Getting great pictures takes time, skill and practice. It also does not hurt to read, read and read! Thankfully, I loved to read because that is how I learned what I knew and what I didn't know. Scott Kelby does an awesome job of breaking technical terms down so that the everyday photographer can understand them, but so that the pro can advance further in their craft.
If you are thinking, hey I want to learn more about my DSLR camera-- this is the book series for you.
If you want to take better photos than just on your phone-- this is the book series for you.
If you are semi-pro or pro photographer and want to advance further--this book series is for you.
Mr. Kelby now has 5 books in his series, but even just the first book will help tremendously with camera handling skills at all levels.
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Happy Snapping!
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I am often ask this question!
Do I bring my very large camera with me on vacation? The answer is yes. . .and no. I LOVE my Nikon D600, but the reality is that when I go on vacation I am not always looking to lug my huge camera bag around with me. Yes, I still want great photos, of course. However, carrying a handheld pocket or purse camera is very enticing. So, I do both!
When I cam going on vacation where I will be in one place the entire trip like at the beach cottage for a week. . . I bring the big giant camera! If I am headed to Disney World or Disneyland with the family and will need to be carrying a backpack full of lunches,snacks and water bottles then I will opt for a smaller version of my ginormous camera.
Here are the camera and lenses I use:
(My favorite lens of all time, but VERY heavy to carry!)
Now there are two models of "pocket" cameras that I like to use. One economical and the other not so.
1. The Nikon Coolpix L840 is an easy camera to pack, pull out when you need it and has video as well as 16.0 MP. This is a camera I also let the kids use when they want to do video projects for school or want to take it out and about.
2. My favorite, because I love technology, is the Samsung Galaxy 2. What I like most about this camera is that I can share with myself or others photos right from the camera. Even while on our family vacation to Sea World I was able to choose photos and create a photo album that was waiting for me when I got home! Talk about time saver! This camera has all the capabilities of a phone without the calling feature. Samsung really does have the BEST picture quality I have seen and allows the camera to connect with Dropbox, GoogleMail, Facebook and more.
I hope this information was helpful! If you have an questions please contact me at annie@sandboxcreationsphotography.com and I'll be happy to help!
Happy Snapping!
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I am always looking for inspirational books that can help me grow
as a person, photographer and mom.
SELF-HELP!
Through books, I like to take the summer and get my mojo back! Refresh rejuvenate and get my priorities and goals in focus. This book is making me laugh AND giving me great ideas for both my business and my life. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life is doing just that. Enjoy!
PARENTING
The book below, 7 Highly Efective Habits of Teenagers is really about me helping my 13 year old have the right tools to be a better human being and function in this crazy world. So far she has not succumb to the typical teenage mentality, but I am go to go that extra mile to make sure she is well-equiped with skill that will help her succeed in life.
PHOTOGRAPHY
For my photography inspiration, I like to read and re-read Scott Kelby's ever growing collection called, Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Here he give practical tips and tricks for the amateur AND professional photographer to get that "money shot!"
What are the KIDS reading?
My (going into) 6th grader is reading the popular series, A Series of Unfortunate Events Book Series (13 Books) by Lemony Snicket. Crazy enough, it is REALLY good! I can't stop reading it! I am shocked that all of the horrible things that keep happening to the Baudelaire orphans is somehow intriguing. I keep wanting good things to happen to them and perhaps by book 13 good WILL come to them:)
Enjoy the summer's lazy days with a book! I will try to update this post as I find more books that might be of interest.
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Click on the image below to see all of my favorite photo crafts I found on Pinterest!
Take lots of photos and HAVE FUN!
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Why Hire a Professional Photographer?
"Take a picture it lasts longer!" shouted the kids near me in 7th grade. I can't remember what I was starting at, if anything. But really, how true! My love of photography happened long ago when my mother gave me a black & white camera for Christmas. Perhaps it was her love of documenting life, but I caught the bug. So much so that even when I became a High School Drama Teacher I loved creating still poses in the movement of a musical or play. I could yell, "freeze!" in a rehearsal and my students knew to srtike that pose with the emotions and action in that scene. If we could not create "photos" of each important moment in the show then how could we ask the audience to remember the important message or piece of information. We couldn't. Holding on to the emotion or action was essential to telling the story. That is how I see life! "We are all actors. . . " said the great William Shakespeare. Stop the action for a moment to hold onto that forever. Photography does this for me. It allows me to hold on to this great gift called, life. All the little moments, expressions, and happy times. It is funny that even though we experience tragedy and loss in our lives it is the good times and happy times that we remember the most. Photos reinforce this!
So, why hire a professional, well because of the above. I have studied people, emotions, posing, lighting, and what to wear for my high school, college days into my professional life! Professional photographers have that love of stopping life for a moment and know how to be in the right place at the right time. Along with the equipment, computer software, tons of classes and practice the professional has a need to make a living doing what they love and have been called to do! To me, images are not just things to get left on a disk or on a computer. They are mini-gifts of time and memories.
1. EDUCATION: Someone once said 10,000 hours doing something makes you an expert! There are 8,736 hours in one year! Whether self-taught, a class taker or someone who studied photography in college. Learning takes time, patience and hours! Lots and lots of hours!
2. EQUIPMENT and SOFTWARE: Knowledge about that equipment and software is a huge part of snapping the right shot. Being able to work in the digital darkroom is a must. Photoshop Lightroom, Photoshop Elements 15 or Photoshop 6 CC. These are all fairly easy to learn if you have some time and there are many books to help learn faster than trial an error. My favorite for Lightroom and Photoshop together can be found here.
3. EYES: Photographers have an eye for seeing what people in the photos don't see. Maybe it is the lighthouse in the distance or the fact that someone's fly is undone! The EYES have it!
4. TIMING: Having a camera ready for THAT perfect shot is important! Being in the right place at the right time especially when dealing with children will get a memorable shot to last a lifetime!
5. BOSINESS or should I say, LEADERSHIP: Someone to wrangle the troops! A Photographer must be able to organize large groups of people and do it well!
6. PERSONALITY: The photographer will hopefully build a good rapport with client fast! A sense of humor is worth it's weight in gold. Being friendly, silly and professional all at the same time is a challenge. But these are the qualities of a great photographer.
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There is nothing more important in a marriage, friendship or any important relationship than to love and be loved UNCONDITIONALLY.
This verse above from a song I listened to on my high school retreats is one I carry with me today.
Agape spoken in the Bible as God's love for us. The highest most important love humans can give to one another.
AGAPE: Divine, Active, Unconditional, Self-Sacrificing, Thoughtful
What does it mean to love an AGAPE kind of love in our everyday lives?
1. No Keeping Score.
2. Give Hugs!
3. When mistakes are made, saying "It's ok, I love you."
4. Giving the last piece of cake to someone else.
5. Noticing when someone has a bad day or a good day and doing something about it. Send a note. Bring some flowers.
Go out today and show your AGAPE!
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Even though it poured rain through the entire ceremony their love and energy were not dampened one bit!
PURPLE at a wedding always makes me happy!
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please contact me ASAP!
annie@sandboxcreationsphotography.com
FIVE TIPS FOR BRIDES. . .
1. RELAX YOUR FACE
2. SMILE WITH YOUR EYES
3. USE LESS ORANGE-Y MAKEUP
4. AVOID A DOUBLE CHIN elongate your neck by moving your head forward slightly and lift up your chin.
5. FAKE SLEEK ARMS ​try lifting your arms out to the sides, just enough to give the biceps and triceps breathing room especially if you have a sleeveless wedding dress.
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Your support has been important as year by year I continue to grow as a business!
From adorable newborns, cute kiddos and fabulous families to businesses that needed proper HEADSHOTS and STORE ART to portray a professional image, it has been an awesome 2015!
Your greatest compliment to me is your referral of family and friends when they are in need of a photographer!
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Email or call and I will have this Gift Certificate all fancied up and ready to give! Easy as eating that Christmas pie!
You can now create a book of the images from your session from MY WEBSITE!!! This is so exciting to be able to offer Photo Books directly created by you from your session with ME!! Simply go to your gallery and type in your password. Then click Books under products on the right. Choose the size you would like and begin dragging and dropping!
You can choose the size, colors, type of paper and images!! FUN!
Books to choose from:
Custom Hard Cover
Soft Cover
OR Lay Flat Books
Have Fun Creating Your MEMORIES!
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A Family Wedding! One of my 17 cousins got married this summer to a girl from the farthest town in Illinois. Yep, you guessed it! A wedding right next to a corn field in a very tiny church! It was charming and fun! Congrats, Jason & Katie!
1. MEGA PIXELS: The higher the mega pixels the bigger your print can be without losing it's sharpness! So if you are eventually going to want to blow up a shot of your little one's beautiful eyes, then the high the MP the better. This also makes for crisper smaller photos.
2. ZOOM: This is tricky. I know most people want as much zoom as they can get. However, I look at my feet as my zoom. Even with my DSLR I always feel like I don't have enough zoom, so I use my feet! I walk closer to what I am shooting. Having too much zoom I have found can be a problem as well. When the camera is zoomed all the way out it is hard to get a steady shot. The images become blurred because too much zoom was used and our hands are only so still. We are always moving even when trying to stand still. A 7x or even 10x zoom camera is plenty of zoom.
3. VIBRATION-REDUCTION: Speaking of the shakes, look to see if the camera has vibration-reduction or VR. This will give more stability to the camera at normal lengths of focus and at its farthest distance. Every little bit of stability helps! Yet, still the farther the zoom is out the VR will help, but doesn't take all of the shakes away.
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Here is where I want to share all of the goodies I find that can help you rock your camera, your software and your business!
Photo Dough is a new site that gets photographers the BEST deals on all of their photoshop templates, camera accessories, business forms for photographers and much more!
Take advantage of these AWESOME deals! CLICK here to see what you can find that you need or even may not need!!?? It is fun to shop for deals! This site is like Groupon, but for us photographers who can't get enough of the stuff that makes our job easier and more fun!
CLICK http://www.photodough.com/r/34340
Have fun saving tons of money!!
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Sandbox Photo Tip # 4: At the beach, get sandy and wet!
My number one favorite place to take photos. . .THE BEACH! Here is an awesome day on Lake Michigan when the waves were high and faces were bright!! Use the sun as your main light and when the sun is to your subjects back use a flash to help even out the light! Getting low to your subjects (laying in the sand) and IN THE WATER will conjure up fantastic action shots! I know about the fear of getting your camera wet and sandy, but your images will rock and as long as you don't submerge your camera in the sand and water. . .your camera can be cleaned out! Check out this site for tips on cleaning your lens: http://digital-photography-school.com/how-should-i-clean-my-dslrs-lens. After a session at the beach my camera gets a good clean up to avoid unwanted spots on future images! Another great source is YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1qu7SW_A7I Here you can SEE how to clean the sensor not just the lens.
Have fun on your next adventure at the BEACH!!
Maybe it is the water, or the golden light, or the sound of crashing waves. Whatever it is I can't shake it after I am gone. It stays with me. At this Senior Session I got to spend the evening with a gorgeous Senior and her family of the stunning shores of Lake Michigan!
Wishing her well in her Senior year and beyond! "She will move mountains!" -Dr. Seuss This couldn't be more true about this senior who loves fruit flies, musicals and spending time at the beach!
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I had a great time with this Family at their home! The lush greenery in their yard was the perfect backdrop to showcase the stunning beauty of their smiles!
-Dr. Seuss
Calvin Class of 2014
I spent a really hot evening with this senior down at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, dowtown Grand Rapids. This senior did a great job not jumping into the water that looked oh so good while we shot in 90 degree temps! He and his family are also Tiger fans, so we had to sneak some Old English D into the session!
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]]>Kids are always on the move, right? Here is a tip on how to stop the action on them, but blur the background. First, get ready!!!! Second, hold the shutter half way down and on your subject. Third, "pan" (move you and your camera) with your subject as they move. Then push the shutter down the rest of the way while following your subject. See sample image below. Have Fun!!
For my own personal albums, I now go with Shutterfly. They always offer a coupon and they have great customer service. In my earlier days I was a hardcore scrapbooker, but it is difficult as the girls grow to stay on top of that. Now with services like Shutterfly that pretty much do all of the work for you makes using online providers faster and easier. Creating an album can be a work of art, but the point really is to get those photos ready to view.
As for Framing, I like Michaels. I like them for the same reason as Shutterfly. . .they give coupons! Framing can be VERY expensive so shop around for the best deals. There is nothing better than a photo that is presented well on the wall. Frames and matting really help make your photos last and look great.
As for Canvas, I like my own lab. There are so many places that sell Canvas Prints for cheap and they come looking that way. . .cheap. Any Canvas from 16 X 20 on up should really be done through your photographer.
Here are some examples of a canvas, frame and album that a client went crazy with in her home. LOVE IT!! Thanks, Sarah for letting me take these.
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I have a favorite prop/dress up shop. . .Dreamspun! My favorites are their pettiskirts and hair clips! They also sell handmade jewelry that is divine! Luckly, they are right here in Grand Rapids, but you can purchase these awesome skirts, shirts, rompers and jewelry online HERE.
Every girl needs an awesome twirling pettiskirt! This is a 6 year old session I did with their signature pettiskirt with layers and layers of frill and matching hair flower. LOVE IT!!
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I love shooting sports!! I love the action and the intense emotion on faces. Although these faces are covered the action is still there. While taking photos of our daughters' ski race this weekend I was reminded of one tip that can help everyone take better photos of their kids when they are active in sports. Snap the photo so that there is more space IN FRONT of the athlete. It gives the sense that they have somewhere to go! It implies energy! To do this, I follow my girls with them in the first third of the frame and snap, snap, snap moving with them still in the first third of the frame. It takes practice, but thinking about space in front of the athlete makes for a more dynamic photo. Think early and snap often!
Happy Snapping!
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There is someone in every family that hold the camera. That person really is the "family historian." They record on (digital) film and in albums who the family is, where it has been, and the emotions that run through its members. Usually, the mom, but can often be the dad, or a grandparent. Whoever is recording your family history. . .these tips are for you!
DETAILS: Looking at the images below, I am obviously attracted to hands. When getting my degree in Theatre a fellow actor said, "One way to be believeable is to focus on your hands." Now I always pay attention to hands. They really do tell stories! Although the wedding flower image does not have hands in the frame. . .the hands are right there underneath them! Follow those hands and get in close.
Knowing your camera (yes, reading the manual) will help you find out how close you can get until the shot comes out blurry. Then take advantage of the cropping tool when you edit your image and take it in farther. Presto! There is an image that tells a story and preserves every little detail that will be gone or grown soon.
Happy Snapping!
After making these pumpkins pies I thought they looked so plain, so I decorated them with more crust! I rolled out another crust and with a paring knife cut out leaf shapes to put around the edges and in the center. I always think the center cut looks ugly. Not anymore! Cookie cutters are also a great way to spruce up pies with extra pie crust shapes! For Thanksgiving how about a Turkey shaped piece of crust in the center. Or perhaps a Christmas tree in the center at a Christmas dinner.
I followed the recipie on the back of the pumpkin "guts" can.
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Then moving on around the city I continued to snap away. . .
I had fun with this family finding little places in and around the Ada Covered Bridge. They won this photo shoot at the Forest Hills EXPO in March! These Christmas Cards are showcasing some of their photos from the shoot! Also here is a sample iPhone cover!
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Dogs, dogs, dogs! We had a great turn out at the First Annual Dog Wash for Vicky's Pet Connection. Here are two cuties that got their curls cleaned by this kids created charity event! We look forward to even more dogs next year!
Sandbox Creations CUPCAKES. . . My daughters and I started a new venture! Custom cupcakes. We are addicted to the TV Show Cupcake Wars and are constantly coming up with new recipes. This one was pink lemonade cupcakes with raspberry buttercream frosting topped with a farm fresh raspberry. Yuuuuuuumm! These cupcakes liners are the best. They do not fade when baked. They keep their bright colors through baking. They are Reynolds Baking Cups. They come in so many colors and prints. Cupcakes always look fancier in them!
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