Say NO To "Say Cheese!"

This post is not a proclamation to parents to wean them off telling their children to say "cheeese!" for portraits, although in hindsight I think we can all agree that when kids have to consciously run their "smile file" it's going to be a pre-processed robot grin. If not that, then a smirk or grimace or downright frown. This post shares my own intrigue into child psyche, and observations on how to really snag great smiles out of them.

After formal portraits of these sisters I had them roll in the grass for a while

Lo and behold, kids don't really like doing what parents tell them, do they? It's no different for portraits. Most kids dislike the chore. The key from my angle as a photographer is to make them feel like they're playing, not like doing a chore. I normally take a few "standard" shots of children to figure their chemistry before finding out what intrigues them playfully.

A note to parents: Once formal shots are taken in all the pretty clothes, let them play. Let them roll around in the grass, let them touch a pile of dirt, let them pick dandelions and throw them all over the place. The majority of my shoots with children of any age involves simply playing with them, and they usually get a kick out of it. I bring bubbles or balloons, or encourage parents to bring a mini birthday cake for first-birthday smashing reenactment. All my children's portraits are done outside because I've yet to see a kid who doesn't love being outdoors, and children so love to interact with nature. It's a lost wonder I suppose.

Although this cute little ring bearer had an adorable frown, he only smiled when I told him not to... and then he got embarrassed about it! The above range of emotions happened within about a minute. Kids are bipolar, true story.

What parents unknowingly love is a laughing-his-head-off type shot of their child, not a constipated Olan Mills smile forgery. They want to see a punch of emotion. It's quite hilarious to learn on site what sorts of invented smiles kids have come up with after years of being trained on "say cheese!" Some have perfected the Sarcasm of Smile so well they actually start making terrible faces at me, assisted by fingers pulling mouths down and such *eye roll*.

Every baby has the "extremely entertained by something" face. Often with tongue hanging out. He was laughing at bubbles.

Toddlers and babies are up to their own wills. They want to be independent, so let them explore and interact with things. Don't be discouraged when a 2 year old wants to keep bolting away from the chair you want her to sit in. Smiles are optional for babies. Drooly dropped mouths of wonder are just as priceless as huge crazy grins. Some kids smile when you tell them not to and some kids need a round of applause to get them clapping and laughing. These tactics are short lived because young kids have very short attention spans.

Heck, I have a very short attention span. Next toy! Let's run this way! Punch my balloon! Smack my hand! Pop those bubbles! Kick your shadow! If they're not doing something different all the time, I'll get bored too!

Best Daylight for Outdoor Portraits

Being a Natural Light preferring photographer (and I'm not talkin' beer), I'm often at the mercy of the solar landscape. Whatever daylight decides to do on a shoot day is what I have to work with, and I have to be versatile. I view outdoor photography as Ideal but also up to God's decree. Which is kinda cool. Roll with nature!

I've put together some daylight samples of what light looks like at different times and how best it can be utilized for portraiture. Often my portrait subjects are not available at the best lit times of day (sunrise or cloudy midday), so other measures must be taken to avoid too-harsh direct sun which is present for the largest chunk of a person's active daytime. These images were shot in springtime at correct exposures with no digital retouching. Quality of light will vary according to season, altitude of local hills/valleys and atmospheric precipitation. Huh! I became a weatherman for this job.

The Hour Surrounding Sunrise

Sunrise lighting is very fair and gentle (though no one wants to get up early enough for it!). Lighting is warm, diffused, and soft on facial features. Light will remain this quality until the sun passes the horizon.

Midday Clear Skies (Full Sun)

Squinty-face equals poor portraiture. When the sun is at high angles (in spring, 8am through 5pm), it gives subjects that horrific "raccoon eye" effect. Eyes become minimized, shadowy and triangle shaped. Good portraits demand good eye communication from subjects, so in harsh light I always take them into shade. Locationally, this limits you a bit. If there is no shade available, I will choose another location.

Midday Overcast

Some will find clouds too dismal, but the overcast outdoors are an absolute dream to a photographer. Clouds are natural diffuse screens; shadows are not so harsh and lighting is soft and lovely. Clouds also make dramatic sky textures too. This day was on the bright side of overcast (thin clouds), so a little bit of a squint is still present but the raccoon eyes are diminished.

The Hour Prior to Sunset

Sunset lighting is golden and fabulous, and also well diffused as the sun gets closer to the horizon. It's tricky though to deal with a time constraint as you're slowly losing light versus slowly gaining it (as is the case with sunrise). Work quickly to snag the light before it goes!

After Sunset (Off-Camera Flash)

Not my preferred lighting, as bright diffused daylight just brings out the freshness and vitality of a face. For loss of light after sundown, flash is required. It does look much more dramatic, which can be a cool noirish effect if you desire it.

To sum, the choicest time of day is sunrise or cloudy midday. Although planning around what the atmosphere is doing is not something we have any control over, it's good to note that a cloudy day is not such a bummer, even if you miss out on blue skies. If you can't dodge being photographed in harsh midday sun, tactics will be taken to keep you in shade. The best option for the latter without being spatially confined to patches of shade is a lush green forest! Forested areas provide a great canopy, and if you don't mind a little bushwhacking they also make excellent and supremely romantic spots for lovely portraits. Consult with me to locate a primo forest near you!

Turn Engagement Photos Into Guest Books!

Shooting on average 20 weddings per year, I get some pretty hefty exposure to changing trends in wedding styles. On the topic of guest books and other means of collecting signatures and well wishes, I've seen everything from signed notes hung on trees to a family member mulling about with a video camera asking guests for candid statements. Those are great ideas, but how are they preservable? If I had a stack of note cards, I'd want to put them into a book anyway. If I had a video of verbal comments, I'd have to dig up the video from a buried Facebook feed or its disc from some trunk. The key to a keepsake is something you'll enjoy revisiting and something easy to access. I personally like books :).

Even in our advanced digital age, the good old fashioned Book still stands the truest test of time. Interesting, hm? Those who want guest books have long been tiring of traditional lined books with the frilly "Guests" inscription heading each page. And so, I've analyzed some trends in photo guest books and designed my own as you see in two samples here. Images from engagement sessions or pre-wedding bride/groom shoots work great for these! It's like a pre-wedding album. See more album layouts in my portfolio.

Design is collage style and fully customized (including a full front/back photo wrap cover) and designed by myself, taking cues from the atmosphere of the shoot. Guest books are created as an Art Book style album. Collage design means no guest is bound to lines. They can get creative with their personal statements. Paper can be chosen in plain, pearlized or linen textures. Designs are prepared strategically and spaciously with room for signatures and messages. Lighter and half opacity backgrounds are designed for dark colored marker pens and darker backgrounds are designed for metallic pens. Art Book albums lay flat when left open and stand a bind-tight test of time with acid free pages that won't yellow or degrade.

Your guests will be so floored and intrigued by your fabulous photo rich guest book, you'll need to put up a sign telling them you intend for them to sign it. (Because they won't think it's ok to sign fabulous images, you will have to remind them!)

Atmospheric Style

As the epitome of the Creative Person once said, "Creativity is an abstract which becomes someone, but which they cannot concretely translate for another to define or quantify." That creative person was me. And I just said that. (Made it up on the spot.)

In my perusal of articles from Professional Photographers of America, there is always one about defining style as a creative professional. The usual components which define a photographer's style involve light usage, adherence to digital effects (colors, filters), innovation of angles, personality or approach to subjects, and prop color coordination (attire, backgrounds). I get inspired when I read what other photogs say defines their style, but after the inspiration I come across a personal conundrum.

What is my style? Can it be defined? Does it need to be defined? Is there more to it than that?

The answer is: There's more to it than that. When I ask my clients what they like about my images, they usually say things like the quality of lighting or the naturalistic posing and atmosphere choices. Those are things I inherently look for in scenes, but I wouldn't say they define my style because every atmosphere and every subject is different.

The cookie cutter photographer feels the need to define her style so that the client has a preset idea of how her own images will look based on how she has shot other clients. Fair enough. The photog would also use that style definition to design her branding (look and feel of the website and products) so the client can relate colors and styles with emotions. I like that. It's a tactile way of relating to people when they know nothing about you. But setting one's style to a preset doesn't cater personally to each individual client. I like personal catering!

What I often tell clients is rather more like this. My style is quiet, natural and observant, but I cannot truly define it for you because you define it for me! Ha! So there. I do direct you according to atmosphere, but your locations define the style. Your attire defines it. Your colors and personal chemistry define it. I can't say all events look the same, and I can't say all babies have the same personality. This is my take on photojournalism. The style comes from atmospheric specifics unique to my subjects. We're talking metaphysics here! Moods and atmospheric elements that only exist the day I shoot and never recur the same way ever again. Did you know that the atmosphere is literally changing by the minute? There are no two same sunsets ever in the history of the world!

I like diversity. I eat it up. I like the fact that even if an event plays out the standard roster, there will still be something different and unique about it every time.

Some photographers feel they need to rejuvenate their ideas by looking at other photogs' work. I take that with a grain of salt. I don't want my ideas to look like someone else's. That doesn't mean I won't agree to do a requested shot a client has seen done [a million times] somewhere else. Innovation doesn't come from imitation. It comes from stepping aside and allowing my brain to come up with something rather than xeroxing it from somewhere. I'm more inspired by scenes I can experience first hand. I want my work to shine on its own without being borrowed from someone else. That's chain store stuff ;).

Albums Like No Other

Page spread from 10x10 Flushmount album, featuring floral composite.

Sometimes I wonder what happens to my clients' images if I haven't been commissioned to publish them into an heirloom quality album. I envision them inserted in a DIY low quality photo book template... or worse, logged away on disc in some box waiting to be unearthed by a future child who tries to view them on whatever technology is available, only to get disc misread errors. I can only guarantee that a DVD will last as long as the technology I'm aware of; I can't read the future. I mean, what could we fathom of 2012 when our high school mix tapes that spoke our passions were stored on 8-tracks?

As time attests, our most treasured heirloom images are best preserved in printed materials. Sounds old school, but who knows what could happen to the abstract "digital soft copy"? At the end of the world when the magnetic poles shift and we lose all our wifi's and databases and electricities for gosh sake, what will we do?

The spatial landscape, with portraits.

I'd like to plug in the value of professionally designed photo albums. I know that a lot of wedding clients asking for packages without albums are in the end making photo books themselves *hands on hips*. That's all a fine practice if you like templates and cheap book binds that come unglued after a couple years, but over here in the world of art and narratives, we don't like to make photo books. We like to make Storybooks. We want them to A.) documentarily mean something, and B.) last forever (or at least for a hundred years, and that's a pretty nice chunk of time).

You'll notice in these examples how intertwining event details really brings forth the vigor of the moment. The designs are totally different for everyone because the particular shapes and colors of their images physically determine the layout of that particular page. Space is an artistic cruciality; larger images and more open space make greater statements than a page filled with a bunch of little squares.

"First Look" composite with vineyard fauna and reception table card

I love the dynamism of The Composite (a.k.a. the collage). No template can do this for you, and I don't even want to fathom trying it with non-digital design methods (i.e. your parents' wedding album). It's fully an artistic digital design, like painting. The eye and skill for this is what you get with professional graphic design services.

If clients are not making photo books or wall decor, then images are sitting on a disc somewhere collecting time. Or they're sitting on Facebook being pushed down by updates. Is the internet the new 'attic treasure box'? Really? What happens to it in my End of the World scenario?

Individual images can make bold statements. Put them on your wall. Groupings of images can make bolder statements. Cluster them on your wall, or publish them into an album. One image is like one word. You can't always tell the full story with one word. Lots of words make a story. Lots of pictures make a storybook.

I want to be your historian. I'd love to archive some things for your museum. Ponder the value of that!

Outtro page, 10x8 Flushmount album.

Location Crusade: The Ameristar Hotel

Are you bummed about dreary weather? Chilly breeze twisting your face? Are you stomping your foot saying "I want my photo session in winter!" Well, p'shaw, Spring! Your fearless photographer is out scouting indoor locations for those who can't brave the weather but want to do sessions in winter.. or for those who need backup locale ideas in case of unsavory weather.

Today I scouted the interior hotel and lobby areas at the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles (hwy 70 and Fifth Street). Check out these sweet nooks.

Lounging lovers? Cozy up in the hotel lobby/lounge area.

Abstract carpets and marble fireplaces.

Intriguing stone-paneled wall with slits of light! Main walkway to the hotel lobby.

Textured wall with lighted waterfall, oo!

Skylit cobblestone walkway... wait, this is indoors? Yes! Just outside the casino entrance.

Skylight near casino entrance (insert foreground close up of lovers).

Daring red wall... for casting noir glances.

Chocolate brown curtains (across from the daring red wall).

If you're looking for other unique options for shoot spots in the greater St. Louis area, check out my earlier blog on this related topic, and stay tuned for more location scouting as I discover the hidden gems of lovely places to be photographed.

Branching Out to Babies!

Okay gang, I've officially branched out to photographing the wee ones! ...especially catering to busy new mothers with week day sessions that can be done in-home. I've covered a few infants and children previously, but I'm currently researching trends in baby photography and seeking a new refreshing angle to the genre. I'd love your comments on this topic to see what styles are getting parents excited these days.

What do we all think of baby photography trends? If you're a grandmother, father-to-be, newlywed or bachelor dude, I'm curious to know your impressions of baby photography this day and age. Do you find certain poses awkward? Angelic? Creepy? Heartfelt? What do you think works best and what is just plain thumbs down? Here's some eye candy to spark some opinions:

strangely bound Holiday Inn gift?

floating baby on a cloud of hands?

naked parents? (I'm with this kid's expression)

squishy faced babies in crocheted hats?

babies a-dangle in hammocks?

pregnant belly with hand hearts?

All these are fairly formulaic styles in artistic baby portraiture. Some of the more refreshing ideas I've gathered have involved babies wrapped with intriguing things, or placed inside of naturally shaped objects. I've even seen a few shots (which scare me) of babies appearing to have been left in random places, like wrapped and set on the fireplace mantle! Huh? Oh, I found your baby in the bookshelf.

"dear, where did we leave the baby!"

As far as my own designs for posing infants, I do enjoy naturalistic colors, shapes reminiscent of birth, and themes relating to growth as found in nature, such as seed pods, bird nests, flower blooms and fabrics reminiscent of floral membranes. I was recently very much inspired by Anne Geddes' new work called Beginnings. Peruse her work here to glimpse a few images. She was inspired by nature and the concepts of birth and new life, and worked that still life photography into pregnancy and infant portraits. I love her attention to the details of these intricate floral buds, seeds, intertwining nesting materials, and her analysis of embryonic shapes for babies to fit into. Often the amorphous blob of a baby's limbs cannot unawkwardly fit into things like baskets or teacups, whereas the natural fetal position amidst soft cottons and nestlike comfort suits them perfectly.
Nature seems the most fitting backdrop for babies. They've just exited the most natural place they'll probably ever know, just entering a crazy world just waiting to get its iPhones and high fructose corn syrups into their hands. A newborn baby has not yet been touched by the world and its influences, and I think that so unfamiliar concept is what really sparks my curiosity about infants and capturing them. Everything is new, unknown and pure. That is what should be captured and remembered about this too brief moment in their lives. They'll never again know that sensation of untarnished newness and purity.