Dream Makers

Wow 2012!

Can I get a Woot WOOT from my readership?

I've been so looking forward to this year.  I've had this wonderful sense that this year was going to be a great.  As I took time the last two weeks to really think and dream about goals for 2012 and tweak some existing long term goals, I thought back to some of the things that really helped me to grow as an individual, photographer and business woman. Sharing that feels appropriate...

Here goes:

creativeLIVE     Awesome workshops that you can access online.  Live!  You can than purchase them to watch over and over if you choose.  But while they are happening you can tune in live and soak up the knowledge....FOR....FREE!!!

chasejarvisLIVE    It's Chase Jarvis (awesome).  Free (again...awesome).  Interviewing fascinating folks (once again...AWESOME).

The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle by Steven Pressfield    I read this book.  And made a decision.  And I haven't looked back.  End.

Visual Poetry by Chris Orwig    Loved this book.  Gets me thinking outside of the box every time I raise a camera to my eye.

Wedding Photography From The Heart by Joe Buissink    Hello!  I will never look a photojournalism the same again.

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through A Lens      Buy it...Rent it....piece it togeather on YouTube...whatever...you must watch it from start to finish.  Amazing documentary.

Fascination Horse by Gabriele Boiselle     Equine inspiration.

My Moleskin notebook....sadly you can not purchase it....BUT  I can share with you that the knowledge contained within is yours for the taking.  Shelley Paulson, Jessica Claire, Gabriele Boiselle, Jasmine Star, Bambi Cantrell, Tamara Lackey, Matthew Jordan Smith, The Shutter Sisters,  Photoshelter, Britains Best Photography, Ramit Sethi and Chase Jarvis.  Some offer free content through blogs & free eBooks.  Others offer books, workshops and mentoring.

2012 is the year that dreams are going to come true for me.  I hope that they do for you too.

Frosty Hemlock

Hemlock with a heavy cover of frost.

I hope that I'm not the only one for whom Christmas is coming way to fast.  I was somehow convinced that I still had two weeks.  My husband broke the bad news to me similar to the way he would approach one of the horses if they were loose....with great caution and trepidation.

I'm looking forward to getting the Charlie Brown tree in the house this week and the decorations unpacked.  The beautiful wreath that my husband got from a friend is finally hanging and we were blessed with a bit of snow.  It's going to be hard not spending Christmas Eve with my Grandpa Joe after 38 years of doing so.

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends!

Afternoon Nap | New Wilmington, PA Pet Photographer

JRTCA Redstone Charlotte aka Charlotte Pup Pup, enjoying a mid afternoon nap in front of window in my office.  Dreaming of Groundhogs, I'm sure.

Sunday Stills

All You Need Is Love

I don't know about you.  But there is something wonderful about being with the person that you love, on the land that you love while doing something that you both love doing.  Mr. Weingartner has grown so accustomed to the camera that now he rarely bothers to scowl at me.  He has accepted that it's just coming along as an extension of me.   

Holding On To Gratitude

We got our first real cold snap of the season yesterday and Mother Nature gave us a thick layer of Hoar Frost overnight to celebrate it with.  I love the change of seasons.  The leaves have fallen off the trees.  Pennsylvania has turned brown, tan and gold.  And the nip in the air for the morning walk with the Jack Russell Terriers has brought out wool coats, Ugg boots, scarves and bright red mittens.  I'm so thankful to be able to be outside exploring the end of Fall and the beginning of Winter.

First Sunday of Advent | St. Paul Cathedral

1st Sunday of Advent at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh PA

Advent is such a special time.  I was so happy to make the trip to Pittsburgh on Saturday night with part of my family for the vigil mass for the 1st Sunday of Advent.  I'm looking forward to being able to take the next several weeks to reflect on this past year.  To prepare for Christmas from a nonsecular viewpoint.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lifestyle Photography Tips | New Castle Family Photographer

For Sunday Stills this week we were asked to share a Portrait Session and some tips to improve Portraits.  This is a Lifestyle Session done with my Sisterella and her beautiful children.

Tip 1... Location.  It's super to have the location either be the choice of your subject or relevant to their life in some way.  This location was chosen because the children's father is an Engineer on the railroad.

Tip 2 ... Photos from behind.  I love the above photo.  Colin setting off and Anna following.  A priceless narrative to where they are in their life right now.

Tip 3 ... Not all photo need a constrained crop.  Frame for the subject/story NOT for the 'picture frame'.

Tip 4 ... If your subject is low to the ground. Then get down on the ground and shoot from their perspective.  Alternately you can shoot from up high...I love my 3 step ladder (I always have it with me now).

Tip 5 ... Background.  Before you press the shutter make sure that your background is clean.

Tip 6 ... Wait.  Let your subjects breathe.  Let things happen.  I like this photo better then the one above it.  And in a few years when Colin is all grown up, Sisterella will like this one better too.  

Tip 7 ... Shoot the funny stuff.  Mum with the 'props' makes a fun Facebook profile photo.

Tip 8 ... Be on the look out for the sweet stuff.  It wasn't hard to see what was going to happen once Anna Sophia picked a couple of flowers and headed back towards Mum.  My camera is to my eye the majority of the shoot.

Tip 9 ... Let the treasures be in the shoot.  Colin had a Railroad spike and Anna had given Mum the flowers.  They were equally proud of these found 'treasures' from our morning out.  No use in asking to put them down and tempt a hissy-fit.

Tip 10 ... Move those Focus Points.  Moving the Focus Points on the camera is now second nature to me.  It wasn't always.  But once I got used to doing it ... it stepped up my composition game.  Yes you can focus and recompose, which I do frequently for my still subject.  But for moving subjects or my fast moving Polo photography moving those Focus Points gets me a shaper better composed picture every  time.  It's second nature to me now...like adjusting Aperture and Shutter Speed.

Tip 11 ...  Get a variety of lighting scenarios.  Front light, back light, side light.  Opportunities for flare or a silhouette shot add some drama to the Gallery that you present to your subject.  And allow your artistic side to come through.

And finally...

Tip 12 ... When you are looking for a location.  Scanning for the next place to move your subjects...your camera needs to be up to your eye.  You need to be looking through your lens so that you can see what will be in the shot.  See the environment from your lenses perspective.

Happy shooting!