Photography Week Guest Post: Katie Dudley

Don’t forget to enter the pattern giveaway from The Cottage Home HERE!

 

I am SO super excited for today’s guest post. I recently found out about Katie Dudley when she took Cheri’s pictures on I Am Momma, Hear Me Roar. I am in love with Katie's style and skill! And she is just as nice as can be. As in, she sounded super excited to post today! When she is the one doing me the huge favor!

After reading her post, she has definitely put a lot of information together for us! I feel it is invaluable information and very comprehensive! Lucky us! Take it away, Katie!

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A quick "CLICK" guide to taking better photos

by Katie Dudley (www.katiedudleyphotography.com)

I'm so excited to be sharing some great tips for taking better photos! Today I am only sharing the first step of my "CLICK" guide. If you are interested in learning more about your camera and how to take better photos all the while having someone to "hold your hand" while you practice/learn, sign up for one of my classes in January of 2012. I will be offering one on one mentoring as well as group classes. The classes will be held at my studio in downtown SLC. Please email me at kdphotography@live.com to get on my mailing list! Mention that you read A Lemon Squeezy Home to receive $15 off any mentoring or group class! And since the gift giving season is just around the corner, mention A Lemon Squeezy Home when you book a photography session at Katie Dudley Photography and receive $25 off any session package! Woot Woot!!!! (this offer expires February 2012 and cannot be used with any other discount)

OK back to the photography lesson... do you have your camera with you? If you don't, go and get it. You will learn much better if you have it with you and turn the dials and test out the different modes as you read.

Camera

Lighting

Imagine

Composition

Keep trying!

 

Camera: Get to know your camera.

Do you have a digital SLR?

DSLR stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex

Do you have a point and shoot?

What ever camera you have, learn how to use it!

Know your camera: Your camera can do many great things to get your pictures to the next level, you don’t even have to think that much and let it do all the work. (sounds nice huh!) Start by getting to know your Camera Modes. It’s a basic beginning, but it will make a huge difference and will help you capture the image that you want. Once you are familiar, when you are ready to take a picture, you will know what Mode will be best to capture the image that you want.

Another tip I have for those who really want to master their camera, is to keep your camera near by, in fact keep it within an arms length at all times! Be that crazy person who always has their camera around their neck, or at the furthest in their purse. LOOK around you, see the beauty in simple things, take out your camera and practice, practice, practice! Look at the light, think about what kind of image you want to capture, then think about what "mode" you want to use to get that result, test it out and keep trying. Digital cameras are great because you can take an endless amount of photos. Take advantage and take enough bad photos to figure out how to get that one good one. Be patient and don't get discouraged!

Automatic Mode:

- Tells your camera to use it's best judgment to select shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, focus and flash in order to capture the best images.

- This mode works OK most of the time. But don't sell yourself short, great photos are just around the corner! Turn the dial and learn your other modes too!

Portrait Mode:

- Your camera will focus on your subject and keep the background out of focus.

- Great for when you photograph a single subject.

- Get in close enough to your subject by zooming in or walking closer.

Macro Mode:

- Lets you move closer into your subject to take a close up photo.

- Great for shooting small objects like flowers, bugs, jewelry etc.

- Hold your camera very close to your object, be very steady, hold the shutter button (which is the button you push to take the photo) half way down to focus, then shoot!

Landscape Mode:

-The exact opposite of portrait mode!

-The camera will make sure that as much of the scene you're photographing will be in focus. (this is called a large depth of field.)

-Sometimes a tripod is good to use on this mode to prevent a blurry image.

Sports Mode:

- Great to photograph moving objects, like kids, sports, cars, pets...

- The camera will attempt to "freeze" the subject.

Night Mode:

- Perfect for shooting in low light situations.

- Shots can be more interesting if you play around with this function. You can create blurry backgrounds with the light.

- Or if you'd rather, use the tripod to capture the image to make it as sharp as possible.

 

Now we will talk about Semi-Automatic Modes

Aperture Priority Mode | Look for the A or AV on your camera dial

- I love this mode!

- You can choose the aperture and the camera will choose all the other settings to make your photograph complete and balanced.

- What the heck is Aperture?! Aperture controls the depth of field. The depth of field refers to how much of the photo is in focus and how much is blurry.

- Aperture is measured by "f-stops"

- f22 would mean everything is in focus and f1.4 would mean only the subject is in focus and everything in the back is blurred. There are a bunch of "f-stops" in between. Just remember the low numbers 1.4-4.0 means your subject is in focus and background is blurred. Anything higher like f10 and above more of the image will be in focus. You choose what effect you want and the camera figures out the rest. Brilliant huh!

Wait a minute!!! Why won't my F number go lower than 3.5?!!!

Take a look at the lens you are using for your camera. Try to find the numbers on the lens body. For example, look at the numbers highlighted below. Notice how the one of the left says 1:2.8, that means the f-stop will go all the way down to 2.8, the lens on the right will only go to f-3.5. This is why camera lenses make a huge difference in the quality and flexibility of an image.

If you are looking for a great all around lens that will give you that beautiful bokeh, blurred background, where you can move that f-stop all the way down to 1.8 I would recommend a 50mm.

For around $100 bucks you will be capturing amazing images in no time!

Click on image below to learn more about Nikon 50mm 1.8

Click on image below to learn more about Cannon 50mm 1.8

 

Shutter Priority Mode | Look for the S or TV on your camera dial

- You select a shutter speed and the camera chooses all the other settings.

- Have you ever wanted to capture every detail of your kid running down the football field? Use this mode when you want to "freeze" motion. To do this make sure your Shutter speed is high.

- Use when you want to capture movement, like the blur of a waterfall or a speeding train, or to show some blurred movement of your kid's feet running down the field, set your shutter to a lower number.

For the photo above my shutter speed was up at a higher number, like 1000 to make the camera "freeze" the motion.

 

Program Mode | Look for the P on your camera dial

- Most cameras have this mode.

- This is very similar to Auto Mode (the very first mode we talked about) but it gives you a little more control over some features like flash, white balance, ISO etc.

 

Manual Mode | Look for the M on your camera dial

- You have FULL control over your camera and need to think about all of the settings: shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, flash etc.

- This mode gives you flexibility to set up shots how YOU like.

- Practice, practice, practice!

 

I didn't go into very much detail on the last two modes, because I feel it's best to start out with these other more "beginner" modes first. Get comfortable with your camera and gradually make your way to Manual, if that's your goal.

Your homework for the weekend is to use Aperture Priority, (my fave!). Get outside or inside if it's too cold. Find a simple object to take a photo of (avoid kids at first... they move too much!) Take a photo of your object and set your camera to the lowest f-stop. This could be 1.8 or 3.5 or 5.6. Get up close and take the photo. Then change your f-stop to a higher number, like f11 and take a picture of the same object. Compare the two and decide which one you like best!

I hope this helps you understand your camera modes better! Thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you if you ever have questions!

-Katie Dudley

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Oh my goodness, don't you just feel like you were given a photography course for free? Thank you so much, Katie! I love everything about this post. And did you catch the classes she is offering at a discount to A Lemon Squeezy Home readers!? It would be a dream of mine to have one-on-one instruction! So cool!

I hope you have all enjoyed Photography Week! I know I've learned a lot and I'm excited to put my new knowledge to practice!  I want to thank all my guests who took their precious time to write up posts for all of us this week.  They all did a fantastic job. 

And psst…did you know you can get that cute little camera on the photography week button as a necklace from my shop?

And lastly, have a GREAT weekend!

Photography Week Guest Post: Lori from This Little Life of Mine

Before we begin, please make sure you don’t miss the post for The Cottage Home pattern!  Adorable pattern giveaway!!!   Also, don’t forget about the Bounce Bar Review and Giveaway.  Whoosh, this week is busy!

 

I’ve known our next Photography Week guest for many, many years now.  She actually moved in right across the street from me during my teenage years and I have lots of fun memories from those years.  She is such a cool person and I look up to her a lot! 

I’ve been keeping up on her life through her blogging and photography ventures, and she now blogs at This Little Life of Mine.  She takes wonderful photos that I love to look at.  She is also a very inspiring mother and her blog is full of great ideas for children! 

Take it away, Lori!

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Thanks for inviting me to write a post for "Photography Week" Christie.  I am honored!

I have had my Canon Rebel Xsi for almost exactly three years. I feel like I am just getting to a point where I feel pretty confident with my camera, but I still have a long way to go! (Don't be discouraged!:) I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far. One of the things I love about photography is that you can look back on pictures you took in the past and see how you have improved. Don't forget to do that once in a while!

I have put together a list of "Ten Things To Try" for DSLR beginners. These are some of the things that I do, or have done to get the results that I want from my camera. They're pretty basic, but hopefully you'll find some of them helpful. (I'm not saying they are all technically correct, this is just what works for me.:)

Not saying it's right or wrong, this is just what I do.

1. Learn the rules

• Read the manual and then read it again, and again. I promise you'll learn something new every time, or remember something you had forgotten since reading the manual the first time.:)
• Take a trip to your local library. Understanding Exposure is a great book to start with.
• Attend a workshop. In 2009 I attended one of Nicole Hill's Saturday workshops (I'm not sure if she still offers them). I am a visual/hands-on learner and this workshop was exactly what I needed to solidify all of the information I had been reading.

2. Break the rules

I specifically remember being taught that you shouldn't set your ISO higher than 400 to avoid having a lot of grain in your images. For almost two years I never adjusted my ISO higher than 400! This spring I must have been feeling rebellious because I set my ISO to 800 (as high as it will go) when taking the two pics above. I love these pictures and I am so glad that I "broke the rules" in order to capture them.

These pictures were taken in front of 3 large windows. My camera was not metering the light the way I wanted (He was showing up as a silhouette) so I adjusted my shutter speed and aperture until I got the results I wanted, even though according to the camera meter they were incorrect. The pictures aren't perfect, but I was able to manipulate the settings enough to capture a fun moment with my son.

3. Shoot in RAW

These photos have not been edited (the originals are on my parent's computer), but if I were to edit them I would get very natural results because they were captured in RAW format. The files take up more space, but I really think they're worth it. I have a 16GB memory card and never have to worry about running out of space on it.

4. Use manual mode most of the time

If you are having a hard time getting your settings right, don't miss your opportunity, just switch over to auto. It's better to capture the moment in auto mode then to miss it all together because you're trying to find the perfect exposure.

5. Find the right light

When taking pictures inside shoot where you have the most natural light, near a window! Try turning off all other lights in the room. If you have enough natural light this is a great way to avoid white-balance issues.

Also, make note of the time of day when you get the most natural light in your house and try to shoot during that time if possible.

6. Shoot wide open

If you like a lot of light in your images and a more shallow depth of field (blur aka bokeh in the background) set your aperture as low as it will go. This opens your lens up to let in as much light as possible. I shoot wide open at least 75% of the time.

This is a great affordable lens for beginners who want to capture better indoor photos. The aperture goes down to 1.8. The kit lens that came with my camera only goes down to 4.6.

7. Remove the clutter

Simplifying the background makes for a much cleaner shot. Remove clutter physically before you take a picture (i.e. the random toy or pair of shoes in the background). Another thing you can do to get a clean shot is throw a sheet up in the background or on the floor. In the picture above I had my son sit on a white foam board next to a window to do his craft project so that I could get some nice pictures of it.

8. Use your center focus point

The easiest way to go from the picture on the left to the picture on the right is to set your focus points to the single center point. (I shoot this way 85% of the time) Get the part you want in focus (hold the shutter button down halfway) and then recompose your shot. If you have a hard time getting the part you want in focus try turning off the auto focus on your lens and adjusting it manually.

(Note that when you are photographing a group you will want to use all of your focus points so that you can get everyone in focus. I always kick myself when I forgot to adjust my focus points before taking a group shot!)

9. Shoot from different perspectives

Try shooting your subject from every angle and perspective. You can tell a completely different story just by changing your focus, standing back, getting up close etc. If you have more than one lens, switch it up! It is fun to see how differently a photo turns out when taken with tow different lenses.

10. Play with your shutter speed

Low light situations are a great time to play with your shutter speed. Try turning off your flash and experiment with different shutter speed settings. Setting your camera on a steady surface or tripod and using the timer is extremely helpful when shooting at a low shutter speed, although I did take the two shots above with my camera in hand. (break the rules!;) I can't wait to photograph our Christmas tree this year!

Practice, Practice, Practice

I saw these pretty flowers at Costco one day and thought they would be fun to photograph. I set them up on a white foam board on my bed (best window light) with a polka dot file folder as the background. I took picture after picture while experimenting with my camera settings. (Note the difference between the dots in the two pictures above.)

Even if you are photographing a rock, you can learn something new! Try different locations at different times of day. Take a lot of pictures and don't feel bad if they look like your three your old took them! The great thing about digital cameras is that you can take as many pictures as you want without any cost. Yes, you will delete most of them (but not until you see them up on your computer screen, because your camera's screen is too small to really tell what you've got.) It is not about the photos, but about the skills you are developing. Before you know it will be about the photos because you will be happy with the results you're producing.

Good luck!

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Such fresh pictures!  Aren’t they great?  And amazing tips that are so useful!  Thanks so much for posting today, Lori!

Photography Week Guest Post: My sister Rachelle!

 

Welcome to day three of Photography Week!  Feel free to still link-up some of your favorite photography sites and tips HERE.

If any of you have sisters, you know how wonderful they can be!  Built-in, lifetime friendship! I love having my two sisters within an hour of where I live! We don’t see each other as often as I’d like because of gas prices, but it’s great to be able to pick up the phone and have a fun chat with one another.

Just a fun little background—my siblings and I all look alike, but with my sister only being 2 years older (her birthday is December 12th, mine is the 1st—but don’t ask her how crumby it was to know everything she was getting for her birthday since mine was first!!!), people were always asking us if we were twins while we were kids.  I of course loved being told that I looked older upon the person discovering that we were not twins.  But now that we are older and my sister still looks like the younger one between us, it’s not as much fun ;).  And because I was the pesky little sister, my older sisters have some pretty funny stories about how annoying I could be.  I suppose I talked their ears off about very un-important matters!  Fun memories though, ha ha!

Rachelle has her own photography business and you can check out some of her work HERE.  She also is a very talented crafter but she doesn’t have a blog (which is ok…we all know it takes a lot of time to blog, but maybe someday she’ll decide she wants to).  She wrote up my very first guest post on this blog for this super cute tray. 

She is a great photographer and takes beautiful pictures, so I’m excited to have here guest post today!

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Hello all you Lemon Squeezies (Lemon Squeezy readers)!

Thanks sis for asking me to participate in photography week! I have to say, Christie takes some awesome photos of her kids, her decor and her projects. She's creative in so many ways, and might I add, a wonderful sister!

I will admit, even though I've been doing weddings, families, newborns, seniors photography (my husband likes to tell everyone I 'shoot' people for a living) for over 10 years now, I still get confused when people start to talk about ISO, aperture and shutter speed. So, I'll tell you what works for me.

First off, whenever I've gotten a new camera, whether it's a point-and-shoot or a nice DSLR, the first thing I do is go crazy taking pictures. I take my camera outside and just shoot and shoot and shoot in MANUAL or Shutter Speed priority mode. I shoot in full sun changing settings as I go, taking multiple shots of the same thing so I can compare what worked the best and what didn't. I shoot in full shade and in sunny/shady spots to see how the camera handles the dark and light contrasts.

Then I take the camera inside to see how it does in various indoor lighting situations. I like to find out just how slow of a shutter speed I can shoot on before things start to look blurry.

That's how I get to know my cameras. I try to put them through their paces to see exactly what they can and can't handle. And it helps me know what I can and can't do with the camera.

So, how do you take better pictures!?! Just practice and experiment!!!

One thing I learned long ago is... just like fashion, interior design, art, all those types of things, not everyone agrees with everyone on what is beautiful. Same thing goes for photography. Take pictures of what you like.

Take pictures of what calms you.

Take pictures of things/people you love.

Take pictures for memories.

Take pictures to experiment/practice.

Take pictures of emotions.

Take pictures of what scares you.

Take pictures of moments.

Take pictures for laughs.

Take pictures from different angles.

Take pictures of love.

Take pictures of what inspires you.

Take pictures of what you think is beautiful.

Take pictures just because you feel like it.

And please PLEASE don't forget to include yourself in a few pictures now and then!

Take pictures because YOU want too.

Happy shooting!

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Thanks so much Rachelle!  And oh my goodness, I have so many favorite pictures in this post!!!  You should sell them, sis ;).  Love ya and thanks for posting today! 

Feel free to leave a comment here for my sister!