can change with each individual photo you take on a digital camera. Most consumer DSLR cameras will let you go up to 600 or 800 before the image starts to look poor (the dial may turn higher, but you won't love those photos unless it's just an urgent situation). If you're in perfectly fine daylight conditions, I'd keep this down at 200.
So why do we turn the ISO number up at all? Well, remember that our three variables are shutter speed, aperture and ISO. If you're in a dark situation, and you want to let more light in to the camera, you want to do one, two or all three of these things:
Slow down your shutter speed (so it stays open longer)
Open up your aperture (the low numbers provide a bigger opening of light)
Increase your ISO (greater sensitivity to light)
If you're shooting in an indoor ice rink (thanks for the question!), chances are that you still want your shutter speed fast enough for sports action (maybe 200, aka 1/200th of a second). You can dial down your aperture, since you just want your child most in focus, but is that enough to get that line to the middle of your exposure scale?
Now you've got a third trick up your sleeve - increase your ISO! Dial this number up, and you will have the ability to keep your shutter speed where it is. Get that line in the middle, and shoot!
Why not try this tonight while hanging with the family over dinner? Better to get to know your camera when it's not an important situation... how high does your camera want to go with its ISO?
Nikon users: I hear your camera may default to an "auto ISO" setting, so make sure that's off.
You may not see grain in your photos until you download them to your computer, and even then maybe only when the photo is blown up to a larger size. What you plan to do with the photo is definitely one factor to consider.
For the more advanced shooter and editor, here's a little thing I figured out over time... if I'm going to increase my ISO pretty high, it's important to nail the exposure then and there. You can't get it "most of the way" and then lighten it a ton in Photoshop later, because the grain will become all the more ghastly. I have a hard time trusting that my professional cameras can reach above 2000 or even 3000 ISO, but I'm learning that it still can look great if I get it right in-camera. So go all the way if you can!