Our oldest daughter and her family surprised us and drove up for Christmas. This is my middle granddaughter who is a senior this year. She asked me if I'd take her senior pictures. While excited, I was very nervous since I have done very little portraiture. It was a very cold day and the wind made it feel colder and didn't help with the shoot.
@anazad511 - Thank you very much Ana! We certainly did enjoy them. They are on their way back home. I just got a text that they have made it to Birmingham, Al. Only a short way to go now!
You will have to practice inside shots for good Senior photos! The outside light is a bit bright for gentle shots but this one is a lovely one of her - she's very beautiful!
@maggiemae - That it was Maggie! Since they were surprising us I didn't have time to think out possible locations. I called three businesses to ask about using their facilities. One said, "No" and the other was closed. One was going to allow me from 12-2 on Friday, but because of a change in their plans we couldn't make it. I felt bad because it was a a famous bed/breakfast/restaurant called, 'Tara" that is taken from the Tara from Gone With The Wind.
That must have a been a treat! I love surprises. Great photo! I hope you were able to get some shots that she was happy with. Teenagers are so finicky sometimes. :)
They were in Birmingham today? So was I! I'm sure she will enjoy this with the snowball. Not many of her senior counterparts will have snow in them! I am sure your photos turned out wonderful.
@gilbertwood - Thank you Denise! It was a great surprise. It has been a long time since we last celebrated Christmas with them.
@catwhiskers - Thank you so much Nan! I took over 200 pictures but with the wind and cold many ended in the trash. Her eyes were watering so a lot of blinking and the wind would blow her hair onto her face. We went through them before they left. Now I need to do the post processing.
@radiogirl - Thank you Kathy! This was a purposeful pose.
@joansmor - Thank you for you kind comments on her looks. I have been know to mess up a sure thing!
@mandyj92 - It was a wonderful surprize. I'd have to give it some serious thought to remember when the last time we celebrated Christmas together. We went through the over 200 and graded them before they left. Now I have to do the post processing on the threes, fours and fives. I don't know how many of those there are.
@danette - They were, around 2 o'clock. That's why I took her to the lake at the park. The temperature was in the upper 40's on Christmas so I was surprised there was ice on the lake after only two day of below freezing temps. I wish they had told us they were coming so I could have planned some shoots. I posted earlier that I called three places to see if I could use their facilities for indoor photos, but only one was willingly to let me. But then plans were changed and they left earlier than what they originally said. I wasn't all that happy with what I got. I know I'm not a professional, but I hoped to have done better.
If this portrait is anything to go by you don't have too much to worry about Skip
I was asked to do my sons friends wedding just before Christmas and felt like you. Just take loads of shots and enjoy. Remember don't sweat the small stuff
@denisefuller - Thank you for your wonderful understanding comments Denise. I don't think I could handle the pressure of be a wedding photographer. Or I guess a photographer of any special event. I know that like anything else, that through doing it over and over again you would develope a routine of what works best for you and different styles of shots. I remember some time ago a relative of my wife got married and we were shown her wedding pictures. The reception was held in a firehall. There were so many of her pictures with distracting things on the walls that the photographer was obviously oblivious to. Like signs and power outlets and switches. I said something to my wife and she said, "don't say anything. They probably didn't even notice them." I did shoot over 200 in two days.
@skipt07 it was my first ever wedding shoot there are lots of things I would do differently but I wont be making it a habit !!!! I;m sure with over 200 shots she will be delighted
@denisefuller - I won't be making it a regular thing as well. When I graduated from high school everyone had to go to a certain photographer to have their pictures taken. It is nice that schools have loosen up those requirements. I am pretty sure it cost my mother a pretty penny to pay for the package of mine. I wouldn't mine helping out friends if they wanted me too. I just wanted them to be special this time. I probably put too much pressure on myself. The one thing I wanted to do and didn't because of the bitter cold was use my tripod. I could have set up the camera, got her in position, focused the camera, checked out the light on her face close to her for harsh shadows and such, then had her take her coat off and used my remote to take the pictures. I would have probably gotten better pictures in some instances.
@flyrobin - Thank you very much Robyn! I wasn't sure if it was too harsh. I had wanted to get her out earlier being that the sun is so low in the sky at this time of the year and closer to sunset it is really strong.
oh, man! I know exactly what you mean about the pressure! I always get so nervous when I am asked by my kids to do their photos for something. I want to give them what a professional would, but know I just don't have the skills to give them what they have in their mind. But these turned out really good and I know she will love them!!! you did a great job with both of them!
@thirdjoe - Your comments are much appreciated Joe! Thank you!
@vickisfotos - Thank you Vicki for your very kind and understanding thoughts! Since they were going to surprise us I didn't have time to think through this and plan anything. I Googled, "Senior Class Pictures" and one of the hits was Pinterest. I did find some I liked, but the biggest problem was it was so cold. The second was the sun being so low in the sky making it harsh and very warm light. I was able to tame some of that down in PhotoShop.
sometimes I wonder if we have too much access to other people's photos...maybe if we didn't we would be happier with what we have. It seems the more I learn and shoot, the less happy I am with what I do. (don't get me wrong, I do see progress at the same time and that helps)
@vickisfotos - That could very well be a part of it. I have always been hard on myself as far as my photography. But every now and then I'll take one and I am so excited to the point I have a hard time believing that I actually took that picture. I know I have improved since joining the Project for which I am so grateful. But like most things in life some people are born with a natural talent and whatever they are involved in they seem to easily excel. One thing that has opened my eyes to how I have progressed was when our youngest daughter took a lot of her time to go through my photos and had a photo book made for me for a Christmas present a couple of years ago. Going through that book allowed me to see my work in another light rather than looking at them in PhotoShop or Lightroom.
@maggiemae - That it was Maggie! Since they were surprising us I didn't have time to think out possible locations. I called three businesses to ask about using their facilities. One said, "No" and the other was closed. One was going to allow me from 12-2 on Friday, but because of a change in their plans we couldn't make it. I felt bad because it was a a famous bed/breakfast/restaurant called, 'Tara" that is taken from the Tara from Gone With The Wind.
@seattlite - Thank you very much Gloria!
@pamknowler - She is a very pretty young lady, even if she is my granddaughter! :-)
@paulam - Thank you Paula!
@gilbertwood - Thank you Denise! It was a great surprise. It has been a long time since we last celebrated Christmas with them.
@catwhiskers - Thank you so much Nan! I took over 200 pictures but with the wind and cold many ended in the trash. Her eyes were watering so a lot of blinking and the wind would blow her hair onto her face. We went through them before they left. Now I need to do the post processing.
@radiogirl - Thank you Kathy! This was a purposeful pose.
@joansmor - Thank you for you kind comments on her looks. I have been know to mess up a sure thing!
@jankoos - Thank you so much Jan!
@kt8ird - Thank you Kate!
@mandyj92 - It was a wonderful surprize. I'd have to give it some serious thought to remember when the last time we celebrated Christmas together. We went through the over 200 and graded them before they left. Now I have to do the post processing on the threes, fours and fives. I don't know how many of those there are.
@mittens - Thank you very much Marilyn!
@danette - They were, around 2 o'clock. That's why I took her to the lake at the park. The temperature was in the upper 40's on Christmas so I was surprised there was ice on the lake after only two day of below freezing temps. I wish they had told us they were coming so I could have planned some shoots. I posted earlier that I called three places to see if I could use their facilities for indoor photos, but only one was willingly to let me. But then plans were changed and they left earlier than what they originally said. I wasn't all that happy with what I got. I know I'm not a professional, but I hoped to have done better.
I was asked to do my sons friends wedding just before Christmas and felt like you. Just take loads of shots and enjoy. Remember don't sweat the small stuff
@denisefuller - Thank you for your wonderful understanding comments Denise. I don't think I could handle the pressure of be a wedding photographer. Or I guess a photographer of any special event. I know that like anything else, that through doing it over and over again you would develope a routine of what works best for you and different styles of shots. I remember some time ago a relative of my wife got married and we were shown her wedding pictures. The reception was held in a firehall. There were so many of her pictures with distracting things on the walls that the photographer was obviously oblivious to. Like signs and power outlets and switches. I said something to my wife and she said, "don't say anything. They probably didn't even notice them." I did shoot over 200 in two days.
@flyrobin - Thank you very much Robyn! I wasn't sure if it was too harsh. I had wanted to get her out earlier being that the sun is so low in the sky at this time of the year and closer to sunset it is really strong.
@quietpurplehaze - Thank you so much Hazel!
@thirdjoe - Your comments are much appreciated Joe! Thank you!
@vickisfotos - Thank you Vicki for your very kind and understanding thoughts! Since they were going to surprise us I didn't have time to think through this and plan anything. I Googled, "Senior Class Pictures" and one of the hits was Pinterest. I did find some I liked, but the biggest problem was it was so cold. The second was the sun being so low in the sky making it harsh and very warm light. I was able to tame some of that down in PhotoShop.