Date Archives January 2013

Munz Family LifeStyle Session | Raleigh Family Photographer

0 Comment Baby

 I am quite excited to share this post with you!

A few changes here for 2013.  I am proud to add lifestyle photo sessions to my offerings!

A lifestyle session is all about capturing you, as you are today.  No props, not a whole lot of posing.  Just going about your day and doing the things that make you & your family happy!

A “Day in the Life” documentary.

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Last week I had the opportunity to share a few hours with this beautiful young family.

Baby boy is just as sweet as peaches, and so expressive with his emotions & eyebrows – love!

So much love in this family, it is almost overwhelming :)

Here’s my favorite image from the day…

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And here’s a little slideshow I put together with more favorite images.

I hope it makes you as happy as a slinky on an escalator!

Munz Family Lifestyle Session from Kathy Howard Photography on Vimeo.

~Kathy

Portrait Photographer Raleigh,NC

Tuesday Photo Tip | Bend Your Knees! (Change Your Perspective)

0 Comment Tuesday Photo Tip

 This week my tip is to try changing your perspective when you take a picture.  Instead of standing in front of your subject, straight on, change it UP!

Move around your subject.  Stand above or squat low.  Try it out!  See what you get.

I quite often will shoot something from two different angles, not sure which one I will like better until I see on my computer screen.

Example A.

(Please excuse the iPhone 5 photos, but not too shabby for night shots!)

Here I am in front of NC State bell tower after a big win over Carolina this past weekend.

GO WOLFPACK!

It’s a great snap (thanks honey!) and one that I will enjoy forever.

However, notice the top of the bell tower is chopped off.  No big deal, but look at the difference in my photo of him.

I bent my knees to get lower, to include the top of the bell tower in the snap :

Example B

Doesn’t it feel more powerful & a bit awe inspiring with the clock view?

(I wished at that moment I had my big girl camera, but again, snapshots ARE important).

My challenge to you is this.  Next time you take a photo, try changing your perspective!I’d love to hear and see what you get – email me or send me a link to your Flickr or whatever you use to share your photos!

I will follow up with more tips (and better photos!) on perspective, as I really feel this is a big part of unveiling your own creativity :)

I am still looking for future tips, so PLEASE leave me a comment with something you’d like to hear about!  Please? ha ha!

Have a great day~

Kathy

To see last week’s Tuesday Tip for capturing bright eye catch lights, click HERE

Portrait Photographer Raleigh,NC

The M Family Preview | Lifestyle Photographer Raleigh NC

0 Comment Baby, Family

A few days ago I was lucky to be invited into the M family home to photograph a few hours of their busy day.

Lucky, because they are great friends.  Lucky because they shared some of their valuable time off from work with me!  Lucky, because I photographed this little guy when he was a real little guy … you may remember him HERE.

His new nickname is Mr. Expressions!  He gave us some really great faces in a relatively short period of time … can’t wait to share.

Enjoy the preview image!

~Kathy

Portrait Photographer Raleigh, NC

Tuesday Photo Tip | Eye Catchlights

1 Comment Children, Portraits, Tuesday Photo Tip

Hello!  Today I will share one tip on how to achieve bright eye catchlights.  (There are many tips, this is just one that I use a lot)

Catchlights add life to a portrait, & can help draw attention to the subject’s eyes.

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I pulled my youngest away from her basketball for five minutes so I could snap these sample images for you.  End of day, sun is down but still bright outside.

Image A.  Pretty face, nice breeze, but not too much sparkle in the eye :

ISO 640  f/2.5  1/800th

Here’s the pull back shot of where she was standing.  She is facing South, so the sun is setting to her right (our view, left)

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Image B.  I had her squat and look UP at me.  Why?  The light source is UP.

Face your subject TOWARDS the light source.

Someone once told me think of the sun and the sky as a big flash.  I always remember that!

ISO 640  f/2.5   1/800th

Can you SEE the difference?  Those white spots in her iris are from the evening sky.  Her skin is more luminous.

Here’s the drop back image for this shot (except she turned her head the other way lol) :

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So next time you are out shooting, try having your subject look towards the light source and see what you get.  Shoot shoot shoot!!

I’d love to see what you get – leave me a comment & I’ll check it out!

Please do share any tips that YOU may have in the comments, I’d love to hear and share them.

Thanks!

~Kathy

To see last week’s Tuesday Tip on achieving a soft & dreamy background, click HERE.

Portrait Photographer Raleigh,NC

Summer Freckle Project | Raleigh Portrait Photography

1 Comment A Slice of Life, special events

Good Wednesday morning!

Woke up early this morning, sipped some coffee & went through my personal 2012 photos.  I have a goal : wall display in my OWN home by the end of the month!  I will keep you posted.  So far I have fifty images picked out for a 6 square photo display.  I am sticking with square, but perhaps more than six.  But definitely by January 31st I will have the prints ordered!

I came across this picture from the summer.

I LOVE freckles.

I have decided this summer I will do a freckle project.  Don’t have the details yet, but I hope to make it for a worthy cause.

If you are interested in being one of my subjects, or know someone who is, please drop me an email kathy@kathyhowardphotography.com and I will put you on the list.

Thanks & have a superb day!

~Kathy