*{Away from the Office...}*

*photo credit-disneycruise.com

Just a little note to let you know I will be away from phone and email access from Tuesday, February 23rd through Sunday, March 7th...I will be sailing the Ocean Blue with my family and Mickey's friends! But I promise to return emails and phone calls as soon as I return...nice and refreshed!

Until then,
-m

*{Fort Irwin Mardi Gras}* Fort Irwin CA Photographer

The Fort Irwin OCSC (Spouse's Club) will be hosting their annual Mardi Gras event on Saturday, February 27th at Reggies on Fort Irwin. Not only will you have an opportunity to gamble your heart away at blackjack and Texas Hold 'em, but you will also have an opportunity to bid in a live auction and silent auction. All money raised in the auctions goes straight back to our Fort Irwin community in the form of scholarships and welfare.

And here is a sample of what I have donated for the auction...so get on down there and "get your auction on"! I want to see bidding wars on the paper so we can raise money for our community!

Can't wait to see you for our session!!!

*{Q.&.A Round II}*

Here is another Q.&.A post for you all! The first post is here in case you missed it. It feels really good to help others...everyone should try it out! So I hope this helps someone...anyone...and if you have more questions, leave me a comment! And if I don't answer it in the comments, please don't be sad...I will include it in the next Q.&.A if it's not answered there!! And I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!! Mine was filled with Disneyland and Las Vegas...I felt like the complete Southern CA tourist for the weekend and loved every moment!!

So on to the questions, yes...I see a hand!!!

Q: How do you meter for backlighting (and more on backlighting)?
A: What I do is get in close to meter JUST THEIR SKIN!! Don't let that bright sun (background) in from the back when you meter or it will throw off the metering. Then, what I have found that works is I don't center (zero) the metering. I overexpose it by usually 1-2 "ticks" (you know what I'm talking about right, on the in-camera meter). Then, step back and take a picture...check your LCD and adjust if you have to from there...but usually I don't need to adjust.

Also...when backlighting, it is always more flattering if you can get something dark behind the subject...Like a dark tree in the distance or building...then you see that nice rim of light around them better.

When focusing during backlighting...I shield my lens a bit so it can focus. When the lens is looking straight at the sun, it usually has trouble focusing. So I shield it from the sun so it will lock focus, then I pull my hand away and shoot it.

Q: I sometimes end up with the focus on her hair clip instead of on her eyes. I usually end up focusing on the spot I want, then moving the camera to frame the shot (hard with a moving child), then snapping the pic, but I don't even know if that's right, ha?!
A: I use my focal points so I can pic which "red dot" I want to have lock in the focus instead of the camera picking it (you know, where you focus and the red dot constantly changes picking something new to focus on). So try using the focal points. It may take some time to get used to, but it has been so helpful for me. I have found that the least amount of "focus/recompose" is the best...so by choosing the focal point, it will help you nail the focus.

Q: I was just wondering what your basic tips are on editing. And what about the "moody" black and white pics?
A: I play with the layers, levels, and curves a lot. Actually, I try to get the best color possible in-camera and just bump a few things to make it pop a bit more. Once you start nailing your exposures, editing becomes SO.MUCH.EASIER. And for the black and whites, I use Brenda Acuncius' Action (the best $12 you will ever spend on actions...and before she realizes she is charging WAY TOO LITTLE for these, you better go buy it--love 'ya Brenda)! That is how I achieve the contrasty black and whites. But a lot of that "moody" look in the black and white images is not so much the action I run, as it is the light. I always try to have the light hit from a direction so it casts a shadow on the face (I do this when shooting indoors if possible...especially newborns)..giving it more dimension.

Q: I have no clue what the histogram is telling me, can you explain?
A: As far as the histogram goes, you want as much of the midtones displayed as possible...so a nice "anthill" works--in other words, you want a nice tonal range. If you take a picture and the subjects are way dark, you will notice the histogram bunching up on the left saying you are way underexposed. If you take a pic and the people are really blown, you will see the histogram bunched up way to the right saying everything is overexposed. When your "anthill" gets bunched up on either side, you are missing all that information in the middle of the histogram that is crucial. However, when you are shooting in a very bright scenario (high-key), you WILL have a lot bunched up on the right of your histogram. But hopefully you still have some of the midtones in the histogram or you may have to be concerned about overexposing. The same goes with shooting in a darker scenario (low-key) and things bunching up on the left. That is a BASIC rundown on histograms...trying to put it in simple terms. To learn more specifics, check out this link...it is more than I could ever write, and I'm not going to reinvent the wheel...so check this out on histograms!

Q: I've been practicing in manual A LOT! I'm still having some trouble with blur in the face...so do you give the shutter speed priority while metering? What about aperture?
A: Blur in the face...check and make sure your shutter speed is not below 125 or you may be dealing with camera shake. I always adjust the shutter speed (it is sort of my variable element) because I want to pick my aperture and let it stay there. I like shooting around 2.0-2.8 aperture. So the first thing I do is set an ISO that will work for the light around me (the darker the situation, the higher I go. But when outside, I usually just stick with 200iso). Next, after setting my ISO, I put my aperture where I want it usually 2.0-2.8...unless it's a group I go to 3.5ish). And after setting my aperture where I want, I then adjust my shutter speed from there to give me proper exposure...BUT IF YOU ARE HAVING TO SET YOUR SHUTTER SPEED LOWER THAN 125, THEN YOU MAY WANT TO INCREASE YOUR ISO INSTEAD TO AVOID CAMERA SHAKE!! Does that help answer your question? The first thing I think with blur in the face is a slow shutter speed. However, you could be too close to lock in a focus. Make sure your lens is not set on M for manual focus; I keep my lens on AF (auto focus).

Q: Do you ever use zoom lenses?
A: Nope...My feet are my zoom...I find it makes me more interactive in my sessions. No right or wrong, just a personal preference at this point.

Q: What would you recommend as far as editing? Photoshop or Lightroom?
I do WAY much more in Photoshop than Lightroom. If I had to pick one, it would be Photoshop...but only because (shhhhh, this is a secret) I am not all that saavy in Lightroom!! So here is a general idea of my workflow...I load the RAW images into Lightroom and cull them there (flag my favorites). Then I look at those and do any exposure tweeks that are necessary and/or get the white balance looking right, then I export them as JPEGS so I can work my magic in Photoshop. However, it is COMPLETELY possible to do all your editing in Lightroom...I'm just not that good with it I suppose!! And you know how it is once you get set in your ways!!! So pick your poison!

And blogs are always WAY better with at least one picture, so...this is what I will be doing with my two little ones this afternoon...cuddling, tickle attacks, and watching the Olympics!!


Does this count for my self-portrait for the month?!
Until Next Time,
-m

*{Make Me a Star}* Temecula CA Headshots Photographer

I have not yet blogged this cutie! She was such a joy to work with. We roamed Old Town Temecula for her headshots...there are such great textures down there that provide some amazing backgrounds. And believe it or not, my favorite shots were taken in a beaten up alley with the sun just pouring in from behind her. They are simply YUMMY! I absolutely love those shots. Some of those photos are posted below...just before the slideshow!! Miss K, best of luck in Hollywood...you've got star quality kiddo! And let me know when you are signed!! ;)

OMGosh...LOVE LOVE LOVE...and for the record, you have the most amazing teeth! I know, random...but I kept thinking it while editing your photos!! So smile girl and rock 'em!
Are you kidding me?! YOU ARE GORGEOUS!!
Totally cute and natural...



Here are some more in a slideshow for your viewing pleasure. And I hope you recognize the song Miss K...I picked it especially for you!

*{Q.&.A}* Photo Questions Answered

So I finally decided to post some Q.&.A posts to answer some of your photo questions...after receiving many of the same questions through multiple emails, I figured it was best to just post those answers here for all to see! So if you have any photo questions or something you're dying to know, either leave a comment here or email me and I will keep that question for another Q.&.A blog session! Now I am NOT claiming to be a know-it-all about photography by any means; however, it's also not a secret that I know enough to hold my own!! So please don't be shy...guaranteed if you have that question, there is someone else out there wanting to ask the same thing.

SO...here we go with the top 3 questions I receive:

::Q:: "I want to get into photography...did you go to school or how did you master the skill?"
::A:: Nope...no school! I actually went to college and majored in Business Admin with an emphasis in Marketing. So I guess it helps me on the business side of things, but it doesn't help me at all when taking pictures! I am self-taught. I spent a lot of time on photography forums...not necessarily communicating (yes, I lurked) primarily because there were some harsh people out there on the forums, and I didn't want any part of "that". However, there is some FABULOUS information out there on skills that photogs need starting out. So go read through some of those forums!.

And the number one thing that really helped launch my photography skills at the beginning was reading the book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. This teaches you everything you'd ever want to know about proper manual exposure. That way you can turn that flash off and relish in the gorgeous natural light that God gave us!! It is an amazing book...and for a visual learner like myself, it had images on each page, the settings he used, and why he chose those settings. It is a fabulous book and will teach you SO much!

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! I'll even admit I set up a Cabbage Patch Doll near a window to practice back in my early days!! Whatever it takes, no excuses!

::Q:: "What lens do you use?"
::A:: My 50mm 1.4 is typically my go-to-lens. However, I've been shooting families a lot more with the 28 1.8 because I LOVE the wide angle of it. It tells more of a story...I love being able to get close to a baby cooing, yet you can still see mom and dad in the back laughing at their baby making the sounds. To me, the picture is seeing mom and dad in the background responding to their child, not necessarily the kid that is front and center in the picture! And for a portrait type lens, I've been using my 85 1.8 a lot more as well (just spotted a trend...I'm moving away from my 50mm)! I love having the distance from the client where they can interact with some privacy, and the 85mm is just yummy when shooting, especially around 2.0 aperture! And my goal this year is to replace my 28mm with possibly the 35mm 1.4.

::Q:: "What camera do you recommend?"
::A:: I'm sure Nikon is just as good as Canon (that's enough to spark WWIII in some parts of the photo world) so either one is great! But I recommend Canon because it's WHAT I KNOW!~ I shoot with a Canon 5D and a 30D as my back-up camera. They have been wonderful cameras for me. However, if you are just wanting an amateur camera and you are not planning on becoming a professional, I'd recommend just picking up a Canon Rebel. It is a great camera for a mom or dad to sport! If you are wanting to be a professional, I'd recommend the 5D...it handles low-light amazingly well and has been a gem for me.

AND ONE LAST QUESTION THAT I WISH SOMEONE TOLD ME THE ANSWER TO BACK IN THE DAY...
::Q:: "What is the best way to meter for taking a portrait?"
::A:: When I started out, I'd use my in-camera meter to get a proper exposure. I'd get it the little tick mark centered on the meter and CLICK. I didn't take into account either the dark background behind the person or the bright sky or beach behind the person, which changes A LOT in the metering world...MISTAKE! Your camera is taking into account everything you see inside your viewfinder when metering, so a bright sky or a dark background can really throw the metering off for the client's skin. SO...as some of my clients can attest to, I get-up nice and close and TELL them I'm going to get all-up in their personal space for a second so I can meter their skin. After a few laughs, I look through the viewfinder so ALL I CAN SEE IS THEIR SKIN. After I find that it is properly exposed with my in-camera meter, I step back to where I want to be to take the picture. Now, at this point, your camera will tell you that you are ALL WRONG and that you are either seriously over-exposed or possibly under-exposed. IGNORE IT! Because you know you just metered for the skin...and that is the most important element in the photo. Take the picture! Now cheat--look at the back of your LCD...see what it looks like (don't rely on it necessarily, but it will give you a good indication of where you are at...if you want to be technical and see if you really nailed it, look at your histogram). After peeking at the back of my camera, I will adjust slightly from there depending on what my histogram is telling me and what my LCD screen looks like. Just keep in mind, when your lighting changes...or a cloud comes through and blocks the sun, your exposure is changing as well!

NOW, this may mean that if you are at the beach, your beach may be blown a bit, etc. I personally don't care! Yes, I'm not an idiot, I see it's blown some. But I don't care because the moment I captured between the couple or family is what I was after. And I **hate**flash; I'm a natural light junkie. So I am not about to do the whole expose for the background and then throw a flash on my camera for the people....BLAH ::insert vomit bag:: That is just my opinion...my blog, my opinion. Some people are great working the flash...flash is just not my thing. I love the dimensions that natural light gives to the subjects. It just looks so real and natural to me that I don't want to throw a frying pan of light at their gorgeous faces! And at this point, I've totally lost you...haven't I?!

SO! Enough lecturing for now!! If you have any questions AT ALL about photo stuff...or even if you feel like asking me what my favorite type of ice cream is, ASK IT! I am more than willing to give back and help others along in their journey if I can.

And because blogs are just downright boring without a photo, here are a few quick shots I took of my kiddos when they were playing around at the beach! I had a shoot in La Jolla a couple of weeks ago and my fabulous hubby and little girls came along for the fun and played at the playground and ran around the beach while mommy worked....I.LOVE.MY.JOB! Here are a few for ya...

Itsy Bitsy LOVES to chase seagulls...she's loved it since she started walking, and it never gets old or dull!

And as you can see, Little Miss Sunshine in the background could care less about pictures...she just wanted to splash in the water as much as possible. I don't blame her!
Until Next Time...
-m

*{Magnifique French Beauties}* Temecula CA Photographer

I had the opportunity to photograph an old friend's gorgeous daughters. What is so wonderful about these two girls is the fact that they are not only beautiful on the outside, but their personalities are one-of-a-kind. These two are just about as sweet as they come! Their little giggles show the pure joy that oozes from depth of their souls. Mama, you are doing something right with these two...you should be so proud of them!!

And they were more than ready for the camera! They just ATE.IT.UP!~ There were a few times I just could not help but giggle when they busted into their best America's Next Top Model poses with no shame! We also grabbed a few headshots for little Miss L. And let me tell you, the entertainment industry would be a better place with more personalities like little Miss L!

So here are a few pics of these sweeties for you on this fabulous Monday morning. Enjoy everyone! And have a fabulous week!
-m

Some sisterly love...

See...this is the pure joy I was talking about! And don't you love those missing teeth?!?!


Love this shot...


P.R.E.C.I.O.U.S.



Work it girl...