Children's Portrait photography is hard!
So I'm taking 2 online classes right now. My first week's critiques of my children's photography class were a bit discouraging. Although she said I should be encouraged, and have lots of potential, there is SO MUCH to learn and keep in mind! I know I just need months and months of practice. I got exposure down pretty good, but dealing with the unexpectedness of children and getting them to cooperate is the challenge.
Here's what messed me up this week:
- Forgetting my ISO was set at 400 when it didn't need to be. Result - noisy photos.
- Forgetting to bring a brush and hairspray so my first real photo shoot last week had Satori's hair flying everywhere! Of course the instructor noticed this, but that was a lesson I learned before she had to say anything. :)
- Bad weather cooperation - alot of my shots were supposed to use natural lighting, and it snowed and was cloudy so much this past few weeks. Summer, get here already!
- A toddler that is NOT cooperative makes you think you are not cut out for all this. On the plus side, I love watching Satori's various expressions and body language after the shoot, she sure is a riot!
- Trying to remember numerous things at once. I'm usually great at multi-tasking, but all of this photography stuff is so new to me, it's hard to get *everything* just perfect. Hair in place? Bandaids not showing? Shutter speed perfect for studio lighting? ISO set to 100? Lighting angles right? Need tripod?
- David is my photography assistant, I love to yell at him to put the fairy wings on Satori - Hold that reflector the right away - Give her some candy - Turn down the lights - Get me a light meter reading... Lol! He needs to jump to it faster! I think I might need a few assistants?
- FORGET trying to learn studio lighting, right now I'm just trying to get some photos that are turn out sharp and perfectly exposed. Butterfly, Loop, Rembrandt? Tammi, I think I'll need a few more months to start practicing that, lol. I get the idea, but I think I'll need MUCH more practice with Judy my trusty mannequin.
Anyway, here's the results of my photo shoot tonight. I need practice getting that background pure white. My exposure class assignment this past week was to do a shot with everything white and expose it so things are truly white. (Don't tell Bryan I used my light meter, and not "brother blue sky" for this one!)
I also had to get a shot with backlit lighting and a reflector. I used a cheapo light for this and gave Satori one of those flowers you see above. She was totally not cooperating, and then she touched the bulb with her flower, resulting in one of the biggest explosions! That Bulb shattered and shot halfway across our 2400 sf warehouse! It is a MIRACLE Satori wasn't hurt. The bulb glass got into her tutu, went right through it, and melted in the middle of the tulle. I will not be using cheap lights like that again, and will be much careful next time. Thank goodness no one was hurt and it was only my family.