Posing Guides

Hello fellow photographers!  I wanted to share a great online resource I’ve discovered that is chock full of posing guides for all types of shooting situations:  families, newborns, high school seniors, engagement, wedding, maternity, etc.   I especially love the ‘posing cards’ that are downloadable directly to your phone or tablet, giving you access to the poses on-the-fly during a photo shoot.

Click here to check them out!

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Playing with Light

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It’s no secret I love natural light portraiture.  Like love, love it.  It’s my thing.  My jam.  My modus operandi.  I absolutely love the look and feel, and I love its purity: no imposing soft boxes getting in the way, no umbrellas flopping over in the wind, no cumbersome lighting cords tying me down.  I like to travel light, and natural light photography gives me the freedom to do so.

Yet, for all the wonderful qualities that come with natural light, it does have its limitations.  And to be honest, lately I’ve been feeling a little boxed in.  I figured it was time to expand my creative toolbox, try something new and dip my toes into the world of flash photography.   Continue reading

Black, White & Boring…

Prior to each photo session I sit down with my clients to discuss what they should wear for their portrait session.  We discuss everything from casual to formal outfits, and classic to trendy ensembles.  While the specifics for each photo shoot are different, one thing remains the same:  I always recommend they choose a color palette that compliments their skin tones.

Let me repeat, I recommend they choose a COLOR palette.

As in:  COLOR.

So what ‘colors’ do most people show up in?

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So, just to be clear, WHITE is not a color.  It is the absence of color.

CREAM?  Well, that’s really just a dirty shade of white.

BLACK technically isn’t a color either.  It’s what happens when all the other colors get jumbled up together.

And GREY?  Don’t even get me started…

DENIM & NAVY – okay those are colors.  But aren’t we getting a little wild here? Continue reading

Beyond Auto: What the f-stop?!

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Be honest with yourself:  Are you an Automatic-aholic?  Do you shoot in Auto or P Mode because you have no idea what the other modes on your camera are for?  And by other modes, I’m not referring to the ‘Scene Modes’ that come preprogrammed on some cameras.  Nope, I’m talking about the other other modes on your camera.  You know – the ones you avoid.  The ones that don’t have cute little icons like a flower or running man to help you, but instead are comprised of some weird little alphabet soup of letters like:

A, Av, S, Tv and (*gasp*) M

Sound familiar?  If so, then consider this your intervention.  It’s time to admit you’re addicted to Auto Mode and you don’t know how to stop.  Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.  But now is the time to break free and discover what your camera can really do for you.  Don’t worry we’ll take things slow.  In fact, today we will only discuss the letter A (or Av on some cameras.)  Nothing intimidating about the letter A, right? Continue reading

Cameras Don’t Matter

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Hold on a second here… Wasn’t this blog supposed to be about photography?  If so, how can the title of this post possibly be ‘Cameras Don’t Matter’?  This is blasphemy!

Before you go calling the photography police, let me share a little story with you:  A photographer went to a socialite party in New York.  As he entered the front door, the host said “I really love your pictures – they are wonderful!  You must have a fantastic camera.”  The photographer said nothing until dinner was over, then he commented to the host: “That was a wonderful dinner – really delicious!  You must have a fantastic stove.” This simple story by photographer Sam Haskins sums up a key concept every photographer should know:  photography is not about the equipment. Continue reading

New Year, New Blog

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I’ve always been big on setting New Year’s resolutions… some years I actually keep them.

Last year, I was hugely successful in keeping my resolution.  I decided at the outset of 2013 that I was going to do a Photography Project 365, whereby I committed to taking at least one photo a day all year long.  Yes, folks.   All.   Year.   Long.  That’s 365 days of unwavering dedication.  And I’m happy to report that I actually did it!  [Cue crowd roaring in background.]  The experience was amazing – a fabulous combination of learning, creativity and growth, with just a touch of tedium and frustration to keep things real. Feel free to take a peek at my Project 365 over on my personal blog.

As I quoted in the final post of my Project 365, ‘every end should be followed by a great new beginning’, and with that in mind I have resolved to set another lofty goal for myself this year.  Riding on the success of my personal blog, I’ve decided to start this new blog, which will be directly tied to my photography business, Studio B Photography.   Here you will find thoughts, tips and other ramblings about photography, as well as selected photos from my photography business.  This blog will be geared towards anyone looking to get more from their own photography – whether you shoot with a fancy DSLR, a simple point-and-shoot, or (*gasp*) your camera phone.

Ever since I became really serious about photography back in 2006, I have had countless teachers, friends, family members, and fellow photographers offer help and support so I could learn and develop my photography skills.  I have simply decided that it is time for me to give back.  This blog is my way of doing so.  I hope you’ll come along on this creative journey with me.