Katie Evans Photography

Day 2-- Inside your Home.

2012-02-02T08:18:00.001-06:00

Day 2 of our 25-Day challenge is to take pictures of the inside of your house. I don't know about you but I love to look at pictures showing the house I grew up in and the houses/apartments that I used to live in. So much happens in your home. So many memories are made. And for me, looking at pictures brings back those feelings and thoughts of when I lived there.

We are moving to Colorado this summer and I'm going to miss our home. This is where our kids have lived most of their lives. Lyndon was born while we lived here, they both learned to walk, talk, and ride bikes here. We've had many birthdays, holidays, and parties in this house. Jon and I have learned many life lessons here as well. (one of which is to keep up with your lawn or you will have to pay for it 6 years down the road!)

I was happy to take pictures and document each detail so that later on down the road I can look back and remember all the good memories we have had in this house. I took a lot more pictures than what I posted here but I didn't want to bore you with the entire show!

I hoped you enjoyed the tour of our house! Have you documented your house yet?

HANDS-Day 1 & The workshop winner!

2012-02-01T08:44:00.000-06:00

The first day of our 25-Day Challenge is... HANDS!

(click here for a link to the Challenge)

There is always a story to be told in someone's hands. Hands can show someone's age and what kind of work they do (or have done). Hands convey love and nurturing. Just as eyes are a window to one's soul, hands are the map of their life.

I made a collage of my family's hands (and some feet). And just to demonstrate how I'm a girl who tries to keep it real...behind the scenes of this sweet and tender photo shoot were 2 kids who were less than thrilled to be a part of it and a Mom (moi) who (with her numb mouth from an earlier visit to the dentist) kept micro-managing the 2 complainers..."Lyndon, step to the right, no your right, a little more, a little more. Okay, stop, stop. Go back a little. Okay, stay there. Maddie, hold still, keep your arm out straight. Not that straight. Bend it a little. Guys, stop messing around." You get the idea...

But it actually turned out great. All the pictures were taken inside at around 4:30pm about 4 feet from an East facing window. They were all taken with a 30mm lens, f/1.8, ISO 400, between a 1/80th and 1/125th shutter speed. Then I turned them to black and white using my tried and true B&W editing techniques found in this post.

And now the winner (by complete randomness) of a seat to one of my workshops is...

Kimberly @ The Brown Eyes Have It said...: How exciting! I've been trying to see if I can come up with the money to attend your workshop, but it would be even better if I could win it. Then maybe my daughter could come, too. I'm a follower of your blog.; (just to be clear this comment was taken from the #19 spot but Kimberly was in the #23 winning spot as well.); Congrats to Kimberly!

25-Day Challenge: Document your life in Photos!

2012-01-31T08:19:00.005-06:00

I'm sure you have all seen, heard of, or possibly are doing a Project 365 of some sort...you know where you have a list of 365 things that you take a picture of once a day. I think it's a great way to improve your photography skills and train yourself to see things from a photographic view. However, I don't know about you, but being required to take a certain picture everyday for an entire year sounds daunting. (I know that makes me sound super lazy...but it's true.) :)

So instead of a 365 day challenge I have come up with a 25 day challenge. (more manageable, right?) The theme of this challenge is "25 Days to document your life". (And guess what? If you miss a day, I'm not going to tell anyone just pick back up when you can!)

The inspiration for the theme came from watching several home videos of Maddie and Lyndon from when Maddie was 3 and Lyndon was 1. I just about cried laughing at how cute, funny and happy they were and I also just about cried because of how fast they are growing up before my eyes. With that knowledge I really feel like it's important to document our lives and our family's lives. And what better way to document than using pictures! So I've come up with a list of 25 things to take pictures of so that you will never forget some of the most important things in life.

Here it is:

Not only will this help you collect a special keepsake but it will also give you great practice to improve your photography. Becuase as I've said a million times...just keep taking LOTS of pictures and you can't help but improve your photography skills.

Throughout the 25 days I will be showing some of my pictures of documenting my own life. I think it will be a really fun project!

Care to join me?

Remember...this is the last day to enter to win a seat at one of my workshops! Go here to enter.
I made the Polaroid looking picture by using this Polaroid template, this chevron background, and this texture overlay.

I can't thank you enough.

2012-01-27T08:09:00.002-06:00

I want to thank each and every one of you for writing such wonderful reviews for my book on Amazon. I'm overwhelmed at the response. I have read each and every one of them and I can't tell you how overjoyed I am that so many of you have benefited from reading the book. I know I've already thanked each of you individually but I want to again, thank you so much for taking the time and effort. I only wish I could meet each of you to give you a big hug. maybe someday... but until then just know that you are thought of and appreciated.

(Also, If you wrote a review and I didn't send you your free handy pocket guide download please let me know. I've tried to be really careful and not miss anyone...but you never know. :) And if you would still like to write a review that's great too! Click here.)

The sun finally came out yesterday. (I say "finally" but it really hasn't been that long. Thankfully the sun never stays away too long here in Texas!) I forget how affected I am when it's cloudy and gloomy for more than 3 or 4 days. I start feeling unmotivated and tired. Having the sun shine so brightly gave me a much needed burst of energy. So instead of cleaning the bathrooms (and that dreaded master closet) Here's what we did:

We made zucchini banana mini muffins...

And then ~~Maddie walked Charlie~~ Charlie walked Maddie and Lyndon rode his bike.

And while we were outside I couldn't help but notice our weed-infested-pathetic-excuse-for-a-lawn (on the left) and the stark contrast of our neighbor's lush soft grass (on the right). But at least our weeds include some little purple flowers....

And I got the postcards that I ordered to advertise for the workshops... (this was actually round 2) The first shipment came and the bottom of the postcards were cropped at Lyndon's ankles! ugh. I stared at them for the longest time but I just couldn't send them out. It drove me crazy that his feet were cut off. I didn't want to be wasteful but I finally called them up and they reprinted them (at no charge, of course).

So I have people lined up to help me distribute them in each of the workshop cities except for San Antonio and Denver. If anyone is interested in helping me in those cities, let me know. (katie_perkes@yahoo.com) After I send you the postcards you just have to take them to several stores in your area and ask if you can leave some at the register for customers. Places like camera shops, craft stores, the library, pediatric offices etc. Anywhere people who might be into photography might frequent. And for doing this I will send you a copy of my hard copy book and ebook.

In high school my friends and I called Friday "Friday Fun-day". So here's to a happy Friday Fun-day to you!

Rainy Day Photo Scavenger Hunt...

2012-01-25T13:58:00.003-06:00

...Too wet to go out

And too cold to play ball.

So we sat in the house

We did nothing at all.

"I know it is wet

And the sun is not sunny.

But we can have

Lots of good fun that is funny!"

Presenting to you...(with a Dr. Suess flair!)

Rainy Day Photo Scavenger Hunt

Simply make a list of things for your kids to take pictures of around the house. Then give them a camera and sit back and watch what they come up with! Maddie and Lyndon were so excited. They were running from place to place shouting out ideas to each other. And the best part for me (besides seeing them have fun and work together, of course) was looking at the pictures afterwards. Kids are so hilarious (especially your own)! Here are some of the pictures they took:

I'm not sure what the bum picture is representing. One of the things was for them to take a picture of was the messiest part of the house. So they took a picture of the playroom (for obvious reasons) AND a picture of our bedroom closet (for even more obvious reasons) but I don't think I'm quite secure enough to show that picture! :)

Happy rainy day to you!

Some reminders...

You can still write a review of my book on Amazon and I will send you a free copy of my Photo Essential: Exposure handy pocket guide to keep in your camera bag for quick reference.

The photography workshops are still going strong...to register or for more info click here.

AND there's still time to enter to win a spot at my workshop. Click here.

The photography book is on sale for Valentines Day!! Click here for more info and/or to buy.

Get my Photo Essentials handy guide for FREE! (oh, and help me out with Amazon. por favor?)

2012-01-24T10:01:00.001-06:00

It's official...my photography book is now on Amazon.com! (That pretty much makes it a real book now, right?!) And just think, you were there in the very beginning! :)

So now I need your help. Even though I've received countless emails from you letting me know how much my book has helped you. (And let me just say...I devour each and every one of them. They literally make my entire day. It makes me so happy to know that I've helped you improve your photography.) Now I need reviews on the big power house...Amazon. (dun, dun, dun)

With that said, I'm asking if you have read my photography book, will you (pretty please with a cherry on top) head on over to Amazon and write a review of my book? I will forever be grateful.

And as a thank you, I will send you a free copy of my Photo Essentials: Exposure handy guide book.
This is the perfect addition to my book for you to reference back to when you are out and about with your camera. Print it out to a 5x7 to easily fit in your camera bag. It lists 6 quick and easy steps to begin shooting along with pictures referencing Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed.

As soon as you write the review, please send me an email and I will happily send the guide to you. (katie_perkes@yahoo.com)

click here to write the review.

One more thing...we are still figuring out all of the in's and out's of putting the product on Amazon. (it's not extremely user friendly.) So Right now I'm not able to post a sale price on the book so in your review if you want to mention to people they they can go to the official book website (thekeytotakingpictures.com), they would be able to take advantage of a better price. Just a thought...you don't have to say that.

thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you.

Before's and After's

2012-01-23T11:18:00.000-06:00

Let's start the week out with some before and afters! I love to see a good "clean up" job whether that be a room or a photo. (Speaking of cleaning up a room...I completely cleaned and organized our pantry this weekend and it looks awesome. Call me crazy but I keep going back in there just to stand and admire it.)

Anyways, Here are some photos that I "cleaned up" and the steps I took to get there...

ISO 400, 30mm, f/2.8, 1/1000th

Here are my edits made in LIGHTROOM:

I also increased the yellows to +26 (to get that nice warm glow.)

AFTER:

ISO 400, 50mm, f/3.5, 1/320th

Here are my editing steps in LIGHTROOM:

ISO 320, 50mm, f/4, 1/320th

Here are my editing steps in LIGHTROOM:

AFTER:

ISO 320, 50mm, f/3.5, 1/160th

Here are my editing steps in LIGHTROOM (after I first turned it Black and White by simply clicking on "Black & White" in the "treatment section:

AFTER:

And there you have it! It's always best to have a photo perfect straight out of the camera HOWEVER...don't immediately throw it away without a fair shot!

Happy Monday to you. I hope you have a good week planned. I know I do. (I'm going to tackle our bedroom closet and the play room---can't wait!)

Remember...you can still sign up to win a spot at one of my workshops!! Click here to enter.

and

My photography book is on sale for Valentine's Day! Click here to see...

and

I know I must be crazy but my husband, our friends, and I am doing this on March 31st in Dallas. (pray for me.)

The Key to Taking Pictures {workshop} -- GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-17T22:31:00.003-06:00

Hello there.

To show my appreciation for your support and kind words over the last 10 months (since my book came out), I'm giving away one spot to one of my workshops! That's right, one of you will get to join me at the workshop of your choice for free! (a $225 value)

Here are the workshop places and dates:

All of the workshops will be held on a Saturday and limited to only 10 people.

What you will learn:

the in's and outs of your camera so you can finally get it off auto.
all about aperture, ISO, and shutter speed and how they relate. (so important!)
easy tips and tricks to get sharp crisp pictures.
what settings you have YOUR specific camera on.
what kind of light to look for, how to position your subject in regards to the light, and how to take a great picture in any lighting situation.
how to compose a striking picture.
my entire editing process from start to finish.

What you will get:

4 hours of interactive learning including 30 minutes of actual shooting time.
a hardcopy of my book (a $50 value) to use throughout the workshop and beyond.
a copy of my ebook (a $35 value) to read before the workshop.
confidence on how to use your camera and how to take great pictures.
new friendships with other photographers in your area.

Click here to read about some of the previous workshops I held.

What some past participants are saying:

“I felt like I came into the class with some knowledge of photography, but I left REALLY understanding some of the basics. I feel like my photography “skills’ have increased about 100%!” -Jessica M.

“This was honestly the best way I’ve ever been taught. I’ve taken a couple photography classes and still had to learn on my own. But I understood everything you were saying and your examples helped me take my photography even further.” -Devrie J.

“I can’t tell you how much I learned from your workshop! My pictures have greatly improved and I owe that all to you. Thank you!” -Carrie G.

"It finally makes sense! Thank you so much for your incredibly enlightening workshop. It was worth every penny! -Sarah M.

To Enter the Giveaway:

(Please leave a separate comment for each entry including your email address. Let me know why you need to win! You can enter up to 5 times.)

1- Become a follower of this blog.

2- Like my page on Facebook.

3- Post a link to this contest on your Facebook page.

4- Post a link to this contest on your blog.

5- Post a link to this contest on Twitter.

The contest will end Tuesday, January 31st at midnight CST.

AND...as a bonus from now until the end of the giveaway use the discount code: THANKYOU for receive $10 off the workshop! (If you win the giveaway I will refund your payment.)

How to register for a workshop:

As soon as you make a payment, your spot is reserved. You can either pay the full amount by entering $225 in the amount box or pay half now and half 2 weeks before the workshop by entering $112.50 in the amount box. Here is the link to make the payment. In the notes section of paypal please indicate which workshop you will be attending. Send me an email if you have any questions. katie_perkes@yahoo.com

One last thing...
To promote the workshop I have some postcards that I got printed for each city. I'm looking for someone in San Antonio and Denver to help me out.

I simply need you to take the postcards to areas around your city where you believe people who have cameras shop. Places like craft/scrap booking stores, camera shops, fabric shops, coffee shops, cupcake shops (all photographers like cupcakes, right?!), pediatrician offices, kids clothing stores, OB offices, baby specialty shops...the list can go on and on.

You will kindly ask the owner/manger if you could put your postcards at the register for their customers to enjoy. After that, you're finished!

In return for helping me out you will receive my photography ebook, hard copy, and the exposure guide. send me an email if you're interested: katie_perkes@yahoo.com

good luck!

Valentine Sale on the book!

2012-01-16T21:40:00.000-06:00

From now until February 14th take 20% off The Key to Taking Pictures Like a Professional Photographer.

PLUS when you buy the ebook get my handy Photo Essentials: Exposure Guide for FREE!

enjoy!

My little man and some editing tips.

2012-01-15T22:44:00.000-06:00

This last week I found myself getting sentimental every time Lyndon and I were out together. You see, my favorite little buddy, Lyndon, starts kindergarten this Fall. That means that I only have a handful of days left to spend shopping, going out to lunch, and meeting friends at the park with him. (sigh.) I love driving around town, listening to his adorable speech impediment from the back seat, "Hey Mom", he usually starts, " guess what? I sure love you." He melts my heart. Fall is coming way too fast.

On a whim, several weeks ago, I took some impromptu pictures of him during a much needed Texas rainstorm. I let him be his happy-go-lucky self while I snapped away. Here are a few... AND a Lightroom tutorial about how to give a ho-hum picture some pizzaz! (scroll on down)

Now for the editing tips...

learn how to go from this:

...to this (in just 4 easy steps!):

Here are the steps I took in Lightroom:
1- I cropped the photo so that the focus of the picture would be directly on the subject.
2- Then because I felt like the picture looked too drab, I increased the exposure to +28 and the brightness to +13. (increasing the brightness, as opposed to increasing the exposure even more, gives me the ability to make the picture brighter without over exposing the the highlights.)
3- Even with the exposure and brightness increase, his eyes still looked too drab. So I used the brushes and zoomed into the eyes to increased the exposure just on his eyes.
4- And to finish it off, because I felt like I still needed something to pull my eyes toward the subject, I added a "post-crop vignette" with these values-- Amount: -20; Midpoint: 59; Roundness: +20; Feather: 51.

So don't throw out your ho-hum photos right away...you just might be able to save it. Have a great week!

Our family pics and some photo tips.

2012-01-12T20:32:00.002-06:00

(random side note: This has absolutely nothing to do with my post but if you are a crafter and/or sewer and would like a good chuckle head on over here. I read it yesterday and I'm still chuckling to myself about it!)

Okay, back to the actual post...While I was taking pictures of my parents with the kids I also got some of our family. I got my camera settings all ready and I gave my Mom a little tutorial on how to use my camera and let her shoot away. I was happy with the results! She did a great job. What a good student. :) And of course I couldn't resist taking some of just the kids...especially with their cute little matching outfits on!

How about some camera settings...

The first pics of the kids in front of the white barn are as followed: ISO 200, 85mm, f/2.2, shutter speed varied from 1/640th to 1/1250th.

The pics of all of us sitting on the blanket are as followed: ISO 200, 30mm, f/2.5, shutter speed varied from 1/200th to 1/640th.

And the last 2 pics of Maddie and Lyndon in front of the truck and Jon swinging the kids are: ISO 400, 85mm, f/2.5, 1/160th.

The pictures are posted chronologically, notice how as the sun started setting (thus giving me less light) I started to decrease my shutter speed in the pictures on the blanket and then the last 2 pictures I not only decreased my shutter speed even more but I also increased my ISO. (note: when you decrease your shutter speed your shutter is open longer thus letting in more light)

It's important to momentarily look at your playback screen and check your settings to make minor tweaks throughout the shoot. If your reading this and thinking, this sounds too complicated I'll just stay on auto. DON'T DO IT! (I'm not yelling I'm just speaking with force.) You have a digital slr for a reason...to take better more professional pictures. Use your camera to it's potential. And I promise you the more you practice, practice, practice the better and more comfortable to you be. I have faith in you. I know you can do it!! (I'm here to help too.)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Don't forget about my photography workshops coming up this year...

Click here for more info or to register.

Grandma and Grandpa -- pictures to treasure for a lifetime.

2012-01-10T21:08:00.000-06:00

While my parents were here over Christmas we took some time to do a photo shoot. My parents are young and healthy but you just never know how many chances you get to capture sweet moments with them. And I want Maddie and Lyndon to be able to look back in years to come to see the interactions they have with their Grandma and Grandpa. I have some very sweet memories of my grandparents that I can remember. I treasure one particular video that was taken when I was about 6 or 7 years old where I saw that my Grandpa sweetly cupped my cheeks in his hands and then reached out to give me a hug. I don't remember that actual moment but I do remember the feeling of love and peace that I always had whenever I was near him.

So here are some pictures that will help Maddie and Lyndon remember how much they love their Grandma and Grandpa:

Lovin' the weather & workshop update

2012-01-07T11:46:00.006-06:00

I know I complain about the Texas summers but it's days like today that I LOVE Texas! Temps in the high 60's and low 70's are my personal favorite. We're taking advantage of every minute of it. (except for when I have to be inside battling the piles of laundry that must get done today.) :)

I hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Here's an update on how the workshops are filling up:

10 4 spots left Las Vegas, NV - March 3rd

10 4 spots left San Antonio, TX - April 14th

10 8 spots left Denver, CO - May 13th

10 6 spots left Seattle/Tacoma, WA - June 23rd

10 9 spots left Idaho Falls, ID - June 30th

10 6 spots left Salt Lake City, UT - July 7th

If you are interested in joining me for an eye-opening/"ah-ha moment" (as Oprah would say), here are the details:

Blog facelift & Quick Photoshoot without a lot of light!

2012-01-05T21:26:00.000-06:00

I changed the look of my blog...I hope I didn't confuse anyone. :)

Just after the time changed in November I got to take some pictures of this gorgeous gal, Tristyn. I mention the time change because when I scheduled her shoot I didn't take into account the time difference. So we STARTED taking pictures just as the sun was setting. Needless to say, I had to turn my ISO up quite a bit in order to get a fast enough shutter speed. So if you're thinking...hummm, those pictures look really grainy...they are. My ISO was way up. :)

But nonetheless, I like how they turned out, grainy and all...

Before I go on to give you some helpful tips in case you find yourself in a similar low-light situation, let me tell you a bit about Tristyn...

Not only is is beautiful, kind and extremely nice but she is an incredible singer/songwriter! My husband, Jon, had the pleasure of producing and recording Tristyn's latest ep album. So go ahead listen to some of her music on her site, you'll be glad you did!

Photography Tip

When I only had just a tiny bit of daylight left to get the above pictures, the first thing I did was look for something that would help to increase my light like that white shed beside her and behind her. This will help to reflect more light. I also had her stand on a white sheet (which you can't see) to also reflect as much light on to her as possible.

After I tried to squeeze every last drop of daylight I could find, I dropped my aperture way down to f/2.0. Then I increased my ISO up to 1000. This gave me a shutter speed of about 1/60th of a second for most of my pictures, which isn't really fast but fast enough.

And last because my shutter speed was on the slower end I made sure to hold VERY still while squeezing the shutter button.

So as you can see, even if the conditions aren't optimal, you can still create a beautiful natural light photograph.

Announcing the Workshop Tour Dates of 2012

2012-01-03T21:52:00.017-06:00

Announcing my WORKSHOP tour dates for 2012...

10 4 spots left Las Vegas, NV - March 3rd

10 3 spots left San Antonio, TX - April 14th

10 7 spots left Denver, CO - May 12th

10 5 spots left Seattle/Tacoma, WA - June 23rd

10 8 spots left Idaho Falls, ID - June 30th

10 6 spots left Salt Lake City, UT - July7th

What you will learn:

the in's and outs of your camera so you can finally get it off auto.
all about aperture, ISO, and shutter speed and how they relate. (so important!)
easy tips and tricks to get sharp crisp pictures.
what settings you have YOUR specific camera on.
what kind of light to look for, how to position your subject in regards to the light, and how to take a great picture in any lighting situation.
how to compose a striking picture.
my entire editing process from start to finish.

What you will get:

4 hours of interactive learning including 30 minutes of actual shooting time.
a hardcopy of my book (a $50 value) to use throughout the workshop and beyond.
a copy of my ebook (a $35 value) to read before the workshop.
confidence on how to use your camera and how to take great pictures.
new friendships with other photographers in your area.

Cost: $225

Click here to read about some of the previous workshops I held.

What some past participants are saying:

“This was honestly the best way I’ve ever been taught. I’ve taken a couple photography classes and still had to learn on my own. But I understood everything you were saying and could see your examples to take it even further.” -Devrie J.

“I can’t tell you how much I learned from your workshop! My pictures have greatly improved and I owe that all to you. Thank you!” -Carrie G.

How to register:

What are your goals?

2012-01-01T18:08:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

The Christmas wreath has been taken down...

and the new planner has been bought...

I loved my one from last year so much that I found this owl one from the same publisher, Peter Pauper Press.

So now I'm ready to get to work on my new goals of 2012.

Some of which include...
be more organized,
spend more quality time with Maddie and Lyndon,
show Jonathon how much I appreciate him,
read and study my scripture more,
cook healthy meals at least 4 nights a week for my family,
exercise on a regular basis,
and help more people learn about photography.

The way I'm going to help more people learn about photography is to teach more workshops this year!
Tomorrow I will post all the details about where I will be traveling and what to expect. So if one of your goals is to take better pictures...stay tuned!

In the mean time, what are some of your New Year's goals?

One big happy family.

2011-12-28T21:52:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of taking pictures of a beautiful family this week. Grandma, Grandpa, 3 children with their spouses, and 4 grandchildren. We had a wonderful evening. The weather the perfect, the lighting was perfect and they ALL looked at the camera! Woo Hoo! Success.

What we've been up to...

2011-12-27T23:13:00.000-06:00

So it looks like I didn't quite get around to posting Day 12 of my "12 Days of Christmas Photo Countdown"...sorry about that. I've been a little busy the last few days. Wanna see?

Christmas Eve dinner...

Lots of candy...

Family and friends...

Christmas morning complete with Grandma and Grandpa...

TV Gadgets that Maddie has had her eye on for the last couple of years...

Really cool homemade gifts from Grandpa and Grandma...

Leaning how to ride their new bikes from Santa...

We've had so much fun and the holiday isn't over yet...

Stay tuned for my 2012 Photography Workshop announcement!

Day 11 - Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-23T16:52:00.000-06:00

Day 10: A Texas Christmas Mantle

Photo Info:

30mm, ISO 500, f/2.0, 1/30th sec.

Sorry, I didn't have time to do a photo tip for today...my parents are here an we are having fun!

Day 10 - Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-22T00:21:00.000-06:00

Day 10: Jack and Sandy Claws

Photo Info:

85mm, ISO 250, f/2.0, 1/320th sec.

I was lucky enough to have a photo shoot with Mr. & Mrs. Clause AND their elves. We had such a fun evening. Everyone was such a good sport. Santa even posed with another family who was also getting their pictures taken in the same area. He's a popular guy you know. ...especially this time of year. Because I loved so many of these pictures, I couldn't choose just one today...

I even got my picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Clause! Darn, I should have told them what I wanted for Christmas...merely $10,000 in photo gear. That's all. :)

Photo Tip:

When shooting an actual photo shoot, try out many different area's and poses in your location. Don't be stuck on staying in the same spot. Because as it turns out, I always seem to like the pictures I take as the session rolls on. The first ones tend to be a bit more stiff and contrived whereas in the latter pictures your subjects (and you) tend to loosen up and act more natural.

Day 9 - Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-21T09:40:00.000-06:00

Day 9: Christmas at the cabin

I took this picture at my parents cabin in Island Park, ID (near Yellowstone Park) when we spent Christmas there back in 2009. Christmas morning greeted us with a beautiful light and fluffy snow fall. So by the time we were finished opening presents this is what it looked like out the front windows of the cabin. Ahhh, I miss it...the snow, the cabin, the smell, even the cold. Because we've been doing so much traveling this year we decided to stay in Texas for Christmas. (Our very first time) I'm glad my parents are coming to celebrate with us in Texas but I still miss the cozy Christmas at the cabin.

Photo Info:

Unfortunately, I don't have my setting because I took this picture back in in 2009 and this picture, along with many others, are stuck on my old computer waiting to be repaired. :)

Photo Tip:

When taking pictures in the snow it's important to get the exposure right. If it's cloudy outside your camera will probably tend to under-expose your picture causing the snow to look grey. So take a test shot then look at your screen, if it look too grey increase your exposure by a stop or so. (Meaning rotate your shutter speed dial one or two clicks to the left, if using Nikon, or one or two clicks to the right, if using Canon.)

It's also important to set your white balance correctly so the snow doesn't end up looking too blue.

And last, if it's sunny outside you will need to watch for over-exposure causing blown-out highlights thus losing precious detail in your picture. If any or all of this sounds confusing to you, read my book.

Where will you be spending Christmas this year?

Day 8 - Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-20T10:13:00.000-06:00

Day 8: Mr. & Mrs. Clause

Photo info:

50mm, ISO 640, f/2.0, 1/20th no flash. (never a flash. :) )

This little pine cone couple was passed down to me by my Mom and Dad. I LOVED these little guys when I was growing up. I looked forward to seeing them come out of the Christmas boxes each year. Santa's beard is so soft and I use to touch it again and again. Now Maddie and Lyndon love to look at them. They are intrigued just as much as I was.

Photo tip #1:
My first tip is in answer to one of my dear readers, Shannon. She said, "Hello, I'd love to take a picture of my daughter in front of the tree with the tree lights on and the room darkened and still be able to see her and her face."
Okay, Shannon, what you need to do is to bring in some light in front of your daughter in order to illuminate her face but not over-power your photo. So I suggest pulling a lamp just in front and to the side of her. The light will be warm and match the light's coming from the tree. That's what I did to light up the Santa's without turning on any overhead lights. Here is my set-up:

Photo Tip #2:
I'm sure you've seen this all over pinterest but I was really interested in trying out the cool shapes in the Christmas tree lights. Did you notice, the hearts in Mr. & Mrs. Clause's picture? It's so easy to make! Here is a picture of mine:

You can cut out your own shape or use a shape punch (like the ones people use to scrapbook) for the center. The way to use it is to slip it on over the lens. Get as far away from the tree as you can. (The further away you get the bigger the shapes will be.) Then I like to get as close to my subject as my lens will allow and shoot away!

Here's another fun tutorial about making shapes in the lights...

Day 7 - Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-19T11:04:00.006-06:00

Day 7: The reason for the season

Photo Info:
50mm, ISO 400, f/2.0, 1/40th

Photo Tip:
As you can see, my shutter speed is pretty darn low at 1/40th of a second. I normally like to try and keep my shutter speed up around 1/125th of a second to reduce camera shake but there are times like these that I break the rules. You see, I didn't want to increase my ISO because I really wanted that smooth look (as opposed to a more grainy look that accompanies a high ISO). So when I do break my rule and accepts a longer shutter speed I always make sure to hold REALLY STILL, to not breath and to squeeze the release button every so carefully in order to not move or shake the camera.

On a side note:
I watched a beautiful and short video called "A Gift to the World" depicting the events surrounding and the birth of Christ. It was done so well and was touching to watch. Click here to watch it. There are even more videos on this site of the life of Jesus Christ. I haven't watched any other yet but I'm excited to check them out! It's always nice to be reminded why I celebrate this time of year.

Have you heard about my Quick Reference Guide, Photo Essentials: Exposure?

It's 5 pages in a 5x7 format so that it can be easily printed to keep in your camera bag.

There's still time to take advantage of the holiday discount on my photography book: The Key to Taking Pictures Like a Professional Photographer!

Click here to buy and for more details.

Day 6 - Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-18T15:24:00.000-06:00

Day 6: Church Christmas Party

Photo Info:

30mm, ISO 500, f/1.6, 1/125th sec.

Photo Tip:

In yesterday's post I talked about one key ingredients to getting good pictures indoors is to turn off all the overhead lights and use only the natural light coming in from the windows. But sometimes you don't have a lot (or any) control over the lighting in a given situation. For example, when we were at our church Christmas party yesterday I wasn't about to turn all the lights out on people in order to get a picture of Maddie's newly decorated sugar cookie! So you just have to work with with you've got. It's important to watch your white balance. I keep mine on manual and had it set to about 2750K. Then in post-processing you can try out some different coloring to give it some pizazz. :)

Here are my edits in post processing:

1- Apply the free preset: Matt's Polo/Ralph Lauren found here.

2- To add that bit of white around the edges, in"post crop vignetting" increase the amount to +38 and the feather to +100.

3- Using the brush took I increased the clarity to +100 and brushed it over the cookie to give it more definition.

Here is my original picture, straight out of the camera:

Day 5 - Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-17T01:21:00.002-06:00

Day 5: Gingerbread houses

Photo Info:

50mm, ISO 500, f/2.0, 1/50th sec.

Photo Tip:

I've gotten some great questions from several of you about how to take certain pictures or how achieve a particular effect. And many of you are interested in how to take pictures indoors, without a flash. SO here are some tips on taking indoor pictures...

1- turn off all of the overhead lights as it will make for a funky color situation. Only rely on light coming from the windows. see examples below.

photo taken with the overhead light on causing an orange hue.

The lights were turned off using only the light coming in from the window behind me.

2- If it's nighttime, there are no windows or it's just plain cloudy and dreary outside then of course keep the overhead lights on but make sure your white balance is set on incandescent or fluorescent lighting. Or if you use a manual white balance put the number very low such as 2700K.

3- Use a lens with a very low aperture (f/1.4, 1.8 ...) in order to let in as much as possible.

4- If needed, (as in you are not getting a fast enough shutter speed even though your aperture is very low) start to increase your ISO until you gain a sufficient shutter speed.

5- If all else fails, try to hold VERY STILL while you take the picture to reduce camera shake causing blurriness.

And a few more pics just to finish it off!

Have you heard about my Quick Reference Guide, Photo Essentials: Exposure?

It's 5 pages in a 5x7 format so that it can be easily printed to keep in your camera bag.

Photo Essentials: Exposure - My new photo guide!

2011-12-16T08:47:00.002-06:00

Many of you have asked and I'm happy to oblige...
I've created a quick reference guide for you to print out and put in your camera bag!

If you have read my photography book, this will be the perfect addition for you to reference back to when you are out and about with your camera. It lists 6 quick and easy steps to begin shooting along with pictures referencing Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed.

The 5-page guide is called Photo Essentials: Exposure.

It's available for immediate download and is in a 5x7 format that can be printed on your home printer or sent to a photo printing center.

The digital download is only $6.
Buy it now...

enjoy!

Day 4 - Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-16T00:09:00.000-06:00

Day 4-Christmas Candy

Photo Info:

50mm, ISO 400, f/2.0, 1/125th sec.

Photo Tip: How to get those cool blurry Christmas light circles...

1- Put your subject several feet in front of the lights. (the further away you are, the bigger your circles will appear.)

2- Get fairly close to your subject, usually right up to where your lens will be in focus. (this isn't necessary, I just think it looks better.)

3- Use a lens with a very low aperture like f/2.0.

4- Focus on your subject and shoot away!

For more of my Christmas candy photos along with their recipes, head on over to MADE to see my guest post today!

Day 3-Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-15T07:28:00.000-06:00

Day 3: Lyndon's candy cane creation entitled: "I love you"

Lyndon made me this Christmas surprise and upon his request, I took a picture of it. I'm so glad I did. It reminds of me of just how much that little boy loves his Mama. :)

Photo info:

50mm lens, 400 ISO, f/2.0, 1/60th sec.

taken inside using the light from a window, no flash.

My editing steps were:

1- Crop the picture to a 1x1 ratio

2- Apply the Lightroom preset: Who is Wolf-Soft, Warm. This is a free preset found here.

3- Increase the Recovery to +86

And here's my sweet boy:

(check out his little black right eye! Two days ago he quickly turned around in the kitchen and hit his eye on the corner of the counter. ouch!)

I'm getting a lot of great feedback from you guys letting me know what you what to learn. I love it. Keep it coming!

Day 2-Christmas Photo Countdown

2011-12-14T00:12:00.000-06:00

Day 2

For Day 2 I've got a picture of some poinsettia's from the Magic Kingdom in Disney World:

Now for the "how-to"...

Here is what the picture looked like straight out of the camera"

30mm lens, ISO 160, f/2.2, 1/250th sec.

My editing steps were:

1- Crop the picture to a 1x1 ratio

2- Apply the Lightroom preset: Who is Wolf-Fable. This is a free preset found here.

3- Increase the Blacks to +39

4- Increase the Clarity to +36

5- Add a white frame around the photos by following these directions in my "Photography Tip" at the end of this post.

done!

And to finish, here is a picture of my kids standing in front of these lovely poinsettia's:

enjoy!

P.S. I would love to hear some feedback of what you would like to see and learn when in comes to taking Christmasy pictures.

Send me an email (katie_perkes@yahoo.com) or leave a comment in this post.

The 12 Days of Christmas--Photo Style

2011-12-13T08:02:00.000-06:00

There are 12 more days 'till Christmas.

To count down the days I'm posting a Christmasy (is that a word?) picture every day. Along with the photo I will provide some instruction of how I took the picture...a little Christmas tutorial, if you will.

I'm calling it "Twelve Days of Christmas Photos". (original, right?)

Okay, let's start...

Day 1:

To get this shot I turned off all of the lights in the house and only used the light coming from the twinkle lights. I had to turn my ISO up with a low aperture.

Here's the info: 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.0, 1/80th sec.

I kept getting those little green light spots above her head that were coming from the reflection of the twinkle lights so in editing I took them out by decreasing the exposure to -100% and brushing over the spots.

When to and when to not take your big camera in Disney World

2011-12-12T00:41:00.000-06:00

For anyone who has been to Disney World you know what a massive undertaking it is to see and conquer all 4 parks...Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. I heard that the the average person will likely walk 6-7 miles a DAY when visiting the parks. Which I completely believe because after 6 days of hopping from park to park my feet literally felt like they were broken.

Obviously the less baggage you have to carry around while walking through the Disney parks, the better. So here are my suggestions of when to bring your "big camera":

1-Definetely have it out as you arrive. It's so fun to capture that excitement and thrill as you and your family get your first taste of Disney. For example:

Here is a picture I took on the bus as we were just entering the most magical place on earth.

My father-in-law was checking in at our hotel.

My Father-in-law walking with Lyndon (my son) and Adam (my nephew) to the room.

2- The next place you HAVE to take your good camera is to Magic Kingdom. This is where you will be able to get all those "classic" Disney shots like these:

The entrance to the Magic Kingdom.

Walking down main street with the castle in the background.

Mickey!!

Your kids admiring the castle (perhaps many for the first time, like Maddie is).

The iconic "It's a Small World" ride.

Another Disney icon...the teacups!

And of course, the classic shots in front of the castle during the day.

I don't normally ask others to take a picture of our family (no reason, I just don't) but you really have to here. And actually the woman who offered to take our picture happened to be a photographer herself. Although, she looked really bugged that I had a "fixed lens" on my camera. Haha, maybe she should read my book to find out why I love fixed lenses so much, huh? :)

This shot was actually taken by my sister-on-law who didn't once grumble about the fixed lens. Thank you, Rachel.

You simply can't leave out Cinderella's castle at night.

(this shot was taken just as you are leaving Tomorrow Land)

Another view of the castle this time taken from Main street as we were leaving.

Same picture as above only in black and white.

And here is a picture of what it looked like down Main street as we were leaving.

3- If you're up to bringing your good camera along another day, I would suggest to take it to Disney's Hollywood Studios. This park used to be mostly for teenagers and adults (Tower of Terror, Rockin' Roller Coaster etc.) But they have brought in a lot of kid friendly rides and attractions over the last several years including, Toy Story Mania (see picture below), Beauty and the Beast--live on stage, Playhouse Disney characters (see picture below), Muppet's 3-D, "Honey, I shrunk the kids" Movie set adventure (which we didn't get to but would probably be a good place for pictures), and the big show at the end of the night, "Fantasmic" (see pictures below).

Waiting in line for the "Toy Story Mania" ride.

(btw, I had the highest score in my car! ...I have to gloat now and again.)

Handy Manny!

(Maddie and Lyndon don't watch Handy Manny anymore but they still know who he is!)

"Fantasmic"

4- And last but night least try and capture at least one photo of the "after". Here is Maddie in the airport on the way home. We were all so exhausted, but it was all so worth it!

For me it wasn't really worth packing my slr around animal kingdom (which I did only because we were heading to Hollywood Studios right after) or Epcot. Although some would argue that there are TONS of photo opps in Epcot as you walk around the loop of all the different countries and I agree but my kids were more interested in the Innovations buildings, the ride Soarin' (which is AWESOME) and talking to Crush the Turtle. All of which I felt like just a normal phone camera or small point and shoot would work to capture those memories.

Any questions or tips for other bloggers heading to Disney?

7 Tips to take better Disney Character pictures

2011-12-06T22:37:00.000-06:00

Are you ready for some tried and true tips, tricks, and hints on how to photograph your Disney vacation? Because I have so much to tell you I'm dividing the info up into several parts. The first portion is all about...

How to get good pictures with the Disney Characters

I don't know about you but I am not a fan of lines, especially standing in a line to meet a character. I didn't really plan on waiting in lines to meet the characters this trip because didn't think Maddie and Lyndon really cared. However, seeing them light up with delight when they first spotted a beloved character I knew it worth the wait. Maddie even had to get an autograph book so it was even more important to meet them.

Besides getting their autographs it was important for me to be able to capture some good pictures as well. But that can be kind of tricky especially with how fast you have to be in and out along with trying to combat the different lighting situations you are presented with.

So here are 7 helpful tips to help you get the best character pictures possible:

1- Take pictures of the experience

I felt so rushed when it was finally our turn to meet the characters so instead of only taking the classic picture of my kids and the character all looking and smiling at the camera, I tried to take a few shots before they even met them to tell the story of the experience.

For example, I took this picture of Lyndon waiting to in line and admiring Pluto from afar. He told me the night before this picture that he couldn't wait to meet Pluto so he could pet him and scratch his belly. And guess who was the FIRST character we see? PLUTO!

The classic "I just met the character" picture...

2- Take your time
As mentioned previously, by the time we got to the front of the line I felt so rushed to just take the picture and be done. But as I took more and more pictures of other characters I realized I just need to slow down and take my time. In reality no one was rushing me except for me. The Disney cast member who was assisting really didn't care if I took a few extra moments to get the shot I wanted.

So with that said here is an example of when I should have taken my time. This shot I took of Pirate Goofy with Maddie was a little bit over exposed and the second one I didn't even wait for them to look at me. I took the picture while they were still looking at the Disney photographer. Not a big deal, just lessons learned.

3- Figure out your correct camera settings on the kid in front of you
It's important to give yourself a little time to get your camera settings correct before it's your turn with with the character. There's nothing more frustrating than trying and get the right settings under pressure.

So to give yourself enough time simply take a few test shots of the character with the kid who is in line before you. That way you have a few moments to get it right before it's your turn. It's true, people may wonder why the heck you are taking a picture of someone else's kid but who cares! At least YOU will have a properly exposed picture. :)

That's exactly what I did with each and every shot. In these pictures of the kids with the Green Army Guy from "The Toy Story", it was a good thing I took several shots before hand because the last settings on my camera were from when we were in a dark room...and now we were outside during the day. Obviously much different settings were needed!

4- Try out different camera angles
To give some variety in your pictures try and take a few shots from different angles. For example in the second picture with Lydon and Buzz I got down on Lyndons level and took the picture of him interacting with Buzz.

5- Watch your white balance
It's important to notice your white balance. When you are at Disney you will be going in and out of buildings encountering many different types of lighting which will require you to constantly change your white balance. If you always have it on auto you might be okay and may only need to tweak it here or there but if you keep it on manual (as I do), you will need to change it as needed. (If you don't know what white balance is, you need to read my book. :) )

For example, the shot below is too cool so I quickly dialed my white balance number up to make it warmer as in the second and last picture.

6- Use a low aperture and high ISO in order to not use a flash
I despise flashes. They look so unnatural to me and they don't help to convey the true feeling and atmosphere. But in order to not use a flash and still achieve a fast shutter speed you will need to turn your aperture way down and/or bump your ISO up. For example in these pictures with Aurora they were all taken inside. So my setting were: 30mm lens, ISO 500, f/1.6, 1/125 sec. As you can see my aperture was VERY low in order to get that fast enough shutter speed of 1/125 sec.

7- If all else fails, try to fix the picture in editing
Sometimes you can be so prepared and know exactly what you're doing but you still end up with a so-so picture. When this happens I give myself the liberty of playing around with it in the editing process to see if I can come up with something salvagable.

For example, unbeknownst to me, Belle was standing up further out of the lights than Aurora was, so the lighting was not so bueno. It was proving to be a hard fix while I was editing so I played around with some presets and found this one called, "Old Time Faded" that gave the pictures a cool look and masked the fact that they were underexposed.

Belle finally stepped back into the light and I was able to get a good shot of her hugging the kids.

7- Capture the moments to remember
From the time Lyndon was very small he has been in love with Cinderella. Not in the "I want to be Cinderella" sort of way but in the "I want Cinderella to be my girlfriend" way. Maddie got a huge life-size Cinderella when Lyndon was about 1 year old and every since, he's been smitten.

Here are a few pictures of a younger Lyndon with his gal pal...

He used to always have her in his bed...

So from day 1 of our trip Lyndon talked about meeting his girlfriend, Cinderella (gul-friend, as Lyndon pronounces it). And he finally had the opportunity!

We were just about ready to leave and I said, "so are you going to give Cinderella a hug?" He immediately turned around and threw his arms around her. After his long-lasting hug he said to her, "Did you know that you are my gul-friend?" And not coming out of character Cinderella threw her hands to her heart and said, "Oh my, I'll be sure to tell Prince Charming!"

And there you go. Hopefully this will help you better capture the special moments your kids (or you!) will have when you meet your next beloved Disney character.

P.S. We only ended up waiting in the very short lines to see the characters. (We were given fast passes to see the princesses otherwise it would have been a 2 hour wait!!) For all the other characters that Maddie didn't see but really wanted their autograph we told her that all she had to do was make a list of the characters signatures that she wanted, set her autograph book outside her door along with the list, and then during the night they would come around and sign her book. So after she went to sleep Jonathon signed each name very carefully. She totally bought it! Yay!

30% off the hard copy...

2011-12-06T10:46:00.000-06:00

Hey all! I promise to have some actual pictures and helpful hints on here soon!! But until then here's a special treat...

Take 30% off the hard copy of my photography book!

Use the discount code: WINTERSAVE305

Click here to buy now.

Click here to read more about the book.

And because I can't leave you without a picture...here's another sneak peek of our Disney trip:

We made it!

2011-12-03T20:08:00.000-06:00

We just got home from a week at Disney World in Orlando. Saying we had a good time is seriously unestimating how much fun we had. The vacation was perfect from the weather to the company to the rides. Dare I say it was magical? :)

I have so much to show and tell you...but for now my family and I will be resting our tired feet. (I swear I broke both of my feet with the amount of walking we did!) I hope everyone had a wonderful week and is enjoying their weekend!

Cyber Monday discount on my hard copy book!

2011-11-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

30% off the hard copy of my photography book!!!

Use the discount code: CYBERMONDAY

valid until Monday, Nov. 28th, 11:59 PST

For the link to buy the book and for more info click here.

An orginal Christmas Gift

2011-11-25T22:42:00.000-06:00

Christmas is only 4 weeks away! have you done all of your Christmas shopping? If you're like me there is always a couple people on your Christmas list that are REALLY hard to shop for. You know the kind...they either have everything or end up buying what they want throughout the year.

Well...you're in luck...I have a great Christmas gift idea for you!

For Maddie's birthday she received the coolest present ever from her uncle Ben, the artist. Maddie and Lyndon LOVE the Nightmare Before Christmas. So as a gift for Maddie, Ben drew a picture of Maddie, Lyndon and Charlie (our dog) as characters in The Nightmare Before Christmas! Here's the picture:

Seriously, how cool is that?

Ben can draw pretty much anything. All you have to do is send him a picture of the person you want him to draw (try to send some of the expressions that you're looking for as well) and let him know who you want in the picture with them. Do you want Batman, Santa, Phineas & Ferb...?

Email Ben at uhmdarling@hotmail.com for a quote. Once he's finished he will simply email the file to you and you can print it at your favorite printing company.

Here's a few more picture that Ben drew:

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a calm Black Friday!

Black Friday sale on my book!

2011-11-23T16:38:00.000-06:00

I'm having a black Friday sale on my photography book!

Don't miss out. :)

thekeytotakingpictures.com

A list of Thanksgiving Photo opps

2011-11-22T00:21:00.000-06:00

This is the first year we will be hosting Thanksgiving at our house. I'm excited, it's going to be nice, easy-going and relaxing. I like to keep things simple and the older I get it seems the simpler I get as well! But when it comes to taking pictures, I still feel compelled to capture it all. It's almost as if I didn't take a picture of a circumstance or event, it never happened.

My parents were so good at documenting with pictures. I feel like I have such vibrant memories of my childhood thanks to all the pictures they took. I loved Thanksgiving growing up. We took turns spending it with my Mom and Dad's families. They still get together every year but for the last 15 or so years I haven't been able to join them as I've always lived way too far away. So it's fun for me to go back and look at the pictures to remember that special day.

So to help you capture the memories of Thanksgiving I thought I would give you a few ideas of what to take pictures of!

1. The kitchen while preparing the feast.
2. Who is involved in preparing and cooking.
3. The Fall leaves outside.
4. What the kids are doing while the feast is being prepared.
5. The table setting.
6. The centerpieces.
7. The kids table.
8. The feast once it's all prepared before people start digging in.
9. People eating. (maybe not mid-bite though, as that tends to be rather unflattering!)
10. One big group shot.
11. Everyone lounging on the couch after dinner.
12. The dessert spread.
13. Everyone eating dessert.
14. People going back for leftovers later in the day.

If you are lucky enough to have multi-generations at your Thanksgiving feast, take the opportunity to get some precious shots of grand kids with Grandparents and great-grandparents. I treasure the photos I have with my grandparents. Instead of doing the typical, "everyone sit on the couch and look at the camera" shots, try taking some action shots of them interacting. Have grandma and grandpa read a book to the grand kids or play outside together while you take some pictures. The pictures will turn out so much better if you some some emotion. (see the last photo on this post)

Here are some inspiring Thanksgiving pictures I found I pinterest:

From designbykelli.com

From marthastewart.com

From theheartoftheseahome.typepad.com

From cookincanuck.com

From countryliving.com

From mango-watermelon-love.tumblr.com

Do you have more Thanksgiving photo opp ideas?

Inspiring Photography Quotes

2011-11-18T16:36:00.000-06:00

It's time for some quotable quotes...

I love a good quote. One that will lift my spirits, bring a smile to my face or simply inspire me to be better. I've collected several photography quotes so that is the subject of the day...appropriate seeing as this is a photography blog. :)

I used some of my pics from Chicago...enjoy!

Blog Banner Tutorial

2011-11-17T09:53:00.001-06:00

Happy Thursday Everyone! It's finally nice and chilly here in Texas so I'm snuggled up in my big cozy sweater enjoying the weather. As soon as I finish this post I need to get some laundry done because we will be going on a trip to Disney World the week after Thanksgiving! Woo Whoo!! The kids have NO IDEA and we want to keep it a secret up until the Disney bus comes to pick us up from the Orlando airport. So that means I have to pack and get everything together while Maddie is at school. She's way too ~~nosy~~ smart and will want to know why I'm packing. :) Lyndon, on the other hand, tends to be oblivious when it comes to things going on around him!

Today I want to share with you a tutorial, "How to create a blog banner". I think most of us are trying to learn how to make our blogs better. Whether they be personal blogs or blogs to promote our businesses. It's important to have a nice looking banner as that is the first thing people see when they visit your blog. I hope you find this helpful!

(I made this tutorial several months ago while Dana over at MADE was having her "Create my Banner" contest.)

This is the banner that we will be creating together in Photoshop Elements:

To start go to FILE-->NEW-->BLANK FILE...
from here you will see a screen pop up like the one shown below:

To make the banner the same size as the one on Dana's blog use the amounts shown above. Width: 793 pixels, Height: 235 pixels, and Resolution: 72 pixels/inch.

Once you click "OK" you will see your blank banner all ready to design:

Obviously you won't want to make your banner look exactly like mine but as I show you how I created it you can use these techniques to come up with your own design.

To start my banner I made a yellow border by using the rounded rectangle tool to make a big rectangle right over the top of my white rectangle, leaving a border on the top and bottom but bringing the sides right to the edge of my first rectangle. (See the screen shot below.)

I changed the color to yellow and then using the paint bucket I clicked on the background thus painting it yellow and leaving a round white rectangle in the middle. (See the screen shot below.)

Now you will want to bring in all your photos that you want to use on your banner. (I used pictures directly from Dana's site by right clicking on the picture and clicking "save image as..." then you can save it to a folder on your own computer.) To open them up in Photoshop Elements click on FILE-->OPEN. All of your pictures will now be organized at the bottom of your screen.

After you've opened them all in elements you can start adding each picture to your banner. To do this double click on one of the pictures found at the bottom of the screen. Using the RECTANGULAR MARQUEE TOOL outline your entire picture resulting in a moving dashed line around your picture. Now click on the MOVE TOOL then click on your picture to drag it down to your banner found in the bottom of the screen. As you "let go" of your picture it will now appear on your banner.

Now your picture is on your banner but you will have to shrink it down to the size you want. To resize it simply hover your curser on one of the corners of your picture until you see a diagonal line with arrows at each end. If you click and drag that line in toward the picture the entire picture will shrink proportionately.

I like turning on the grid view which makes it easier to line up the edges of the pictures. To turn on the grid Click VIEW-->GRID.

As you bring in all your pictures and arrange them on your banner, zoom-in on your banner as it will help you align the pictures. To zoom-in push the apple key and "+" key for a mac or control key and "+" key for a PC. To zoom-out click the apple (or control) key and "-" key. (see the screen shot below)

Now that you've arranged all of your pictures on your banner, you can use the TYPE TOOL to write on your banner. To turn the text sideways (as I did for "MADE"), click on the text with the MOVE TOOL then hover your pointer over one of the corners until to see a small curved line with arrows on each side. Click on that curved line and move your cursor up or down to rotate your text.

Once you are finished creating your banner click FILE-->SAVE FOR WEB... You will then see this screen:

In the right column choose JPEG and MAXIMUM. Then click OK. You will then be given the opportunity to name your file and chose where it will be saved. Now click SAVE and you're done!

Have a great day!

1 image, 5 effects... 5 free Lightroom presets

2011-11-13T21:58:00.001-06:00

It's no secret how much I adore Lightroom. I really love it. I mean who can't? (if you are one of those people who thinks you don't love Lightroom, you need to give it a second chance. Life's all about second chances, right?) One of the reason's Lightroom makes me so happy is because of how easy it is to try out and play around with PRESETS. (Presets in LR are the equivalent of actions in Photoshop.)

Since I'm talking about presets let me first give you my soapbox lecture on presets and actions... It's pains me to think that there are some people out there (I know you are not one of them) who think that if they just buy a certain action or preset then their photos will look JUST LIKE the person's who designed the action or preset. I'm sorry to say but this is just having false hope. If you have a picture that looks like crap to begin with, applying an action or preset will not make your photo magically look amazing. It will still look like crap. You must first learn how to take clear, properly exposed photos and THEN you can start thinking about playing around with presets and actions.

...stepping down off my soapbox now.

Okay, now with that said, let's get on to the fun. Let's get back to why Lightroom makes presets so fun. First of all, the process of downloading a preset to Lightroom is a SNAP. So easy. I'm not going to go into the process because where ever to find a present to download they will provide great instructions for you there. I also love that to apply a preset to a photo requires ONE click of the mouse. And to remove a preset also requires ONE click of the mouse. You can also preview what a preset might look like on your photo by simply hovering over the preset with your mouse. Yeah, it's all that simple.

I want to show you 5 different effects to one picture. Keep in mind that ALL of these presets were completely free. (Actually I've never paid for any presets. I always just use the ones that people so generously give away for free.) Also, I want you to know that 9 times out of 10 I will "tweak" the photo even after I have applied the preset to get it exactly how I think it looks the best.

Here is the original picture, straight out of the camera:

These first 3 presets--sweet, soft and warm, and fable--all come from this website. He's got 28 free presets that are a lot of fun to play around with.

Matt's wedding grain comes from my favorite free Lightroom preset site found here. This site is called Lightroom Killer Tips. There is so much info and sooooo many free presets.

And last, but not least...Lilac Love Preset. Thanks to one of my awesome followers I was able to locate where I actually found this preset! (SARAH!) Click here for the preset.

And there you go...5 cool new effects using FREE Lightroom presets.

Oh, how could I forget...the beautiful girl in these pictures is the very talented, Tristyn Tanner Brown. She is a singer/songwriter who is coming out with her first EP. (cd with 5 songs on it) My husband is actually the producer, that's how I know her. I can't wait to share her music once the EP is finally released. My husband's studio is in our home so I get to hear all the stuff he is working on. And let me tell you, I have had to ENDURE listening to many so-so bands while my he works on their music but it has been a PLEASURE listening to Tristyn's songs. They are awesome!

My interview with Moms Who Click

2011-11-09T09:06:00.000-06:00

A few months ago I was asked by the editors of Moms Who Click if I would do an interview with them. I recently read an interview with a fellow photographer and found it very interesting. So I thought I would share my interview with Moms Who Click with you!

Your Style

· In 50 words or less, how would your clients describe your photography?

The way I would describe my photography style is fresh and natural lifestyle photography.

· Are you self-taught or classroom trained?

I’m self-taught.

· How many years have you been a professional photographer?

3 years

· Where do you want to take your photography business in 5 years?

To be honest, I really like how my business is doing right now. I’m not someone who likes to be over booked and stressed out so I like to keep things manageable. I love the teaching end of photography so in 5 years I see myself as doing more and more workshops and growing my blog to teach others.

· Is there a photographer who inspires your style? Who would that be?

I love the work by Audrey Woulard.

· Favorite location to take photos?

I don’t really have a favorite location…I love beautiful lighting so wherever I can find that! I do love taking pictures at the beach...too bad I live so far away from one!

· Favorite vacation spot?

Oooh, I love going on vacation! My favorite spot at this point is on the beach in Maine or at my parents cabin near Yellowstone Park. My husband and I love roller coasters so we really like “Islands of Adventure” in Orlando.

Your Business

· What was the pivotal moment when you decided to become a photographer?

I can’t say there was really one moment that I DECIDED to become a photographer. It happened gradually. I would take pictures of my kids and family, then of friends and then it just kind of evolved from there.

· What’s the best marketing tip that has worked for you?

I don’t do any marketing except for word of mouth.

Your Gear

· Are you Canon or Nikon (or –other):

Nikon

· If you could only have one lens on a photo shoot, what would it be?

My 50mm f/1.8

· What brand bag do you carry your camera in?

Crumpler. I like things nice and compact and I don't like to look like I'm carrying a "camera" bag. Someday I would love to have a Kelly Moore bag.

· What gear would we find in your camera bag?

Nikon D80, Nikon 85mm f/1.8 lens, Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens, Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens.

· Are you a natural light fan or strobe fan?

Natural light, all the way. I’m a minimalist AND I like the natural light look.

· Are you PC or Mac?

Mac

Your Tips and Tricks

· What post processing tools do you use?

Lightroom for all my editing and Photoshop Elements if I have to put any text on a picture.

· Do you shoot in Raw or Jpeg?

Jpeg

· Best advice you would give your 20-year old self?

Don’t sweat the small stuff and count your blessings.

· Best advice you would give a new photographer?

Practice, practice, practice. Making mistakes and figuring out how to fix them is the number one thing that made me a better photographer.

What Else Should We Know?

· What was your worst photography experience?

It all turned out okay, but I was teaching my 2nd workshop and as I was running out the door when I realized my car keys were lost. My husband and I searched EVERYWHERE. I was staying at a friends house so she just let me drice her car but I had all of my teaching materials in our car! Luckily I still had my laptop but I was frustrated that I couldn’t get the rest of my stuff. I ended up just starting the workshop with only my laptop and about 30 minutes later my amazing husband came in carrying all of my materials. He found a locksmith and brought everything to my workshop for me.

· What would surprise people most about you, whether it is photography related or not?

I still get a little nervous every time I shoot a session…even after all these years! But I think it actually helps me stay on top of my game.

· Tell us something else you’d like us to know:

After writing my book and teaching workshops, I’ve found that I’m more drawn to teaching that I am to shooting sessions. I still LOVE to take pictures and I always will but I really like the teaching side of it.

And just because we want to know you better, fill in the blanks...

· Three things I can’t live without…. 1) My husband and kids, 2) my camera (typical answer, I know, but it’s true!! 3) my MacBook Pro

· I wish I had more….. time in the day to get things done and more energy like my 4 year old son who seems to have an unlimited supply!

· The best thing about being a photographer is…having an outlet to be creative and having a skill where I’m able to document my family’s lives.

· The most important lesson I ever learned was….you have to be happy with life RIGHT NOW. You can’t wait until…the kids get older or you have more money or you are thinner or you live in a bigger house. You have to look around and notice what is wonderful RIGHT NOW and be happy about that.

· My favorite time of day is…10am when I just finished my workout and there’s still so much time left in the day!

There ya go! I hope you learning a little more about me and hopefully a little something more about photography!

Remember...my photography book is on sale from now until December 31st. For more info click here!

Have a great Wednesday.

The Photo Makeover...

2011-11-07T21:18:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you but I love a good makeover show. It doesn't matter what kind of makeover it happens to be...fashion, hair, make-up, home, furniture, weight loss, or landscapes. I get completely sucked in if they show me a before and after photo. I like to see improvement. It just makes me happy. Soooo, why don't we do our own little makeover post?

Before and After's...

I mentioned in a previous post that it's important not to immediately discount a photo at first glance. Sometimes you just have to look for the diamond in the rough, so to say.

Remember this picture I took in Chicago a few weeks ago? Well, here's what it looked like staight out of the camera before I jazzed it all up:

and after:

How about another one?

Before:

and after:

and one more...

Before:

and after:

(This is my hubby. Isn't he handsome?

An important aspect to get a stunning "after" photo is to cut out a lot of the junk. Notice that in all the before pictures there is way too much distraction. The distraction takes away from the important aspects of the picture. So try to creatively crop the picture to focus more on the subject.

Of course there was more to the editing than just cropping the picture. ...which can all be found in my photography book that is on sale for the holiday season! Hooray! Click here to find out more.

I would love to see some of your befores and afters...send me a link!

2011-11-05T14:49:00.004-05:00

The holiday's are upon us...

In celebration of this great time of year my photography book will be on sale from now until December 31st, 2011.

Buy one for yourself, buy one as a gift!

_________________________________________

ebook list price: ~~$35.00~~
ebook price: $25.00
you save: $10.00 (28.6%)

_________________________________________

hardcopy list price: ~~$50.00~~

hardcopy price: *$40.00

you save: $10.00 (20%)

*must use the coupon code: NOVBOOKS11 (offer ends-11/30/11)

_________________________________________

**Once you have purchased the ebook, you can also take advantage of buying the hardcopy for 30% off PLUS you can then use the 20% off discount code for even more savings! That makes the hardcopy only $27! You will be given a special link after your purchase. Keep it for yourself or give it away as a gift.

Click here to read more about it on the official website.

Click here to buy the ebook.

Click here to buy the hardcopy book. (To take advantage of the 30% off you must buy the ebook first and then you will be sent a special link to the 30% off.)

still not quite sold? Read my latest review of the book. Or read some previous written reviews here and here or a bunch of them here.

My Austin Workshop details & Kelsey--highschool senior

2011-11-03T16:23:00.000-05:00

Because of Photoberfest I didn't have a chance to talk about my workshop I held here in Round Rock a couple of Saturday's ago. I'm so happy with the way it turned out. The girls that attended were some of the sweetest people I've met. It was a beautiful day and we sat outside on the patio at the Star Co. Coffee House in downtown Round Rock.

I love how we were able to have an open discussion with each of the attendees and everyone felt encouraged to ask questions at any and all times. I feel like that's the best way to learn, ask questions when the questions arise. After this workshop I decided to make my future workshops a half an hour longer. I felt like at the end we were a bit rushed but with an extra 30 minutes, it will be perfect.

In the workshop we do a half an hour of actual shooting with a model. Our model on Saturday was the beautiful high school senior, Kelsey. She was such a sweetheart to work with. After having her picture taken about 1000 times by 6 different photographers in a matter of 30 minutes she was still all smiles and so polite.

Here are some shots of Kelsey from that day... (I completely forgot to take a picture of my entire group! I'm sad I didn't get one...)

Thanks, Kelsey and thanks to all the girls at my Round Rock workshop who made it a complete success. I'm so glad we met and I look forward to seeing your photos in the years to come!

**If you would like to attend a workshop and live in the Houston area I will be putting on a workshop there on December 10th of this year! Click here for more details...

2012 Workshop Tour Dates!

2011-11-02T21:34:00.001-05:00

Announcing my WORKSHOP tour dates for 2012...

(in case you can't see it on the above picture...)

Las Vegas, NV - March 3rd

San Antonio, TX - April 14th

Denver, CO - May 13th

Seattle/Tacoma, WA - June 23rd

Boise, ID - June 26th

Idaho Falls, ID - June 30th

Salt Lake City, UT - July7th

What you will learn:

the in's and outs of your camera so you can finally get it off auto.

all about aperture, ISO, and shutter speed and how they relate. (so important!)

easy tips and tricks to get sharp crisp pictures.

what settings to have your specific camera on.

what kind of light to look for, how to position your subject in regards to the light and how to take a good picture in any lighting situation.

how to compose a striking picture and what to look for in regards to composition through your lens.

my entire editing process from start to finish.

What you will get:

4 hours of interactive learning including 30 minutes of actual shooting time.
a hardcopy of my book (a $50 value) to use throughout the workshop and beyond.
confidence on how to use your camera and how to take great pictures.
new friendships with other photography enthusiasts in your area.

Cost: $225

Click here to read about some of the previous workshops I held.

What some past participants are saying:

“I can’t tell you how much I learned from your workshop! My pictures have greatly improved and I owe that all to you. Thank you!” -Carrie G.

*The class size will be limited to only 10 students, so please email me asap to retain your seat. (katie_perkes@yahoo.com) Half of the payment is due to reserve your spot and the other half is due 2 weeks before the workshop.

Halloween Photography Winners!

2011-11-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

Photoberfest has officially ended. What a fun month. I hope you guys have a learned a little bit more about photography. I've really enjoyed the contest and seeing all the great entries. I think I just may have to make this an annual event. Okay, let's get on the the winners of Halloween!

Honorable mention #1:

Photo taken by: Erin Nesser

flickr.com

How adorable is she?!!

Honorable Mention #2:

Photo taken by: Dana Vastano

snapshots2011.wordpress.com

creepy, right?!

Honorable mention #3:

Photo taken by: Brittany Sivyers

flickr.com

The Wild Things!

Congrats to the 3 of you for each winning a copy of my ebook, The Key to Taking Pictures Like a Professional Photographer! Please send me an email so that I have your correct email address to send the book.

Now on to the winner...

The person with the most "likes" this week was...drum roll please...

Lisa Brooks

lisab-photography.blogspot.com

Congrats, Lisa!

You've just won: my ebook, a 30 minutes phone consultation with me, and a $25 Target gift card!! Email me and I will send your book and Target gift card, and details about the consultation via email.

And I just couldn't end without showing a couple more of my favorites...

From slawlessphoto.blogspot.com

From hemming-birds.smugmug.com

From boysbuttonsandbutterflies.blogspot.com

Congrats to ALL of you!!!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T18:08:00.000-05:00

I would like to introduce...

Maddie as "A poodle skirt girl" as she calls it.

And Lyndon as "Alvin the Chipmunk".

A huge thanks to my Mom for making their costumes last minute just days before leaving on their cruise! And still having time to ship it all the way from Idaho. Thank you, thank you, Mom.

Lyndon has worn his costume every day since it came in the mail. We told him the only rule was that he had to put on PJ's to sleep in. He was happy. As Maddie was getting ready in her costume yesterday she says to me, "Mom, now when were poodle skirts popular? The 90's?" hahaha.

He was especially pleased with his tail.

We also had a great time trick-or-treating with some friends. You'll notice that Maddie isn't seen in any of the pictures where they are actually trick-or-treating because as she put it last night, "I'm just way too tired." So yeah, she didn't get any candy the entire evening. Whereas Lyndon was over flowing with energy and ran from house to house.

Charlie got in on the festivities as well. He even got a dog treat at one of the houses.

the end.

Last call for Halloween Photoberfest entries...

For information on how to enter the contest click here.

You can submit photos and vote from now until midnight tonight!

To view the photo submissions and to vote click here.

What life is all about

2011-10-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

We had a great Halloween! So great that I had to share just one picture of our night of trick-or-treating along with a thoughtful quote. I sure love our kiddos.

I'm excited to share our Halloween pictures with you tomorrow! But for now...off to bed. I'm beat. (and it's only 10:30pm. This is so early for me. :) )

The countdown is on...

2011-10-30T20:50:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you but the days leading up to Halloween always prove to be busy....fun, but busy. Every year for the past 5 years we have attended our local library's Halloween party. We always go with the Adam's family. (Gina, Anna and Isaac. Not to be confused with Gomez, Morticia and Uncle Fester.) It was a little sad because due to the fact that Maddie was in school this year and Lyndon will be in school next year I won't be going next year! Times are changing.

Tomorrow morning we will attend the annual Fall Festival at the park put on by the Parks and Rec dept. It's always a big production with TONS of people. I usually try to steer clear of crowds but again, we've gone every single year so I have to go! And it's so fun for the kids, uh I guess just fun for Lyndon this year as Maddie will be in school.

And then tomorrow evening we will of course be out trick-or-treating. As Maddie was getting into bed tonight she said excitedly, "I just can't believe it...tomorrow is HALLOWEEN!" I remember feeling such joy and excitement for moments and events such as these. I'm so glad I now have kids to feel that again. btw, her school class isn't doing any sort of Halloween party. Is that kind of weird or is it just me?

So many photo opps to capture the joy and excitement of the holiday. I'm excited to see your entries! Remember...you have until midnight on Tuesday to submit your photos.

Here are a few Halloween pictures I rounded up from some of our past Halloweens...

A small peek of our spooky decor. (from the dollar store!)

Lyndon trick-or-treating with Grandma from a couple of years ago.

One of my favorite Halloween pictures of the kids. Waiting at a front door to trick-or-treat. Every parent needs this picture!

The loot!

Last year Maddie said, "Let's make some Halloween puppets!" This is what we came up with...

For information on how to enter the contest click here.

You can submit photos and vote from now until Tuesday night (the day after Halloween) at 12 pm CST.

To view the photo submissions and to vote click here.

A walk down Halloween lane

2011-10-27T08:34:00.000-05:00

Jon's favorite holiday is Halloween. Maddie was actually due on October 31st and Jon was SO EXCITED. However, she was actually born on November 2nd. (He was a little disappointed she wasn't a halloween baby but the excitement of her birth it was soon forgotten!) I love Halloween too. It could be for a few reasons...when I was younger I loved it mostly because of the candy. The dressing up part for me came second to getting the candy. (Jon loves the dressing up part the most.) But as I've gotten older I love Halloween for the excitement it brings to our home and community and it's almost like a kick-off to the holiday season (Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Both my Mom and my Mother-in-law have an amazing skill of being able to sew. Which bodes well for me because that means that every year our kids can be anything their little hearts desire and their grandma's are more than happy to whip up a costume for them. And me, being the I-have-to-take-a-picture-of-it-or-it-didn't-really-happen person that I am...I've documented all of their costumes over the years.

Shall we take a stroll? (you will also see how my photography skills have improved over the years!)

2008: The Doodlebops

Maddie as Dee Dee Doodle

Lyndon as Moe Doodle

2009: I couldn't talk them into wearing related costumes!

Maddie as Silvermist (Tinkerbell's friend)

Lyndon as "Lynja" the Ninja

2010: The Nightmare Before Christmas couple

Maddie as Sally (no last name?)

Lyndon as Jack Skelington

The little rascals insisted on staying in character for all the pictures!

2011: Again, I couldn't talk them into related costumes!

Maddie as A 50's gal with a poodle shirt

Lyndon as Alvin the Chipmunk

...so stay tuned for their 2011 pictures.

For information on how to enter the contest click here.

You can submit photos and vote from now until Tuesday night (the day after Halloween) at 12 pm CST.

To view the photo submissions and to vote click here

don't ya just love newborns?

2011-10-26T12:35:00.001-05:00

I would like to introduce the adorable, Lydia Lynn...

Isn't she just so sweet? This is one loved little girl...especially by her proud big brother.

(and don't you LOVE her nursery? I was so happy when I saw it. :) )

Keep them coming...

2011-10-26T08:17:00.000-05:00

Keep the entries coming! And stay tuned...I have a "Halloween over the years" post coming your way.

For information on how to enter the contest click here.

You can submit photos and vote from now until Tuesday night (the day after Halloween) at 12 pm CST.

To view the photo submissions and to vote click here.

Halloween Photography Tips by "Click it Up a Notch"

2011-10-25T08:19:00.001-05:00

I have an awesome guest today...I'm so excited to present Courtney from Click it Up a Notch. Courtney is a superb teacher when it comes to everything about photography. Be sure to check out her site as it is a wealth of information. Now on to her halloween photography advice...

Halloween is one of those holidays that must be photographed. How could you not capture your sweet little one in their witch, Spiderman, or monkey costume?

Have a trial run. I don't know about you but I'm always super busy on the day of Halloween. There's pumpkin carving, cookie baking, not to mention running around like a crazy person trying to get them in their costumes and out the door while there is still time to trick or treat. Why not save yourself the headache of also making them pose for pictures by getting them dressed a couple of days before? You remove all the pressure of the fight against the clock and they will love getting to wear their costume again.

Take the traditional shot and move on. Of course, you need to capture the shot of your kiddos on the front step starring at you with the "please get this over with" look. Snap a couple and move on. Don't forget to ask them to act like their costume for a shot.

Capture the details. There are so many details on the day of Halloween.

- Details of their costume

- Small hands doing anything: carving pumpkin, holding trick or treat bag, accepting candy, holding hands with siblings

- Bowl full of candy

- Glowing pumpkins

- The possibilities are endless

Get behind them. Be sure to capture them walking down the street and to the door. They may surprise you by holding hands, looking back at the camera for a reassuring look, or to let you know how excited they are.

Choose 3 different angles. To avoid all your photos from looking like snap shots then move around. Take some above, below, to the side, close up, or far away.

Think outside the box. What are some fun and different ways you can capture them in their costumes? I just love this image by Juli at (A)musing Journey (link: http://julijourney.blogspot.com/) She has some silhouettes of her girls but wanted some fun festive ones for the holidays. Love it! I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Thank you, Amy! Okay, I hope you are all more inspired to get out there and take some pictures!! I know I am. In order to get more of your actual Halloween day pictures I'm extending the contest until November 1st. So hopefully you can use these tips on Halloween day!

For information on how to enter the contest click here.

You can submit photos and vote from now until Tuesday night (the day after Halloween) at 12 pm CST.

To view the photo submissions and to vote click here

Photoberfest Week 4: Halloween

2011-10-24T08:22:00.002-05:00

It's the 4th and final week of Photoberfest 2011!! Wow, this month has flown by! I'm happy that we are finishing the contest with the theme of Halloween. To give you some inspiration here are some cool photo idea's that I rounded up from pinterest:

From marthastewart.com

From etsy.com

From bhg.com

From marthastewart.com

From lisastorms.typepad.com

From marthastewart.com

And these were taken by Dana over at MADE. Spooky, huh?

Okay, now it's your turn! I can't wait to see what you come up with! ANd stay tuned this week for plenty of Halloween photography inspiration.

For information on how to enter the contest click here.

You can submit photos and vote from now until Friday night at 12 pm CST.

To view the photo submissions and to vote click here.

Wanna tell people what your'e doing?

add a button...

Action Photography winners!

2011-10-22T15:49:00.003-05:00

It's the end of week 3: action! I was really happy with the entries this week. You guys did a great job capturing and showing lots of different types of action. I look forward to getting your entries and seeing what you come up with. So let's get on with the winners... As usual, I will announce the honorable mentions first. (remember these are in no particular order and they are my top 3 favorites of the week.)

Honorable mention #1:

photo taken by Johnna Harris

johnna-lynn.blogspot.com

Honorable Mention #2:

Photo taken by: Diana Samour

trueblackcricket.blogspot.com

Honorable mention #3:

Photo taken by: Mikki Grimley

mikkigrimleyphotography.blogspot.com

Congrats to the 3 of you for each winning a copy of my ebook, The Key to Taking Pictures Like a Professional Photographer! (Diana, I know this is win #2 for you so perhaps you could give the book to someone for a gift?) Please send me an email so that I have your correct email address to send the book.

Now on to the winner...

This week is was a dead tie. So...because this is my contest, I decided to determine the winner. And the winner is...

Lisa May

inbtweenthelinez.blogspot.com

Congrats, Lisa!

You've just won: my ebook, a 30 minutes phone consultation with me, and a $25 Target gift card!! Email me and I will send your book and Target gift card, and details about the consultation via email.

The runner up is:

The Angry Baker :)

5waits.com

Angry Baker...being the runner up you have won a copy of my photography ebook. Email me so I can get it to you!

And I just couldn't end without showing one more favorite...

Photo taken by Amber Stock

Congrats to ALL of you!!!

Remember the theme for the last week of Photoberfest is Halloween! So let's get our spooky on!