Simple Studio

Self-portrait challenge with Cathy Zielske

I'm willing to gamble a few of you don't even want to read any further on this post, because the thought of taking a self-portrait ranks right up there with cleaning toilets and dental procedures. Am I right?

If there's one thing I feel extremely passionate about, it's the idea that we as scrapbookers need to work a heck of a lot harder to make sure and include ourselves in our scrapbooks. The kids are great! The pets? Love 'em! Your cute husband or wife? Fabulous! But where are you?

If you can easily show me several spots in your various albums where you actually appear, then I applaud you. If not, then today is the day we need to get down to business.

And just what do you need for this challenge? It's simple: a picture of you, taken by you.

Now, it doesn't need to be fancy. The old "take a picture of yourself in a mirror" will do just fine. Although, if your camera has a self-timer, go ahead and play around with it. And put some make up on if that makes you feel better. I know if I'm taking a self-portrait, there WILL be mascara present. End of story.

And once you take the picture, then make a page. I don't care what you write on it. The layout above is one from Simple in 2007 and I just sort of turned it into a personal inventory, a snapshot of me on that day. You can do the same if you like. List journaling is such an easy, non-stressful way to put meaty, real-life content into your writing.

Don't be shy. Taking a picture of yourself is not self-indulgent. Well, actually is IS self-indulgent, but in a GOOD way. Because people are going to want to see how cool great, great, great Grandma Cathy was, when she was in her prime, before that muffin top got so out of hand.

everyday life challenge

What do you see every day? (cathy again)

That, kind blog readers, is the question to answer for today's challenge, and it involves three things: you, your camera, and today! Your challenge is to take pictures of the stuff you see on any given ordinary day. Like today.

I know a very cool scrapbooker named Susan who has this great idea. She encourages women to take 12 pictures on the 12th of every month, photos of the ordinary things that make up their days, and turn them into a layout. Pretty cool, huh?

I did the layout you see above in March. One day, 12 photos. Little visual bits of my everyday life. Scrapbooking gives us a great opportunity to celebrate the small stuff, the things we might overlook because they might not seem as scrapworthy somehow.

So today, grab your camera and take pictures of your every day life.  You don't have to take 12 photos, either. Just shoot some of the stuff you see every day.

And yes, if you look into a mirror at all during your day, guess what that means? You should include a picture of you. Oh that's right. You heard me correctly. Go ahead, take that photo of yourself.

Photography Q and A with Tina cont

I am so happy that so many of you are participating in the challenges. I've been having fun getting to know you and seeing so many of your adorable kids. You all are rocking the catchlight and camera-tilt challenge, so keep up the good work! Here are some more tips based on your comments:

For indoor and low-light situations, make sure your ISO is increased which should also increase shutter speed in most settings. Again, read your camera's manual on how to do this if you're not sure. Even point-and-shoot cameras should allow you to increase ISO and, therefore, shutter speed in low light, and you should also be able to kill the flash if you want to use only available light. Read those manuals, ladies!

And someone else (Jennifer L, I think) wanted to know more about how to change the size of your images for posting to the internet. In Photoshop (I have CS2), go to Image>Image Size and you'll see what your image is currently sized to. (In PSE 6.0, go to Image>Resize>Image Size.) Change (or keep) the resolution to 72, change the pixel dimensions to 600 on the longest side, and at the bottom under Resample Image select Bicubic Sharper. Also, make sure the Constrain Proportions box is checked. I think you can also use these same settings for posting your layouts as well. And for cropping your photos, see an example below.

To get your photos to look crisp and clear, sharpening is hugely helpful. In Photoshop CS2, I use a combination of a USM (unsharp mask) and Smart Sharpen. The USM is one of the first things I do, and it's commonly referred to as a "defog". The settings I use for this are 20,15,0 (Amount, Radius, Threshhold). Then I do a Smart Sharpen at 70,1.4 after all of my other edits have been done. In CS2, the sharpen functions can be found at Filter>Sharpen. For PSE 6.0 users, you can use Enhance>Auto Sharpen, or Enhance>Unsharp Mask. After the USM defog at 20,25,0, do another USM as the last edit at 100,2,0. I'll post some sharpening before and after examples tomorrow.

Also, my photos don't always look perfect straight out of the camera (or SOOC). In fact, that photo of my daughter from Friday looked like this SOOC:

after cropping, defogging, levels and curves, noise reduction and Smart Sharpen, I got what I posted below. The SOOC version is still a nice photo, but just a few tweaks in a photo editor made this photo really stand out. Nearly all photographers these days do a variety of edits to their photos, and although about 90% of great photography is knowing your camera, how to properly expose a shot and the "eye" for composition, today's digital photographer relies on photo editing to perfect their images.

Some other great places to go for photography and editing information are my personal blog linked to the left, and Elisha Snow's blog, also linked on the left. The photography message board at 2Peas is also chock full of great info and resources, and the folks at I Love Photography (ILP) have a great thing going on there, as well.

So, I'm going to leave you with the challenge of cropping and sharpening your catchlight photos if you haven't already done that. Also, try resizing your image for posting per my instructions above if you haven't tried that before. If you don't have a photo editing program, consider Photoshop Elements. It's a fabulous program and it's reasonably priced at about $90.

Photography Q and A with Tina

Leanne S wanted to know how to photograph someone else's children and how do I work with poor natural light. Well! Kids are kids and if you can't make them do what you want them to do (which is a sure bet most of the time) it's easiest just to let kids be themselves. In most cases, during a session, I'll try to get each kid by themselves and just talk for a few minutes before sticking my camera in their face. And I also don't pressure them to be smiling all the time. Nothing says candid better than a faked smile. So I let them relax and I go with the flow. If I want a smile, I'll belch or make a face or fart noises or crack a knock-knock joke to get them to laugh. For younger kids and older babies, I'll have mom and dad stand behind me at the level of my camera and make faces and noises. And kids of all ages are most comfortable in comfy clothes and either at home or at the park or beach where silliness and playfulness are encouraged.

As a candid, on-location photographer, people being themselves is what I strive to capture. Posing is kept to a minimum so that the pressure is off for everyone. And since many of my photography clients are folks I've never met, it's best just to get a feel for them and how they interact with each other and then just let things happen. I'll give direction as needed but it's more of a flowing, organic process. For more traditional portrait photographers, a game plan and list of poses and settings might be used.

As far as natural light challenges, there are several ways to work around this. Up my ISO (digital talk for film speed), lower my shutter speed (or SS) and/or widen my aperture. All of these things combined will help make the best of low light situations. Grain/Noise can be an issue when ISO is increased, but there are some great noise-reducing software options out there, some of which are free! I don't use a flash in my photography, but I do have a Canon Speedlight and a Lightsphere diffuser which lessens the shadows, harsh light and deer-in-the-headlights look of flash photography. For built-in pop-up flashes, there are also many different filters and diffusers available as well. When flash has to be used, this is the best way to go.

SueAR asked about taking classes, and I think a photography class at a community college is a great way to start. Classes are over several weeks so you have more time for what you're learning to sink in and to ask questions and interact with your instructor.

I am purely self-taught in the technical side of things, and the first thing I did that was an immeasurable help was reading my camera manual (and the manual of every camera I've owned since). The other important things I did were threefold: practice, practice, practice. It's digital, so burning and wasting film isn't an issue anymore. Practice, practice, practice.

MO Scrapper wanted to know which camera setting I use most often. I use AV Mode on my camera (a Canon 5D) for most shoots, and I keep the White Balance (WB) on either Sunny or Auto. In AV Mode, I choose the aperture and ISO, and the camera selects the shutter speed. I'll use Manual Mode in certain situations but when photographing kids, the constant need to adjust settings means missed or over/under exposed shots. There's also nothing wrong at all in shooting in the auto modes. A good way to understand about what settings to use when is to shoot in an Auto Mode and review the image data to see what the camera's settings were for the image.

And, lastly, Walesk asked what my favorite everyday lens is. Well, I have two, really. I have a Canon 50mm 1.8 lens which is a fabulous little lens for about $80US. It's a great, crisp portrait lens and it's lightweight, plus it does wonderfully in low-light settings. My other favorite everyday lens is a bit pricey and a bit heavy but very versitile, and that's the Canon 24-70L 2.8.

Here is your two-part photography challenge for the weekend: angles and catchlights.

By tilting your camera, you can get some pretty interesting perspectives and some unique-looking portraits. The photo of my daughter on the March/April 08 issue was taken with the camera tilted. While I don't do this all the time or get too crazy with the tilt, I do it now and then for interest. As far as catchlights, having your subject facing the light source, or at least at an angle to it, results in the reflection of light in the eyes, called catchlights. Catchlights are not hard to acheive and can really add sparkle to a photograph. In the photo below I've done both, tilting the camera and capturing catchlights. And while your challenge is not necessarily to do both in one shot, why not go for it???

(And here's a hint about posting photos to the internet: In PSE or Photoshop, resize your photo to 72 dpi, 600 pixels on the long side (keep the Constrain Proportions box checked), and choose Bicubic Sharper at the bottom of the dialog box under "Resample Image". This results in smaller files, shorter upload time and crisper web images.)

Never Underestimate what you do here

There was an article in last week's Washington Post about a new exhibit at the National Gallery of Art called "The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888-1978." The exhibit includes a little over 200 snapshots from the collection of Robert E. Jackson, a businessman in Seattle, who has dedicated part of his free time to collecting old family photos at yard sales, attics, and online auctions. While it makes me sad to think of these lost images up for grabs for pocket change, I love to think that the photos we take because we want to remember something with exact detail really do mean something beyond their intended audience. They are an art form, a way to document reality and personality and memory and wishes.

I think in this era of digital photography, the one where we can take 300 photos in a single day without blinking an eye, it's nice to be reminded of the significance of the snapshot. I have hundreds of snapshots that aren't particularly fantastic technically, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that I have them, that I can study them, that I can tell stories about them to my children and laugh about them with my sisters.

I bet you have a few just like this, too.

photo resources

Okay, on to photography resources. Keep in mind that there are TONS of really great books, websites, etc. out there to help you learn anything you want to know about photography, but these are some of my favorites:

BOOKS
Your camera manual. This should be the FIRST thing you read. Seriously. Read it two or three times if need be. I have gone back and re-read my manual several times, just to make sure I’m fully aware of all of the features and functions.

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. This is a wonderful book if you’re really serious about learning all the ins and outs of photography. It breaks it down and explains how to make sense of all of the technical stuff. I’ve read this one several times as well.

The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby. Scott Kelby is an awesome photographer and has written several books on photography as well as Photoshop. He speaks in plain English and tells you exactly what you need to know—no frills. This book tells you what equipment you need, when you need it, and how to use it. Very simple and straight forward. I also just noticed that there’s a second volume coming out in December!

Beyond Portraiture by Bryan Peterson. Again, Bryan Peterson does a great job of explaining things. If you shoot mostly people this book will tell you how to get awesome people shots.

The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby. Another great resource from Kelby. This book also comes in other versions, whether you have Elements, CS3, etc. This will tell you how to get some great photo effects in Photoshop.

Photoshop Finishing Touches by Dave Cross. Another great Photoshop resource. This book will tell you how to create frames, distress a photo and create really unique looks.

WEBSITES
twopeasinabucket.com. There is a photography forum on Two Peas that I visit every single day. You can do a search and literally find the answer to ANY photo question you have. The people that post on here are very talented and are very willing to help.

ilovephotography.com. Another great forum and resource for learning anything and everything about photography.

atncentral.com. This is a site you can go to to download FREE actions for Photoshop. (Note that actions won’t work with Photoshop Elements. You have to have CS2 or CS3.)

Like I said, there really are so many resources out there, but these are just some of my favorites. I love to stalk photography blogs as well because I get a lot of good information from other photographers and like to see how they set up shots, convert their photos, etc. If you have a favorite resource, please share with me! I’ve also got my Amazon wish list full of more books and equipment I want to get! There is always stuff to learn. I think any professional photographer will tell you that they are never done learning—no matter how incredibly good they are.

Well, have a great weekend everybody and I’ll be back on Monday with some more scrapbooking and another giveaway later in the week!

more photography Q and A

1. I'd like to know several unique ways to set up a large group shot.
Honestly, I’m not really a “group” photographer. I usually just shoot children and small families, but I have done a couple group photos. My biggest tip would be to make sure that your aperture setting is set to at least f/7.0 or higher (I try to get about f/11.0). Also, the same basic rules of photography apply to group shots: watch for visual triangles (don’t put people in a straight line), vary the angle, etc.

2.I need the basics of using lens. What do those numbers mean? Which one do I use for which type of pictures?

Good question. Lenses can get confusing. I had to do a lot of research before I found which lenses worked for me. Every lens “name” is going to give you at least three bits of information: the range (distance) it shoots at, the widest aperture the lens opens to (the “f-stop” or “depth of field”) and the series, or type, of lens that it is. For example, if I have a 24-70mm f/2.8L lens, this means that I can shoot in a range of 24-70 millimeters, the widest the aperture will go is 2.8 and it is an “L” series lens, which is a series of lenses made by Canon. There may also be other bits of information such as “USM” (ultrasonic motor) or “IS” (image stabilizer). For many of my portrait shots, I like to use a prime lens, which means that you can't zoom in and out. If you want to get closer, you have to actually move your feet! A good prime lens is the 85mm f/1.8 lens.

3. I'm curious about what photo-editing software you use... and how you get the watermark to appear on the photo. I'm guessing Photoshop magic .

Yes, you’re right—it’s totally Photoshop magic. I currently use Photoshop CS3, which is the full-blown version of Photoshop. However, I can’t say enough good things about Photoshop Elements 5.0, which is A LOT less expensive and is AWESOME for doing basic photo editing. In fact, they’ve got a lot of automatic features built right in to make it a breeze to edit any photo. I also just got Photoshop Lightroom, which is so far fantastic. It helps you organize your photos and edit them in conjunction with Photoshop. As far as the watermark, you need to create a customized brush in Photoshop. It’s super easy to do: use the type tool to type out your copyright information (such as “copyright 2007 elisha snow photography”), draw a selection around your text using the rectangular marquee tool, go to the Edit menu and choose “Define Brush Preset.” Name your brush then click OK. You’re done! All you need to do now is select the brush and “stamp” it on your photo (changing it from black to white or any other color you want so that it looks good).

Lots of good questions! I’m trying to answer these as best I can, and realizing that everyone is on a completely different photography level. Some have point and shoot cameras and some have digital SLR cameras. It makes it very difficult to address a general audience that way, so let me know if there’s something you don’t understand and I’ll try to explain it better! I’ll answer a few more questions tomorrow and then on Friday I’ll give you a whole list of wonderful books and resources for learning more about photography!

more photography Q and A

1. Any tips for photography while on vacation?
Here’s my biggest vacation tip: pay attention to the DETAILS. If you’re going to the beach, take a picture of toes in the sand. If you’re going to New York City, take a picture of a huge slice of pizza. Include people in your photos too. You’ll be more likely to save a photo of your husband standing at the base of the statue of liberty, then you would a photo of only the statue of liberty. Why take a picture of a landmark, when you can buy an inexpensive postcard—a photo taken by a professional—for only a few cents?

How do you force the flash for "fill"?

Each camera is different, so you’ll need to read your manual. If you have an SLR camera, though, there should be a flash button that you simply push to get the flash to pop up.

3. What's the difference between a point and shoot and a digital SLR? I have a digital camera that I can't take the lens off of. It that a point and shoot?

Basically, yes. SLR stands for “single lens reflex” and uses interchangeable lenses. A point and shoot camera is much more compact (just a basic digital camera). One big difference between the two is that with a professional SLR camera, you look through the viewfinder to take the photo (like older film cameras), and with point and shoots, you can look at the screen on the back to take the photo.

4. What mode on the camera do you most often use?

This is a question for those of you that have digital SLR cameras. I most often use AV mode, simply because I’m usually shooting children and they’re too fast to mess with full manual mode. Shooting in AV mode lets me set my aperture and ISO settings and let the camera take care of the rest!