I really need to post pics of this family to my LKP Design page; here is one of my favorite photos from the shoot.

Okay I just have to sneak this in

No, I'm not just being lazy

Three weeks of no blogging? I've surprised myself. I'm going to interrupt my wedding/invitation series to post something!

I am so grateful for the last weeks where I have been busy with both photography and graphic design freelance work. Here is one of the seniors:



Now that James has the pictures, I will hopefully post a few more on my Facebook Page soon.

Rylan

Oscar Pilch Photoshop Action I

Looking the part

Well I have used my golf clubs a couple times this summer, and have still failed to get a picture as proof. So instead, I can at least show you my appropriately-picked wardrobe for these outings.

Plaid Bermuda shorts- Aeropostale

White V-Neck Slubbed Tee- Kohl's

And although you should keep accessories minimal (simple jewelry, bobby pins), of course you can't forget a few items:

Ladie's Golf Glove- Target
Flashy Fuschia Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nailcolor- Target
Pink golf clubs- wherever my husband found them online

Siblings

How the Peters spend a Saturday evening, Part I

Take a picture, it will last longer...maybe

Three generations

Three generations February 2009


Three generations May 2010

So I just had to post some pictures. This is partly a "progress" picture, seeing how I have improved from one year to the next; but mostly it is for sake of posterity. These three ladies are lucky to be able to be so close in proximity, and I think it is important to document "three generations" when possible. Each time was actually impromptu, and not a planned opportunity, and I am glad I made the suggestion each time.

Each time we were at our house, so the options for backgrounds were limited. However, this year I decided to look at our backyard and choose a less stale background than our house siding. We also were lucky for nicer weather and better lighting for the conditions.

When posting items and work on my Facebook page, I try to stay away from family, as I want to show what other clientele I have done work for--and hopefully spur other fans to consider hiring me. However, I chose to post the 2010 photo last week because 1) I did not want to post the two sorority photos before they had a chance to even see them and 2) it is great for family to be able to see the work, whether it is the subjects of the portraits, or extended family who stay connected on Facebook.

Showing Improvement

Taking this group's photographs was odd, as it was many of the same girls as the year before, and they wore the same outfits (Black sorority polo, pink undershirts, and jeans). The similarities ended there.

2009: It was my first large group; I had not had experience in placing people, and in retrospect I did not do enough research to prepare myself. We took the pictures in the morning at the May Museum, and there was sun everywhere. It was hard to dodge the sunlight everywhere we went, and so during editing I did the best I could to fix the original problem of sun. I made the absolute huge mistake of placing the taller ladies in front; at the time, my reasoning was that if the taller individuals were lower, sitting or kneeling, there wouldn't be big gaps and it wouldn't look odd to have tall people standing and the shorter gals sitting. But of course, taller girls are proportionally bigger in general, so I ended up making the bigger girls in the foreground appear even bigger than the petite gals in the very, very back.

Tri Phi Sorority Spring 2009

Tri Phi Sorority Spring 2010

2010: I was smart enough to bring just three chairs to help with placement. When we booked the date, we did not know how many girls would actually be showing up. The number ended up being one less than the previous year, though it really didn't matter, as I had planned a better composition this year. I started by having the tallest girls sit in the chairs, then I built around that, having the more petite ladies on the outskirts of the group. Overall, this gave better movement. Having just the three chairs helped prevent the composition from being: lots of heads, and some heads with bodies in the front. The camera was shot down with a little bit more of an angle above the group, as opposed to a dead-on shot, so we didn't have any double chins. Also, the photos were taken around 5:15, in the shade, without light seeping through trees; and we still were able to have a nice but non-distracting background with some nature and a little bit of color. Who doesn't love brick?

May Museum--must be Laura!

Today was a busy day. The morning started out with a baptism of a dear friend's son and then I photographed two different Midland sororities. I was glad the weather cooperated, though there were a few sprinkles for the 2:00 appointment; and that was the group that had already postponed their shoot, due to scheduling conflicts within the sorority.

My experience over the last two years for photography has mainly been kids, families, and small groups of people, meaning generally less than five or six subjects. I have had limited experience with larger families. Therefore, attempting two large groups (on the same day, no less) was going to take some preparation, and so ever since I booked the sororities' shoots I did research online, checking out websites of other photographers and doing some general Google searches.

I will post more on the second sorority later this week, but the first group I photographed at the May Museum--a place I may overuse as a backdrop, but find it reliable as a location for variety, shade, and textures. The girls actually loved it, and continued commenting on what a great place it was for pictures during the hour we were there.

I could write quite a bit on my experience of the first shoot, but it is getting late, so I will keep it short: the first picture (above) turned out great except for the car and tools in the background. Depending on the sizes ordered, those details will be cropped; otherwise, Ben has been telling me what he finds on the internet about Photoshop CS5, which is supposed to have a cool new feature that will help with those problems of unwanted elements.

Also, Ben was a great help today; he loaded chairs into the car, helped me move the ladders I utilized at the May Museum and helped move the chairs around during the first shoot. I admittedly was a bit intimidated about taking on two group photoshoots in a row, so it helped to have the support, physically and emotionally. Plus, he gave me some good feedback once the shoot was done.

Sara & Brock

This is an amazing couple that was incredibly easy to photograph, because they were willing to do anything, they were very natural, and basically I just had to take pictures while they interacted. Brock was very cooperative, even though he did finally ask, after all of the locations and wardrobe changes, "And what do you DO with engagement pictures??"

These were a few of my favorites that didn't make it to my LKP Design Facebook Page. What do you think--did I weed out the right ones?

More of Holly

Big dreams

So this week has been a very productive "vacation" time, as far as planning for our future in Lincoln (housing, jobs, etc.) Today I photographed Holly, who graduated early from high school. So, her "senior portraits" were taken for invitations for her graduation party. Very cool, that she is now ready to take on the world and see what her future has in store.

Holly was a gorgeous subject and she was very eager to model.