Monthly Archive for October, 2008

Fifteen things you need for a great senior portrait - #1 - Good Subject

Published
by
Tommy
on October 29, 2008
in Fifteen Things You Need For a Great Senior Portrat, advice on photography and series wednesdays
. 1 Comment

This may seem strange for me to list that the first thing you need is a good subject, because of the fact that we’re not talking about fashion models or paid models, but we’re talking about customers who are paying you to photograph them and make the best portrait of them you can. So no matter what they look like, you have to perform your magic on them. So why do I say, the first thing you need in order to make a great senior portrait is a good subject? The reason is, unless you have a good subject, you won’t get a great portrait.

So what exactly makes a great subject? The first thing you need in a subject is a good attitude. One that is willing to take direction and cooperate in order to get the best portrait from you. The second is you need a subject who is willing to take your direction is explaining to them exactly how to make them look their best and most appealing. Not every subject is a supermodel. So if you have a subject who is overweight, then you don’t want them dressing like a supermodel. Something more reserved and something that hides the unwanted weight and accentuates the better features of them, for example their smile or their eyes. If a really heavy subject wears a tank top and shows off their flabby arms, then how do you think you can best flatter them. It will be difficult. It won’t be impossible, but indeed difficult. The point is to ensure your subject trusts you and is willing to take direction from you, the professional. You don’t have to be rude and say, you’re fat. But you can just suggest that in order to make them look their best, they should wear such and such or don’t wear this or that. That’s what makes a good subject. Not the fact that they look like Will Smith or Jennifer Aniston but the fact that they trust you and listen to your suggestions to make them look the most appealing that you can.

Another thing that makes a good subject is one who is excited about the entire process and wants to do whatever they can to help you make the best possible portrait of them. A good sign is that they suggest ideas, get excited with your ideas, remain positive throughout the session, maintain an open mind with your suggestions, etc.

These are the things that make a good subject. Most of the time, this is the least area of concern. Most seniors have great attitudes. They want to be there. They want to look good. They want to try “something different”. They aren’t usually opposed to your creativity. In fact, often times while they trust you and trust that you have good ideas, they bring their own to the table. A good idea is to tell them to bring ideas that they would like to use, like other examples from their friends, clippings from magazines or even pictures printed from the internet. In this day and age, teens are very self aware of their appearance and want to look amazing. They are very self conscience and will pretty much try anything. Getting cooperation is usually not going to be an issue. Rarely do you have a parent who drags in a senior “kicking and screaming”. Take plenty of portraits and get plenty of choices. There is usually quality in the the midst of quantity.

Again, you don’t don’t need to be a supermodel on the outside, it’s the attitude that’s on the inside that will make a great subject.

Spotlight interview with Alecia Silva from The Portrait Place

Published
by
Tommy
on October 24, 2008
in Spotlight Interviews, babies and maternity
. 4 Comments
Alecia Silva's amazing newborn portraiture

Alecia Silva's amazing newborn portraiture

I have been spending some time on Flickr lately. In my time there, I have found some amazing photographers. One of these photographers I found recently was Alecia Silva who has a portrait photo business called “The Portrait Place”. Her photography is simple. It is beautiful. It is powerful. I was very eager to interview her and ask her about her photography and subjects. Here’s our interview with Alecia.

P.O.T.P.: To begin, Alecia, thank you for joining us on Pieces of the Picture. We are very excited to find out more about your photography.  Would you please give our readers a brief introduction about yourself and how you got into photography?

Alicia

Alecia Silva

I’ve been married to my sweet husband for the past 9 years and we have three amazing children. Our son is almost 7, and we have two daughters – 3 years old and 3 months old. I have an associates degree in early childhood education and a bachelor’s degree in business management. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a strong interest in photography. I took some basic photography classes in high school and college but I truly fell in love with it after my son was born. I was fascinated by every aspect of that sweet baby boy and I wanted to capture everything about him so that it wouldn’t be forgotten as he grew. 3 years later, when my daughter was born, I purchased my first digital SLR, a Canon Rebel XT. It was at that point I really started to learn more about my camera, its settings and photography in general. The digital camera was so amazing to me because I could see instantly what the different settings did to the image, so I was really able to learn quickly. I decided to open my studio shortly after I graduated college in 2006. Making that decision was one of the most exciting and scariest I’ve ever had to make, but looking back I’m so glad I did it.

P.O.T.P.: How long have you been in the business?

I have been “in business” since January 2007. I started doing portfolio building sessions about 6 months prior to that.

P.O.T.P.: Why are you a photographer?

Because I love photography. It’s just that uncomplicated. When I’m not shooting, I’m thinking about shooting. I think it’s an obsession, really. I’m always “looking” for new locations to shoot, or various props to use with newborns. It’s just such an immense passion of mine; I honestly can’t imagine my life without it.

Simplicity, great lighting, a beautiful subject, all these things make a beautiful and memorable portrait.

Simplicity, great lighting, a beautiful subject, all these things make a beautiful and memorable portrait.

P.O.T.P.: What did you do before you became a photographer?

Alecia: Oh, I’ve done all sorts of things. My first job ever was shoveling popcorn at a movie theater for $3.75/hour! Granted that was 15 years ago. I’ve been a barista (the tips alone put me through my first two years of college!) and I worked with special needs children for a few years. Most recently, before I started my business, I was a student. I was literally finishing my bachelor’s degree as I was starting my business. I’m also a stay at home mama.

P.O.T.P.: What is your favorite subject to photograph?

Alecia: Oh, without question - newborns. Newborns require the most amount patience and quite often, the willingness to get a little dirty. Naked babies love a warm studio so I’m always (half) joking with the parents that I’ll be a sweaty mess by the time I’m finished with the session. I would say on average my newborn sessions take about 3.5 hours. With all that said, each session is entirely worth it every minute and every drop of sweat! I thoroughly enjoy meeting the new parents who are so in love with their new little one. It never ceases to amaze me how precious each and every baby is and how intense that bond is between parent and child. The images I get from those sessions are by far my favorite.

 

Photographing subjects this young takes a special desire and love for it and Alecia certianly has that.

Photographing subjects this young takes a special desire and love for it and Alecia certianly has that.

P.O.T.P.: What is your biggest challenge being in business for yourself?

Alecia: Trying to find balance between family and business still proves to be quite a challenge for me. In addition to being a photographer, I’m also a stay at home mom of three sweet kids. I do all my work in Photoshop at home. I’m always trying to sneak in editing time here and there, but it’s nearly impossible to do that without interruption. That - and there is only one me. I do everything. I learned early on that being in business isn’t just about taking/editing pictures. There is a lot more to it that is not always as fun, but it’s all necessary if I want to be in business.

P.O.T.P.: What do you feel is your weakest area in photography?

Alecia: My weakness is working with families or groups. I feel like I lack all creativity in this area. I always try for the “un-posed, natural” look, but with a group you have to somewhat “arrange” the subjects and I struggle with being able to visualize how each group should go together.

P.O.T.P.: What was your first paid photographic job?

Alecia: My first paid job was a family with a 5 year old girl and a 6 month old boy. I used natural light and my camera was on auto the whole time. I didn’t really have a good understanding of how my camera worked at that time. I charged $75 and gave them every single image on a disk. The mom cried when she saw the images – she thought they were amazing. Now looking back, I feel like I should get in contact with her and give her the money back! It’s embarrassing. But we all have to start somewhere, right?

Everyone has to start somewhere, but if you can get to this level of photography, then it is well worth the travel from there to here.

Everyone has to start somewhere, but if you can get to this level of photography, then it is well worth the travel from there to here.

P.O.T.P.: What are your favorite photography related websites?

Alecia: I am totally and completely addicted to Flickr.

P.O.T.P.: What photographers have influenced/inspired you?

Alecia: I think each and every one of these photographers are beyond amazing at what they do.

Robyn Pollman

Kelley Ryden

Tracy Raver

Brittany Woodall

P.O.T.P.: Yes, I love Kelley, as you know we had a wonderful interview with Kelley. I’m sure she inspires countless photographers. Okay, what age group do you find the hardest to photograph?

Alecia: 3 months old. Parents usually want to capture their baby’s first year in the traditional increments of newborn, 3, 6, 9 and 12 month sessions. The three month mark proves to be quite difficult because the babies aren’t newborns anymore, so they are generally out of the range of the curly sleepy poses. And they aren’t quite sitting up yet, so there isn’t a large variety of poses you can do with them. They also get worn out fairly quickly so, I have a much smaller time frame to work with before they are simply “done.” It can be a bit frustrating at times because I like to provide a fair amount of variety with each session. However, I’ve just come to expect that a typical 3 month session has the potential to be somewhat lacking in that department.

Though with this age it is difficult to get them to cooperate, with a little creativity and patience, you can still produce amazing portraits of your subjects

Though with this age it is difficult to get them to cooperate, with a little creativity and patience, you can still produce amazing portraits of your subjects

P.O.T.P.: What do you like most about photographing babies?

Alecia: Interacting with them is so much fun. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved babies! Even as a little girl, if there was a baby in the room, I was down on the floor playing with him or her. And I still do that. I absolutely love making babies laugh – it’s the best sound in the world!

P.O.T.P.: What do you like most about photographing maternity?

Alecia: Simply put, I truly feel the pregnant body is beautiful. What happens to a woman’s body when they are pregnant is nothing short of a miracle. I love being able to capture this time for women because it comes and goes so quickly, and we really can forget so much about what it was really like to be pregnant. I also love the overall atmosphere of these sessions. There is so much excitement and anticipation with these mothers who are so close to giving birth. It really is such a fun experience all together.

Maternity photography can be beautiful, fun, creative and give mothers a beautiful memory of that very special time in their life.

Maternity photography can be beautiful, fun, creative and give mothers a beautiful memory of that very special time in their life.

P.O.T.P.: Where are you located?

Alecia: Bonney Lake, WA. It’s about one hour southeast of Seattle.

P.O.T.P.: Where did you grow up?

Alecia: In Seattle – right by the airport. In fact, we were so close; the planes flying overhead would literally shake the entire house. But we never seemed to notice….until one of our guests would point it out. I guess we just got used to it.

P.O.T.P.: Canon or Nikon?

Alecia: I’m so Canon, it’s not even funny. My sister-in-law is also a photographer, but she’s a Nikon girl. We’re always giving each other a hard time about which is better. But, deep down she knows I’m right – Canon is just better!

P.O.T.P.: Okay, so what gear do you use then?

Alecia: Canon 5D
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2
Alien Bees Lighting Kit

P.O.T.P.: What would you say would be a dream assignment for you?

Alecia: Doing a newborn session with any of the photographers I mentioned above would be an absolute dream come true. I’d be giddier than a 6 year old going to Disneyland! I’m so in awe of what they do, I’d give just about anything to be there to see how they do it. Plus, Robyn’s pretty darn funny – so I think it would be just plain fun to work with her!

P.O.T.P.: Do you ever take a break from photography?

Alecia: Right before my daughter was born, I went on “maternity leave” from the studio. But as soon as she was born, I was taking pictures of her everyday – so I guess technically I haven’t really taken a break from photography.

With a little thought, maternity portraits can be very creative.

With a little thought, maternity portraits can be very creative.

P.O.T.P.: Favorite non photographic magazine

Alecia: People magazine. I’m totally addicted to useless celebrity gossip. And yes, I know that 98% of what I’m reading isn’t true, but I still get sucked in every time. Put Jennifer Garner on the cover and it’s a guaranteed purchase by me! It’s my guilty pleasure.

P.O.T.P.: Your favorite location to shoot in?

Alecia: I’m most comfortable in shooting my studio.

P.O.T.P.: Besides shoot, shoot, shoot, best advice to photographers just starting out.

Alecia: Get a mentor. And listen to what they say and don’t take critiques personally. You have to learn to see what’s wrong if you want to be able to grow and make it right.

P.O.T.P.: How many cameras do you own?

Alecia: I own 5 cameras. But I only use my Canon 5D when I’m working.

P.O.T.P.: Do you have any regrets about your earlier years in photography?

Alecia: I honestly don’t have regrets regarding my journey with photography. Without my “early years”, I wouldn’t be where I am today. The entire process so far has been a learning experience – and continues to be - and although I feel I’ve grown considerably in the last two years, I still feel like I quite a bit of learning to do. In 2 years from now, I hope that I look back on today and that I’m able to clearly see growth in my work. I don’t ever want to stop improving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to see more of Alecia’s work? Check out her website or flickr feed!

Fifteen things you need for a great senior portrait

Published
by
Tommy
on October 22, 2008
in Fifteen Things You Need For a Great Senior Portrat, advice on photography, seniors and series wednesdays
. 3 Comments

By request, (by Georgia) we have a fairly lengthy fifteen part article article series on senior portraiture. It will explain how to keep the portrait simple yet powerful. The series will be spread out over fifteen different weekly posts. We will post one a week, every Wednesday for the next fourteen weeks. That is the tentative plan.

What is it about powerful senior portraits that make them appealing. Well perhaps it’s the subjects themselves or perhaps it’s the color or perhaps it’s the pose or maybe it’s the scenery and possibly it’s the expression. But the truth is, it is probably a combination of all these. If you have great color, but a lame pose, you will not have a good senior portrait. Or perhaps you have a great expression, but a very boring scene. All these things need to be there in order to get a portrait that will be powerful and speak loudly to all the viewers.

The following is a list of the different aspects that we will discuss in detail as to what makes a powerful senior portrait.

Good subject

Great expression

Good clothing

Good pose

Nice scene

Great color

Excellent post processing

Simplicity

Excellent technicals

Overall creativity, that special something, something different.

Awesome lighting

Correct use of black and white

Good props

Good Variety

What exactly do you need for a great senior portrait?

What exactly do you need for a great senior portrait?

For those seeking to better themselves in taking senior portraits that will astound your customers, you need to come back every Wednesday. However, as most of you already know, come back everyday, as we do post every day of the week except on Sunday.

Quick tip for getting kids to look excited in their portraits

Published
by
Tommy
on October 20, 2008
in Stories from the studio, advice on photography, babies and children
. 0 Comments

Believe it or not, Barney, yes Barney, still works wonders. It’s a trick that a master children’s photographer showed me recently. His technique worked wonders on the three and four year olds he had in front of him. If you get any kid to “say cheese” or “say puppies” or anything that ends in an “eeee” sound, you’ll get the right mouth formation, but when you hold up a barney doll and excitedly ask, “WHO’S THIS?!”, the kid’s eyes light up as they answer BARNEY!!! You not only get the right mouth formation for a smile, but you get it in the eyes as well!

It takes some finessing and getting right for your mannerisms and personality, and while I am not a fan of the big purple reptile, I am a fan however of the results I can get from kids that I am photographing. Barney is now a part of my arsenal for getting young children to smile great for me. Thank you Barney!!!

Yes, Barney still works!!!

Yes, Barney still works!!!

Photography Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory