brushing up on my old picture takin' skills.

There is more than one photographer in this family, but even I forget it sometimes. (although this one is a little more of an amateur. No fancy degrees.)

I paid for school by working as the Photo Editor for the college newspaper. In high school one of my summer jobs was at the Picture People (yes, I wore that silly hat). And ever since I was 5, I've helped my dad with his camera equipment and accompanied him on many a photo safari.

But there are so many other things I do these days, that my camera is not used for more than snapshots of Soren (and Leo).

A couple weeks ago, my cousin Logan and his wife asked if we could take pictures of their son.

When they asked us, I knew Scott had been busy, so I jumped at the opportunity. (I am editing the photos now and having fun seeing what turned out. I hope they don't mind me sharing a few pictures, but he is so darn cute!)

Its been awhile, but I really enjoy photographing kids at this age. Mainly because it reminds me of the photojournalism I did in college. That may sound like an odd comparison, but it isn't. Basically, kids this young move too fast for formal posing. As the photographer, you place them in a situation where they can relax and play. As a result, everything is a candid shot - my favorite type of portrait.


Scott and I watched an excellent documentary on a portrait photographer last week. I wish I could remember where Scott found it, so I could share the link. The photographer shared some great tips about taking the "perfect" portrait. I can't remember word for word, but what sunk in was:

1. Choose a unique, clean background.

2. Capture personality by placing subjects in a setting where they can act natural.

3. Shoot outdoors during the best light (1 hour before the sun goes down or on a cloudy day)


For this shoot, it was a rainy day so we rescheduled from the evening to the afternoon. We met at a park nearby where I knew there would be several nice backgrounds. There was wild flowers and ducks by a pond, a wooden bridge over a creek, lots of green grass, and play equipment. Its nice to have a variety - especially if one location isn't working out as hoped.

Of course, I couldn't resist taking a picture of Soren while we were there. Logan and Stephanie each took a turn watching him for me.

Now back to editing - its good to post on the blog as it helps me see what is looking to dark or could be cropped better.