Between the Pixels » What's Happening at Studio JE Design & Photography

Here is the slideshow from my session with the Conner girls last week. It was REALLY hard to narrow down the proofs. They are gloriously photogenic and most of the images I took turned out great. Thanks girls, for hanging with me in the freezing, windy shade! I hope you all enjoyed your “America’s Next Top Model” session with me! Alice – your girls are beautiful and charming! Enjoy!

I read this on another photog’s blog and asked for permission to borrow and tweak it for mine (she had borrowed from someone else too – we love to share!).

I meant to do that! I’m still very new to the world of professional photography – so you might think that I did something by accident when in fact, very intentional. Here are a few things about my style that you might think were “oopsies”….

“Tight Crops” – This means super close close-ups where often the face fills most of the frame of the image. These images are about the eyes, and often the top of the head is not included in the image. I meant to do that!

“Not-So-Smiley” – So many of us have been brought up to believe that a “say cheese” is a requirement to make a great photo. So not true! I love a pensive look as much as a big grin. I meant to do that!

“Let’s Be Negative” – Negative space is when the subject is placed off to the side of an image and the rest of the image is empty—this is done for artistic impact. I meant to do that!

“Left of Center” – The most boring position for a subject in a photograph is smack dab in the middle! I know, I know, not what you always thought, right? Trust me! There is a little something in design called the Rule of Thirds that photographers often employ to enhance visual interest. The rule states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines (like a tic-tac-toe board). The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align features in the photograph. Aligning a photograph with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the photo than simply centering the feature would. Huh? Trust me, your child does not need to be right in the center of an image for it to be a good portrait! I meant to do that!

“The Light in the Eyes” – The hallmark of good portrait photography is good lighting, and the hallmark of good lighting is something called a “catchlight,” – a reflection of light in the eyes. I love big catchlights! I try to position myself and my subjects for the best and largest catchlights, especially for close-ups. Flip through any parenting or glamour magazine and look at the eyes—what do you see? Big bright catchlights! So if I ask you to move slightly to the left or to the right or turn around, I’m not being fussy or indecisive… I’m looking for the light in your eyes! I meant to do that!

I met these sisters at McKinley Park today. They are ADORABLE – sassy and spirited! I found this quote and thought it was quite appropriate for a little storyboard…

Alice – thank you for letting me photograph your lovely girls! I will have the rest of your proofs to you soon!

These kids were a blast to work with… good-natured and full of smiles! It was touching to see how much they connected with each other, and how well they treated their mom. Liz – you did good I hope that my kids grow up to be as sweet as yours! Here’s your slideshow!