2008 Clients

My clients of 2008 if you haven't received an "envelope" from me yet either by mail or personally....it's coming soon :)

To my American readers, Happy Thanksgiving.

Also....tune in on Tuesday...I have a CHRISTMAS contest!!!!! Woo-hoo! I love contests :)

Have a great weekend all.

Til next time, C.

Blog Photos Template

I get so excited when I figure out new photoshop stuff.

Here's my latest...a template for all of my photos for my blog. And what better way to show off our puppy Boone, who is just over 5 months and growing too quickly :(

The exciting part is how easy I can do my blog posts now, all I have to do is insert the photo, save and upload. I have a few different ones made for future use, such as vertical, hortizontal and two-up.

I'm also working on a couple more templates plus storyboards that I'll be adding to my product line in the new year....can't wait to show you samples.

Til Next Time, C.

 

Technical Talk

Hey Everyone....Happy Friday!

I want to discuss a few things today....

(1) Blog posts

After this week they'll be Tuesdays & Thursdays until the new year.

Due to taking December off I won't have many (if any) client updates/proofs to post so I'll be adding more photgraphy related/personal items.

(2) Technical Talk

This is what today's post will be about. If you would like more technical talk let me know about what. I'm still learning but we can learn together :) Let's share our knowledge.

(3) Thanks

...for stopping by, it gives me warm fuzzies that you take the time to read my blog.

Now on with the technical talk.....

These photos of my front yard & park across the street, I took yesterday, before heading out to work. I'm a good 'ol Canadian girl that loves snow :) tee hee

If you look closely at these photos you'll see grain or noise. Put simply just a lack of clarity. Look closely :) See how there's almost "dots" in the sky?

Let me tell you why and how I acheived this....

Why.....Low light

To shoot in low light you have a few options

Flash - I didn't want to use flash since it wouldn't have shown the nice morning light

Tripod - set the camera on a long exposure to get in enough light. I didn't have enough time I was on my way to work

ISO settings - this I could do, it does result in grain but that didn't matter to me for this composition.

How....ISO settings

This photo was taken in manual mode with my ISO way up to 1600 (it does have higher settings but this was sufficient) And in jpeg format because I didn't have time to convert from RAW. Photographers get this lingo....sorry if I'm boring you.

I sacrificed the quality, per se, to get the "effect" of the lighting. Ambiance if you will.

Note...these are un-edited photos, straight out of the camera.

That being said, a LOT of photographers these days are taking photos with a lot of grain (or noise) it's almost like it's an "in" thing right now in the photography world. Even if the photo doesn't have grain, they add it while editing in photoshop.

I will also say that if I owned a better camera, a D700 or D3 for example grain at 1600 would be virtually unheard of, and then I'd have still have the very cool lighted shot :)

Anyway that's a discussion for another time, I digress.

And that's my lesson for today folks....if any of this info is wrong or you can add to it...please do so :) It's up for discussion.

Til next time, C.

Elysium Productions

I've seen these videographers referenced a couple of times now on blogs that I follow (all in the California - Orange County area) however, despite the distance you cannot argue their talent and awesomeness!!!

Seriously turn up your volume and click HERE to watch!!

Til next time, C.

Kalia Christmas

Well you know how two year olds are....full of energy, don't know what they're going to say or do next...and that would be little Faith...she's hilarious. She was even showing me where she coloured Mommy's walls and she knew she wasn't supposed too...Oh Oh!

First the whole family

Then Mommy & Daddy....I was teasing them for being so serious when it was time to do the family portrait. They started laughing and saying "we don't want anyone to know we're happy"....LOL I totally cracked up...wasn't expecting that response at all. So funny :)

Daddy's Little Girl

But....I don't want to wear this hat :(

Such a pretty smile.

And one in colour so you can see the beautiful colour of her Christmas dress and one of her many hilarious expressions :) Told ya she was funny.

Til next time, C.

Christmas Card Sessions

Today is the last day to book your holiday session to allow time for processing and delivery of your Christmas cards.

Thanks to everyone who booked sessions with me this year, I thoroughly appreciate your business.

Also I'll be taking December off. I love Christmas & everything that goes with it. Not to mention it's a very busy time of year for me and this year I have family visiting which I'm really looking forward too. But don't worry I'll still be posting regularly and don't forget I still have a contest coming up in December too!

Doesn't this photo put you in the Christmas mood?   :)

Til next time, C.

Ducks Unlimited

Do you remember when it seemed every other commercial was for Ducks Unlimited? They're an organization for a great cause....conserving wetlands in Canada...for obviously DUCKS!

The park where I did my session last Sunday had soooo many ducks. They were so cute, but not so cute when they were quickly approaching because they thought we were there to feed them. Sorry not today guys.....I apologize for the blur but like I said they were chasing me and I was scared...... :)

Cute though eh?

Til next time, C.

Blog Site Reno

Thank you....I was surprised to get such unexpected positive feedback about the new look of my blog site.

I was going to wait until the new year to re-design the look, update the header and so on but I thought why wait? No time like the present.

I'm always in a state of improvement, so anything you would like to see here please let me know and I'll do what I can to add that feature.

Thanks again, I seriously have the best blog stalkers ever!!! Love you all :)

Til next time, C.

Cule Christmas

I've had the pleasure of photographing this family before, more specifically Tristan. And to say that he loves to run around is an understatement :) Along with that it was cold, windy and raining :(

However, I managed to pull off a couple of shots for their Christmas session.

Here's Tristan looking at the ducks in the water.

This park also has a dog park, meaning lots of 4-legged traffic between shots.

Please note this dog is NOT a husky, it's an Alaskan Malamute

The running around, as previously mentioned

And the whole family enjoying the ducks in the water. Did I mention when we arrived at the park ALL the ducks started following us because they thought we were there to feed them. Sorry guys...not today :(

Thanks again, I had fun. 2 year olds are always such an adventure!

Til next time, C.

Danny & Khrysti-Lee

***This is a re-post due to technical difficulties***

I love all of my sessions. They're all unique, I'm yet to have two sessions the same...like my clients I guess :) However, this one is one of my favourite sessions ever, for a few reasons.

One, I was able to try a few techniques/looks that I've been wanting to test out. And I don't feel is appropriate for children or families. It's just not the "look" they're usually going for.

Second, Danny & Khrysti were really easy going about the whole trying whatever I asked them.

I'm "tickled pink" with the results.

That being said, I'm am OFTEN misunderstood, so to answer your question even before you ask, yes they're supposed to be that far apart. Now on with the photos.....

First, my FAV shot of Danny

My FAV shot of Khrysti :)

Playing with some sepia tones

And of course some textures, this is an acquired taste.

I LOVE Urban looking locations....another little glimpse into my creative mind...or lack thereof maybe?? he he :) Matter of opinion I guess :)

Scroll down to the slideshow for more photos from the session

Til next time, C.

Christmas Card Sessions

You're running out of time if you're planning to book a session.

Sessions must be booked no later than Nov 14th as these sessions will be finished up at the end of November.

Til next time, C.

Thank you Cards

Today I want to share with you the Thank You card I did using some of the photos I took at my friend Jen's wedding this past summer.

These are one of the products available with a wedding package.

Hope you like!

Til next time, C.

Family Photos

We attempted some of our own family photos this weekend, here's a few from the so called session.

Here's my hubby and my brother in law

Brother in law again...who's like my baby brother

Who could forget our boy Boone!

And then there's little 'ol me :)

Til Next Time, C.