It was really nice outdoors yesterday, so I decided to take the boys to the park after school. My oldest son is showing some interest in playing basketball and I wanted to give him a little practice time. Whenever I see either one of them interested in something sports or arts related, I try to find ways to slowly expose them to more of it.
While he was shooting, I decided to get some shots of my own.
I have tons of pics and it’s funny how I can see a completely different way of editing a picture when I take my time to really look over them. Here are some pictures I took during Easter. Our neighborhood homeowners association had an easter egg hunt for the kids and we took the boys to get out of the house.
The two black & white photos are some I took while we were out for another day at the park. In these economic times, the park is a great way for them to have fun and stay out of my wallet at the same time.
I took the boys to the park to get them tired before bedtime. I don’t think it worked too well, but they were able to get some good exercise. They move around so much and that it’s hard to get decent shots. Here are a couple from the bunch that I liked.
The more photos I take outdoors, the more I see the need to use a flash to get rid of shadows. I still need a course on flash photography.
I finally have some pictures to post of someone other than my kids. This past weekend the family and I went to the Dallas Arboretum to take engagement photos of Jacyln & Gerald. It was my first attempt at doing a live shoot and I’m glad they gave me the opportunity to photography them. After 10 years of being married, it’s fun to look at the pictures my wife and I took, so I didn’t take the task they charged me with lightly.
My wife was a great assistant and helped a lot, but my son who refused to take a nap earlier, decided 30 minutes into the shoot that now was a good time. But she was prepared for that and handled the situation while I kept going.
As always, I like to share what I learned, so here goes:
Pay attention to the details. The arboretum was really busy that way, so I had to pay attention to what (or who) was in the background. I was constantly having to stop or reposition myself because of people walking by. There’s a lot you have to consider when taking outdoor photos, but I think I managed it well.
It helps to have an assistant. My wife was able to catch things I missed. She made sure they were looking right, which allowed me to focus on composition and finding good spots to shoot.
You really do need a flash outdoors. I used to wonder why photographers had flashes outdoors. The pictures where I didn’t use one had a lot of shadows and came out dark. I learned I need a lesson on flash photography and lighting.
When outdoors, bring water and something for sweat. Because of the kids, we had drinks, but I wouldn’t have had one if I were on my own. It was hot that day and there was no cloud cover at all.
Have a couple of planned out posed shots to start off. It was slow in the beginning, but things got easier as we went on. There was a lot of potential for some really good pictures, but the time went by fast. Guess I have to save them for later.
Having a photogenic couple helps. When I was looking through the full set of photos, their smiles and expression were so natural. But that’s the way it is when you’re in love. They made my job a lot easier.
It was a great first time experience for me and we’ll see if there are more to come. Here are just a couple of the ones I took. I’d like comments on the photos. Any advice or tips are welcome. Enjoy!
Since I don’t get be in a lot of the photos I take, I’ve started a little tradition where I do a self-portrait each year on my birthday. Self-portraits can be difficult and time consuming, but I like the challenge and try to use some of the techniques I’ve learned throughout the year.
The pose I chose was due to the fact that I’ve spent a lot of time this past year in front of a computer. While this isn’t too uncommon of me, the projects I’ve been on have kept me in front of a PC more than usual. Fortunately, I enjoy what I do, so it doesn’t always seem like work. And as for the couch, I’ve spent many late nights in that exact spot, so I felt the need to include it in the shot.
