“Bashful”

Last week when I was coming home from a run I noticed that my beloved peonies had all but wilted and the petals been discarded. At the time, there were only a few remaining flowers. Spring has been so rushed and harried with work and activities for the kids that I had almost missed the joy of photographing the peonies.  That afternoon, instead of ironing and doing the banking, I cut the last of the living peonies and did some still life work. This was a time to be inspired, to create, take a deep breath and recharge my soul.

I didn’t have time to go to the studio, which means I didn’t have any back drops to use.  I knew that for some of the shots I wanted a white back drop.  I could have used a white table-cloth, or a sheet and hung them from a door, but, I didn’t feel like going to the trouble and I knew I could create the white back drop myself using light.

Using my Nikon D800 and my Nikkor 105mm 2.8 lens I set out to create.  I grabbed some props, antique prescription bottles, an antique miniature milk bottle, a white cheese cloth, a black stool, some ribbon, and some sheets of music.  I don’t know how long I moved around in front of my front door playing and creating.  I lost all sense of time and felt so relaxed.

To create the white back drop effect I used only natural light.  I metered my exposure on the flower so that it would be properly exposed and the backlight would be blown out.  To avoid flare, I angled my lens down just enough to allow some haze, but to eliminate flare.  I wanted this shot to be flawless and dreamy therefore colorful flare spots were not welcome.  My settings are below for your reference:

ss 1/100 f 5.0 ISO 400

I could have worked with the above scenario for hours.   But, alas, the kids needed to be picked up from school and driven to activities, and, honestly, my equipment is so heavy that after a considerable amount of time, my neck and arms begin to tire.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my equipment and the Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses that I have give me great flexibility when working in the various areas of photography that I focus on.  I do love them, but I have recently been evaluating mirrorless cameras, especially for travel and street work.   Lighter weight cameras and lenses would be fabulous when having to hold or carry them for any length of time.   In addition, I just recently came across a new camera that I found interesting.  Light, is a compact camera that appears to have many features.  I don’t know that it has the flexibility I need, but I think it is worth checking into for travel and street work.  I thought I would share the link with you in the event you might have interest in a compact camera that appears to have a lot of great features.

To compare this photograph in black and white, please visit my Thursday post on Monochromia.

To view more of the photographs from this still life session, check back on the blog soon or follow me on Instagram.  I post to Instagram much more frequently there.

Be of Good Cheer

“After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul’s indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer.” ~William R. Alger

SS 1/60   F 4.5   ISO 200

In The History and Language of Flowers the Daisy means, cheer.  We are experiencing a lot of gray days this Spring,  it is raining incessantly.  The quote above reminded me that no matter the gray skies, my heart and soul should be full of cheer.

Flowers and News

“Dazzled by your Charm”

“Study of a Tulip I”

I am excited to announce that both photographs above were selected for the Philadelphia Sketch Club Annual Juried Flower Exhibit. If you live in the Philadelphia area, I encourage to stop by the exhibit – so many beautiful paintings, photographs, sketches and more.

Please note, today is Thursday, which means I posted on Monochromia today.  If you enjoy street photography and faces, be sure and check out my post.

Sharing some News

Happy Sunday!  It’s been a big week for me!   First, I want to share a blog post by Leanne Cole in which she featured me in her weekly introduction series.  I have been following Leanne for years, and find her to be a true inspiration.   With that being said, I am very honored to be featured by her.  Leanne’s blog post about me can be viewed HERE.

This photograph was taken in front of the New York City Public Library during the afternoon Leanne and I spent together in New York this fall.

The other piece of news that I would like to share with you is that I was contacted by Nelson Education/Cengage Learning, a Canadian publishing company, last Monday.  The company asked to purchase one of my images to be used for the cover of a textbook for colleges and universities.   The print run will be 13,240.   Needless to say, I said yes, and am more than excited about this opportunity.  “Love Intertwined”, the image purchased by Nelson Education/Cengage Learning, can be found in a pervious blog post HERE.

Art in the Salvage Yard

You can find another image from the salvage yard on Monochromia today.

How to Choose a Photographer

Digital photography has opened the door for many people to purchase a camera and call themselves a photographer.  Some are enthusiasts or hobbyists,  others amateurs making their way to become professionals, and others, true professionals.  The question is which photographer is best for you and your needs?  In this post I will outline some specific information you should evaluate before hiring a photographer to; do a family portrait session, take head shots, work with your children, or photograph your special event.  Photographs can last a life-time if taken and printed properly so you want to be happy with your choice of photographer and their work.  If you are unhappy with the final product, you will have wasted both time and money.

To begin your search for a photographer, collect names of photographers from friends and family members.  Friends and family members can often direct you to photographers that they have worked with and have been satisfied with.  If you can see the photographic work done for your friends and family, even better.  From there, you need to be the judge of who will work best for your family and help you achieve your goals of hiring a photographer.

Once you have a collection of names, visit the websites of all photographers recommended to you.  You will know at first glance if the photographer has attention to detail and has a style that you favor and that will work for your needs/desires from the photo session.   When reviewing websites, here are a few things to keep your eye out for:

• Style –
  • Does the photographer’s style fit your style?
  • Does the photographer use props, if so, do you like them?
  • Does the photographer take only posed shots or does the photographer also do candid or action type shots that really show family life?

• Quality of images –
  • Is the work over exposed (too bright or flat or lacking detail)?
  • Is the work underexposed (too dark or dull)?
  • Is the work noisy/grainy (not smooth or with distracting lines or dots on the images)?
  • Has the photographer taken good care to use light in his/her images?
  • Do you see catch-lights in the eyes of the subjects?
  • Do the images look too blue or too yellow?
  • Does the photographer have a diversified portfolio?

• Creativity –
  • Do all of the poses look the same?
  • Are there unique and fresh ideas on the website that you maybe didn’t see on other sites?
  • Can you see the photographer’s love of their art in their work?

• Location –
  • Does the photographer have a studio?
  • Does the photographer do on-location shoots?

• Website –
  • Is the photographer’s website easy to navigate?
  • Does the photographer offer details about their photography sessions:
    • Pricing
    • What to wear
    • Contract
  • Is the photographer connected to social media?
  • Does the website load quickly?
  • Does the website work on your mobile device? – This is important for sharing your proofs with your family and friends.

• Pet friendly –
  • Your pets are part of your family too.  Does the photographer allow you to bring your pets to their studio or on-location?

Once you have reviewed the websites, you need to narrow your selection down to a reasonable number of photographers to contact.  Most photographers will have a contact page on their website.  It is fine to email the photographer, but I encourage you to take the extra time to telephone them directly.  Calling them will give you additional insight as to whether or not the photographer is someone you want to work with.  Here are things to consider when speaking to the photographer you are considering:

• Is the photographer friendly?
• Is the photographer warm and welcoming?
• Is the photographer flexible with scheduling around your schedule?
• Does the photographer ask you questions that demonstrate he/she is interested in what you are looking for?
• Does the photographer seem organized and together?
• Does the photographer seem eager to work with you and please you?
• Is the photographer open to working with your pet as part of your family?
• Does the photographer print holiday cards or business cards, depending on the purpose of your photo session?
• What is the turn around time for orders?  Will you have the prints in time to give them as gifts?
• Does the photographer offer pre-shoot interview sessions to determine your desires, or to evaluate the setting of the event?
• How much time should you allow for the photo session?  Hint: a family session should take approximately an hour and a newborn session should be between 2 and 4 fours.
• Pricing, if not included on the website.
• What is included in the sitting fee – prints, digital images?  See the information on pricing below for additional considerations.
• Is the work of the photographer during the session under warranty?

Now that you know the photographers’ personalities, their skills, and their style you are ready to take the last step in finalizing your decision.  The last consideration is going to be pricing.  If you are working on a budget, and who isn’t these days, price must be a consideration.  Below are a few considerations on pricing:

• How does the price compare to the other photographers you have evaluated:  Much higher?  Much lower?
  • Throw caution to the wind before hiring someone who is under priced compared to other photographers.  If the price is too low, question whether or not they are putting time into post-processing and the details needed to provide quality print orders.  Photographers’ time is valuable.  They don’t make a lot per hour when you factor in the time for sessions, post-processing, order placement, and delivery/pick-up.  If they are under priced question how much they value their expertise, their time and their work.  If the sitting fee is very low, the photographer may be making up the difference on the price of prints or digital images.   See the full picture before hiring someone.

• If the price is much higher than others don’t be afraid to ask why.  If prints or digital images are included, then maybe that raises the price.  If not,  you want to be sure that you are paying for expertise, not pride.

• Are there hidden costs?
  • Travel time
  • Mileage
  • Are prints included in the price of the session
  • Are there additional fees for digital images
  • Blemish removal

You have now done your homework and should be able to make a sound decision that you will be happy with for years to come.  Enjoy your photographs!

 

copyright Robyn Graham

All material presented within this page is the work and opinion of Robyn Graham and is under copyright.

 

 

Family of Five

Capturing a Family Portrait with an Active Little Guy

Head Shot – Backlighting

Glamour/Conservative Boudoir

Professional Head Shot

Maternity

 

To see more of my featured photographs visit the galleries on my website.