Every year the holiday season brings a flurry of Christmas themed child portraits to the photography community. It’s easy to see why. Christmas is a magical time for children, and as photographers, we want to capture that magic in an image that will bring parents- whether they be clien

Have you ever heard of the Rule of Thirds? Here’s our guide to using the Rule of Thirds in your photos. Anyone who enjoys taking photos has likely heard of some of the rules of photography. One of the most important and helpful is called the Rule of Thirds. While it’s more of a g

Some of the terms in photography can be a little confusing. Take focal length, for example. We know focal length refers to the lens on our camera, but what exactly is focal length? Understanding focal length will help you know which lens to purchase and how to use it for a wide variety

If you have ever had trouble with knowing how to shoot in direct sunlight, you are not alone.   As a new photographer, one of the best skills you can learn is how to shoot in direct sunlight. And it all starts with learning where to position your subject, and then determining whi

It’s one of the most common questions new photographers have. When starting out, we’ve all asked, we’ve all wondered: How do I find my style? At the heart of this question is a deep desire to find our place in this industry. In a profession that is so saturated, and in market

In the first portion of this blog series I discussed how to obtain correct exposure in your camera by following the guidelines of your integrated light meter on your DSLR. Today we will take the process one step further by metering isolated areas of your photo, and discussing the vario

Have you seen the term “noise” thrown around and wondered what exactly it is? Or maybe you’ve noticed that some of your images aren’t as crisp and clear as you want them to be, and almost have a grainy appearance to them. Digital noise could be the reason. By understanding what noise i

I really used to struggle when it came to taking pictures of my kiddos in their everyday environments when they were just playing or just hanging out being themselves. I had spent so much time learning, honing my craft, to take these perfect, clean, dreamy portraits. I had really lost

As the one behind the camera, chances are, you aren’t in photos very often. But it can be so rewarding to actually be in the frame… to not just capture the memories, but to be in them, too. That is precisely why I decided to learn how to take a self portrait. I wanted to be able to be

Everyone loves to head to the beach on vacation or summer break, but it’s often thought of as a difficult event to photograph. It doesn’t have to be. With these photography tips for the beach and lake, you can feel comfortable and confident about bringing out the “big camera” and makin

Many photographers that I know, myself included, got started with photography so that they could take pictures capturing everyday life.  Not wanting to miss a moment or milestone.  Sound familiar? If so, you probably started by aimlessly clicking the camera at your baby,

One of my favorite ways to utilize composition to make a big impact in my photos is through the use of leading lines. Leading lines are any kind of lines that are present in your photo that draw your viewer’s eyes to a specific part of the frame, most often the subject of the photo. Wh

This is my son. It was taken… a year or two ago? That’s right, off the top of my head I can’t tell. He still has his baby front teeth here, that helps narrow it a bit. It was taken in the fall… I can tell because I think this was Las Vegas and it’s only warm enough for flee

Today I’d like to address an ailment called ‘P.K.B’, or Photographer Kid Burnout. If you’ve ever tried to photograph your own kids, you may recognize the symptoms: Pouting. Screaming. Crying. Grumpy faces. Rolling eyes…. and that is just from us parents! T

Artist In Your Own Home: Improve your Photography by Practicing in Your Own House!Have you ever felt constricted in your ability to learn and grow in your photography because you don’t have access to high-end workshops or expensive photography classes? Maybe your time is limited, and y

We often spend so much time making sure that the speed of our shutter is fast enough to avoid camera shake or motion blur from movement, that it might sound odd to talk about improving your photos by slowing down your shutter. But that’s exactly what we’re going to do.“The

There are many functions that modern cameras have.  But some of the old ideas that modern cameras can’t do away with are your aperture, your shutter speed and your ISO (i.e. sensitivity of the film to light or in digital cameras your sensor’s sensitivity to light). These all have

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or on one other than the third from the sun, you’ve probably noticed an influx of night time / astronomy shots on social media this week. This weekend awed night watchers and photographers with a stunning view of a “super moon eclipse”, which onl

Photographing children can be hilarious and meaningful. Other times it can be like trying to bottle feed an angry octopus. It takes patience, skill and a bit of creativity. Here are some tips and tricks to capturing the moment….as quickly as possible.Have Everyone Prepared Before the S

The Daunting Christmas Card! Should you take your own photos or hire a professional? Christmas Season is just around the corner and that always brings up the option to send out Christmas Cards – which can be a total chore if you do not know how to get a decent photo of your f