Making the Most of Summer Memories!

Whether you are photographing your summer memories of your family, your kids and their friends, vacations, or simply hanging around the yard/pool/bonfire, I've learned a few tricks to help make the most of the memories I'm trying to capture.

Always Have a Camera Available

Several years ago the boys were simply eating pizza on our
balcony during a cruise. They look at this photo and remember
the cruise, the friends they made playing basketball,
and how they could eat pizza 24 hours a day!

Much to my family's annoyance, my camera is often on the kitchen counter.  I pull it out often, if even just to capture a photo of my dog sleeping on the tile floor, tongue hanging out!  And it doesn't have to be a fancy camera--any camera that is easy to point and shoot will work great!  If you have a pool in your yard, consider keeping a waterproof "throwaway" style camera nearby to capture those moments without the worry of damaging an expensive camera. 

Consider the Location of your Shot
Sometimes the background of your photo tells as much about the memory as the people in it.  If you are on vacation, try to find a spot that shows your location while still allowing you to focus on your family. 

Location tells its own story!

Lighting
You would think a bright sunny day would be the perfect backdrop for summer photos--but sunshine causes shadows, and seeing those faces under a baseball cap can become difficult!  An overcast day is the BEST lighting of all--but as summer provide us with plenty of sunshine, here are a few pointers to consider. 

• If any subjects in your photos are wearing hats, ask them to tilt them back slightly to allow for more light on their faces
• Try to position your subjects so the sun is at their side--not taking photos into the sun, nor making your subjects face the sun and have squinty-eyed faces
• Consider the drama of silhouettes-- photos where the photographer is looking towards the sun and your subjects will appear more as shadows than anything else
• If you are posing your family/friends, consider an inexpensive solution to bringing light to their faces--a reflective sun-shade, the type you would put on the inside of your windshield, can provide the right reflective light to brighten faces when the sun is behind or to the side of your subjects
• In the evening, a flash will help bring light to your photographs--but remember, a flash can only spread light approximately 4-6 feet from the camera.  Anything further will not be very bright
• If trying to photograph around a bonfire, consider NOT using a flash to truly capture the firelight.  WARNING...when not using a flash, many cameras will want to leave the shutter open longer to allow for more light to get in.  This demands that a camera be kept very still...and any amount of hand shaking will blur a photo.  Consider using a monopod or tripod when taking these photos

You never know what you'll capture if you look carefully enough!

Consider the Simplest of Moments
You don't need to have anything important going on to capture a moment of summer.  If you spent many dinners grilling outside, capture that; playing wiffle ball or bean bags out back; walking the dog; gardening; the first summer your child cut the grass; you name it, the simplest of moments often tell the story of your daily life, allowing your family to fill in the blanks when viewing these "everyday" photos.  "Remember when you were picking weeds and you got stung by the bee?" These moments can bring many memories to the forefront of your family's mind!

We all lead very busy lives, and our children are growing up faster than we can think!  Taking the time to capture your summer moments can bring warm memories back when you take the time to view them on a cold winter night!

See you at the fields and rinks!

Thanks Dad!

You may get chilly fingers snapping photos in this Midwestern March/April weather, but the stories you can tell are endless! At my son's high school game yesterday, a perfect opportunity came up to do just this!  At 40 degrees and falling, the players were beyond cold at this game.  Sitting in the shade, with winds at 8-10 mph, the players who were not in the field (and the sun's reach) did whatever they could to warm up. And then came "Dad"...with a plastic bag filled with hand warmers!  Not only did his son appreciate the effort, but many players gathered round to have him share the wealth!  This one photo tells the story...and that is the goal of the Momarazzi's photography, to tell a story!

Other players look on, hoping to share the wealth this dad provided!

Years from now when we are looking back on the memories of the freshman baseball experience, the chilly weather may not be foremost in our minds, but this photo will remind us of the story that day! 

Spring is in the Air!

I know...I am a Midwest gal and it is still in the 30's here...but it is just about April and my flowers don't seem to care what the temperature is outside!  As we brace ourselves to possibly see one more snowfall before April, I am reminded that our outdoor sports are about to kick into high gear...and so should our cameras!

Take advantage of these cold weather opportunities to capture your favorite athlete in action!  While we never see the uniform in some instances (coats covering those cute baseball/softball/soccer uniforms!) these are the moments that tell the story!  In the beginning of June, we'll fondly* look back on those days when the sport began and the temperatures seemed too cold to allow for outdoor games!  Capture those moments and look for the candid shots of your athlete--when they don't know you are looking.  That's where your story is told. 

As we begin to venture outdoors again, we'll have regular tips to help capture your special moments! 
See you at the rink & fields!!

Amazing Photographs from Space

Photo from Col. Wheelock, Isle Juan de Nova in the Mozambique Channel
between Madagascar and the African mainland. The beautiful colors rival the
 amazing places in the Caribbea (11-15-2010). Space Photo: NASA, Astronaut Wheelock

This is not my photo--I am sharing an amazing link I was sent that will just take your breath away!  Below is a post from www.triggerpit.com ...photos that make you go WOW!  My aunt, a fellow momarazzi, sent these to me and I was immediately amazed.  Colonel Douglas Wheelock has taken amazing photos and I am completely in awe of his talent.  I am literally copying the post from triggerpit.com below--but visit their site and check out Colonel Wheelock's photos!  This is one guy who knows how to Capture Every Moment!!

On September 22, 2010, with the departure of the Expedition 23 crew, Colonel Douglas H. Wheelock assumed command of the International Space Station and the Expedition 25 crew. He is also known as @Astro_Wheels on twitter, where he has been tweeting pictures to his followers since he arrived at the space station. We thought that we should put some of them together as a tribute to him and the whole ISS crew. The images bring breathtaking views from our only off planet Vista point. The following pictures are all visible on Astro_Wheels' twitpic account and for these we are eternally grateful to him for sharing these with the world. The captions are all his own words. [29 Pictures]

http://triggerpit.com/2010/11/22/incredible-pics-nasa-astronaut-wheelock/

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all my fellow momarazzi's out there!!  Cheers looking forward to new opportunities to capture new memories!!

Capturing Those Holiday Moments...

It seems that the holidays provide a time for endless posed photos of families gathering together--we did exactly this over Thanksgiving! And while I do enjoy seeing the progression of how the children have grown each year (not to mention the DISLIKE for how some of us adults also age), my favorite holiday photos are those that capture a moment that is unrehearsed and not posed.

Whether you have children or not, be sure to have your camera ready when the gift opening process begins.  I love to capture the expression when my boys see their gift...even if the camera doesn't see what it is. The emotion they express usually tells the entire story of that gift! Wide open eyes, wide open mouths, smiles from ear to ear, whatever the expression is, it is priceless.  I've even captured a few.."huh?" expressions!

In addition, when photographing family members in front of a tree, consider having good lighting in your room and not using your flash. This will allow the tree lights and ornaments to show nicely and not be overly bright or reflective in your shot. 

Some unique ways to capture holiday moments beyond the present-opening experience:  walking in the door (welcoming your guests); catching someone under the mistletoe--just as they realize that is where they are; eating--particularly those turkey legs or sweets; children sitting on the stairs waiting for Santa; children fast asleep in their beds; children all dressed in their holiday pj's! The opportunities are endless and they all have the same affect...they tell a story of your family together during the holidays!

Happy Holidays to all my Momarazzi Treatment Friends & Family!! 

Choosing the right Holiday Card Photos

The greatest dilemma many parents face...which photo(s) should go on our holiday cards this year?!

Here are a few things to consider when selecting photos for your holiday greetings. 

• Select only quality photos--ensure that the resolution is the minimum required for the processing service you are working with.  Poor resolution, dimly lit lighting, and blurred photos will not look any better on a greeting card.
• Consider doing a collage-style card. Many processing companies offer collage-styles which allow their users to upload more than one photo on a card.  Including one photo of each family member, along with a full family shot helps share how everyone in your family is growing!
• Consider what was important to your family this past year--and share those moments on a card.  Help your friends and family see the many activities your children have been involved in--a special vacation your family took--a unique place you visited together.  All of these offer friends and family members a chance to see what you've been up to throughout the year!
• Consider Holiday Postcards! An easy and inexpensive option when it comes to postage.
• Posed Photos...whether you pose your children yourself, or have a professional photograph taken, posed photos can tell a wonderful story, and catch our family in a beautiful moment.  Some easy to do yourself posed ideas:
• dress children in pj's and have them pose in front of the tree, holding presents
• dress children in scarves, hats and mittens, posed in front of the tree
• if your tree isn't up yet, but you are trying to get the photos done for the cards, try visiting your local mall or department stores where holiday decorations are already up! Have your children pose next to some holiday decorations--even visiting a furniture section/store that may have a fireplace decorated!  
• In line with heading out where the decorations are...consider visiting a tree farm to take your photos.  Even if you don't chop down that tree, posing as if you might can create amazing moments!
• make sure your pets are in on the action! Gather the children around the dog, cat, fish, etc...and feel free to try and decorate your favorite pet with a hat, scarf or garland!

And remember...while posed, professional photography photo cards are always beautiful, personally created photographs that you did yourself can sometimes provide more stories, capturing more personal moments, in your choice of settings.  

See you at the rinks and fields!