Treasure Hunting

So, I went to a garage sale at a used photography store in Indianapolis.  It was pretty fun! They had lots of things that I am not well educated on, and lots of things I did not recognize.  Lots of old film cameras. I regret not picking one of those up just to try out.  But at least if I have the need to use film, I have my Diana F Lomography camera.  Ooo, maybe I will use that soon and blog about it! Anyhow, I did pick up a couple of old lenses.  The first one is a Hanimex 28mm f2.8 lens.  It is not a fancy lens.  In fact, it is credited with being the worst lens ever! Hanimex was an Australian distributor that produced several lens mounts to many different camera systems around the 60’s or 70’s.  (The time was a tough one to find so take that with a grain of salt.) But I wanted something that I could freelens with that would be super cheap. I have found that when you close down the aperture you get a really fun hexagonal lens flare! It’s a manual lens which is good, so that I don’t have to tape open the shutter when freelensing.  (Which you have to with Nikon lenses as the shutter is usually automatically closed on an automatic lens.)  So worst lens ever? Meh! I like it to get me out of a creative slump.  Sometimes just trying something new can help me get into a more creative mind set. 

I also got a Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm Macro lens. It is also known as the “stovepipe” due to its long profile with a wide front end.  Makes perfect sense.  It really does look like a stovepipe, and it is heavy!
This one is kind of in rough shape.  The aperture gets stuck, and I end up having to completely guess on my exposure.  I might have to take it apart and see if I can repair it.  It was not costly, so it is very low risk working on it. It also has a fun lens flare.  You can see in my photos that there are several little orbs.  So, this was a fun experiment as well!   

These two lenses are very different from what I have! I just thought I would share some of my fun experimentation’s with them.  Do you have any vintage lenses? Feel free to share some photos with me if you do!  

Thanks for reading.  

Top 5 Things to Photograph for Spring

Spring time is a perfect time for photography! The weather is cool and not too hot yet, the flowers are starting to bloom, the sun is starting to shine more. Here are some ideas of things to photograph in the spring time.

Flowering trees

This time of year, the trees start to bud and turn green.  Forsythia bushes start blooming in yellow bursts. Magnolia trees are one of the first things to blossom around this time of year.  It only lasts a short period of time, so be sure to get out there and get your pictures done!

Weeds

Farmers hate them, photographers love them! Weeds start springing up everywhere! Dandelions, and henbit are some of the first things to start sprouting.  There is nothing better than that classic kid photo of them making a wish on a dandelion.  As days get longer you will have more and more light to work with.  Make the best of it!  

Outside Time

Finally!! After months of being stuck indoors, the kids can run wild and free! Be sure to capture those happy kid faces.

Baby animals

I think this is just a springtime standard.  Baby animals just signify spring.  Maybe it has to do with Easter- new life and such.  Anyhow, we usually start with new chickens in the spring. It is always a must to capture new chickens.     

Stormy Skies

The weather gets a little crazy in the springtime.  Warm fronts move in, there is always a lot of wind and rain.  Wind in the hair always adds movement and interest to an image. Sometimes you can catch an interesting and stormy sky!  Especially just after a good rain.  Just make sure to protect your camera from getting wet! I have a rain cover that I use sometimes, but a Walmart sack will work too in a pinch!

These are just some of my ideas for spring. Spring is a perfect time for a photo shoot, so contact me if you’d like to set one up!

Thanks for reading!

What to Wear for your Next Photoshoot

Worrying about what to wear for your next photo shoot can be exhausting and hard! The truth is, what you wear really does make a huge difference in your photos!  I have written a few things here to consider:

Patterns and layers

Patterns and layers add interest and cohesion to your images. Vests, scarves, necklaces, jackets, boots and socks all can add layering that will add pops of color and cohesion with others in your photograph.  You want to be coordinated but not matchy matchy.  Don’t have everyone wear the same color.  Especially all black or all white. Add some other soft neutrals.  Neutrals are always very timeless. Think about timeless clothing and try not to mix eras.  If you are wearing something from the 80’s, but the rest of your family is wearing something very modern you are going to stick out and look like you really don’t belong with the rest of your family.  You should opt for a subtle pattern that will look good with solid colors and other family member’s outfits.  Your outfit shouldn’t be the loudest but look in place with the other outfits.  Cohesion without being matchy is the key!     

From your head to your feet

Some things to consider is any accessories and how they look together.  Think about hats and shoes. They can add interest to a photo, or they can take it over.  Sometimes with little kids, bare feet are best.  Necklaces and scarves can add a pop of color.   

Movement

Think about how things will photograph.  For girls a twirly dress can add amazing movement to a photo! Think about fabrics that move well and consider a dress from Alice + Ames. They are so very twirly. Don’t wear a stiff fabric that will not move well.  Also think about what you can comfortably move around in.  If your dress is so short, it keeps you from bending over you might want to rethink it!

Comfortable and fitted

Find an outfit that you like, that speaks to your style. It’s important to pick something that is waist defining. It must flatter your body and be comfortable.  No one is going to photograph well in a tuxedo unless they are actually very comfortable in it!  It needs to suit you! Not too tight and not too loose. You don’t want to wear sweatpants, or baggy frumpy clothing either! If a tie doesn’t suit your husband, then don’t make him wear one! His face will look miserable, and your photos will remind you of the power struggle over clothing instead of a fun time and beautiful memories.  

Be kind to your photographer and avoid neon and large brand logos

Neon will leave color casts on your skin.  They are not easy to get rid of in Photoshop.  It can be done, but it is time intensive and very tedious.  And depending on the photo, it may not look quite right after all of those adjustments in Photoshop.  So, it is best to stay away from it.  The last thing you want is an amazing moment ruined by weird skin tone.  Large logos take away from the people in the photograph and take a long time to clone out.  Children should stay away from trendy character tops.  Graphic tees and ones with fun sayings are OK for kids.

The key is to pick things that are not going to take away from the subjects (aka: YOU!) It’s helpful to start out with one piece that you really love and then build around that. These are some simple ideas to think about for your next photo shoot! There is a great article from Click Magazine that is very helpful: here and also here. Another option is to rent dresses or outfits at Opal and June or Bentley + Lace.  Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas and inspiration! I love putting together outfits and textiles so please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you need help!  

Thanks for reading!